Emma Goes to the Vet for the First Time

Oblivious to where she is headed, Emma poses for a picture on the way to the car.

Emma has decided that sitting in the back seat of the car isn't "with" enough. She has started climbing up to lean on the center armrest or hopping up into the passenger seat next to me. I'm happy she is liking the car better. She happily jumps in as soon as I open the door.

The vet had two separate entrances for dogs and for cats. I've never seen that before and thought it was a really good idea!

Unlike all the other dogs in the waiting room, who were cowering under seats and attempting to hide behind legs, Emma didn't know to be scared of the vet. She strangled herself trying to greet everyone and play-bowed to all the dogs who stared back at her unsure of what to make of a excited puppy. I feel like I should apologize to my mom. I now have a glimpse of what it must feel like to be a mom with a screaming child in a grocery store. Emma barked her head off!! Nothing I did calmed her down or distracted her. I got many 'looks' from other patients parents.

Emma was so worked up. When we got in our examination room she was disappointed to find she and I were the only people there. I think she was expecting another room full of dogs to 'play' with or people to meet and wag at. She could hear the vet and technicians on the other side of the door and so stared and wagged at it while we waited. I doubt this will happen next time we go...

Emma is doing well! The vet said she is a very good girl. She weighs in at just under 18 lbs! Biggie girl!

Emma got real quiet after her examination. She caught on that, though she and the vet are friends, he does things to her that she doesn't like. She got two shots in her back legs and a syringe full of gel up her nose. Emma very much protested the nose gel and the vet looking at her teeth. But she was a good girl. She didn't bark or nip at the vet.

The vet was a little worried about her foot patches though. The doctor told us to finish her antibiotics and also gave us some medicated pads to wipe on her foot once daily. He said it should have been looking better by now.

Emma was really happy to be back home and quickly feel asleep. She had a very exciting morning.

While I was checking out, Emma started barking her precious, little head off again. I asked if the vet had any suggestions of how to control that and she suggested getting an empty bottle and putting pennies in it. Anytime Emma starts to bark, like when a neighbor walks by our window, we should shake the bottle. The idea is that, hopefully, she'll get the idea that barking is associated with an unpleasant noise. We'll see...