This little bee was tucked into that dahlia yesterday morning, riding out the rainy weather. It didn't look very cozy but I suppose when you're a bee you take shelter wherever you can get it. I alluded to the song "A Sleepin' Bee" in an earlier post, and now that I'm reading Barbra Streisand's book it seems even more appropriate to do so again.
We're due for more storms this morning -- we even have a yellow weather alert, calling for "outbreaks of heavy rain." I cancelled Olga's dog-walker. She doesn't need to be dragged out in that.
When Dave got home yesterday Olga was in a state. She was shivering and wouldn't take a treat or eat any food. She climbed up into his lap and when I got home, she was still shaking. I put her next to me on the couch, covered her with her pink blanket and she eventually calmed down and fell asleep, and then ate most of a can of food (as well as half a paracetamol). I have no idea what was going on. She didn't seem obviously sick, but she could have been in pain or maybe she was just chilled. Remember how she asked to be let out twice the night before? I think she wasn't feeling well then, either.
We did have rain yesterday but she wasn't out during the rainiest periods, and there was no thunder that I heard. (She normally doesn't react to thunder anyway.) I don't think she was upset by any of that.
I slept pretty soundly through the night, fortunately. I woke up around 4 a.m. and listened for Olga's breathing just to make sure she was still alive. Of course I don't want her to die, but in some ways it would be a blessing to not have to make end-of-life decisions.
Elderly dog drama.
I have similar thoughts about my Lola. Every time she did her "hide under the covers for two or three days" thing I wondered if I would find a live cat or a dead cat when I slid into the bed late at night. After the last incident I no longer allow her under the covers, so wherever she is sleeping I check to see if she is still breathing.
ReplyDeleteI suppose this is a natural impulse among the owners of older pets -- but I gotta say, I'd be worried if a cat disappeared for two or three days. I've never had that happen!
DeleteI knew where she was because it's my bed, I only have the one bedroom.
DeleteThe bee could be dead in the flower?
ReplyDeleteEnd of life decisions, as my sister did this morning for her lovely dog.
No! It wasn't dead! It was moving! Sorry about your sister's dog. :(
DeleteHave you ever loved a dog better than you have loved Olga?
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child all our pets were outdoor animals, so that was different. We had a bond, but not as close. And I had cats as a young adult, and although I loved my cats, they're more independent than dogs. Ernie and Ruby, our previous dogs, were pretty amazing, but I only lived with them a couple of years. So Olga probably IS better loved than all my previous pets.
DeleteTwo bees in the flower. Cool!
ReplyDeleteWell, different bees and different flowers, but yes, cool! :)
DeleteSweet Olga. She's a lucky girl to be so loved. I hope she's better today.
ReplyDeleteShe did indeed improve the next day. I'm sure you experienced these up and down days when Ginger got older. It's just part of being an elderly dog.
DeleteI hope whatever Olga was experiencing was a minor passing bug. It’s always so scary. And I would much rather see our pets die in their sleep than suffer and require us to make a decision. My heart is with you.
ReplyDeleteIt turned out to be a passing bug, apparently, though she's still not 100 percent.
DeleteIt's hard with our pets as they age and we start to wonder ... we'll be sending sweet thoughts that Olga was just having a bad day.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bob!
DeleteShe might have a UTI. Maybe check if antibiotics are a good idea? I had my share if scares and decisions with elderly animals. They get elderly so young.
ReplyDeleteThe vet checked her over and found no evidence of anything like that. She's drinking and peeing normally, fortunately.
DeleteI'm guessing she saw the weather forecast and was nervous that you hadn't called off the dog walker.
ReplyDeleteHa! Probably! She would stoop to major drama to avoid going out in the rain.
DeleteMaybe a tummy ache- that will cause shivers for sure!
ReplyDeleteI think that's exactly what it was -- some kind of gastro-intestinal problem.
DeleteThe first thing that I thought of is that something frightened her...but she's not a nervous dog, is she?
ReplyDeleteNo, it would take a lot to frighten Olga! She doesn't even flinch at fireworks.
