Chloe's Sleepy Sunday

As y'all know, Miss Chloe has been suffering from not only the Lyme Disease, getting used to her new antibiotics, and a wicked cough.  This wicked cough turned out to be kennel cough and she has had quite a time with it.  She hasn't slept much at all this week.

The times she feels the best are when I take her in the bathroom and turn on the shower and let her breathe in the steam.  That has worked better than anything.  We tried to get her to take some honey.  No way.  She did not want ANY part of that!!  We tried the Greenies Pill Pockets for her cough tablets.  No way.  She would eat the pill pocket and five minutes later...out would come the pill...carefully licked clean of all the peanut butter.

Honestly, Chloe could find a needle in a haystack.  It is hard enough getting her to take the antibiotic...which I have been somewhat successful in getting her to eat...crushed into her wet food and stirred up really good with coconut oil.

LadyBug has started coughing a bit now and then, but hoping she won't have it as bad as Chloe did.

I think Chloe needs about a week to catch up on all of the sleep she missed.  Fortunately, all of the company has gone home and home is not as hectic now!

The Diagnosis

We went to bed and everything was fine.

When we woke up, Chloe did not move out of her usual spot.  I knew instantly something was wrong.

She wasn't wagging her tail.

She could not put any weight on her right front foot.

I thought perhaps there was something wrong with the paw pad.  So, I did a thorough examination and found nothing.

I carried her outside to do her business.  Fortunately, all ok in that department.

Called the vet at home and had a conversation.  Decided to take her to the vet here at the cottage.  Over the years, we have developed a relationship with vets at both hospitals...which has actually come in handy...one never knows when accidents happen!

I took a few photos of the inside...this is a state of the art facility!

Miss Chloe was an absolute mess in the car...she just wouldn't stop panting and PANTING! One would think she was having a heart attack!!  But, we made it there and I was so glad I had her stroller...it makes it so much easier...especially because it is difficult for me to carry her at 20 lbs.  She also doesn't pick up germs from the floor that ten million dogs, cats and other animals have walked on!  

We waited a few minutes and then the tech took us in for some quick vitals.

The panting continued...at an even more rapid pace...and LOUDER!!

Finally, the Dr. came in and gave her a thorough exam and asked me a million questions.  We decided not to do an xray as she could not feel that anything was out of place...in terms of range of motion or anything.  She had Chloe walk around the office...three legged.  She still would not put weight on that foot!  So, she suggested they run a test for Lyme...which came back positive in about ten minutes.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement.  I had NO idea that lameness could be a sign of Lyme!  She was also running a fever.  Everything else was normal.  Which is a good thing!

So, I am trying to keep her comfortable tonight and she has a thirty day course of antibiotics to take along with pain meds. and anti-inflammatories.

I sure hope my girl feels better soon....it is so difficult when you know they're not feeling well!!

Yes, the panting continued at a steady pace...right up until we drove in the driveway...home.