Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Is Our Sugar That Bad Off?
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“Is our Sugar really that bad off?”
It nearly turned into a big problem, which had to mean it was serious.
Sugar’s owner’s face darkened as she asked Lee Jun right back.
“Well, we’ll need to run a few more tests before I can say for sure... Want to feel it here?”
Lee Jun pulled his hand away from where he’d been touching near Sugar’s hind leg ankle and spoke up.
“Here?”
Sugar’s owner reached toward the spot Lee Jun indicated, then her eyes went wide.
The swollen area—if anything, it was fist-sized, sticking out prominently.
And it was hot to the touch.
“Wh-what is this? Why’s it like that?”
“Probably inflammation. We’ll have to find the cause, but since he can’t even walk, the lesion might be deeper than it looks.”
Her chest seemed to sink at the mention that the condition could be serious.
“N-no way it’s cancer, right?”
Lee Jun held back, figuring it probably wasn’t but not able to say for certain.
The panicked owner pressed him.
“Like a human boil or something?”
“Well, it could be similar... or not. We’ll only know after tests.”
“Please do.”
The owner let out a sigh and lamented.
“I had no idea our Sugar was like this... I feel so useless.”
“With all this fur, how could you tell?”
“That’s what I’m sayin’, hyungnim. How’d ya spot the sore so quick on this furball?”
“Sugar said it hurt here. Anyway, it’s bad enough we need an X-ray to check how far the swelling goes.”
Go Gi-jin and Sugar’s owner both widened their eyes at Lee Jun’s response.
But they soon figured he was just joking to lighten the heavy mood.
Lee Jun explained the tests to the owner, then got started.
Drawing blood, taking X-rays—Go Gi-jin was amazed watching Lee Jun handle it all solo.
Meanwhile, Lee Jun grinned at Go Gi-jin’s sparkling eyes.
‘Good. Start him on large breeds, ease into small dogs, then cats with Gray and Shadow to get him used to ‘em.’
Lee Jun got a feel for how to teach Go Gi-jin, who was handling Sugar lightly like a small dog.
‘With strength like that, he’ll be a huge help with Sugar’s rehab.’
Lee Jun opened his mouth for the final X-ray.
“Alright, Sugar, let’s try this position now?”
He’d only spoken like he would to a person, but Sugar took the pose just as instructed.
After the tests, Go Gi-jin carried Sugar back into the exam room, full of admiration.
“Man, that’s wild. Dunno if this guy’s a genius or if you’re the amazing one, hyungnim.”
“You carrying Sugar like that’s even wilder, dude.”
“Heh heh, ya think?”
“Yeah. Anyway, looks like a needle or somethin’?”
Lee Jun scowled at the X-ray on the monitor and checked Sugar’s hind leg.
“Kinda looks that way? Buried deep in the flesh, been there a while, but not in the bone, right?”
“Looks borderline...
but I don’t think so.”
“Good then.”
“Yeah, but what’s this? Needle between the toes too?”
Lee Jun pointed between the paw pads.
“Dunno. Don’t look like a needle there...”
“Still seems like foreign body inflammation?”
“Well, yeah, lotsa boils come from that... Ah! Ain’t it that?”
“What?”
“Grass awn.”
“Grass awn?”
“Yeah. Some grass seeds are super hard and pointy. Stab ya, it itches, ya lick it, hurts more, lick again—keeps diggin’ deeper.”
Lee Jun thought Go Gi-jin’s explanation made sense.
“Sounds plausible.”
“Went on a house call not long ago. Regular ranch—super cute dog there. Taesan, a Border Collie. Follows me everywhere.”
The house call came out of nowhere, but Lee Jun listened closely.
‘Guy’s still the same.’
Go Gi-jin’s style: circle around forever before getting to the point.
“Took a huge toothpaste chew for him that day, but dang, he’s nowhere. Lookin’ around, see him limpin’ from way off.”
“Sounded like Sugar.”
“Yeah. Ran over, picked him up—kid screams bloody murder... Thought my heart’d break.”
Go Gi-jin’s mouth drooped like Taesan was screeching right there.
“Figured maybe hip out, checked—nope. Inspected everywhere, turned out CPF like this fella.”
The condition where pads swell and pus forms is called canine pododermatitis, or CPF for short.
“That so?”
“Yeah. Fur so thick, coulda missed it, but Taesan was covered in grass awns. Sliced the paw open—bam, one stuck right in.”
“Hmm.”
“So big... Got a pic...”
Go Gi-jin pulled out his phone and showed Lee Jun.
“Whoa, big.”
“That size stuck in? Had to hurt like hell.”
“Yeah, but point is, the lesion was widespread.”
“Real widespread.”
“Taesan, right? Post-op care? Ranch dog, couldn’t be too hands-on.”
Truth was, leg surgery on a big boy like Sugar was a hassle.
Surgery itself ain’t tough. Aftercare’s the killer.
Big body, leg operated—daily life ain’t normal.
Small dog? Owner carries or supports easy. Large breed? No way.
Plus, the foot that’s gotta bear weight? Bigger headache.
“Surgery? Who’s watchin’ him? Ranch hands precious. Even if, he ain’t stayin’ put. Local anesthetic, slice long with scalpel, yank the awn.”
