Day 13

It was a fretful night. I stayed in the living room with Ruth. Bud & Beth went back to the bedroom. No matter what I did, I could not get Ruth to relax. I'm thinking she slept too much late yesterday afternoon/evening because she exercised more than she had since the onset of this disease. Or, she was upset that her Daddy wasn't in here with her. She also wanted to go outside. Chomping teeth told me clearly what she wanted, but I couldn't get her out there. Finally, she pottied about 4:00 this morning. I changed her bedding and used the baby wipes to clean her up real good but she continued chomping. I gave up about 5:00 and got up. The only time she's chomped since is when I went outside for a break.

Beth came in and greeted me about 5:45. I got the bedroom door shut so Bud could sleep late without Beth running back and jumping on the bed.

About 6:00, I sat Ruth up on her elbow and she leaned against me for about five minutes. All morning, I've been giving her the last of the Pedalyte. Bud will get more tomorrow when he goes into town. After morning meds, I'll start giving her Chicken Broth. I don't want to ruin the taste before she gets the fingerful peanut butter.

Lexi's mom sent me more information last night! It's been a God's send learning more and more how to help Our Ruth Girl.

This morning's peanut butter covered meds were given through the jaw opening and pills were swallowed... a short time later, while Bud was preparing Beth's breakfast, I started giving her CoW through the opening. After only a short time she stopped swallowing... like she was falling asleep, too tired to swallow anymore. We got her up on her elbows, and she finally swallowed... now she's sleeping... could she just be too tired, or is something else going on? Does she really have Coonhound Disease, or is it something else?

9:00 a.m. - we just put Ruth in the Sphinx position and helped her hold it for about 5 minutes. Once she was on the other side, I gave her a couple of swallows worth of water and she's resting now. In fact, she's dreaming - facial ticks and rapid eye movement. I'd not seen that since our journey began!

It's 3:00. We have gotten Ruth in the Sphinx position at least three times this afternoon! Then, we all went outside and got some "Vitamin S"... before we could get Ruth in the position again, she pooped and pottied!!! She didn't poop yesterday at all.

On the way back in, Bud stepped on the scale before placing her back down. Ruth now weighs 51 lbs.... that Monday we took her into the vet's office, she weighed "mid-60's" Bud said.

But... she is eating the "tasty" supplement better, even licking my finger clean! So, hopefully, all the Sphinxing (is that a word?) we are doing, especially at the encouragement of Lexi's mom, will indeed increase her appetite!

5:15 - Ruth just got "Sphinxed" again! This time, she held her own balance for 5 WHOLE minutes! In addition, she moved her back leg a little to adjust herself! She got bunches of swallows of water for this good job!

Supper wasn't much, but a big start on the right path! Since Bud and I are the "vet" (since our vet has no clue what's wrong with her) we've decided to cut back to one time a day for the Prednisone and Doxy. So, for a treat, after the tad of food here and there, she got (very excitedly) a non-crunch fingerful of peanut butter!

We did one more Sphinx before bedtime... again she did wonderfully holding her own balance for about 5 minutes. When Bud picked her up to change her head to face the other direction to get her on the bedtime side, she pottied good! Fortunately for us, it was over the old towels/bedding that were going to be changed out anyway rather than the carpet!!!

Well, Bud & Beth have gone to bed. Ruth has gotten bunches of drinks since her last exercise and is resting well... I pray her rest continues throughout the night. I'm sleeping in the recliner tonight facing her so she will know she's not alone.

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