Vet Story - 
To Love Them All
Chapters 5 & 6
by  Jordana
copyright © 2002

Part 5 

"So what canary did you swallow, cookie?" John asked as Sarah entered the lab the next morning.

"Huh?" One look at John's face and Sarah knew just what he was fishing for.

"Can't hide from me! I see that satisfied grin smeared all over your face."

Sarah caught a quick glance of herself in the small mirror that hung on the wall. She had to admit, she was glowing this morning.

"Must have been the nice hot shower I took," she said as she walked toward the door to the treatment room.

"Did you say hot or cold?" John teased.

Sarah stuck out her tongue in response and went on her way to prepare for the day's patients. No sooner had she drawn a syringe of prep meds for the day's dental patients than John came bursting into the room.

"Mr. Campbell just called Mick was hit by a car and they're bringing him right in. He says he's not responding to them."

"Oh No!" Sarah gave a deep sigh. Mick was a young golden retriever that had been a patient since his puppy days. He was a very friendly dog, as are most retrievers, and full of energy and always greeted the vet staff with a wagging tale and what seemed like a smile on his face. It distressed Sarah to think he had been allowed to run off-lead and get hit.

"Let's get prepared for the worst, John."

John and Sarah prepared the room for the incoming emergency. Sarah hung a bag of fluids on the stand and gathered equipment to start a drip line. John brought back all the lab tubes that might be needed. Once the dog
arrived they wanted things to move like clockwork to try and save his life.

Dr. Grant burst through the swinging door carrying Mick's limp body. "Let's move! He's not good!"

Grant gently placed the dog on the table, and then listened to the animal's chest and abdomen through his stethoscope. "He hadn't had a chance to urinate. Ran right out of the house and into the street, so we may be
dealing with a ruptured bladder. Sarah, get fluids going but before you hook them up, check a hematocrit. I think he's losing blood too."

Sarah checked Mick's gums. They were almost white. She feverishly took a hematocrit and handed it to John then hooked up the ringers and let them flow wide open.

"The Campbells said to do whatever we needed to try and save him. I think we're going to have to open him up and see what all is damaged."

They gently rolled the dog over on his back and Sarah intubated him and connected the tube to oxygen.

John ran back into the room. "Hematocrit is only 8!"

"I was afraid of that," Grant said.

"Kevin, he's stopped breathing!" Sarah cried forgetting protocol.

Dr. Grant listened for a second to the animal's heart and then injected epinephrine directly. The three watched, praying for some response, but none came. Sarah started bagging the dog until finally she felt Kevin's hand on her shoulder.

"We can't save them all Sarah. He had too much internal damage."

Sarah looked up into Kevin's gentle eyes; her own eyes brimming with tears. She nodded.

"But why do people let their animals run loose like that? Why?" She asked. At the moment she felt anger towards the Campbells for being so irresponsible. Kevin just shook his head and headed toward the waiting room to give the owners the bad news. Sarah's heart went out to the owners however, when she overheard Mrs. Campbell's sob over the loss of their beloved pet.

Sarah walked into the lab and rested her arm on John's shoulder. John tried to lighten her mood.

"Cheer up pumpkin. We tried our best." He lifted her chin and tried to beg a smile from her sad face.

"I know."

Suddenly the receptionist burst into the room. "Mrs. Lamly just called and her bitch has been in labor for five hours and no puppies. She's bringing her right in."

John smiled at Sarah. "Come on sugar plum, we've got some puppies to bring into the world!"

The two headed off to surgery to prepare for the next big emergency. The Lamly's were Labrador breeders and every once in a while one of their breeding bitches needed a helping hand. John gathered warm towels while Sarah prepared the anesthetic used for C-sections. They were all ready when Kevin led the heavy-laden female back into the surgery area. Without delay Kevin and John lifted the dog onto the table and started gas anesthesia as Sarah prepped the animal's abdomen. John and Sarah eagerly waited, gripping warm towels while Kevin made the incision.

"Here's our culprit! He was blocking the whole rest of the gang from coming into world!" Kevin said as he lifted a large black blob and handed it to John who started rubbing the puppy vigorously. Soon they heard whimpers of life. A big smile spread across Sarah's face.

