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This is a strange one- everyone understands how hard it is to let go of a pet when the time comes, but this was the first time I couldn’t convince the owners that their dog was dead.

I get a call around 11pm on a Friday evening.

11pm: How can I help

“Our dog isn’t doing well, he seems dehydrated?”

Ok-bring him in and we will take a look.

“You can fix him right?”

Come in and we will take a look, ok?

“Ok- but we aren’t ready for him to die”

About an hour later, an early 90s Prius quietly pulls into the parking lot. The owners walk in with a cooler. Strange I think to myself as the nurse seats them in a room. I walk in to see an older couple holding a cooler. Hoping to find a 6 pack of Hawaiian Punch- I was shocked to see their decrepit Sheltie mix board stiff on a bed of ice.

I looked in the cooler- then back at the owners- back at the cooler-then back at the owners. They clearly had to know their dog was dead, right?

Hi, I’m Jason, one of the doctors, what is going on this evening?

“Our dog is sick- he has kidney disease, can you give him subcutaneous fluids?”

Ummm, he’s dead.

“No he’s not, he just needs fluids to perk up”

Now at this point I realized that what was the truth, and what the people perceived as the truth was going to be a sticking point.

I can’t give your dead dog fluids, if you would like to try another emergency clinic maybe they will.

“Our dog isn’t dead, you are a liar, and we are leaving.”

Good luck

30 minutes later I get a call from another clinic where my friend was working.

“Hey man- did you send a dead dog over for SQ fluids?”

Yes-why?

“I hate you”

Haha!