Yesterday Joel and I spent almost every waking moment on campus working during the day. I had a client report I needed to work on, and he was prepping conference materials. One of our undergraduate RAs (research assistants) expressed interest in watching while Joel did data analysis for one of our studies, so she came to campus and watched as Joel walked her through the procedures.
Afterward, I gave her kudos for being willing to go to campus during Spring Break - not many graduate students or faculty are willing to do it. She nodded and said, "Yeah...it kinda sucked coming up here, but I'm glad I did." I smiled in agreement and thought to myself, "Yeah, graduate school sucks sometimes...a lot of the time...but I'm glad I'm doing it."
Cosette's friend Harley came over for the last time last night because he is moving to CA with his owner, my friend. He and Cosette played last night, but mostly Harley took distinct pleasure in carrying one of Cosette's discarded Nylabone Rings in his mouth all night. And giving me the evil eye. He's a teacup Chihuahua so I guess he can get away with it THIS TIME.
Me: "You know, let's try and think of something positive about this place. I feel like I've been saying negative things all morning."
Joel: "Okay. *looks around* Well, there's trees, so that's good. Very green."
Me: "Yes, they are very tall. And they provide shade."
Joel: "Yes, and there are different types of trees."
Me: "Uh huh. And the trees provide us with oxygen."
Me: *inhales deeply*, right as smoker passes and lets out an exhale
Me: *COUGH COUGH COUGH* " Ugg! The positive thinking didn't work!!"
I have a no-pets-on-the-furniture policy in my domain, including on the bed. If pets are on the furniture, it is by invite only and they are only sporadically invited. Mainly it is because I don't like the pet hair, and I also acknowledge the fact I have a high-energy breed. If she gets excited, she could easily jump off the couch quickly and tear a hole in my furniture. No thanks.
It's cute how well she knows the rules, too; whenever we have a pet friend visit for an evening or a few days, she'll constantly follow them around and nudge them off if they are leaping on furniture. She's the furniture police!
But when we are traveling, I invite Cosette up on the bed all the time in hotels...and she is spoiled ROTTEN when she does it. She flips on her back and curls around in the covers like she is the Princess of the Hotel. Such a goober. Probably because she's mocking her owner.
Taken June 2007.
Needless to say, Cosette no longer sleeps like this. She sleeps on her side if she has room; otherwise, she snuggles up tail to nose.
Taken 3/8/09 at a local hiking trail.
The vet technician who was assisting yesterday was very relieved I had brought a urine sample in so that she didn't have to collect it.
While they ran the urinalysis, the vet came in to give Cosette a physical examination. She squatted down beside her and ran her hands over her, stopping to feel under her belly and by her uterus. She then went behind her and swept her tail aside, looking at the affected areas. She abruptly stood up and said, "Let me go get a light. It's kinda dark down there." I laughed and said, "I imagine it would be!" While she went to collect a light, I brought Cosette into her standing position ("Stand") and put my hand under her belly, her butt facing the door. The vet walked back in and knelt down, and Cosette looked back to see what she was doing. The vet spent several long moments examining her, and then stood up and said, "Her vulva is quite inflamed, probably from all the licking she's been doing."
Cosette, your vulva. VUL-VA! Why have you been licking this area? I guess I would too if it stung when I urinated. Wait, I can't reach it, that's why.
The vet went to take a look under the microscope, and meanwhile, I kept saying it in my head: VULVA. Your VULVA is inflamed. I felt a little bit responsible, as if I had needed to try and keep your VULVA untouched by your tongue. Vulva. Inflamed vulva. BAD vulva!
The vet came back with the results, lots of white blood cells and a few red blood cells in your urine. Bladder infection. Hot damn, I was right.
$140 later, I was all, DOG, DON'T YOU DARE LICK YOUR VULVA. At least take it into the bathroom so I don't SEE YOU DOING IT.
I've made an appointment at the vet this morning for Cosette. She's been urinating very frequently while we're outside on trails, and the other day she urinated right beside me in my office. It scared her when she did it, too; she went to sit down and the urine came out. She flung around, scared out of her mind. I lightly said, "No," and took her outside, knowing that something was wrong. She's been house-broken for a year and a half, so any sudden changes in bathroom behavior is most likely a health issue. Then, last night, I let her out before I went to bed, and she urinated three separate times in the yard. She then came inside, acted sheepish, and urinated a little bit on her bed. Poor baby. I'm guessing she has some sort of urinary tract infection or a bladder infection. I know what it feels like to pee fire and to constantly feel like you have to go - UTIs are awful.
Cosette had one right after her spay surgery, and these symptoms are fairly familiar. Off to go get a urine sample from her, and take her to the vet...
We woke up this morning and decided to go for a hike (what a surprise!). I went down a road I've never turned down before, and we discovered a new trail. There was a nicely sized creek by a nearby lake, so we played for a while there.
I'd just like to say that in the first video, I did not intend to throw the stick up on the rocks so that Cosette would slam into the bank. It's painful to watch! It looks like she actually took the rock in the throat. It stuns her for a moment but then she's back up on the bank, so everything's okay. She had fun. We did this for a good 30 minutes, just walking up and down this creek bed.
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