It's dark. No one has thought about adjusting the timers on the street lights after the clock change. Dog and owner sit on the village green and watch a trill of shooting stars. At this time of the morning a crescent moon dominates the sky. We wait for twenty minutes as the sun slowly rises. Some ( Chinese ? ) satellites glint in the first light, scurrying back from the big air base near Bordeaux. The most magical light show in the world. A wonderful day. Bob and his master discuss Harry Reid and the federal Hatch Act. Bob yawns.
A bank of fog at the far end of the valley. Bob gets his second walk across the fields down to the stream. There he inelegantly fishes, or attempts to fish, for minnows in the stream. He raises his paw and then brings it down into the crystal water. He has the concentration but the mind/motor coordination that should go with it is absent.
The Chinese girls with triple doctorates might be finding this years astrophysics course easy going but 'The Font' isn't. There's a webinar with the folks in Pasadena at nine tonight. Sophie listens to a recorded lecture on gravitational time dilation and falls happily asleep. This is what Angus would also do.
Bob is showing no signs of discomfort.
But he's still drooling and holding his head to the side. There's another four days to run on his antibiotics course so no point in dog or owner worrying. I'm beginning to think it's an ear infection but this is based on no evidence whatsoever. I can however run my fingers around his gums and he doesn't object which tells me it's not a mouth or tooth problem. 'The Font' thinks it may be something glandular. Neither of us believe it was a stroke. He's stressed by his sisters illness but apart from this he's mega healthy .... and young.
Chicken and gravy helps to get his antibiotics down without an accompanying theatrical performance. He gets lengthy Mano a Mano's.
Sophie spends a couple of hours in a cage. It's small enough to stop her leaping up and damaging her leg when passing pilgrims whistle or shout out a happy 'Hello'. Amazingly, she lies in the weak autumn sunshine quite happily. It's being alone that Sophie can't stand. Confinement is just fine as long as there's someone close by.
So passes the rhythms of a day with a diva invalid. It can safely be said she has taken over the house. Her brother is a cause of mild concern. None of these changes to our routine important enough to go in diary but recorded here because it's part of real life and shouldn't go completely unacknowledged.
14 comments:
In case it may be helpful, I recall reading that drooling/head tilt can be caused by hypothyroidism. Cherry was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about six months ago, and I had done some research back then. I was also suprised to learn that PONs may be particularly prone to this. Maybe this is the type of glandular issue your vet is referring to? At least in Cherry's case, the medicine has worked very well. On the other hand, unlike Bob, Cherry loves to take her medicine. She has bad food allergies and only eats prescription kibble, so any little bit of people food we wrap her pills in is a super taste sensation!
Best wishes to you all, Lisa
From one PON owner to another - thank you. I'll chat to the vet when the antibiotics course ends. We know to give them wheat free food and with the last generation stopped most treats - converting to carrots and rice cakes - this also keeps the protein levels down.
Really I am getting a bit fed up with this "not important enough to go in a diary" business. The affairs of us canines are extremely important indeed, and I am thinking that far more people want to read about Bob and Sophie than about whatever human-related important business matter actually end up in your so-called 'proper' diary. I would add that when Gail told a friend how she sometimes spends more care editing my blogs than she does reports at work, that friend said she thought this was appropriate as far more people read my blog...
Sending healing licks to both the PONs.
Toodle pip!
Bertie.
Does the Font have any commentary on your light show? I wonder whether he sees the stars the same way.
I think Sophie is like many--it isn't confinement but lack of companionship that's a burden. Though the body is weak, the spirit can remain strong.
Bob looks a little better in the photos today. I do hope so.
Not long ago I read that PONs are amongst the longest living of all canines - normal life span is something like sixteen years. Agree that Bob is far too young for a stroke, but I do wonder if it's all stress related to his sister being incarcerated in her cage for much of the time? Perhaps his doggy mind is trying to work out what she's done wrong... he's such a caring little chap. He probably misses being savaged on a regular basis !
Keeping paws crossed for both of them! Could it be a spider bite of some kind?
Monty, Harlow, and Ramble
Just wondering what Bob would tell the men in dark suits about the Hatch Act. Does it have anything to do with chickens and laying eggs? We watched Judgement at Nuremberg on PBS last night. Timely!!!
Oh How sad to see her in a cage. It must be better than not watching in the fresh air. My weenie had back surgery and wasn't supposed to move around for three weeks. It was impossible. Basically, I had to sit with her for three weeks. My little girls are getting old now.
I enjoy your descriptions of Bob "fishing." Such a wonderful little fellow. Sophie's tail seems to have escaped from the cage.
Harry Reid and the Hatch Act? Bob's drooling and has his head tipped to the side! How about sausage making or squirrel chasing as a topic for discussion. Give the poor boy a break.
It does sound like vestibular syndrome, doesn't it? No nystagmus per the vet? I'm very glad you have the excellent vet available. That's a great comfort with undiagnosed ailments.
He's eating, drinking and eliminating. As long as it's not getting worse , 2 to 3 weeks should do it.
Gravitational time dilation would have sent us to sleep, too.
Bonjour Angus, Is everything alright? I awoke to look for a new posting this morning and there's nothing to suggest you'd be away today, but there's no news from the PONs. I do hope all is well. Cathy
Yes everything is fine. Perhaps you have a google issue today ?
Post a Comment