Geriatric Gorillas of Zoo Atlanta

One of my clients clipped the Atlanta Journal Constitution article on the geriatric Lowland Gorillas at Zoo Atlanta and dropped it by the hospital for me. She said she thought they may be friends of mine. Wow! Did that article touch my heart. I have so many fond memories of those dental patients (gorillas). Ozzie was quite a handsome Silverback in his heyday. I also remember the root canal he had. In fact, right after we ( Dr. Laura Braswell, Dr. Mark Barr, and myself) performed that root canal, I had to fly directly to Orlando to speak at the North American Veterinary Conference. I changed from my scrubs, but did not have time to shower. I dashed from the zoo to catch the flight. While awaiting take-off, my seat mate turned to me and commented that she "hated the odor of jet fuel".

Oh, my.Gorillas have a very distinct odor, and it does not smell like jet fuel.

Defining Yourself

It is wonderful to be back at NEVH after my vacation in New Mexico. I was away for only a week before I was ready to return to work. All the patients are such a part of my life, and they have been for twenty-seven years. You cannot be away and not miss each one of them. I must be one of those people who are defined by their work. Is that so bad when you really love it?

Housecall Gone Wrong

I had a surprize visit from a client of many years ago. She was updating me about her family, and maybe looking for a kitty. We relived a housecall I made to treat her son's dog. The patient had a laceration, and I planned to sedate him to suture the wound. I carefully explained to the teenage boy how important it was to hold the dog securely to prevent it wandering off.

The young man's attention span was shorter than anticipated, and you guessed it. The patient escaped into the crawl space beneath the house and found a comfortable place to sleep off the sedative. There was nothing left for me to do but return to the hospital. I laugh everytime I remember that housecall.

In Your Easter Bonnet

One of our patients always wears her denim cap whenever she comes for a visit or an exam. I think that cap is so cute, and she really likes to show it off. She knows she is the center of attention and loves it.

Just today a client was asking if I was the doctor that saw the precious little Pomeranian puppy with the pink coat and hood? Yes, she is my patient, & she is so beautiful. She had just flown here from Washington State. I'll take some pictures of her next visit and post them. I hope she doesn't outgrow her little pink outfit.