Writing and Editing Services
  Rosebud Communications
  • Home
  • About
  • Projects
    • Clients
  • Rose's Red Pen Blog
  • A Rose in Oz Blog
  • Photos Down Under
  • Contact

Visiting the Vet

4/26/2018

8 Comments

 
Picture
Our dog Milo has travelled farther than many people. He flew in the cargo holds of three planes across 10,650 miles. Upon finally reaching Australia, he spent ten days in quarantine. Milo emerged from all this unscathed and the same happy-go-lucky dog as ever. And while his overseas travel and quarantine were nerve-racking, nothing was quite so scary as his first visit to an Aussie veterinarian.

Not that it started out that way.

“What breed?” the receptionist asked.

“Golden doodle,” I answered.

The receptionist smiled and covered her mouth with her hand. “And that is …?”

“A golden retriever and a poodle.”

“Oh, a groodle,” she said, typing that into his records.

When I told our pleasant young vet that Milo was a golden doodle, she smothered a laugh. I made a mental note to investigate the reason for their hilarity later. 

My anxiety began when the vet started to cheerfully list all the things in Australia that kill dogs. The bite from a red-bellied black snake or brown snake would kill him (and me) instantly. 
Red-bellied black snake
Brown snake
The baby snakes are even more dangerous. As thin as a pencil and hard to spot in the scrub, a baby snake doesn’t regulate its venom. They unload it all in the first bite, making the babies deadlier than adult snakes.

Watch out for snakes, check. What else?
Picture
Australian paralysis ticks are often lethal.  Once it attaches to a dog (or human) to suck blood, it injects a neurotoxin that damages or destroys the cells of the central nervous system. Those tick bites can lead to paralysis and death.


Picture
And those cute, cuddly kangaroos? Don’t let Milo chase them, she advised. If cornered, they can use their powerful rear legs to disembowel a dog or crush his rib cage. And cunning? Kangaroos have been known to head into water when a dog chases them. They lure the dog in and then hold him under until he drowns.

Any good news? No rabies in Australia, she said. And the bite from a venomous red back spider or a brown recluse likely won’t kill a dog unless he stumbles on a whole nest of them. One bite will, however, kill me. Just one.
Red back spider
Brown recluse spider
By the time the vet finished and I trudged out with Milo, who was trotting along happily at the end of his leash, I was distraught. “Milo,” I said, “we’re doomed.”

And yet, here we are, more than six months later. Me, still peering fearfully into the tall grass and around every rock pile on our morning walk, while Milo prances by my side, as happy-go-lucky as ever.
Picture

I could learn a lot from Milo's attitude about life.
Milo the wonder-dog—long may he remain just the same.

8 Comments
Diane
4/28/2018 02:03:57 am

Oh my God, I literally laughed out loud! Thank you for sharing this story. Love it. Dog spelled backward is God - because our canine fur babes really do have a better understanding for how to live and the gift of life. Long live Milo!

Reply
Rose
4/28/2018 04:41:04 pm

I’m so happy you liked it! You’re sure right about dogs. Thanks for taking the time to read the post.

Reply
Roxanne
4/28/2018 06:58:36 pm

Milo is a beautiful dog! I wish you both the best of luck on your adventures.

Reply
Rose
4/28/2018 10:24:49 pm

Thank you, Roxanne. We're pretty fond of him. :) I really appreciate your taking the time to read the post.

Reply
Eva
4/30/2018 01:21:17 pm

I really enjoyed your blog, Rose, thanks to our mutual friend Diane for introducing me to your creative love letter to Milo! Always wanted to adventure to Australia -- reading your post gave me pause, though...don't like snakes or bugs very much. So instead, I'll check back and let your share your adventures one blog at a time!

Reply
Rose
4/30/2018 07:15:48 pm

Eva, I'm so glad that you like the blog. Australia is a wonderful, unforgettable place, and I encourage everyone to visit -- even if you don't much like snakes or bugs. :) I can truthfully say that I've yet to see a poisonous anything, even though I know they're around. In any case, do check back -- I appreciate your taking the time to read and comment!

Reply
Lillian
5/1/2018 07:59:12 am

You are amazing and so fortunate to be where you are and to have such a gift of photography and writing. Thanks for keeping us all in awe waiting for something new and different !!
I'm so glad you are near the beginning of your husband's assingnment.so that we have a lot to look forward to. I also am so happy that Diane is a friend of mine so we have a connection.

Reply
Rose
5/1/2018 11:21:19 am

Thanks for all the kind words, Ms. Lillian. They make me want to keep writing! I am so thankful that I met you through Diane. You've led such an interesting life; you inspire me.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Rose Ciccarelli is an American writer and editor living in Canberra, Australia.

    Archives

    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018

    Categories

    All
    Daily Life
    Events
    History
    Holidays
    Nature
    People
    Places

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.