Chapter 15 [The Past] Mad Dog Hotel
When Lu Qi opened his eyes, the room was dark and gloomy.
She moved her stiff body and touched warm, smooth fur.
There was something warm near her knees, and after she woke up, the warm, furry mass receded.
Snap
The light-colored dog paw pressed the switch on the wall, and the only light bulb on the ceiling lit up, illuminating the entire small house with a yellowish glow.
Lu Qi squinted, and once his eyes adjusted to the bright light, he saw a pale golden silk-like glow.
She huddled inside the wardrobe, while a large, well-proportioned dog stood outside the door, wagging its tail and gently tugging at Lu Qi's sleeve.
Lu Qi exhaled a breath of stale air.
Following the golden retriever's movements, she climbed out of the closet and sat on the bed.
She stared blankly at the open cabinet door for a while, then felt a warmth on her lower abdomen as a beautiful and elegant golden retriever rested its head on her lap.
Lu Qi snapped out of her daze, stroked Lulu's ear, and gently rubbed her earlobe with her thumb. "I'm sorry, Lulu, I made you worry again."
Lulu gazed at her gently, offering silent words of comfort.
“I’m fine,” Lu Qi stroked its cheek. “I’ve had very few attacks since you came. It’s just that yesterday… was a special day.”
The girl's eyes dimmed, but when she met Lu Lu's wet, dark eyes, she smiled again and said, "Yesterday was the day we met, wasn't it?"
"Hmm."
Lulu rolled out a low voice from her throat.
It's grown up now, living in a residential area, and can no longer bark as crisply as it did when it was a kitten.
"Let's go, I'll cook for you, and then we'll go for a walk."
In just one short sentence, Lulu's tail wagged excitedly as she said "meal" and "walk".
It remembered that it couldn't shout when it was excited, so it circled around Lu Qi's feet, flapping its wings from side to side to express its joy.
Lu Qi went to the kitchen.
In the year since Lulu was found, her depression has improved significantly. Since Lulu finished her parvovirus treatment, she has had fewer than three relapses, and in the last six months, she hasn't had a single relapse, making Luqi almost forget that she had this disease.
Yesterday was her birthday, but also the day her parents passed away, so she still felt a little sad.
Lulu was only three months old when she first saw Lu Qi hiding in the closet.
It barked urgently and scratched at the door from the outside, using its paws and claws to pry open the sliding door a crack after a long time.
The puppy squeezed its nose into the crack, trying desperately to squeeze in.
A beam of light shone into the dark closet, and Lu Qi, hugging her knees, sobbed uncontrollably.
She didn't open the door for Lulu. It pried and burrowed, squeezing open the sliding door, and with its slightly chubby little waist, it climbed to Luqi's side and looked up at her.
Lu Qi buried her face in her knees. Lulu watched her for a while, but received no instructions, so she stood close to Lu Qi and obediently leaned against her.
Its hind legs are still supported, so it can't sit down.
By the time Lu Qi recovered from her emotions, more than six hours had passed, and the three-month-old puppy was standing there trembling all over.
Lu Qi apologized to it while crying, hurriedly took off the brace, and hugged it to her arms.
Lulu licked her hand, whimpering and seeking comfort or praise.
It didn't know what was happening, but it was clearly an extremely intelligent puppy with an exceptional survival instinct; when things went wrong, it would quietly stick close to its mother.
As Lulu grew, the crack in the door she was prying at got bigger and bigger.
Bright yellow light and a golden puppy squeezed through the crack in the door and clung to Lu Qi.
It had grown too big to squeeze in with Lu Qi, so it buried its head in her arms and covered her stomach.
As winter passed, Lu Qi saw her psychologist for the last time, and the doctor stopped her medication.
The money my uncle and younger uncle send me is getting less and less. Last year it was a fluctuating decrease, but this year it has been decreasing in stages.
