wednesday walk with adonis

Adonis has been sick the last 10 days or so. Actually it all started about a month ago with nosebleeds. About 10 days ago he had a bad one and Lydia took him to the animal hospital. Without testing (no, he's 13) the doctor thinks it might be nose cancer. Very common with a dog his size. He prescribed a Chinese herb that could be found in health food stores. Well it couldn't. We searched and searched and then let our fingers do the walking. Finally Lydia posted on Facebook for help and it was located at a Asian grocery store in Allentown.

The bottle is the size of eye drops, glass, and comes with the worlds tiniest spoon. The vet said twice a day. As the days rolled on he became very lethargic—he got up to eat, pea and walk. Period. He even stopped begging for food. Then, Monday he started having difficulty with his hind legs. He couldn't get himself up off the floor. The only thing that changed was the medicine, so she stopped it.

Frankly, I thought he might have had a stroke.

Once he was up, he was fine. He wanted to walk. So we forced him into the car and took him to Monocacy Park. He loved it. Lots to smell. He walked well. But when he went to poop he couldn't hold himself up. He sat in it. Ick.

Thursday I called home between classes and asked about him. Pat said he was having trouble getting up and I needed to come home to take him out. My walk in Warren County was canceled on Tuesday for rain, and now this. I was half way there when she called and said Lydia's friend Kiki came to take him for a walk.

By Thursday night he was almost his old self, just a little slower, and a little wobbly getting up. But he could do it alone. Today he is 90% normal. Not sure he'll get back to 100%. When he has another nose bleed she will try the herb again. This time just once a day. If he reacts we'll all know what to look for.

Miles/Steps:           1/2 mile, maybe. Up one side of the park and back the other. The nature side was way too muddy
Weather:                 Cold, damp, drizzle

Wildlife:                  A half dozen geese, 4 Long Island Pekin Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus). My guess is that they were Easter ducks left at the park.