“Wound care?”
“Stitch? Nah. He ain’t layin’ still. That pops right off. Walks hard, licks—gone.”
“Right.”
Lee Jun wasn’t worried about Sugar busting stitches licking.
He could warn against that. But weight-bearing tears? Problem.
“Just sprayed Aluspray.”
Go Gi-jin said he’d sprayed antibiotic on the wound.
“Healed clean?”
“Yup. Bouncin’ around good as new.”
“Oh, nice trick.”
“Coats the wound, keeps water out—works great. Cows too, spray it, heals no problem.”
Feet—hard to manage anyway. Lee Jun liked Go Gi-jin’s tough method.
“Then we trim damaged muscle surgically here, paw like you said.”
“Sounds good.”
Lee Jun and Go Gi-jin prepped for surgery right away.
Sugar got scared at first, but calmed with Lee Jun’s detailed explanation.
“Doc’ll fix ya up, so relax and sleep. Bet pain kept ya up.”
Sugar drifted off under Lee Jun’s sincere encouragement.
Go Gi-jin was moved.
‘Dang, really... No one loves animals like hyungnim.’
Four hands flew as Sugar went under.
Slender, quick fingers darted; thick ones kept pace.
‘Assistin’ hyungnim’s surgery—what an honor?’
Go Gi-jin’s eyes sparkled as he assisted Lee Jun.
‘Kid’s grown a ton.’
Lee Jun smiled warmly at Go Gi-jin matching his speed.
The warm vibe carried the surgery to success.
“Whew, one hurdle down.”
“Hyungnim, you’re unreal—how ya go faster?”
“Hmm... Just keep at it diligently?”
Go Gi-jin rolled his eyes at Lee Jun.
“That’s like... those perfect SAT scorers on TV sayin’ they just studied the book...”
“Haha, means work hard.”
“Jeez.”
“Anyway, aftercare’s the issue...”
“What ya worried ‘bout?”
“Cut too much muscle, recovery slows. No moving to avoid infection... Sigh, supporting this big guy’s a nightmare.”
“Just don’t move him?”
“Basics still need doin’. Pee, poop. Thinkin’ ‘bout holdin’ this bulk—back and arms hurt already.”
“Oh, that? Why worry when I’m here?”
“Still. Sugar needs a few days boarded. You daytime, me nights.”
“No prob. I’ll sleep by him.”
Lee Jun jumped at Go Gi-jin’s casual words.
“What? Go home and sleep. I ain’t that heartless a senior.”
“Nah, fine. Sleep on straw at ranch house calls no issue.”
“Appreciate it, but... I’ll pay good overtime.”
“Psh, no need. Grateful just workin’ for ya. Bring cake and cafe mocha when ya come in—that’s plenty.”
“Hahaha.”
Lee Jun’s laughter boomed in the OR.
***
Go Gi-jin really took great care of Sugar.
“Sugar-ya, time to potty.”
He scooped Sugar up and set him on the pee pad, holding firm till he finished comfortably.
“Sugar-ya, let’s eat.”
Go Gi-jin supported under Sugar’s belly so no weight on the hind leg while eating.
No matter the pose, he kept pressure off the surgical leg—recovery sped visibly.
Sugar’s owner, visiting mornings, beamed.
“Was so worried post-op lying there... Truly grateful. It’s not much, but please take this.”
“Dang, paradise.”
Go Gi-jin inhaled the cafe mocha and cake the owner brought.
“How’s cake this good?”
“Happy you enjoy—makes me grateful. Sugar’s so Haenguni. Who treats a big boy like ours this precious?”
“Yup. Meetin’ Director Lee Jun’s Sugar’s fortune.”
Go Gi-jin stroked Sugar, saying what he thought instead of denying.
Sugar grinned wide and barked woof-woof.
“See? He agrees.”
“Right. Neighborhood’s better thanks to our director... Thank you.”
As the owner thanked Lee Jun, he waved it off.
“No, no. Credit to Teacher Go. Without him, Sugar wouldn’t recover this fast.”
Then Sugar licked Go Gi-jin’s hand long with his tongue.
The owner’s eyes widened at the sight.
“Huh? What’s with Sugar?”
“What?”
“He just licked Teacher Go’s hand...”
“Oh, this? He does it sometimes.”
Go Gi-jin looked at the owner like no big deal. Lee Jun too.
“No, not that... He licked a lot as a pup, but grown-up? Maybe once a year. Surprised me.”
“Teacher Go carryin’ him everywhere must make Sugar feel like a pup again.”
Lee Jun relayed what Sugar had told him.
“Like a puppy?”
“Yeah, you probably held him tons as a kid. Loved it. Now Go’s doin’ it—brings back those feels. Plus pain makes him cuddlier.”
The owner nodded slowly, listening.
“Makes sense. Held him loads back then. But he got big—too heavy.”
Go Gi-jin hadn’t been, but Lee Jun got the owner’s feelings.
“Sugar probably missed it. Stares at carried park dogs longingly.”
[My friends too...]
Sugar, who’d listened quietly till now, muttered.
“Your friends?”
Lee Jun asked back, and Sugar nodded.