Dognapped

Sadly, this is not another fun post on Nero sleeping. It is about the real thing.

Nero’s only friend in the neighborhood, Scooby, was stolen day before yesterday. We were completely shocked when our maid told us. Apparently, there were 3-4 people in a car, who stopped to talk to the boy who walks Scooby, lured Scooby (who loves to ride in cars) into the car and drove off!! In broad daylight! And on the same road that we walk Nero. Sometime back, I had posted a picture of a road lined with trees with yellow flowers…well about 10-20 meters down the road from that place was where this horrible crime was committed.

My heart goes out to Scooby and his family. Firstly, poor Scooby, caught with strangers, God only know how they would treat him. His walker and minder, had told us he was very finicky about eating, would only eat from his dish, and would eat specific food. We too noticed that he would never take biscuits from us, even while Nero would be all over us clamoring for one. I hope he is taken care of. And the poor family, who has had him for so many years. I cannot even begin to imagine how they must feel. I really hope the police are successful in getting him back.

Apart from being distressing, I also found it strange that Scooby would be stolen. Though a pure breed and not neutered, unlike Nero, he is not a champion specimen (or at least never looked like one to us). He is a pretty placid and quiet dog. Never reacted to Nero jumping all over him. Not aggressive or particularly energetic. A fairly staid, average-joe dog, going his own way in life. Not particularly young either…about 4-5 years old. In the same apartment block, there is another person who actually breeds Labradors. Now his dogs are glossy, perfectly conformed, and look champion material. Scooby, just looked like an average dog, affectionate, but not a breeder champion. Of course, this assumes he was stolen for breeding value. If he was stolen as simply a home/guard dog, well I don’t know what to comment except that if he went so willingly with strangers, he’d probably not make a good guard dog. Labradors aren’t really known for guard qualities, like say a German Shepherd anyway. And if it was for a more sinister reason….no I don’t think I even want to go there. He is such a sweet dog :(

He was the second of the three musketeers. While Nero was growing up, they were a trio of dogs who used to meet at the park in the evening. Pepsi, a 3 year old yellow female lab, Scooby and Nero. Pepsi moved away last year when her owner shifted house. Slowly the evening romps dwindled, till Scooby and Nero just met on the odd walks. But every time Nero saw Scooby, even at a distance, he was literally uncontrollable. Standing on his hind legs for a better look, straining to get near him, dragging us on his leash, uncaring of getting choked, jumping all over Scooby, doing mad jumps about him, running in and out entwining their leashes…and all the while Scooby would stand placidly and bear this hyperactive half-grown dog’s antics.

Scooby, our wishes are with you. May you stay safe and come back home soon.

Allergies and More

Nero had his vet visit today, where he was cleared of any suspected chest/ respiratory congestion or infection. He also did not hack or reverse sneeze today. A couple of times he seemed to start to,  but controlled it. His vet said it was probably a bronchial allergy. Ruled out kennel cough which was a relief. Since he hadn't had an episode of hacking or sneezing today, we decided not to give him the anti-histamine, but got a strip of Cetrizine home just in case. So its wait and watch for now. Meanwhile, his deworming tablet is due on March 14 (1 for 10kgs) so we got those too. Its a complete job to get him to take those...even with his feed!!

While walking through the market, we discovered that the vet's previous assistant had opened a pet grooming salon and shop nearby. Oooh! Last time hubby gave Nero a bath, they broke the hand-shower head! So this alternative looks good. Of course, hubby said he would miss their baths together....so we plan to make the salon visit a special treat (for both of them) for now, if at all! In any case, a good option to know and have in the neighbourhood :)

Sneezing, Hacking, Wheezing

A week or so back, the week after his kennel stay, we noticed Nero giving lots of small sneezes, especially when he went for his walks. Not big ones, just small, continuous ones like he was trying to dislodge something.

Now for the last couple of days, both hubby and I noticed bouts of hacking and wheezing, like he's trying to throw up or is choking!! I saw it last evening on our walk, where he did it twice. Hubby had noticed it earlier one or two times. Then this morning, before his walk, he was doing the same thing again.

Yesterday evening, I looked it up on the internet, and we think it is reverse sneezing. But we're not sure, so tomorrow, we're taking him to the vet. 

Trying the list causes when I saw him do this. The first time was when I was taking him for a walk. He had been sleeping the whole day, stretched around a bit as checked on the house and was pulling on his leash when I was locking up the house. The second time, it was generally while he was on the walk...there didnt seem any one trigger.

As I write this, he has had the hacking fit again. Its almost like a snorting, hacking, can't-catch-my-breath kind of fit. He was lying on the bed against the cushions when he suddenly started hacking and sat up. I tried rubbing the sides of his face and blowing on his snout as some of the websites suggest. I don't really know how much it helped, but he subsided within a few seconds or so. Poor boy, he had such a woebegone, whats-happening-to-me face during the whole fit :( Then, the doorbell rang, and he leapt off the bed, raced to the door, barking his head off to see who it was....completely normal, seemed as right as rain.

