Because of Jasper

During Saturday Jasper became poorly. I watched him carefully, prepared to drive to Christchurch to the after hours vet if necessary.

He favoured one of his back legs and was quite miserable. Yesterday and today he's brighter but not quite right.

This morning I had a telephone vet consultation. I recounted Jasper's Saturday morning, energetic, normal, playing with his mate Shadow, until 11am when he came inside miserable. The telling part was a cat fight in the middle distance a few minutes after I let him out.

The vet's theory is that Jasper was bitten and after the adrenalin wore off, he felt pretty stink. He's moving ok but can't do his usual deep stretches.

I went back to the vet early this evening to pick up antibiotics. In normal times he'd be given an antibiotic shot and that would be it.

Rather than struggle twice a day for 5 days to get big pills down his neck, I went to the supermarket and brought the recommended treat sachets to trick him with.

I crush each pill in the mortar and pestle then mix it into the contents of a small sachet. Jasper approached his bowl with great suspicion but the Purina Fancy Feast Puree won him over.

Only 9 pills left to go.

Grocery shopping is a furtive affair. We shuffled along every few minutes, several out, several in. I scurried here and there like a rodent, getting anything else on my shopping list at the same time. I felt a bit stressed.

Work was a long day, sorting how I'll train something tomorrow. Later in the week when the weather is good again, I'll have a short day.

Today's gratitude: For the rain and a warm home to work in. It could be a lot worse.