Terrible things have happened to me lately

I have not had a good weekend. First off, it has been really hot. I go out on the deck to sunbathe and work on my basset tan and within a few minutes I am panting. Second, the cicadas. At first I thought they were fun to chase and eat, and I guess they still are, but they sure are noisy. I can't hear myself tanning, and that's even when I flap my ears over so they are closed. I have tried eating them but there are too many.

I miss tanning in the yard.

But those are little things compared to yesterday. Yesterday started off OK - we got good food for breakfast and my mama snuggled with us. But then she put us in our crates to go help dad garden. Why is HE gardening? That's mama's job! Anyway, we only get to see her for two days a week and he hogs her for most of the day gardening. But the real problem with yesterday was that I got sick. I have what they call a UTI. UTI's make you have to pee a lot, and I had an accident in my crate. I was so ashamed of myself. But the worst part is that I had to keep going. They came home after lunch and let me out and it felt like I just had to pee all the time, but nothing much came out. Dad noticed and mama said we had to go the vet's.

'Oh no,' I thought. 'Not the vet's again, I was only just there last December for my foot'.

Well this was a different vet. It was a much bigger building and looked nicer, but it still smelled like sick dogs. There was a dog walking out with a cone of shame on his head as we came in and I was so afraid I had to pee again. Usually I am a well-trained hound and don't go inside but I just couldn't help it. I was already starting to imagine what terrible things awaited me inside.

Not this again.

Well the vet lady was nice, she was young and pretty like me, but she still had to do the inspection stuff. She checked my ears with a plastic pointy thingy, and she kept shining a light into my eyes even though I woofed at her to stop. She told me I was beautiful but it was too late to try and butter me up then. I tried to hide under dad's legs but he pulled me out (traitor!). Then the vet lady went further with her inspection - poking and prodding me, touching me in places no human ought to. One place in particular hurt and I whined, I didn't even realize it hurt me until then. The vet lady went away. Another vet lady came in. This one brought water but I wasn't having it. All the while I had to keep peeing like some kind of untrained dog. I was so humiliated.

The newer vet lady talked in a funny accent but she said the UTI thing. She also wanted to do some blood work, so they stuck a needle into me. 'This day can't get any worse' I thought. Then she said I needed to lose a little weight and it would help me avoid getting future UTI's. I wanted to bite her. It wasn't like she was a skinny little model!

Well they finally decided they had tortured and abused me enough and sent me home. Dad went out to do some stuff while mama stayed with me. She gave me a pill that she said would make me feel better. I had my doubts. They were reinforced when she pulled out these little wipies and cleaned me in places I ought to be the only one doing the cleaning. Traitor!

I had to sleep in my crate that night on towels like some kind of bad dog. They said I ruined my bed. Again feeling ashamed. But the medicine seems to have worked because I made it through the night with no accidents and I feel better this morning. I got lots of love and attention so that made it better. Plus dad brought me home a new bed! It's all mine, even though Rosco keeps trying to steal it!

Anyway I guess mama and dad are OK again, I just wish I didn't have UTI's.