Vikki the Vet Greets Gustav the Giraffe
Gustav the Giraffe lives in a game reserve.
A German game reserve.
A game reserve near Mainz.
Gustav the Giraffe is a German giraffe.
Vikki the Vet was working in Worms when she got a call about Gustav, the German Giraffe.
Worms is a city in central Germany. Not far from Frankfurt.
Vikki the Vet is always willing to help so when she got the call, she said,
“as soon as I’m done solving this case of these weasels with measles, I’ll hurry right over.”
Gretel is one of the gamekeepers that works at the game park.
Gretel is one of Gustav’s guardians.
When Vikki the Vet reached Mainz
Gretel, the guardian, was there to greet her.
“Hallo,” Gretel greeted Vikki the Vet in German.
“Hello,” Vikki the Vet greeted Gretel, the German.
“Guten Morgen,” Gretel said gaily.
Guten Morgen means ‘Good Morning’ in German.
Because guten means ‘good’.
And morgen means ‘morning’.
“Good morning to you,” Vikki the Vet reciprocated.
After their meeting and greeting, they drove down to the game park.
“Wow! That’s an impressive building,” Vikki said as she looked at a building they were driving by.
“That’s the Gutenberg Museum,” answered Gretel.
“Johannes Gutenberg?” Vikki the Vet asked.
“That’s the one,” said Gretel.
“That must be the home of the first printing press,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Indeed,” answered Gretel.
When they got to the game park Vikki the Vet greeted Gustav.
“Guten tag Gustav you great big giraffe,” said Vikki the Vet.
“I’m afraid he’s not having a good day,” said Gretel.
“How can you tell?” asked Vikki the Vet.
“I can tell Gustav’s out of sorts because he usually loves posing for fotos.
But this morning he hasn’t been interested in striking a pose.”
“He also loves to get out and gallop, but lately he’s just been lying in his private paddock.”
“How far away is his private paddock?” Vikki the Vet asked.
“That’s it over there,” gestured Gretel.
“And how about his gait?” Vikki the Vet continued with her questions.
“Does he look lame?”
“Does he hobble in any obvious way?”
“How about a limp?”
“Or a hitch in his step?”
“No. His gait is all good,” answered Gretel.
“As far as we can tell, he isn’t injured or ill.”
“We also know that he’s getting all of his nutritional needs.
It’s just that he doesn’t want to walk.”
As they continued to talk, Gustav the Giraffe gave out a great sneeze.
“Gesundheit!” said Vikki the Vet.
“God bless you,” said Gretel, the guardian.
“We don’t know what the problem is.”
“Some are suggesting that Gustav might be having a bout of gout,
but most of us don’t think giraffes can get gout.”
“I’ve never heard of a giraffe getting gout,” said Vikki the Vet.
“And if an animal had gout it’d surely present with pain.”
“But there are other ailments that can affect their feet.”
After examining Gustav, Vikki the Vet came to her conclusion.
“It looks like laminitis,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Was is laminitis?” asked Gretel.
“Do you mean ‘what’ is laminitis?” asked Vikki the Vet.
“Pardon me,” said Gretel.
“Was means ‘what’ in German.”
point to ponder:
Isn’t it weird that what is was in German!
“Laminitis is inflammation in the hoof,” said Vikki the Vet.
“For Gustav, it’s in his left hoof.”
“So wouldn’t you usually limp with laminitis?” Gretel continued.
“Yes,” said Vikki the Vet.
“I’m not sure why he isn’t.”
“We must have caught this very early,” said Vikki the Vet.
“And that’s good.
Otherwise the results can be rather grim.”
“Meaning?” asked Gretel.
“Meaning, his foot will be kaput if we do not get rid of his laminitis.”
“So what do we do?” asked a worried Gretel.
Laminitis requires a long list of treatment:
It requires dietary restrictions,
the administration of anti-endotoxins,
and the administration of various other drugs to get good circulation down to the hooves.
Too much treatment to tell in such a short story.
But rest assured that when Vikki the Vet left Gustav’s laminitis was under control.
When it was time to go, Gretel, the gamekeeper, drove Vikki the Vet to the airport in Frankfurt.
“Danke!” said Gretel as she gave Vikki the Vet a hug.
“Thank you so much for your help!”
“It was my pleasure,” answered Vikki the Vet.
“Until we meet again!” Gretel continued.
“Take care of Gustav!”
“We will.”
“Thank you, my friend,” returned Vikki the Vet.
“Goodbye, freund,” said Gretel as she got in her car.
And thus concludes the story of Gustav and Gretel.