Fembat Unhinged

My inability to capture a decent image of my beloved Jack Russell Terrier has always been a sore point.  Today Joe and I decided to have a photoshoot. Well, to be truthful I decided to have a photo shoot and Joe chose not to play along.

After half an hour of endless coaxing I still did not have an image I was happy with.

But, knowing Joe as I do, I knew exactly when I had pushed the little darling too far. It was when I captured this image.

Thats his “I´m not best pleased with you look”. One he regularly shares when the walks have been short, the food has been dried, and the mommy has been really annoying.

We live to try another day!

I was in a rush today. I had left it too late to go to the store and I had 15 minutes to get dressed (yes, I was wearing my PJs all day!) and walk to the store.

I am running around the house trying to find clothing cast aside from the night before when I fell into bed. Only I cant find my bra. Its nowhere, and I´m sorry but I cannot exit the house without my corset on! Its dangerous and comes with a public health warning of its own!

So, see me, running round the house. Time is running out. I spot my bra on the bed.

At the precise moment my little JRT decides that mommy MUST be wanting to play!

He quickly works out in that quick minded fashion only true JRTs are capable of, that I am reaching for my bra, which he grabs and runs off with.

He´s running round the house with my bra in his mouth. His little tail wagging manically. He´s LOVING it.  Its play time Mommy! I finally have him cornered on the sofa.

Now, you´d think I would be master of this little guy wouldn´t you? I am bound to have a well trained doggy who will gladly surrender my clothing at a single command.

WRONG

You know why?

Because Joe thinks Mommy wants to play tug!

“Yeah, this is real fun” squeels Joe the Jack Russell Terrierist. “Lets have a real LONG game of tug the bra Mommy!”

So I try it all. The verbal commands rising in intensity. “Joe, drop, drop it… DROP… DROP IT… WILL YOU DROP IT YOU LITTLE SHIT”

“Not a chance Mommy” squeels Joe “This is WAY too much fun, in fact I am going to rip your bra to shreds… oops”

Joe scampers away, tail between legs, as he realises now he has gone one step two far.

The bra is now a two piece.

It wasn´t glamarous before, it sure as hell isn´t now!

I awoke early this morning unable to breath. A heavy weight seemed to be pushing down on my chest, and I was stiff and sore. Hot foul stinking breath hit my nostrils, forcing the remaining breath out of my lungs in a painful wease. I tentatively opened my eyes… to look straight into the face of my laughing Jack Russell Terrier. He was laid on my chest. What struck me more than anything was the bright expression, the manically wagging tale and the tongue that hit my face before I could compose myself.

I think he’s feeling a little better.

He dashed downstairs ahead of me, running straight to the door to be let out. I trudged wearily behind, trying to remember what planet I was on. Later he fetched his ball and demanded playtime. Thrilled to see a seemingly happy healthy dog I obliged. He tired quickly, but I think we’ve made progress.

I was on the computer checking email, when I heard a loud yelp. Joe had been running round the lounge in typical JRT manner. He’d tripped and pulled the operation scar, opening it just slightly. He’s OK. But I think his ego is a little bruised.

Now I am off to nag the insurance company, because while Joe’s health is improving, my wallet isn’t.

Joe is in for exploratory throat surgery and a second biopsy today. The new vet is concerned that the old vet was concentrating in the wrong area – that the problem lies not with his lymph system but with his throat. They will be calling back at 1pm to let me know how he is doing.

Update: Joe is out of surgery and is waking up. I’ll get briefed on the surgery when I go collect him at 3.40pm. I’m looking forward to fetching him home [again] the house seems so empty without him.

Update 2: Poor little Joe. The vets took a biopsy of two lymph glands and removed quite a lot of infected superficial muscle from his shoulder. As a result he has a small drain potruding from his shoulder. He’s now on 5 tablets a day – 2 rimadyl [anti-infllamatories], 1 metronidazole [antibiotic], and 2 synulox [antibiotic].

And with a 400 vets bill [in addition to the &pound 350 already spent] I’m thinking about a few tablets of my own.

There was a glimmer of hope yesterday. Joe got up from his bed and fetched his “bobo” [his blue ball]. He trotted across the living room and asked to play fetch. We could only push it a metre or so for him to fetch, and he only managed two or three fetches before he was exhausted and had to return to bed.

A glimmer.

By night he was crying and having breathing difficulty again.

This morning he wasn’t too well, but he has been picking up gradually throughout the day. He’s eating and drinking, just not very much.

We are going back to the vets on Monday, and I have an appointment arranged at another vets on Tuesday for a second opinion.