So as of late, Luther, my retired guide has been a little under the weather.
Problems for him began after I got home and found him lying amid a variety of contents he had taken the time to remove from a backpack, including protein bar wrappers, jewelry, gum, etc.
Ever since that day, he has been drinking far more water than usual, and subsequently peeing every 5 minutes, thus last week I took him to the vet.
I personally think he ingested something from that backpack, but the vet tells me that no matter what he ate, his symptoms do not fit, a fact that I am not qualified to argue with her about.
After a series of blood tests, urine tests and most recently an ultrasound, the vet tells me that Luther has a form of kidney disease.
His problem lies in his kidneys, which although working normally, are leaking protein, a big no-no.
He is now on baby aspirin to help thin his blood, medication to reduce his blood pressure, and an omega-3 fatty acid to again, help out the kidneys.
He goes back to the vet next week for a follow-up at which time I hope to find out if his meds are actually helping him out.
He has been on them since last Wednesday night, and I am pretty certain that his water intake has dropped a little, a good thing for sure.