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Authors: Phoenix Sullivan
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catching himself easily like an acrobat.
“Ninety-two pounds,” I announced.
Reese looked at me over the top of her glasses. “You’re sure?”
What? Did she think I was lying, or that perhaps I didn’t know how to subtract? Either way, I felt insulted. And the band of tension that gripped the inside of my head just behind my eyes was maybe an omen I should have paid more heed to. But I stifled my annoyance and simply nodded.
“The dose on this Levamasole has to be precise, you know.”
Not sure what she expected from me, I nodded again.
Looking vaguely unhappy, she began filling a syringe. “Then get him over here and let’s get him treated. Hold off that left vein for me.”
I pushed Jess’ rump down onto the cold tile, then stood behind him and a little to the left. Leaning against him, I crooked my right arm around his neck and gripped him at the elbow with my left hand, rolling my thumb over the top of his leg where the cephalic vein runs. He held perfectly still as Reese knelt in front of him.
“Don’t let him move. This stuff is very toxic and if it gets out of the vein, it could cause some serious tissue damage.”
I held onto Jess and whispered in his ear as Reese inserted the needle then began slowly injecting the toxic fluid into the vein. Patient and rock-still, Jess waited it out. Reese slipped the needle out and pinched the vein for a moment to prevent back-leak, then let go. “Okay, we’re done.”
I assured Jess he had been an excellent boy, then took him out for a walk before returning him to a clean run.
Dr. Norris hailed me next. “There’s a little black-and-white cat we spayed yesterday. Can you bring her here?” I made a quick search, locating the little cat curled peacefully on a towel in one of the smaller cages. She purred as I carried her over to the table.
“She took a little while to come out of anesthesia yesterday. Can you get a temp on her?”
“Sure.” I hunted for a thermometer and shook it down while Dr. Norris looked in on another patient in its cage. Finally feeling like a real animal caregiver, I inserted the thermometer, then began petting the calm little cat, enjoying the feel of the down-soft fur, despite knowing the effect it would no doubt have on my allergies. I was just about to remove the thermometer when Dr. Norris returned. Without preamble, he lifted the cat’s tail, grabbed the thermometer and started to pull it out. Halfway through the motion he stopped.
“Um, Phoenix.” I looked up at him expectantly. “Did you look where you put the thermometer when you put it in? See, here…” I peered over his shoulder to where he was pointing. “… that’s the vagina you put it in. If this cat had fought any, you could have torn her stitches and we’d be back in surgery with her.”
I felt my face pinking as I realized what I had done. Knowing I wasn’t making a very good impression so far on my first day, I carried the little cat, whose vaginal temperature was quite normal and who seemed fit to go home, back to her towel.
“How about bringing me the apricot poodle next,” Dr. Norris called out.
At least he wasn’t giving up on me yet, I thought, relieved. I found the poodle in question, an older teacup male with a jutting lower jaw that gave his whole face a lopsided look. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked.
“Vomiting and diarrhea. But we haven’t seen anything like that from him yet. How did his cage look?”
“Clean.”
“Did he eat?”
I shook my head.
“Well, why don’t you take him outside and see what he does.”
Looping a nylon lead over the tiny head, I carried the little poodle outside and set him on the strip of grass that ran between the building and the street. On the other side of the street, yet another strip mall faced our direction. The little poodle dutifully did his business, then stood up on his back legs pawing my leg. Quite clearly, the little tyke was telling me his walk was done and asking to be
“Ninety-two pounds,” I announced.
Reese looked at me over the top of her glasses. “You’re sure?”
What? Did she think I was lying, or that perhaps I didn’t know how to subtract? Either way, I felt insulted. And the band of tension that gripped the inside of my head just behind my eyes was maybe an omen I should have paid more heed to. But I stifled my annoyance and simply nodded.
“The dose on this Levamasole has to be precise, you know.”
Not sure what she expected from me, I nodded again.
Looking vaguely unhappy, she began filling a syringe. “Then get him over here and let’s get him treated. Hold off that left vein for me.”
I pushed Jess’ rump down onto the cold tile, then stood behind him and a little to the left. Leaning against him, I crooked my right arm around his neck and gripped him at the elbow with my left hand, rolling my thumb over the top of his leg where the cephalic vein runs. He held perfectly still as Reese knelt in front of him.
“Don’t let him move. This stuff is very toxic and if it gets out of the vein, it could cause some serious tissue damage.”
I held onto Jess and whispered in his ear as Reese inserted the needle then began slowly injecting the toxic fluid into the vein. Patient and rock-still, Jess waited it out. Reese slipped the needle out and pinched the vein for a moment to prevent back-leak, then let go. “Okay, we’re done.”
I assured Jess he had been an excellent boy, then took him out for a walk before returning him to a clean run.
Dr. Norris hailed me next. “There’s a little black-and-white cat we spayed yesterday. Can you bring her here?” I made a quick search, locating the little cat curled peacefully on a towel in one of the smaller cages. She purred as I carried her over to the table.
“She took a little while to come out of anesthesia yesterday. Can you get a temp on her?”
“Sure.” I hunted for a thermometer and shook it down while Dr. Norris looked in on another patient in its cage. Finally feeling like a real animal caregiver, I inserted the thermometer, then began petting the calm little cat, enjoying the feel of the down-soft fur, despite knowing the effect it would no doubt have on my allergies. I was just about to remove the thermometer when Dr. Norris returned. Without preamble, he lifted the cat’s tail, grabbed the thermometer and started to pull it out. Halfway through the motion he stopped.
“Um, Phoenix.” I looked up at him expectantly. “Did you look where you put the thermometer when you put it in? See, here…” I peered over his shoulder to where he was pointing. “… that’s the vagina you put it in. If this cat had fought any, you could have torn her stitches and we’d be back in surgery with her.”
I felt my face pinking as I realized what I had done. Knowing I wasn’t making a very good impression so far on my first day, I carried the little cat, whose vaginal temperature was quite normal and who seemed fit to go home, back to her towel.
“How about bringing me the apricot poodle next,” Dr. Norris called out.
At least he wasn’t giving up on me yet, I thought, relieved. I found the poodle in question, an older teacup male with a jutting lower jaw that gave his whole face a lopsided look. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked.
“Vomiting and diarrhea. But we haven’t seen anything like that from him yet. How did his cage look?”
“Clean.”
“Did he eat?”
I shook my head.
“Well, why don’t you take him outside and see what he does.”
Looping a nylon lead over the tiny head, I carried the little poodle outside and set him on the strip of grass that ran between the building and the street. On the other side of the street, yet another strip mall faced our direction. The little poodle dutifully did his business, then stood up on his back legs pawing my leg. Quite clearly, the little tyke was telling me his walk was done and asking to be
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