Great news!

Dear Polly,

I've got fantastic news for you!  The grooming for both girls this morning was free.  And here's why.

That's a small quantity of Sophie's blood, from a nicked dew claw, on the side of my shirt.  This is from the second time she started leaking and from my second trip to the vet next door to the groomer.

They called me at work to say she'd been nicked and that they were taking her over.  I remembered she was a vaccine-reactor and called the vet to make sure they wouldn't give her any medications without checking with me first, so that I could relay the information to you.  The receptionist replied condescendingly that they would not be vaccinating her.  I then told them that she's a hyperactive foot licker, in case they needed to bandage her.  The receptionist sighed and said they would probably put her in an Elizabethan collar as a result.  

It was then I decided I needed to leave work and go supervise.

Checked in at the groomer, prepared my argument for the parking lot nazi as I was going to a location beyond the approved parking lot use list, and went to the vet.  They were slammed and she was already being seen.  One of the groomers was sitting in the exam room waiting for her.  They crazy-glued the wound, which was tiny, and said she probably wouldn't need antibiotics, but that he'd write me a scrip if I wanted them.  I declined and said we'd keep an eye on it.  The vet suggested we have her dew claw removed since she was so young.  They told him she was 1.5-years-old.  Since she's 8 or 9, she must be aging well.  She was her usual rambunctious self the whole time.  And only half-groomed.  The vet said the glue should work, but if she sprung a leak again, he might have to wrap the foot.

Off we three went back to the groomer's.  The owner could not have been kinder or more apologetic.  Layla had been groomed in the meantime and they got busy finishing Sophie's cut.  We all agreed to avoid the injured foot.  

They brought her out front and she was fine.  But then as I was getting ready to pay, I noticed blood on the floor.  And then more blood as she walked around.  They'd brought Layla out in the meantime, so I asked them to take Layla back and off Sophie and I went to the vet once again.  

That's when I got the blood on my shirt.

They took her into the back, cleaned her foot off and said the bleeding had stopped and the glue seemed to be working.  They said as long as she didn't smack the foot into anything, the bleeding shouldn't start again.  

Back to the groomer to collect Layla and pay.  It was then they told me the visit was free.  I told them that wasn't necessary -- that it was a normal part of grooming and they handled it and were paying for the vet, but they wouldn't accept payment.  Especially since Sophie had had The Eye Incident a few years ago.  I asked them if they'd like us to start going somewhere else.  They laughed and said no, that they want us to keep coming there and that's why they weren't charging.  I told them their business model was flawed.  :)

And so, Sophie is OK.  She enjoyed some air conditioning on the way home:

She and Layla waited patiently for me to let them out of the car:

Sophie now has the rap name she's always wanted (Lil' Fuzzy Foot):

They're chilling on a blanket on the couch, in case Old Faithful starts gushing again:

And I'm enjoying Mother's Little Helper, after an interesting morning:

I'm purposely not telling you this while you're at work because I don't want you to worry, but I had to tell SOMEONE, so here we are.  :)