"Perfect with everything"

"Perfect with everything" is a quote from the vet tech who took care of Stella today.  I took her in for a basic exam and routine vaccinations.  They took her in back to draw blood and trim her nails, and pronounced her as being "perfect with everything" when she came back into the exam room.  Her nails were really long and will need to be trimmed again but they are much better now.  Most importantly, the blood test was negative for heartworms and the tick-borne diseases.  The vet listened to her heart and lungs and said everything sounded fine.  She reacted negatively when he applied pressure on her hips and leg joints but that really comes as no surprise given her age.  She gets around without difficulty and doesn't limp or sway.  She was able to jump into and out of the van without assistance.  I'm sure that she's got some arthritis in her joints that gives her some pain, particularly when he tried to manipulate them.  I started her on a generic NSAID this evening, which should give her some relief and make her more comfortable.

All things considered, it was a very good vet visit.  We met some kittens in the lobby and she didn't react to them at all, other than to turn away when they hissed and batted at her.  The best news though is that I've found her a foster home and I'm planning to meet them on Saturday.  It will be good for her, good for me, and really good for the shepherd in the shelter who will take her place here.