"Sarah, take this one. She's small and seems to be distressed."

Sarah took the small lifeless puppy and started rubbing. After a minute without any response, she gently took the pup in both hands and shook it carefully trying to remove any mucous. When that didn't seem to work, she
brought the pup to her own lips and gently blew air into its lungs. She massaged the chest and then repeated the mouth to mouth. In the meantime, Kevin had removed a couple more active pups and John was kept busy drying them off. Finally after a few minutes of desperately trying to revive the little pup, Sarah heard a tiny squeak and saw the pup's rib cage rise and fall. Kevin saw the relief that appeared on Sarah's face and he winked at her.

"Good work Sarah!"

When all was said and done, six little puppies had been brought into the world. The owners were very pleased with the four black and two yellow puppies that Sarah carried up to them in a basket while John and Kevin helped the still drowsy mother into the car.

Later Kevin found Sarah sitting on the step leading to the back entrance of the hospital. She seemed lost in her thoughts and didn't notice Kevin until he sat down beside her.

"Penny for your thoughts." He nudged her shoulder with his.

"Not sure there are any thoughts running around up there. Seems like an empty room right now!" Sarah laughed. "Actually I was just thinking about the ebb and rebirth of life."

"Whoa! Way too heavy thinking for this time of day wouldn't you say?" Kevin put his arm around her.

Sarah pulled back in surprise, "Kevin aren't you afraid someone will see us?"

"Right now, I don't give a damn. Let's go home to my place and have a good dinner and then some fantastic sex."

"Oh, so you're so sure it will be good?" After a long pause, " The meal I mean." Sarah giggled.

"It better be good, because I hear we have a new patient coming in tomorrow for an exam for shipping."

"Shipping?"

"How's your monkey handling skills, Sarah?"

Part - 6

That night Sarah forgot all about veterinary work and animals, except for the tired animal that now rested against her arm. A short while before he had made love to her with the intensity of a wild beast yet with the
gentleness of a lamb. Now, Kevin Grant lay spent in her arms as she watched him sleep. Life is good she thought.


When Sarah walked into the rear entrance of the hospital the next morning she was met by the young kennel boy toting two buckets of paint.

"Hey Robbie, how you doing today?" Sarah greeted him.

Robbie returned the greeting with a grunt.

"What's all the paint for Robbie? And is that blue?" Sarah asked leaning over and inspecting the can that Robbie pried open.

"Periwinkle blue!" he answered. "Dr. Young wants me to paint the kennel room."

"Well, between you and me, he doesn't have much taste when it comes to interior design." Sarah whispered and winked.

"I'm telling on ya!" She heard John's cheerful voice behind her. "So what's on the agenda for the morning, puddin'?"

"Didn't you hear? We've got a monkey coming in today for exam and TB testing. He's flying somewhere and needs a health certificate. He's probably flying somewhere exotic while we slave here day after day," Sarah joked.

"MONKEY! Oh God! You take care of that Sarah. I want nothing to do with it. Monkeys have to be ten times worse than cats."

"John!"

"Pleeeaase, Sarah with whip cream on top. I promise I'll deal with the Barringer dog. He's coming in today too and he'd as soon eat a body part as look at you. I'll handle him by myself if you promise to take care of the monkey business." John put on his most pleading face.

"Alright. How can I refuse a face like that?"

John planted a wet appreciative kiss along Sarah's cheek and then took off toward the lab.

"He's whacked!" Robbie said.

"He's a bit strange but I can't help but like him."

"I think he has a crush on you, Sarah."

"John? Naaaa." She waved the notion away and went off to check the in-hospital list.

It was a while later when John stuck his head in the door and said, "Sarah, your monkey's here. Oh, and guess who else is coming in for a groom."

"Mmmm …I don't know. Who?" Sarah was not in the mood for guessing games.

"The DeWalt's poodles. They are having company this weekend and Mrs. Charles DeWalt wants her lovelies looking their best." John answered putting on his uppity impersonation of Mrs. DeWalt.

