1161. A happy father

Hari Raya Puasa story

It is very rare to see a father sending the adult daughter and her dog to Toa Payoh Vets but this father did it. The daughter had bought a very small and thin Shetland collie from the pet shop without the father's knowledge.

"Children do that," I said to him. "They just buy the puppy and bring her home in case you object if she ask you for permission."

"I keep dogs," he said. "I don't object. But she has bought a stunted weak and thin Sheltie."
"Some  mothers do object," I said. "Could it be your wife?"
"Yes," he said. "In the end, the parents have to look after the dog. Why did she buy such a poor specimen?" He could easily have paid for a good quality puppy. In any case, this Sheltie was 9 months old and was at the kennel for some months, without a hope of a sale.

"Women are kinder to the disadvantaged and sick animals than men," I said. "What would happen to all the weaker dogs if every woman buys just the pick of the litter or nothing? I will examine her heart and lungs and do the blood test to check whether the kidney and liver are ok."

The Sheltie objected strongly to me examining her mouth. She even bit my assistant. "There's gingivitis. See the red line at the gum-tooth level. It is painful. There is tartar and the 4 puppy canine teeth which had not dropped off. Take antibiotics for 7 days and come for dental work."

So, today Hari Raya Puasa was the appointment date. I was taking pictures of the hamster patients (one with skin behind the head and above the neck very itchy and the other one with pus in the swollen right eye). The father and daughter came with the Sheltie.

"The dog is more active and eating after the antibiotics," the daughter told me. "The gums are less inflamed and the red line between the teeth and the gum had vanished by 90%". Under general anaesthesia, the 4 puppy canine teeth were extracted by Dr Daniel.
"Are you a happy father now?" I asked the gentleman who is probably the same age as me. "The blood test confirmed no liver or kidney or blood system problems. This Sheltie is just born small sized."

Yes," he nodded. I was most happy for the dog too. She had lived inside the pet shop for at least 9 months and had difficulty eating due to the obstruction and pain from the retained teeth.