organo-pl phases, but the little animal declined steadily It was about
a month after his death that I was called to the house again. ~
Skipper was in his basket and when I called to him he slowly raised his
h.
His face was pinched and fleshless and the filmed eyes regarded me with
recognition.
"Come on, lad," I said encouragingly.
"Let's see you get out of there."
Jack Sanders shook his head.
"It's no good, Mr Herriot. He never leaves basket now and when we
lift him out he's almost too weak to walk. Another thing . . . he
makes a mess down here in the kitchen during the night. Th something
he's never done."
It was like the tolling of a sad bell. Everything he said pointed to a
dog in last stages of senility. I tried to pick my words.
_ _~ -----~- - ---- - -- r-- ~ "I'm sorry, Jack, but it all sounds as
if the old chap has come to the end of the road. I don't think
fretting could possibly cause all this."
He didn't speak for a moment. He looked at his wife then down at the
forlorn little creature.
"Well of course this has been in the back of our minds. But w.
kept hoping he would start to eat. What . . . what do you suggest?"
I could not bring myself to say the fateful words.
"It seems to me that we c' stand by and let him suffer. He's just a
little skeleton and I can't think get ting any pleasure out of his life
now."
"I see," he said.
"And I agree. He lies there all day he has no interest' Vet in a Spin
anything." He paused and looked at his wife again.
"I tell you what, Mr Herriot.
Let us think it over till tomorrow. But you do think there's no
hope?"
yes, Jack, I do. Old dogs often go this way at the end. Skipper has
just cracked up he's finished, I'm afraid."
He drew a long breath.
"Right, if you don't hear from me by eight o'clock tomorrow morning,
please come and put him to sleep."
I had small hope of the call coming and it didn't. In those early days
of our marriage Helen worked as a secretary for one of the local
millers. We often started our day together by descending the long
flights of stairs from our bed sitter and I would see her out of the
front door before get ting ready for my round.
This morning she gave me her usual kiss before going out into the
street but then she looked at me searchingly.
"You've been quiet all through breakfast Jim. What's the matter?"
"It's nothing, really. Just part of the job," I said. But when she
kept her steady gaze on me I told her quickly about the Sanders.
She touched my arm.
"It's such a shame, Jim, but you can't let your sad cases depress you.
You'd never survive."
"Aagh, I know that. But I'm a softy, that's my trouble. Sometimes I
think I should never have been a vet."
"You're wrong there," she said.
"I couldn't imagine you as anything else.
You'll do what you have to do, and you'll do it the right way." She
kissed me again, turned and ran down the steps.
It was mid morning before I drew up outside the Sanders' home. I
opened the car boot and took out the syringe and the bottle of
concentrated anaesthetic which would give the old dog a peaceful and
painless end.
The first thing I saw when I went into the kitchen was a fat little
white puppy waddling across the floor.
I looked down in astonishment.
"What's this . . .?
Mrs Sanders gave me a strained smile,
"Jack and I had a talk yesterday. We couldn't bear the idea of not
having a dog at all, so we went round to Mrs Palmer who bred Jing and
found she had a litter for sale. It seemed like fate.
We've called him Jingo, too."
"What a splendid idea!" I lifted the pup which squirmed in my hand,
grunted in an obese manner and tried to lick my face. This, I felt,
would make my unpleasant task easier.
"I think you've been very sensible."
I lifted the bottle of anaesthetic unobtrusively from my pocket and
went over to the basket in the corner. Skipper was still curled in the
unheeding ball of yesterday and the comforting thought came to me that
all I was going to do was push him a little further along the journey
he had already begun.
I pierced the rubber diaphragm on the bottle with my needle and was
his head. Chin resting on the edge of the basket, he seemed to be
watching the pup. Wearily his eyes followed the tiny creature as it
made its way to a dish of milk and began to lap busily. And there was
something in his intent expression which had not been there for a long
time.
I stood very still as the corgi made a couple of attempts then heaved
himself to a stan ding position. He almost fell out of the basket and
staggered on shaking legs across the floor. When he came alongside the
pup he remained there, swaying' for some time, a gaunt caricature of
his former self, but as I watched ~n disbelief, he reached forward and
seized the little white ear in his mouth.
Stoicism is not a characteristic of pups and Jingo the Second yelped
shrilly as the teeth squeezed. Skipper, undeterred, continued to gnaw
with rapt concentration.
!722 Vet in a Spin Vet in a Spin 723 I dropped bottle and syringe back
in my pocket.
"Bring him some food," I said Speaker was Seth Pilling, a casual
labourer and a well known character in : quietly. Darrow by He was
designated a labourer, but in truth he didn't labour unduly Mrs Sanders
hurried to the pantry and came back with a few pieces of meat: and his
burly frame and red meaty face was a common sight around the Labour on
a saucer. Skipper continued his ear-nibbling for a few moments then
sniffed exchange where he signed for his unemployment pay.
the pup unhurriedly from end to end before turning to the saucer. He
hardly, "Aye, 'e's got no idea. Knaws nowt about dogs." The big man
tipped about had the strength to chew but he lifted a portion of meat
and his jaws moves half a pint over his throat in one swallow.
slowly. "He's not a bad hand wi' cows," another voice broke in "Good
heavers!" Jack Sanders burst out.
