what's cooking?

WARNING:  TMI to follow

Yes, this past week has been quite arduous.  After the "bath" incident last week I realized that Lucky was in desperate need of her usual 8 week mani/pedi.  For some reason the back paws are never that long, but oh those front ones!  I liken them to "witch talons". 

So, I called the vet and made an appointment for Thursday morning.  The night before Lucky started with a whole new routine that I can only compare to that of a newborn humanoid.

Her "usual" is to do one last potty at 10, then she begs me to take her to bed.  She spins around under the sheet a few times and curls up next to my waist, sighs and starts her heavy breathing sleep until about 6 a.m..

Well, last Wednesday night she did do that part and then proceeded to wake us up at 1, 3:25, 5:30 and then the alarm went off at 5:40 so we could go meet my friends for our Thursday morning 6 a.m. walk.

Ugh.  Lucky didn't even make it to Adam's house.  At mid-block she wanted in her "chariot".  Took her at the appointed time for her mani/pedi and mentioned her nighttime activity to the tech.

She gave me the following suggestions:  Buy new dry food container (turns out the plastic absorbs the oils from the food and then leeches the oil and bits of the plastic back into it), return the "new" dental sticks and give her the old ones.

Her problem?  Let's just say we'd be heading for the ducolax and wondering if our kidneys had a blockage if we had these symptoms.

Steve and I went dutifully to Wal-Mart that night, took care of our returns and our new purchases.  While we were at it-we bought Pepper a new container as well.

Done.  But not really.

Thursday and Friday nights were clones of Wednesday.  By now, Steve, Pepper, Lucky and I were resembling zombies.  Vet asked a few more questions, gave a few more suggestions and then said to bring her in Monday afternoon.

Saturday she got us up at 4 and 5.  Hey, that was almost doable-since I slept from 10-4.  Steve not so much as he had to watch "Dirty Grandpa".  Don't ask, let's just say Steve will watch anything, almost, that comes under the heading of "movie".

Now we were at Sunday night.  Still woke us up.  Twice.

By Monday's appointment I resembled a person who had been told to quit her coffee habit more than my usual perky self.  Lucky's big brown eyes had visible "bags" under them.

Our wonderful Dr. Young took a stomach x-ray, poked and prodded and found not kidney and/or bladder stones (good thing), no evidence of constipation BUT what she did find was that her lady glands were totally impacted.  Hence her wanted to go but not being able too!

Lucky endured having her temperature taken, a digital exam, held down for the x-ray and then having the glands squeezed out. 

By the time Dr. Young brought her back to me she was whimpering and stuck her head in my neck.

The vet said that she'd be tired enough that she should sleep very well.  Told me to monitor her as she still could have a bladder infection but to see how she did overnight.

Lucky slept from 10-3.  Woke up, threw up on the sheets and then curled up in a ball and fell back asleep until the alarm went off for our Tuesday walk.

Turned out to be her best walk in over a month!  Yep, walked a full mile before she asked to be put into her stroller, then she asked to get out for the last 1/4 mile.  She left no pebble unwatered and made me glad I always go prepared with at least 3 doggy bags tied onto her leash.

Pepper even noticed how much better she feels and is constantly pawing at her to come knock one of their mini-tennis balls around.

Steve and I are just glad she's back to normal, sleeping well and that hopefully that's the last sheet change for a week.

Parenting is parenting.  Whether your kids have 2 or 4 legs.  You worry, you fret, you look for guidance from those in the know and hope that no matter what the answer is you can use the information and have them running around driving you crazy in no time.