Vikki the Vet Clears Yuri the Yak
“There’s a man on the phone for you,” said Vikki the Vet’s assistant Wanda.
“Who is it?”
“He says his name is Jack Shack!”
“Alright. Just give me a minute,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Hello. Vikki the Vet speaking.”
“Hello. Ms. Vega. I am Jack Shack.”
“Jack Shack from Jack’s Yaks.”
“How can I help you, Mr. Jack Shack?”
“I’ve just imported a yak from Tibet,” said Jack Shack.
“And I need a veterinarian to give my yak a medical clearance before he can be released from quarantine.”
“You’ve imported a foreign animal, and you don’t have a veterinarian lined up?”
“I have a veterinarian.”
“A Dr. Francis Fabrication.”
“But she suddenly got sick.”
“Is she alright?”
“She will be, but she can’t come with me to pick up Yuri.”
“Yuri?”
“Yes.”
“Yuri. Yuri the Yak. That’s what I’ve named him.”
“And where is Yuri the Yak?”
“He’ll be arriving at the airport this afternoon.”
“And I was hoping to get him out of there this evening.”
“Okay,” agreed Vikki the Vet.
Upon which point Jack Shack and Vikki the Vet talked details and set up a meeting point.
“Hi. Jack Shack,” said Jack as he shook Vikki the Vet’s hand.
“But everybody calls me Yackety-Jack.”
“Yackety-Jack!?”
“Well, I do own a yak farm.”
“And—apparently—I talk a lot,” laughed Jack Shack.
“So where’s your yak yard?” asked Vikki the Vet.
“I’m in Pennsylvania.”
“Just outside of York.”
“You have a lot of yaks in York?” kidded Vikki the Vet.
“I used to work in the Yukon on a yak ranch.”
“When the owner wanted to get out of the business, I bought his yaks and brought them down to our family farm on the outskirts of York.”
“And what do you do with your yaks?”
“Yaks produce a lot of milk,” answered Jack Shack.
“You’ve got your …
yak yogurt,
your yak butter,
and your yak cheese.”
“And on top of all that, yaks make yards and yards of wool.”
“But why a yak all the way from Tibet?” asked Vikki the Vet.
“It’s not like you can just get on a jet with a one tonne pet from Tibet.”
“It must have taken a lot of work to import Yuri.”
“Indeed it did,” said Jack Shack.
“It was a hairy ordeal.”
“But breeding season is coming up soon.”
“And I need another male.”
“So I thought it’d be a good opportunity to import a wild yak for some genetic diversity.”
“I see,” said Vikki the Vet.
At this point, Jack Shack and Vikki the Vet were ushered into the quarantine quarters.
“There he is!” said a jubilant Jack.
“Wow! That’s a beautiful black yak,” said Vikki the Vet.
Yuri is super furry.
He still has his winter coat on.
But spring is coming, so he’ll shed it soon.
Vikki the Vet inspected Yuri the Yak.
“All good!” said Vikki the Vet when she was all done.
Then she signed all the proper paperwork vis-à-vis airport procedure.
Vikki the Vet and Jack Shack went back outside to wait while the airport workers processed Yuri’s paperwork.
“My only concern is yersiniosis.”
“What’s that?” said Yackety-Jack.
“Yersiniosis is a disease caused by Yersinia bacteria.”
“And it commonly causes an inflammation of the intestinal tract.”
“Did you detect a problem with Yuri?” asked a concerned Jack Shack.
“No,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Bovines normally carry the Yersinia bacteria.”
“It only becomes a problem when they build up too much of the bacteria inside of their intestinal tracts.”
“The only reason I bring it up is because it usually takes a stressful event for a yersinia build-up.”
“And I’m pretty sure taking a jet from Tibet would qualify as a stressful event for a yak,” said Vikki the Vet with a smile.
“So, how will I know if Yuri has yersiniosis?”
“Diarrhea.”
“Lots and lots of diarrhea.”
“So then what do I do?”
“It should pass on its own,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Just make sure you keep Yuri hydrated if it happens.”
“And make sure his stool doesn’t infect the rest of your water supply.”
“That’s all?” said a relieved Jack Shack.
“IF Yuri gets yersiniosis, you should tell Dr. Francis Fabrication.”
“And she’ll monitor Yuri.”
“And IF it persists for more than a couple of days she may inject Yuri with a round of antibiotics.”
“Yersiniosis is very treatable with antibiotics but they aren’t usually necessary.”
Once Yuri was loaded into Jack Shack’s trailer, Jack Shack and Vikki the Vet said their goodbyes.
“Thank you for looking at Yuri,” said Yackety-Jack.
“Your welcome,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Good luck to you and your yaks.”
And with that, Jack Shack headed home to York, and Vikki the Vet drove back to Virginia Beach.