Ben Jammin

Hello there Steemers

I'd like to say a few words about my Ben.

Ben has been with me since he came to my shop in 2007. It was September and summer time for street dogs is tough as there are fewer tourists therefore less food. He was emaciated, had a really bad cough and yellow eye bogeys that were most unbecoming.

I had known Ben since I had arrived here the year before as he was a regular at my favourite bar and was always friendly. I couldn't bear to see him in such a state so I called a vet to get him some treatment. He really didn't enjoy the vet's visit and it was difficult to keep him still as he had no collar. Each time the vet would try to clean his eyes he'd jump up and trot away a few meters the lie down again, I swear I could see a grin on his face. After much messing about the treatments were completed, he didn't look too happy until I put him down a large bowl of food which he inhaled in about 5 seconds then lay down to sleep.

From that day on he was always waiting at the shop when I arrived each morning and has been with me ever since. As you know, I have one arm. This makes it a little tricky to do anything with Ben that Ben doesn't want to do, giving him injections, pills or a bath, to name just three. Well, four years ago he was hit by a car, he likes to chase white taxis, what can I tell ye... This accident left him with four stainless steel screws and about eight inches of wire in his right hind leg. The vet told me at the time that he had never tried this type of operation before as they would usually just amputate a leg that was so badly damaged but he took the opportunity to try a new technique.

He had this aparatus on for six weeks during which time I didn't get much sleep. The cone which was supposed to prevent him reaching his leg was made from old x-ray photos and fell apart pretty quickly. I looked for a proper one at the pet store but found none. As soon as I closed my eyes he would begin chewing at the acrylic holding the pins together. The first time he did this I had to take him back to the vet, it was an expensive procedure and almost cleaned me out. The second time I couldn't afford to take him to the vet but managed, with the help of a friend, to fix everything using car body filler and some rubber tubing I found in my workshop. As it turned out this solution worked just fine; Ben didn't like the taste so was reluctant to chew too much. I still had to keep an eye on him though.

I am certainly glad that his leg was saved but you will appreciate the irony, comedy almost, of me keeping company with a three legged dog. Anyway, a couple of years ago I noticed that one of the screw heads had popped through the skin so I tracked down the vet, which was no mean feat considering he had been evicted from his clinic at gunpoint by hired thugs about 2 years before, he told me.

So the day came for his visit to the vets. I don't know how but the little guy knew something was up, especially when I placed a leash, made from some rope, around his neck. He still doesn't wear a collar as every time I put one on him he finds a way to get it off and I'd rather not force the poor guy y'know.

Anyway, where was I... Oh yes, rope leash. He went a little nuts for a moment when I first put it on but I calmed him down and led him to the car. He really doesn't like to ride in cars either, the only time he has to is when I have to take him to the vets, so that explains that. He surprised me when I told him to get in and, though trembling slightly, he did just that. He sat himself on the front passenger seat, exhaled loudly then went to sleep.

He awoke as we arrived and took a moment to have a sniff about then we went into the clinic. He hesitated again, I’m guessing because he recognised the hospital smell, but with a gentle urging he followed me in. The screw removal took about 15 minutes but it took Ben all of the rest of that day to sober up after the anaesthetic , he was pretty funny stumbling about like drunk at first then he lay on his bed and drifted off to sleep again.

The next day I was in for another surprise. The vet had given me a syringe full of an anti-inflammatory which I was expected to give him over the following four days. I guess the vet assumed that I had someone to help me with this but, living alone, I had to figure this one out myself.

As I already said, it is difficult to hold him still and inject him, on the only previous occasion I had used my legs in an attempt to hold him still. It had proved traumatic and ineffective so this time I just spoke calmly to him and asked him to stay still, he did! At one point he began to get stressed so I stopped and calmed him down for a minute, then he allowed me to finish. He clearly didn't enjoy the experience but he allowed me to inject him three times over the days that followed.

Now, the vet had also given me some pills that I was to give him every 12 hours and this precipitated surprise number three. I usually give him pills wrapped in cheese, he loves cheese, but I had run out so I thought I'd just try and offer him the pill neat as it were, and accompany the offer with a firm but calm command to 'eat it'. He took the pill then spat it out and looked at me; I looked back and said 'eat it' again, calmly. He hesitated a moment longer then ate the pill!

I still haven't found a humane way to give him a bath but two out of three is pretty good I think.