Ginko had his first exam with our new veterinarian last Wednesday. And, let’s just say it did NOT go well. I’m not quite sure how my big boy who surgical nurses once deemed as the owner of The Most Kissable Nose turned into a grumpy, growling, snapping shadow of his happy self. Seriously, he used to be a major charmer. If you had food or a ball, Ginko was your P-A-L … even if you poked him with a needle, sawed his knees in half or wanted to look in his mouth.
Ginko can be a handful, even when he’s in a good mood, so I usually beg Tom to go with me for his exam. I made all kinds of training mistakes when he was little. Now, it feels too late to fix them. Today, I am a much better dog mom than in 2000 when he arrived. In many ways, he suffers from early dog syndrome, where I simply did not know better on a few things. My ace in the hole is always food. Have food? Ginko is your main man.
Still — a little strategy goes a long way. So, Tom kept Ginko outside in the parking lot until an exam room was ready. The lobby was busy with people and pets, and suffice it to say that Ginko lives a pretty sheltered life here in our rural community. Small spaces with lots of strangers (human and otherwise) is not his bag.
First, the bad news:
He barked and lunged at everyone he saw in the parking lot.
He got all panicky and would NOT stand still on the walk-on scale in the lobby.
He would NOT take any of the food I brought to keep him focused.
He grumbled so much at the doctor we muzzled him for most of the exam. We usually muzzle him for procedures like blood draws because he does get scared and has been snappish in the past, but we’ve never had to muzzle him for a regular exam before.
He lost about a pound of hair.
It took two tries to get enough blood for both the senior panel and his thyroid test.
While I was paying, he nearly tore Tom’s arm off getting back to our car.
Everyone was exhausted at the end — Ginko, us, the doctor!
Once the exam was over, we took off the muzzle, and he gently took treats she offered him from across the counter. He was still all wound up, but at least he was behaving nicely and eating again.
I have no idea what got him so worked up. Maybe it was just being a new hospital. One of our old docs probably would have pinned Ginko down, so I’m happy to report that our new doc was firm but fair with him. We restrained him, while she gave him a good once-over from tip to tail.
Part of me hoped we find out that his thyroid levels are wonky, which might explain why this appointment was at least four times worse than any others in his life.
Otherwise, I suspect we’re just seeing a worried, often-achey older dog become a crotchety patient. I’m sure his bad knees hurt. I know he was worried about a licking sore on his arm. I think he may just have outgrown his happy-go-lucky mindset.
Here’s why that makes me worry:
1. It’s much harder to provide good care to a fractious patient.
2. As he ages, he may need more appointments more often — especially if something big comes up. His unhappiniess in a clinical setting could impact treatment decisions we make.
3. He really is a good, sweet boy, and it breaks my heart for anyone to think badly of him for such a display.
Plus, for someone like me to appear like one of THOSE owners, kills me. I literally cried on the way home and tossed and turned that night because I was so upset.
Now, the good news:
Ginko is in tremendous physical condition, considering his bad knees mean he hasn’t played hours of fetch or gone on a long hike in six years. His weight is good. His muscle tone is good. His flexibility is good. His heart and lungs sound great.
And, we learned the next day that his blood work is PERFECT. For an old fart (he just turned 9 … and that’s old-ish for a big dog), he is in incredible health.
Our goal is to get him to 14 years plus (another 5 years), and our new doc things that’s definitely doable.
How many more potentially dramatic exams is that? Maybe I’ll ask about a tranquilizer (for both of us) next time.
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So, if you’re keeping count, that’s hearing about the loss of a friend on Tuesday, and one hideous dog behavior display on Wednesday. It’s no wonder last Thursday felt like a Monday.
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I wrote an apology note from Ginko and delivered it Saturday (when I picked up his meds) with a gift for our new vet. She’s an avid hiker, so we got some handy trail supplies as a present.
I’m glad his tests went well.Poor you and him though. Maybe you can give him a hit of rescue remedy in the parking lot next time. It works quickly, doesn’t last long, and if your vet doesn’t think it will interfere with any tests, might be a good answer.
Your new vet sounds great. I’m convinced that a lot of Murray’s issues with men are from being manhandled (literally) as a puppy by the dermatologist.
Early Dog Syndrome? I love that title. We definitely had it with Sunkis’d, our first rescue. We did just about everything wrong, except love her. We didn’t know how to deal with separation anxiety, desert heat, and it took us a while to get her epilepsy meds right. Our next six rescues fared much better; however, we are not dog trainers and have a hard time getting them to settle down when someone comes to the door.
I hope Ginko gets better with his visits; maybe it WAS just the new environment that did it. Our dogs are so nervous when they go to the vet, they just sit there as though they have been trained well…haha. That’s about the ONLY time they seem so well trained.
Good luck with your future visits. I know exactly what you mean about not wanting people to think you are one of THOSE guardians. We, of course, know you are wonderful!