May 31. 2012

White Dog said pointedly, "This post is a little late." I just turned and looked at my co-pilot who has a sometimes habit of overstating the obvious.

It was the last Too Late Thursday of the quarter, for which we are all grateful; but after a two-week break we once again will be faced with adapting our routine to the NEW nights of teaching. Plus Steve is doing a seminar series at the University mornings for four weeks of June into July. We were glad that last night he finished up early and the White Dog Army got extra dad time.

It had been a rough day for the White Ones. Puff, whose pneumonia is responding to the antibiotics, has developed a deep dry body shaking cough that so far nothing has seemed to help. Despite decongestants, massage, and herbal calming chews, the poor girl spent the entire day cycling between long unrelieved fits of coughing and sleeping from the exhaustion of those efforts. It was frustrating to be unable to stop her misery and her noisy discomfort made the rest of WDA restless.

Still Another White Dog was scared and needy. She looked helpless as she shook with the bursts and repeatedly asked to be held or just touched. It was not a day of getting things done as we had a running phone dialog going on with the vet. Our girl's case is a delicate one of balancing the pneumonia, the coughing, her heart issues, and over medicating a 14 year old pup. Dr. Julia's #1 suggested steaming in the bathroom with the shower on and door closed which we have yet to try. We have ruled out a humidifier because of Puff's fearful aversion to being locked in a crate...she doesn't even spend the entire night in one room...so the logistics of that device is not practical.

Each of Puff's siblings came to her many times across the day and evening to express concern in his or her unique way and when Steve returned home, SAWD happily pressed herself into his arms and remained there until bedtime. She went out for a gentle walk with thoughts that some light exercise might help and then we loaded her up on cough suppressant and Composure (calming chew) with he hope she would at least sleep through most of the night. She made it until about 4am but is still coughing.

We already have a plan in place to pick up s stronger suppressant from the vet's office (Dr. Julia is out of the office until Tuesday). If things get worse or if Puff finds no relief from this new drug, then we will take our girl to see Dr. Julia's associate for another exam and an x-ray...if it comes to that Dr. Julia has already left instructions that her time off be interrupted to do a phone consult. Paws crossed that won't be necessary.