Last night Max was acting like he couldn't breathe
He was struggling and making a strange noise and his body was shaking
We thought he had something caught in his throat
we had noticed he had been munching on a red throw rug
and wondered how much he had ingested
little pieces of red yarn were strewn around my bedroom
so since our last crisis was less than a week ago
I knew how to make him toss his dinner and red dessert
We gathered the newly laundered towels that I had just returned to the linen cabinet
from last Saturdays Brown out Blizzard of 08
and prepared for another puke fest
only a red one this time
instead of brown
I thought if something was lodged in there
it would end up in the towel
yet
nothing red appeared, just his dinner
but he was still shaking
and it seemed like he was gasping for air
scared, we called our vet
who was closed for the evening
I forgot to read
note to self
from last weekend
about getting a different vet
Our neighbors gave us a few numbers of 24 hour pet emergency rooms
the lady on the line of the first place we called warned us 
that the fee was $170 just to walk in the door
and about $150 to $180 for x rays

sounded like she was trying to discourage us from coming
she also mentioned there was a 2 1/2 hour wait

Our concern mounting, we located another one ready for business
who would be waiting for us
so
poor Joe packed up poor Max
took down the directions
included plenty of clean towels and a blanket and headed to the doggy emergency room
the girls were kissing and hugging Max
and tears were being shed for our lovable little poodle
the dumb dog
who said that!
Molly, his sister was beside herself
and she began to cry
they all thought our poor pup was a goner
3 hours later and $500 in the hole, Joe returned with our little Maxie
looking good as new
Who knew dogs get the hiccups?

and thats another story