Brambles to the Vet

Poor Brambles.

He's an old boy now, about 13.   I noticed a few days ago he wasn't walking right and was head tilting, like he had an ear infection and maybe vertigo.  Having experienced vertigo myself a few times, I know how uncomfortable that is.  I called my coast clinic vet.  They said to bring him over, although if he needed surgery, they said they didn't know if he could be worked in, but at least he could be seen, and get on antibiotics.

So yesterday, I was up early and off we went, Brambles and I, on the long drive to the coast clinic.  I was well rested, however, after going to bed very early.

It was pouring rain much of the drive over, but parts of the drive through the coast range was in dense fog.  I love driving in the dark and rain.  I don't know why.   It's my thing.

We arrived at the clinic and found a long long line of people waiting to check in with the receptionist desk.  I enjoy talking to folks while waiting in these lines of anxious friendly animal folks.  They tell stories about their dog or cat and usually the clinic is jammed with a lot of nice people.   The clinic had their already scheduled surgery patients checking in.  But beyond that, lots of walk in folks, like me, hoping to have their pet seen, were waiting too.  Most of the walk in hopefuls were emergencies.  Several dogs sat beside their owners, or strained at a leash, sniffing at other dogs or people.  A couple of these were there because they had eaten Christmas present chewies or chew toys after which they were unable to poop.  Another big dog was there because the owner said he could barely pee.  As she was talking to the receptionist the dog squatted beside her and began to pee, and this went on for a long time, as he could only drip.  We all watched and one staff member stood patiently with a mop, waiting for him to finally finish.

Another lady had her tiny dog along, worrying over the cost, as he couldn't poop due to an enlarged anal gland.  The receptionist was asking if she could at least cover the exam fee and she said she could do that.  Later on, when I was there picking up Brambles, she was ahead of me.  Her little dog had to have surgery, and the cost was higher, and she was handing over credit cards to see if they'd run through but none did, and finally reluctantly she handed over her debit card but was expressing her worry over paying rent.  The receptionist handed it back after running it, telling her she ran it through for only part of the cost, she could pay the rest later.  The woman nearly collapsed from relief.  She was a long time patron of the clinic.  These are good people, who own that clinic and who work there.  Kind people.  Patient people. 

Brambles partially behaved during the exam, when I took him in.  She said it wasn't an ear problem after she checked his ears out but we could both smell his mouth.   However she could not get a good look as he was nervous. 

Brambles was born feral, in a huge horrible situation.  I called the colony the Hate Thy Neighbor colony.  I got over 100 cats fixed on two short streets outside Albany, that summer of 2007.  The vet said I shouldn't return Brambles as he had one extremely inflamed eye and a terrible URI.   I didn't return him.  He's had a couple dentals during his time here, but the last was five years ago.   I didn't know how many teeth he had left, but had not seen him drooling or dropping food or anything else that would make me think he was having mouth trouble.  He's not a cat that comes to me, but once I catch him, by closing him in a carrier or with a net, he lets me pet him.

Here's a photo of Brambles back in 2007 when I trapped him.  He looks now almost exactly the same.  Except he's a lot older now.  I don't know how old he was then.  The vet thought maybe 2.  Who knows.

The vet then said they'd work him in, put him under anesthesia, do blood work, check out his mouth.  I was very very grateful.  Off I went then.

 I went to Subway for breakfast.  I got a gift card from  Susan in Eugene, who adopted a cat from me years ago. So I used that to get a six inch sub, then headed off to the beach to eat it there and read.  I'd already stopped in Warrenton, just before I went to the clinic, to use a Starbucks gift card I'd gotten from Kate, who adopted Tim from me, 9 years ago.  All these people I've met, through cats, wonderful people, now helping make a fast long trip to the vet with Brambles a pleasant experience.

Coffee courtesy of Kate!

I spent hours out a beach parking lot.  The car was buffeted by wind and rain.  I had a book along and read.  It was only when I tried to leave, just after noon, when I realized I'd had my headlights on the entire time, so the battery was dead.  I spotted a pickup up across the parking lot, with a canopy, a young couple in full rain gear just getting out with their small dog.  I donned my raincoat and headed over to see if they would jump start my car.  Their immediate response, "we've been in that spot before, we'll be right over.".  So they drove over and he got out industrial strength jumper cables and had them connected in minutes.  I glanced at their license plate, which included a volunteer firefighter Sauvie Island plate.  I knew they were good people when I saw that.   I thanked them when my car purred to life immediately.  When I'd seen them getting out of their truck in matching green rain suits and boots I knew they were people who would have jumper cables because they were prepared for the weather.

Here's to Portland's Sauvie Island and its people!  Thank you!

I waited around til 4:00, the time the vet said to come back, then went into the clinic.  The line again was long but I didn't mind.  I was just grateful to the clinic.   Brambles had to have 10 bad teeth pulled.  His blood work was normal, so that was good.  He had his vaccines updated and he got a steroid shot and convenia injection (long lasting antibiotic).  However, there was one little snag to his condition.  I was told he has an ulcer back of mouth.  The vet said if it didn't heal up in a few weeks, he would need to return to have that checked.  When I heard that I kind of knew, he might have cancer after all.

I hope not.

I was back home by 8:00 p.m. and in bed by 9:00.