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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

December 25. Day 359. Paw little baby

My plans for Christmas Day involved food and family, gifts, giving and grog. My plans for Christmas did not involve the 24 hour emergency pet hospital. But as anyone will tell you the festive season generates a long trail of unplanned trips to emergency rooms, often in tragic circumstances. I now know this involves not just human casualties of the season.
It started like this. I woke early and discovered Rumple was not in his normal position on the bed. I found him cowering under the dining room table seemingly unable to walk. I called the after hours vet and was about to take the fur friend when he made a recovery of sorts at the sound of the car keys. I cancelled the appointment. But he was not himself. He was listless and flat. He vomited on the bed and spent the morning hiding under furniture. It was like the batteries in the puppy version of the Energizer Bunny had run flat. Nothing would coax him out of it. Desperately worried I decided to take him to the vet after all. There I saw a couple sobbing over the cage of a sick pussy and a very forlorn family arrived to visit a sick pet. I was holding my limp baby in my arms. We went in. Rumple was prodded and probed. His temperature was taken. He was examined for ticks. They checked his heart and lungs and felt his tummy for any blockages. And they found nothing. He was, despite all the signs to the contrary, a picture of good health. So I handed over $150 (a small price to pay for peace of mind) and bundled Mr Sad Sack back in the car mystified. And then a little Christmas Miracle happened. In the very short journey from the vet to our house he made a recovery and started to try and climb out of his basket. By the time we got home he jumped from the car and ran to visit Margaret next door. Shortly afterwards he was chasing balls and begging for food. I have no idea but I do know I would trade all the gifts and food in the world for the good health of my nearest and dearest and that includes the Fur Friend. My Christmas Day may not have gone to plan but it turned out to be very merry just the same.

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