End of the Race by Laurie Halse Anderson Read Free Book Online

make good pets?
    Definitely! They are affectionate and patient.
    Can you let your greyhound off-leash?
    Not always. Greyhounds have little experience with doors other than as starting gates for races. They are so conditioned to race that when a door is opened it signals a race has begun!
    Are they good with small animals?
    Often they are, but sometimes they are not. Greyhoundsare trained as pups to chase the mechanical hare. They may snap at cats, hamsters, and other small animals. To combat this, they may need proper retraining.
    “Retraining. That’s the solution!” I shout. “Maybe Gran and I can help Roselyn find a handler for Swift. The faster he can be retrained, the faster he can find a new home far away from Mrs. West. Maybe Mrs. West would calm down and drop her threat of a suit.”
    “Awesome idea, Maggie,” Taryn exclaims, coming into the clinic. “Maybe that trainer would also donate time to the greyhounds that’ll need homes.”
    I guess Taryn’s not that bad.
    Gran walks briskly into the waiting room. “Anyone who’d like to help with Podge had better get scrubbed up. Brenna, are you staying? David?”
    “I’m working at Quinn’s Stables this afternoon, Dr. Mac.” David glances at his watch. “Oh, man, got to go!” He throws on his parka and flies out the door.
    “My mom and dad are expecting me,” Brenna replies. “We’ve gota wild turkey injured by a biker plus a couple of homeless owl babies.”
    “Sounds challenging.” Gran smiles. Her dangly earrings tinkle. “I guess it’s just me and my trouper, Maggie.”
    “Yep.” I’m already climbing into my scrubs.
    “I could help, too,” Taryn calls eagerly. I wait for Gran to explain nicely to Taryn that she’s not experienced enough for surgery.
    But Gran nods. “It’s about time you get some operating room know-how. This one will be a good start. It’s not an emergency, so we can go slowly and I’ll have time to explain procedure.”
    “Thanks, Dr. Mac!” Taryn’s dark eyes light up with excitement.
    “Maggie, get Taryn some scrubs and show her how to wash for surgery,” Gran says to me with a sharp look.
    Must I?
Taryn follows after me, like a baby duck after her mama.

    I steady Podge as he squirms on the metal table. The guinea pig’s teeth stick out from the corners of his mouth. Poor guy, he hasn’t been ableto chew his food or even close his mouth for a while, so he’s as bony as a stick. Gran wanted to wait a few days after his arrival to operate so she could strengthen him with glucose before this procedure.
    Gran injects Podge with a sedative. “Just a little something so he won’t bite us in fear when we check his mouth and file his teeth,” Gran explains. The guinea pig’s muscles relax and his eyes close.
    “Boy, his snout sure is puffed up and red,” Taryn comments.
    “He has moist dermatitis from his slobbers, which we’ll treat topically with an antifungal and antibiotic cream.” Gran examines the inside of his mouth with a little flashlight. “First we’ll need to shorten those teeth. They’re too thick for the regular clipper. Maggie, will you put the burr in the dental handpiece? It’s over in the drawer. Taryn, pick up that felt-tip pen. You can mark off where to cut—right about here.” Gran points to show Taryn where to mark.
    “What causes slobbers?” Taryn asks, screwing up her nose as she draws two lines.
    “Sometimes it’s hereditary—bad jaw alignment. Othertimes it’s caused by insufficient abrasion in the diet,” Gran answers. Taryn looks puzzled.
    “Rodents’ teeth never stop growing. They need to chew things to file their teeth down. That’s one reason why beavers like to chew wood,” I explain. “Podge needs some wooden blocks in his cage.”
    “Wow,” Taryn says. “What would happen if his teeth just kept growing?”
    “He wouldn’t be able to eat, and eventually he’d starve to death,” I tell her. Maybe this will shock Taryn enough to make her stop asking