Our Pets- Consolers (Four Legged, Two Legged, Fur, Finned)

[feralfae]

HRH QMary,

So glad and happy to hear the good report, to know you are taking good care of yourself, that you were out for Tom's birthday celebration and a fun evening.

Thank you for the wonderful report of happy times.

And that the Corgis are being well fed.

*<twinkles>*

fae

[kayc]

fae, no Lucky was not in heat. It was indeed a very eerie situation, I'll never forget it. There was a whole band of them but one mainly that literally followed us for a long ways.

QMary,

so glad you are following everything to a T and doing so well. Yes, Corgis have short little legs...a friend of mine has one and I say he's a brick with feet! (he's overweight). Don't see any legs on him at all.

[feralfae]

That is very eerie, for sure!

I am glad you all came home safe and together.

I would have been scared, for sure.

Glad you had rocks to throw.

[kayc]

This morning I walked the dogs down to Sammy's place to run and play before I went to church. After an hour of running around, I put Sammy in her utility room (that's where her owner puts her when he has to leave) and left with Arlie. As I started to head out, Arlie planted his feet down and refused to leave. He "told me a story" (he's an avid communicator) and I knew he was telling me he was concerned about Sammy, he didn't want to leave her there. Finally, after I assured him we'd come back for her after church, he left with me. He is so smart, he really seems to understand what I tell him, I think it's because we spend so much time together and talk to each other so much. After church he let me know we needed to go get Sammy, so I started a fire, put the cats up, and we left to go get her.

[widower]

Hey getting back to that food advisor site - it has a thing you can subscribe to if a product is recalled (just happened the other day) - thx again for the site!

[kayc]

I've given up teaching that dog anything. Any headway I might make would just be undone when her owner gets back anyway. Mostly trying not to injure myself further with her unruliness or further traumatize my cats. I've decided to put the dog back at her owner's place and go down THERE to spend time with/take care of her, rather than having her continue to turn my household upsidedown. My cats are grateful. They lived in a dungeon in fear for a week, that was long enough. So first thing in the morning I head down there and let her out to do her business and I stay there a couple of hours, then lock her back in, go home, come back, stay a couple more hours, etc. She's been chewing on a chair her owner put in her room...he said that's okay, that there's nothing she can do that he can't fix. We'll see. She broke my nail way in the quick, she pulled two muscles in my back. Today she literally hopped on his beautiful couch and table several times before I got her off, then she refused to go to her room even though I squeaked her favorite toy (it works for her owner) and threw treats in there. Everything that works for her owner isn't working for me, she's on her worst behavior. I think she's undoubtedly upset about his absence, and who can blame her? There's a big difference in someone leaving for two days and someone leaving for sixteen days. Anyway, we went round and around and I finally got her in her room and left. Am NOT looking forward to the next nine days with her! Grrr! I'm tempted to list her for sale on FB!

[enna]

Oh Kay, you make me laugh. Do you have a camera so you can take a few pictures? I for one would like to see this little "animal!"

Seriously, you have to be careful - the worse thing would be to fall! It sounds like the routine you have worked out will be better for all - especially your cats. Looking forward to the next sixteen episodes. I see a FB ad in the future.

Anne

[feralfae]

Dear Kay,

I am so very proud of you for finding a workable alternative to having your home and fur family terrorized—not to mention to risking your own health! —for you and the unruly Sammy. Good for you. Your solution sounds very workable and far more agreeable for your home and health.

Whew!

Good for you!
fae

[kayc]

If I took a picture you'd just see a white & beige lab puppy...possibly blurry because she's in motion. I couldn't get her into her room tonight so I called Arlie and then she followed, then I got him out and BARELY, got her to stay in. Add to it a split thumb tonight. I've honestly never seen a dog like this, and I've had dogs all my life!

[enna]

I just thought this looked like our Bentley so I'm sharing it here for all to enjoy. Hope Bentley is fine, Mary.

Does anyone else's dog tear up paper? You should see Benji with paper towel rolls! Kay, how are you doing with that pup from @%&**? Anne

[mfh]

Well, Anne, Bentley is quite good at tearing up paper...but only on rare occasions. After Bill died...he tore up paper including a $5 bill, destroyed the TV remote, and ate a BIC razor scaring the life out of me. The BIC was a $2,000 adventure. He was grieving and possibly angry that Bill was gone. So off to obedience school and then Canine Good Citizen class and then Therapy dog class to give him attention and let him know that I am now in charge (I laugh at that one...because he has me so well trained). Now he goes after Kleenix, preferably dirty, if i leave one at nose height (his nose) or some other paper but does not counter surf. He does bring the hand towel out from the bathroom at 8pm each night. Don't ever believe that dogs do not grieve. They do....when I go into Bill's closet which still has many of his things in it, Bentley walks away...he will have nothing to do with it...I think it saddens him as I believe he can smell Bill in there. Pets grieve!!! And I think they also understand grief in others.

