Wednesday, May 18, 2005
I went downtown to attend a meeting of the Rotary club last night so I could arrange their participation in a program to have successful local entrepreneurs talk to our students. Had to take a taxi back home because at 9:00 the daladalas weren’t running any longer.
I had left the puppies running loose in the courtyard, with Hodie outside so she could roam, or sit in front of the door and wait for me.
When I got home, Hodie wasn’t in front of the door. I found her in the back near the door to the courtyard, and she began barking at me. She followed me to the front door, but seemed to be acting funny. Then I saw the problem. Her eyes were completely swollen shut and were obviously bothering her a lot. If I forced them open, her eyes were all red – I don’t even know if she has sight in them or not. She was also spending a lot of time licking her paw, and her paw felt hot. I felt so sorry for her, and didn’t know what to do.
I splashed water on her eyes, as best I could – she didn’t like that at all – and soaked her paw. I tried to call the vet, but the line kept getting cut off. So I held her a lot, and made her as comfortable as I could.
This morning she is listless and won’t eat. Her eyes are still very swollen and bothersome, but she seems to be able to at least open them to a slit.
I don’t know what happened. I first thought of angry neighbors and lye, but she doesn’t seem scarred and her fur is intact – if someone threw a chemical on her would have involved her nose and muzzle too. All I can think of is maybe one of those spitting snakes we read about here did her in. They are supposed to spray venom at the face of their prey, aiming for the eyes. But apart from cages in museums, I have yet to see a snake in Africa either alive or dead, even as road kill, although everyone says they are all around. Still, a snake seems the best explanation of how my chicken died, and Hodie does stick her nose into anything that looks interesting.
The poor pooch!
I had left the puppies running loose in the courtyard, with Hodie outside so she could roam, or sit in front of the door and wait for me.
When I got home, Hodie wasn’t in front of the door. I found her in the back near the door to the courtyard, and she began barking at me. She followed me to the front door, but seemed to be acting funny. Then I saw the problem. Her eyes were completely swollen shut and were obviously bothering her a lot. If I forced them open, her eyes were all red – I don’t even know if she has sight in them or not. She was also spending a lot of time licking her paw, and her paw felt hot. I felt so sorry for her, and didn’t know what to do.
I splashed water on her eyes, as best I could – she didn’t like that at all – and soaked her paw. I tried to call the vet, but the line kept getting cut off. So I held her a lot, and made her as comfortable as I could.
This morning she is listless and won’t eat. Her eyes are still very swollen and bothersome, but she seems to be able to at least open them to a slit.
I don’t know what happened. I first thought of angry neighbors and lye, but she doesn’t seem scarred and her fur is intact – if someone threw a chemical on her would have involved her nose and muzzle too. All I can think of is maybe one of those spitting snakes we read about here did her in. They are supposed to spray venom at the face of their prey, aiming for the eyes. But apart from cages in museums, I have yet to see a snake in Africa either alive or dead, even as road kill, although everyone says they are all around. Still, a snake seems the best explanation of how my chicken died, and Hodie does stick her nose into anything that looks interesting.
The poor pooch!
