Yet Another Reason I Don't Want A Dog
While my mother is in rehab, I'm seeing that her bills get paid. She just received a bill from her veterinarian for a routine examination of her daschund.
One of the items on the bill was:
- Anal Sac Expression $25
Now I have absolutely no idea what "anal sac expression" is. And I don't want to know. But whatever it is, it's far, far away from my comfort zone. I think the vet is way undercharging for that little service.
Accompanying this line item was the following statement:
Anal gland cleaning: There may be an odor with this procedure. This is normal. Your pet may pay some attention to the area for 1-2 days. If this occurs, a warm compress over the rectum 2-3 times daily will help alleviate the discomfort.
Do kids get briefed on this part of dog-ownership when they start pestering their parents for a pet?
"Now Billy, owning a dog is a lot of responsibility. You have to love him and feed him and brush him and walk him and play with him and put a hot washcloth on his ass for three days every time he comes home from the vet."
Wow.
K-
LOL!! Have you never owned a dog? I've never been quite sure what that gland does (or I can't remember), but if you've had dogs who regularly visit the vet (or groomer), you soon learn that this is a necessary procedure for the dog's health, comfort and well-being.
I grew up around them because my mother always had dogs. But I've never owned one. As a boy, I only had to walk and feed her dog. Cleaning up accidents, patrolling the yard, and expression duties were her domain.
K-
I know I'm gonna hate the bill we get for the Beast's surgery today, but because it's her I'll pay it gladly,
And go MI women's cross country!
Hey I found your blog through TW, through Nervous. The "anal sac expression" really made my day, plus the hot towel routine. I don't know what my two male dogs would think about that one. You definitely have to really love the dog before you go that far...
The expenses for my dogs have been mostly for shots, for diseases I've never heard of and not certain my hermit-like house dogs will ever get. This proves yet again that pharmaceuticals are raking it in.
Thanks for stopping by.
K-