am wondering if we should have called you "trooper" instead of Sage Sizzler.... you came to us with gluten and lactose intolerance that took us about 4 weeks to figure out. In retrospect, i want to kiss your paws for obliging and being a playful puppy when you were the sickest because of the food we didnt know was making you so sick. Also that blasted commercial pet food which didnt suit you. Yet you played and nibbled and were generally such a darling and endeared yourself to everyone even while you kept teaching us what not to feed you and how to make you better.
you swallowed a plastic frog motif from my slippers and made it through that... also one day with a tummy full of pebbles. I dont know how you managed to wow the houseguests we had that weekend when you were trying to digest 200 gms of stones! *respect
on sunday we had a party for 10. early morning you showed signs of teething with one of your canines breaking and getting bloodied. i was worried, but you reassured me by nipping and lunging at me that you would be fine. by the time i had finished cooking and wanted to catch a quick nap, you decided you would have none of it and started to get cranky. you wanted to sit on my tummy while i lay down and wanted all sorts of things that i couldnt figure. i offered you a toy, food and water.... K then made you play vigourously to tire you out when all of a sudden i realised you had a mouthfull of blood. it stopped me in my tracks and made me rush to give you some ice cubes. half the tooth had broken off and the other half, hanging vicariously was very painful, because for the first time in 3 months, you winced in pain several times (something you have never done) and tried to get into my lap. so i allowed you to sit and chew my arm, then you got up and got yourself a profusion of really hard stuff to chew...the fake bone, an empty plastic bottle, a really thick stick.....then finally back to my arm again. that's when i realised you were trying to break that tooth off. all the while sitting on my lap. so i offered you your favourite red toy - scooby. and in a matter of a few minutes, the tooth was off....you licked me a lot. in the midst of all of this, lunch guest arrived, fawned all over you and we gave you 1/2 a cup of beer to drink which you lapped up. I was hoping you'd fall asleep. But a lot of teasing and rough play was in store... and even tho i didnt like some of it, i waited and watched hoping as always, you would set your own pace.
by the time we were done with lunch it was 5 p.m and when i took notice of you again, you were burning with fever and were really tired but still not giving up on the activity. by this time, you had not eaten one full meal, slept your usual 3 hours and so i was so worked up about you but i still had my guests at home and so couldnt focus on you. I took you for a walk and you just flopped down listlessly on the sand pile. you didnt want to dig, or play or do anything. just sat there and i knew you were in so much discomfort that i couldnt even focus on making tea let alone drinking it.
by the time the last of the giuests left it was 7.30, your temperature was high, tongue burning hot and you had a salt patch on your nose. I called Dr. Saikia and gave you crocin on her advise. The three of us went to bed by 9.30, me holding you in my arms, but you as usual wanted to sleep on the floor. After a long time i prayed you would feel better.
i woke up with a start at 4 a.m somehow the tiredness blanked out everything after i hit the pillow. but at 4, i suddenly remembered you were running temperature the previous night. i found you near the clothes hamper, on your back with your legs in the air, rollicking away. when i switched on the light, you had a look of shock at being caught in the act!
i was so relieved that i laughed so hard K woke up. We went for a super early, super long walk to celebrate. and you just proved once more how easily you will work towards bouncing back. to take everything in your stride and work through it...to never show how much pain you are in.....you are truly what we should have named you "trooper"
