I had every intention of posting to this blog daily "no matter what." But I've found that I have pretty much the same feeling about blog entries as about conversations with "real" people -- not that all of you aren't "real" (smile). When I get depressed or don't feel like myself I withdraw. For those closest to me, that's probably not an entirely bad thing. Unlike most people when they get sick or depressed (or most men, anyway), I do NOT want to be pitied or babied. I just want to be left alone to come to terms with things for myself. THEN I'll talk it over with friends and family and probably welcome all the comfort anyone wants to provide. But not until I reach some sort of equilibrium within myself.
Over the last week or so, after losing Gracie (which has hit me much harder than I would have imagined), two of our three remaining dogs have gotten sick. That really scares me. I started wondering if something or someone was poisoning them or something, but other than the guy who sprays for bugs (the same guy who's been coming for 5 years or more and who hasn't been here for over a month now), there's just no one at all around them but us. They have no access to potentially poisonous plants. Nothing.
Ben started throwing up after he ate -- just like Gracie did when she first began getting sick. But now he seems to be better. All that has stopped over the last few days. But Niki has been getting worse. Her problems are on the other end. I've been giving her the anti-diarrheal meds that the vet suggested for almost a week, but as soon as I stop giving them to her it starts again. She's going back in to the vet tomorrow morning. But if they don't have anything significant to tell me, I'm going to insist on a referral to LSU.
On the plus side, Lizzie seems to be feeling much better. No more limping at all. No more lifting each foot as she stand there grazing. Lori's horse, Pops, had been losing weight and getting a bit skittish lately -- maybe because Torrie's aggressive mare, Cinnamon, was harrassing him. Lori's not sure. But I suggested she take him out of the big pasture and put him in the side paddock with our super-gentle mares, Lizzie and Sugarfoot. Not only has he been doing better, but because Lizzie is such a submissive girl, having him there has caused her to move around much more, which is a really GOOD thing for her arthritis. The vet suggested I walk her around for half an hour a couple times a day, but what with the problems I've had myself after pulling something in that Yoga class, and the problems Niki and Ben have been having, I hadn't been getting that done like I should have. Pops is helping me out there! He never tries to bite or kick or harrass Lizzie in any way, but because she's so schizy, every time he looks in her direction, she takes off for another part of the paddock. It's working great! Makes Pops feel like a "macho man" again, and keeps Lizzie moving around and active, but still nice and calm.
Poor Pops -- I think he just wants to get close to everyone and be pals, but every time he walks up to them, the girls take off. Sugarfoot doesn't do that when Lizzie isn't in the paddock - she'll stand and graze happily right next to him. But when Lizzie gets spooked, Sugarfoot goes with her and leaves poor Pops to trail along after them. Maybe over time Lizzie will get used to having him around and stop running from him. But in the meantime she's getting her exercise!
2 comments:
What a lovely setting for the paddock.
Post when you feel like it, and only when you feel like it - we'll be OK (whether we're real or not is debatable, I guess!). Sorry for your canine difficulties - hope you get that all sorted out soon.
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