Good Dog (Mom)

"She is perfect. Whatever you are doing keep doing." Music to a dog mom's ears! That's what Dr. Dove said about Sophie yesterday at her annual check-up.

And then he met Stella. Stella, has challenges. Specifically we've been dealing with a skin issue for 4 years. First we went to her primary vet and they couldn't solve the problem. Then she was allergy tested (she doesn't have any) and treated with different recipes of antibiotics by a dermatologist for 2 years. Being on antibiotics for that long can't be good for any body so we decided, after recommendations from other Frenchie families, to go the holistic route. So for two years, she has been on different cocktails of Chinese herbs. (You know you are going an alternative therapy route when the first question the vet asks is, "if Stella had a profession, what profession would it be?" That's simple - banker.)

And 2011 was the year of severe bladder infections for Stelly. Remember the formal affair that wasn't? That included multiple cultures, three weeks on antibiotics, three weeks off, a trip to an internist for a full work-up (good news, her internal organs are perfect), etc. We thought we had kicked it in November for it only to return in December. And none of these treatments are free... as a matter of fact, Stella is basically a car payment a month. So again, we are so thankful for our Grandaddy's generosity! Thus we ended up with Dr. Dove, renowned bulldog specialist, as our last resort.

He also can't figure out what exactly is wrong with her (Dr. Kocen, our holistic vet, said Stella is a zebra in a pack of horses) but prescribed a new course: steroids, antibiotics and potty breaks every 4 hours. What? Yep, every 4 hours including overnight. I was tired just thinking about it. And Stella doesn't wake up easily so I didn't think she would be thrilled either...

So last night, as I turned in, I set my alarm for 1 a.m., 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. Turned out I only need the first alarm because after our first trip outside, I didn't go back to sleep. The good news is, Stella leaped from the crate each time because she needed to go. The bad news is she and Sophie are now sleeping contentedly on the couch while I am trying to stay awake drinking coffee at the computer.

Thankfully my parents gave me great pajamas for Christmas so I'm perfectly dressed for the walks. And the best footwear for taking your dog out in the freezing cold middle of the night? Why, Uggs, of course!

So my question for you, is this good training for potentially being a human mom someday? I asked a special someone that very question and was basically told 4 hours of sleep at a time is a luxury. Oh well, I'm going to maintain the attitude that this is good mom behavior. Regardless, Stella's worth it. But I pray that Dr. Dove can figure out what is wrong with her and get her better. Will you please pray too?