Pills

This is their pre-dinner waiting pose. A bit unusual because Oates would be much closer to me, and the food. Willie would maybe not be in the picture at all since he rarely gets excited about dinner. But he's sitting very seriously.

Oates is probably a little gun-shy because I recently "pilled" him. Given his recent ear infection, he's back on pills. He won't take them in his food, he has figured out "pill pockets" the delicious treats that secretly hold pills, and won't take those.

I learned from Willie's recent hospital visit that the word "pill" is used as a verb in the veterinarian community for shoving a pill with one's finger all the way down a dog's throat. Sadly, this is the only way either of them will take a pill. Willie is less violent in his resistance, as if the whole thing is too undignified to endure. Oates rocks his head, bites my finger and generally acts as if I'm trying to kill him, rather than take care of him.

So, here he is hanging back after our newly-resumed nightly pill ritual.

He hasn't had an easy day.  This morning I had the bizarre task of collecting both their urine, for a test on Willie where Oates was the "control".  But Oates ear infection is causing a head tilt that thrown off his balance, so when he kicks to pee he falls over like a bicycle with a broken stand.  When I could not collect his urine, I had to leave him with the vet so they could find another way to collect it from him instead.

I hope they know I'm just trying to take care of them.