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Go to this link http://www.petfinder.com/best-pet-parent-contest/enter?utm_source=sponsor&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bpp2 …and tell your story about why you’re the best pet Mom or Dad and submit it with a photo. The write-up must be 500 words or less. Go! Fight! Win! Thank you so very much for taking the time to do this. - Barbara Near the end of July, we’re going to take a trip to Florida to visit our 40-foot sailboat, Dream SeQuel. For a variety of reasons, we’ve decided that we’re going to drive! It’s “only” 2400 or 2500 miles All in all, we’ll spend two days driving to Louisiana, three days there, and another day driving the rest of the way to Clearwater Beach. MapQuest.com, maps.google.com, and our portable GPS all claim the driving should take about 41 hours, plus or minus. Splitting that over three days of driving means an average of 14 hours each day, which is just fine by me…I love road trips and love driving for hours at a stretch. Because we’re driving, it occurred to us that we might take Abby with us to see whether she likes the idea of being on a boat. She’s not the first of our personally-adopted Shelties (that would be Star, but Star’s got a lot of anxiety about too many things and we think she would be miserable) or the most active (Jodee is into everything all the time, but she’s too puppyish and insufficiently trained). But Abby is brave, adventurous, and trusting. And we’re going to buy her a life vest just her size, so she’ll be safe in case she does fall into the water. I’m really excited to see how she does on the boat itself, but also to take her into the water with me and teach her to swim (both with and without her life vest). It’s also going to be interesting to fly her home with us. We are hopeful that we can take her inside the cabin with us rather than check her as baggage, especially because of temperature problems (the airlines can…or are supposed to…refuse to fly a dog if the local temperature is above 80°F, and we can’t risk having her left behind at Tampa or some intermediate airport). But we don’t know if she’s small enough to qualify…plus we’ll have to get an appropriate crate for inside the plane. We’ll let you all know how everything goes, just as soon as it happens!  (No Ratings Yet) Loading ...
| Tags: Abby, Clearwater Beach, Dream SeQueL, drive to Florida, Florida, Jodee, Star | Category: General animal interest, Life With Shelties |
4 woofs4 comments to Abby’s Going SailingI’m writing this post several days after everything has returned to normal, in part because I was a bit emotional about the situation while it was in progress. A couple of weeks ago, big Sheltie boy Copper (who is as big as a largish Collie and deaf) was having bloody diarrhea. It seemed consistent with giardiasis, which had been brought into the house (and yard) by Tigger, the puppy who’d been with us for only a few weeks. Diarrhea is, of course, hard on one’s system and we didn’t want to risk Copper getting dehydrated; it’s also hard on the carpets when a dog doesn’t get outside in time, and it’s easy for the yard to get continuously re-contaminated and causing infections in other dogs. Consequently, we jumped right onto the situation to get it under control as quickly as possible. We started Copper on a regime of metronidazole (generic for Flagyl®), which is a recommended antibiotic (which we stock because of its broad usage) for a number of intestinal infections, including giardia. He seemed to improve over the next day or two, but both Barbara and I sort of vaguely noticed (without mentioning it to one another!) that Copper seemed slightly “out of it”, maybe a little awkward or clumsy. We didn’t think too much about it (which is probably why we didn’t say anything to one another about it) until about the third day when he was clearly and significantly ataxic! Ataxia is, of course, the word used to describe loss of coordination of muscle movements. In this case, it manifested itself as a very wobbly and uncertain walk and difficulty in standing. Poor Copper finally laid down (“collapsed” is only a slight overstatement) and couldn’t get back up. Now, most of you haven’t met Copper, so you don’t know that he’s got this fully little head tilt that we think might be related to his deafness — the vet thinks that both may have been caused by an encounter with a car when he (Copper, not the vet) was about a year old. Well, his head tilt was noticeably worse, and his limb movements became very jerky and he got a bit rigid. In short, he was not doing well at all! These symptoms are known side effects of a metronidazole overdose! Fortunately (well, unfortunately, in a different way), we’d seen this before. Some years ago, we’d actually given an overdose of metronidazole to Annie, an ancient and abused Sheltie we’d rescued from down in St. George. She had similar symptoms, so it was familiar, but also quite scary. Naturally, we immediately stopped giving Copper the medication. A little research revealed that he’d been getting a 33% overdose for a couple of days. That’s not horrible, but apparently he is somewhat sensitive to that medication. Now, most of us would think that a dog would start to improve…or, minimally, not get any worse…when you stop giving him the thing that’s causing the problems. Not so… By that evening, he was significantly worse. I was seriously wondering if we were going to lose him. Naturally, it was Friday evening after Cottonwood Animal Hospital had gone to emergency room hours (and costs). Barbara phoned them, but the ER vet on duty was somebody with whom we’d never worked and she wouldn’t give us the time of day over the phone. (Side note: I guess that’s not unreasonable, since the vet didn’t know us, but we’re used to dealing with vets at Cottonwood who know us and our experience level and are thus willing to give advice based on our descriptions, etc.) To avoid the much-higher costs of taking a dog to the ER, and because we’d had experience with this problem before (and because Barbara was doing extensive research about this problem on the web), we decided to keep Copper at home. We knew that the medicine would gradually, over three to six or seven days, leave his bloodstream, and Barbara’s web research