Yawn. Oh, please excuse me for being so rude by yawning. I’m very sleepy from yesterday’s adventure. It all started a couple nights ago. I was getting ready for bed, and Dad gave me treats. I thought it was odd, because Dad never gives me treats before bed. But hey, who am I to turn down treats wrapped in deli meat? Another unusual thing that happened was rather than go upstairs, Mom wanted to sleep in the living room with me. I was starting to feel super sleepy, and the stairs seemed a lot higher to climb than usual, so I didn’t mind this change in the routine. And boy did I sleep soundly! Normally I like to help organize things in the night like shoes and toys, or at least check on Mom to see if she’s sleeping alright. But instead the reverse was true, and she kept checking on me.

The following morning Mom surprisingly woke me up instead of the reverse. Did I mention I slept really soundly? Anyways, I began my morning routine. However, I noticed on my walk that I couldn’t quite shake the fog I was feeling. It was like I had cobwebs in my head. Oh dear, maybe I accidentally swallowed my spider friend in my sleep! But wouldn’t that mean the cobwebs were in my belly not my brain? Before I could ponder this further, Dad gave me more treats wrapped in deli meat. I don’t know what this new routine is, but I was starting to like it! I wasn’t even upset that he forgot my breakfast. I was just feeling super relaxed. Before I knew it, Mom and Dad were loading me into the car for a visit to the animal hospital. Dad must have noticed I was a little off, because he lifted me in and out of the car.

Here is when things got really weird. It felt like I was moving in slow motion! Instead of my usual exuberant greeting to my best friend at the reception desk, I walked in more subdued than usual. Also rather than sniff everywhere to know which friends have been there, instead I just happily stood in the waiting room and smiled at her, while wagging my tail. Even she noticed my lackluster behavior, and made some comment about “I see the pills are working.” Wonder what she meant by that? Oh who cares, I was just happy to be there. I shook my head a few times to try to clear those cobwebs. But to no avail. Maybe that’s why I was at the animal hospital? To rescue my spider friend?

I was soon ushered into an exam room, and another best friend, the vet tech, came in to take my blood pressure. In the past I needed to be held, while constantly being reminded to stay still and no dancing or rolling on my back for belly rubs. Previously I also had to be reminded to breathe, because with my excited panting I had trouble hearing the beeps of the blood pressure machine, and would hold my breath. This time was different though! I happily laid on the floor, flashing my biggest goofiest grin and wagging my tail, while I could clearly hear the beeping of the blood pressure machine over my breathing. This prompted the vet tech to say, “I bet you’re feeling really good today!” Now that she mentioned it, I was! I didn’t even need Dad to hold my harness, but he did it out of habit anyways. She took her three blood pressure readings, and then announced that Dr. Doug would be in shortly to see me.

Dr. Doug! I LOVE Dr. Doug! I decided to take this break in the action to have a quick nap, so I could properly greet my best friend when he entered. When I heard the door open, I immediately jumped to my paws to greet him. Then slid back down to my belly. Maybe for once it would be ok, if he greeted me instead. While I happily laid there wagging my tail with him petting me, Dr. Doug explained to Mom and Dad that the reason he and my ophthalmologist wanted to take my blood pressure under sedation was to determine if the hemorrhaging in my eye was caused by high blood pressure. They were concerned because previous results taken during my regular exam were “within the realm of reason.” However my blood pressure readings taken on the day of my tummy scan were super high. So when averaging the six results together, I was all over the map. After talking it over, my doctors came up with the plan to try it under sedation.

Sedation! Phew! Glad to know my spider friend was safe and sound and not making cobwebs in my brain! Now I know what you’re thinking, if I’m sedated how accurate could this blood pressure reading be? My clouded thoughts exactly! But as Dr. Doug explained, if it was high under sedation, then I definitely have high blood pressure. But if it was low, then it was either the sedation or I don’t have high blood pressure. Technically that would make today’s reading inconclusive if it was low. Confused? Yes, me too. But I trust my primary vet and my ophthalmologist.

Anyways, after playing with me a bit to see how responsive I was, Dr. Doug concluded that I was alert but calm. He then said that the readings the vet tech took were all well within the normal range. So he declared once and for all that high blood pressure is not causing my eye hemorrhages! Mom’s “yippee!” made me jump to my paws to celebrate! But again, I quickly decided the celebration happy dance could wait. Well that, and Dr. Doug said he would discuss the results with my ophthalmologist.

After politely saying goodbye to everyone at the animal hospital I headed home, for a very long nap. But don’t worry, I was wide awake by bedtime, and did two night’s worth of rearranging and organizing in the bedroom to make up for the previous night. I was having so much fun, I kept waking Mom up to join me. So that’s why today both Mom and me are sleepy. But that’s ok, I’ll just have another nap while she works!