Fourth day: vet visit, fleas again (10/15/12)

Found two fleas and more flea dirt on Chimera in the morning. Boo!

He had a check up at my holistic vet clinic. He clamped his mouth shut when the doctor wanted to examine his teeth, but otherwise was a good boy and got a clean bill of health. He got his second distemper/parvo shot and was sent home with a homeopathic liquid to prevent/treat vaccinosis. It's been easier to administer than I'd expected. I put a piece of cheese or chicken in the palm of my right hand and in my fingers I have the dropper. I hold him in my lap with my left hand. When he reaches forward for the treat I stick the dropper into his mouth, squirt, and immediately follow it up with the treat.

I stopped by the post office on the way home, leaving him in his crate in the car. He was quiet as I left and returned.

Once home, I pulled out the big, loud vacuum cleaner so I could clean the carpets of any fleas or eggs. First I moved the vacuum back and forth without turning it on. Cai came over to investigate but quickly lost interest. I turned it on once he was across the room. He startled, but slowly approached again. He got excited if the vacuum moved in his direction, and would bark at it with a combination of excitement, playfulness, and nervousness. However he also felt calm enough to chew on his bully stick, chase his toys when I tossed them out of the way, and even lay down to rest.

I left him alone in the apartment three times to put his bedding and my blankets through the laundry. The first time, he was quiet, and looked like he'd been wandering around to look for me when I came back through the door. The second time he cried a little. The third time, he was sound asleep in the kitchen with the radio on, and didn't wake up when I left or returned.

Later we were back in my room and he once again went to the gate and whined and then lay down in front of it. I opened the gate and we headed to the front door to go out, but I should have carried him instead -- he ran to a corner by the front door and peed. Darn it!

At work, he played with his Cavalier mix friend again, and slept quietly in a crate behind the front counter. After my shift I gave him his second bath, and washed off found two fleas.

At bedtime I switched his crate from the side of the bed next to the wall, to the open side. After a few more nights I will try putting it on the ground right next to the bed and hope that he's still relaxed at night.