Monday, August 13, 2018

Fish For Breakfast # Chewy Influencer



It feels like the time for a Bailey update. We never expected to make it to August together and we've been spending lots of time with Bailey, saving up memories.
The tumor is growing and she's getting weaker, but she's still happy and still wants to be part of the pack. She stays either in her crate or in the big pen in the garage so that she doesn't have to deal with stairs. When I step into the room she slowly stands up and grabs a toy to carry around. She has three favorites; Rottie Pup,

Chris Moose

and Big Red Monkey. She alternates but for the past few days she's sticking with Monkey.
She goes outside with the other dogs and usually sits on the hill watching and sometimes barking. If she's feeling good, she wanders slowly around the yard.
She's had a good appetite but it's becoming more difficult for her to eat. The huge tumor is squeezing her internal organs so she can only eat about a third of a normal meal. She has to stop frequently and pant until she can eat some more. Sometimes she prefers to be spoonfed because bending isn't comfortable.

Bailey eats four or five small meals a day. Because she prefers it and because it's good for her, she eats a lot of fish. Chewy has made it easier for me to find quality fish kibble. This month we're using a favorite, Zignature Trout and Salmon Meal Limited Ingredient Formula Grain Free Dry Dog Food. We're big Zignature fans around here but this time it's all for Bailey.  At lunch I add a sardine chopped and mixed into the kibble.
Yesterday Bailey wasn't interested in dinner and refused her bedtime yogurt. That worried me. This morning she didn't want to get up and go outside with us. Then she refused to eat breakfast. I doubled her pain medication and let her rest for awhile. Then I mixed a sardine into her breakfast and she ate the whole thing. Next she went outside, carrying monkey with her. At lunch she showed more pep and ate well. The same at dinner time.
I suspect Bailey is getting ready to leave us. Although she's grown hair back on her chest legs and face, she looks tired and serious. She's been amazingly brave thru this whole illness and has given me strength to face the ending. We're taking it day by day and we have eleven years of loving memories to hold onto.
Chewy sent us this bag of Zignature Trout and Salmon food for Bailey at no cost to us in exchange for our honest review. Bailey looks forward to her fishy food and I want to thank the good folks at Chewy for offering us healthy fish choices for our girl. We've found some wonderful foods that were unknown to us before Chewy introduced us.

3 comments:

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

We think fish makes things better....especially sardines. We're glad she is still able to enjoy life....such a sweet girl.

Molly the Airedale said...

One day at a time, Bailey. Hugs to all of you♥

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

We too are big fans of Zignature. Mom has just started to add a little bit back into Timber's prescription kibble in the hopes that it is NOT what was the source of his problems.

We hope for the best for Bailey.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber