Animal Anecddote 53

Animal Anecdote 53

Did you ever imagine if there was any situation in which you might faint? Perhaps in most medical facilities there is the potential of fainting if only from odors. In an active veterinary practice there may be more concern than in other endeavors. This example occurred on a stormy fall night when a pounding on our residence door at close to midnight brought a rugged looking young man with almost a demand that I take care of an injured dog. It had a bloody cut on its side. My Clinic was located nearby and I instructed him to go there and I would be along shortly. Passing the car that had brought the emergency I noticed two females inside. Two males brought the dog in and put it on an exam table.

Although it was no emergency I decided to suture the three cornered injury and get rid of the problem and told the two I would administer a short acting anesthetic and suture the patient and they could take it home with them. It seemed obvious to me that these two guys were trying to impress the women with getting action for the care necessary. The dog responded as usual and in its sleep I cleaned up the area and clipped the hair in preparation of suturing when one of those truck driver type guys staggered and fell to the floor. His friend asked, “what happened to him?” I said he couldn’t stand the sight of blood and told him to get the women to take care of the fainted one but he staggered toward the door and passed out falling almost on the first one.

I put my instruments down and ran out to the car and asked the women to come in and help. My patient was under a short acting anesthesia and I was hurrying when the women arrived and when I told them the men had fainted over the sight of blood they roared with gales of laughter. I told them to step around to a kitchen and bring some water and splash it on their faces. The first woman returned with a dog watering dish with over two quarts of water and poured it first on one face and then down his shirt to his crotch where she poured at least a quart of water. This with more and more laughter and talk about these tough guys.

The second woman did the same to the second man even as he was almost attempting to right himself. Both guys slipped and struggled on the wet floor to their feet and went out for fresh air. After a few minutes I carried the half awake dog to their car. “Send me the bill, Doc.”

I saw the humor and it was worth more that the charge for surgery but no way would I let them leave without at least getting some one’s name and address so one of the women followed me in and registered and paid me the $25 fee personally. In my experience men are much more prone to fainting than the fair sex. Next time A 21 year old cat for surgery 508 words