"That's the first thing he's eaten for' "Aye, maybe, but I'm not
talkie' about bloody awd cows," Seth retorted days! "witheringly
"I'm talkie' about dogs: Ye need skill to doctor dogs."
, His wife seized my arm.
"What's happened, Mr Herriot? We only got the' A third man spoke
up.
"Well, 'e's a vitnery, isn't he?"
puppy because we couldn't have a house without a dog." "Aye a knew he
is, but there's all kind o'vitneries and this 'un's a dead loss.
"Well, it looks to me as though you've got two again." I went over to
the coo' Ah could tell ye some tales about this feller."
~i! and smiled back at the two people watching fascinated as the corgi
swallower They say an eavesdropper never hears anything good about
himself, and
I ~: then started determinedly on another piece of meat.
"Good morning, I'm goinl knew the sensible thing would be to get out of
there immediately rather than ~now."hear this man vilifying me In a
crowded bar. But of course I didn't get out. I : stayed, morbidly
fascinated, listening with every nerve and fibre.
- About eight months later, Jack Sanders came into the surgery and put
JinB. "What sort o' tales, Seth?" The company was as interested as I
was.
Two on the table. He was growing into a fine animal with the wide
chest ant "Well," he replied.
"There's many a time folks 'ave brought dogs to me that `. powerful
legs of the breed. His good-natured face and whipping tail reminded'
he's made a mess of."
me strongly of his predecessor. "The knaws all about dogs, doesn't
the, Seth?"
"He's got a bit of eczema between his pads," Jack said, then he bent
and lifted ~It was perhaps wishful thinking that made me imagine a
touch of sarcasm in Skipper up. the last remark, but if it were so it
was lost on Mr Pilling His big, stupid face ~. At that moment I had no
eyes for my patient. All my attention was on the creased into a
self-satisfied smirk.
: ~corgi, plump and bright-eyed, nibbling at the big white dog's hind
limbs wit' "Ah'll tell ye there's not a lot ah don't know about 'em.
I've been among 'em all his old bounce and vigour. all me life and
I've studied t'job, too." He slurped down more beer.
"I've got a , i "Just look at that!" I murmured.
"It's like turning the clock back." houseful o' books and read 'em
all. Ah ken every thin' about them diseases and :, Jack Sanders
laughed.
"Yes, isn't it. They're tremendous friends just like. the
remedies."
' before. "Another of the men in the bar spoke.
"Have ye never been beat wi' a dog job, "Come here, Skipper." I
grabbed the little corgi and looked him over. Wha Seth?"
~, I had finished I held him for a moment as he tried to wriggle his
"Well ah'm not goin' to say I never 'ave," he said judicially.
~: his friend.
"Do you know, I honestly think he'll go on for years yet." "It's very
rare I'm beat, but if I am I don't go to Herriot." He shook his
head.
~ ~"Really?" Jack Sanders looked at me with a mischievous light in his
eyes.
"But "Nay, nay, ah slip through to Braw ton and consult wi' Dennaby
Broome. He's .4 I seem to remember you saying quite a long time ago
that his days were over.. a big friend o' mine."
~; ! - he was finished. "In the quiet of the snug I sipped at my
glass. Dennaby Broome was one of I held up a hand.
"I know, I know. But sometimes it's lovely to be wrong.".
the many 'quacks' who flourished in those days. He had started in the
building trade as a plasterer to be exact and had gravitated
mysteriously and without : l ~formal training into the field of
veterinary science where he now made a .. i comfortable living.
~i I had nothing against him for that we all have to live. In any case
he rarely bothered me because Braw ton was mainly outside our practice
orbit, but my , colleagues around there used some unkind words about
him. I had a private I conviction that a lot of his success was due to
his resounding name. To me, the -~ chapter Fzve~ I very words
"Dennaby Broome' were profoundly imposing.
,/ | "Aye, that's what ah co," Seth continued.
"Dennaby and me's big friends and : i' I we oft consult about dogs.
Matter of fact ah took me own dog to 'im once he "That young Herriot's
a bloody thick-'ead." ~ I looks well, eh?"
It wasn't the sort of statement to raise one's morale and for a moment
I stood on tiptoe and peered into the bar. I could just see Seth's
keeshound ~- - good ale turned to vinegar in my mouth. I was having a
quiet pint all alone ;4 I Sit ting at his feet. A handsome creature
with a luxuriant glossy coat. The big i the 'snug' of the Crown and
Anchor on my way home from an evening a9. I man leaned over and patted
the fox-like head.
"He's a vallible animal is that.
. case, and the words came clearly through the hatch from the public
bar. ~I Ah couldn~t trust 'im to a feller like Herriot."
I suppose it was the fact that I had come to the conclusion that my fl
~I "What's the matter wi' Herriot, any road?" somebody asked.
~ i ~instructor, FO Wood ham, considered me to be a person of low
intelligence t ~ Well, ah'll tell tha." Seth tapped his head.
"He hasn't got ower much up 'ere."
. brought the incident back to my mind. ,~ I didn't want to hear any
more. I put down my glass and stole out into the ~I shifted my
position slightly so that I could see into the brightly lit room ~
night 724 Vet in a ~,p n After that experience I took more notice of
Seth Pilling. He was often to be seen strolling round the town
because, despite his vast store of knowledge OR many subjects, he was
frequently out of work. He wasn't an expert only on dogs - he
pontificated in the Crown and Anchor on politics, gardening, cage
birdS`, agriculture, the state of the economy, cricket, fishing and
many other matters.
There were few topics which his wide intellect did not effortlessly
embrace, so that it was surprising that employers seemed to dispense
with his services after a very brief period. ~ He usually took his dog
with him on his strolls, and the attractive animal began to appear to
me as a symbol of my shortcomings. Instinctively I kept oUt: of his
way but one morning I came right up against him. -i It was at the
little shelter in the market place and a group of people were waiting
for the Braw ton bus. Among them was Seth Pilling and the keeshound'
and as I passed within a few feet of them on my way to the post office
I stopped involuntarily and stared. The dog was almost
unrecognisable.
The dense, off-stan ding ash-grey coat I knew so well had become sparse
and lustre less. The thick ruff, so characteristic of the breed, had
shrunk to nothing "You're loo kin' at me dog?" Mr Pilling tightened
the lead and pulled the little animal towards him protectively as
though he feared I might put my contaminaating hand on him.
"Yes ... I'm sorry, but I couldn't help noticing. He has a skin
condition The big man looked down his nose at me.
"Aye, 'e has, a bit. I'm just takin' him through to Braw ton to see
Dennaby Broome."
' I see."
"Yes, ah thought ah'd better take 'im to somebody as knows sum mat
about dogs." He smirked as he looked around at the people in the
shelter who were.
listening with interest.
"He's a vallible dog is that."
"I'm sure he is," I said.
He raised his voice further. Mind you, ah've been givin' him some of
me own treatment." He didn't have to tell me. There was a strong
smell of tar, and the dog's hair was streaked with some oily
substance.
"But it's maybe better to malt
.
sure. We're lucky to 'ave a man like Dennaby Broome to turn to." .
"Quite."
He looked around his audience appreciatively.
"Especially with a vallible dog.
like this. You can't 'ave any Tom Dick or Harry muck in' around with
'im." `, "Well," I said.
"I hope you get him put right."
"Oh, ah will." The big man was enjoying the interlude, and he
laughed.
"Don, you worry about that." :: This little session did not enliven my
day, but it gave me more reason t.
watch out for Mr Pilling. For the next two weeks I observed his
movements with the deepest interest because his dog was losing its hair
at an alarming rate Not only that, but the animal's whole demeanour had
changed and instead d tripping along in his old sprightly way he
dragged one foot after another se!
though he were on the point of death. ~ Towards the end of the period
I was horrified to see the big man ~with|3 something like a shorn ewe
on the end of the lead. It was all that was left of the
beautiful keeshound, but as I started to walk towards him his master
spotted ~ and hurried off in the opposite direction, dragging the
unfortunate animal behi' him.
I did, however, succeed in having a look at the dog a few days
afterwards. 1:' was in the waiting room at Skeldale House, and this
time he was accompanied by his mistress instead of his master. ~. -
.
"Yes."
Mrs Pilling was sit ting very upright. and when I asked her to come
through.
; ,..
,~ to the consulting room she jumped to her feet, marched past me and
stumped quickly along the passage in front of me.
She was quite small, but broad tripped and stocky, and she al ways
walked rapidly, her head nodding forward aggressively at each step, her
jaw thrust out.
She never smiled.
I had heard it said that Seth Pilling was a big talker outside, but
under his own roof he was scared to death of his little wife. And as
the tight-mouthed fiery-eyed face turned to me I could believe it.
She bent, pushed powerful arms under the keeshound and hoisted him on
to the table.
"Just look at me good dog, Mr Herriot!" she rapped out.
I looked.
"Good heavens!" I gasped.
The little animal was almost completely bald. His skin was dry, scaly
and wrinkled, and his head hung down as though he were under
sedation.
"Aye, you're surprised, aren't you?" she barked.
"And no wonder. He's in a terrible state, isn't he?"
"I'm afraid so. I wouldn't have known him."
"No, nobody would. Ah think the world 'o this dog and just look at
'im!" She paused and snorted a few times.
"And I know who's responsible, don't you?"
"Well . . ."
"Oh, you do. It's that husband o' mine." She paused and glared at me,
breathing rapidly.
"What d'you think of my husband, Mr Herriot?"
"I really don't know him very well. I . . ."
"Well ah know 'im and he's a gawp. He's a great gawp. Knows every
thing and knows nowt. He's played around wi' me good dog till he's
ruined 'im."
I didn't say anything. I was studying the keeshound. It was the first
time I had been able to observe him closely and I was cert ain I knew
the cause of his trouble.
Mrs Pilling stuck her jaw out further and continued.
"First me husband said it was eczema. Is it?"
"No."
"Then 'e said it was mange. Is it?"
"No."
"D'you know what it is?"