When the number of messages first decreased, her aunt and uncle called to explain the reasons; recently, they haven't even been sending messages often.
Lu Qi had told them more than once that they didn't need to give her money.
Perhaps feeling bad, each family still gave her 3,000 yuan a month for tuition and living expenses.
“You’ll need to rent a bigger place for college,” Lu Qi said, squatting down to wipe Lulu’s feet after her walk. “The current apartments don’t even have room for you to take a shower. Left hand—”
Lulu raised her left front paw and handed it to Luqi.
The cold, damp towel touched its paw pads, and it instinctively flinched, then stretched its paws forward.
When wiping its hind paws, Lu Qi let it put its front paws on her shoulders.
Lulu no longer needs a support frame; she can walk, run, and jump without any problems using her two hind legs, but standing on one leg is still a bit strenuous.
The little one had a near-death experience at one month old, but she grew up to be extremely beautiful, with a slender waist, long legs, and a tall, upright figure. Her fur was like strands of golden thread, shimmering with a silky sheen.
It exudes an air of nobility, elegance, and politeness. Every time Lu Qi goes out and meets people, she receives amazed glances.
This well-behaved puppy can't get a bath at the pet store.
On the one hand, parvovirus remains contagious for up to three years after recovery, and taking it to a pet store is irresponsible towards other pets;
On the other hand, Lulu's body couldn't withstand the vaccine after being nearly killed by parvovirus. She hadn't received the 8-in-1 vaccine, and reputable pet stores don't accept dogs without a vaccination record.
Lu Qi can only wash it at home.
In the summer, she can wash the dog downstairs, but in the cold winter, her toilet is not big enough to wash an adult dog. Every bath is extremely difficult, but fortunately, Lulu is very well-behaved and cooperative.
When I go to university, besides moving to a bigger house, I also need to get my driver's license and buy a car right away.
Traveling with a large dog is too restrictive and inconvenient. Almost every time Lu Qi comes back from a trip, she has to flip through a car magazine.
She wasn't considering sedans, but was torn between SUVs and minivans. Taking Lulu's size into account, a minivan might be more suitable.
When she was struggling with her decision, Lu Qi would tear out pages from the magazine and give them to Lulu to choose from.
Lulu nudged the screen a couple of times with her nose, then picked up the page it had selected and laughed, "Good baby, you've chosen automatic transmissions, haven't you?"
She rubbed Lulu's head and muttered to herself, "You should still take the C2 test. You seem to be a bit bigger than a typical Golden Retriever, so you'll be more comfortable riding in a van."
Lulu couldn't understand; she was only busy rummaging through the scraps of paper, scattering various models of cars all over the room, each one marked with Lu Qi's notes.
Back to the present, Lu Qi threw away the wet wipe. "Okay. Your paws are wiped clean. Stay home obediently. I'm going out to buy some succulents."
She stood up, while Lulu sat on the ground, staring intently at her.
Lu Qi's heart ached. She hugged the handsome little dog's head and said, "I'm sorry, baby, the market is too dirty, there are too many germs, you can't go there."
"Waaah..." Lulu frowned and made a pitiful sound.
"I'll be back soon, okay?" Lu Qi didn't soften her heart. She patted the puppy's head, and as she patted it, Lulu suddenly let out a short yelp, the kind of sound it made when Lu Qi accidentally stepped on its front paw when it was a puppy.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Lu Qi asked in surprise, as she hadn't used any force.
Lulu shook her head, then opened her warm, dark eyes and gazed intently at Lu Qi.
After confirming that there was nothing wrong with it, Lu Qi went out.
She opened the door, and Lulu leaned forward, but she stopped her, saying, "Be good, sit down!"
Lulu reluctantly sat back down and stayed inside the doorway.
Lu Qi successfully locked the door from the inside.
She went to the market and bought a week's worth of groceries for Lulu and herself.
