The Most Expensive Cactus in Sedona

 

This is a very expensive cactus spine. It cost $139. Mum says she's going to frame it. I think it cost so much because it's very old. It's been in my shoulder for ages, apparently. That's why my leg has been hurting and I couldn't jump in the car. Everyone said I had Are-Fright-Us. Today, it hurt a lot and made me limp so I had to pull out all my best communication skills to let Mum and Dad know about it. 

I couldn't reach my shoulder, so I licked my paw. They looked and looked, but couldn't find anything in my paw. I could have told them that. Finally, Mum decided they should do the arm pushy thing. It's a funny process, but I humor them because they don't seem to be able to hear a lot of what I tell them. Mum touches me somewhere and Dad pushes against her other arm to see how strong she is. When she's not strong, it means there's something up with the place where she's touching me. After lots of pushing and touching all over my leg, they found there was something up with my shoulder. That's when Mum found the cactus spine. But it had been there so long it was right inside and poking in the muscle.

That meant a trip to my vet, Dr Ford at Canyon Pet Hospital. He wanted to do something called Anna Sees Ya so he could have a look inside my shoulder and take out the hurty thing. Mum didn't want him doing that because it makes me sick, so he said if I was a good girl and could be very still, he could do a local. He and the nice girl with the treats took me to another room and told me "Check!", which means I have to lie very still while they look for cactus spines and burrs. I couldn't feel anything they were doing, but there was a lot of poking around and then he did some sewing, which seemed a bit strange, but he was a nice man so I didn't make a fuss.

Here's how my shoulder looks now after the sewing. I have too much fur for the sewing to look good, so the girl shaved a little square to show it off better. I think it shows up the stitching rather well, don't you? I only get to keep it for about 10 days, so I'll have to make sure I have all my friends over for a viewing. I thought you'd like to see it too, so here's a photo Mum took when we got home. It's a cruciate stitch, which is quite fancy. I would have preferred a purple thread, but there didn't seem to be a choice on offer.

 

 

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have some more serious matters to attend to, such as making sure Dad doesn't forget to give me some of his dinner.