Howl-een Safety Tips and Petula Update

Happy Howl-een, Everybody!  I'm especially happy because it's supposed to be rainy and cold which means I won't be tortured into any ridiculous costume and paraded around the neighborhood! Yippee!

I do want to share with you one quick but super important warning.  My dad said that so far only one of his patients has accidentally experienced a chocolate poisoning this holiday season. But that is still one too many!  Chocolate, especially Baker's chocolate and dark chocolate candy is very poisonous to dogs and cats.  Cats don't normally eat chocolate, though, because they can't taste the sweetness.  Dogs are the ones that get themselves into trouble more often.

The theobromine in chocolate comes in different concentrations and so it's best to always check with your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center with the kind of chocolate and amount consumed if your dog or cat ever gets in to any.  At lower doses, dogs will experience diarrhea, but at higher doses of theobromine, they can experience heart arrhythmias and even death.  Chocolate and chocolate candy is nothing to mess with so please take extra precautions in your home to protect your pets this Howl-een!

Also, I just have to add that we've had Petula for 7 whole days now and she is doing great!  She got to meet my Nana who loved to her to pieces instantly!  Since her mouth is healing more now from her surgery, she's starting to get more playful with toys. 

                                                       Should I join in or shouldn't I?

                                                         Why not?  Hey, this is fun!

                                    It's so nice to have a napping friend after a hard day's work!

Have a safe and fun Howl-een, Everybody!

You've Got A Friend In Me! (Welcome, Petula!)

                                    WELCOME, PETULA!

I am happy to announce that I have a new friend!  My family just adopted her on October 25th and her name is Petula.  She's a 5 year old French Bulldog.  Isn't she pretty?  Don't you love her name?!

 She just came home with us last night, and though she's recovering from mouth surgery. she's acting like she's part of the family already!  And I must say, she outshines me in her potty training prowess.  When I was new here I had lots of accidents. Lots. But she hasn't had one!  And she loves my kids (I'm getting used to sharing their attention).

Look what we did today--wrestle!  I have a wrestling buddy!  She has already learned how to out-maneuver me, even though she's smaller than me (and don't tell her I said so, but sometimes I play really gently so she can win).

My mom said that though no dog can take the place of our sweet Maggie, Tula has quickly stolen our hearts and is helping to heal our sadness at losing our friend.  She even sniffs and grunts like Maggie did which makes us smile.

I know our friendship has just begun and I'm so excited to show Tula all of my favorite spots, walking trails and toys and go on lots of adventures with her!  Of course I'll share all about them on my blog too!  I'm also so thankful to my foster mom, Tricia, for picking my family to be Tula's forever home!  We are all so in love with her and I want Tricia to know that she is doing fantastic and adjusting so well ( I even let her snuggle with my mom on the couch for a little nap today.  She tucked herself right in under my mom's chin!).

The end of Petula's first whole day in her new home!

 
I'll leave you with a few pictures from her Adoption Day (thanks to Tricia from Patricia Anderson Photography for sharing them!):

I Beg Of You, Don't Look!

I mentioned in my last post, I overheard some sort of conspiracy to make me look ridiculous for this celebration that I think is called, Howl-een.

Unfortunately, my fears have come to pass.  I'm too embarrassed to show you what they did to me, but my mom is making me post the pictures because she thinks I look so cute.

Can you believe this??!!

I don't even have a tail to velcro into this costume!  What are they thinking?!  Can you tell I'm not amused?

I'm doing my best to put on my saddest face, but to no avail!  Look what they tried next!

Oh, the humiliation!  I'm never going to be able to show my face in Dogdome again!  Mom said my head was too big to fit into the bat hat.  I secretly celebrated!

What's this? There's more?  I can't even bear to show my face.  A pumpkin? Seriously? This has got to be the epitome of ridiculousness! I can't even look at the camera anymore.  I'm so disgraced.

Are any of my dog friends out there facing similar circumstances? Please tell me I'm not alone! What humiliating costume are your people making you wear this Howl-een?

Craig's List, Costumes & Leaves

http://www.flickr.com/people/sbh--Steve-H

 So, there's this strange celebration called Howl-een that my kids keep talking about.  I'm not sure what it is, but I guess dogs have to participate and perhaps howl at night??  I think I should start practicing!  Since I'm deaf, I don't make much noise usually!

Anyways, I've caught snippets of a conspiracy being concocted behind my back which includes dressing me up to make me look like a skeleton or a bat (because of my bat ears--haha. I'm not amused.).  I shall keep you updated on this strange and secret mission my family is on to make me look ridiculous.

Speaking of strange things, the first 18 months of my life I grew up in a cage and was quite unaware of the great outdoors.  Now I get to go for regular walks, but something funny is happening lately.  The leaves are actually coming off the trees!  What in the world??!!  Today was really windy and every time a leaf blew by I was like, "What's that?!" and "Whoa, there's another one!", jerking my head and looking every which way.  I must say, Boy Child #2 and my mom thought I was pretty funny.

