Hiro crosses the rainbow

 I was thinking about Hiro today while walking Dori. Wondering when I will actually update my blog and inform Chris about the news. I looked up in the sky and saw the sign that it was time....

When my first son Haruki passed on, I couldn't bring myself to update my blog for a long time. We didn't have a "replacement" dog for a long time as well. When Kimiko crossed over, we were faced with the same void. It doesn't get any easier.

But, stars aligned for us to receive Hiro a few months after Kimiko left. We were so lucky to have him for a wonderful 1 year and 9 months. Always too short. He was indeed the sweetest boy ever and he lived his last year of his life to the fullest with Riko and Dori.

Cancer took him from us silently and suddenly a few weeks ago. I took him to the vet thinking he was going to have remove fluids from his abdomen (he has done so twice), coming home with him and going for his walk in the evening. This time, the vet said that his spleen was highly enlarged and may rupture unexpectedly at any time. So, I stayed with him at the vet until it closed to help him cross over the rainbow to be with Haruki and Kimiko. Ironically, he passed on Haruki's birthday - Aug 10.

Weeks before, he spent happily walking and doing the things that he loved - eating and sleeping. Through strange coincidences, we met a lovely neighbor during our walks, who asked whether their kids could walk the dogs. So, he spent his last days walking everyday with them.

My sweet boy will run with Ruki and Kimi until we see each other again....

Happy Ox-piscious New Year

Illegal assemblies

At my tea time and midnight snack time, the usual partners-in-crime will diligently stir from their naps or bedtimes..... drag themselves to the kitchen for their hopeful share of the meal.

 

Happy New Year

The Boy's ear is still asymmetrical. So, here's to a happy new (y)Ear!

Two Nuns and the Monk

Weighing in the year that had passed

Hiro at 33kg

Dori at 33kg 

All normal for Riko

Very Vet Day

We are back to the vet to since Dori's accident in September. It is one of Hiro's favourite social venue.....not so much for Riko.

The boy's right ear developed hematoma. After ear cleaning, he is now on anti-inflammatory.

He loves the attention

Riko had her lumps checked. She has a few skin tags and benign lumps. All is well!

She'd rather be somewhere else

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

A year in MCO

Twice a day like clockwork, my walking jacket and shoes come to me.

They want to walk....smell...pee... poo...

Meet friends....

Next day, my fitness coach is ready to go again.

Long road to recovery

Dori was hit by a car in September. It happened when Grandpa was reversing the car in the driveway and did not see her in his path. After the collision, she couldn't walk despite not having anything broken.

The next few weeks, she had zero mobility. She was in and out of the vet for x-rays, tests and was on joint & nerve medication. Her prognosis was not good with early signs of arthritis and being overweight.

Not giving up, she moved on to having swimming classes. Her weight dropped from 40kg to 32 kg.

Swim classes

Slowly, she progressed onto her wheelchair. After not walking for 2 months, suddenly she remembered she had legs.

Thankfully, she lost all her fattiness and regained her mobility in late November. Everyone in the household is under weight management food to stay slim from now on.

The most popular

When I am away for a couple of days, Kung Kung is the most popular person at home.

New Norm

Six months into work from home mode....we do still need to turn up at daycare in the days I need to be at the office...

Feet-dragging upon arrival at daycare

Disembarkation negotiations

Acceptance of offer

On my break time

Having the flexibility to still work from home means I can take them for a short walk during the day. I know when it is time to go when my girl comes to see me. Nowadays, she has enlisted Hiro to have strength in numbers.

Today, the boy met the neighbor's dogs with his usual wagging tail. The boy is friendly to all dogs. Riko (not in picture) is observing social distancing rules at all times.

Butt inspection

The Staring Game

Sometimes, I feel like the minority shareholder in my house. 

This is the we-want-to-go-walking stare.

Heart-to-Heart

Hiro went for his heart scan last week. The diagnosis is that he has congestive heart condition - likely caused by heartworms. Click link for info.

Glad that we know the cause and his abdomen fluid accumulation has cleared. He will be on heart medication from now on. His walks has to be restricted so as not to strain his heart. He is still happy-go-lucky with no side effects from his conditions.

Observing social distancing

 

Hiro the hero

Hiro overcame many health issues since his arrival. Mass cell tumour then heartworm.