uncovered the fact that phenobarbitol (yes, the anti-seizure medication) was reported to help detox from metronidazole overdose! Who would have guessed? And, yes, we stock phenobarb because of the various seizure dogs we’ve had over the years. So we started giving Copper subclinical doses of phenobarb, which really did seem to help. It’s less that it seemed to remove the metronidazole from his bloodstream than it controlled the neurological effects of the metronidazole and reduced his ataxia and other symptoms. Recall that I mentioned above that Copper is Collie-sized? That includes his weight, roughly 30 kilograms (65 pounds). No way could Barbara pick him up, and it was incredibly difficult for me to lift his dead weight while he was lying down. And he couldn’t stand! Obviously, I couldn’t hold him in an appropriate position outside for him to pee or poop, so for a couple of days, we had no choice but to allow him to just pee where he was lying on the floor After a couple of days, he was able to sort of pull himself into a sitting position, so I did pick him up and carry him outside. When I set him down on the ground, he was actually able to (barely) stand for a few seconds while he peed, and I snatched him back up before he collapsed into the puddle he’d just made. Back inside onto his pad he went. The next day, same thing, twice…and on the first time, he was able to take a couple of steps without collapsing. Next day, more of the same, but he could walk a little bit more. Still, he wasn’t willing to tackle walking down the ramp or back up it to get back into the house, so I continued to carry him in and out. By the day (Wednesday) I had to leave for a 2-day business meeting in California, he was clearly on his way to recovery, but I was still carrying him in and out, although he could manage to pee and poop by himself while outside. When I got to my hotel Wednesday night and phoned Barbara, she had the superb news that Copper had actually been able to walk outside, do his business, and walk back in. He was, she said, still a bit wobbly, but clearly much better. By the time I got home late Friday night, Copper was almost 100% back to normal…just a little extra head tilt and a slight tendency to get tired and have to lie down more often than normal. And, by today (Monday, July 5), he appears to be completely normal, like it never happened. Poor guy! We tried to help him overcome one problem (diarrhea) and created another, rather scary, problem. He was clearly scared about what was going on, but he trusted us to do the right thing for him and he let us do what had to be done. He was such a good boy about the whole thing, and obviously grateful that we were willing to carry him in and out. Lesson learned! Check the dosing very carefully before giving medications! And know your dogs’ weights!! Oh, and to make matters really frustrating…we finally concluded that poor Copper’s diarrhea wasn’t caused by giardia after all, but that he’d picked up coccidia (which also came into our house courtesy of Tigger). And coccidia should be treated with sulfadimethoxine (generic for Albon®), not metronidazole. (No Ratings Yet) Loading ...
| Tags: Albon, Annie, anti-seizure, ataxia, ataxic, coccidia, Copper, diarrhea, Flagyl, giardia, metronidazole, phenobarbitol, sulfadimethoxine | Category: Life With Shelties, New Kids on the Block, Rescue musings |
7 woofs7 comments to Medication Fright
Here’s another gem I got from one of the various Sheltie lists to which I belong. I’m not sure that I agree with everything the writer says, or if she covered all aspects of the subject, but I thought it was worth our readers’ attention. What do you think about this subject? Pet Nail Biting: Necessity or Worrisome Behavior?While most pets don’t indulge in vices such as smoking or drinking, some animals share one seemingly unhealthy behavior with humankind: nail biting. Whether your pet is a chronic nail muncher, or just takes an occasional chew, here’s what you should know. Why Pets Chew Their NailsAccording to Christina Shusterich, Canine Behavior Counselor and president of NY Clever K9, Inc., cats bite their nails as part of a grooming routine. They do this “in order to clean them, as well as to get rid of the older, outer sheath of the nail.” This often occurs when a cat’s nails are overgrown and could use a trim. Nail chewing in dogs, however, is not normal. They may bite their nails “from itchiness due to allergies or an infection. They could also be biting out of boredom or anxiety.” Excessive nail biting by either cats or dogs can be harmful, as it can “cause bleeding, irritation, and infections,” says Shusterich. Dealing With The ProblemThere are several steps you may want to try to take care of excessive nail chewing. Diagnosing the Cause: It’s always good to check with the vet when your animal exhibits obsessive behavior to see if there could be an underlying medical cause. But if you think your dog or cat is bored, anxious or has simply irritated his skin so much that he can’t stop working it, then there are a few things you might want to try. Deterring the Behavior: An anti-itch spray paired with a head cone can help ease skin irritation and keep the pet from further abrading it, giving the skin time to heal. “A good over-the-counter anti-itch spray with a taste deterrent is called Lido-Med,” says Shusterich. Distracting the Pet: Bored nail biters can benefit from interactive puzzles and toys to keep their minds off their chewing. According to Shusterich, “Providing catnip for cats and hiding it in several toys can help entice them to search and play.” Similarly, hiding a peanut-butter-filled Kong toy keeps dogs busy and “reduces anxiety by boosting your dog’s confidence in providing a regular activity in line with his nature, and a job he is performing successfully on a daily basis.” Diminishing the Anxiety: Aerobic exercise is an essential component to reducing stress and this may also help reduce nail biting. Shusterich recommends “15 minutes of playing with your cat and 15 minutes of aerobic activity in addition to your dog’s walks” to keep your pet calm throughout the day, thereby reducing their anxious impulse to gnaw on their nails. And If Your Pet Is Still Biting?  (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...
