Bauer's Traumatic Trip

After over a year of “should we” or “shouldn’t we”, Steven and I finally decided it was time to have Bauer neutered. I found an amazing animal hospital, Brown Creek Animal Hospital in Polkton, NC, which provided incredibly affordable pet care. So in October, when we decided to proceed with Bauer’s surgery, I called the animal hospital and set an appointment. Apparently affordable pet care is in high demand ($90 to a neuter a 70lb boxer – WOW!) and we could not get an appointment with the vet until December 18th. So we all put the unpleasant event out of our mind for the time being.

This past Friday marked Doom’s Day. Unfortunately, Steven was out of town on business, so taking Bauer to the vet was my responsibility. Polkton is a 45 minute drive (the feats I go to in order to save a buck - or in this case over $250!) As he would be placed under anesthesia, Bauer was unable to eat anything after 9pm Thursday evening. Of course, Bauer was the first person to wake up Friday morning – all chipper and eager to go outside. Imagine his sore surprise when breakfast wasn’t served! I felt so guilty for not feeding him that I also made Dixie skip breakfast. I just couldn’t bring myself to feed one and not the other. (Steven later pointed out that I could have put Bauer outside and fed Dixie. Bauer would have been none the wiser – so helpful after the fact!) Don’t worry – I did give Dixie some extra treats when I put her in her cage for the day.

Bauer generally loves car rides. All we have to say is “Get in the truck” and both our dogs go CRAZY! But I swear he had the scoop on me Friday morning. I said “Get in the car” and he got in his cage instead. It was as if he was begging me not to take away his “manhood”. The entire 45 minute drive was miserable. Bauer whined, moaned & fretted the whole way. My car was covered in dog hair as a result of his sheer panic. I swear dogs have a 6th sense and can just tell when sometime is amiss. He kept shooting me the most sad, “Please don’t do this to me, mommy” eyes you have ever seen. At one point I could have sworn I heard him say, “I promise – whatever it is you think I did to deserve this – I didn’t do it. Dixie did it! Take Dixie..please!!!”

Thankfully the staff at Brown Creek were incredibly friendly and accommodating. I felt better leaving him knowing that he would be well cared for in my absence. I will admit, I got a little (okay – more like a lot) teary eyed when it was time to leave him. In front of an entire waiting room of pets and pet owners I bent down, kissed him square on the mouth and said, “Mommy loves you. I will be here first thing tomorrow to get you – be a good boy. I’m praying for you!” The vet assistant gave me a sweet smile and said, “It will be okay honey – Bauer is in good hands.” Some jerk with an ugly Chihuahua had the audacity to actually laugh at me. (I honestly don’t know how I will ever be able to drop my child off for the first day of kindergarten. I pray that I am able to get my emotions in check before then.)

I was almost certain that Dixie would pitch a fit Friday night when she realized Bauer was at home. I worried all day long that she would be miserable and very sad to find her baby brother gone. I couldn’t have been more wrong! That selfish dog was the happiest I have seen her in months. She snuggled up on the couch with Steven and I (thankfully he came home Friday night!) as if there was no place on earth she would have rather been. She didn’t even look around the house once to see where Bauer might be.

Steven and I left early to make the hike to pick Bauer up the next day. He was perfectly fine. His usual spaz self – he almost knocked everyone in the waiting room over trying to play with the other dogs. He received a clean bill of health and the usual “he’s such a great dog” accolades. Although he is overjoyed to be back at home with his family, he is not impressed with the satellite cone he has to wear. As if it weren’t bad enough that he’s missing his family jewels, he has to wear this huge cone that makes him run into the walls and look like an idiot. Poor fella – it’s been a rough couple of days. Thankfully Christmas is coming and Santa has brought him a HUMUNGOUS bone for being such a good boy!