An Unforgettable Birthday Surprise

Dogs do the weirdest things; check out what Sophie gave her owner, Ken Heath of Virginia, for a birthday present:

On my 47th birthday, we had friends over to celebrate. Sophie has been having a rough year, first tearing her right ACL and having corrective surgery, then tearing her left one. In between the healing of the first knee and the waiting for the appointment to have the second, Sophie and her sis Sadie were enjoying the company as much as we were. Finally, at just before 4 a.m., the last of the guests left and we all headed to bed. Less than an hour later, Sophie was up, panting hard, and her stomach was distended like a giant balloon. Finding an emergency vet meant driving her over an hour to the nearest 24-hour clinic, but the vet on the phone confirmed my worst fear – it sounded like bloat. Sleepy-eyed, I loaded Sophie into the truck and sped down the interstate, my heart breaking every time she moaned, her breathing getting more and more labored. The staff couldn’t have been more professional, rushing her to pre-op testing and x-ray. Moments later, the vet came in with the news – no bloat, just a LOT of barbecue. Seems Sophie had gotten into the trash bag and helped herself to a late-night meal for about 6! After they induced vomiting, Sophie was just fine, but the staff swore off barbecue forever, and I got one of the most expensive birthday gifts ever – an emergency vet bill! (But I was tickled to pay it, thanks to having VPI!)

Happy belated birthday Ken, hopefully next year Sophie will get you a tie or something simple for a gift. After hearing that story, we may swear off barbecue too!