| Tags: interactive puzzles, nail biting, obsessive behavior, puzzle toys | Category: Behavior, Training, etc., General animal interest |
Woof at usI got this from one of the Sheltie mailing lists to which I subscribe and thought it would be of interest to our readers. It’s probably copyrighted, so I’ll point you to the original location and ask that you at look at it there: http://humanewatch.org/index.php/site/post/what_i_learned_at_the_dog_show/ The original article has some cute photos that accompany it, but I think it’d be going too far for me to copy those into this post. Sorry! After the last paragraph of the article, I’ve inserted some of my own comments. Read ‘em if you want to, ignore ‘em if you don’t! What I Learned At The Dog ShowI spent this weekend at the Myrtle Beach kennel Club’s all-breed dog show in Florence, South Carolina. The club invited me down to talk about the threats its members are facing from the Humane Society of the United States and the rest of the animal rights movement. Since I had never been to a dog show, I said yes. (I grew up thinking that “fancy” was an adjective. Silly me.) I’m not a big fan of people who pooh-pooh things they’ve never tried or seen up-close. If one of my children says she “doesn’t like” something on the dinner table before taking even a tiny bite—well, let’s just say that doesn’t wash in my house. And I’ve always thought the whole “dog show” community was rather mysterious, a kind of benevolent secret society with its own rules, customs, and vocabulary. Sorta like Deadheads, but with a lot better grooming and a lot less fleas. Truth be told, the dog breeders I met this weekend do have their own peculiar ways of saying and doing things. But they’re really just ordinary people with a shared hobby. They’re really into what they do. And they taught me a lot in just a Saturday. Here’s some of what I learned. ——-
If this particular dog show is any indication of what’s typical, the “dog fancy” is a lot of fun for a lot of people who contribute a lot of money to the economy—and aren’t hurting anyone. “If we’re not having fun here,” one judge told me, very much off-the-cuff, “we shouldn’t be doing this.” For the life of me, I can’t figure out why the Humane Society of the United States has such a visceral hatred of everything they stand for. I think what’s going on is that HSUS, PETA, and other animal rights groups are conflating breeders whose main goal is to sell puppies with those who just happen to really love Pomeranians, Pinschers, or Poodles. This latter clique of people (far larger than the former) shows their favorite animals because they’re proud of them, not because they believe it will make their next litter worth more money. It’s not hard to understand HSUS’s stated motivation for attacking people who breed dogs. The group wants everyone to believe that rampant pet overpopulation in America is all their fault. But personally, I just don’t see it. I didn’t meet “puppy millers” this weekend. I met hobbyists, just like if I were at a model railroad convention, an antique fair, or a swim meet. They ask after each others’ kids. They visit each other in the hospital. They have knitting circles where the dogs watch approvingly. They’re 50 percent garden club, 50 percent church pot-luck. Zero percent animal abusers. I asked one breeder how much money she had spent raising her champion dog, a mammoth Anatolian shepherd. “Who knows?” she answered. “I never really added it up. If you’re pinching pennies you probably aren’t treating the dog right.” In addition to the two purebred dogs she was showing, she had “two rescue mutts at home, and they have the same food, supplements, and everything else my show dogs get.” And when I asked one of the veteran breeders how many of her peers raise dogs so they can sell the litters commercially, she looked at me like I was from Mars. “We all sell dogs, son,” she told me. “But none of us make a cent doing it. And I know where all my dogs live. If anyone can’t provide for them, we take ‘em back.” And then, almost as an afterthought: “I sure don’t want any of mine going to the pound or a rescue.” Everyone I asked about this had the same kind of answer. If they found out that any of their puppies wound up in a shelter, they’d sure do something about it. So why all the hostility from the Humane Society of the United States? Why did I hear from North and South Carolinians who had beaten back attempt after attempt from HSUS to have them taxed, registered, regulated, raided, and otherwise priced out of their hobby? What is it about these men, women, and children, so passionate about running up and down a concrete floor with their pets, that demands intervention from activists who think they know better? Maybe it’s