Lastly, I think it's important that I share with you this conversation that I overheard between my mom and dad.  My dad came home from work recently and said that a client brought in a new puppy.  She thought she was getting this:  

 

Chihuahua

When what she really ended up buying is this:

Pitbull

Now, don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with Pitbulls. My dad loves them and said some of his sweetest patients that come to see him are Pitbulls.  But when you think you're buying a wee little Taco Bell dog and you end up with a gigantic Pitbull, that comes as quite a shock!

How did that happen, you ask?  Here's the story: The client made the mistake of buying a dog off of Craig's List.  The "breeder", if you can call him that, told the woman that she was getting an 11 month old Chihuahua.  The puppy was 15 lbs, so the client thought that was pretty accurate.  But when my dad examined the puppy and looked at his teeth, body build and characteristics, he found that it was an 11 week old Pitbull puppy!

Please, if you're considering adding a four-legged friend to your family, consider first the animals that are sitting in shelters and in foster care anxiously awaiting homes!  If you're looking for a pure bred dog, most breeds have their own rescue organizations too.  That's how my mom and dad found me--through the French Bulldog Rescue Network!  And don't hesitate to call my dad's clinic and ask for advice too.  Everyone there is knowledgeable about different breeds and the pros and cons of each.  They'd love to help you!

Good-Bye, My Friend

I had to say good-bye to Maggie on Monday.  I've been too sad to write those words and though it's still not any easier, I need to talk about it too.

She went so quickly that I only had about 2 weeks with her from the time symptoms of her brain tumor struck to the time she was so incapacitated by that dreadful cancer that my parents had to ease her suffering and help her over the Rainbow Bridge.

Last kisses and hugs with Mom

Afterward, I laid down next to her sweet, still body, draped my head over hers and hugged her good-bye. 

But those are my sad memories.

I want to remember her as the tough and playful girl she was.  As I got to know her and gain some confidence, she taught me how to play tug-o-war with her favorite rope.  Each morning after breakfast, we snuggled together in front of the space heater in the bathroom as my mom took a shower and she would groom me, mostly licking my belly. I always rolled over so she could get all the good spots.

She was kind enough to share all of her favorite sun bathing spots and my mom called us "Sunbeam Buddies".

My mom and dad talk about how, in her younger years before she went blind, she loved to chase after the kids' gigantic green ball in the back yard and when she'd get hot, she'd jump into the water spray from the hose, lick at the water and get all cooled off again.  She also liked to jump up and bark like crazy under the trampoline as the kids bounced above her.

She went on camping trips and share the roasted marshmallows.  She curled up next to her "babies" as they cuddled or nursed in my mom's arms.  She slept with her kids when they were sick and she always knew when they needed a bit of extra love.  She played hard, snored loud, and was a loyal friend.  Though I've only known her 8 months, she'll always be with me.  She was my Friend.

My Friend, Maggie

I've been quiet on my blog lately and that's because this is hard for me to write.  My friend, Maggie, who immediately accepted me into her house, treated me like her brother and showed me all the good sunbeam spots, has developed a brain tumor.

Maggie has always been a tough dog, but unfortunately her breed has one of the highest percentages of brain tumors and it has quickly affected her life and health these past two weeks.

Like so many brain tumors, they can lurk undetected until sudden and extreme changes make it obvious.  Maggie has developed grand mal seizures and they are hard to control, even on medication.  It is hard for me to watch her go through this sudden transformation from a blind, but healthy and strong girl to this staggering and off-balanced confused dog. 

My mom carries her through the house to keep her close by and helps her outside to potty and to her food bowl at feeding time.  My Dad said that even though she's confused and off-balanced, she doesn't seem to be in pain and is eating well and even chews on her rawhide bones still.  I know my time with her is probably pretty short now and I'm soaking up each minute with her. 

I know lots of people have had to say good-bye to their beloved cat or dog or other pets and there are good guidelines to help determine when it's time to say good-bye, but it's hard for me to understand exactly what's going on.  I try to be gentle around Maggie now and snuggle with her whenever I can and sometimes when she's having a seizure, I lay down next to her and I put my paws over her legs to help comfort her.  I know something is very wrong--I can see it in my Mom's teary eyes.

I appreciate the comfort you, my blog-reading friends, have given to me.  I feel a little bit better sharing my sadness with all of you and I thank you for listening to me.

Back-To-School Blues

According to most parents, it's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!  But for me and lots of other pets, it's a big adjustment when the kids go back to school.  Luckily, BC2 (Boy Child 2) only goes to school half days so I still have my little buddy to play with.  But still, life is much quieter now and I'm still getting used to that.

I do admit, I had a little "accident" in the house.  I know, I was acting out and I shouldn't have, but I didn't know how else to express myself!  I thought I'd help other pets with some tips to get through this busy back-to-school season.

