Luminary Thoughts

Well, I use my blog to tell about Luminary happenings. Sometimes I go with not much happening for awhile although seems not too often. Sometimes a lot in one day. Today — woke up to a screaming puppy. Screaming because his mommy has decided its time to start weaning and he obviously has a different opinion. So did I. I had to entice Velvet to nurse after feeding her yummy food — scrambled eggs and ham to be exact. She turned up her nose at a couple of other offerings. While this was happening, I had the upstairs dogs outside. Apparently I took too long and they started howling–who knows what got it started but it then moved to the downstairs dogs. Cacophony. So, I put Velvet back in with her babies, actually laid her down which is not easy to do while four little ones are swirling all around screaming. They were in such a tizzy at this point that they then seemed to be playing musical chairs on her. Part of the problem was that she’d not nursed in too long a period so in addition to very hungry babies, she was not forthcoming — most of her faucets had firmed up too much for them to get it going. So I had to help with that. Hold a screaming, puppy fighting to be unhanded, try to squirt milk and get them latched on so they keep it going — four times. I think Velvet was laughing at me… Well that was the only sort of funny part of the day. I go downstairs to now screaming adults all wanting to get out for the first time in the morning – not that I blame them. I’m running around saying, I’m coming, hold on, be right there, you are next… All the while watching Mondo and Reny. Reny is here to breed to Mondo who is quite willing but its not happening. Last Saturday, Mondo was absolutely crazed for the girl and it didn’t happen. So, I thought, don’t worry, she’s not quite ready and given the number of days of her heat and her progesterone level I was pretty sure we weren’t missing her. But still – when the boy is nuts and it doesn’t happen, you start to wonder. Mondo seems to have an MO though — tries pretty earnestly for about two days before it happens –meaning the girl is then ready so it can happen. I let them loose in the yard in case she is an au natural girl. Mondo follows her but that’s it. I say — oh no that’s not good. Her “momma” calls who of course has been in on the goings on over the last week she’s been here and in fact suggested that Reny may be Miss Au Natural, and I say still nothing. Sigh. She asked what I would do and I said take them for an AI = artificial insemination – to get her covered because I am pretty sure today is the day. and if it isn’t – no harm done. and get a new progesterone test to see where she is in case it really is still too early. She calls the repro vet who says its better to get the progesterone test and then see if should do AI. I think I lost it a bit on the phone saying I don’t care what she said if we wait we now could be missing her, and I said to……. I’ve been through this with vets who think all the dogs read their medical books but my girls do not read them and do things their own way. Plus – if I say so myself -I am more experienced. I bet I’ve done more breedings than that whole practice put together and I know what has and has. It worked with my girls and I KNOW MY DOGS… So, she comes and takes Reny and Mondo, gets the AI and the blood draw. Later today gets the numbers and voila!!!!!!!!!!!! should be perfect. Now we shall see because if something else is amiss, Reny may not conceive but at least she is covered on a good day so I she is fertile, she should. – as I thought… lol… Now on to the really not funny part of the day. Back in the monrning with everything else going on, I of course note that Annie is worse. wouldn’t/couldn’t get up. I run back up there to check on her after getting things squared away down here and call the vet who says bring her. NOW. She is running a fever of 103.5 and dehydrated even though I made sure I saw her drinking – guess not enough… I am really thinking I am losing her. She stays at the vet’s on IV fluids all day. I told the vet her symptoms and how its evolved over the last couple of weeks because he is relying on the notes of the other vet who was treating her. Both of my vet’s are great– truly wonderful veterinarians. But sometimes its not so easy. Annie did not respond to the antibiotics she’s been on and in fact is worse. One of the new symptoms is heavy breathing. Xrays show bad something. Needs ultrasound to see if tumor or it is infection — certainly some infection somewhere as her white cell count went sky high.. 2700′s. Well, he ran blood work, other tests. She has a urinary infection in addition to whatever is going on in her lungs. She responded well to the fluids but that doesn’t solve all else. So, now she is on prednisone, different antibiotic and couple other things. He is not overly optimistic. At this point no matter what is going on in lungs is not good. If tumor…. If infection why not responding to antibiotics …. Well it could be related to the blood issue she’s had which was triggered as a side affect to Proin we put her on a couple years ago to treat incontinence and if its that, it basically is or is like cancer in the blood. sigh.. SO, came home, got her settled — she ate at the vet’s but not home — maybe not hungry now but I put her meds in the food. NEVER do that because of this — and I know better… just tired I guess. wolfed down some food my mom had made (my wonderful mother…) checked on puppies — no screaming but Velvet not heading into the room either so I came down to tend to everyone downstairs and let them out to enjoy the decent weather tonight but now I need to get back upstairs and make sure Velvet nurses those babies. Quite the circle of life going on here today… Post script…now almost 1030pm and I had round two with the puppies and Velvet. This is strange since it is a small litter and she has has two before of 9 and seven so nursing four should be a breeze. But apparently she didn’t read that book either because she is quitting. So tomorrow when I take Annie back for more fluids, I will get the gerber baby beef and start helping to wean these babies. In fairness although there are only four, they are huge. And I just realized I never took my own mess this morning so now am feeling it and have heartburn. Ugh… Night!!!!