Shikoni's sick! His appetite has been sporadic for the last several days, but Saturday night he ate only a little ground beef; and I had given them pomegranate which he loves; then last night he barely touched his chicken, and completely ignored the apple and vegetables. I had given him some V-8 Fusion and he pretty well left that too. Sunday morning playtime, he was very lively, scampering around; but didn't want to play at all. This morning when I saw the bowl and especially the V-8, I got him out with a mealie - he will always go for a mealie - and did the dehydration test. That was OK. Then I looked him over, he looked okay but seemed to have no energy. He'd get out of the pouch, walk around on me a little, then back into the pouch. Not at all like him!
I really think this screwy weather has something to do with it. This winter it's been all topsy-turvy, last Saturday 83 degrees; today it hasn't budged above 35. Every week we have those extremes, it makes me crazy.
At 8:00 I called Dr. Gosney's office. They said to bring him right in, so I changed clothes, put a large fleece into my zip-up straw carrier; tucked a bottle half full of warm water in it to keep him warm, and went to town. Dr. Gosney checked him out, determined that there is a little congestion in his lungs. No fever, eyes bright, fur shiny and plush, so "just a little respiratory infection." He gave me amoxycillin, showed me much to give him (two cc's); also Nutrical for the interim, until he starts eating again. He put some Nutrical in a syringe to show me how to administer the medicine, and the little guy just licked it up. Dr. Gosney said they like it, and that it will provide all the nutrients he needs except water. I'm not so sure about that statement, but I didn't challenge it; I'll still offer the fruits and vegetables and meat, but probably not as much until he's feeling better. Total charge $79.30; not too bad. In and out in less than twenty minutes, the car was still warm; and the water bottle was also still warm when we got home.
At least he had the consideration to get sick on my weekend, when the vet's open and I don't have to call in to work. They barely understand about a sick child, much less a pet, the Philistines!
When we got home I gave him his first dose of the antibiotic. He likes it too! And then just a little more Nutrical, and then put him to bed. He climbed out of the pouch and into his tunnel and he's sleeping now.
Washi and Kioko seem to be doing just fine. They are little rascals! I took them into the bathroom this morning with the big flashlight and a bottlebrush flower; it took them about five minutes to come out of the pouch, and Washi attacked the flower while Kioko ran around. Then Kioko came to the flower, I got a couple of pics of them; Washi went under the sink, Kioko tried to climb the wall; they were just all over the place. They played for about fifteen minutes while I sat still as I could; they startle if I move. When they went back into the pouch I took them home. They ate all their dinner last night, it was a good one: chicken and mixed vegetables roasted with rosemary, two very small pieces of potato roasted in the same packet; and sliced apple. Today I'm making chili with ground turkey, so I'll set aside some of that for the little ones, with green beans and papaya.
Sure hope my little sweetie gets better soon! He's such a delight, I hate to see him feeling poorly.
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