Chapter 290 - Return to Davis

Abigail rested between the towel rolls inside her carrier, which helped to keep her in place so she didn’t have to rely on her broken leg to keep herself balanced. She stared through the bars of the carrier as they entered the UC Davis rabbit hospital. University of California, Davis is the country’s leading veterinarian school. It’s who the “pros” go to when even they are stumped.

Abigail recognized the examination room. It was the same room she had visited earlier in the year when she came for her Thymoma treatment. “Hi, I’m Dr. Mikoni,” said the vet, “I’ll be taking care of Abigail this time. Dr. Megan, who saw her last time, is out on rotation at the Sacramento zoo.”

After explaining the circumstances that led to her broken leg, Dad said, “Her stellar vet said there was nothing they can do except let her leg heal on its own, but they suggested bringing her here just in case you can do something. She’s also due for a Thymoma follow-up checkup, so we might as well do both at the same time.”

Dad reassured Abigail, “OK, sweetie. They’re going to look you over. Don’t worry, I’ll be back later to pick you up!” Dr. Mikoni whisked Abigail into the back for her examination.

After all his visits to UC Davis, Dad had his routine down for spending the day there while he waited for Abigail. First, he sampled one of the great restaurants in downtown Davis. Then, he perused one of the increasingly rare magazine stands, looking for car magazines. When he was done, he headed back to the UCD campus and strolled through the arboretum. He had seen the arboretum in winter, when the trees were still bare. He had visited the arboretum in spring, when the flowers were in bloom, and now, he got to see the fall color change. Although it was nice to visit, he wished it was for a different reason!

Late in the afternoon, Dr. Mikoni called to let Dad know it was time to come get his little Abigail. Abigail had weathered another x-ray and examination process. She felt a little groggy, but her ears perked up when she heard Dad’s voice. She drifted in and out as they chatted.

Dr. Mikoni reported, “Well, your vet is right. The break is too close to the joint, so we can’t do a cast or splint or pin. We’ll just have to let it heal on its own. Keep her in cage rest to let it heal, and have some x-rays done after three weeks to see how it’s healing.” In a way, Dad was relieved to hear that. He was a big proponent of not over-treating a rabbit and causing undue stress. Mother Nature was sometimes the best healer.

Dr. Mikoni continued, “The break doesn’t seem to be the result of her Thymoma or the radiation treatment. Her calcium levels are normal and the break was clean. If there was a loss of bone density, it would look ‘mossy.’ The good news is, her tumor has shrunk and there’s no sign of it coming back or of it spreading to other parts of her body.” Dad was relieved to hear that as well.

“I did notice the signs of a tooth infection, so I’m sending you home with some antibiotics to treat that as well as some pain medication to help with the broken leg,” she concluded. Abigail didn’t like the sound of that, but she was too groggy to care a lot at this point. She just wanted to go home.

She heard Dad say, “OK, sweetie. Let’s go home!” She was happy to hear that! She dozed off on the long car ride home, content in knowing that she could trust Dad to look after her.

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