Safari - November 30, 1999

November 30, 1999

"Dog Duty"

Or should that be doody?

While Elliot has his own special charms and challenges, Gilby truly is "special."

Just before I got Elliot, mom and dad went off on one of their semi-annual treks about the globe so I got to babysit my "little brother," Gilby. Mom found this little puppy about 9 years ago and named him Gilbert (Gilby for short). He is a mostly blind, mostly deaf, neurotic, arthritic, epileptic, allergic to grass, dishrag of a dog. I think he's part Lhasa Apso and part Shih Tzu. That makes him either a Lhasa Shihtz or a Shihtza Lhas. Mom doesn't like either one of those so she thinks he's part poodle. I won't tell her what I've come up with for that. :)

As sweet and precious as he is, he is still a high maintenance animal.

Mom brushed his teeth, sprayed him with his own personal bottle of Georgio and shipped him off to my house.

"Recipe for Success"
Breakfast, 6:12 am
Enclose in a 1/2 inch square of low-fat American cheese (he is on a diet and lost 2 ounces as of last check):
1/2 of a 10 mg tablet of Elavil (I think that's the tranquilizer for him)
1/4 of a buffered aspirin (arthritis)
Hand feed
Count fingers

1 1/2 medium Fiber Formula dog biscuits
Not 1 1/4, not 1 3/4... 1 1/2, mind you.

*Let dog out.

Lunch, 12:23 pm
*Let dog out. Trust me on this one. He had 1 1/2 fiber biscuits 6 hours ago and a bladder the size of a peanut (pun intended).

Dinner, 5:37 pm
Heat two generous tablespoons of rice, pre-cooked in chicken broth, for 15 seconds in the microwave.
After heating, add to that one "crumby button" less than 3/4 cup of Science Diet K/D food. (We have a 1 cup measure with quarter cup markings. You fill it until it's evenly one piece of food under the 3/4 cup line.
Mix Well

*Let dog out.

Incessant barking, 6:54-7:42 pm
Give dog 1/2 of a fiber bone. (Dessert?) Oh great. Like this dog needs more fiber.

Bedtime, 10:51 pm
*Let dog out to, um, shall we say, expel excess fiber?

Serves one.

"Maintenance"
Twice a week treat ears for a fungus problem with Nolvasan Otic cleaning solution. He also had cysts on his eyelids drained. Apply antibiotic ointment in his eyes twice daily.

Clean goop draining from eyes at least once daily.

If he starts having seizures or seems particularly agitated, administer another half an Elavil in cheese.

God forbid there be a thunderstorm. It must be the pressure change because I don't think he can hear the thunder. That's another occasion for Elavil. The next time he has to go outside afterwards is another event. He won't walk on wet grass, at least not voluntarily.

Did I mention he's a sweetie?

* "Letting dog out" does not just involve opening the back door. You have to go out, too. Being as he's mostly blind, the poor thing is kind of like one of those trains or trucks I had as a little kid. It goes until it runs into something, backs up and heads another direction. Gilby smacks his head into the house, backs up and makes a left. Sometimes. Usually I'm a retriever.

P.S. - Mom offers a 3-day crash course in Gilby Care 101. I can get you scheduled if you would like volunteer for "Dog Duty" next time.