Read Online Vet Tech Tales: The Early Years by Phoenix Sullivan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Phoenix Sullivan
Ads: Link
picked up. Obliging, I carried him back into the kennel and sat him on the exam table.
“So, how did it go?” Norris asked.
“He urinated and –” How to put it delicately? I had grown up in an environment where words for such intimate bodily functions were rarely used. I had heard the cruder terms bandied about by Norris, but I couldn’t bring myself to use them. I lowered my voice. “He had a BM.”
Norris’ lips twitched into a smile. “And how did his shit look?”
Offended though I was by such language, I knew Norris was simply trying to get a rise out of me. I schooled my expression and answered blandly, “Normal. Solid.”
The vet looked a bit disappointed at my reaction, but he rallied well. “Go ahead and take his temperature and, if it’s normal, see if you can get him to eat something.” Then, with a sideways glance, added, “He’s a male, so you should be able to find the right opening easily enough.”
I wondered how long it would be before the sting in my cheeks would finally go away.
Susie: A Lesson of the Heart
All the cages were clean and Charla and I were washing the dishes while Dr. Norris pulled the last piece of tape off of a Schnauzer’s bandaged paw when Joan poked her head into the kennel. “Mrs. Van Buren’s here.”
Dr. Norris smiled. “Why don’t you come with me, Phoenix, and meet her?”
I glanced at Charla who simply tilted her chin toward the door, grinned, and said, “Go on.”
The petite, blue-haired lady was leaning against the reception desk, quite obviously needing the support. Blue veins showed stark along the deeply wrinkled skin covering her hands and bared arms. The skin drooped hound-dog sad beneath her opaquing eyes. Her thin voice quavered when she spoke. “Hello, Doctor Norris. I brought you some doughnuts today. I thought you and the girls could use a little pick-me-up this morning.”
“Well, we certainly can, Mrs. Van Buren. Thank you.” I noticed Dr. Norris spoke a little louder and enunciated more clearly. “How is Susie today?”
“Oh, I think she’s doing a little better. Happy. She was wagging her tail at breakfast.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Let’s go give her a shot then. I’m going to let Phoenix hold her today.”
I smiled as Mrs. Van Buren squinted at me. “Phoenix? I don’t believe I’ve met you, dear. Are you new?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I answered. “I just started today.”
Mrs. Van Buren frowned. Dr. Norris stepped in quickly. “Phoenix has worked for me before, though, so she is experienced. You needn’t worry.”
The elderly woman didn’t seem too convinced, muttering, “Well, if you’re sure, Doctor. I just want Susie to be cared for properly. She’s my everything , you know, now that David is gone.”
I raised an eyebrow, curious as to what we were about to do to Susie and wondering who David was. Mrs. Van Buren’s husband? Her son?
Joan, on the other side of the desk, handed Norris a small, thin syringe.
“Let’s go out and do it then, shall we?” Norris headed for the front door and held it open. Even more perplexed, I followed him and Mrs. Van Buren outside. They headed for a sleek, black tank of a Cadillac parked at curbside. Inside, a youngish woman in a brown cotton dress and stiff white apron sat in the driver’s seat. Beside her on the tan leather passenger seat lay an old gray poodle. The dog’s rheumy eyes, slightly opaqued , looked a lot like Mrs. Van Buren’s. And the thinning coat reminded me of her owner’s hair as well. But where Mrs. Van Buren was thin and delicate with age, the poodle was round and plump.
Dr. Norris opened the passenger door, lifted out the old poodle and placed Susie in my arms. Mrs. Van Buren stood by anxiously. Still not knowing what to expect, I held Susie, my hand automatically stroking her under the chin, while Norris pinched the skin over her left shoulder, slipped the ultra-thin needle into the fold and injected what amounted to no more than a
“So, how did it go?” Norris asked.
“He urinated and –” How to put it delicately? I had grown up in an environment where words for such intimate bodily functions were rarely used. I had heard the cruder terms bandied about by Norris, but I couldn’t bring myself to use them. I lowered my voice. “He had a BM.”
Norris’ lips twitched into a smile. “And how did his shit look?”
Offended though I was by such language, I knew Norris was simply trying to get a rise out of me. I schooled my expression and answered blandly, “Normal. Solid.”
The vet looked a bit disappointed at my reaction, but he rallied well. “Go ahead and take his temperature and, if it’s normal, see if you can get him to eat something.” Then, with a sideways glance, added, “He’s a male, so you should be able to find the right opening easily enough.”
I wondered how long it would be before the sting in my cheeks would finally go away.
Susie: A Lesson of the Heart
All the cages were clean and Charla and I were washing the dishes while Dr. Norris pulled the last piece of tape off of a Schnauzer’s bandaged paw when Joan poked her head into the kennel. “Mrs. Van Buren’s here.”
Dr. Norris smiled. “Why don’t you come with me, Phoenix, and meet her?”
I glanced at Charla who simply tilted her chin toward the door, grinned, and said, “Go on.”
The petite, blue-haired lady was leaning against the reception desk, quite obviously needing the support. Blue veins showed stark along the deeply wrinkled skin covering her hands and bared arms. The skin drooped hound-dog sad beneath her opaquing eyes. Her thin voice quavered when she spoke. “Hello, Doctor Norris. I brought you some doughnuts today. I thought you and the girls could use a little pick-me-up this morning.”
“Well, we certainly can, Mrs. Van Buren. Thank you.” I noticed Dr. Norris spoke a little louder and enunciated more clearly. “How is Susie today?”
“Oh, I think she’s doing a little better. Happy. She was wagging her tail at breakfast.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Let’s go give her a shot then. I’m going to let Phoenix hold her today.”
I smiled as Mrs. Van Buren squinted at me. “Phoenix? I don’t believe I’ve met you, dear. Are you new?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I answered. “I just started today.”
Mrs. Van Buren frowned. Dr. Norris stepped in quickly. “Phoenix has worked for me before, though, so she is experienced. You needn’t worry.”
The elderly woman didn’t seem too convinced, muttering, “Well, if you’re sure, Doctor. I just want Susie to be cared for properly. She’s my everything , you know, now that David is gone.”
I raised an eyebrow, curious as to what we were about to do to Susie and wondering who David was. Mrs. Van Buren’s husband? Her son?
Joan, on the other side of the desk, handed Norris a small, thin syringe.
“Let’s go out and do it then, shall we?” Norris headed for the front door and held it open. Even more perplexed, I followed him and Mrs. Van Buren outside. They headed for a sleek, black tank of a Cadillac parked at curbside. Inside, a youngish woman in a brown cotton dress and stiff white apron sat in the driver’s seat. Beside her on the tan leather passenger seat lay an old gray poodle. The dog’s rheumy eyes, slightly opaqued , looked a lot like Mrs. Van Buren’s. And the thinning coat reminded me of her owner’s hair as well. But where Mrs. Van Buren was thin and delicate with age, the poodle was round and plump.
Dr. Norris opened the passenger door, lifted out the old poodle and placed Susie in my arms. Mrs. Van Buren stood by anxiously. Still not knowing what to expect, I held Susie, my hand automatically stroking her under the chin, while Norris pinched the skin over her left shoulder, slipped the ultra-thin needle into the fold and injected what amounted to no more than a
Similar Books
