It’s been nothing but bad news lately... Moomkin being sick, issues with my horses back home, major money issues, and crappy weather has had me in tears and wanting to give up many times this week. But today the sun crept out, and I managed to convince myself outside for some long awaited horse therapy. It’s been three months to the day tomorrow since I last sat on a horse and that’s three months way too long. All we did was stand around and graze, but just sitting on my little Cash was enough to shine a bright light back through what’s been, overall, a very dark and depressing three months. I always struggle most with my mental illness in the winters, as I know many do. Less sunshine, cold weather, and for me, forced exile from my home, my horses, my friends, and my family, combine in a toxic cocktail until it’s hard to remember that it won’t last forever. Add on the loss of Jäger and Syn, one of my horses (possibly two) being diagnosed with kissing spine, continued lack of progress with the VA regarding my financial competency status and withheld monies, and the gaping hole of uncertainty that is my future and I’ve been just drowning. So today was a good reminder of not only what’s waiting for me back home, but also of what’s right in front of me right now if I can only stay strong enough to reach out for it. #horsetherapy #happiness #betweenahorsesears #bestviewever #lightinthedark #keepfighting #cptsd #cptsdsurvivor #horsesareeverything #cash #travellingmenagerie #adventuresofthetravellingmenagerie #adventuresofthetravellingmenagerieroundtwo
Moomkin’s blood work came back picture perfect. The vet said if he hadn’t seen the patient and only was looking at the results, he would have said he was dealing with a superiorly healthy animal. Which is incredibly frustrating because it leaves us no closer to a diagnosis and Moomkin is still not improving. Today we did another antibiotic shot to try and cover our bases, as well as some fluids to support his system in a general sense. Tomorrow we are heading for the “big city” vet to have a full dental work-up done, including x-rays and potential scoping. We’re at a complete loss all around about why he refuses to eat, since he is otherwise completely normal. It’s worth noting that his demeanour is the same as always; he’s as “active” as he ever is, still vigorously and excitedly guards his fence line, he still wants to snuggle in bed and rolls round for a bit of playtime with me when it’s just us like usual, he still excitedly goes for walks and wants to go for car rides. He guards his food just like he always does even if he won’t eat it and he and Wasi still butt heads on a regular basis. If it wasn’t for the lack of eating and weight loss, I honestly wouldn’t know there was even anything wrong which is both reassuring and anxiety inducing. Fingers crossed for answers for my happy face tomorrow! #atthevet #noluck #nodiagnosis #whatswrong #wonteat #tibetanmastiff #dogmeattrade #dogmeattradesurvivor #meattradedog #rescuedog #dogrescue #chinesemeattradedog #sickdog #travellingwithpets #travellingmenagerie #adventuresofthetravellingmenagerie #adventuresofthetravellingmenagerieroundtwo
Yet another day at the vets., this time with basically the worst patient imaginable. Moomkin isn’t a fun vet visit for routine check-ups, and this one is far from routine. For weeks now we’ve been monitoring Moomkin’s eating, which has slowly become more and more laboured. It started with a noticeable slowing down of his eating; he’s never been the type to scarf his food but normally he would finish it in a timely manner. We started adding food to his water thinking he may have a sore mouth, but improvement was intermittent. As he began to lose weight, I switched him to wet food, which he likes but still won’t eat even close to the amount he needs. He’s also drooling in a way I have never seen in the four plus years I’ve had him; Moomkin has always been my “dry” TM. He’s had antibiotics specific for an oral infection, and pain killers with no results. As I mentioned, taking Moomkin to the vet is a dangerous proposition, particularly when we’re talking about examining his mouth. But we were at the end of what could be done without a vet getting hands on. So we bit the bullet, grabbed a muzzle, and prayed like hell he would cooperate. Which he did for the most part, with a whole lot of grumbling and not a little aggression towards our poor vet. We managed to pull blood for a full blood work panel, check all vitals (all normal except a small heart murmur I’m already aware of), inject a stronger antiobiotic as a catch all for now, and the vet managed to “exam” his mouth with me holding it open and him standing a safe distance away. Aside from the drooling, lack of eating (which I would not say is necessarily lack of appetite), and the weight loss, Moomkin shows all signs of being normal in all other aspects. We’re hoping the blood work gives us some answer cause the next step is knocking him out and shoving a scope down his throat, and I really am not looking forward to a Moomkin waking up from anestesia. Send good thoughts for my happy face who isn’t very happy right now 😭😭. #atthevet #sickdog #happyface #moomkin #tibetanmastiff #meattradesurvivor #travellingmenagerie #adventuresoftravellingmenagerie #adventuresoftravellingmenagerieroundtwo