April 28, 2020

White Dog heard me making the appointment for today with Dr. Julia. So of course last night, she ate all of her dinner and ran out to meet Steve for her bedtime walk. "See I am feeling fine, there is no need to go THERE," she said.  "Sweet Love," I told her, "I know you do not like going but I am concerned that your appetite has become so elusive and you seem to lack energy. Let's go have her take at look at your insides."

Dr. Julia is allowing two patients at a time inside, one in each of the exam rooms with one human and no one in the lobby. White Dog was shaking with such drama her teeth were chattering as Steve carried her into the exam room and had a preliminary talk with our beloved vet. Everyone, like Steve, was wearing a mask.

Dr. Julia did an exam of The Little White Dog of My Heart as Steve filled her in on WD's always picky now barely eating habits. A look in her mouth and she agreed that there was no abscess or broken teeth. No sign of mouth or gum disease. "But," she said, "I know she had a dental two years ago and she really ought to have another. It is important for older dogs to maintain dental hygiene." Steve called me and we thought the advice sound. "We are going to do a comprehensive blood panel, anyway," Steve told me, "Let's just schedule the dental so we can take advantage of that lab work."

"White Dog needs more exercise," Dr. Julia said as she felt down the back legs and along her spine. "She needs to build muscle tone in the back. I know the nerve impingement makes her extra careful but she needs pool noodles and longer walks. Don't let her get away with just laying around."

"Pool noodles?" I asked Steve as he called again. He was back out in the van waiting for White Dog to get her labs done. "Yes, we lay them out and she walks over them like hurdles or those scrambles football players do with tires.She is also going on galliprant," "I have heard good things about this anti-inflammatory NSAID," I said, "not hard on the liver nor addicting. And maybe this momma can use the stepping over pool noodles myself."

When the White Dog Army finished welcoming their sister home, she and Steve came to fill me in. We checked the Sheltering at home calendar then called to make an appointment for a week from Thursday for the dental; we found and ordered pool noodles. I held her in my arms and fed her treats.

"I know it was stressful for you to go," I told her, "but let's face it, we older girls must look after our health. I would be lost without you Little White Dog of My Heart."

"Look at the bright side," Bella told her as White Dog walked over to her bed to take a pre-dinner nap, "at least Dr. Julia did not give you food restrictions or put you on a diet." I rubbed Bella's ear. "You still sting from the vet's comment that you were a little chunky, don't you?" I slipped her a treat.