that HSUS thinks the only way to shut down “puppy mills” is to paint every dog breeder with the same broad brush. Maybe. I haven’t yet really wrapped my mind around why HSUS is opposed to everything I saw this weekend. I just know that it is. As with pretty much every group of ranchers, dairymen, biomedical research scientists, and chicken farmers I’ve met, the breeders I spoke with this weekend had varying levels of awareness about the looming political threat from HSUS. Some of them can’t be bothered to be bothered. Others are fired up at the mere mention of Wayne Pacelle’s name. “Somebody has to take that guy on,” one 50-ish man barked when I brought up the name of HSUS’s CEO. “That whole movement is nuts. After I showed up to lobby against HSUS’s last North Carolina breeder tax, I started getting calls in the middle of the night, untraceable phone calls, from these people saying they were going to come on my property, take my dogs, and burn my house down. I told ‘em my new rifle has an awesome night scope. That pretty much ended it.” I spoke to the crowd after the Best In Show was awarded, in this case to a fluffy pekingese named “Noelle.” I told them that their problem is the same as the one faced by pork producers, egg farmers, dairymen, and even cancer researchers. But it was up to them to reach beyond their circle of friends—outside their comfort zone—if their kids and grandkids were going to keep being Junior Handlers and continue to raise the dog breeds they’ve come to love. At the end of the day, I have to be skeptical of HSUS’s blanket condemnation of pet breeders. I’m confident that there are some horrible ones out there, as there are with any group of people (including animal activists…), but any legislative or cultural movement that lumps the people I met this weekend in with the bad actors is just plain wrong-headed. Because the dogs I met in South Carolina were among the best-cared-for animals I’ve ever seen. Anyone who’s truly interested in animal welfare would want to make sure more dogs—not fewer—are treated this way. So how ’bout it, Wayne? Why aren’t you promoting dog shows? Probably because you’ve never been to one. ——————————- OK, this is Jim writing now. I’d like to comment on a few things that the author of the article said. First, though, let me say that I’m extremely impressed with the tone and perceptiveness of his article, and very pleased with his skepticism of HSUS and their fellow travelers. I know that many (most?) of our readers have been to plenty of dog shows, so you already know that the observations the author made about how people are at dog shows are really true. People can be incredibly competitive, but they’re also (almost always) incredibly supportive of their competitors. The rare exceptions that I’ve witnessed were extremely ugly and the responsible people were usually disavowed by other people nearby. What the author called “breeders whose main goal is to sell puppies” corresponds to what I tend to call “puppy mills,” much to the dismay of some people in ASSA. I guess it would be more appropriate to refer to them as “commercial breeders”, at least some of which treat their dogs abyssmally (but others of which treat their dogs as reasonably well as can be expected of a livestock operation). The author also seems to think that HSUS “wants everyone to believe that rampant pet overpopulation in America is all their fault”. What he fails to state is that HSUS, along with their comrades-in-arms PETA and several other groups, wants to completely eliminate all human use of animals — including as pets — and will say or do anything that inches them closer to that goal. Perhaps that goal is so astonishingly far-fetched that he has trouble believing it? In another paragraph, he says: And when I asked one of the veteran breeders how many of her peers raise dogs so they can sell the litters commercially, she looked at me like I was from Mars. “We all sell dogs, son,” she told me. “But none of us make a cent doing it…” That’s not a universal truth. I know some pretty serious and sincere Sheltie breeders who make a living (not getting rich, but a living) from their breeding. Their Shelties are highly respected and they are successful in the conformation ring. I have joked many times that “If you’re making money breeding dogs, you’re not doing it right”, but that (rightfully, I suppose) offends breeders who are both honest and careful breeders and who earn money from their kennels. Caveat emptor, fer sher. OK, that’s my rant for today. Once again, I thank the author for a thoughtful, funny, educational piece on a piece of Americana (hell, “doggiana” would be more compelte). It’s refreshing to read something that’s on our side for a change! (No Ratings Yet) Loading ...
