French Veterinary Visit

Woke this morning to an overcast grey sky, but had a great nights sleep. So peaceful and quiet but knowing we absolutely had to find a vet this morning to administer Tom’s worming tablet and stamp his Pet Passport accordingly. We got a wiggle on because we thought we could travel a while until a Vet would be open - we reckoned around 9am. We travelled for around an hour and around 8am I started checking out local vets in our anticipated area and found one that opened at 8.30am. Put the location in my iPhone map and we arrived around 8.10am. You really couldn’t make this up, but upon arrival we noticed lorry, after lorry, after caravan and goodness knows what else and realised an entire circus had parked up in this town right opposite the vets! I got Tom and his Pet Passport out together with a 50€ note. Queued outside the vets and noticed signs everywhere stating their new rules regarding hygiene. One of which was only one animal and one owner - now, anyone that really knows my beautiful collie, knows he can be a mare (but he’s my mare! And I love him to pieces). He has what one might call a few ‘foibles’. For example, anything that falls on the floor, including liquids like when you spill some milk, are his - you do not get them back, they are NOT returnable. Well, there are some things that fall on the floor that he cannot have! They would be dangerous for him - so we then have to be brave and very strict and rescue the situation, mostly with bribery. Actually, as a side note, Jack (our Jack Russell) used to protect us from Tom when this happened, bless his little heart - we miss you still 😓. Another example is, if you touch Tom’s backend - say to brush his coat - he will immediately sit down so you cannot access it with the brush. If you persist, he turns to look at you with glassy eyes and his lip starts to rise......... The reasons I paint you this picture dear reader, is so you can understand my trepidation at having to go to a French vet. Our own vet knows how to handle him and, as Tom knows them, there is more trust there. So, in I go with my prepared request all set out on my translator as I don’t know if they will speak English - as it turns out they didn’t, so good job I was all prepared - so now I don’t have Alan as my ally in this venture. The receptionist was great and understood my request. Sat in the waiting room for two minutes and I’m in with the female vet. Now , I’m thinking, how hard can this be - Tom needs to swallow the pill and have the passport signed, it will be fine and it will be quick. No - Vets table is hydraulic and lowers to the floor - I pick Tom up and put him on it - not a happy doggy now. Vet, listens to his heart - examines his body and announces that he is in excellent condition for a very senior dog - my heart swells. Not for long - he won’t take the pill. Nope - that’s not tasty at all. The vet looks at me and shrugs her french shoulders. I could read her mind - no pill, no passport. I rush a translation on my phone, I will get some cheese to disguise the pill - nope off she goes for a minute or so and returns with a dish of pate with the tablet crumbled in it. Nope, Tom ain’t eating that either. I feel my heart rate increasing so I get him off the hydraulic table and on the floor and channeled my inner ‘boss’. “Tom! Eat!” He looked at me, looked at Vet and ate up. Thank the lord for small mercies. She signed my passport and checked his microchip. All in order. 43€ lighter, we are on our way again. Alan managed to get some chocolate croissants and other bits, so the van is loaded and we were on our way again. We travelled another 200 kilometres or more today, we had some rain which lifted but the grey sky didn’t - once we got the other side of Rouen we found an Aire in a little town - completely empty when we arrived around 3pm but as I write this, it is full with other vans, mostly English. One is beginning to think there may be a convoy tomorrow heading for the channel tunnel. Strangely, when I saw someone walking their dogs tonight they had masks on. So one more night in France, then off to our homeland tomorrow. After hearing the news this evening, we won’t be seeing anybody for a few weeks, so it is going to be difficult for everyone for a while - but we do have technology and FaceTime and, of course, Gin! Keep smiling pepes. Nighty night