Diarrhea Dog is Going Home

Sami, otherwise known as Diarrhea Dog, came for a visit this past week. You can read about Sami on this post  http://fatdogsmom.blogspot.com/2010/05/match-made-in-heaven.html.  Margaret, Sami's new mom, went to stay with my mom for a week. Sami came to stay with me and my pack of crazy dogs. Sami is adorable and very very sweet. But and this is a big but, she is not a normal dog. She was very very very very sheltered in her previous home. She was handfed and also hand watered. She will not eat or drink on her own. She wants to drink out of a glass that you hold for her, and she wants to be spoonfed. She does not know how to be a dog. She wants to be held all day, does not know how to  play with the other dogs. When she first went to live with Margaret she did not eat for over a week. Because she did not eat, she also did not poop!!! Margaret called me in a panic. I suggested trying scrambled egg sprinkled over her kibble. Well she ate the egg, but not the kibble. So Margaret started feeding her eggs only and hotdogs. Not Good!!! Her stomach got upset and that is where the diarrhea comes in. YUK YUK YUK. So Margaret quit the eggs and Sami stopped eating again. For a week and a half!!! Margaret took her to the vet, who promptly charged her $400 and told her the dog was fine, she was just spoiled and when she was hungry she would eat. Fast forward to day after vet visit. Margaret goes to stay with my Mom and Sami comes here. With her finicky picky food habits and her diarrhea. OMG. I really really do not have time with 6 dogs of my own to find out what the damn dog wants to eat and to clean up her poos.  Don't get me wrong, I adore this little dog, but I have normal dogs. They eat whatever I put in front of them, make normal dog poops, and do not expect me to handfeed them. Poor Sami, it was definately a culture shock for her. 6 dogs all trying to sniff her butt at once, and eat her food that she just stared at. I finally discovered that she will eat Purina wet food if you smash it up with a fork, and offer it to her with a spoon. Not the big spoon, that scares her, but the little teaspoon. Once she gets going, she will sometimes, eat the rest on her own. The water is a big iffy also. If you put the water in a glass and hold it for her, she will drink. You have to make sure that you don't move the glass or make any sudden movements.  Now imagine me trying to explain this to my hubs. He is home with the dogs until 1pm, as he works swing shift. His eyes glazed over before I even got to the water part. His response. There's the bowl of water and food. If she eats and drinks. ok. If not, that is her problem. I know he is right, but all I could think of all day long was, did Sami eat, did she drink, was she still going to be alive when I get home. It is not good to have a live dog delivered to you and than send back a dead dog!!!  I called hubs everyday before he left for work to see if she was upright. Well she was upright, but she had diarrhea. All over. The yard, the house, etc etc. Luckily I have wood floors. Did I mention that the dog is a long-haired chihuahua? Which means that I had to clean her doggy butt everytime she had diarrhea. Ok, call to my vet to see if I need to bring in diarrhea dog to be checked out. No, she is fine, it is the change in food. Just keep an eye on her. If the diarrhea does not go away in a couple more days than bring her in. So for the past week our family has been on diarrhea watch. Sounds like fun doesn't it. My vet was right, the diarrhea went away. She is getting nutrition because I feed her when I get home. With the small spoon, not the big spoon. She is also used to my dogs and actually acted like a normal dog last night and sniffed one of my dogs butts. It must have been a positive experience, because she tried to play with them afterwards. She is also becoming more independent. And she has become very bonded to me. Why I don't know. All I ever say to her is "eat your food, drink your water, please please please" and the ultimate "quit crapping, please please please". Diarrhea dog is going home tomorow. Believe it or not, I will miss her:)