| Tags: animal rights, animal welfare, Best in Show, conformation, dog shows, HSUS | Category: Animal Welfare vs Animal Rights, General animal interest, Humor, NonSheltieStuff |
2 woofs2 comments to What I Learned At The Dog Show
This post is going to be a mix of what’s new in Sheltie Rescue and what’s up with w First, here’s a photo of Jim with his new and improved knee! (It’s the naked one.) Last night I slept upstairs in the bedroom with Jim and Tommy, Skyler, Lucky, Jill, Tigger, Star, Abby, Jodee, Peyton, Sparky, and Storm. Of course, Zen Cat was in the bedroom with us too. In bed with us were Jodee, Star, Abby, and Zen Cat. Storm kept getting up on the bed and looking at us but I asked him to get off and he did (he’s such a good boy!). For me it was great to be near Jim all night (at least until 6:00am) and to snuggle into our waterbed. Whenever I had a mini-awakening during the night, turning over or something, I kept thinking how good this felt. I slept upstairs last night because today we’re getting two weekend guests…Kalvin and Buddy, who are Sheltie Rescue alumni. With this addition to our household it’ll be easier to manage everyone with most of them being near the door to the backyard — meaning I’ll be sleeping back on the couch again. We usually see Kalvin and Buddy several times a year. It’s especially touching for me to see Kalvin for two reasons. Kalvin’s somewhere between 14 and 16 years and going strong. It’s great to see him doing so well at his advanced age. Secondly, Kalvin was saved by a woman named Iris. He had been brought to the Humane Society in SLC by his family and proceeded to nip people at the shelter. They knew he was just scared but it was getting difficult to keep him out of trouble (being euthanized)…so Iris found us and we agreed to help Kalvin right away. He was desperately in need of a dental and other medical attention all of which may have contributed to his ornery behavior. Iris has since passed away of lung cancer. But not before I came to love and respect her.
This is our new girl, Honey, who was turned over to us by the Humane Society. I sure wish in her case that we could find out who her vet was. She has a mass or tumor under her tail near the base of her tail. We’ve been told that she has skin allergies and needs cortisone injections because benadryl didn’t work. I’m not seeing skin allergies at least not in the form that I’m used to seeing them. I found the tumor and we’ll see what we can do about that when we visit with Dr. Cortisano at Cottonwood Animal Hospital on Saturday. What I do see on Honey is that she’s been licking her feet and her vaginal area so much that the hair in all these areas is deeply discolored. Her nails are way too long and could be causing discomfort for her feet resulting in licking. I don’t know if you can tell from the photo below but Honey is very overweight. She probably will weigh in at about 50 lbs. The first night that Honey was here I thought I heard someone among the dogs throwing up. Most of what I heard turned out to be Honey licking herself so aggressively that she was making a lot of slurping sounds. In the morning I checked her mouth. Her teeth are in great shape. Her gums looked unusually red and they were sticky indicating that she was somewhat dehydrated. That surprised me because she’s eating meals just fine. It turns out that this was probably just related to her being stressed both by being at the shelter and then coming here and needing to adjust to us. I had already started her on an allergy diet having been told that she has skin allergies. She’s on Hills Science DD Duck and Potato with which I’ve had the best luck in dealing with allergies which can be extremely difficult to work with. Her appetite is very good. I tested her gums again later in the day and they were no longer sticky. So perhaps the stress of losing her home (she’s supposed to be 6 years old) combined with a lot of licking and panting dehydrated her somewhat. I think I brought her home on Tuesday.
3 comments to I Slept With Jim Last Night!
