Why can a decision, like taking a dog to the vet, be so complicated? Is it because I dared to ask my husband's opinion or the fact that we've never had a kid to have opinions about before?
While I was in Missouri last weekend our rottweiler was chilling with the neighbor's black german shepards. The three of them getting along fairly well, most of the time. This weekend's new yard factor was a wading pool. Naturally someone had a dominence hormone imbalance and a fight broke out. After getting beat by their owner my dog wasn't too bad looking ... initially. (He beat them for attacking her, than spoiled her because he would love to adopt her.)
Today, after Justin, (attack dog owner and neighbor), snipped her with hair clippers and I attacked her with scissors to clear the wounded area, she resembles a bit of a war victim. Now the wound, a few days after the brawl, looks a little worse than first impression. Not fatal, but ugly and scabbed and all sorts of things that could make the light hearted squeamish, and possibly needing medical attention. (Precaution and prevention.)
Ironically I'm not mad at the dog or owner. It was totally a territorial thing ... that's the only time they get all bitchy. All three of them. He's also totally volunteered to foot the bill and possibly take her to the vet. Can't turn that down.
The problem isn't in the wound but the wound care complications. I have this little obnoxious habit of asking too many people their opinions when making up my decision. Though this habit has gotten better in Shaun's absence it still can be a hindrance. So, in typical me fashion, I naturally had to call my husband and my favorite resident vet - his mother for their medical opinions. Justin is of the mind that I should take her to the vet if I want and he'll cover all the costs. Shaun's mom is concerned if her skin was punctured than I should definitely take her in. However, if it's not punctured some benadine, betadine, something b-dine may do the trick. Shaun is positive that his dog's just FINE. As if it's a statement based on the fact that dogs tussle and heal naturally all the time. He's also telepathic and just KNOWS this since he doesn't have x-ray vision to see through the phone with. Granted he says she's fine now but if he comes back in three weeks and she's out of commission he will be PISSED. Also a statement. Not a question. It's not like he's eating the stupid vet costs.
It's all so frustrating and complicated. This morning I wasn't sure on the severity but Justin had planned to take her to the base vet. Than the base vet wasn't available and with the distraction of him moving in the near future, he decided to stall and see what I thought. Than all the opinions started popping up between Shaun and I and I just want to scream.
This isn't a hard decision. Dog gets mauled. Owner wants to pay. Take the dog to the vet. Enough said. Unless your husband thinks you are over exaggerating. He, the man that can turn the hint of a possible sinus headache and sniffle into full blown strep and bronchitis. And he's an expert at coercing the doctors to medicate and support his tom-foolery. But she is my baby and as such I want to take care of her. Ga! The decisions are killing me! Sometimes I hate my overcautious thinking nature! And it confuses me when the neighbor guy who sees the dog seems to have more input than the man who OWNS the dog. If I'm calling to bounce opinions off you I would like a little more opinion than "uh-huh" ... "ok". I can and do make constant decisions without you but this is your pup darling. I'd love an overly passionate: "Please take care of her!"
So soon it will all be over. Three more weekends and we can have silly fights over sillier topics in person. So instead of hanging up on each other we can have crazy makeup sex! And I know that you, my dear reader, really wanted to know that.
