The week had an annoying start but was not stressful. But that was about to change. I was waiting for results from a health screening, and my immediate future was dependent on the outcome. It was not a medical test of mine that I was worried about. Instead, it was Giardia parasite screenings for the family dogs.
My husband and I had decided on short notice to attend the life celebration for my recently deceased aunt, which was being held near Jacksonville, Florida. Booking kennel stays at the last minute is not easy, and we only found one available that we had used before and were comfortable with. The kennel told us that they would not reserve a spot for our pets unless we had proof of current vaccinations and recent worm and parasite checks. No problem! We are diligent about our dogs’ healthcare; our human doctors probably wish we were as conscientious about our own.
I blithely emailed all records to the kennel and waited for them to confirm receipt. In return, I got an email saying they regretted to inform me that the parasite test results were inadequate because they did not include Giardia. Giardia? We single-handedly pay our local veterinarian enough money to ensure she can retire in financial luxury at age 37, and we approve every recommended procedure and analysis. (Just ask me how much Bailey’s pearly white teeth cost me last month.) But no one had ever told me the pups needed to be screened for Giardia.
By now it was Wednesday, and we were leaving in less than a week. I called the veterinarian to ask why the recent testing did not include Giardia, and I got a highly technical explanation about false positives due to antigen levels and how most boarding facilities do not require Giardia analyses. But they assured me that if we brought in new fecal samples the next day, I would have the results in 24 hours.
That night I researched Giardia symptoms to calm my nerves. Our pups seemed hardy, fit, and active. One of the symptoms of Giardia was diarrhea. No problem; our dogs never have the runs. But I panicked when I remembered Don remarking just yesterday that Bailey had a bout of diarrhea, out of the blue. Just my luck. I was convinced that Bailey had developed Giardia in the nick of time to prevent us from traveling.
I had a momentary thought that I could use a sample from Boomer (aka, “He of Shiny, Hard Poops”) for Bailey, and no one would be the wiser. Even if Bailey had Giardia, it would not threaten the health of any other animal at the kennel. Bailey is socially awkward, and she is diplomatically labeled a “one-on-one” guest. This means that Bailey is only allowed to interact with Boomer during play time. No other dog would be in contact with Bailey or would be exposed to Giardia.
I was appalled that cheating had even entered my mind. Apparently, my morals are aligned with twenty-something, weed-smoking young people who hope to pass an employment drug test using substitute urine. I was no better than an elite endurance athlete blood doping for a competitive edge. Fortunately, moments later the ethical part of my pre-frontal cortex overrode the disappointingly impulsive amygdala part of my brain.
The next day, Don and I collected and delivered samples from both dogs to the animal hospital, and I resigned myself to traveling alone. Don would stay home with the pets, both of whom I believed deliberately contracted Giardia as a ploy to avoid going to the kennel.
On Friday morning, I logged into my personal email account and saw an email from a healthcare provider noting it contained important information. My heart beat a little faster, as I opened the attachment to review the test results – both dogs were negative!
I was humbled with gratitude, and I reminded myself, with more than a little shame, that integrity is its own reward – even when it comes to dog poop.