For a number of weeks now, Barbara and I have been sleeping on separate floors of our 3-story house. Most of the time, she sleeps on the couch in the family room on the main floor, while I (if I’m not out of town somewhere) usually sleep in the bedroom on the upper floor. We miss one another! It ain’t right…but it’s being done to help preserve our sanity and some shreds of sleep. The problem is that we have a puppy and a bunch of not-completely-housebroken dogs living with us. And they tend to want to get up with the sun to go potty. We’d prefer them to go potty outside, not on our carpets or in their crates. But we don’t like getting up at “oh-dark-thirty” every morning. So Barbara’s chosen to sleep downstairs with the majority of the dogs, which allows her to get up and let out those complaining the worst, then fall back asleep for a while longer. She might have to let two or three batches out, but she does manage to get a few extra winks of sleep between outings. I’ve tried to alternate with her so she could get some nights in our comfortable waterbed, but the bloody couch is about four inches (10 cm) too short and I can’t stretch my legs out. I feel really badly about this, and am willing to sleep on the floor if necessary, but Barbara insists that she doesn’t mind (too much, at least) this arrangement. When I go up at night, I take Star and Abby with me, as well as Tommy on most nights. Star usually sleeps on the floor next to the bed or on one of the big pillows we have positioned against the bed, while Abby sleeps on the bed somewhere fairly close, but not so close that my tossing and turning keeps her awake. Tommy really prefers to sleep near me (on the floor…he gets uncomfortable in the waterbed) when possible, although he will on rare occasions insist on sleeping downstairs with Barbara. Sparky often likes to go up with me, too, because he perceives being in the bedroom as a special privilege reserved for the best dogs. And, many nights, I like for Jodee to come up with me as well. At first, Jodee wasn’t a good candidate for this, because she wasn’t very well housebroken. In fact, she still has an “accident” once in a while…probably when she hears other dogs going outside but she can’t get out of the bedroom, downstairs, and out with them. But more recently she’s been pretty reliable, so she gets to come up with me more often. And she really loves it. At first, it bothered her that her puppy-buddy Tigger wasn’t nearby, and she thought maybe playing with toys was the point of the exercise. But lately she’s gotten the idea that sleeping next to her daddy on the waterbed’s a pretty good deal. Last night, she slept right next to my head; I could lean my face against her side or her hip for most of the night. Still, I’ll be awfully glad when our numbers go back down (we’re at 19 today, expecting two more tomorrow, and more next week) and Barbara can move back upstairs to sleep in the same bed as me!! (No Ratings Yet) Loading ...
| Tags: Abby, Jodee, Sparky, Star, Tigger, Tommy, waterbed | Category: Life With Shelties |
One woof1 comment to Sleeping Arrangements
Friday Jim went and got his knee repaired by Dr. Vernon Cooley in a short surgery, although, arriving there at 8:15am and leaving at 2:30pm would hardly seem short. The surgery itself was only about a 15 minute procedure. The preparation was much longer and recovery especially long because Jim, who wanted to stay awake and watch the surgery, was given a spinal anesthetic. This anesthetic wears off fairly slowly so we had to stay until he could stand and sort-of walk. We were both bored with hanging around but Jim couldn’t have been happier with having been awake for the surgery. His surgeon and anesthesiologist set up a monitor right beside his head so he could watch everything they were doing. In addition, Dr. Cooley explained what he was doing every step of the way. Jim was beaming when I found him in the recovery area. Here’s the whole story in photos… Here’s Jim in that lovely standard issue, full coverage gown we all get when we have to see a doctor, nurse, or go for surgery…it seems like any time we need any procedure they can’t wait to get us into one of these ridiculous things.
Here’s Jim with the nurse who outfitted him with his hospital bracelet. She used to work in the baby delivery area and was used to being videoed at work.
And here Jim is with the other man of the hour, his orthopedist, Dr. Vernon Cooley.
I don’t know…for a surgery it really looks like everyone is having an awful lot of fun…dontcha think? The next photo shows Jim with his anesthesiologist. Anesthesiologists are always more subdued than the rest of the group. He was great…we think his name was Dr. Denton. It was really up to him to decide if he’d give Jim a spinal injection rather than put him out.
The anesthesiologist is holding the IV because he and Jim are just about to leave. They are going to walk down the hall together and into the operating room. The next photo is Jim in the recovery area. He didn’t have the usual recovery to do because he wasn’t under anesthesia. This also meant that he didn’t have the possible nausea from anesthesia too. He did, however, have to get the feeling back from his waist down so he could stand and walk. That took awhile.
Finally, back home and feeling pretty good this morning (Saturday). Jim is following the doc’s orders to stay on the couch for a few days and do his knee and leg exercises while icing his knee. The surgery turned out to be a different surgery than they’d expected to do, going into it. After they got inside they saw that Jim had a piece of his lateral meniscus torn that needed to be cut out. Before getting inside they thought they were going to need to abrade the miniscus to get it to do some healing on its own…this was going to require that Jim stay off his left leg for 4 to 6 weeks! We were bracing for this type of lengthy recovery. With the excising of the torn lateral piece of meniscus his recovery is very different. He needs to stay off his feet for a couple of days with short trips around the house every so often walking on that leg. They told him that in 2 weeks he can probably start some light hiking! What a much better recovery schedule! We’re both thrilled. 8 comments to Jim Has Fun While Getting Knee Fixed!
