One of my nights

We are a 4 vet practice, and we kept considering what would be the best routine to split the on call nights amongst us. Our practice does after hour emergency service, and there is a lovely phone that we have to keep close to us in those nights when we are on call and answer it regardless of time. Originally we had a week each one of us, and for the whole week we would have the phone, on turns. Coming out fully drained out of the week on call (and somehow before you knew it...it was your turn again:) we decided to switch the strategy and just keep the phone one night at a time. Thus, 1 night in 4, I am on call.

Currently, due to holiday/ hurricane season, most people are away from the island and there is a certain feeling of relaxation, especially when it comes to the dreaded on call nights.

I was almost certain it was going to be one of those quiet Friday nights, when all else that remained on the island are out having a good time, and every animal soul will be safe and sound in their homes.

How wrong I was:) It started at 7 pm. Wife has got a parrot, husband gets bitten in the face by the parrot. Husband throws the parrot on the floor, parrot stunned, not moving, panic, why did you throw the parrot?!, aaargh, and that's when they called me.
We arranged a clinic meeting, half an hour later. By then the parrot had recovered uneventfully with all limbs intact, a pain killer for his contusions and off they went. Wife was happy, husband will probably not touch the parrot ever again.

At home, in bed, midnight. Dozing off happily, when the phone rings. Cat, attacked by dogs, just barely was found in the yard, unable to move hind legs. Panting, shocky, the whole picture. Again meeting at the clinic, thankfully i never fell asleep driving over. Exam, IV, fluids, steroids, antibiotics, XRays, temporary closure with surgical staples of the few superficial wounds.

2 hours and a half later, back in bed. This time, I think to myself contently, the night is nearly over, what can go wrong now, time to doze off.

Wrong;) 4 am, a seizuring dog and his worried owner were calling. Luckily, I may say, this is a dog known to have seizures for years, and all the meds don't seem to do much for him, they last a couple of minutes every time and he recovers uneventfully (so far, at least). Knowing the whole history, we postponed till the next morning, bright and early.

This time, I really adored the 1 in 4 nights on call. Another consecutive night like that....