The Dog Blog: Road Trip!

Their local vet knew Pinder well. Alex generally took her, but Macye was the one motivated to breed her so she set up the appointment to check for EIC (exercise-induced collapse), which started with a blood draw. They would take her blood, then send it to a lab in Minnesota. After she drove into the small row of parking spaces, the lab tech came out to greet her because of Covid; she never thought she would miss a cat infested waiting room and the bags of pet food that sent labradors into tizzies, but she missed it. The lab tech took Pinder on a leash and said she’d be back after they drew the blood. Macye waited and listened to music and wondered why she would go through all of these motions during Covid. The office was one story and she stared at its rustic appearance. She had been inside thirty times from previous trips with Katie Sue and Payton, their earlier labs from Diamond R, a breeder of labs located outside of Bozeman. She daydreamed until the lab tech appeared followed by the animal doctor. He wore a vest over his lab coat that had a fly fishing guest ranch emblem embroidered on it. Macye didn’t have time to ask about it because the vet started to tell her all the wonderful things about Pinder she could name herself, including the fact that most labs can get overweight (he had one like this himself) but Pinder was lean, trim, and sinewy. She thanked him, raised the rear door and watched the vet tech walk Pinder to the back of the Rover. 

            “Hop in, kennel up,” Macye said. She thanked the doctor and tried to say goodbye to the vet tech, but she also wanted to say glowing comments about Pinder.

            “I mean her disposition is just the best. She’s such a sweet dog.”

Macye was starting to think these two people had entered her daydream... 

Later at the office, Macye took out her salad. She’d dropped Pinder at the house, and was feverishly hungry. It all had taken longer than expected. Maybe it was Covid and that the two from Animal Care Clinic were dying to talk to the pet owners, and outside was a place they could sort of breathe, even though they had all worn masks. She pushed her hair away from her face and continued to eat. The eye certification could not be done in Jackson Hole. She picked up the cell after a while.

Many calls later she found out the closest place was in Salt Lake called Eye Care for Animals, and it would require a road trip.

So when Macye helped her middle child get a snack after school, she mentioned this. “Harper, Pinder needs her eyes checked.”

Her daughter was dressed for soccer in a USA-colored jersey and navy Adidas shorts. Her long dark hair was slightly hombre and her few freckles popped, on cheeks below almond-shaped eyes. 

Harper held a hairbrush in one hand. She pulled it through her hair several times and caught it, twisting the hair tie round and round. When she turned quickly her ponytail swished. “For what? It’s pretty obvious she can see everything.”

            “Ha! Well tell that to the people who want to take home a puppy from her litter. They should just take our word for it?” Macye opened the freezer door and dropped ice into Harper’s soccer jug. With each handful it clinked louder, Pinder scooted up to her side. Macye threw an ice cube at her nose. The trained ice slayer pumped her jaws open and caught it quietly on her pink tongue. She crunched it down. Macye closed the door and heard Harper murmuring to Pinder, “Your eyes need to be certified Pin-pin.”

            “Exactly, “ Macye said, “and you are the only one who can be gone during the date of her appointment. Want to go?”

           “Definitely!” Harper moved in behind Pinder and placed her stomach to the lab’s back, reached around her head and grabbed her paws. Once the dog was lifted up and looking less than thrilled standing on her hind paws, Macye bent down and scratched the soft hairs of her belly. Pinder tiptoed around while she got her rub down.

Pinder found car rides magical. However, if humidity and tall temperatures had hit Jackson, Salt Lake would be worse. It was loud inside Macye’s rig as they drove south through Star Valley, Wyoming. The cool air streamed from the vents, Pinder had come close to the front and was panting while Harper played the music loudly. They were listening to Sam Smith, Harper’s choice and Macye was about to veto the next song, but Harper and Pinder both looked so happy. 

Then out of the blue, Harper turned the volume dial to a whisper. “Imagine, if you never cried. Not ever.”

            “Ok, enough of these sad songs! Play something that makes me shout.”

They followed the heat and the people into the Salt Lake Valley. As they made their way into the city they slowed down to driving between stop lights. It was a remarkable 105 degrees. Macye followed GPS down the grid of the city to 1021 E. 3300 South. The parking lot was full and right off the busy street, not a great place for a lab. She was glad they had stopped near Park City to let Pinder wander and relieve herself, though they were all probably dehydrated. 

They called the office number and within minutes a female tech came up to the car and left the necessary paperwork. It was a friendly lady that came out next to give Pinder the tropicamide drops in both of her eyes, right there in the car, with Pinder’s head lollygagging out the window. 

            “That’ll take twenty minutes, then we will come get her for Dr. MacLaren’s eye exam.”

Macye knew the drill and told Harper, “We will have to wait in the car.”

Pinder seemed extra independent the second time she was sent into a clinic. Like she knew what was going on. 

First she raised her eyebrows and then she tilted her head as if to say “it’s all about me.”

            “Good luck, Pinder,” they said.

Macye and Harper talked about her once she left. 

            “Her eyes got kind of milky-like she’s an alien dog,” from Harper.

            “Yeah, I thought they were glowing. Emerald-style,” Macye.

            “You know that bakery we saw?” Harper again.

            “Yeah, it was called Ma and Paw’s Bakery,” Macye recalled.

            “When she comes back, let’s go get her a treat!”

Macye got butterflies in her stomach. They tickled hard, especially in the heat. What if Pinder didn’t pass the eye exam? She didn’t say anything about her feelings. She just let the wave pass and concentrated on the heat. 

            Harper read her mind. “It’s hot, and Pinder will be so thirsty. Let’s get her a new dog bowl if they have ‘em.” 

            To be continued...