Paxton is a 20 month old pitbull mix who lost his owner due to a sudden and unexpected death. Despite Paxton’s strength and appearance he is not only very loving but also a bit sensitive. It takes Paxton a little time to get to know each person. In this way he’s kind of like a Sheltie but without the long Sheltie coat and smaller size. When Paxton first met me he was friendly but also a bit perturbed by my presence. He didn’t like my direct eye contact (not surprising if he was not yet comfortable with me) and barked at me as if to let me know I shouldn’t take it for granted that we’d be friends. I was still being evaluated. By the end of the hour together with Paxton and a close human buddy of Paxton’s, Kathy, he seemed to be more accepting of me. You’ll see from this video that Kathy and Paxton are very comfortable with each other. Paxton takes a treat from Kathy’s mouth at one point. Kathy has known Paxton since he was a little puppy and has stepped in to make sure that Paxton goes to a good home rather than ending up in a shelter, possibly to be euthanized because of the many pitbull mixes that end up there.
Paxton knows how to SIT, Shake Hands, and he can also open up a water bottle or soda bottle. I’ve been told that perhaps this might not be as cute as I think it is. He knows WAIT a bit, also. As a strong dog he’ll need to respond to commands very reliably and quickly. He needs to learn DOWN and LEAVE IT would be good too.
Kathy does a trick with Paxton where she puts a treat in her mouth and Paxton takes it from her mouth. If anyone knows of a great adopting home for this handsome boy please have them call Barbara at 801-942-4762. Thanks! 3 comments to Paxton Needs a Home
With 18 dogs and while Jim’s gone it’s easier for me NOT to try to drag most of the Sheltie-kids upstairs putting some in crates and some not, and sleep in our soft, warm, wonderful waterbed. Especially when I know that puppy, Tigger, is going to wake me up any time between 4:00am and 7:00am to go potty and I’ll have to stumble around to find pants, shirt, and shoes, at least, to get him out. Keep in mind that we had snow yesterday morning. So I’ve been sleeping on the couch in the family room with most of the dogs around me either in crates or on pads. For whatever reason, it’s not a good place to get great sleep so I’ve been dragging. We’ve had three adoptions that are great placements. Ellie-Rose, the child of a divorce situation and a wonderful girl, was adopted by Kay who also owns Murphy.
Our beautiful color-headed girl Aria, whose real name is Amie, was adopted to a wonderful couple out of Montana, who are also trainers. The perfect place for her — she’s going to have the chance to really show what a great Sheltie-girl she is with these wonderful people.
Our third adoption was tiny Porter. He’s been with us the longest of all these adoptees and he always slept with me so that’s been a hard one. But really, they’re all hard because I love and miss Aria (Amie), and I knew that in the right environment Ellie-Rose would be cherished — and the follow-up call from Kay confirms that she is very much loved. I just hope Kay takes weight off of Murphy and maintains Ellie-Rose’s weight loss while with us. There’s supposed to be a way that I can order these photos so that they flow with the text but I haven’t figured it out yet, though I’ve tried. I wanted some of the photos not to be a part of the gallery (grouping of photos) but that too is turning out to be harder to do than expected. The difference in the household with only 15 dogs left…yes, really, ONLY 15, was huge. I even considered sleeping back upstairs in the bedroom. It’s much more manageable – something to enjoy because it’s fleeting — we’ve got one very over-sized Sheltie waiting to come here and then the call, asking if we’d take in two puppy mill Shelties. Yesterday I was supposed to get our two new Sheltie-mill kids, imports from the midwest who were going to be euthanized. I don’t know the details on how some of these kids get to Utah. But I was supposed to meet Heather Franc at around 1:00 to 2:00 to pick them up. A change in schedule meant that I had to meet her at 5:00 at PetCo in Draper. Which I did…now Jim, in China is on a time schedule that is off from ours by about 14 hours. It boils down to that he calls me in the morning (his time) at around 5:30pm our time. He’s just woken up or he’s just had breakfast and we chat a bit. When he gets back to his hotel, after the day’s meeting is over and his group has gone out to dinner and returned, Jim calls me before he goes to sleep which is about 8:00am or so, my time. So I get back to the house with our two new Sheltie-mill guests. I have to get each of them out of their crates in the car, up the stairs (they’re hardly going to follow me and they’re probably not going to walk on a leash), and settle them into the bathroom on our main floor, which I’ve decided is going to give them a chance to breathe, have some nice bedding, and a tile floor to use in case they are not on the same potty schedule we’re on — if they were ever on any schedule at all. So the “Barbara Bus” jumps into action and I bring the little girl upstairs first. As soon as I get her situated in the bathroom I check my laptop to see if Jim has tried to Skype me…and indeed he has! Oh no! Will I be able to get him before he leaves his hotel room to go off to his meeting (somewhere in the hotel)? So I tell Skype to start dialing him while I run back downstairs and get our new Sheltie-boy out of the car in the garage and carry him upstairs and deposit him with the little girl, in the bathroom. I make sure they have plenty of