Category: Life After Callie

Know Your Limitations 

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Last Saturday – while I was in the shower – hubby was outside, getting ready to bring our riding lawnmower for service. He tripped on the side of the concrete driveway, fell, and landed hard on his left knee and shoulder.  He was coming back inside as I was going outside to help him load the mower on to the trailer…

Needless to say, we didn’t go anywhere the rest of the day.  I cleaned up the abrasions but he refused an ice pack. At 6 pm, he tried to get out of the chair and couldn’t. I had to call EMS. We got to the ER about 6:30. And we were there for 3+ hours.

Poor Ducky was totally confused, and stressed. When the EMTs arrived the first time. I had to put her in the room downstairs to keep her from acting out against them. That just added to her confusion and stress. When Sam was settled into the ambulance, I brought Ducky back upstairs and put her in her crate in the bedroom. I gave them both kisses and a treat, and locked up the house.  And followed the ambulance to the hospital. I didn’t see the girls again until about quarter to ten. By the time I got home, the poor dogs needed to relieve themselves and were hungry. Sam was being brought home in an ambulance in another half hour or so. Then the confusion and stress rose again for Ducky when once more she had to wait downstairs while the EMTs got her dog-daddy settled in the bed.

Sunday was stressful, too. But fast forward to bedtime. Ducky snarked at Shadow for trying to get in the bedroom.  Something she hasn’t done in a long time. And Monday morning they had another “altercation” over a damn ball. Luckily, no blood was drawn; but Shadow cried out before I could get Ducky under control and downstairs to cool off. And give myself a chance to cool off. Ducky may not understand the concept of timeout; but she knows when Mommy is pissed off. I gave Shadow a Tramadol to relieve the pain where Ducky clamped down on her leg, and reassured her that she did nothing wrong. After about 20 or 30 minutes, I let Ducky come back upstairs. They “made up” but pretty much kept their distance from each other the rest of the day. 

That’s when I decided I had more than enough stress having to play nursemaid to an immobile spouse. I needed help with Ducky. So I called the owner of Ducky’s daycare and asked her to put together a quote for me to resume a 5-days-a-week schedule for Ducky until hubby regains the majority of his mobility. 

It’s not the ideal situation. I’d rather have Ducky home  – and she would prefer to be home – and learning to deal with her daddy’s situation with my help. But I know myself. I know that when I’m stressed and tired, my patience suffers.  And that’s not good for Ducky. Or for Shadow. Ducky needs an outlet for her turbocharged energy – and her stress – that I can’t provide all day long right now. Especially with Shadow on leash restriction. And Shadow needs focused love and attention. So, for now at least, Ducky will be spending at least half a day at daycare every weekday.  She was worn out yesterday afternoon when I picked her up; and there was peace between my girls all evening, even at bedtime.

So, my advice is this: when you’re in a stressful situation, acknowledge your limitations and gather the courage to ask for whatever help you need. You’ll be doing yourself and everyone you love and live with a big favor. Don’t try to do it all yourself.

Friday Fun

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This heat and humidity is horrible today! So bad that even Shadow – who loves being outside – couldn’t wait to come back inside after relieving herself.

Ducky’s at daycare today, so we had some “just me and my Shadow” time. So glad Shadow loves this game. It’s perfect for when she’s on leash restriction like she is now. I do all the work and she doesn’t have to move.


As long as Shadow’s happy, I’m happy. Right now she’s napping. In about 20 minutes I have to leave to pick Ducky up at daycare. 

What kind of games do you play with your dog(s) when they have to remain relatively quiet?  

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Sharing What I’ve Learned

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As some of you know, I am enrolled in the Animal Behavior College’s Veterinary Assistant course. I won’t go into the details of the course here; but if you’re interested, you can check out their website by following the link.

Anyway, I’m currently working on/studying for the test in Surgical Preparation and Assisting. This morning I was working on the post-operative recovery period and got an idea for a blog post. So here goes…

Many of us pride ourselves on knowing our pets well enough to know when they are ill or injured. For the most part, we are; however, nothing can burst our bubble like a devastating diagnosis of illness or injury.  I found that out for myself last August when our vet told us that Callie had lymphoma. Callie was a very stoic girl. She hid her pain from us quite  well. And, because she had also had her second CCL repair surgery the previous October, I convinced myself that her occasional lethargic behavior was due to the excess stress on her hips.

