Yesterday, we had some good news for Red – he does not have cancer, which we were concerned about.

Today, some hard news.

Red has tested positive on his titer tests for four different tick-born infectious diseases. It is the first time in the history of the veterinary practice that one dog tested positive at the same time for Lyme, Ehrlichia Canis, Rocky Mountain Fever, and the most severe and troubling test was for Anaplasma, it is a very serious infection.

Red is a very sick dog, and the vet is amazed at his  strength and stoicism. We don’t know how long he has been sick or how severe the infections have become  – the Anaplasma was off the charts, Dr. Fariello said.  And his fever is stubborn.

He will need rest and monitoring for at least a month. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is rare in upstate New York, he might have gotten this in Virginia before he came here.

She explained to me that this is not one of those take-a-few-pills- and-be-good-as-new kinds of things, Red will be weak and sick for a good long time.

Any of these infections can affect the heart, liver, kidney, blood flow or stomach and intestines. Red has had no solid food in two days and is showing signs of extreme fatigue, his fever is still high. This information, as troubling as it is, will give Dr.Fariello clear guidance on how to proceed.

Red is now on doxycycline, a powerful antibiotic used to treat Lyme. We hope he will improve at least somewhat over the next 48 hours. He goes back to the vet tomorrow, Friday, to be checked out before the weekend.

I need to be disciplined and focused about this, Red has always been by my side when I am ill. After my open heart surgery, he lay in bed with me for days on end, he never left my side. He can sense when I am tired or ill, he is right there. He is patient and healing, always.

I have to take good care of him. That means a different attitude for me,  rest and more  rest. He can come out to the pasture to stand and glower at the sheep, but that’s about it. No walks in the woods, no outruns with the sheep, no playing with Fate.

Depending on how he recovers,  I will take him to the Mansion for brief visits and perhaps to one or two hospice visits. My friend Kimberly, a therapist and animal communicator, said Red conveyed to her that he was exhausted, and he needed a lot of rest. I hear that, and I can see it. This will be a chance for me to grow.

I believe now that Red has come to me to show me and the people in his life the depths of compassion. What a strange thing to say, yet I know it is true. I feel him also telling me very clearly that he is tied, and needs to rest. There’s a lot for me to learn here, a lot of space for me to grow and change.

For one dog to test positive for these four different kinds of infectious diseases is serious, I won’t lie to you or myself about it. But it seems clear to me that Red is not ready to leave us, his work is not yet done. And he has never been more necessary or needed.

Our goal is to knock the fever and infections down with antibiotics, with some acupuncture and some special food supplements. He needs to eat for strength and to fight off the infections raging through his body. We’ll meet with Dr. Fariello tomorrow to figure out what else we can do.

Red goes back to the vet tomorrow afternoon. I might know some more. Thanks so much for your support.