"Oh you mean Francois, D'Artagnan and Antoinette, better know as Frank, Dart and Annie in the kennel room." Sarah chuckled at the thought of the three very French poodles owned by the stuffy well-to-do couple. Francois and Antoinette had come straight from France. Their union had produced a son, D'Artagnan. They were the only "children" that the DeWalts had. Actually, when the dogs were away from their owners, they enjoyed being dogs, playing in the back room and barking at the cats in the cages. They lost that sense
of unruffled dignity they always carried when in the presence of their owners.

"John you better make sure you let Robbie know they are coming in for a groom so he can leave time from his painting. Well, I better get up there and check in our monkey friend."

"Sarah."

"Yes?"

"His name is Moses."

Sarah carried the monkey back to the kennel room in his carrying case. He was very cooperative and went into the holding cage without much coaxing. Robbie walked into the room leading his three white poodle charges.

"Do you think it will be ok if I leave that open can of paint sit there while I wash the dogs?" Robbie asked.

"I don't see why not. No one will be loose and I'll try to keep my paws out of it." Sarah smiled and went back to her work.

A little while later Kevin came into the treatment room. "I'm ready to examine that monkey Sarah. You want to bring him up for me?"

"Sure." Sarah answered and headed back into the kennel room. "Oh and his name is Moses." She winked at him.

"I'll try and remember that." Kevin smiled back.

As she walked back, she saw John wrestling with the Barringer dog. It looked at the moment as if the dog was winning the battle. She felt she had gotten the better end of the deal on that one. THAT was her first mistake.
Her second was that she had not pulled back her shoulder-length hair that day. Instead, she had left it falling around her face, attractive …but not safe!

As she leaned down and reached for the small spider monkey, Moses decided he had other ideas. With his tiny monkey hands, he grabbed hold of each side of Sarah's dangling hair, showed his less-than-tiny monkey teeth and screeched like some woman being attacked. Shocked, Sarah let go of Moses. This was his moment of opportunity. In an instant, he was out of the cage and twirling around the sides of the room, ignoring gravity.
John had finally gotten the dog back in his cage without losing any limbs and when he heard the horrific noise, he turned and stared in astonishment at the scene.

"Oh NO! What'll I do?" Screamed Sarah.

It was then that Moses spotted the open can of blue paint, and like any little kid, he couldn't resist. When Sarah realized what he was going to do, she made a diving leap toward the can to try and recapture her charge. Monkeys are very quick creatures and the only thing Sarah managed to do was tip the can of paint and have it spill down the front of her and all over the floor. Now she had a monkey racing around the walls of the room leaving blue footprints. John rushed over and helped Sarah to her feet.

"Great! Now everyone will call me "blue breasts!"

"That may be the kindest thing Dr. Young calls you when he gets a load of what happened," John said as he watched Moses wreck havoc in the room.

Just then Robbie walked in from the washroom with two of the DeWalt poodles groomed to perfection. This was Moses' second opportunity for fun. Making a fresh swipe through the spilled paint, the monkey ran up and jumped right on the unsuspecting Francois, riding him just like a horse. The terrified dog yipped and leaped sideways causing Moses to slip from his back, of course not before leaving little blue footprints all over the snow-white poodle. Robbie, John, and Sarah all just stood watching in horror with their mouths hanging open. Moses, however, was not finished and decided Antoinette deserved just as much of his attention. That did not sit well with Antoinette and she wildly scurried around in a circle with the monkey clutching her new coiffure with his painted paws.

Moses, finally tired of his ride, jumped up on top of the cages. Unfortunately, Dr. Grant chose that time to come looking at what might be keeping Sarah. The look on his face when Moses jumped from the cages and
into his arms smearing what was left of the blue paint on his paws was priceless. Kevin stood a moment accessing the three stunned workers. He quietly put Moses in the nearest empty cage and then turned to Robbie.

"Robbie, use whatever you must to get that blue paint out of those dogs. Then wash up that monkey and bring him to me."

He then turned and looked at Sarah and John. His lips trembled but he didn't say a word. Instead he turned and left the kennel room.

Sarah and John looked at one another.

"Wonder what that meant?" Sarah asked timidly.

Click here for Chapters 7, 8 and 9

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