Still it comes, one pet after another!
It’s 11:05
This is Buffy, a nine-year-old Dachshund crossed with a Terrier, who is drinking and peeing too much according to the lady who brought Buffy in to the clinic this morning. Adding that Buffy seems to be always hungry and quieter than normal.
Jim runs a blood test and not long after says that nothing has jumped out at him as a potential issue from Part One of the test results. (Apparently, the blood test comprised two parts – I will learn more in a subsequent visit to Lincoln Road.)
Buffy’s heart sounds good. Buffy has not lost weight.
Then Part Two of the blood test results reveal, thankfully, that Buffy is not diabetic, is not indicating Cushing’s Syndrome, and that Buffy’s kidneys are fine.
In other words, Buffy has the look of a healthy dog.
Has this all been a waste of time and money? Not at all, says Dr. Jim. This is the first time the clinic has seen Buffy and all the test results can now be logged providing a baseline of data for future reference purposes.
11:50 In comes Chloe.
Chloe has been vomiting up her food and, consequently, has stopped eating. Jim is concerned that Chloe is overweight and that in the very hot weather of recent days (high 90s F./mid 30s C.) he has been seeing a number of dogs with excessive heat problems.
One thing that could be done to Chloe was to clip her excessively long toe nails.
Jim does that.
12:15 All done.
To be continued:
(Please note: These observations are mine alone and because of the busy environment it must be assumed that my interpretation of what was taking place might not be totally accurate. Nothing in this blog post should be used by a reader to make any medical judgment about an animal. If you have any concern about an animal do make an appointment to see a properly qualified veterinarian doctor.)
Learning from Dogs 
Immediately, I thought Buffy was diabetic. It is good that she isn’t. People really need to look after their dogs in hot weather. Another fascinating post, Paul.
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Hopefully in some way this report helps to spread the word about the dangers of hot weather. Thanks Susan.
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Sadly, lots of people overfeed their pets out of misguided love for them. And it is true, that pets become very like their guardians. I think Chloe and her owner probably need to eat a little less and get a bit more exercise as health issues are likely to affect them both.
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No argument with your sound guidance. Thanks Colette.
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A very interesting series Paul. Thankyou. Jim comes across as an excellent vet.
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Thank you, Marg. Presumably you noted the immense gratitude towards you for forwarding those dog pictures! Turning to Jim, yes he is!
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Obese dogs seem to be relatively the new normal -at Pets Mart, Pet Co and, veterinarian clinics. Folks either don’t have will power or they think the animal needs food every time it acts hungry. Obese animals have the same problems later in life – the same as people. Obesity contributes to so many health problems.
It’s good to know that the Dr. Jim did the labs on Buffy. It does help in the same way it does for humans. Dogs and cats and humans have a great deal in common. 🙂
Nice informative post.
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Yes, Jean and I often reflect on obesity, especially in people. For there are some truly overweight men and women to be seen. One presumes that they were born into a family situation that didn’t include any form of eating guidance. Sorry, didn’t mean to go on it’s just something we have real trouble in understanding, as in empathizing with those who are so obese.
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The obesity problem in humans is huge and I didn’t intend for that to be a pun. I feel for these folks who I’m sure struggle with their desire for food.
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Well you and I seem to be on the same wavelength!
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So glad to learn Buffy is well and not diabetic , And we forget how the heat affects so many dogs and cats.. Walking around with their fur coats,
I hope Chloe is now more comfortable with her manicure, and she looks like she has been getting too many treats. We often do not see the damage we do to our animals by over feeding and often treating them between meals.
Excellent post Paul.
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As always, Sue, wonderful feedback. Take care!
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