Knitting today has been postponed on account of dog cuddles. Dex got a raging ear infection and ensuing swelling from head shaking required minor surgery on his ears. Doc got him all cleaned up and it’s healing nicely but I’m putting down the needles to cuddle my fur baby!
Ps. He hates the ear sleeve……
No knitting today….
These goofy faces have vet appointments and shots today. Boy are they excited….not!!
Hope everyone has as great day 😉
No explanation needed…
Pardon us while we head to the park before work 🙂
More knitting to follow tomorrow!
To be clear this is not an April Fools joke….but it sure felt like it at the time!
The hubby and I have two very happy and (knock on wood) healthy pets, Dex and Chloe. Chloe is a six year old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. She has a minor heart murmur that is under control with exercise and healthy diet. Then we have Dex, a five year old yellow lab that aside from some digestive issues after licking grill goo is very healthy. Until last week…
While visiting my parents Dex developed soreness/pain while jumping up and down from surfaces. He yelped/cried when he tried. Not finding any outward signs of injury we kept him quiet for a few days to ease what we thought was probably a pulled muscle. And for most of the week he continued to show no interest in jumping up and down off the couch or bed. He did absolutely fine running, eating, drinking, and playing.  Then last Saturday came…
After having their supper and evening constitutional the pups settled in for their naps. I took up residence on the couch to catch up on my DVR. I turned around to see my lab hunched on his back haunches, ears laid back, and shaking visibly on his pet bed. To say I freaked out is an understatement…I yelled for my husband who came running. Dex didn’t want to stand or move his back legs. They were stiff and shaking. My husband had to carry all 90 pounds of him to our car to take him to the Emergency clinic down the road.
Upon reaching the clinic and getting settled into the exam room, our dog for no apparent reason began acting normally again. The (very sweet and lovely vet) examined him and found no muscle, skeletal, or neurological issues. So 15 minutes and $100 later we walk out of the clinic with doggy NSAID pain relievers and orders to keep him calm for a week.
I was half mad at myself for freaking out and half relieved that nothing serious was wrong. After five years of doggy ownership, this was our first “emergency”. And it scared the crap out of me. Lord help my husband and I when we have human kids, lol.
Have you ever had a puppy false alarm? How did you handle it?
(This is Dex’s sad face because he can’t go for walks or play Frisbee for a week)
Just a little sweetness from me to you…
Happy Valentines Day to All!
It’s cold outside and I’m freezing. So today I’m snuggling my fur babies…
It’s hot….like really hot here in Kansas right now. And sometimes you just need ice cream. So the husband and I hit a local Sheridan’s for some custard. We let Chloe lick that last of the goodies from one of our cup.
I gotta give her points for both enthusiasm and perseverance!! She managed to get all the way to the bottom, lol.
Dex mean while had his taste and decided to sleep through the heat, lol.
It’s a hard knock life for dogs in this house!
Dex is addicted to his frisbee. But it’s a vehicle through which he gets lots of exercise and stimulation. Which keeps him happy and healthy. So for as many days as we can safely manage in this hot summer we take him for trips to the park in the evening.
The hubs is WAY better at throwing than I, but Dex doesn’t seem to mind. He hauls butt after it every throw near or far. He never mastered the art of slowing down upon approach and has the tendency to face plant or spin out when he bends to pick up the Frisbee at full speed. Even if he loses sight of it he sniffs out his “baby”! I think it’s his best friend.
He always knows where his precious frisbee is at all times. And would sleep with it if we let him, lol. And when he is done fetching at the park he takes his toy and sits at the car and waits for us to take him home.
Subtle right? I think he may be a bit spoiled, we have created a monster!
I hope everyone has a peaceful Sunday! I’m off to get a little knitting done and then on to rehearsal!!
Since the move to the new house we have been taking the dogs to a new park. This park has wide open spaces and lots of fresh air. And most recently a pair of birds have taken up residence in a nearby tree. Chloe has taken quite the interest in them. First we exit the car and she sights her prey…
Then she stalks her prey through the tall grass….
Then she goes on point…(we never trained her to do this. I swear she just started doing it, lol!)
The birds of course HATE her and dive bomb at every turn…
After a few good barks from her and swoops by the birds we happily climb back in the car and go home for a bowl of cool water and belly rubs!
I love this puppy and all her quirks. I know she will never actually catch her birds. But she gets such joy from trying I can’t begrudge her. (I promise I will never let any harm come to her or any birds)
I could not imagine my life without this face!!!
She is my husband and I’s first dog and our baby. She came to us a rescue and we couldn’t have asked for a better dog. She is sweet, loving, quiet, and full of snuggles. She is now a 5 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She brings so much love and can instantly make my worst day better. (Even when she stares at me over my book, lol)
At a recent vet visit for her annual vaccinations, we got some bad news. She has a heart murmur. Now this is a common thing to Cavaliers, but was unknown to us. The murmur is a precursor to congestive heart failure. I’ll spare you the ugly details of the disease as they are unpleasant. Follow the link above to learn more about it. Right now Chloe has no other symptoms but the murmur. As the disease progresses there are medications that can mitigate some of her symptoms. But no cure. Chloe is unlikely to live past 9 or 10 years old and the last of those years could be uncomfortable.
I will admit this was a shock to me. And I spent the rest of that day trying not to weep. I grew up with dogs and I have been through the death and disease before. But this time is different because she is truly my baby. I have prayed and knit on this since that day. I have decided to make the best of what time we have left with Chloe and make sure she has the best most loved life ever. I may still cry from time to time but I will always love her.
Having animals always brings good with the bad. The trick is to make sure the good way outweighs the bad. I wouldn’t give up a chewed up shoe or early morning wake up call for a single day without her puppy kisses and puppy snorts.
Now if you excuse me, I have a puppy to snuggle and spoil….
Michele plays with yarn, food, and music in Portland
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