Every Little Thing

Sorry if this seems obsessive blogging about every little thing that Razzle does, but I'm now using this blog as a "record" so I can track changes and behavior in Razzle.

Last night I noticed that he was scratching a lot in the area where he had his surgery. This is also the area where another tumor has reportedly been found. My first reaction was he's scratching because the tumor is growing and bothering him. But upon further reflection, I'm wondering if his skin there is just irritated? His fur was shaved for his surgery, and while most of it has grown back, it's not fully grown back. Maybe it's just at a stage where it is itchy. Keeping a look-out on that...I hope it's the fur theory and NOT because the tumor is growing...*fingers crossed*

Secondly, I have another theory as to why Razzle is fighting me so much with the meds. Aside from the fact that he just doesn't like them, I think it is because he gets congested in the "medicine-giving-position" (on his back). I have noticed that his nose gets wet....sometimes to the point of spraying on me (hedgie snots!) and also, when I "force" the meds in him, he's having trouble swallowing because he's having trouble breathing. Tonight I will try giving him meds in another position. I don't know if it will work, but we can try.

Lastly, starting Tuesday night, I began giving Razzle a bit of Pedialyte mixed in with his water. I chose the "unflavored" kind. I wasn't sure how Razzle would react to it, since unflavored or not, nothing gets by that super nose! So I gave Razzle two bowls of water - one with Pedialyte and one without - just in case. He's been drinking the water with the Pedialyte and either he likes it or doesn't notice it. However, that night he ran 0.33 miles for 18 minutes. This is tied with last week's record run of 0.33, only that was done in 19 minutes. So he shaved an entire minute off his run. This is the most he has run since his surgery. :)

I'm trying to be positive about these little things. It's hard not to be sad when I look back at Razzle's running log and see all the nights he ran 3, 4 or 5 miles. He would run for hours effortlessly. I would wake up to a wheel that looked like a dozen horses trampled around on it. Now I'm lucky if there are a few little poos on there. But overall, Razzle is doing good. He's got his appetite back. He's as squirmy as ever. He's running a little bit every night. He tires more easily now and yawns a lot more, but that is to be expected. But he's doing good considering the obstacles he has before him. He hasn't given up, so neither will we.

Way to go Razzle! Keep up the good work! <3