First, make sure you have a good supply of toys and if you can talk your owners into stuffing some treats into a few Kongs, that would be a great way to keep yourself occupied and happy for a while!

Secondly, ask your owner for more attention like a game of hide and seek, a walk, or if you're a cat, some feather-chasing would probably be fun.

Finally, please try not to annoy your family by having potty accidents (like I did), or digging up the yard, or scratching furniture or howling and bothering the neighbors!  Let them know that you are sad and miss your kids and that you need extra attention (and maybe a treat when they leave), but don't go overboard on the sympathy factor!

I hope that helps and that everyone has a great school year!

My Day At The Vet Clinic (I Feel Yucky Part II)

It's been a no good very bad day for me, but I'm feeling a little bit better now and I thought I'd tell all of you what happened.  As I posted previously, I've been vomiting a little the past few days and so I had some tests done. And to make things worse, my Dad decided to check the growth on my leg again to confirm what he thought it was (it was too small last time to get a diagnosis).

First, I got measured by this medal stick thingy by two nice women who put me on this table which they called the X-Ray table, whatever that is.

                                Next, I had to lay down on the table and get streeeeeetched out!

Just when I thought I couldn't hold still anymore, Deb put her gloves on and quickly took a picture of my guts.  I'm sure there's a medical term for guts, but I can't remember it. Just be thankful I remembered what X-Ray is!

Here are my guts. Everything is normal except I really have to poop!

But wait! There's more!  My Dad came in and turned all the lights out and put this little probe all over my tummy to see if there were any kid toys playing in there.  A little brag here about my Dad--he's the best Ultrasound Vet around!  Anyways, Betty held me for this and she was so nice that I just laid there for her. You can see the tumor on my leg too. It's red.

                 I'm getting a little tired now, but I have to be patient because there's more to do.

                                                         
                                                              Oh boy, what's next?!

This is what an aspirate looks like.  Sometimes dogs and cats get lumps, bumps and tumors.  My Dad can stick a fine needle into the lump, aspirate some cells and look at them under a microscope.  Some tumors like lipomas, histiocytomas and mast cell tumors can be quickly diagnosed this way.  Others have to be surgically removed and sent to a lab to find out what they are. It doesn't hurt too badly:

                                                   Looking at the cells under a microscope.

                                     
                                           OK, now what?!  He's putting alcohol on my neck!

                                                 
                                                     Why is he feeling my jugular??!!

                                      
                                           Blood! I'm not going to faint! I'm not going to faint!

Thank goodness my Mom showed up because I really needed a hug after all that!  My blood work was all normal except it showed that I was dehydrated from vomiting.  So my Mom gave me some subcutaneous fluids.  That's where you drip fluids through an I.V. line under the skin.  I looked like I had a humpback for a while, but it slowly absorbed and helped me feel better.  She also gave me 3 shots to help my tummy calm down and got some special food for me to eat for the next couple days too.

Nothing showed up on the X-Rays and Ultrasound so Dad thinks I may have gotten too many tastes of table scraps (he had a talk with the kids about that!).  My tumor is just a Histiocytoma. If you look at that link, you'll see what the cells look like under the microscope.  It's just benign and will hopefully go away on its own.

I'm home and resting now. Maggie and BC2 (Boy Child #2) are helping me feel better.

I Feel Yucky

I've been throwing up a couple times a day for the past couple days.  It makes me really sad when I do it. I put my ears back like I'm in trouble, but my Mom always tells me it's OK.

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm going to work with my Dad today.  He says he needs to look me over because I've been known to eat the kids' toys before (I know, that's so bad!) and he wants to take an X-ray of me that supposedly will show him if I have a marble in my stomach or something.  And I think I heard my mom talk about drawing some blood too. ~Shiver~

I'm not very happy about this, even though I love to go for car rides!  I'll let all of you know what my dad finds when I get home.

Best Ice Cream In Grand Rapids

The Grand Rapids Press just released their Top 10 Best Ice Cream Parlors In Michigan and I was so sad to see that my favorite ice cream parlor, Crystal Cone in Caledonia was not mentioned!  In fact, I had to go there last night just to show my support!

For all of you dogs out there wondering just how I go about talking my family into sharing a few licks, here are some tips.

1.  Know, practice and perfect The Look.  I'm wearing her down, can't you tell?

2. Don't forget to include all family members in The Look, just in case one person won't oblige. It's a lot of work, but trust me, your efforts will pay off!

3. Don't hesitate lest they change their minds! Dive right in!

4.  This is a last resort, but if all else fails, be bold!  Here I am using the Paw Take-Down Method.  The move is exactly as described in the title.  When the person is least suspecting (and smiling for the camera), jump up, use your paw to pull the hand with the cone in it down to you and take a lick fast!

I love Crystal Cone! If you're in the area, you should stop by and try them out!  The Triple Peanut Butter ice cream is my favorite!  This is how I ended my night out with my family: