Our experience at the Vet's (part 1 &2)

This was over a week ago but I just noticed that Facebook has been updating my Learning about Finland blog recently. It's been a couple months and I was starting to slack off on this blog because of the lack of auto-updates.

Anyhow. As my FB friends are aware, my 2 1/2 year old Loki (husky/lab/mutt) mix had 2 ticks. One in the front of his leg and one on the hind leg, inner thigh.
We thought - no problem - we'll haul them out with tweezers and the "tick bar". Loki is a genius dog and sometimes a little dumb. He tried pulling them out himself and ended up killing them. So because they were dead and not feeding off him (aka getting bigger) we were stuck with two dead ticks in his skin that could not be pulled out.
We referred to a friend or two and they suggested letting it sit out for a bit and the skin will naturally push out the ticks. This happened to our other dog, Blue (7 y/o border collie/lab) near his eye and we thought - fabulous!
Loki - here's the dumb part - continued to try and pry out the ticks that he killed and created an abscess in both spots. Then one of them popped and he continued to pick and created a wound so deep we could see deep into the flesh.

So off to the vet we go. First I called to book an appointment and for some reason - my phone keeps hanging up on people. Finally I book an appointment and we get there and wait in the room and it's a lovely little vet office not far from our place. About 10 minutes walk.
The vet does speak English and she ASKED if she could touch Loki to see the cuts. I was impressed. Most vets just snap on the gloves and get to it. Loki's a friendly dog - just so you know....but it's kind that the vet asked anyway.
After assessing him quickly (no thermometer required!) she provided some cleaning products, a cone and some antibiotics. She stated the ointment was honey-based and that he would not eat it. Loki proved her wrong. He LOVED it.
She then said the pills were tasty and that we wouldn't need food to cover them up....she was wrong. Loki hates medicine and Tim has to drop it down his throat (also pry open his mouth and teeth).....

So all in all - a great experience.

Then we had to go back. He's not fully healed and will still pick at it - given the chance (we don't use the cone while walking him - he refuses to pee or poo)....and had finished his medication.
I tried to call but the lady couldn't hear me and clearly did not understand English.

So I just popped in and the vet was great and remembered Loki's name and we paid for our medicine and left. I offered him a cookie (marrow treat) and he gulped that down and the vet said "Oh Lokiiiiiiiiiiii - I have a cookie for you"....well wasn't he excited.
She reached into a tin and pulled out a handful of dog food and put it down on the floor. One sniff and he was dragging me out the door.
The vet said, "Oh - I guess you knew I was tricking you into eating dog food."

(Yeah - no kidding. Don't lie to my dog - ha.) - were my thoughts I silently thought.