Needles and Updates

It’s been quite the few weeks. LAST week involved far too many needles. On Monday (ten days ago) I went to get a one-two punch – covid update and seasonal flu. The shots didn’t hurt as much as they have in the past but I sure did sleep like hot garbage that night with body aches and sensitive, painful skin. Yuck.

The next day was only slightly better, but it was Harlow’s turn for needles and health stuff. I took her to her oncologist for the first visit since starting her on chemo pills for bladder cancer. The last few days had been frustrating for me. Harlow doesn’t much care for her food. I don’t blame her. Because of her ibd there’s nothing remotely fun in it. She is completely mitied in what she can eat. She has boring prescription kiddle with hydrolyzed protein in it, some “safe” dog snacks, and then she can do bread, pasta (for a dog?!), veggies, fruits and yogurt. That’s kind of it. Guess which ones she likes? You guessed it. None of them!

She has always been good about eating the balls of wet food I put out for her with her meds in it. Until Sunday, when I put down her wet food which had in it a chemo pill, ursadoil for her gallbladder disease, Prozac for her anxiety (which I weaned her off of and found to be a horrible mistake when I took her for a long car ride and she just couldn’t deal), steroids and cobalaquin for the IBD, and dasaquin for her joints (the only optional supplement). At that point she tapped out and stopped eating anything but her evening dental chews (rice-based).

Wednesday morning I had to put the pills down her throat, rewarding with a cracker each time cause it’s the only thing she’ll eat right now. The Saturday prior was the last time she voluntarily took her daily meds. She’s never refused to take her wet food med balls. She might wait till evening to bother with them, but they get eaten.

I’d been really anxious about the oncologist on Tuesday. Was Harlow on hunger strike because she wasn’t feeling well?

Back at the animal hospital where the oncologist is, there would be a long wait for the ultrasound so she’d need to stay for a few hours.

As the vet tech lead Harlow away using her leash, Harlow panicked, trying to put the brakes on with her paws, tucking her tail and looking back at me all “why are you leaving me here?!”

“You’re fine, little girl!” I tossed at her while I strolled out like it was no big deal, and then I cried in the car on the way home, knowing that my house didn’t have her in it and one day that would be for real.

Hours later when she was ready, I was relieved to learn that Harlow’s tumor had not grown much at all, and blood work found no poor interactions with her organs. So we will stick with this pill treatment plan until it stops working.

I was elated about the results and confused about why Harlow wasn’t eating, and came to the conclusion that since she’s happy to get her nightly dental chew and enjoyed a cracker as a treat, she was actually bored with her food and and simply being stubborn.

On Wednesday I had the effervescent experience of having a crown put in at the dentist. Between just hating this type of visit and being worried about the status of my glucose levels for the THREE HOUR procedure, I was not thrilled but glad I’d be getting it over with.

It was probably eight years ago that the dentist told me my tooth was showing subtle cracks and would need a crown, so getting it done felt good. Like I was a responsible grown up!

I required many shots of novocaine and the dentist told me at the end that my gums would hurt for the next few days because I needed so many shots of it.

Have you ever had this procedure done? It’s TRULY awful! The smell and sounds from the drilling, the tooth dust flying around, the dry tongue while simultaneously choking on your own saliva, the unnerving fact that you have no earthly idea what they’re doing in there, and the taste of some of the cleaner and adhesive?! It just seemed relentless.

When there was a pause and the dentist had to help someone else while a machine custom made the crown for me, I got up to use the bathroom. As I got down the hall the assistant called after me “are you going to the restroom?”

I confirmed that I was and then giggled to myself at the thought of me yelling numb-faced in response “I’m OUT of here! This place SUCKS!” And then running away like a cartoon character.

When the torture was over, I popped ibuprofen in my mouth as I walked out of the office and nearly dribbled water all down the front of me from my lack of facial control.

Unfortunately, Harlow’s appetite did not return and it was very troubling. The oncologist thought it might be the chomo, and advised me to skip two doses and see if that helps. In the meantime, none of her meds were getting into her body. She stopped patiently “letting” me pop them in her mouth then hold her snout shut while gently stroking her neck to get her to swallow. It was very stressful, but after about two days she started to eat a bit again. Not much but some.

In the meantime, I regularly return home from work with the contents of her bowl all tossed about. The worst part is having to scoop the squishy, waterlogged kibble from the water bowl. I did finally learn to turn the water bowl away from the food dish to minimize kibble-dunking moving forward. I get it, Harlow, your food sucks.

The other strange thing she’s started doing is climbing into one of my little gardens, digging out a spot and planting herself between a trellis and my carport. When I first saw her doing this I was kind of freaked out. It had me thinking back to when she was first taken to the hospital for her IBD. She was so terribly sick, and at one point hid under the bushed. She has never plopped herself down in this area. I got annoyed (likely based in fear that she was doing this because she felt horrible), and put a bunch of huge rocks in there. Much like that stubborn mourning dove though, she just squished her body around them next time. Then I realized, if she likes it there, who cares?! It’s not a stunning garden anyway, and if she likes her little fort, have at it.

Also, look at that perfect nose!