If there's a funny side to your pet's surgery this is probably it.

1. Ben’s Post-Op /TailEnd Section /Animal Wellness Magazine
Tom Lloyd
Did you think the worst was over when you picked your dog up after surgery? Silly pet
parent! The toughest part of any animal operation is the recovery.
My Rottweler, Gentle Ben, recently went through his third ACL operation in five years. I
thought I’d share what I’ve learned.
First, be aware that your dog is perfectly willing to lie to you. It will look you in the face -
or lick you in the face - and try to convince you that it is ready to resume its normal
Tasmanian devil approach to dealing with squirrels, UPS trucks and about a dozen other
real or imagined threats within 30 minutes of getting home.
Don’t believe the dog! You might feel like Simon Legree keeping your canine in a crate,
but following your veterinary’s instructions, (including restricting off-leash activities), is
the only way to get your hound back to health.
In the meantime, however, you should probably buy stock in a vacuum cleaner bag
manufacturer.
Like all rotties, Ben’s short, glistening black and brown coat is a thing of beauty. It is also
a never-ending source of extraneous fur. Even under normal circumstances, the boy
leaves more hair on the floor in one day than you’d find in a month’s worth of Camp
Lejeune barbershop sweepings. Add the stress of surgery and the weeks of post-
surgical in-home confinement and it’s safe to say you can expect a minimum of 3,279
metric tons of hair to be left on your carpets and floors.
Do the math. Since most vacuum bags fill up with less than a pound, you’re going to
need a boatload of bags. Buy the stock. At least you’ll get a dividend.
Finally, you need to “vet” your vet. Long before the first incision is made, you need to ask
your vet how to contact him or her with any post-surgical questions.
The sad fact is that some vets will go to great lengths to avoid returning phone calls from
paranoid pet owners once the slicing and dicing is done. You never want to have to play
“Where’s Waldo” with your veterinary surgeon
Five years ago Ben’s first surgeon never returned a single phone call and swore she
didn’t use email. This time I asked Ben’s (new) surgeon how I could contact him and his
answer was music to my ears. He said he checks his email every morning and replies to
each one at that time. He also pointed out that his home phone number is on his
business card.
That may not have made Ben feel any better but it certainly made me feel good.
Anyway, it has now been six weeks since Ben’s surgery and he is very nearly back to
being his old self again. The local squirrels aren’t happy, but I certainly am.
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2. 469 words
Tom Lloyd spent the past 35 years writing for newspapers and magazines in Maryland, New
York and Washington, D.C. He is now living in Florida with his Rottweiler, Gentle Ben.
Tom Lloyd
(Thomas B. Lloyd)
Chipshot410@yahoo.com
2811 Ruleme Street
Apt. 806
Eustis, FL 32726
352-272-0949