Sunday, August 2, 2009

Furbabies......

You wouldn't think that 13 pounds of fur could put a family in a tailspin...but it happens. Cricket proved it........

Last Tuesday Richard noticed that Cricket wasn't eating .....so I watched her the next 24 and sure enough she was drinking but not one bite of food was going in......so off to the Vet we went. I was thinking it was probably a tooth and just making it hard to chew .......

So Thursday morning off to the Vet we go........Dr. R is a great man.....he came in and I told him what was going on......so he had blood pulled and said I could leave her and come back in 30 minutes and he would have results......nope I would wait (never can tell when it helps to move things along).....so we waited....the nurses kept checking on me and brining in different things to sit on.....before long I had a tall stool......a short stool.....then a nice comfy chair.....anyway......Dr R comes back and says that it looked like Cricket's kidneys were shutting down.....so he wanted to "flush" them with an IV and recheck the tests.....so he took her and off he went.......I was stunned!!! She hadn't looked sick.....just not eating.......the nurse stayed behind to have me sign paperwork and I asked lots of questions.....she said not to worry....looked like we had caught it early.......

Not to worry.........yeah .......right.........I came home told Richard he tells me the same......I call my best friend , who knows lots about dogs and she hits the internet and keeps me calmed......then another friend called to check on my sanity and that helped as well.........these two kept me from being a total basket case!!

Later Vicki called and insisted that I call the Vet to see where things were.....I was thinking "no news is good news".......so after a call I hear that it isn't Pancreatius (a good thing) and that they aren't too worried that things should be fine........now this doesn't help with sleeping through the night.....for me or Richard........

Next morning I call and Dr R says "the little raskcal had paced in the crate and kinked the IV so not as much fluid as he wanted in" she needed to stay the day............called later in the day and he said the numbers were down (which was a good thing) but he wanted to start her on a antibiotic for a slight fever.....I could probably come get her in the morning and bring her home for the weekend because they couldn't get her to eat for them.......OK...........

Early Saturday morning Dr R calls and tells me to "Come get this Rascal....there's nothing wrong with her"...........????............seems she had a build up of something in her system....or she ate something that just didn't agree with her system.......something her kidney's couldn't filter.........could be something genetic.......who knows......but we now have her on a "kidney friendly" diet.........she didn't care for the offering at the Vets......but then I don't blame her........think hospital food...........anyway we have her back home...

She seemed very glad to be back with Hunker and Spookie .....even with the new "trim" ....notice the knees???
.......but wondered if we could convence her that Tbone is now a bad thing and Veggies are better....because "kidney friendly" means less protein and more fiber .....kinda hard for a 'gravy kinda gal'....

Supper time came.....
Now Richard has always fixed the dishes for the dogs to eat.......he mixes and mashes the dry dog food with canned food and really makes some noise...........
so last night he just plopped some of the new stuff for Cricket in her bowl.......chunked it up a little and put it down for her to eat...........then went through the orchestra of fixing the other's food...............

WELL.............. she slowly walked over to her bowl ........looks at it........then backs up......sits down and waits for what he is fixing the others..........

I told him he needed to at least pretend he was putting more love in that bowl or she just wasn't gonna eat.......he said 'sure'.......and feed the others.........

when he came back in the kitchen there is Cricket still waiting..............

I said "well???"..............so he picks her bowl back up........turns his back to her and begins mashing and cutting and making all the right noises.......bangs the spoon three times on the edge of the bowl (this is a must! he does it every time for each) then puts the bowl down.......

Cricket walks over .....gives it a little sniff ......then proceeds to eat every bite........backed off.......sat and looked at him like "is that all?".......so another spoonful and more noise ........and she eats that too...........then looks at him......drinks some water ........and goes to sit in his spot on the recliners.......

I haven't laughed quiet so much in the last few days...........

4 comments:

Hooked on Fishing said...

I'm glad she's better, but saddened that Richard didn't love her bowl the way that it needed to be loved... *tear*

Enid said...

Awww Alice,

I am also glad she is doing better. That Richard....But man I imagine seen this happening, so cool!

Angie said...

We are just glad that she is feeling better!
~Angie

Barb said...

I laughed til I cried. They are so used to our little habits that 'tell' them so much. Glad she is feeling better so Momma and Dad can feel better too!