Shark Attack!

Just when I think that I have seen and heard everything that there is to see and hear while doing my job, I get a pleasant surprise that reminds me why I love what I do.

 I never thought that I would get to see a patient in my office that was attacked by a shark.  We live in Michigan (no ocean) and I work in a small animal (pet) hospital.  So how did I end up treating a seal for a shark attack???

Very simple... It was a stuffed toy seal attacked by an imaginary shark:  Here is how it happened.

 One of my last appointments of the day was to see a young bearded dragon for her annual examination.   It happens that this particular "beardie" is owned by a school teacher and is being kept as a class pet.  The bearded dragon (Let's call her "Sassy") was doing well and just needed to be examined and checked for parasites.  The teacher just happened to be a grandmother and she had brought her young grandson with her to the appointment.  The little boy was a quiet, serious, sweet faced kid, with short, buzz cut hair and ears that stuck out slightly from his round little head.  He sat quietly next to his grandmother and aunt (who was also along for the ride) and observed the goings on in the examination room with only an occasional comment about "Sassy".  He remained patiently waiting until I had finished looking at "Sassy" and checking her over completely.  As we were finishing up talking about the  dragon the little boy spoke up in a quiet voice and said, “Will you look at my seal?”  He was holding in his right hand a small white stuffed seal – a beanie baby, I think.  I said, “Sure, what is wrong with the seal?”  “It was bitten by a shark.” he said.   “A shark?”  I said with surprise and then caught myself looking at the little stuffed animal just to be sure it didn’t have blood or guts spilling out of it’s little soft body. “When did this happen?”  I said.  He looked at me very calmly and matter of fact and said, “ Five years ago.”  Well, that answer  almost had me laughing out loud, but instead I said, “Oh, Wow! That must have been some bite if he is still having problems after five years.  Do you think it might help if I bandaged the wound?” Not really knowing how to respond.   The little guy was watching me intently as I was holding on to his little pet and examining the five year old, non-existent wound.  He nodded his head and said, “Yes, I think that would help.”  So I proceeded to apply a green vet wrap tape bandage (his favorite color is green)  around the little seal's abdominal area and returned it to the loving hands of the serious little boy.  "I think he will be fine now." I said. 

My job is truly fascinating and very entertaining when I get to do something like that.  All in a days work.....