water and hope they like their new little apartment. Boy! Do they smell! A bath is needed asap for each of them. I apologize if this video makes you dizzy…the little girl has a thing for moving and circling. Back to my laptop…and I hear the sound, even before I get there (the kitchen table) that indicates that Jim is calling me. Great! He WAS wondering where I was and WHY I wasn’t available at our usual time to talk — so I explained. We chatted while the rest of our crew here — already assembled in their crates in the food room — complain because dinner has been served yet (normally at 5:00) and obviously, tonight it’s going to be later than usual. To remedy my difficulty getting a good night’s sleep (and my need to lose weight) I started working out again…30 minutes on the treadmill at an incline of 11% and rpm of 2.7. Yesterday was my second day in a row of working out and I was dead tired by 9:00pm. But still, I slept terribly! On the great news side of things, Peyton’s angel is still looking after him with another box of wonderful goodies especially suited to Peyton. There’s no doubt in my mind that Peyton is feeling special and is enjoying all the attention. The duck jerky treats, the duck biscuits, and the adorable duck, frog, and chimpanzee toys that make the noise representative of each animal has definitely gotten his attention (and everyone else’s too)! Our home has a feel of being a zoo but now it also sounds like a zoo! Peyton is just loving being showered with all these wonderful goodies that help him to know how loved and special he is. I don’t know if it’s the high quality duck treats that Steve has sent or the Figuerola PetSaver supplement that I started using when I realized that Sage’s liver failure wasn’t improving, but Peyton’s coat and skin are looking great. The little bit of hair loss that had started on his muzzle has gone away and there’s no indication of any sores anywhere. I’m sure the quality nutrition is a contributor but I’ll also say that I love this Figuerola supplement which I use with all the dogs. Steve and his Mom may come out to Colorado or to Las Vegas and make a stop here in Utah to visit with Peyton. We’d be thrilled to meet them in person. Jim is going to have knee surgery on June 11th so it’s not clear when next we’ll get out to Florida to the boat – and our next insane adventure there. If we haven’t met Steve before then, we’ll definitely plan to meet Steve and his Mom when we’re in their neighborhood. There are so many people that I’d like to send thank you notes to. So many people that I’d like to call or email…(which I’ve now begun to avoid even though I really need to pay attention to it). But really, right now all I feel like doing is pulling the blankets over my head and wishing the world away just for a little while. – Barbara Thank goodness that Cindy Wilkinson runs a successful raffle for us and Patti Gilbert is dead set on winning a challenge to net us significant cash — which we’ll need. (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...
| Category: Rescue musings, Secret Life of Dog/Rescue People |
3 woofs3 comments to Two Adoptions, Two New Kids (Need Names), Another Sheltie Waiting to Come Here, Jim in China, and I’m Searching for a Hole I Can Hide In
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The major reason we’re driving is that renting a car for three weeks while we’re there begins to approach a thousand dollars, and that’s a bunch of money every time we go. So we’re going to leave the car there and fly home. We’ve found a safe place to leave the car — at the home of a friend-of-a-friend, who will start the car and drive it around the block about once a week, to ensure the battery doesn’t run down, the fuel doesn’t gel, and the tires don’t get flat spots on them — at a very reasonable cost. The secondary reason for driving is that my mother, who lives in southwest Louisiana, is 95 years old and probably won’t be around a lot longer. We’re going to stop and visit her for three days, which might be the last time we get to do so.
Poor guy…he was extremely unhappy about that, but we put him on a pad that would protect the floor and carpet.
here we sleep at night.
To get my first photos of her I had to work hard. She didn’t want to stay still at all and she didn’t want to look at me. Here are some photos I got today of her sweet face and her discolored feet. The dark coloring on her feet is not natural dark color — it’s a dark stain from her saliva.
Sounds like an adventure for sure! 14 hours a day is about 2x the amount of driving I can do in a day. Stay safe and get out and walk around every couple of hours.
You know you need to contact the airline you’re flying on to make reservations early if you’ve got a dog and want it to stay with you. They only allow one or two on each flight so you want to get your reservation in early! Hopefully that works out!
Can’t wait to read all about it!
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oh…forgot to say, Have a GREAT visit with your Mother!!!!!
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It does sound like it’s going to be a great trip! I hope Abby enjoys sailing. She’s such an fun girl, I bet she’ll love it.
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I am trying to decide if Abby being gone is going to make Tanner sad or if it will be a good thing. I think a little bit of both. Poor Tanner loves Abby but he can only play in little spurts and gets tired so easily and Abby sometimes just doesn’t know when to stop lol. I hope you guys have a safe and fun trip. Give your mom my best.
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