Deaf Dog Hope, A.K.A. Egg Thief

My egg basket with eggs from organically feed chickens.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons December 2016

Sometimes you get into auto pilot when doing things, not thinking about what consequences may occur because of your lack of attention to details. This happened recently after I gathered chicken eggs. I put the egg basket with six eggs on top of the chickens' feed bin, which sits on the porch. Then, I went in to let Hope out to run and play. I got sidetracked and forgot to bring the eggs in. I was not thinking about the eggs being at Hope's level, or that Hope is guilty of counter-surfing, always looking for food to steal after her bout with being sick and underweight for three months before being diagnosed with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency.

(The EPI diagnoses is treatable. It means Hope has to have enzymes put on her food. The food has to soak for at least twenty minutes before she can eat it. The enzymes, which are ground up pig pancreases, helps Hope's body digest the food, rather than going through her undigested and coming out in the form of smelly diarrhea.)

A short time later, I realized I needed to bring the eggs inside and get them into the refrigerator. I stepped outside to see an empty egg basket. There wasn't an egg or any tiny bits of egg shell left. These eggs were from my organically feed chicken, and that organic food cost more, about three times more than conventionally food.

Aarrrrgghh!!!! There was no enzymes on those eggs to help Hope digest them. Heaven for bid, my mind began to spin and relive those three months of none stop diarrhea and extremely foul gas which affected Hope, but which I had to clean up and smell.

First, I sent out an urgent text messages to friends, who I knew would pray for Hope. Then, I quickly got Hope's dog food ready, with enzymes soaking on them. I thought that if she ate her food with the enzymes, that maybe it would help her digest the eggs and shells.

Deaf Dog Hope with her sign of shame.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons December 2016

After twenty minutes, Hope ate her food. Then, I let her stay outside longer, since the weather was decent. When the diarrhea came, and I knew it would, I wanted her to be outside. My plan worked out, no diarrhea inside the house.

The problem came later that night, while I was trying, repeat trying to sleep. Hope slept fine in her create beside the bed, but I lay awake as she let off SBDs, silent but deadly gas. At about 2am, I let Hope outside to do her duty, just in case she had anymore diarrhea. When I let her inside, as she was going up the stairs in front of me, the SBDs were no more. It was gag a maggot, blow your hair back, in your face, eyes watering, loud toots all the way up the stairs.

Did I surivive? Yes! The moral of this story is: I will keep the chicken eggs out of Hope's reach.