And yes, he is doing very well...aging but then, so am I. Thanks so much. I am so very glad you have your Benji, and Kay has her Arlie and QMary has her Corgi dogs and others of us have furbabies or finned or winged or ???

Mary

[kayc]

Anne, that is delightful! My sweet granddoggy, Skye, loved tearing up paper to "vent" his frustration or upset...he'd get into some mail or something we didn't want him to, so "Grandma" (me) came up with a solution: I kept a box of wadded up newspapers just for him and he knew it. When he was upset and needed to let it out, he'd get a wad or two and shred them. It didn't hurt anything, I'd just pick it up and throw it in the fireplace and it meant our mail was left untouched. I still miss that. What I wouldn't give to come home to such a sight again!

Arlie loves bubblewrap. When a package comes he waits to see if it has bubblewrap and if so, he lays claim to it, trots off and tears it up. He loves the popping sounds it makes!

[Queeniemary]

Sassy is my paper tear upper! If she can get a napkin from the table, or a used Kleenix she is a happy little dog. Faith rarely does any paper tearing. And Mary, I do so agree that dogs grieve, my little corgi girls certainly did grieve when Mike died, they would barely let me out of their sight. I think they also grieved for Sheba, that we had to have put down right after Mike died. The first time I left the house with a suitcase after Mike died, they were so stressed. They were remembering the last time I had left with a suitcase, and their whole world changed. Even yet, they do not like it when I bring a suitcase to the front door ready to be put in car.

My girls are so spoiled, and they are pretty much in charge and they know it. They are lazy again today, sleeping while I work on program for "Sound of Music".

Mary (Queeniemary) in Arkansas

[LarrysGirl]

Okay all my friends with dogs.... another vet bill, Maggie, my sweet foxhound, has her usual problems with (anal) glands, sorry. I always know its coming because her ears become inflamed. All of the vets she has seen over the years diagnose her infected glands, clean them and then say her ears are infected also. I've asked many times, could this be yeast? Well yesterday, we saw a different vet (her primary vet was off) and this dr. said anal glands infected, etc etc and her ears aren't infected its Yeast! But the problem is they always put her on antibiotics for her glands and then in my belief it causes the yeast in her ears, kind of like a woman experiences when put on too many antibiotics. Wondering if there is a natural way to keep the yeast at bay?? she will eat yogurt from time to time. They want to see her more often to catch the glands before they become infected, money is always the issue for me. She is on Purina something or other for sensitive stomachs, has alittle can from time to time. And yes milkbones. Any ideas about the yeast??

[mfh]

Oh, I know how we worry about our pets and how expensive their care can get so over the years. I focus on prevention. When I read your post the first thought I had was the food you are feeding your pup and that it might be causing or contributing to both problems...of course I am no vet or expert but I study this stuff because of my dog....so I went to Karen Becker (my dog guru in Chicago) and found this piece and sites.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-karen-becker/pet-health_b_1651962.html

http://www.drkarenbecker.com/dvm.html

Since the anal glands are there to help cleanse toxins, I would look at diet to prevent the problem. Here is some info on that.

http://peterdobias.com/community/2012/09/5661/

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/%C2'> I get alerts on recalls and depend on their assessment of dog food. Great site. Purina always scores low in spite of the ads. I use Fromm's and there are many other great foods. Meat needs to be at the top of the ingredient list. Many dog foods are so much grain in them which dogs do not need and that alone could be causing problems with the glands and the ears. You may spend a bit more on food and far less on vets and antibiotics.

I don't mean to overwhelm you with information. I hope these help a bit.

Mary

[LarrysGirl]

Thanks Mary, alot to read but am interested in all the info I can get. I know she is not getting enough exercise, I'm so exhausted myself its hard to fit that in but I'm going to try to walk her more. The Purina One for sensitive stomachs agrees with her and her bowel movements, even though it might not be the best. They said from day one that her's would have to be emptied more regularly but I've read that it could make it worse, plus I can't afford to be going to the vet that often. Maybe the fiber, gradually, I'm not sure yet. Thank you for the articles will take the time to read them, Deborah

[kayc]

I'm prone to yeast infections so I take acidophilus every day, haven't had one since. And I take Probiotics, and I give them to Arlie too. I think I sent you a link about it Deborah, if you need it again, let me know. Ask the doctor which acidophilus dosage is best for dogs. They also have Arlie on yogurt, which has acidophilus in it. I mix it with moist dogfood and pumpkin (and his probios dispersible powder) and he loves it, he thinks it's a treat!

