[Dailydrool] giardia, birds, and pears

[Katie Strobel]

Hello everyone, We are writing to report that fate has finally caught up
with us. Watson has giardia. I knew that when I last wrote and said that
Watson was doing remarkably well, we were tempting fate. So it came as no
surprise to me that after sitting at the vet for an hour, having a fecal
sample taken (I have no idea how they managed to accomplish that feat), and
comforting a very sad and violated houndie, the vetlady came into the room
to tell Watson and I that he has giardia. He got it, I believe, from
drinking from the fountain in the backyard. We dumped the water out of the
fountain last weekend before even noticing that something was wrong with
Watson because the water looked disgusting, but I guess we were still too
late. Watson viewed that fountain as his own personal water bowl. I should
have guessed that the fountain would turn out to be a hazard to his health -
most things that seem great around here turn out to be disasters anyway
*sigh*.

We weren't even suspecting Giardia when we went to the vet. We were
suspecting something that a dog could from eating a bird. I know that
droolers will not be surprised to learn that Watson brought a bird into the
house and proceeded to eat it - leaving the feathers and bones for me to
clean up. I have no idea how he got it, or what it's state was when it came
into the house, but it was definitely dead when I found it spread all over
the living room floor. I am sure that Watson thought that the bird was the
best thing he's captured in a long time - I do feel bad for the poor birdie,
but as someone else was saying, I can't really be mad at Watson for
following his instincts. He is always chasing cats, rabbits, squirrels and
even miller moths. As far as I know, that bird was his first catch. The
night of the bird, we took Watson for a walk and noticed that he had very
awful diarrhea so I was concerned that it had something to do with the bird.
The vetlady says there are no bird-related health issues yet, but she does
want to check for tapeworm eggs in two weeks when they retest for Giardia.

We have been doing the Giardia medications for about three days now, and
Watson is doing better - last night he didnt have diarrhea anymore but he's
still bringing in pears and branches from the pear tree and eating grass and
sticks, so his belly must still be hurting him. Watson loves pears from the
pear tree anyway, so maybe that has nothing to do with this. I just really
don't think eating unripened (not sure that's how you say that) pears is a
good idea - I also worry that he'll choke on the baby pears so he's always a
little miffed when I take one away from him.

Anyway, we ask for just a little bit of drool for Watson's belly, and we
send our drool to the hounds that need it. All I can say is thank doG for
pet insurance - it was a great investment for us.

Love and drool to those who need it.
Watson hopes Nigel and Brudder Elwood escape from lockdown soon. He's doing
his part to drive me crazy over here!
Katie and Watson
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