Trig's Vet Visit

Yesterday I had to take Trig to the vet for the first time here in Hong Kong. Nothing serious had happened. He just needed his annual checkup as well as some vaccination updates so that the kennel will still accept him. It really is like getting a child prepped for school; remember those immunization cards? The appointment I made was at a local vet just down the street. Trig and I would pass it sometimes on our walks. Being able to walk Trig to his appointment instead of having to drive him there was a major plus.

So, the day arrives, and we make the 15 min walk from our building down the hill to the vet shop. We arrive at the place where I thought it should be, but the shop sign wasn't there. Have I gone mad? Wasn't the vet right here? I mean, right here..... So I walked all the way up and all the way back down the street thinking I had just forgotten its exact location. Nope. I return to the place where I originally thought it was and see the shop door covered in For Rent signs. Perfect. They closed down and didn't bother to inform their upcoming patients. I quickly google another nearby vet clinic and walk there. Once I have gone out to do something, I really hate not getting it done, so I will improvise to whatever measure necessary to get it accomplished. I walk into this other vet clinic and ask about the previous one. Have they closed down? "No, actually they moved one street over." Oh. I then look at the lady at the front desk who was dressed in scrubs and asked if they had any walk-in appointments that afternoon, seeing as I was already there. She said no, that their doctor is not located in Hong Kong. What? How do you have a vet shop here while the doctor is located somewhere else? Do they ship the sick dogs to him? Most likely he was just on vacation or something, but their answer confused me.

Anyways, we head back towards the original vet office, find it, and manage to be there still on time! Kudos to Drew for instilling in me the necessity of leaving 15 min earlier than you need to.

The appointment itself went fine. I was originally concerned I wouldn't be able to communicate well with the vet, but this one turned out to be from the Netherlands, and his English was very good. Trig was all hunky dory when he was on the floor, and then the moment the vet placed him on the metal table he froze like a statue. At least he wasn't scrambling like some dogs do.

He received a clean bill of health, weighing a sturdy but not plump 36 pounds. He also received his kennel cough vaccine and a 5-in-1 vaccine they use there that is similar to our DAPP vaccine. It was cool; after the vet gave him the last shot, he said, "Just place Trig on the floor and let him sniff about without a lead." Then he proceeded to predict Trig's actions, just as good as any dog whisperer. Sniff about, right. Shake out the stress, good. Go stand by your mom, done. Very cool.

For the examination and both vaccines it cost only $50. I thought that was a pretty good deal! The American tick and flea medication, however, was just as expensive. Will have to stockpile that stuff the next time we go back there.