The websites I read said reverse sneezing (if that is what this is) is fairly common in dogs, not harmful by itself (unless accompanied by fever, loss of appetite etc. where it might be better to check it out) and the cause for it is unknown. It is also supposed to affect small dogs more, though that isn't the case here. 

My other fear was he picked up something at the kennel, but the sneezing started almost a week later, and these new fits just a couple of days back. When it was just sneezing, I thought it might be some allergy. Maybe its the change in weather...its been getting warmer. 

Whatever it is, its vet time for Nero tomorrow. I hope we dont have to put him on antibiotics, he just finished a course in December for a skin infection. Aww baby...whats happening with you!

Sharing Stories

After watching Marley & Me, I visited John Grogan's site, where he has a place for people to share their stories (Click here). I was hooked. As I read through them, I realised I wanted to share mine too. So I started writing. As with all my writing when I really get into it, they become rather long. So when I finished I hoped it would be too long. Unfortunately, every time I tried submitting it, it gave me 500 Internal Server Error! :( Dejected, I'm posting my story here instead. Maybe if I link it to the site it might work (Edit: Didnt work :() . Well this is my story then:

Hello! This my black lab mix Nero (Yes, he chewed off the end of his collar as can be seen in the photo. How he managed to contort himself to do that we never did figure out!!)

I read Marley and Me in July 2007, just a few days after we got our very first dog Nero. I was struck by the similarities I felt. Young couple, trying to settle down and have kids, me killing plants, deciding to get a dog, getting an exuberant puppy who quickly burrowed into our hearts and made it his permanent home there. I had started a blog about him. It is the only blog that I have started and have written in consistently. Marley & Me did also in some way help me in being consistent about blogging about Nero, helped me see how important it is to create a memory bank about how precious he is to me, and how precious each moment with him is. I even wrote about Marley & Me in my blog then. Here is the link to that entry: http://pal-illusion.blogspot.com/2007/07/life-love-death.html  

One and a half years have passed since then. Nero is all grown up. I saw Marley & Me, the movie last night. And yet again, it touched every emotion in me. I could now relate to even more experiences. The chewing, though he soon grew out of it, the being dragged behind him when we go on walks, and even in our personal life, a miscarriage a couple of months back, after trying for so long. Heres the blog entry I wrote after seeing the movie yesterday: http://pal-illusion.blogspot.com/2009/02/marley-me-revisited.html  

For me, Marley & Me is more than just another doggie story. It touches chords on a personal level on being a family, of being in a stage of life where you become more than just individuals, but become an extended entity, creating and nurturing to make more than what you start with. I keep Marley & Me as a beacon of hope, that one day we might have kids too; as a symbol of love, through thick and thin, across ages and species; as an expression of joy, at what we can have, and what precious memories we can build to savour each moment, long after its gone; and as a sharing of the sorrow of loss, that never goes away, but helps on being shared.  

As I read the other stories here, I feel a kinship with each of them. Each at a different stage in life, and yet all bound together with shared love. And I would like to thank John (& his family), for sharing his life experiences and creating such a space for others to share their experiences; and all other posters who care so deeply that it reflects in their sharing. Humans and dogs are social animals. Sometimes, its just enough to know that you are not alone. Thank you all and God bless.

Marley & Me revisited

One and a half years ago, when Nero had just about come into our lives, I read the book Marley & Me. I wrote then about how I felt...about the book, about our new puppy, thoughts on life and death. (Click here)

Just now, I finished watching the movie...laughing, sobbing, cuddled up with my hubby and Nero on the bed. Nero, now, is no longer a puppy. Time flies so fast. He has never been truly destructive, is not scared of thunderstorms and only chews his own toys. He loves to curl up close to us, but is also comfortable padding off and sleeping in his own special nooks and corners. He is much calmer, though still playful; more obedient but still guided more by biscuits than instructions and just as loveable as ever. 

He is always there for me. 2 years of personal upheavals, trying to have a child unsuccessfully, sometimes tragically close; giving up my job; looking for a purpose, an identity, a reason. Feeling lost, adrift..numb in limbo, personally, professionally...in every which way. He's always here, unquestioning, unjudging, uplifting. Throughout these 2 years, he has seen me at ... and through my lowest moments. And he's always there, with his silky head, melting expression...reminding me when to feed him, walk him, play with him. Staying away but within reach when not needed. Accepting me for what I am, even when I can't accept myself.

As I watched Marley close his eyes in his dying scene, and Nero let out a few gentle snores, I felt emotionally silent...a silence of acceptance of the inevitable and deep deep thankfulness for the present.