Recently, he had gained a lot of weight very rapidly. At first, I thought it was a side effect of the steroids in his antibiotics taken after his surgery. After trying to do some weight management without much results, we went to the vet to have him examined. His blood test was all clear (within normal band).

It turns out that fluids have been accumulating in his abdomen. So, it was drained in 2 sessions. On Friday, 600 ml came out (1 small mineral bottle). Yesterday, a whopping 2 litres (2 large mineral water bottles) was drained out. The boy was so calm and zen through the one hour process.

After the session, some 2 kilos came off. His proper waistline could be seen again. There is more fluid inside.... hope that it will subside naturally with some diuretic medication. He will need to get down to 32-34 kg for better quality of life.

Back home and resting....

The vet suspects it may he may have heart issues (from the heartworms early on). He will be monitored if the fluids come back. We have to get a heart scan sometime next week. Pray hard that it is treatable.

Weekend spa for the girls

It is a long restful weekend with the kids.

Saturday - Dori had her hair cut and grooming session.

Sunday - Riko had her head and neck massage after lunch with her grandparents.

Hiro goes on diet. Watch this space.

D-Day (Heart worm results)

This week, we received a Whatssap reminder for Hiro's post heartworm treatment check up. 

As usual, the boy was happy for the vet visit because of all the attention he gets from the doctors and nurses. Also, all the doggy friends he meets in the waiting room.

With the conditional MCO, we had to still wear our face masks and wait outside until the earlier patient exits. The boy was mighty kan cheong to go inside on arrival.

Pre-consultation weight-check (Left-Before in Feb, Right- Today)

Since January, he lost a lot of weight due to his prolonged antibiotic medication. At its lowest, it was 32 kg. Now, he has truly gone over the opposite end of the scale. With the MCO, they could not go for their regular walks and increase meal frequency (my fault). Dr. Doris says he has to get back to 32 kg. I agreed too.

The good news is the boy is tested as heartworm-free! He will need to take his monthly heartworm tablets.

So now, everyone is strictly on 2 meals a day. Intra-day snacks are limited to fruits until further notice. We need to go to the vet soon enough for his annual vaccination. He has to go for the full complete 9-in-1 version to cover additional exposures.... since he already has a record of eating rats!

Boy waiting with wagging tail before meeting new friend

Sunday Synchronicity

Heat wave - everyone's basking under the air con

Life after MCO

It was Day 2 of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).

My dog walker suddenly turned up at my gate!

My girl was super excited since she had't gone for a walk for almost 2 months. The boy was super blur because he was jolted up from his afternoon nap. Glad they can get some exercise now. Had trouble fastening Hiro's harness around his body.... means he has fatten up post-antibiotic medication. Now, he needs to watch his weight since he is eternally hungry at home.

Sometimes, the kids and their walker have tea before walking. Everyone is served the same portion from the food menu of the day.

Home dining

The kids have gone from two meals a day to when-I-eat, they-eat-too arrangement. Simply speaking, my meals always get hijacked.

Grab Delivery

In the early lockdown days, Grabmum sends over some lunch. She was paid in kind with one Riko to take back to daycare for the afternoon.

Mr. Delivery Man

Nowadays, the new people we see are the delivery men.

Everyone puts their own needs in the weekly order lists. Our Tesco man has been delivering only half of our orders twice in a row since the lockdown began. At least, Riko is glad her cream cheese order came and Hiro is willing to eat vegetables if it came down to that or starvation.

New norms in our daily lives

It is almost a month that we have all been house-bound. Somehow, everyone has managed to find their new norms.

The most significant one would be that we can no longer take their usual walks. As the MCO rules tighten, our walks had become illegal - in front of the house after dark. In the early days, the kids would want to walk further into the next road. Nowadays, they seem to know that they cannot breach an imaginary boundary pass the neighbour's house.... they turn back. For more legal alternatives, we walked in our daycare garden. But, it is quite boring.

Momma is home day and night. We have been sleeping day and night. On good days, we bask in the dining room when the air-conditioner is turned on.

Car rides became the main highlight of the day.  Nobody wants to sit in the middle seat. Everyone wants a window seat. For some reason, mummy is covering her nose. So, Dori wants to do the same too.

We are also served lunch and tea everyday now.