Today is Thankful Thursday so let me say that while I am truly thankful for all my blessings, the one I’m focusing on today is Zoey…
My baby girl was spayed on Monday, as I mentioned in my Awww Monday blog post, which you can read here. Thankfully, she is healing nicely.
She is still feeling a bit “off” so she spends a lot of time snuggling with her head in my lap.
And she still looks for big brother, Zen. He’s her security blanket, her source of comfort when I leave the house. She is definitely feeling his absence. I keep telling her that we’ll go get him and bring him home soon; but I can almost see in her eyes that even today wouldn’t be soon enough.
Our vet took excellent care of my baby girl from start to finish. That care even included a laser therapy treatment on the external incision site to help it heal more quickly. And healing it is; although I can’t get a good photo of it because she wriggles so much when I try to check it. So, in addition to being thankful for Zoey and how she’s healing; I am also thankful for Dr. Simpson, Dr. Barr, and all the wonderful staff members at our primary vet, Furwell Veterinary Hospital, right down the road from our house.
It’s nothing to worry about. My little girl is being spayed today, three months, two weeks, and one day before her second birthday.
My Wild Child
I have absolute, complete faith in her doctor and I know she will come through the surgery with flying colors.
And to make sure she heals completely and properly, big brother Zen will be spending these next two weeks at his Grandpa Chuck’s house. Not because he would ever do anything to harm his little sister, but because Zoey is a little instigator. And she will need to rest and stay calm for these two weeks.
My Soul Dog in Training
I will miss my big boy so much! This is the first time he’ll be away from home for more than a day since hubby was admitted to the hospital (for the last time) in July of 2022. Zen has been “there” for me through the roughest months of 2022 and beyond. He has truly been my soul dog in training – with Ducky as his spirit guide – helping me to heal, letting me cry into his furry, wavy, Golden locks, and giving me the best human-like hugs.
But while I’ll be missing him – and Zoey will, too – this will be an excellent opportunity for Zoey and I to work on our bond. She’s going to have to be calm and not take running leaps onto furniture, not run around the yard like a lunatic, not do her”acrobatic” leaps to catch her ball; and I’m sure there will be other restrictions. So, I’m going to start her with some of Ducky’s food puzzles, and some games of easy tug of war, and some easy scent work games. And hopefully start working on her confidence so we can ease her separation anxiety with some games.
Yesterday (Friday, March 31st) morning Zoey gave me a little scare. It all started with some diarrhea on the kitchen floor before I could get her outside. And a little more outside, though not quite as yucky. Once I’d gotten her back inside and had taken care of Zen’s bathroom needs, I prepared some Olewo dehydrated carrots for my girl. They’ve always helped before, so I figured they would again.
Olewo, available in USA from Chewy.com
The carrots helped firm up her stool a little bit, but what alarmed me was the tinge of bright red blood in her after-breakfast stool. I always have a poop pickup bag in my pocket so I used it to scoop up the poop. I brought Zoey in the house (leaving the poop bag on the porch) and called our backup vet to make an appointment. Then I sent a text to our regular pet sitter to see if she could stay with Zen while I took Zoey to the vet. Luckily she said could so that was good. A couple of hours later, I gave Zoey some more of the carrots.
Once we were at the vet’s and in an exam room, I told the tech that Zoey had been eating acorns off the ground – despite my numerous attempts, both successful and not, to prevent her from swallowing them – for quite some time but more so over the past week. I had even picked one up and put it in my pocket to give them with the poop bag. I also told her that Zoey was still eating her poop whenever I wasn’t close enough to stop her. 🤮 I forgot to mention that the “No Poo” chews I’ve been giving her the last couple of weeks may have finally started working. Then the tech took Zoey and the acorn back to the treatment area.
After about ten minutes, the vet brought Zoey back to the exam room and sat down to talk about what he suspected and how to treat it. The fecal labs were still in progress, but without TMI, I’ll tell you that Zoey has some intestinal parasites. The vet was also curious to know how I knew about the Olewo brand dehydrated carrots. I told him that I had learned about them some years back from one of my pet blogging friends (Joy at My GBGV Life) and have been using them ever since. He had learned about them from a veterinary parasitologist who had told him a few years ago that this particular brand of dehydrated carrots does an excellent job of killing off intestinal parasites that have become antibiotic resistant. So, obviously, I’m going to keep giving them to the Z Kids, just like I had with their predecessors.
