Veterinarians in Israel

Both animals had to go to the vet last Wednesday.  Scott "worked from home" so I could use the car.  On Tuesday nite Pali started vomiting ~ 3 a.m.  Continued til about 830 a.m. with what looked to me like traces of blood.  I take her to the "ER".   She is lethargic, puked in the car ride, didn't want to get out of the car, and I basically had to pull her to the hospital.  At one point I thought about carrying her.  But I had Sabbia in my other arm.

When we get to the ER they are ready for us.  Our veterinarian had called to give them a heads up that a dog which appears to be in gastrointestinal distress will be arriving in 20 minutes.  I am optimistic at this point.  The ER is in a new building, everyone is dressed in scrubs, and speaks English well.    One thing I realized living in Israel is as a customer you do most of the hard work. I have to lift Pali up on the table.  Seriously?  She is 52 pounds.  If I would have known this, I would have told Scott to come.   The woman could clearly see I needed help so she grabbed the other side of Pali while another doc watched.  I had to flip her onto her belly, hold her paws, shave her leg for an IV.   I think the best part was them asking me to carry her from one room to another to get an xray.  I look at the woman and said "I can't have her walk?"  No answer.   The woman grabs Pali's hind legs while I take her front and carry her to the xray room.  While in the xray room they suit me up, show me how to hold her so she doesn't move, tell me to move out of the way so I don't get in the xray, and to close my eyes before I see the bright light.  I put on my sunglasses,  closed my eyes, and opened them when they returned to the room.

The vet looks at her xray and decides to send it to a specialist to examine.  She doesn't see anything wrong.  In the meantime, Pali boarded for the day with an IV and lots of TLC.  We still don't know what's wrong with her but she is slowly recuperating and gaining her energy back.

Onto Sabbia... I take her to their vet on Sheinken. Sabbia can't urinate which is considered a medical emergency for cats.  This veterinarian I have is awesome but I also feel like I am in a 3rd world country when I visit her office.   She gives Pali injections and expresses her glands on the sidewalk.  I actually love it! I find the whole thing amusing. Pali has a bunch of people and cats walking by her as she is getting a finger stuck up her butt.    The vet usually sits on a bench while performing these procedures.  Anyways, on with fuzz... She starts to feel Sabbia's belly area to make sure there isn't an obstruction.  All is good.  She needs to take a urinalysis.  She asks would you like the expensive method or the cheap one.  I said can we try cheap and see how that goes and if you are unsuccessful we will do the expensive method.   I once again had to hold the animal.   She extracts urine from Sabbia by massaging and pushing on her bladder while collecting the urine in a bowl.  I was amazed.  In the US they stick a needle in her bladder to extract it!   The expensive method was a needle in the bladder.  

Sabbia will be returning this week for an ultrasound.  They found blood in her urine.  Pali's better but not 100%.  She is a bit lethargic but is now willing to go for walks to the playground.