Doggone it!

We've been here a just over a year now. As I've managed to adapt more to my surroundings, our poor pup has been worse for the wear. Living in an apartment for the first time in his short little life took a little getting used to - the potty pads, the elevators, the limited green space, and the lack of sidewalks. But, he's been a real trooper. What's really gotten under his skin has been the humidity - literally. It started out last year as occasional circular marks on his abdomen, manageable but itchy. This year, however, as rainy season has progressed, it has become ulcerated skin lesions, hair lose, and uncontrollable scratching. Despite wiping him down every time we come back from a walk, despite keeping him out of the rain when possible, he has still gotten a bad case of dermatitis. So, I decided to take him to the veterinarian.

Veterinary service here is usually first come first served. When I arrived at the vet’s office, I was relieved to find I was the only one in the waiting room. Wonderful! So, I checked in, sat down, and tried to calm my nervous pooch. (He’d been planning his escape from the time we exited the car.) 20 minutes pass and then 30. Still the only one in the waiting room. I ask if the vet is even there. Yes, but she’s busy with another client. Ah. Ok. 45 minutes. Will she be available soon? My baby had lost at least a pound in saliva production by then. Couldn’t say. Should I go elsewhere? Don’t worry, she’ll be ready for you soon. Another lady comes rushing in in a state of panic. An emergency. She, of course, goes before me. I understand. An hour and 15 minutes. I’ve learned to be more patient here, but I still have limits. I head to another clinic. What a line! Wait time – about an hour. Sigh. So, I head home and do what I should have done in the first place, call my dad, who just happens to be a veterinarian. Diagnosis and “prescription” are given over the phone. It’s been about a week now, and he’s doing better. Please, oh, please, if you plan on bringing a dog to Panama, have Head & Shoulders shampoo available. It will be your secret weapon.

But, this was my breaking point in a series of experiences in inadequate or unacceptable dog care here. Long story short – veterinarians do not receive the same level of education as those in more developed nations, and kennel facilities give marginal care, making good friends who are willing to take care of your furry baby a necessity if you’d like to travel. Two specific examples leap to mind – When our dog got his vaccinations, he was given one for Coronavirus, apparently used instead of Bordatella. Within hours of the injections, his snout started to swell, so I called the vet. It was thought that it was a reaction from the cream that had been placed on his nose. (The cream, by the way, was to help heal a gash he had sustained while in a kennel.) No need to overreact. But, by closing time, our baby had started scratching like crazy, drawing blood. Hives had formed. He started a fever. I had no idea what to do. It was Friday after 6 p.m., and just over an hour earlier I had been told I was overreacting. So, I called my dad. He gave me an over - the - phone diagnosis and prescription, which helped us get through the night. The next day, a different vet confirmed he had an allergic reaction to the vaccine. Now back to that gash on his nose. During Thanksgiving last year, we left our dog in what is supposedly one of the best kennels here in Panama – they even asked if we had any specific instructions we wanted them to follow. By the time we returned, our previously docile baby had learned how to bark with the best of them, he had lost 3 pounds (he’s a mini-dachshund by the way), he had chewed apart his bed, and his nose had a nasty laceration. No explanation was given for any of this. Instead, I was admonished for having a dog that barked so much. Come to find out, part of the reason he was barking and injured nose was because he was asking to be let out to do his “duty”, something they only permitted once a day. Again, these are just 2 examples.

So, now, my husband and I made the heartbreaking decision to send our little guy back to the States to live with my parents, a place where he will hopefully no longer suffer from his allergies and where we know he will be well taken care of. In a few weeks, we will be on a plane – barring any problems in getting government paperwork completed on time. Sigh.