And they call it Puppy Love

Well, I have just had quite the scare from my serene young cat-dog this week! I noticed she was looking a little green around the gills yesterday morning as she robotically walked right by the scene of me giving her sister a treat, and barely managed to give us a slight courtesy glance.  This is highly unusual behavior for a Boss Hogg type of dog like Tulip.  Nothing goes down between Tiki (our well mannered pomeranian) and a human that Tulip doesn't try to intervene somehow-usually with her midsection poised atop Tiki's head if at all possible. 

But on this day OH DEAR!  My little poochie was sick! I immediately got down on the floor to begin asking her what was going on and how I could help her.  She stood, eyelids at half mast, like a pony at the fair just waiting to be reloaded with a bratty kid.  Then, as if loaded, she walked on with the same measured steps she'd been doing before, so I got up and followed. Steadily she walked all the way outside and down the stairs and then proceeded to do some throwing up.  Just as slowly, she walked all the way back inside only to repeat the process moments later with a bathroom trip.  It was strange to watch my normally spunky fast paced chi hoo hoo turn so serious (even polite) and just go about her illness as if having had trained for such times.  I watched in worried fascination. 

This time though she came back in and walked under the table and flopped over into a strange twist with her buns (haunches?) down and her ribcage turned all the way to the side and she started doing this slow twitch with front paws together at the wrist and her back legs stiffening out behind her each time she flinched her stomach muscles.  You can probably guess what happened next, but if you can't I'll tell you. Naturally, I burst into tears and thought Tulie was going to kick it!!  It was horrible!!  By the time I got myself dressed and ready to take her to the vet she was looking a little more relaxed and was able to get up in a chair and rest so I cooled my jets a bit.  

I was expecting company the whole day beginning with some friends of mine and ending with my nephews after school so I just kept my eye on Tulie for the rest of the day to make sure she wasn't going to do any more doggie Lamaze.  

She was somewhat better today but I took her to the Vet this morning to make sure she wasn't dehydrated.  He gave her a shot for her stomach pain and doggie antibiotics which were super fun to try to trickle down her throat by myself.  At one point in our wrangling, I noticed my mouth was right beside hers and I thought it would be funny if I squirted the chalky liquid in my own jowl accidently rather than hers.  Grodimus.

Can I make a story out of ANYthing or what, you ask?  Well, it scared me!!  I am not a brave pet owner when it comes to these things!  I can't even trim my dogs toenails because I made Tulip yelp once having clipped a nail too short.  And then of course, Tiki had some horrible bowel blowout earlier in the year which was one of my very first entries on my blog as I recall.  Canine Colon trouble always makes for good blog fodder don'tcha know???? 

And now, as a tribute to little Tulip, who is feeling ever so much better aside from some wicked gas.  I shall share with you a poem that came to me all at once as I curled up beside her one evening while she slept on my bed.  Now, I'm no poet.  I don't like poetry and I certainly don't claim to be able to write it seriously.  This just plopped out of my head like it was from the cosmos so I jumped up and wrote it down without giving it any second thoughts.  So don't mock me.  Or do, I don't care-baha.  This is copied from my old Myspace mini-blog.                      

a bedtime poem Category: Life I Laid Down With My Chihuahua  I laid down with my Chihuahua and thought about the world. She growled at me a little and I thought about the world. It growls at me a little too and smells a bit as well. I think about that big round world that turns and smells and growls. And nestles itself down for sleep while half of it stands guard. It guards itself against itself and yet still fails to win, because it's hind leg wiggles up and gets bitten in the shin. Yes, the world goes round and thinks it's tough but small it really is. To the great "I am" it struts its stuff with Bravado and its kids. We have no clue where we're to go just feel our way is right. And, of course, the Master sees our plans and still kisses us goodnight.

      She is not just a dog in a vest after all....she is my muse!