Lulu has been taking lactoferrin and probiotics for a year, and her digestive system has improved a lot—not that she can eat dog food now, but that she vomits and has diarrhea less often when eating porridge.
She bought some eggs and vegetables, picked out two large pieces of fresh beef, sliced the edges into strips, and made stir-fried beef with green peppers; the rest was for Lulu.
Carrying groceries home, Lu Qi took out her keys when she suddenly heard a strange noise coming from inside the door.
Something was off, accompanied by a sharp growl and the scraping of a dog's paws on the floor.
Lu Qi hurriedly put down his things and opened the door.
When the door opened, she was horrified to see Lulu lying on her side on the floor, her abdomen curled up, kicking her head repeatedly with her hind legs, screaming in pain as she did so.
"Lulu! Lulu!" Lu Qi panicked and instinctively reached for the hypochlorous acid to disinfect himself after returning home. He put it down halfway and rushed anxiously to Lulu's side.
It shrieked, kicking its head and neck with its hind legs, curling up like a shrimp, with dog hair that it had torn off flying all around it.
Noticing Lu Qi, Lulu's cries softened, but the pain in her voice became more pronounced as she suppressed them.
"What's wrong, Lulu? Where does it hurt?" Lu Qi wanted to touch it, but didn't dare to move. She watched Lulu kicking her head repeatedly. "Is it your head? Or does your ear hurt?"
Her response was Lulu's sharp, short scream of pain.
The sound was like a baby crying.
Lu Qi had never anticipated this situation.
She read almost every post about the aftereffects of parvovirus, collected all the information about parvovirus, and even read several of the newly published papers on parvovirus on CNKI.
No post or paper mentions that parvovirus can cause such long-term effects.
Lu Qi was at a loss.
Lulu was taken away by an ambulance from the pet hospital.
"Based on the blood test results and brain CT scan, we initially suspect it is syringomyelia."
Lu Qi sat in that consultation room once again, and the doctor was still Dr. Qi, Lulu's attending physician.
She thought she knew a lot about canine diseases, but this time, she looked completely bewildered once again.
Syringomyelia?
"This is a very painful neurological disease. To give an analogy, if Lulu's brain is a size 10 foot, then her skull is a size 6 shoe." [1]
“But its head isn’t small for a golden retriever,” Lu Qi said, puzzled.
Dr. Qi's feelings were even more complicated than hers. He pushed up his glasses and said, "I suggest you do some genetic testing. Lulu doesn't seem like an ordinary abandoned sick dog. I suspect she's a backyard breeder from an unregulated kennel, a crossbreed of more than two breeds."
Lu Qi frowned. "Can it be cured?"
That's what he said again. Dr. Qi sighed, "Yes, surgery is needed."
Lu Qi's eyes lit up, but before he could speak, he interrupted her, "Let me tell you first, the mortality rate after craniotomy for syringomyelia is 60%—and that's just the mortality rate for ordinary dogs."
“Lulu has been infected with parvovirus, so her body is more vulnerable. In addition, she has not been vaccinated, so her infection rate will be very high.”
“Normally, hospitals are not allowed to perform surgery on unvaccinated pets. But because of Lulu’s current situation, she either has to have surgery or suffer the pain to death, so we can make an exception.”
"I'll prescribe some painkillers for you first. I'll let you know when the genetic testing results come out. As for whether or not you need surgery... the risks are there, so you should discuss it with your family."
Unlike the minor treatments, this time, Lu Qi was unable to make a decisive decision.
She took Lulu home, wiped its paws, sprayed herself with hypochlorous acid for disinfection, and then turned on the air conditioner.
Lulu sat at her feet, gazing at her with tender affection, a gleaming nameplate hidden among her thick neck hair.
Lu Qi felt like it was all a dream.
For dogs, parvovirus is an insurmountable hurdle, but Lulu overcame it when she was still a puppy.
It not only rejected countless death notices from doctors, but also miraculously cured the paralysis.