DeleteIf she has an infection of some sort (like a UTI as Boud suggested) that might cause her to have chills. Poor thing. She's tough, though.
ReplyDeleteSweet picture of the bee.
A UTI was a good guess but I think it was her stomach/intestines. She pooped normally yesterday, though, so if that was the problem it must be past us now.
DeleteHaving had one very traumatic experience, for us and the dog, having a very loved family dog be 'put to sleep' rather than die of blood poisoning from a ruptured tumor I've already decided that I will not do that again. Minnie will die at home on her own schedule doing what I can to aleve any pain she might be experiencing. Minnie is only 9 so I hope that event is still a long way off.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends. I can see a situation where putting an animal to sleep is kinder.
DeleteIt's difficult when the critters can't tell us what's bothering them.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't Google invent a dog translator?
DeletePoor Olga. Charlie shakes, but with fear from the thunder. I hope she's better today.
ReplyDeleteYeah, many dogs get the shakes from thunder or fireworks. Olga doesn't usually mind them! She is better now, thanks.
DeleteSweet Olga. We have one senior dog now and it's really hard to know what to do when things start "changing". I've been spoon feeding Sadie canned food lately (literally) while my husband keeps the wild boys away from her (and her canned food).
ReplyDeleteI hope Olga just had a bug (or ate one) and will soon be back to her old self.
Sometimes I have to hand-feed Olga her food, too. Dave thinks I'm crazy but I just want to get it down her.
DeleteOh Steve, I hope Olga is okay. My heart is shredded just to think of her trembling. But she has loving care and attention from you two, and that is everything.
ReplyDeleteThanks, R! She's fine this morning and not trembling at all. Seems like another transient illness. Whew!
DeleteOh poor Olga. I wonder what was bothering her. That's the hard thing with dogs. They can't tell you what the trouble is.
ReplyDeleteWe're guessing stomach, but who knows?
DeleteThese days I sometimes go shivery like that because of my condition, but with a warm blanket and sugary drink I eventually feel better. I hope Olga is OK.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that sugar helps. Quick energy to burn, I guess?
DeleteI'm currently trying to keep two cats alive, one with end-stage kidney disease and one with severely inflamed airways that were not caught despite several investigations over nearly two years. It is driving me foolish that every time I take one of them to the vet I don't know if they'll be coming home again or not. So I hear you. I hear you! I hope that was a "one and done" episode for Olga, sweet old girl.
ReplyDeleteI read recently that as bees age (they only live 50-60 days, according to the article by a beekeeper) they will sleep in flowers rather than return to the hive at night. If they die overnight in the hive, it takes several worker bees' energy to remove their bodies. If they die outside the hive, it's less work for the others. Talk about selfless. *crying a little*
It does get hard when pets age and we're just never sure what's going on. I didn't know that about bees, but I've occasionally found them sleeping in flowers and wondered what was going on. So maybe Andrew (above) was correct.
DeleteHope Olga is better today, Steve.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, she seems to be.
DeleteI hope Olga feels better. I wonder if she is experiencing some kind of infection after her dental surgery. If this is an infection, she might need antibiotics. Sweet Olga.
ReplyDeleteThe vet says no sign of infection, fortunately. I think she got her stomach twisted in knots. Who knows why.
DeleteWell I ran upon ya'lls blog... some what by accident, trying to find out after a great period of abscnce where my old blogging budyd Tom from NYC was, or had taken off, or laid peacefully. I will follow your blog and maybe it could become a weekly read. Thank for posting all the photos.. Its my pleasure to have ran into the blog
ReplyDeleteo btw our blog was listed on TommyRico list thats the other reason i stopped by
ReplyDeleteOh, Tom! He was one of my first contacts in the blog world, about 15 years ago. Sadly he did die but I loved his blog. He was funny and spoke so frankly about living with HIV. I miss him!
DeleteKeep us posted on Olga. That's concerning. I would be listening for her breathing too. I hope it's just a temporary thing.
ReplyDeleteShe could have heard something that you didn't; there is no telling with animals. My Mari isn't eating as much as she used to nor is she as eager to rush upstairs to her feeder. It worries me a bit.
ReplyDelete