Days 7 & 8: Feeding pills to dog

 

Saturday morning Carl was mopey.  We managed to get 3 pills down his throat in the 6 a.m. hour.  Since all 3 prescriptions are "every 12 hours" I figure this is the best time.  I found that for Carl, anyway, cheese doesn't work as well as lunch meat as a "wrapper" given I don't have any doggie pill pockets on hand.

He had a bit of a cone break to go out on leash to pee, and to get access to food and water.  But when he was up on the couch and started lifting a paw toward that snout... well, back in the cone.  Feeling sorry for himself.  Grandma has her work cut out for herself.

What does one do when sort of "tied down" by a cone-wearing canine?  I put the new park sticker on Dexter's windshield, so I can go park-tripping for the rest of 2023.  And in between leash walks in the back yard and going between "cone breaks" and "cone wearing", paid a bill online.  

Mostly I was trying to stay alert to if he was taking a swipe, however he could, at those stitches.  I suppose I was a bit too much of an enabler, not making him figure out how to navigate with the cone on.  

Whoever said (I think it was Val) that dogs are sneaky?  Yep, and clever.  Quite naturally, they seek comfort for themselves.  Overnight, with the cone on, sleeping on the big bed with Grandma, Carl managed to rotate the cone enough to rub those stitches against the seam of the cone.  I shuffled the cone around so that the seam is above his head again, so he can't do that (until he figures another way to shift it).

Since I have it on hand, I found that the promise of a bite or two of that roast beef after taking his pills, if he's a "good boy" helps motivate him.  He's been dosed with antibiotics and pain/inflammation as directed so far.  He has by now figured out how to go down and up the stairs with the cone on.  He seems to need a little help navigating around corners.  But slowly, with Grandma being less of an enabler, he is figuring it out.  Kind of like a horse in blinkers?

For Sunday, that cone is staying on.  I had been letting him out of the cone to eat earlier, but not today.  Grandma's getting tougher as Carl is getting better.  Food and water are being hand offered, to help with cone navigation.

Yogurt (Greek style, non-fat, the stuff Grandma eats) offered as a treat.  We'll have to get around to offering regular dog food today.  

Sunday morning, the comic relief was when The Prisoner showed up on the deck to demand his breakfast.  Carl was suddenly wide awake, alert, and charged to the sliding glass door, only to be stopped when the cone collided with it before his snout would have done.  Got my blood pumping, for sure.  I leashed him up, took him out, just in case he might need to pee or poo (he didn't, just wanted to sniff the cat's trail).  One more challenge in this adventure.

Outside the house, beyond the fence, The Prisoner comes out when I refill his food and water dishes.  He complains to the management about his situation.  Rubia... well, beside the first spotting in the playhouse, we've seen her pop herself up out of the storm drain a couple of times.  That's another of her go-to spaces.  I am thinking that she's almost feral.  She normally chooses to stay inside, but she wants nothing to do with Carl.

The kids have spent their last night in the VRBO home.  They will start to head back in this direction today.  

Photos of the honeymooners show a very relaxed and happy couple in a gorgeous collection of settings.  I am glad they had this time; they deserve it!

The photos are from their "fancy dinner" on their last night in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.  Clearly relaxed and happy!  They noshed on elk and bison (herd sizes managed, feeding the tourists is a good thing).  Speaking of elk and bison meat, those, and vegan were the hot dog choices at the reception last week!

Here's wishing all a peaceful and blessed Sunday.  Whoever is in need of healing and recharging, may God bless you by fulfilling those needs.

Life is good.  Spark on!