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The Cat Was Purring, and the Owner Said: “That’s the Strange Sound!” Unbelievable Stories from Veterinarians

Angela Price3 min read
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The Cat Was Purring, and the Owner Said: “That’s the Strange Sound!” Unbelievable Stories from Veterinarians — Family
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Limping Cat

Limping Cat
The limping cat miraculously healed by the time it was its turn. It had just fallen asleep on its leg, and the numbness disappeared by then.

Constipation

Constipation
I gave a laxative to a constipated dog and sent it home. The next day, the owner called to say the dog was fine after it emptied eight tampons in front of a crowd at the dog park.

The Strange Sound

The Strange Sound
A young woman came to the emergency clinic early morning, worried her cat—just days after bringing it from the breeder—had lung trouble. I found nothing wrong after examining the cat, but she was sure it had an infection because it kept making a strange sound. While we talked, I scratched behind the cat’s ear, and it started purring. The woman exclaimed, “That’s it, that’s the sound!” My assistant and I couldn’t believe she thought purring was a lung problem. We had to explain that the cat was simply happy.

The Mysterious Hemorrhoid

The Mysterious Hemorrhoid
A worried family brought in their puppy with a “strange growth on its rear,” convinced it was hemorrhoids. On closer inspection, it turned out the dog had sat on a pink chewing gum stuck to the fur around its bottom.

Lethargy

Lethargy
A middle-aged couple’s dog showed signs of loss of appetite, low energy, and lethargy. They had just returned from their weekend getaway and suspected poisoning. In reality, the dog was fine—just a bit down because the vacation was over and it had to return to city life.

The Magic Trick

The Magic Trick
Once, I operated on a golden retriever that was drooling, not eating, and had a painful belly. I knew it had swallowed something it shouldn’t have. The X-ray revealed the foreign object: four pairs of socks, two pairs of underwear, and two towels. The assistants laughed because during surgery, I looked like a magician pulling endless scarves from a hat. The dog made a full recovery.

Not a Tick, a Nipple

Not a Tick, a Nipple
It’s common for owners—mostly of dogs—to bring in their pets thinking a nipple is a tumor or fatty lump. Once, a couple argued in front of me about how to remove a tick from their mastiff: the wife said clockwise, the husband said counterclockwise. When I told them it was actually a nipple, the husband didn’t believe me, insisting male dogs don’t have nipples. I asked, “Don’t you have one too?” They left without a word.

The Carrier Pigeon

The Carrier Pigeon
I have no idea how he caught it, but once a little boy ran in holding a pigeon, handed it to the receptionist, and ran off. The bird was fine and had a tag, so a few hours later, a very happy pigeon owner came to pick it up. He was thrilled because it set a new record distance for his bird.

Fitting In

Fitting In
A dog was brought in for coughing, but X-rays and blood tests showed no organ issues. Then it hit me—I asked the owner to cough, and the dog coughed right after. The owner coughed again, and so did the dog. It turned out the whole family had a cold, and the dog was just trying to fit in.

Just a Taste

Just a Taste
An elderly lady suspected toothache because her bunny hadn’t eaten for days, but the only issue was that the new type of food didn’t appeal to it.
FamilyLifestyle

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