But Sherman the Wonder Dog has predominated our past week. You see, after announcing that he had made the sudden switch to wet food after a lifetime of dry, Sherman emptied the contents of his stomach and went on a hunger strike.
I have enough experience with animals to know that refusing to eat is usually a sign that they've given up on life. But, with the exception of his chronic congestion brought on by his heart murmur, Sherman seemed otherwise engaged. Alert. Present.
I won't bore you with the medical details, but suffice it to say that after several anorexic days (and another pound lost--a big deal when you're only nine pounds to begin with), the vet was able to medicate his congestion. Which stimulated his appetite.
But the only thing he would eat was sweet bell peppers. Not exactly a weight gainer.
On a whim, I tried feeding him a piece of scrambled egg, which he devoured. Two days later, he's still compulsively eating them. It's too soon to tell, but they may actually save his life. Of course, the metaphor is irresistible--the egg being a symbol of birth and new life.
But for us, Sherman was already that symbol. The reason we got him thirteen years ago was because Floyd was sick and needed comfort. (As you can see, they sleep together still.) Having a puppy helped save Floyd's life. That's why we call him Sherman the Wonder Dog.
It feels good to repay the favor.
Oh, and today's New Thing? My mother informed me I could scramble his eggs in the microwave. I had no idea you could do that.
Good thing, too. Because I'm going to be cooking a lot of eggs.
9 comments:
How adorable they are together! You must be so relieved that Sherman the Wonder Dog likes eggs. And bit by bit, if he'll take it, you can mix in a few other things to help build his health back up.
But congratulations on finding something he'll eat!
So sorry to hear about Sherman. What a great story about how he became the wonder dog. Awwww.
I feel your pain. My dog is going through a very similar thing right now. (By my dog, I mean Oliver's family dog who shares a special bond with me...I'm her favorite person in the universe, and she's my favorite dog...shhh, don't tell Diva.) She doesn't so much have the problem of being anorexic as being bulimic. She's always been a binge eater, but now she can't seem to keep anything down, and she's lost five pounds (when she was only 30 to begin with, and never fat). I'm so glad Sherman is feeling better!!
Yay for Sherman the Wonder Dog and his liking eggs! Keep it, Wonder Dog!
When our cat Gato was ill with a severe urinary tract infection, he refused all food. His vet suggested giving him baby food, specifically beef, chicken, etc. Just the pureed meat, with nothing added. For about a week, Gato ate baby food and nothing else. Eventually he began eating regular cat food again. I was very grateful that baby food got our beloved feline through a dangerous patch.
Good thing they are for Sherman, because microwaved scrambled eggs don't taste as good (to humans) as when they are scrambled in the traditional manner. Kinda rubbery.
Eggs are good for dogs, too. But David is correct. Nuked eggs--> not the best. Stick with the skillet.
Fried eggs was a weekend ritual for me and Euckie. She loved eggs. She helped save my life. I know how you and Floyd feel. Good thoughts and karma are being sent to you, Floyd and Sherman.
I had a very old and sickly dog a few years back and we fed her a mixture of hamburger, rice, eggs, and canned dog food (about half human food, half dog food, and all the human food was cooked as if we were going to eat it). (In fact, funny story, at one point a relative saw her bowl of food ready to eat, helped himself to a spoonful, and then asked why it wasn't seasoned at all!) It got her through the really hard time in her illness and got her appetite back on track. She did eat canned food for the rest of her life too. She went on to live another couple of years, and they were good, healthy years. We had her for 18 years wonderful years.
You didn't want to bore us with dog stories? Look at all the comments. We connect!
If the pooch rejects the nuked eggs, you can do the fast and oil free using the steamer wand on an espresso machine. Dump the eggs in a coffee cup and steam them until they are as ccoked as you like them. Or the pup likes them. Best wishes for Sherman!
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