Callie’s illness and subsequent departure from Earth has made me even more observant of her sisters, especially Shadow.  Yet, even now, I sometimes misinterpret – or completely miss – a sign that one of them is in pain. Like I did with Shadow on Tuesday afternoon. So, when I came across the warning signs that an animal is suffering some post-operative pain, I decided to share them with y’all because they’re also signs of pain in general.

  • Restlessness
  • Reluctance to move
  • Whining/crying
  • Chewing or obsessive licking of themselves
  • Thrashing
  • Anorexia, or refusal to eat or drink
  • Behavioral change, such as depression
  • Increased respiration and/or heart rate

(That last one may not be something that you would necessarily be aware of.)

Please keep in mind that I am not a veterinarian. If you observe any of these signs in your pet, please do not hesitate to at least call your vet and discuss them with her/him.


As for Shadow, she is okay. She was running the fence line with our neighbor’s dog on Tuesday afternoon when suddenly she either slipped or stepped down wrong and ended up in a heap on the grass. She stood right up again but she was holding her left hind leg up as she walked toward me. I thought “oh no! Please tell me you didn’t tear your ACL!” Rather than panic, I gave her a mini-massage, let her walk around the yard a little bit to stretch it out, and a few minutes later she seemed to be good as new. We played for a minute or two and went back inside. Just before hubby and I left to go get dinner, I brought Shadow and Ducky outside to relieve themselves and Shadow appeared to be walking normally. When we arrived back home, though, she was limping horribly. I gave her a Tramadol tablet, and it seemed to help a little bit. She wasn’t limping as badly by bedtime but she was still restless. So I called the vet in the morning and got an appointment for Thursday morning. Meanwhile, I kept her on the leash when we were outside and gave her more Tramadol to ease the pain. The vet watched her walk around the exam room and elatedly said it was her CCL but not a tear. Relief! And a quick thank you to AngelCallie for watching over her sister. Shadow is on leash restriction and Carprofen for these next three weeks. I’m looking into getting a ramp for her, soon. I’m going to give her a Tramadol now and walk her around the back yard a little while.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

This and That

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Yesterday we had a new roof put on the house. Remember that hail storm we had in early March? Well, the insurance company agreed to pay for the bulk of it, so might as well. I just hope we don’t have to deal with another one for a LONG time! The roofer called us on Tuesday night to tell us the guys would be here at 8 o’clock Wednesday. Early, but doable. They showed up at 7:15, before I was even finished getting dressed! Ducky started freaking out, Shadow started attaching herself to my leg, and the dog-daddy woke up pi**ed off. I had to get Ducky’s breakfast prepared and back in the can and ready to take to daycare with us. I had to put her on her leash just for her first potty break. I was not happy. Anyway, after finishing my bathroom routine, I took Ducky and her breakfast down to daycare.  She, at least had a good day.

When I got home, I sent the dog-daddy to Chick-Fil-A for some take-out breakfast and tried to feed Shadow. She wouldn’t touch even one morsel, poor old girl. Can’t say as I blame her. All the pounding overhead was giving me a headache. When hubby got home with our breakfast, we all sat down in the living room and tried to eat. After that, I decided the only way Shadow was going to relax was to play out in the yard. So, we spent the rest of the morning enjoying “Mom and Me” time. Playing ball, keep-away, and chase; and taking selfies and other pix. Here are some of them….