As if all the GI tract upset wasn’t enough, as I pulled into the driveway at home, poor Zoey expelled her entire breakfast on to the back seat and floor mat. All the stress of the day was too much for her. The pet sitter was kind – and sweet – enough to keep Zoey with her and Zen while I cleaned up the mess, even knowing she might be a few minutes late to her next appointment. (She did arrive on time, though, she told me later on.)
As the evening wore on, Zoey started feeling better so I started her on the meds the vet had sent home with us. She was more tired than usual, but still felt well enough to play with Zen a few times before we all went to bed. She’s still a bit tired today, but I can tell she feels much better after a good night’s sleep.
Our precious baby boy is in Heaven/at the Rainbow Bridge with his sisters, Callie and Shadow, and brother, Radar. Hubby and I are devastated, our hearts shattered. My brother’s heart is shattered, too.
It hurts so much to write this post so I’m not going to say much now. Bogie got away from hubby at the gate between the back and front yards, and the next thing we knew Bogie had his angel wings. The coward who hit our boy was going so fast that Bogie was gone in an instant. But he didn’t bother to stop to see if he could help. There’s a special place in Hades for people like that. Thankfully, there were compassionate people who did stop. And two young men who saw it happen apologized for not being able to get the license tag number. They also picked up Bogie’s lifeless body and carried it across the road and put him down gently on our driveway by the front door. Hubby and I thanked them and the other folks who stopped, and shared hugs with one lady who was almost as shaken up as us. And one of our sweet neighbors came out to try to console us.
Then my brother, hubby, and I lifted Bogie into the trunk and drove down the road to our new vet. I had called the clinic to tell them what had happened, and to ask if they could take care of things for us. “Of course we can. Just call us when you get here and we’ll take care of everything.” They absolutely took care of everything, including hugs all around. Bogie should be coming home early next week.
If you’ve been with us for a while, you might remember that we had been without a local vet for several weeks. I wrote about it in our last post, here. I’ve allowed the sadness to ebb and flow and moved on.
Before all the sad stuff hit home, I had wanted to have Dr. Simpson set up a stem cell infusion for Ducky (like we had done for Shadow 3-1/2 years ago) to help with the pain from her arthritis/hip dysplasia, but COVID made that impossible. So, I started thinking about other options, particularly veterinary acupuncture.
Dr. Simpson came to the rescue again with the name of a vet nearby who practices TCVM (traditional Chinese veterinary medicine). One of the techs at the animal hospital where he now works had worked with the TCVM vet previously and recommended Dr. Barr highly. So, I made an appointment with her; and Dr. Simpson filled in as our regular vet until I could establish a relationship with a new local vet. I am so glad I did! Dr. Barr is wonderful with Ducky!
After learning that my first choice for a new regular vet would not be willing to work with an “alternative medicine” vet, I had to find someone who would work with her. I knew from Dr. Simpson of an excellent vet not too far from home so I called them with my fingers crossed.
I lucked out! Not only are they willing to do so, but one of the vets there – now our new vet – is friends with Dr. Barr since having worked with her elsewhere a few years ago. Dr. Moskowitz is wonderful, too! And two of the techs there used to work with Dr. Simpson at our former vet hospital so they both knew Ducky (and one even knew Bogie).
So, we now have two wonderful local veterinarians as well as our beloved friend, Dr. Simpson….
So, on Thankful Thursday we have a great deal to be thankful for. We have two new vets who are working together and with us to help Ducky feel better and keep Bogie healthy as well.
I can’t believe it’s been more than three months since my last post. Still, considering all that’s been going on, I’m surprised it’s only three months.
Where to start? Well, August was fairly normal – crazy busy trying to keep Bogie from being too much of a pest to Ducky. Bogie is an absolute love bug…sweet, loving, gentle…but still very much a puppy. And his youthful exuberance makes Ducky nervous at times. Frequently, to be totally honest.
Unfair Advantage
Then came September. Things were changing rapidly at our long-time vet’s office. Staff members that I had worked with while doing my vet assistant course externship had started leaving over the course of 2018, 2019 and 2020, but by the beginning of September only two remained. I knew from one of the last to leave that things had turned toxic. It was breaking my heart as well as my friends’ hearts.
Ducky had her annual wellness visit on September 23rd, and I could feel the tension just walking in the door. While the techs ran the various tests in the treatment area, hubby and I spoke with Dr. Simpson about Ducky’s hip dysplasia, discomfort, and frequent avoidance of Bogie. Dr. Simpson and I shared an unstated understanding of the sadness we felt over the changes. I told him I would stand by him, and I sealed it with a hug. And then the tech brought Ducky back into the exam room. A week later Dr. Simpson was gone as well. 😥 But we remain in touch. We’re like family to each other. He’s been Ducky’s primary vet for most of the last five years. And he’d been Bogie’s vet, too, since we first brought him home.
