‘What is it?’ I asked. ‘Are you okay?’
He shook his head.
‘No,’ he said, his voice sounding strangulated. ‘It’s Steve, he’s not well.’
‘What’s happened?’ I asked, looking at the dog, who was lethargic – even for him – and seemed slightly cramped up.
‘I think he ate something horrible when I took him for a walk. He often picks up disgusting things, but I can usually make him drop them, or sometimes he’s sick straight away. You – you couldn’t take a look at him, could you?’
‘Well, I’m not used to dogs as patients, but I don’t mind trying. Has he eaten or drunk anything since you got back from the walk?’ Nick shook his head. I knelt down and reached out a hand to stroke Steve’s head. He half opened one slightly rolledeye in response. I stroked his body and could feel him trembling, and his heartbeat felt irregular. I gently pushed his lips up. ‘Are his gums normally this pale?’ I asked Nick, who had gone rather pale himself.
‘No – oh, I don’t know. I don’t think so. What do you think?’
‘I think you were right. As I said, I am not a dog nurse, but it looks like poisoning. I think you should call the vet.’
As he started fumbling for his phone, Steve’s whole body contracted and then he was violently sick.
‘Have you got that number?’ I looked up at Nick, but he had frozen, shock and fear etched on his face. ‘Give me the phone,’ I said calmly. ‘And please get some kitchen towel and a small plastic box.’
The screen of the phone was lit up and Nick had already found the vet’s number, so all I had to do was press ‘call’ and in a few moments I was speaking to a kind man at the surgery, who assured me that the vet would be with us within the hour and gave me instructions as to what to do until then. I thanked him and hung up, then took the things I had asked for from Nick.
‘Okay, the vet will be here soon. We need to clear this up, of course, and I know it’s gross, but we should put some in that little box for the vet to see. I’m going to go and get us both some gloves.’
‘Can you give him anything to help?’
‘No. All we can do now is look after him until the vet gets here.’
I ran to get some disposable gloves, and we cleaned up. Then he was sick again, so we cleaned up again.
‘Thank you so much for helping,’ said Nick, as I mopped Steve’s face with wet paper towels. ‘I’ve never seen him this ill.’
At that moment, Angela came into the kitchen.
‘What’s going on?’ she asked, and we explained. ‘Oh, poor chap,’ she said. ‘Thank goodness he has a real nurse to look after him. You stay here and I’ll look out for Marilise this evening.’
I opened my mouth to protest, not sure that I could do more than anyone else, especially once the vet had been, but Nick was faster.
‘Thank you so much, Angela,’ he said, his voice quivering with emotion. ‘It’s such a relief to have Laura here. I-I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to Steve.’
I nodded.
‘Yes, thank you. Let’s see what the vet says.’
We didn’t speak much for the next forty-five minutes. When he heard the knock on the front door, Nick leapt up and rushed from the room, returning almost immediately with the vet.
‘What’s up, fella?’ he said and crouched down to examine him. I handed him the box so that he could inspect its contents and, after a few minutes, he stood up.
‘All right, I think what young Steve here has, is a case of acorn poisoning. Could he have ingested any this morning?’
‘Yes,’ said Nick. ‘He does sometimes pick them up, but I didn’t know they were poisonous to dogs, and I don’t think he’s ever eaten one before.’
‘First time for everything,’ said the vet cheerily. ‘The good news is that we’ve caught it fast and he’s been sick.’
Nick, back on the floor next to his dog, stroked his head.
‘There you go, boy, you’re doing well.’
Steve licked his hand feebly.
