Timber and a persimmon

It's been a rough 10 days. Timber has been very ill. He's spent most days at the vets on a drip to keep him hydrated, and they've done lots of tests. Finally on Friday the result came and he has EPI - Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency. So, basically, he can't absorb any nutrients because he lacks the necessary enzymes. He's lost so much weight I don't even want to think about it. He ate well on Friday at the vets (2 breasts of chicken!), but he's hardly eating anything since we brought him home, just enough to keep going, but not enough to get better. And on top of that, we have to give him enzymes and antibiotics. All in a powder and dissolved and to be given via syringe feeding. Don't believe the videos on YouTube - it's not as easy as it looks. Timber squirms and clamps his mouth shut. All adding to the stress levels. This morning, he did eat a bit of tuna and rice, but he's turning his nose up at the chicken. This is the same dog that used to inhale his food two weeks ago! We managed to source some pancreas via a local butcher and they hope to have it delivered on Tuesday, so we hope that he will eat that and that will help him get his strength back.

Here is a sketch I did of him last Sunday.