Over the last couple of months, I’ve been busy managing hubby’s dementia issues, Ducky’s and Bogie’s relationship, Ducky’s hip issues, and Bogie’s “growing pains”. At times I’ve felt like running away from home, but the adult in me kept me from it.
Meanwhile, Dr. Simpson has been working on a project that he asked my help with, and I’m delighted to be a part of it. I feel so strongly about it that I offered to publish a blog post and ask for feedback from you, my pet blogging buddies.
After suffering the heartbreak of losing his beloved chocolate Lab, Nestle (Ness), he started thinking/wondering why he was expending so much energy on mediocre pet owners. He wants to help pet parents who love and treat their pets like beloved family members. And help protect them from the bad, sometimes dangerous misinformation they might find on “Dr. Google”.
The project involves building a community of likeminded pet parents; and eventually building a by-referral-only clinic to serve them and their beloved pets. One where he and the pet parents would work together to help the pets lead their best possible lives. One where mutual respect and trust is what drives the partnership between vet and pet parent.
For my part in this project, I agreed to reach out to my fellow bloggers for help. So, I have two questions for you:
1) As true pet parents, what is your biggest fear?
2) What makes you turn to Dr. Google for answers to your pets’ health issues? What are you searching for?
We all know there is a lot of misleading, sometimes dangerous information out there in cyberspace. Dr. Simpson would like to make a difference in pets’ lives by helping their humans find real, safe information when they need it.
I realize the holidays are right around the corner and that you’re probably already busy with preparations. So, if you could take take a few minutes to answer those questions for me I would greatly appreciate it. So would Dr. Simpson.
Finally, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in the USA, so to all who celebrate it, I hope you have a safe, wonderful holiday!
So much to be thankful for today, and every day. I’m just going to list a few….
I’m thankful for supportive family and friends.
I’m thankful for our very supportive primary care doctor. She is wonderful beyond measure, and we both love her.
I’m thankful for both of our two vets, and their caring staff, at Sunrise Animal Hospital just a little over a mile from the house. The vets both know and love Ducky, and are getting to know and love little Bogie.
With respect to the vets, I’m thankful for our excellent rapport. They both know that I have complete faith and trust in them to do and suggest what’s right for all my pups – past, present and future – and that if something they suggest doesn’t work, I won’t blame them – especially if I don’t follow their instructions to the letter.
I’m thankful that while hubby’s dementia has changed, at least he is still fully aware of himself, his surroundings, and his family. He knows something isn’t quite right with him, and it frustrates him; but he trusts me to do what’s best for him, to love him unconditionally, and to help him in any way I can.
And I’m thankful that Ducky is becoming more accepting of her baby brother. When she’s hurting from the effects of the hip dysplasia and arthritis, she gets snarky with him like she used to with Shadow, especially inside where she doesn’t have much room to get away from him
Precious Moment Captured
So, with all that said, we are joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop hosted by the humans and kitties of Brian’s Home.
I’m having trouble adding the blog hop links, so for now I’ll just publish and link my own post. To all of you who are frustrated with the WordPress block editor vs. classic editor, I feel your pain at the moment!!
It’s hard to believe you’ve been with us for eight years! I remember that first day like it was yesterday.
Ducky on Adoption Day
You were so darn cute! Even though you were – as Dr. Steve named you a week later – a “little wild child”, you had stolen our hearts that weekend we fostered you.
Callie and – especially – Shadow didn’t know what to make of you. You had turned their calm, quiet lives upside down and inside out that weekend. And it took them a few days to figure out you were here to stay this time.
You drove us all to distraction at times. As far as Shadow was concerned, your first day at A Dog’s Day Out was the best birthday present I could ever have given her. 🤣 You came home too tired to be a pest.
After Daycare
Fast forward less than three years, and you helped Shadow, Daddy, and me through our grief over losing Callie to the lymphoma. And three and a half years later, you helped us through saying goodbye to Shadow as she reunited with Callie.
You were thrilled to have a friend again when we added Radar to our little family. He became your best friend and brother almost overnight. You two had a blast together every day.
Losing Radar to the heartworm disease just a few days after his third month with us had begun was devastating. All three of us were in a fog of disbelief, of confusion, and of heartache. I still get leaky-eyed sometimes when I think of our Golden Angel Boy. But you came to our rescue again. You helped us lift that fog.