So, had it not been for the time Shadow and I spent together yesterday, I’d be saying “totally glad yesterday is over”. Instead, I’m just saying “glad the roof job is done!” 😊

So that’s the “that” part of the title. The “this” part is that things are back to normal around here. Ducky and Shadow are napping after an hour plus of play time out back; the tv news is on (and on and on); and…

I just received my grade for my third test: 99%! This is “cool” stuff! It’s not as gut-wrenching as I half-expected. It’s actually pretty interesting. And, while it may not be everyone’s proverbial cup of tea, I’m finding it helpful in my quest to not be quite so paranoid about every little thing that befalls my pups – especially Shadow. And, it’s helping me realize that hubby and I really did do everything we possibly could for Callie, and Kissy, at the end of their time here on earth. It has also given me a new appreciation for the folks who work for our vet. Their job is not an easy one – I was never under the illusion that it was – but the veterinary assistant’s job is multifaceted and stressful, just as are the vet tech’s and vet’s jobs.

Finally Some Sun!!

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Thursday night we had a huge, long, drawn-out downpour. It was so heavy, fast, and furious that the porch floor flooded and some of the mess came in the house under the inside door. UGH! I’ve had the ceiling fan running non-stop trying to dry out the carpet by the door. It is drying, but it’s taking a while. And it stinks. Like stale, dirty water. I’m going to open the windows a little later to get some fresh air in the room.

Yesterday we had more rain, but thankfully not enough to re-flood the porch quite as bad. Just enough so the girls and I couldn’t get in more than five minutes of playtime outside.

Thankfully the rain stopped overnight and the muddy water on the porch was able to drain out through the holes we made a few years ago.

About ten minutes ago, the sun broke through the clouds and the sky has actually turned a pretty blue again.


Not willing to miss the opportunity to work off some more of Ducky’s pent-up energy – and because Shadow told me she needed to answer a nature call – I quick-like-a-bunny ushered the girls downstairs, out the back door, and into the yard. I threw Ducky’s Kong Bounzer across the yard for her to pounce on and then did a sidearm fastball pitch of Shadow’s ball that Peter Moylan would be proud of. (Peter was, until not long ago, an Atlanta Braves relief pitcher who I really like. Pee on the Braves for trading him AGAIN!)

Well, I have a few errands to run so I need to cut this short. (You’re Welcome! BOL). Have a great Saturday everyone!!

So The Vet Said…

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About ten days ago I shared with you that I was concerned about Shadow’s odd meal-time behaviors in my post, Senior Eye Exam Scheduled. 

I wish I could have gotten a better video to show her odd behavior, but it just didn’t work out. 


As I told the vet, any time she senses that she’s being watched, Shadow stops eating. Period. But that being said….

When I finished telling the vet my slightly abbreviated version, the vet checked everything. Shadow’s eyes, her teeth, her spleen/abdomen area, and his records on her past visits. Her teeth are all good – which I expected him to say – except for a little tartar on one of her premolars. She does not have cataracts. She has a little bit of sclerosis (hardening) of the lens of both eyes; but it’s so slight that it is not a concern, nor is it painful.

I raised the concern that she’s not eating enough to stay healthy. The vet knows me well enough to know how hypersensitive I am to Shadow’s issues after Callie’s illness last year. I told him that on days when she eats her full meals she gets between 800 and 1,000 calories…

“For a dog her size, her age, and her activity level, she’s getting enough calories on average.” She had lost very little weight since January – maybe 4 ounces, if even that – so we’ll just do monthly weight checks and see if there’s any need for concern.

“In short,” the vet said, “Shadow is playing with your head. She knows your emotions well. So, what I suggest is some ‘tough love’ at meal time. Continue with the same food; and when she walks away from it, pick up the bowl and put away whatever’s left until the next meal. Eventually she’ll figure out that if she’s hungry, she’s going to have to eat her whole meal first time around. She’s not going to starve. If she starts losing weight too quickly, we’ll run tests again; but I don’t believe she will. There’s nothing in her chart to worry me right now.”

