Shut-ins

Between the lousy weather and nursing Sparky, we are beginning to feel like shut-ins around here. I haven't been any farther from home than Zion Crossroads since getting Sparky back home on Friday.

"Canned dog food out of a bowl?
No, I don't think so."

Sparky's recovery is slower than I hoped, but he is healing. He's becoming a bit more active each day. I saw a few steps at a trot outdoors yesterday, and about a dozen such steps this morning as I called him to come back in. Eating is still a challenge. Clay went by the vet after work on Monday and picked up some AD canned food and some pills that are supposed to stimulate his appetite.

I've offered everything I can think of and even went food shopping specifically for Sparky on Monday evening. Slices of turkey lunch meat is what he eats best, rolled up, torn in thirds, and fed to him by hand. Tuesday morning was his best eating effort yet. He consumed a bit of AD canned food, a small jar of baby food, and about four chunks of cheese out of his bowl on the front porch, which is his normal eating location. When he came inside he took a couple slices of turkey from me but then said no to more cheese. He won't eat anything that I can hide pills in, so I'm putting those in his mouth in a spoonful of peanut butter. He's getting five pills twice a day and three pills on a third occasion, so we are both wishing for a better delivery system.

While Sparky is being very selective in what he eats, Clyde is a canine disposal unit. Everything that Sparky turns down goes into one bowl which Clyde rapidly consumes at one of his thrice daily feedings. I think he's bouncing back pretty rapidly. His eyes look better already and he's putting on weight.

Yesterday while sitting at my computer working, I heard a dog on the stairs and turned around to see Sparky walking into my office. I don't know if I had left the kitchen gate open or if he had pushed it aside, but we were both happy that he was back upstairs. I walked next to him going down, and behind him going up throughout the day, but he really had no problems.

Slices of turkey fed by hand meets with success
more often than anything else. 

This was my haul from a trip to Walmart Monday evening.

A trip to Walmart is always a little scary. I was walking
down the main aisle and spotted this down the cosmetics
aisle out of the corner of my eye. I approached close
enough to make sure it was inanimate and then went
on about my business. It wasn't even close to being
the scariest thing in the store last night.

None of our dogs are accustomed to human
food, so most of the things I got were foreign
to him, but Sparky did eat a few Animal Crackers.

A return to normalcy may help Sparky's appetite as much
as anything, and coming upstairs and sleeping upstairs
were big steps in that direction.

I don't know which of us was happier that Sparky was back in
his usual sleeping spot last night.

I've got to say, Maya has been incredibly patient with me for the past week or more. I've been distracted by other dogs and the weather has been too lousy for walking, but she's really been very good. I guess as long as I don't go out without her, she doesn't mind staying in so much. Maya and Coco always have a good play session indoors, but if I put them out in the AC yard together, they just stand around trying to get back in. I guess it's no fun unless someone is watching.

TJ has had some diarrhea so he was fasting yesterday. I started him back on food this morning - chicken and rice, yogurt, and a little dog food. Will have to watch and see what comes out of him.