What a WEEK!!

What a week. (not a good one, either) 

First the horrible news about our Kassidy (see previous post) and now we get Miley's day 59 xray showing only two puppies.  Which is ok, except they are GIGANTIC.  Vet and us are undecided whethe or not to proceed with a c-section or wait this out. 

Vet is leaving for the weekend of dog shows in Eastern Washington late tonight (Friday 1June), so we need to make a decision by early this evening.

Miley has colostrum, shows mucus, but her temp isn't really staying low enough yet to warrant a section.  We're all just w-a-i-t-i-n-g it out.  I don't know if she'll be able to deliver that one you see on the right.  That's a BIG baby.  Vet took two xrays to see if maybe there was another puppy hiding in there somewhere, but nope.....just the two.  We had three healthy heartbeats on the 32-day UltraSound, but it seems the two "piggies" in there took over and decided it was going to be only them.

Poor Miley.....she's a bit of a sqeamish "weenie" anyway, so I suspect she will NOT be a happy camper once labor begins.  She yells just getting her rectal temp taken.  (Dobermans were SOOO much easier).  I love the little dogs dearly, but they have several sets of problems all unique to them.    One thing she does love , and that's getting her fat tummy rubbed.  She'll go spread eagle on her back in a heartbeat for that.

Kassidy is hanging in there on her meds.  She's not "herself", however.  I find that I cannot put it into words, but she is different.  She still goes out front and hunts snakes, chases birds that are 100 feet in the air, and checks fencelines for critters, etc, etc.  But there is a difference.  Her eyes show it more than anythng.  AND the fact that she is pretty much sticking to me like glue.  When I'm not available, she sits in front of Keith and just ....  well, she just waits..... and watches.  She's not grumpy, docile or acting like she doesn't feel well.....she's just not the Kassidy I've lived with since the moment she first drew breath.  So we wait.....till something happens. 

I know the disease is progressive.  I know we will not beat it.  And I know that soon the meds will not be able to control the onset of labored breathing, and the time will come that we have to make that final decision to send her on her way before she suffers.   I know all that.  But the knowing doesn't make the knowlege easier to live with.  I know we are going to lose her.  A part of our lives will never be the same.  All the silly and loving things we have taken for granted for so many years.....well, they won't be here anymore.  Only the memories of them.  No soft muzzle laying on my lap when I'm on the computer.  No exasperated sighs when I'm busy typing and she thinks she needs to be petted and loved on RIGHT NOW.  No lots of things.

It's not fair.  But today she's ok.  And today I have to worry about this little pregnant TFT gal of ours and how we're going to deal with getting these two puppies that are so big....out of their mom.

Meanwhile, the weather is cool and dreary, the other dogs are insisting on their breakfast, I'm going to go drink my coffee and get out of here.

Have a great day!!!