These last several months you’ve been dealing with those hind-end issues. You poor girl. You are so stoical. Thanks to the Your End of the Lead course (YEL 2.0) that I’ve been taking – especially the community of likeminded folks who helped me pick up on your clues – I was able to realize you needed veterinary attention. Dr. Steve, Dr. Simpson, and the entire staff at Sunrise Animal Hospital has been wonderful – no surprise! – in their care of you and teamwork with me to get you feeling better. Your issues have decreased substantially and continue to improve daily.
A few months ago, I wrote a post where I called you my little earth angel. And that proves to be true every minute of every day. I don’t know what I would do without you, Ducky. I don’t want to know. You – like your sisters before you – have become my canine soulmate. I (and Daddy) love you to the ends of the universe and back.
Our Sweet Baby Girl
So, here’s to you Miss Ducky! My sometime wild child and always loving baby girl. ❤️🐾❤️🐾❤️🐾
First of all, let me assure you that we are all well and as safe as anyone can be during this pandemic.
A lot and almost nothing has been going on around here since our last post. Ducky’s been going back to daycare a couple or three times a month since the middle of May, depending on her mobility issues. And we’ve pretty much become homebodies to a greater extent than we ever were in the past.
Hubby’s dementia-induced alternate persona – who I named Poindexter – has been here off and on since the pandemic caused a short-lived shutdown here in South Carolina, causing a great deal of anxiety for poor Ducky. As if that weren’t enough……
At the end of May / beginning of June Ducky had an allergic reaction to something which caused a secondary skin infection. Poor girl. To top it off, the vet felt she might have some arthritis starting up in her left hind leg. We had put her on Carprofen for a couple of weeks, which helped a bit; but once we took her off of it (because of the antibiotic she was on for the skin infection), the slight, intermittent limp started again. So back on the Carprofen for another week, along with her then-current joint supplement.
In July we had to have a new commode and sink installed in our only bathroom, causing a great deal of anxiety for poor Ducky on a day when she couldn’t be at daycare because of her mobility issues.
It was also in July, while I was doing ACE Free Work with Ducky – a topic worthy of its own future post – that I noticed she was leaning forward and favoring her hind left leg quite a bit while eating her breakfast every morning. When it only seemed to get worse as the week wore on, I sent the vet a video. I was afraid she may have some cruciate disease, in addition to the presumed arthritis. He was concerned enough after watching the video to suggest taking some X-rays.
Thankfully, the “rads” showed no sign of cruciate disease in either hind leg. They did, however, show that the left side of her pelvis had not completely formed as she was growing from puppyhood to adulthood. As a result, her left hip has some dysplasia. Thankfully, there is very little arthritis in the joint at this point. With a new course of Carprofen, some Gabapentin, and continued use of joint support supplements she started doing better. I had to change supplements, though, because I noticed – once she finished the Carprofen and Gabapentin – that the ones I’d been giving her weren’t working as well any more. So, back on the Gabapentin until she moves from the initial dosage to the maintenance dosage of the new supplement. I *think* that it’s starting to work already; but I won’t know for sure until we stop the Gabapentin.
So there you have it – our last 4 or 5 months in a few paragraphs. I’m working on the free work post, but I need some input from friends (in the UK) who know more about it than I do. Trust me, though, it’s a great way to have fun with your dog and learn more about her/him in the process!
Radar is home from the vet after his first heartworm treatment.
The discharge instructions say “Dion #1507* needs to be confined and as quiet as possible to avoid post-treatment complications.”
(* this is the rescue’s name and number for our boy.)
I think our boy is following doctor’s orders pretty well. Don’t you?
Radar and Ducky have both been asleep for most of the time since Radar and I arrived home. Once they wake up, I’m sure they’ll need to go outside but for now I’m enjoying the peace and quiet. 😊
The post-treatment complications referred to above include coughing, lethargy, coughing up blood, fever, and breathing difficulty. These complications arise when the dog is not well confined and has too much activity (running, playing, etc.) leading to clots “thrown into” the lungs from the dying adult worms.
I don’t think I have to worry about Radar’s activity level today….
The vet said that Radar did very well for his first heartworm treatment. We will make sure that he continues to do “very well” so that he can have the second (double dose) treatment in one month, and eventually test negative for evidence of any remaining heartworm infection.
Progress reports will appear here as time goes by.
in my heart 4ever 