June 24, 2001
The Birds and the Bees
Today was an interesting day. I awoke to "They're killing Lucky! They're killing Lucky! GET UP and help him!!" (Lucky is one of my dogs, btw). So I jumped out of bed and ran outside in my pjs (thinking some kid was trying to kill him) only to see both of my poor dogs being attacked by a swarm of yellow jackets (bees/wasps). I just got stung by them yesterday (I fell on their nest after a bird chased me off of a ladder away from her nest. The FUN!) so I guess my dogs had to top me. I ran outside (did I mention my pjs were a camisole top and shorts? Basically, I was naked) and tried to beat the bees off of them, getting stung several times myself while my mom was spraying me with a water hose (really, that was no help at all. I think she was trying to get the bees off but, let's face it, it was just pissing them off really and giving the neighborhood a wet t-shirt show). Finally I got them inside and called the emergency vet here.
The secretary of the clinic told me they would probably collapse and die if they weren't treated (ok, she didn't say that, but she told me that many dogs have allergic reactions to bees and do so it would be best if I brought them in...I was just going to ask if it would be ok to give them an anti-histamine, like I've seen vet's do at the shelter). I took them to the clinic (a clinic I've volunteered at so I knew the vet) and the vet told me that I should just give them Benadryl (an anti-histamine) unless they showed any signs of blocked airways or had trouble breathing or walking. For that wonderful advice, he charged me a $60 office call fee (couldn't he have told me that on the phone? And, seeing as though I worked for his scrawny, lazy ass for free, couldn't he give me a free office call? Oh wait a second, he told, "We normally charge two fees for two dogs, but I'll just charge you one since they had the same problem." What a saint! See children, good will and charity gets you no where. Just be greedy and demand pay for the work you do.
Well, at least they seem ok. the Benadryl knocked them out pretty good though. Lucky must have been the one to stir them up because they stung his face pretty good so now he was swollen eye and his nose is red. He looks pathetic. Moli looks ok, but they were all over her so I'm sure they stung her (she has longer hair than he, so they couldn't get to her as easily). They both got new toys and treats because they are sick so I think they will probably try to get stung again for more good food and toys.
Well, like you guys care about my dogs, but it's something to write about anyway. It was all my fault though. I made the bees mad yesterday and messed up their house so they are swarming now. I should have told my mom not to let them out. Stupid dogs.
Posted by vixen at June 24, 2001 07:19 AM
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