Serious stuff

Howdy blogaroos. Well here we are after another roller coaster ride. And that’s really no surprise- because let’s face it – our house IS like an amusement park….

So when we last wrote, the skinny Coyote actually appeared to be developing an appetite. He was eating kibble – which made the Warden happy because she could calculate his calorie intake pretty easily. He of course, was eating OTHER things like blueberries and bread – but she was thankful he was eating SOMETHING consistently – and she wasn’t having to change the menu each day – from chicken to steak to pork tenderloin….So life was returning to some degree of “normalcy.” Mind you – we are not exactly your typical, “normal” household- even at the best of times.

So all was going along great. The Warden was watching his meds – and trying to keep track of his medication refills. On Monday, she called the vet to let them know she would need a refill on his appetite stimulant. Clearly it was working well since he finished his antibiotics. The pills would run out on Wednesday- so she needed to get them before Thursday. And they would need to be called in to the pharmacy.

We wouldn’t go into the details about what happened next. Several poor souls have heard her tale of woe and we don’t feel the need to share her misery world-wide. Suffice to say…there were some “miscommunications” about that refill. So when she went to get it at the drug store on Wednesday, there was no prescription.

The Warden began to panic a tiny bit because the timing of his meds really seemed to be making a difference. But quite honestly, although she didn’t want to upset the pharmaceutical applecart, she figured that not getting his appetite stimulant first thing in the morning wouldn’t REALLY make a huge difference. Wrongo. It’s now very CLEAR that the medication is working. And working well. Because he didn’t have it Thursday morning, he wouldn’t eat all day- even after she was able to get the meds by noon and she rushed home with them. Nope. The Coyote wanted nothing to do with kibble, treats or any delectable morsel offered to him. In order for him to take in some calories, they had to resort back to the liquid stuff – which he hadn’t had in weeks. The Warden was utterly deflated. Not to mention that a change in his probiotic has not helped with a recent bout of soupy poops. They have been up in the night running out one to two times. The Warden felt like they were back to square one.

Add to that, the Warden did SOMETHING to her leg. It felt like a shin splint – but she hadn’t done any strenuous exercise to cause it. It’s entirely possible that yours truly bashed into her leg, and she forgot about it – because it happens so frequently. As a result of her leg pain, we haven’t been able to go on long walks. She did have X-rays – but nothing showed up – so it’s likely a shin splint. All that to say with the non-eating, poopy Picard and the gimpy Warden – things were kinda sorta dismal at our place on Thursday. In the big scheme of life problems, these were NOT earth shattering. But as you humans know, sometimes a bunch of small challenges can pile up and they seem catastrophic at a particular time. Again I say humans need to be more dog-like and shake it off like we do when we get up or after a bath. Try it some time.

Anyway…… on Friday and yesterday- when the Coyote was back on his medication routine- all was again right with the world – and he began eating. The sun again began to shine. He was even begging for food while she ate (a behavior that would normally be discouraged- but which, in this case, she was excited about) and he ate both of his own meals. Plus extras. He was at his caloric intake target. He just made it – but he did. So happiness and joy returned to the land. And her leg is a bit better.

On a more serious note (yes- much more serious) – we had some very sad news this week. A wonderful PON by the name of Zan, went to meet Viktor, Paxton, Guinness, et al and his own sister, Romi at the Rainbow Bridge. Now we never got to meet Zan – and if COVID hadn’t happened, we might have- but we knew all about him. He lived in Florida and summered in Michigan. It’s estimated he logged in over 135,000 miles in his travels in his over 16 active years. Yup – he lived to the seasoned age of 16 years 7 months. He traveled with his right-hand co-pilot and trainee, Vince. Note I say trainee and not trainer. Zan ran the household, and efficiently trained Vince ALL about how clever we PONs are. They were quite the team.

While the number of years seems like such a gift – let’s face it – we dogs are never with you long enough. Ever. So while Vince has a gaping hole in his heart, he has AMAZING memories – and Zan trained him that a PON is THE breed for him. Someday….another PON will find his way to Vince – not as a replacement for Zan – but as a necessary co-pilot. Everybody needs a good co-pilot. Even when our navigational skills may be like those of a hummingbird on speed. Not that I speak from experience…

Lastly, GUESS who returns on Tuesday night?! The European travelers – Sue and Keith. I’m really hoping that they found a place in France that sells good dog treats. We LOVE edible souvenirs. I’m mentioning it now because they still have a few days in Paris. SURELY Paris has dog treat stores. Or heck – they can just bring back some Brioche. That’s the Coyote’s favorite. Of course it is.

OK. Time to get Hopalong moving. Don’t want her to seize up. And let’s hope the roller coaster Coyote continues to ride the train up.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