Pupzilla and the Vet

Pupzilla on her couch

We moved houses last January.  The vet we have been using since arriving in SouthLite is now way over on the other side of town.  I began the process of finding a new vet after we moved but once I collected a few recommendations life got in the way.

Last spring Pupzilla had a run-in with a six-legged creature in the backyard that broke her out in lumpy hives.  It was a Sunday but luckily there is an animal emergency hospital just three blocks from our new home.  I took her there and they treated her wonderfully.  Again I thought that I should really find a new vet, especially since her annual visit occurs in June, but again life got in the way.

While I was yucking it up in our nation's capital this past weekend, b was home snuggling Pupzilla. He found a ping-pong sized lump on her neck.  It was not the usual kind of lumps and growths that she has been sprouting these last few years.  So I made an appointment with a vet that a good friend had recommended.

I came home from DC on Wednesday and the appointment was for Thursday morning.  I had not yet finished my grading and barely got my prepping done for my back-to-back classes on Thursday afternoon.  b had the day off and was going to take Pupzilla while I stayed home and worked.  At the last minute I decided to tag along so I could meet the new vet.  Really I was worried that this would be awful news and I didn't want b to hear it alone.

The lump turned out to be nothing more than a fatty benign tumor that does not need to be removed. The vet checked her various other lumps and moles and was not overly worried about any of them (although recommended we have one on her ankle removed--but no rush).  She was appalled by the state of Pupzilla's nails (our previous vet never offered to clip them and Pupzilla won't let us do it).  With two assistants holding Pupzilla down, our new vet managed a lovely mani/pedi.

The previous vet had mentioned Pupzilla has arthritis in her knees and we've been noticing her slowing down considerably.  The last time I took her for a walk it was a slow and difficult process. She sometimes stumbles going up and down the stairs to the yard and rarely gets off the couch anymore.  We assumed a lot of this was age.  The vet gave us a free sample of arthritis medicine and told us that we may see a difference.  According to her, many people assume age is the culprit when it is really pain.  It is very hard to see pain in a dog and Pupzilla is particularly stoic.

We gave her a pill as soon as we got home and then left for the afternoon.  When we got home last night she came to the door to greet us like in the old days.  She also wanted to play fetch with her bone and didn't stop after three throws (her usual pattern these days).  Today she is mostly on her couch but has been getting up and down with considerable more ease.  We are hopeful that things will continue to improve.

We love our new vet.