The Secret (Watty Award Winner) | ✔️

Forty Four - Talia

Ch44 - Talia

Getting Winston from the car into the vet was no easy task. He was a large dog, weighing in at 85 pounds and full of dense muscle. He tried to stand as Talia and Ms. Wilson attempted to remove him from the back seat, but appeared dazed and uncoordinated. He wobbled and fell over, finally landing in a heap on the black-top of the parking lot. Two veterinarian techs came to their assistance, and were finally able to get him into the office and hoisted up on an examination table where he promptly released the contents of his stomach.

"Hello, Ms. Wilson," the young and very blonde veterinarian smiled briskly as she walked into the room. Her high heels clicked against the linoleum as she made her way toward Winston.

"My assistant tells me Winston is sick. Where's Charlie?" she asked, getting right to work examining the Labrador.

"Hello, Dr. Hart. Charlie's in Atlanta. He's on his way home now," Ms. Wilson answered, running her hand alongside Winston's back. "This is Talia. She's been caring for Winston while Charlie has been away."

Dr. Hart glanced briefly at Talia and tossed her long hair over her shoulder. The vet tech hurried to clean the vomit from the table as the doctor palpated the dog's stomach. "How long has he been like this?"

Talia swallowed as she tried to estimate the mornings events. "Probably around forty-five minutes, or so," she answered. "We were in the backyard when I noticed him lying on the grass, panting. When I approached him, I could tell that his breathing was labored and he didn't want to focus on me when I called his name."

"Was he able to stand at all?" Dr. Hart asked as she lifted Winston's eyelids to check his pupil response.

"No, ma'am. He tried, but was unsteady and fell over, almost as if he were drunk." Talia took a deep breath before continuing. "He also urinated all over himself when we tried to get him into the car." As Talia spoke, another veterinary assistant made notes of everything she was saying.

The expression on the doctor's face was grim as she examined the dog. "So, he has displayed a drunk-like demeanor, loss of bladder function, uncoordinated movements, and vomiting," she relayed out loud. "What was he doing just prior to when all of this started?"

Talia's eyes filled with tears. "I was sitting on the deck, watching him pick at something on the ground. I didn't think anything of it..." She pulled out the bag she had wrapped up in her purse. "I found this lying next to him."

Dr. Hart took the plastic sack and opened it, looking at the contents inside. "It looks like a chewed up piece of meat." She frowned.

"I thought so, too. That's why I brought it with us."

"Lori," the veterinarian said, turning toward her assistant. "I want to get a complete blood profile on Winston. I also want a urinalysis. Let's test him for ethylene glycol."

"Right away, Dr. Hart." Lori walked out of the small room to collect what was needed for the samples.

"Ethylene glycol?" Ms. Wilson asked, looking at the doctor.

The vet sighed. "Yes. Ethylene glycol is the primary ingredient found in automotive antifreeze, and Winston here is displaying all of the prominent symptoms of ingestion," she said, rubbing the back of the dog's neck. "Did you see him licking the driveway or garage floor this morning at all? Antifreeze has a very sweet flavor, appealing to most animals. By the time they experience the unpleasant aftertaste, most of the damage has already been done."

"No," Talia answered. "He was only in the backyard where I could see him."

Dr. Hart's lips moved into a thin line. "I was afraid of that. Unfortunately, I'm not able to test the sample you brought from the yard, but it's not uncommon for animals to be poisoned purposely. An unhappy neighbor who doesn't appreciate a dog barking, or just someone trying to be mean..." Her voice trailed off. "It's not the first time we've seen this sort of thing and it won't be the last." She smiled sadly.