Enjoy dinner with your friends! I love Irish pubs, the atmosphere, food, and spirits.
Hope the fundraiser does well!
Christmas Countdown - 2016
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Hope the fundraiser does well!
He is...BOTH.
Great to see you, friend.Greetings all! I am so behind on posts. Everything is a mad house around here and it's left me no time to even read through things.
I was able to ready through the past several pages and my heart just broke for some of you over the past week's events. I am so sorry about the storms, dogs' health issues, car accidents.... my goodness.I will be praying for everyone!
Last Friday, my closest friend texted me, "How do you know when it's time to help your dog cross over?" It just made me ill. They have two dogs, Rowan a German Shepherd and Piper, a Wire Haired terrier. I remembered the day they adopted them both at the shelter years ago. At the time Rowan was only 7 months old. It's been 12 years since then. I texted back, "Whyyyy...... who?"
She then explained everything going on with Rowan. I made a couple of suggestions to help her be more comfortable, which did work quite well to help stop her pain and listless, wobbly behavior. Then she emailed me Monday morning and said, "I just wanted to let you know that Rowan passed away very peacefully in her sleep last night curled up on her bed next to my side of the bed."
On our side of things - also on Friday evening, while walking Moose, our Shepherd-Lab mix, I noticed a dark bloody spot on his testicles. Sorry - but that's where it was. It was dark out out so when I got back in, I had to check things out to which I got the Steve Martin reaction from Father of the Bride 2 when he takes a sleeping pill to relax and his daughter goes into labor. When he's disoriented at the hospital and is taken into an exam room where the nurse starts an unpleasant check mistaking him for another patient, he comes darting out of the room exclaiming, "DO I KNOW YOU!? I DON'T THINK SO!" Moose was not happy with me.
I rinsed the area and used a topical gel ointment, but at that time, it's didn't look THAT bad. Sort of a circular puncture. He had been playing with Sadie earlier and occasionally she does this thing where she lays on her back underneath him and pushes him up away from her, sort of looks like she's bench pressing. LOL It's the only thing I can come up with as to what caused the cut/tear. He never cried, yelped, nothing. They don't go outside without supervision, ever. We have too many strays, raccoon, fox, coyote and alligators on the property for me to be comfortable with it. We have a fenced area for them to run and play in (they're big dogs, they need it), but other things can get in too, so - outside play time is with one of us always.
Saturday late afternoon, he was walking past me and it was sooooo much worse. Not sure what caused it, but it was awful. I flipped out and asked Bud to call Derrik. Derrik is one of our closest friends and thankfully, one of the best veterinarians in our county. I was so worried he would need stitches in this delicate area. Derrik asked us to send pictures.
So.... let me ask you - have you ever tried to hold down a huge, young, strong male dog against his will on a very tall, four poster, king size bed, while your spouse tries to take pictures and video of the dog's private region?
Yeah, that was my first go round with that even too. It looked like something that should have been a slap-stick performance in an old National Lampoon movie. Especially because this dog - he has been hand raised in this house. Born in this house, bottle fed by us, because his mother couldn't produce milk, travels with us, is adored, and lives where the concept of having to fight for anything is entirely foreign to him. He has no comprehension that people can be cruel, food can be scarce or that some dogs never get to sleep on soft cushy things or one would not have a tug, chew or ball at their disposal. He's never been ill and other than occasionally having to remove a tick or get his vaccinations, he's never had anyone try to manhandle him for anything against his will. This dog thought the entire thing was a game.
He has this huge, long, thick swishy tail. If I could figure out a way to spray Pledge on the end and train him, he could dust all the shelves in no time flat. The dog is upside down, on my bed, with his front paws hooked over my bicep and forearm and bathing my face in excited playful licks with his massive tongue, while continually thrashing side to side at the waist trying to see what Bud was doing and his tail is just wagging happily, completely blocking any hope of a camera shot. Bud would catch his tail and hold it down, but Moose would snake it out, and Bud didn't want to hold him too hard as we were concerned it cause the tear to worsen. An hour and a half. It was the weirdest MMA battle ever.
Derrik texted back to put him on a 10-day round of the antibiotics that he had given us (Every few months he'll give us a small bottle of low-level antibiotics to have on hand just-in-case one of the dogs needs them) and gently rinse the area twice a day with clean water. Said stitches would be too invasive and stressful for Moose in that area. If it didn't clear up and heal nicely, it would be easier, faster and kinder to simply neuter him. He did the antibiotics as he felt that trying to wrestle Moose to apply a topical gel several times a day without him wearing one of those cones would be a nightmare and trying to get him to wear the cone would be an equal chore.
So it's now Thursday and the wound looks substantially better. He does not seem the least bit bothered by it at all. Sunday was the only day he paid any attention to it. I personally think that perhaps some infection has started to settle in as whimpered several times while just laying there and was more attentive to it. Thankfully though - everything looks great now. Hope he continues to heal up easily.