It is only one year old, yet it has already achieved two miracles worthy of being included in medical reports.
It has suffered enough, why did it still get this disease...?
Lu Qi felt like it wasn't real at all.
This beautiful, handsome dog, with a big appetite and boundless energy, and a coat even more luxurious than that of a typical Golden Retriever, was said by the vet to die from the excruciating pain within two years.
Lu Qi couldn't believe it.
However, Lulu's subsequent actions forced her to confront this fact.
A week later, Lulu would occasionally tilt her head and walk with a slanted gait, as if she were wearing ill-fitting shoes and trying to avoid the side that was too tight.
When Lulu strays from its path during a walk, even a slight tug on the leash by Luqi will cause Lulu to scream in pain.
In just one month, it rolled on the ground three times, howling in agony and kicking its head repeatedly—it was in so much pain that it almost hated its own brain and wanted to tear it off its body.
Such wailing is unforgettable once heard.
Lu Qi desperately pried open its mouth and fed it medicine.
In excruciating pain, Lulu shook her head and growled, then bit Lu Qi with a roar.
It quickly released its grip, stared blankly at Lu Qi's wound, then turned over, its back to her, and struggled and screamed in agony in another corner.
Lu Qi cried, clutching her bleeding hand.
She knew how much pain Lulu could endure. When the intestinal lining of the one-month-old puppy fell out piece by piece, it didn't whimper once, it just closed its eyes and trembled silently.
But now, it screams in pain even when its forehead is touched.
That night, Lu Qi lifted the covers, but Lulu didn't jump onto the bed.
It walked to the wardrobe, curled up, and lay down in front of the wardrobe where Lu Qi was having a depressive episode.
"Lulu, Lulu?" Lu Qi called to it from the bed.
Hearing her voice, Lulu shrank even smaller, pressing herself tightly against the cabinet door.
"Don't do this, Lulu..." Lu Qi's voice was a little hoarse, while Lulu just quietly looked her over.
Its cautious gaze caused Lu Qi more pain than when it bit her.
It pulled her out of the dark closet, but stayed there itself.
When Dr. Qi contacted Lu Qi again, it was already winter break.
"Lulu's genetic test results are in." He held the report, his brow furrowed.
“It’s a complete mess.” His first words were heavy.
"The top three breeds are Golden Retrievers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and North American White Wolves."
"Wolf?"
“Wolf.” Dr. Qi nodded. “That’s why Lulu is a little bigger than other Golden Retrievers of the same age, has thicker fur, and is more resilient.”
"But the wolf isn't the point; the point is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel."
Lu Qi repeated blankly, "King Charles Spaniel?"
"The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a very beautiful and charming long-haired dog that was once exclusively kept for royalty. If you follow this trend, you can see that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels participate in almost every dog beauty contest nowadays. They are renowned for their elegance and beauty."
“But they also have another well-known characteristic,” Dr. Qi said. “A considerable number of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels on the market suffer from a genetic disease, namely syringomyelia, which Lulu suffers from. The brain and skull are mismatched in size, which is a rather terrible genetic disease. The older they get, the more painful it becomes, and they don’t live long.”
Lu Qi looked down at Lulu, who was standing guard beside her.
It sat regally, its magnificent light-colored golden fur resembling the finest silk, exuding an air of classical nobility from its face to its demeanor.
She thought it was her own mother's eyes, and always felt that her child was the most beautiful.
It turned out that this was not her imagination, but a deformed creation deliberately bred by the kennel in pursuit of ultimate beauty.
She spoke hesitantly, "...Are there any conservative treatment options?"
“Electroacupuncture and medication can relieve some of its symptoms,” Dr. Qi shook his head, “but I don’t really recommend it. First, it only treats the symptoms, not the root cause, and the pain will still be there.”
"In addition, most Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with syringomyelia develop the disease between the ages of three and five. Lulu's genes are even more disordered, and she has only just reached adulthood. Considering the age at which she developed the disease, her future is not optimistic."
