[Dailydrool] Colt Update

[Michele S.]

Sorry that I haven't updated you sooner on Colt but things have been a little hectic here with taking care of the boyz, trying to get my retirement from the Air Force Reserves squared away, and fighting the lack of sleep from worrying about Colt and dealing with my DH's funky sleep issues that have been keeping me awake. Anyhowl, Colt had his first chemo on 19 September, the day of chemo it was like they gave him a shot of vitamin B12...he let the whole clinic know when he was done with his chemo and that they needed to call his momma for pick-up right now.  Doc wanted to keep him for a few more hours for observation but Colt insisted on coming home, so Doc called me to come pick him up early.  On the 20th He had mild nausea but would eat the chicken and rice that I made for him and a few other blandish foods. But come the 21st he wasn't eating or drinking anything. Doc gave him an anti nausea shot, gave me one to take home for the next day if needed along with some meds to help coat and soothe his gut.  Now this kind of surprised me that he would have gotten this sick...after all this is my cast iron stomach hound.  So I spent the day hovering over him and the DH sat up and slept with him that night. Early Friday morning DH got him to drink small amounts of water...but only if they had ice cubes in it. And by late Friday night I finally got him to eat some chicken jerky.  Slowly over the next few days he started eating and drinking again although he was being very picky about what he was eating, but would eat.  And at least 2 of those picky days I am pretty sure that he was playing me to get the food that he wanted...because he learned over his nauseated days that if he snubbed one meal then momma would quickly offer a higher valued food.  So two days ago I stopped upping the food ante...and just kept putting the original dish back down...or switching the meal to a half meal and putting it in a smaller bowl.  Within an hour he would eat it.  Now he is back to normal, eating anything that is put in front of him, and back to hovering in the kitchen when I am cooking to nab any fallen crumbs. He still doesn't want to eat out of his dog bowl but prefers the smaller "dessert bowl" He and Ruger are enjoying the fall like days here and have been busy chasing squirrels over the last several days and making me play let the dog in, let the dog out game.  There was only one or 2 days that he was not up for chasing the squirrels. At one point I told him that momma would go in and get her gun and shoot the squirrel if he would eat it.  His next chemo is 4 November and I hope that he has an easier time with it then his last time. Over the last few days Colt has been acting like his old self.  Bright eyed, happy, and seems to be enjoying being able to make momma jump to attention with a single bark.He has even been jumping up into the recliner to snuggle with me. Please keep our sweet boy in your thoughts, and prayers and keeping slinging any extra drool his way. 

Some things that might help other slaves help to get food down a hound that is not wanting to eat:  When Colt got picky because of the nausea here is a list of the things that he would eat.  Homemade chicken or liver jerky, homemade dog cookies, Stella and Chewies Duck, Duck, Goose freeze dried biscuits.With the Duck Duck Goose biscuits some times he would eat his regular food with some of this crumbled up on top and sometimes he would only eat the biscuit if I broke it into small bits and hand feed him. Wellness canned food...the 95% meats "Simplicity" and "Core", boiled chicken, boiled venison roast. Oatmeal...It final hit me that when I was having upset tummy usually from my IBS that oatmeal always soothed my tummy, so the next morning for breakfast I tried it with Colt and he ate it.  At noon that day he ate some of his regular food and that night he ate his first normal dinner. He would also eat canned tuna, brie, and mommas gluten free crackers, and multie GF grain wraps.  Also for his worse days of upset tummy I had to hand feed him...small bites, small amounts, several times throughout the day. i hope this helps.


Love and drool to all that need it.
Michele, Colt & Ruger at Howling Hound Acres
Women are Angels...And when someone breaks their wings..They simply continue to fly....on a broomstick...They are flexible like that...
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