Beef With The Menu

I’m a veterinarian. A worried woman comes in with her dog.

Woman: “My dog hasn’t eaten for two days.”

I begin with the basics.

Me: “Any vomiting? Diarrhea? Is he acting sluggish?”

Woman: *Shakes her head.* “No. He’s acting totally normal. He just won’t eat.”

Me: “Did you switch his food or anything?”

Woman: *Hesitates.* “Well… I did open a new bag of food.”

I ask to take a look. She’s smart: she thought it might be the food, so she brought the bag in, just in case I knew to look for a subtle change in ingredients or something.

Me: “This is his usual brand?”

Woman: “Yes. He likes the beef.”

On closer inspection, I notice she’s picked up chicken flavor instead of beef. The bags are nearly identical, just one word changed.

Meanwhile, the dog is sitting there, tail wagging, looking perfectly happy. No signs of dehydration.  

The diagnosis was clear: hunger strike.