Mabel finally falls asleep.
Her small body is stretched across a padded bed inside the medical kennel, but she is not lying completely flat.
The eight-year-old Boston Terrier needs her upper body slightly elevated.
A folded pillow supports her chest.
Her chin rests near its edge.
Even while sleeping, Mabel's breathing remains faster than expected.
Her chest rises.
Falls.
Rises again.
For several minutes, she seems comfortable enough to stay asleep.
Then the cough comes.
Mabel's entire body reacts.
Her head snaps upward.
Her eyes open.
She pushes herself onto all four feet as though waking into an emergency she does not understand.
For a few seconds, Mabel stands on the mattress.
Her legs wobble beneath her.
She takes one uncertain step.
Then stops.
The coughing has ended.
But Mabel does not immediately lie back down.
She stands there breathing.
Eventually, exhaustion wins.
Her front legs bend.
Her chest returns to the pillow.
And Mabel slowly lowers her chin to the edge.
She closes her eyes again.
Until another cough wakes her.
Sleep Has Become One of the Hardest Parts of Her Day
Mabel has heart disease and is being closely monitored.
Her breathing is one of the things that matters most.
How fast is it?
How much effort is she using?
Does the pattern change when she is resting?
Does she cough?
Can she sleep comfortably?
Does she become distressed when lying flatter?
Those details can help veterinary staff recognize when a cardiac patient may be changing.
For Mabel, the kennel becomes particularly revealing at night.
There are fewer distractions.
She is not walking around.
She is not excited.
She is simply trying to sleep.
And yet her breathing still will not completely settle.
The Cough Is What Keeps Breaking Through
Mabel may sleep quietly for a while.
Then her body suddenly contracts.
A cough pulls her awake.
Sometimes it is brief.
Sometimes several coughs follow one another.
Each time, Mabel reacts almost immediately.
Her head rises.
Her chest lifts.
Then she tries to stand.
It can look as though the sound itself has frightened her.
But no one can know exactly what Mabel experiences in that instant.
The important fact is simpler.
Her coughing repeatedly interrupts her rest.