Saturday events

So what would you do if, in the middle of the night, your alarm (smoke? carbon monoxide? I have no idea) starts beeping intermittently? Yes, the first thought is that it's a battery issue. You disconnect the darn thing and go back to sleep. However, in an apartment rental, am I even allowed to touch the alarm? It's a moot point anyway, since I cannot reach the ceiling, even when standing on a chair. So it beeped and Henry was up and it was only 5 but the night suddenly was no longer a time of rest. 

About Henry: last night he retired early. That is not very unusual. Sometimes he has such a full day of play that soon after supper my pup is ready to call it a day. Still, I noticed his cough was acting up again. His nose alternated between feeling cool and warm. Henry, I have to keep an eye on you!

The night alarm confused him and therefore it confused me too. When I got up, I found him sitting by the door. Slumped. That's a new one!

Maybe he has an upset tummy? Maybe he just has to pee? I get dressed quickly. We have a deep freeze day. I pull on his sweater and out we go. Quickly.

(waiting for the elevator, still slumped...)

 

 

But outside, he seems quite normal. He does his stuff, with no big rush, no unusual behavior there. It's just that cough -- still there. Sounding rough.

Inside, he sits by the door again, but the alarm has quieted down and eventually he makes his way to the couch. And rests. And rests some more.

I actually have to call him to breakfast. Another first! Typically, he sits there drooling as I pick up the measuring cup that I use for getting his grub.

He gets up slowly. He eats well, but then goes back to the couch. Do I need to say more? My dog appears to be sick.

Breakfast, because the day cannot move forward without it.

And shortly after, we head out to the vet's.

Henry's usual doc isn't in, but I'm not fussy today -- I'll take anyone who has time to see him. And initially, Henry is so good! Doesn't bark, allows strangers to enter the room. Pick him up, weigh him. But take him away for xrays, blood work, temperature taking and you have a scared pooch. The doc said he snapped at her when she cornered him. I did want to ask why she cornered him but thought better of it. I could tell she was not going to be Henry's BFF. May as well aim for simple peace between the two. (Of course, Henry does not hold grudges. She gave him some baby food while we talked. He went up to her checking for possible additional supplies.)

Henry is probably at the tail end of pneumonia. His lungs look "busy, with some noise." Not quite sure what that means in canine xrays, but I'm familiar with blood test results and I can see that he definitely is fighting something. It's antibiotics for my boy. And I'm glad. We've been trying to fix this without meds and it clearly hasn't worked. On the upside, he is otherwise a healthy boy!

I ask about exercise. Henry is incapable of spending a day quietly resting. So, do I exercise him? The answer is -- it's up to him. And of course, I'm to watch how his lungs respond.

We go to the Patti Klein dog park. It's always empty or near empty and the walk isn't long. If he looks tired, I can give up on it and head home.

 

 

 He's not into heavy duty running, but nor is he tamely trotting besides me. I give him a ten minute period of modest exercise and we head back home. And in the meantime, the maintenance people at my awesome apartment building fixed the offending smoke detector  (Or whatever is up there.)

 

The rest of the day does need a reset. I couldn't take him to his Intermediate Obedience Training. We can't go visit Ed or hang out at the coffee shop. I turn on the Olympics and contemplate what to do with this cold and twisted day. 

Not so hard: dig into the last half of my Maeve Binchy novel (Scarlet Letter). Packing? Oh, that'll have to wait until... well, for sure before the move.

with so much love...