Dog Days of Winter

Update: Nice job with the good vibes, y'all! As promised, I took li'l Floki (I'm really looking forward to the day when someone asks, "Oh, how'd he get that name?" and I can reply "Well, as you might have guessed, it's the name of the legendary Norseman who discovered Iceland and was suggested by an e-friend from Croatia), very much alive, to the vet at 10am sharp. I was pretty happy that I could convey most of the story in Mongolian, and understand and respond to the questions. He pooped a little when he was getting his temperature taken and the vet and I agreed that it seemed there was blood in his stool. Also his back legs weren't right. Then it struck me -- to my untrained eye, I'd wager a car ran over his rear end. This would account for both his inability to really use his hind legs and the blood from inside. The good news (I hope) is that he didn't really yelp when the vet was manipulating those legs, so maybe there's no serious fracture. The internal bleeding, though...Anyway, they'll keep him all day. I'll get him at 5pm and update again. He really is adorable, and I also am not much of a dog lover. Keep those vibes a-flowin'!

So as I'm getting ready to head over to Brother Luke's to feast on homemade khushuur and retrieve the goods he has kindly schlepped over for me from America, I hear a dog persistently whining, seemingly in my courtyard. This is not unusual; several stray dogs about. But as I head to my bathroom near the front door, the whining and yelping have taken on a desperate urgency and they're clearly coming from my apartment building's hallway.

I go out to investigate, and on the landing below I find a little, fuzzy puppy lying in his own diarrhoea on the freezing concrete, crying piteously and barely able to move. Poor baby! I sprint back to get a towel and lift him gingerly into my bathtub where I give him a good warm hosing down. Sternly warning Mooj away, I dry him off and make him another towel nest under the radiator in my bedroom where there's also still some afternoon sun streaming in. He weakly tries to wag his tiny tail, but won't even take the water I offer him.

Of course it's Sunday. No vet is open and the one I use doesn't answer either of the two numbers on my brochure. I make sure he's comfy, close Mooj off in the other room, and head to Luke's.

We have a very nice time, and when I get back, the puppy is toasty warm, has stopped whining, and can lift his head to shoot me a grateful glance. Frankly, I'm thrilled he's not dead. Now he's sleeping soundly and I just want the collective DODR Good Energy Machine to direct itself at him and keep him alive for twelve more hours. After that, I'll be right on the vet's doorstep, and I feel if we get that far, he'll be OK. I'll be his nurse, which will be no hardship whatsoever because, well, look:

Even Mooj has made peace with idea of this creature in his domain, though not before a thorough inspection was conducted (and a bit of a talking to from Pop):

OK? Twelve hours? We can do this and I'll report on his progress tomorrow.

Comments

[KayInNewMexico]

Puppy photos. Awwwwww. Sniffle. Good Energy Machine in action, aimed at all three of you.

[Rachel H]

Healing vibes for the puppy being sent with all possible energy and vigour.

[Carol]

We have good dog karma, because we have a sad and sick pound puppy that we rescued who is now the healthiest, happiest and friendliest dog who ever walked the earth. So Maxxx and I will send a bundle of warm fuzzies to you all. And remember that sometimes cow milk is hard for non-cows to digest. If he's not holding food in try sheep or goat milk or yogurt, if that doesn't work, water with a bit of sugar and salt will replace some electrolytes.

[Sophie]

Rice water is good at stopping diarrhoea and thus dehydration. I would try it with a pinch of poultry stock or broth for the incentive flavor.
I'm such an idiot with energy and good vibes and all that - but I'll send all my very best. Go puppy go.

[Carol]

Good thing for the puppy that you heard the little tyke. Healing energy coming up!

[kmkat]

So Mooj is about to gain a brother? Cool. But to my totally untrained eye that pup looks like he could grow into a St. Bernard or something like it. Mooj can ride on his back ;-)

My 2 doggies and 1 of my cats -- the one that loves dogs -- and I are all sending strong waves of healthy dog energy your way. Yay for warm furry critters!

[Kirt Undercoffer]

Thadyatha Om Behkanze Behkanze Mahabehkanze Behkanze Raja Samugate Soha (infinite times)

[Vedran]

Thats amazing puppy you found there! Please consider name Floki for him if it's male.

[Konchog]

Of course I'm up at 3AM to check on him. He's OK, no change, took a little water when I offered it on my fingers then a spoon.

Vedran...LOL. I am so totally naming him Floki if he hangs around, because it sounds hilarious. But...why? What's it mean?

[Julie]

Good Energy coming Floki's way! And some for you and Mooj, too. :)

[minnie]

ohhhhhhh! he's so darling! poor little guy. sending good vibes your way. good thing the boys' didn't see it though, they'd want to adopt him, lol. (yes, all the way from mongolia!)

[Sislaura]

Elizabeth and I just opened the blog and are sending good thoughts. Comments on rehydration fluid very valid from other commentaries. Please let us know soon of his doings. We're heading to church, where prayers will be heading your way. Mooj, he's not a toy! well, maybe a little bit!

[Sarabaite]

Soo cute! When I worked as a dog groomer in college, some one dumped off an orange kitten on our doorstep, in a similar condition. I figured I'd just make him comfortable until he died (which he seemed certain to do), but he just kept living. Eventually, my parents adopted Pixel (because he was such a small dot of color THEN) and have loved him for over 11 years now.

BTW, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flóki_Vilgerðarson will tell you a little about the legend behind Floki -- a pretty cool story from Iceland. (Many people scoff at using Wikipedia, but for long-standing stories like mythology & legends, it seems pretty reliable to me.)
Whatever his name, Fluffy seems sure to grow to a big size! I'd guess he won't be a hyper dog, though; he doesn't seem to have the lines of a hunting breed. He'll probably be very protective of little Mooj!

[Faith]

He elicited involuntary, audible chortles from me as soon as I saw him (and I'm not a dog person, particularly). Sending good thoughts and wishes to you all. He couldn't have ended up in a better hallway.