Hi all, This morning, Desi woke me up with kisses just like normal. I got out of bed and let Dolly go out potty, and Desi followed her. While they were out there, I put Desi's food in his IQ Treat Ball. Last night we had so much fun when he learned that he could push the ball real hard and the food would come out. It is a little more difficult than a normal treat ball because the food has to come out of the bottom half through a hole on a flat plate, and then fall through a hole on the top when he pushes it around. He wanted me to do it for him last night, and after a short time he was pushing it himself and the more little kibble that came out, the more fun he was having and the harder he pushed the ball. So, I was very excited because I wanted to see him doing it again.
He came in and I put the ball on the floor and sat down by the table and he just came over and wanted me to hold him. I thought he wanted me to play with him by rolling the ball, but that isn't what he wanted either. I gave him a piece of kibble and he spit it out. A little later I gave him some kibble and it was like he was trying to find a good spot to chew it. His little body was shaking and all he wanted was for me to hold him. I learned from Dolly's knee injury that the shaking means pain, so I watched him a while. He walked very slowly, and sometimes it looked like he was limping for a couple of steps, but the next time it was a different side. I picked him up and inspected his paws and thought maybe he got a little thorn from some of the weeds in his foot. NOTHING. So, I let him come into the bedroom when I was getting dressed and all he wanted was for me to hold him. I looked in his mouth and didn't see anything except the tiny peaks of his top molars and I thought maybe he was teething or something, but through all of his teething in the last year and a half, he never once didn't want to eat. So, I packed him and Dolly in the car and off we went to the vet. I was happy that our vet is the one that was working the clinic this weekend. I told him that I never thought I would have to tell him that Desi would not eat. I told him everything that I had observed and he said his gums looked a little inflamed. He took him in the back because they have something that could make him open his mouth wider. He came back and said that his mouth is all scraped and inflamed. So, we have Clavimox for any infection and Tramadol for the pain. He still won't eat, but I have offered him food. I just gave him a tiny bit of NutriCal, but he really didn't want it, but licked what was on his lips. I feel so bad for him.never seen him so sad and quiet. Then to make things absolutely worse, the package from Drs Foster and Smith came with more treat dispensing toys. I actually bought two each of two of the toys, so I just put some of the food into Dolly's Slim Cat (pink) and she has been rolling it all around and eating the kibble. Maybe it will actually make her want to eat more if she can play for the food to come out. So, I know that it probably isn't something on the serious scale for things that can happen, but I am so sad that he is feeling so bad. I know that this will pass, but it really can't happen fast enough for me. Little Desi who never went without food for even one meal is not feeling up to eating. We have had very strong winds the last three or four days. I was looking at my one bottle brush bush yesterday and some of the branches were hanging almost to the ground. Now I am thinking that maybe he and Dolly pulled another branch off. For that, they always take the leaves off but don't eat them and they chew on the bark instead. It could be possible that he chewed the wood and messed up his mouth. I also found one of their medicine syringes in one of the dog beds all chewed up at the bottom, so maybe a rough piece of the syringe scraped his mouth, too. I have to rethink where I put things because that syringe was in a place that he could have only reached if he stood up against a piece of furniture and really strained his neck.but I don't really put that past him, either. Thanks for reading.I think by writing this all out, I feel like I am among others that can understand the sadness that I have and also that sad, quiet demeanor when one of our babies are sick or injured. I know that the Clavimox and the Tramadol don't really help in keeping him awake and alert. Just think good thoughts for us. Thanks, Joan
