A Boon Appointment??

Yesterday morning, I took Boon to the animal hospital. This was his first veterinary appointment here in GA. The main reason for the appointment: neutering. Due to this out-puppy procedure, Boon had to arrive at his appointment on an empty stomach, no food or water after midnight. Because of his deep admiration for both food and water, I was concerned about how he would respond to this little fast...but being the generally pliable puppy that he is, he did quite well with this unexpected change to his routine. His ride in the car went without incident...then we arrived at the animal hospital: I have no idea what happened to that generally pliable puppy!

Boon has taken several rides in our truck. With each trip, he was out of his comfort zone...so another ride, as well as a visit to an unfamiliar place, was rather overwhelming for the little guy. The moment we walked into the animal hospital, Boon seemed to no longer understand the words/commands which are usually so familiar to him...these commands appeared to take on new meanings: SIT turned into RUN IN PLACE...STAY turned into PULL ON YOUR LEASH, RUN IN PLACE and BARK...

Thankfully, when we arrived there was only one other dog in the waiting area. Boon, the puppy who rarely makes a peep, barked and barked at her...this was such a surprise to me...he did not seem to be able to focus in this new environment...there were so many stimulations and distractions. The hospital staff was kind and patient, and they soon whisked Boon into the back. About that time, a whole parade of dogs began filing into the waiting area...I cannot tell you how relieved I was that Boon was already in the back...I just do not think he could have handled such an elevated amount of stimulation...I left the animal hospital, smiling, but wondering if I was really making good progress with this sweet, little lab.

At 2:oo, Boon was ready to be picked up. I hesitantly asked how he did..."He did great", the nurse said. "He is a sweet puppy." What a relief! I received his care instructions and produced payment...and then a groggy and mild-mannered Boon appeared in the waiting area...he seemed happy to see me. Some other dogs were also in the waiting area, Boon investigated and made sure to take a good sniff, but no longer sensed the need to make his voice heard.

Boon had a good night. He was slow and less energetic, his normally wagging tail stayed down between his legs, but he had a good appetite. This morning, he was very excited to see that his routine was not going to be altered two days in a row. He heartily ate and drank...and even gave his tail a slow wag. He was eager to play and ready for a new day.

Overall, Boon's visit to the animal hospital was a positive experience...he responded well to having his routine changed, he showed that he is resilient...and I learned that he needs frequent exposure to new environments, dogs, etc. It was a productive appointment...but once Boon has recovered, we have a lot of work to do.