January 18, 2011

White Dog hopped down from our chair. I heard her rummaging in the bedroom. She returned with the Dog Sickie Kit. "Here, you are going to need this," she said as Nuka, our chowhound, sniffed breakfast and walked away leaving her food untouched. "Maybe she just isn't hungry," I said and all of the White Dogs stopped, turned and looked at me as though I were daft.

Everything was fine. Post-breakfast naps were well underway when I heard Nuka making those unmistakable sounds of imminent upchucking. She came running into the living room and coughed up several spots of mucus-y bile. She buried her head in my blanket and panted hard. Next to me, White Dog, pawed the bag my way.

AWD had a slight fever and snotty nose. She was not at all interested in eating...even turned down jerky! I got her to take a few sips of water. She wanted to be cuddled so I held her as I checked her ears (still infected) and looked at her gums. I massaged her lung area and the action brought a small half-hearted wigwag of her tail.

She struggled to get down and vomited again. Poor Nuka was starting to look a little dazed as she curled up tightly against my legs. I phoned Dr. Julia.

Since Nuka already has an appointment on Thursday regarding her ears, Dr. Julia decided to treat the ailment as a flu virus for now. Tonight AWD finally ate a little dinner and had no problems. She sounds a little congested and for that she is getting some of the same herbal Composure chews that we gave Puff to keep her from getting too excited and overstimulating her breathing. And of course, the patient is sleeping LOTS!

What she cannot see as she slumbers in her sickie state, is the quiet parade and occasional sniffs of WD, TOWD and SAWD past her just--making sure that our girl is all right.