I will continue to pray for everyone and hope that your week is greatly improved!
So sorry to hear about Rowan. May she rest in peace <3
Sending prayers up for your friend during this difficult time.
I'm praying for Moose! Please give him a hug for us. Hope he continues to heal well. keep us posted.
(((Hugs)))
Glad to hear he is breathing a little better. Continued prayers for improvement!
What a pumpkin. He looks like "WHAT??? You want me to STAY??!!" LOL! CUTE! Hope he is home soon!
Thank you snowflake! Yep, family doc was in & starting her on steroid & ordered PT. Hopefully that makes her stronger. She's complaining of dry mouth. Wonder why.... geez! All that coughing!
I'm sure you have tried to feed her different things? She just won't eat anything? I know you said she's not motivated by food. The poor little sweetie. Continued prayers. Hope your friend has some luck today. Eat Harlowe, Eat!!
Glad he is breathing better!
I'm sorry he may not be able to come home today. I'm sure he'll be so happy to see you.
Continued prayers.
Oh my goodness, such a cutie!
Yeah the only thing I hate about visiting is having to leave him. Last time he looked so sad when he had to stay last summer. He was there a few days and when I said to him on the last day "Do you want to go home?" His head popped right up and he was turning his head at me like yes yes yes.
He thinks so too...probably why he gets spoiled
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That's good news, friend! Continued prayers.
*Hugs*
So glad the coughing is improving. It can really take a toll on the body. Sounds like she is in good care. Gosh your family must be exhausted Holiday. Continued prayers.
Yes, on a normal day she typically eats her dry food, a few pieces of duck jerky, and a few chicken chips throughout the day. She also likes a little shredded cheese.
Once in awhile for something different, we'll offer her some [baby food] chicken gravy, chicken, pork, or steak. Some of the time she will turn her nose up at them, and just eventually eat her "normal food".
Since she's been sick and not wanting food, I've offered her a homemade chicken, rice, carrot meal from my friend who cooks it for her dog with a sensitive stomach.
And I've offered a sensitive stomach wet food recommended by the vet. Also some chicken gravy, turkey gravy, her usual cheese, hard food, duck, chicken chips, etc.
What has worked twice was the boiled chicken breast, she ate a little of that.
I made some more last night, and she took two bites, and then was done.
Reggie brought over some meatballs and tried that (we're trying anything at this point) and she wasn't interested. I plan to try boiling some hamburger tonight, and trying that.
She ate boiled hamburger and boiled chicken when very sick before. Hoping something works soon, because she's getting weaker by the moment. It's so frustrating, and breaking my heart.
I'm going to pick up some lunch meat that my Mom hand feeds her, she enjoys that. But only when Mom gives it to her, because I bought it after I knew she liked it, but wasn't interested when Grandma wasn't there to feed it to her. But again, it's worth a shot!
Bless him! It really is tough having to leave them . You keep thinking what is going through their minds. Big hugs to you and him.
I know the feeling. And it's so hard.
We went through the same thing with Harlowe when she had an emergency stay, that turned into a week. It's heartbreaking.
Wishing you courage & strength.
The only way to do itHe thinks so too...probably why he gets spoiled
Is there anything the vet can recommend you add to her water to nourish her. I remember once my dog having some kind of glucose drops or something in the water to boost her when she was ill. I honestly can't remember. Can they give her a shot of vitamins or something?
Then again I guess they would have suggested that if it were possible.
((((((Hugs))
I don't mean to laugh at Moose's condition, but your story literally made me laugh out loud!!! I can just about imagine your story playing out, trying to get a picture!Praying Moose has a 100% quick & complete recovery! Poor baby! Gracie is the same way - I don't know how she would react if she came across a mean person or a mean animal. She thinks all living beings are good & they want to PLAY!!
Prayers for your you, your friend & Rowan. It's so hard to lose a pet!!!
It made me chuckle too
MerryCarey
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Thank you!MerryCarey, I'm so glad you are going to a different dentist. Praying your visit is pain free!
Love the name of your plant! My cacti are named Edgar and Edwina. Edgar has been here for over 20 years, but he doesn't bloom very much ~ he likes his sunny spot and apparently that is not conducive to flowering. Edwina, a rescue from Wally's, is blooming for the second time in three months. She is very happy!
God bless!
We're both going to see her in early March and see if we like her and if she can do the dental work we need and work out payments. It's just for a consultation---neither of us has any painful problems at the moment. I need a crown done pretty soon on an implant that's already in place.
Does Edgar ever get purplish leaves? One of Laura's "daughters" that was on a windowsill at the office turned purplish because it was getting direct sunlight, and Laura had some purple at various times, too. Laura occasionally breaks out with a few blossoms around April. It was a little eerie when two blossoms flowered just after the Boston Marathon bombings.
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