on the job perils

One of our key team members is out of commission for a few days -- a victim of one of the many occupational hazards of his employment. It seems that while Elliot was at work entertaining the barn dogs in the usual fashion (rolling in grasses, and what-not), a nasty foxtail wound its way into his eye.

If you've ever been envious of California life, now you have a reason not to be. Foxtails are the devil incarnate for active canines because the barbed seeds are everywhere and are notorious for wriggling deep into eyes, noses, ears and even toes - causing everything from mild aggravation (we call them the "three hundred dollar booger") to death in extreme cases.

Elliot now has the dubious honor of being the first foxtail case of 2012 for the docs at the Animal Eye Care Clinic in Fremont. They expect hundreds more before the year is done. Pros that they are, they whisked him right in in between appointments this morning and got the barb out without issue. He heaved a sigh of relief and he's finally resting comfortably after a long and not-so-happy night of trying to tell us that a prickley alien had landed in his eye socket. We've got him loaded up on pain meds, antibiotics and various ointments now. It'll be nice to see him on the job again soon - Gris-Gris is said to be especially concerned about her missed appointments with Elliot.