Free Complementary Checkup

When we adopted Willow from the Atlanta Humane Society they told us, because we got her from the, she was entitled to free checkup from the list of veterinarians they gave us.

The two vets closer to our house were not on the list but I called them anyway, to see if they would do it. Each one said no, they only gave free exams to Cobb Humane Society adoptees.

Then I called the closest one near us that was on the list, which was not that far away, probably between 2 and 4 miles. We got an appointment the same day. That’s good because we only had 7 days to take advantage of their amazing one-time offer.

The veterinarian’s office had two waiting rooms. One for dogs and one for cats. The receptionist was very nice and efficient. I had to fill out forms just like any other doctor’s office.

She led Willow and I to an examining room and told us the doctor would be with us soon.

The doctor was also very nice, friendly, and professional. But he knew how to milk me. He looked Willow over, bent her limbs at her elbow joints and said she was a nice looking “dog”. She had some a young lady come in and “checked her oil” and went back to put the stuff under a microscope.

The nice smiling doctor went back and looked a the microscope and said Willow had some little parasite worms in her intestines – “No big deal” he said. Did I want to get rid of them? Yes. He must have know what I was going to say, he had the stuff already in his hand… he injected something down her throat. He told me it taste like a banana milk shake.

I said she might know that taste, we gave her a piece of banana the other day. “Oh? How did she like it?”

“Well, she didn’t say, but she did take another chunk.”

The doctor smiled.

He asked me did I want a flea and tick combatant. Sure. He recommended Front Line, which they just happened to sale. Then he asked about heartworm medicine. Did I want her to take heartworm medicine – although now she has no heartworms, but you never know when she might get some.

“Of course, I want her to have heartworm medicine.”

“What about a rabies shot? According to her papers she has not had a rabies shot. By state law she has to have one – shall I do it and get it over with.”

“Yeah, yeah, why not? What else?”

I forgot what else, if he felt my wool had been fleeced enough. When he bided us farewell, he had a nice twinkle in his eye; the trait of a very good salesman.

The lady at the desk added everything up CHING! = $130.18!!!

Not bad for a free exam – huh?

Later at home I was looking at the itemized statement and the first item said “Exam – Complementary” and “NC” was on the same line, next column.

So, if I read it right when he said Willow was a nice looking dog that complement was on the house, or as it said, Complementary.