And with all that out of the way, we had to do an X-ray on her left foot. Since Wednesday afternoon, she’d been alternating between favoring the foot slightly and really limping noticeably. I’d been using ice packs on it and giving her some Tramadol; but it didn’t help. Turns out that in one of her jaunts around the yard – chasing the ball – she stumbled and sprained the second joint of the left toe on her left, front foot. (We did the X-ray to rule out any tumors.) So, she’s on rest, Tramadol, and generic Carprofen for the week. We go back for a re-check on Friday. She was already walking better by Friday night, so the Carprofen must be working. 🙂 

Senior Eye Exam Scheduled

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Some days Shadow will eat her full meal first time around the bowl. Sometimes she’ll sniff at it and walk away.  And other times she goes through this weird ritual of eating some food, walking away, wandering around the kitchen like she’s lost, going back to the bowl and just picking at the food. And sometimes she walks around the kitchen oddly. It’s like an exaggerated alternating movement of her front paws.

(I wish I could take a video of this ritual to show the vet. BUT Shadow will walk away from the food bowl altogether if she knows or even senses that she’s being watched. That in itself is an odd behavior that started after Callie passed away.)

The wandering around the kitchen thing makes me wonder if maybe she has a hard time seeing well at times. Last week I decided to switch back to her old, stainless steel bowl from the large, black, plastic bowl. It helped a little bit but not enough to make a noticeable difference.

Being concerned that Shadow wasn’t eating enough to stay healthy, I would (more than) occasionally put some of her canned food on a spoon and hold it up for her at a level where I  believed she could see it better. And, usually, she ate it. When she didn’t want it, then I knew she just didn’t want to eat, period. And I would pick up the bowl and put it aside before feeding Ducky. I know. Spoon-feeding isn’t a good idea. But sometimes it was the only way to get her to eat her whole meal. She is so picky about her food to begin with that I can’t give her the same food two days in a row. Or even every other day. I was running out of food to try with her that I can afford and/or trust. And I have to be very careful about how much variety I give her at any one mealtime.

On Saturday morning, the new elevated food bowl I ordered from Chewy arrived. Supposedly, elevated food bowls help dogs with arthritis because they don’t have to bend as much to get to the food.  But I was thinking more along the lines that maybe it would also help her see the food better. 

Well, my own emotions have gotten off their roller coaster over the last few days, so Shadow isn’t being finicky about what she eats. Her ritual, however, continues and it’s baffling me…

While it’s not quite as exaggerated as it had been, it’s still evident. Some of it may be the aging process. After all, she celebrated her half-year birthday on Saturday  when she turned 11-1/2. She will eat some of her food out of the elevated bowl but then wander around the kitchen. The other day I emptied her food out of her bowl and onto a regular plate. As soon as I placed the plate on the floor, she started eating again. But she would back away and then move around the plate as though she was having trouble seeing after a moment or two. 

The last few days I’ve been putting her food first in the elevated bowl. When she starts to back away or wander, I transfer it to the plate. And when she backs away again, I turn the plate around. And she ends up eating her full meals, minus maybe 3 or 4 pieces of kibble. Maybe her peripheral vision is beginning to suffer from old age. Next week I’m taking her to the vet to find out what’s going on. Meanwhile, I’ll keep trying to get a video of her ritual to show the vet during her appointment.

Thunderstorms

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A thunderstorm woke me up at 2:15 this morning. Normally I sleep right through them now that Callie is in heaven. This one was different.

I’ve been opening the bedroom window at night these past several nights and letting the cool air in. But when I awoke to the storm, Shadow was pacing in the small space between the bed and the bookshelf that sits on the floor beneath the window. 

Shadow has never been afraid of thunderstorms before; but she was definitely uncomfortable earlier. So, half asleep, I got out of bed and closed the window.  That helped a little, but she was still upset. I invited her up on the bed, and after a momentary hesitation she jumped up. 

Meanwhile, we got a loud clap of thunder and Ducky barked at it. I smiled in the darkness and she stopped. But Shadow moved closer to me. I turned on to my side and put my arm over her shoulders. After a few minutes she finally let out a deep sigh and relaxed.

The storm ended about half an hour later, but my sweet Golden baby is still on the bed even now. She’s fast asleep. And I’m wide awake, though yawning as I type this post. I’m glad she feels safe at my side; but I wonder what it was about this storm that made her feel so uncomfortable?  And what was it about this storm that woke me up? Maybe in my sleepy state I felt Shadow’s discomfort and knew she needed my reassurance that all was well?