Update on Heartworm Treatment
Wheatley’s doing very well, the challenge at this point is really trying to keep her immobile. Luckily, as long as you’re willing to lie in bed she’ll basically lie beside you forever. I kept her in the crate for the first few days, but after that she was just completely miserable; she needs to be on top of a Person or she thinks she’s unloved.
One good thing about this is that it has forced me to train her and Chell to go outside more readily. Previously, every time the dogs needed to pee I needed to take them on a 30-45 minute walk (in addition to their normally scheduled long walks). Wheatley can’t have long walks for the next month and a half, so instead, I just take her directly outside. It took her a little while to adjust, but now the dogs immediately go upon getting outside, and a bonus is that because it doesn’t take so long to get them to go, I can take them out a lot more often. Chell still gets her long walks, but it’s difficult because she’s reluctant to go anywhere without Wheatley.
She still has problems understanding “tricks.” Chell learns tricks immediately, then proceeds to perform them only when she feels like it (otherwise, she just gives me a doubtful stare). Whenever Wheatley learns a new trick, it just becomes THAT THING MOMMY WANTS ME TO DO. I taught her “lie down” and the second I pull out a treat, she throws herself at my feet with enough force that she slides across the tiles. If I take a step back (to get her to stand so I can give her the command properly), she jerks up, then throws herself down again (sliding all the way). This is the same thing that happened when I taught her “sit”; she would just sit, then scoot forward six inches, sit again, scoot forward six inches, sit again. It’s hard to challenge such unbridled enthusiasm.
