[Dailydrool] No longer stoned

[Elizabeth Lindsey]

Our Elsinore appreciates all the good wishes that have come her way  
and seems to be no longer under the influence of kidney stones. Last  
Thursday I took her to our late, great Jane Basset's vet for a second  
opinion, and he said that, based on the history I was giving him, he  
wasn't sure whether Elsinore had had a kidney stone or was simply  
unable to resist adding to an exceptionally alluring scent on Kelly  
Jane's carpet.

It could be Elsinore really did have a stone and passed it at some  
point during the day she broke her five-year record for perfect house  
manners (she broke her record, by the way, only a few minutes after  
I'd finished telling Kelly Jane how trustworthy our Elsinore is), but  
we'll never know. He said he saw no blood or crystals in her urine,  
so he suggested Elsinore finish up the Cipro and we not worry about  
it anymore. Kelly Jane has said Elsinore is still welcome to play on  
her carpet any time, which I think shows admirable forgiveness and  
even courage.

We'll be transferring our Elsinore and young Charlie's care back to  
Jane's vet now. The only reason we left him was because we moved away  
from that part of the city and wanted a vet closer to our new home.  
But these two dogs need vet care so infrequently that the half-hour  
drive to Jane's vet won't be as bad as it would be with a dog in poor  
health. For several years now I haven't been happy with the vet we've  
been seeing, and his suspected inept reading of Elsinore's abdomen  
sonogram and x-ray, in addition to his propensity to see tumors that  
turn out to not be there after all but still give him the excuse he  
needs to charge us for another x-ray, have been the last straws.

As I write this, Elsinore is sunbathing outside with her basset  
friend Owen, and young Charlie is stretched out beside my feet. He's  
tired from all the magazine snatching and tearing up he did earlier  
this morning. He wants everyone to know that it takes more energy to  
completely destroy a magazine than one realizes. A true pro like  
Charlie only makes it look easy; it's really quite difficult and  
takes considerable skill, strength, and finesse. Or so young Charlie  
claims.

Elizabeth