[kayc]

Arrived at Sammy's this morning, she's chewed on the wall again, this time the corner. Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter to him or he would have had a pen built for her by now instead of keeping her in the utility room.

I let the dogs play in the snow this morning, they had so much fun! Arlie didn't want to quit, they ran and played for over two hours. They'll get to do it again this afternoon.

[mfh]

Had to post this for everyone....these dogs are apparently afraid of the cats....even a Corgi in one scene.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/dogs-terrified-of-walking-past-cats_n_4276499.html?hpt=hp_bn18

This too...a good laugh is always in order

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/dogs-terrified-of-walking-past-cats_n_4276499.html?hpt=hp_bn18

[kayc]

Just a reminder, a lot of us are having extreme cold spells...remember that even with their fur coats, animals need inside in this weather. It only takes 1/2 hour for hypothermia to set in and even if their bodies are equipped to handle the cold, their pads are not, frostbite can set in and cause damage to their feet/extremities. I am forgoing everything to keep Arlie inside with me right now. There's no Christmas party or church service worth the risk. It's 1* right now!

[Queeniemary]

Oh, Mary, those video's were so very funny, I just laughed out loud!! Kay, my outside cat has a heated house, he is staying in there pretty much this weekend. We got 10 inches of snow, with an inch of ice under that. My friend Tom came over and cleaned off my car yesterday, and the road crews came and cleaned off my hill..........then we got more icy drizzle this morning. I was going to try to get out, but will wait and see what happens later today. Still hoping for eye surgery in the morning, but a lot depends on the roads. Several friends braved the roads last night (4 wheel drives), and we had chili, smoked pork loin (Tom made) and watched "Scrooge" the musical with Albert Finney. A good evening, I was about to go nuts here by myself!

Mary (Queeniemary) in Arkansas

[kayc]

Mary, could you get someone with 4WD to take you tomorrow?

I wish I had a heated doghouse, but the way Arlie chews, it probably wouldn't be a good idea...any wiring he might chew, he did the back of my sofa, wiring and all! It was a vibrating/massaging sofa. My late cat, King George, was an outdoor cat the last two years and I had a heating pad for him, he loved it! He had a "cat house" and blankets, with opening away from the wind.

[Queeniemary]

It actually got up to almost 30 today, trying to warm up. We are becoming concerned about the Sound of Music that is to open Friday night, as they are having to miss several rehearsals. If we get anything further in the way of bad weather, then we may try to put it off until right after Christmas. We shall see. My eye surgeon's office called today and they have cancelled all the surgeries for tomorrow due to the bad roads. The clinic is not even going to be opened. Tina told me she could call me in a day or two, when she gets to the office, and gets started rescheduling all of us. I am a little disappointed, however, also a little glad I do not have to try to get out in the morning. My son in law, or my friend Tom would have gotten me there, but just getting to and from the car would have been a little dangerous. Already fell once, trying on Friday to get the snow off of my car, don't want to do that again. Hope the reschedule does not take too long.

Mary (Queeniemary) in Arkansas

[feralfae]

HRH Q Mary,

You be extra careful down there in snowy, icy Arkansas!

No more going out to get snow off the car! Heavens!

I am glad they are rescheduling surgery for everyone: no need to have the stress of a treacherous drive added to the stress of surgery. Good. It is still snowing here in Montana, -1F outside right now. I have plenty of firewood and food, books and flowers, and I am prepared to hole up until I am stronger and the sun is warmer.

Do you have some crampons? I know they make them for regular shoes, but I don't know what they are called. Non-skid cleats for the bottom of your shoes. I hope you have some. Goodness, I hope we all have some.

Holding at 68F in the house, and that is good. I was remembering winter days in Evanston, with the wind and snow off the Lake, and all of us huddled in our bed under the electric blanket, playing Risk and wearing our hats and drinking cocoa. Must have been the blizzard of '78-79, which buried the north shore. It is warmer here today than we were able to do then, so I am just smiling at long ago memories. We were consuming cocoa and marshmallows at a prodigious rate! We finally went out and made a field of snow angels in the lawn next to the stadium. Half the neighborhood turned out. What a day!

And here I sit, snug and warm, wrapped in good memories.

*<twinkles>*

fae

[mfh]

As much as I KNOW you want this surgery behind you, best to be safe and well...you have no choice. That made it easier to decide, at least. Stay warm and safe. It has snowed here all day. Bentley just came in from the yard and was totally white with snow. He was out there 5 minutes max. Winter has arrived all over the country. Be safe and warm everyone.

Peace,

Mary