Four Hours

I arose earlier than usual today. It is supposed to be almost 70 degrees this afternoon. But, that's not why I got up early.

Last time I changed sheets on my bed I found what I thought to be a dog toenail in the sheets. Wall-E is opposed to the cutting of his nails and they are spectacularly long. I figured he had caught one on the blanket and yanked it off. I set it aside to show it to Wall-E later and ask him if he wanted all of his nails yanked out. It was to be a learning experience for him, something that might convince him to let me trim his nails. Do not scoff, I have conversations with all my dogs.

I was all set to have my chat with Wall-E later that day. I sat next to him as he napped on the love seat and carefully checked each and every paw. My inspection did not yield an injured toe with part of a nail hanging to a bloody stump. There was no blood on my found object in the sheet, but I imagined he would have licked at it like crazy. I mean everybody knows that dog slobber can heal anything!

I did not have my chat, I was interrupted by the phone and forgot about it until that evening. I had kept my prize to show it to He Who loves Wall-E. He immediately scooped up the dog to check him for injuries I might have missed (as if I would!). We were baffled. When I found it, it was wet and gooey feeling. Slobbery. Now my artifact was dry and hard, really hard. I carefully rolled it around in my hand. I tried to pierce it with my thumbnail and that is when I realized it was a tooth!! A canine!!

I grabbed Oscar. Oscar is 13 and his breath is ......... well, breathtaking! He will usually succumb to my inspections. Long ago he decided not to bite me, since I have no qualms about biting him back. And he does trust me. I checked one side of his mouth, but could not see any obvious hole. When I tried to lift his lip on the other side he yelped. I quit and decided I didn't need to see it to know that he was the one. There was no root on the tooth I found .........

That is why I was up early and out the door with no coffee. Oscar is having what remains of his tooth extracted and the remaining teeth cleaned or extracted, as needed. He is old and I am worried about him.

We took Wall-E along to have his nails clipped. Wall-E is not a fan of car rides and trembled all the way. He calmed when we arrived, but watched in horror when I relinquished Oscar to a kennel. He snuggled close to He Who loves him and was no doubt thinking he was just along for the ride. Before he gave it too much thought, he was being examined by the vet and he did not like it! Then he was vaccinated. He was becoming less and less enchanted with these new people doing things to him.

The nail cutting began. He squirmed and cried and soiled himself. Then he was muzzled. Oh, the indignity! He became so distraught, foaming at the mouth and hyperventilating. He had to be sedated. He is still goofy as he naps beside me. He will look up with his wobbly head every now and again to make sure I am still with him. His nails are trimmed short and filed to perfection, though. He will be delighted when he regains full consciousness, I know I am.

But, as lovely as his nails are, I am worried about my old guy. He looked so forlorn as he watched me leave with a drugged Wall-E dangling in my arms. He was probably indignant, but thinking I would reappear momentarily to retrieve him. I warned them that he would start howling ...... I have the phone on my person and am ready to go pick my baby up at a moments notice. Just four more hours until he will be ready. Four hours to worry. Four endless hours.