A Dog's Life: Part II....

The Dailies is proud to bring you another hard hitting interview with my dog Bailey.

Me: Bailey, you've recently had some health issues, can you tell us a little bit about that?

Bailey: I would love to, Katie.  Thank you for having me back.  A week or so ago my ears started hurting really bad and I couldn't do anything about it.  I tried to tell you guys that something was wrong, but it took forever for you all to figure it out.  It wasn't until I started shaking my head every five minutes that you finally looked in my ears.

Me:  Your ears were really red and gunky.  Ew.  I'm sorry that you had to go through that for so long without any help.  I'm glad you kept coming to us and trying to show us you weren't feeling well.  You didn't seem too excited when you realized that you were at the vet's office.  As soon as we pulled up outside you started to shake really badly.  Why are you so afraid?

Bailey:  Oh, I don't know, Katie...maybe because every time I go in there somebody sticks something up my bum and prods and pokes me everywhere.  Yeah, I think that might be why I start shaking.  In what world is that a good time?

Me:  You, know, you're really sarcastic for a dog.  Don't you know that we take you there so that you can get better?

Bailey:  Um, no!  I guess I must have missed that message.  What could possibly be better about having some lady stick a Q-tip down into my burning, painful ear?  First she gets this other lady to hold me in something that you would normally only see on the WWE, and then she fills up my ears with some cold liquid.  Do you like having water in your ears?  I didn't think so.  The final straw was when she stuck those Q tips in my ear.  Hello, lady!!! It's red and gunky because it HURTS!!!  What was she thinkin'!?

Me:  Obviously, you're a little upset.  I understand that it is super uncomfortable and painful to go through all that, but all of that had to happen in order to make you well.  If we didn't clean all of that junk out of your ears then the infection would just keep coming back and you would stay in pain.  You don't want that do you?

Bailey:  No.  I definitely don't want to stay in pain.  But, why does it have to hurt worse before it gets better??  Why can't you just find a way to make it all go away without the pain!?

A very unhappy puppy

Me:  Oh Bailey girl, you have no idea how much I wish I could make all of your pain go away without having to dig around where it hurts you the most.  I hate watching them hold you down and see that scared look in your eyes.  My heart breaks when you are in pain or scared.  I hate to see you shaking and looking at me with those sad little eyes.  But the only way to get you better is to get all that nasty stuff in your ear out because that is what the infection clings to and grows in.  We have to wash your ear clean and then put the medicine in.  The medicine is what will heal you and take away your pain.

Bailey:  I don't understand how you can just sit in the doctor's office so calmly, knowing that they are about to scrape through my raw ear!!  Don't you hear the cries and barks of the other dogs???  Something isn't right about that place, I'm telling you.  I know you try to calm me down by petting me and telling me in a soft, calm voice that it is going to be alright, but honestly...I just don't believe you.  Because every time you do that...something bad seems to happen.  Do you remember the thermometer???  Do you remember where they put it!??  I can't even look you in the eyes.

Me:  Don't worry about the thermometer.  I won't tell a soul.  I can sit there calmly because I know that everything is going to be okay.  I tell you that over and over again, but you don't hear me.   I've been through some pain myself, so I do know what it's like to go through what you're going through.  In the end, the temporary pain of getting your gunk cleaned out is so much better than leaving it to get worse and worse.  Look, Bailey, I love you, and I never ever want you to experience pain.  But I also want to do what is best for you, and sometimes what is best for you can cause you some discomfort and pain.  You will never have to experience any of it alone because I will be there making sure that you are safe and secure.

Bailey:  Okay fine.  Once I could deal with.  But you keep washing my ear out and poking around in there every day!!  What don't you understand about the fact that it hurts!!??

Me:  I understand that it hurts, but I have to keep cleaning it until all that gunk is gone or else the infection will have something to cling to and it will spread again.  While we're on the subject, I do have one request.  If you could stop trying to bite me and just sit still and let me clean your ear and get the medicine in, then things would go a lot faster and smoother.  Every time you wiggle away from me, or bite my hand, I can't do what I need to do to make you better.  You bite me because you feel like you have to protect yourself from me, but all you are really doing is hurting yourself by not letting me help you.  I know how hard it is to sit still while I do this, but if you would just trust me, then things would hurt a lot less.

Bailey:  I love you and I want to trust you, but it's hard to trust you when you are the one causing the pain.  It's your hand that has the Q tip in it.  It's your hand that is holding my mouth shut.  It's you that is restraining me.  It's so hard for me to lay still while you poke around in my infected ear.  I trust you with the other ear, but this one is just too painful.

Me:  I know it's painful, Bailey girl, but in a few days your infected ear will feel better than ever.  It will feel so good that you will forget the pain you experienced before and get back to living your doggy life.  I love you too much to allow you to suffer.  I love you too much to let you stay in pain.  I love you too much to just walk away when you fight me.  I love you enough to do what is best for you even when you don't trust me and try to bite me.  

Bailey:  Wow.  That's a lot of love, 'cause I bite pretty hard.  Okay, I'll try and not bite you next time, but it's an automatic reaction to pain, so excuse me if it takes a few practice runs.  I feel a lot better now that we've talked about it.  Now I understand.

Me:  I appreciate any efforts you make to not bite me.  You're a good doggie.  I'm glad that you understand.  You're a dog, you should be rolling around in something dead or chewing up my underwear, not laying around in pain.  Thank you for talking this out with me here on my blog.  Your story will help other hurting puppies out there.

Bailey:  Anytime, Katie. Glad I could help.  One more thing...next time I'm laying shaking on the floor of the vet's office with drool coming out of my mouth, how 'bout you don't take a picture of it with your phone and post it on your blog?  After the thermometer incident I am really hoping to maintain at least a modicum of decency.

Me:  Will do.  I'm sorry about that. 

Bailey:  Awesome!  Thank you again for having me over to The Dailies.  Now, it's walk time!!! I have to tell this dog down on Florida Street that his buddy Dino is locked up down at Buckhannon Animal Clinic.  

Thank you all for joining us once again for an honest look into A Dog's Life.

Loves,

Katie and Bailey girl