All the trees and bougainvillea were in bloom in the city, making for a colorful sight. The animal hospital stands outside Beer-Sheva at the top of a hill near open fields about a mile from Tel Sheva, the archeological site that marks the real ancient location of Beer-Sheva, not the tourist trap concocted in the Old City. It is a very pretty and bucolic place.
Spot sees Dr. Marganit (Daisy) Yaffa there. Dr. Marganit is a younger, tom-boyish version of Sigourney Weaver with her brunette hair pulled back in a no-nonsense pony-tail, green eyes, and sun-flecked complexion. She is also the best vet Spot has ever had. Spot has been here alot since we came to Israel, because he had an ulcerated cornea that Dr. Marganit had to operate on. Sometimes I can't tell if he's really sick or is just suffering from Münchausen syndrome by proxy.
In any case, this time Spot was really sick, although when we first arrived Dr. Marganit thought he was just suffering from "Garbageitis", the intestinal illness dogs sometimes get from picking up random scraps of food from off the ground. A blood test showed that some of his liver enzymes were 1000x higher than normal. An ultrasound scan of his tummy showed that his gall bladder, already somewhat enlarged in an earlier visit, was grossly distended with some kind of mucosy substance partially blocking the bile duct. Surgery to remove the gall bladder was called for if Spot is to survive. So, Dr. Marganit called a friend who is a specialist doggy abdominal surgeon. He is scheduled to remove Spot's gall bladder next Wednesday.
Spot's earlier ultrasound with enlarged gall bladder (center shadow)
Spot's ultrasound from Thursday, showing a grossly distended gall bladder (large, dark shadow in center).
Sorry to hear about this. Refuah shleimah!
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