"Conservative treatment, to put it bluntly, is like cutting flesh with a dull knife, delaying the process."
Lu Qi looked at Lulu, and Lulu looked up.
It endured the excruciating pain of its brain being compressed at all times, yet most of the time, it was so gentle and graceful, always giving Lu Qi a loving gaze.
Lu Qi wanted to touch it, but when his hand landed on Lulu's head, he stopped.
Lulu smiled and tilted her head back to bump into her hand.
Lu Qi withdrew her hand before it touched her and whispered to the doctor, "Let's have the surgery."
If it's going to live in unbearable pain, it's better to be free sooner rather than later.
It is so gentle; it came into this world not to suffer.
The doctor was not surprised by Lu Qi's answer; he had long understood just how stubborn this quiet girl was.
"Let's sign off on the liability and risk," the doctor said. "Also, Lulu has been sexually mature for a while now. We don't recommend breeding dogs that carry genetic diseases like this. You asked me before if she could be spayed. I refused then because of her health condition, but we can do it together this time."
“Okay.” Lu Qi did not hesitate. If Lulu went into heat during her post-operative recovery period, it would greatly increase her risk of death.
She handed Lulu over to the doctor and sat in the hospital corridor, waiting for the surgery results.
The time was actually not long, but every second felt incredibly agonizing.
Lu Qi searched for information about Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. She scrolled through photos and videos of Lulu on her phone, and the more she looked, the more she resembled a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, especially her pair of soft, drooping ears. Apart from the length and color of her fur, they were almost identical to those of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
It is so beautiful, yet it comes at the cost of life.
“Master Lulu”.
Dr. Qi's voice came, and Lu Qi suddenly stood up.
When she stood up, her vision went black for a while before it returned.
"The surgery is over." Dr. Qi took off his gloves and handed a sealed bag to Lu Qi. "Let me tell you first that the surgery was successful. The assistant will notify you when the anesthesia wears off."
"Okay, thank you, doctor." Lu Qi took the small bag. "This is..."
Dr. Qi smiled at her, "Egg."
Lu Qi was stunned for a moment, then heard the doctor say, "The next ten days will be a high-risk period, and the mortality rate will reach a peak during these ten days."
"She should have been hospitalized for timely treatment, but Lulu hasn't been vaccinated. What do you think, should we take her home or keep her in the hospital?"
The girl lowered her eyes and murmured, "Dr. Qi, could you teach me some first aid techniques?"
Dr. Qi looked at her for a while and readily agreed, "Sure. I'll teach you CPR first."
He brought over the mold meant for his assistant and patiently taught Lu Qi how to press it.
Looking at the girl's profile as she practiced diligently, Dr. Qi couldn't help but ask the question that had always been on his mind: "What do your family members think of Lulu?"
This is truly a special dog.
The girl's parents supported her, yet they never visited the hospital.
They said they didn't support her, but they actually agreed to let her spend so much money treating a stray dog and even take it to another province for acupuncture every week.
Dr. Qi really couldn't understand the other parents' thinking.
When the timer reached fifteen minutes, Lu Qi stopped.
She was panting, and despite the cold winter weather, she was covered in sweat from massaging herself.
Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she smiled at Dr. Qi and said, "I have no one left at home."
Lulu was the only one left in her house.
A note from the author:
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[1] A 10-yard brain crammed into a 6-yard skull, this is how syringomyelia is described in The Tragedy of Purebred Dogs.
The article references this documentary and, as a tribute, uses the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as an example, but it's not only Cavalier King Charles Spaniels that have syringomyelia, nor do all Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have syringomyelia!
Stray animals under two years old are not necessarily healthy just because they look healthy.
(Especially those purebred cats and dogs abandoned on the roadside, that's not a free lunch, there's a 99% chance they're a huge collection of intractable diseases.)
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