random thoughts – Day 1,181 – (Sunday) – high alert

Winston went to the pet sitter Saturday and overnight, and came back today a changed pup, but not necessarily in a good way. More like a haunted way. There was a lot of activity at the sitter’s house with several other dogs running about, and Win was in a crate when I arrived to pick him up. They knew from watching him for a week in March that he needs his own space to retreat and chill, especially if things are hectic.

He whimpered and yowled when he was taken from the safety of the crate and carried to me in the kitchen. The sitter said he had seemed to be in pain, then added that she thinks he might be approaching “his time.” This is the nice way people phrase it when they are telling you they think your dog is probably going to die soon.

He whimpered when I put him into his bed on the backseat floor of the car. At home, his legs trembled and he seemed unsteady. He began chugging water, draining his bowl and then vomiting the water on the kitchen floor I washed earlier in the morning.

Chilling under the table.

Usually Win likes to lay his bed in the living room or on the couch, but today, he sprawled out on the mat in front the of back door, the mat on the bathroom floor, and under the dining room table. Generally, a good communicator when he wants to go outside, instead of scratching the door, this afternoon he just paused and peed on the dining room rug. 

The most unusual behavior was not wanting his cookies, which he usually begs for all day, every day. There has been an ongoing boycott of the prescription food, but tonight, he even ignored the chopped chicken. He finally ate a small amount of the chicken later and I was able to give him his insulin.

The household will now be on high alert status until further notice. Actually, this won’t be much different than most days where Win is concerned. Maybe it's just doggy PTSD from a hectic stay at the sitter. Maybe this is just a big lie I am telling myself.