Happy New Year!!

My year began with a scare. The normally uber-excitable puppy was lethargic and coughing and miserable. In all honesty, she was more like a baby doll than a live creature of any kind: much less my fun-loving Ali. I've never wanted a puppy to play or bite me more.

I called the animal hospital place, and I hate to say it, but they weren't helpful. Not at all. Okay, so the woman told me to take her temperature, and that if it was lower than 99 degrees or higher than 103, I should bring her in to the hospital, but that normal temperature for a dog is between 101 and 102.5 degrees. Her temperature was 101.4. Says the animal hospital lady, "She has low blood sugar. Give her canned dog food."

I did. She was acting worse, if possible, staggering alone, coughing like she was choking on something.

I found a website, "Just Answer", and an expert there answered my question almost immediately. The expert asked about all of her symptoms, how long it had been going on, etc. Then she told me it sounded like kennel cough, and gave me a rundown of ways to relieve it - not cure it - and told me to take her to the vet if it continued.

In the meantime, Ali threw up the canned dog food. All of it. She was acting a bit better after, and today she's back to her normal self, and into everything imaginable.

By the way, Ali hated having her temperature with a passion. With a passion.