Trying times

The past two weeks returning home from vacation were a little tough. No one likes to come home from a tropical climate and be back in cold weather again. Daylight Savings Time makes it a little less painful. The past two weeks have been focused on Chloe. We brought this little dog home not to be a pet but to make her part of the family. So much so, that when something bad happens to her, we all feel it.

Chloe has been ill. She returned home from boarding with another family looking worn out. Two days after coming home, we're off to the vet looking for some relief for her. A few days later, we're back at the vet looking for more help for her. Just when we thought she was looking better, off to the vet again for another malady.

This past Thursday, disaster again, only this time in the form of something we never thought of, laundry detergent. Laundry detergent had dripped on the floor when one of the kids did their wash, I noticed it and cleaned it up but not before our four legged child tasted it. I saw her coughing and knew she had already beaten me to it. Off to the vet again with a little dog who can't breathe or eat and breathing was very labored. This time it was scary. She sounded like that straw the dentist puts in your mouth to drain fluids. She had to spend the night to have her system flushed. I was very upset, we all were. Laundry Detergent is poison to a dog, especially a small dog. We picked her up Friday looking a little more like herself but a little worse for wear. She burned her little pharynx and her liver counts were off a bit.

Ah, such is life's ups and downs. Chloe is recovering, she is very happy to be back with us. We have to be more vigilant about what's within reach of her. She's part of our family.