Thursday, October 31, 2013

Update for Gin Radar


I am happy to report that Gin, the oversentive dog, is doing well. Michelle and Ryan found a dog park nearby where Gin can race around a play with other dogs. Gin loves and spends long hours sitting in a chair that I gave to Michelle because she loved it so much as did Gin. I put the extra space to good use in my house. I know that my scent is on it as well his doggy playmate's that aslo spent time in the chair. Having something that is familar helps when dogs have to change house holds and routines. I am so pleased that my friends are doing so well. I miss Gin and of coure his humans.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Waiting Bud



Every day rain or shine Bud swims at the bay in Morro Bay. Every day Bud whines and cries with anticipation of his swim routine when we pull into the parking lot. Dogs love routine and rules and limitations. Bud has even jumped out the the car once while being told to wait. The word Bud is waiting for is "out". When my helper and I set up for this, I sit to watch but Bud barks rudely for a bit then sits down and knows he has to chill until he is told to get out the car. I bet Bud is thinking, "Get over here now!". Bud is very patient and has so much energy. People smile watching him swim and dig. Don't you know it is all about dogs having fun!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Why Chihuahua's Think They Are Big Dogs


Here is a 7 lb Chihuahua playing with Bud. She slaps him in the face when they are playing and he just takes it. Chihuahuas think they are big dogs. Here she is waiting for him to come back to chase him.

Chihuahua's country of origin is Mexico. Their date origin is puzzling but it is estimated they have been around since the 5th century AD. They were first recognized as a breed in 1884. They are companion dogs with an energetic, alert, loyal, and sometimes feisty temperament. With proper training and nutrition, you can have a happy and calm Chihuahua. They need to be exercised just like big dogs. They do not need to be carried around all the time. They are smart and be trained just as much as big dogs. In a puppy class I took Bud to, my dog trainer said there was a Chihuahua in her class and that is was unusual to see a Chihuahua in training. It makes me sad when people do not train Chihuahuas and just carry them around in their purses all the time. Please give them as much attention as you would a big dog.


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Meet Abigale Her Story About Mast Cell Cancer




Abigail is a 4 year old Golden Doodle.  The first time her owners noticed anything was June 16, 2013. Abigail was lethargic and showing a little lameness in her hind legs.  She had been to the vet twice previously in the last few days and was sent home with pain medication.
            The pain increased over the weekend and she woke up with paralysis in her back end on Monday morning June 17. Her vet referred her to a Veterinary surgeon in AG who arranged for an MRI on Los Olivos that morning. Surgery was done that evening and a plasma cell tumor was removed that had grown into vertebrae and finally had gotten large enough to put pressure on her spinal cord causing the lethargy, pain and eventual paralysis.  The surgeon said her chance of survival and mobility was not good.  Much to the surgeon's surprise, Abigail was standing on her own the morning after surgery.
            Abigail then went to an Oncologist who ordered additional CT scans, Ultrasound, X-ray and more lab work on the tumor cells. He said her survival chances were slim if there had been any spreading of the cancerous cells. By the time she had recovered from surgery it was determined that the tumor on her vertebrae was isolated and the best approach would be radiation to remove a portion of the tumor not accessible to the surgeon due to close proximity to the spinal cord. By the time she was ready to start radiation therapy at a clinic in Oxnard, it was 4 weeks since surgery and Abigail was beginning to show signs of pain. She rebounded after the first two radiation treatments.  She had twenty treatments in small doses to protect the spinal cord. Her final treatment was Aug 13
By the end of August Abigail's energy and mobility were back to normal and she enjoyed her first romp on dog beach in over two months. Abigail is back to normal activities and loves to join us in doing whatever we do. Her pal Sammie and another doggie sister, black lab named Sophie give her a lot of support along with her humans, myself and husband Dave. Abigail is presently on a maintenance dosage of chemotherapy administered orally in capsule form every other day. She hasn't had any negative side effects so far from radiation or chemotherapy. We celebrated her 4th birthday Aug 9 and are blessed with each day that we wake up to her smiles, hugs and kisses.  We don't know what the long term prognosis really is. We are appreciative for each day Abigail feels good and are so happy that we decided to do medical treatment. We would have opted to quit and let nature take its course had she been elderly and in otherwise poor health. We would also spare her pain and suffering in the future if medical treatment does not keep her feeling good and living a quality life. For now every day is a good for Abigail so it is a good day for us! She is healthy and beautiful nearly 4 months since Abigail's surgery and cancer diagnosis.
I knew mast cell cancer because Jetta had one. With early detection, she was fine. Abigal was so happy when I saw her. My prayers are with her and her family. Thank God we have vets that can help dogs like this

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Bud Meets Ivy





The beach day was one of those dreamy days that is hard to forget. The water glistened with radiance that was so bright you have to shade your eyes. What a treat for me to watch a black Lab playing in the water with Bud. Black is beautiful when the sight brings me back to the times I watched Jetta in awe of her beauty and grace.
This black Lab is Ivy and Bud played with her until he got too tired because he would drop her toy. All is well. Bud can be bratty and rude when he is over stimulated. He is like a young child before nap time. Times like this it’s good to have the E-collar on Bud to give him a reminder who is boss. I know I let him think he’s boss but we wouldn’t tell him that.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Baby And Bull Dog





This five month old baby has a great loving dog in her pack. Coco Butter was rescued as a puppy after the breeder had a flood for a storm in Florida. By nature Bull Dogs are usually a little stubborn and they are brave little tanks. There were used as bait for bulls in British Isles before the practice was banned. Imagine the dogs taking on a bull. They have massive skulls and rammed under the bull to cause damage to the bull’s underbelly. Bull Dogs are born cesarean section because of the massive skull. Bull Dogs can be bossy but with a strong human as pack leader they are loving, gentle dogs as the picture shows.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Missing Michelle


Last year I hired staff to work as my personal assistant. My life is dependent on good honest workers. When Michelle answered my Craiglist ad, I knew she was over-qualified. She said that she would work on a trail period. I jumped at the chance to hire her. She worked for me for one year. Within the year I grew to love her, her family, and of course her dog, Gin Radar.

When she told me the story of Gin, how he was rescued from a horrible life, my admiration for her grew even more. When you rescue a dog, here is what you could be in for. Gin was a stray. He had a rocky beginning of his life. He didn't trust anybody. He was wild, agitated, nervous, yappy and nippy out of frustration.  Here is a picture of when they saw him on the website. 



They knew he was going to be a special needs dog, but they didn't care. They worked with him daily with training, exercise, and  nutrition. From Gin being afraid of everybody, he grew to love and Michelle and Ryan. When he first met Bud, he tried to attack Bud out of fear. Gin started and then Bud got agitated back. Over several months Gin and Bud got along. Gin grew to love me and trust me in my home. He also loved my other staff, Jamie and her dogs. He loved to come to my house and tear up Bud's toys. I love happy endings for strays. Gin will do well because they take the time for him. You see how relaxed he is here with me and you can see how much he has changed. When you rescue a dog, it can be challenging to see what motivates them. With consistent training, boundaries and a lot  of love for Gin, he is doing well. They adore him as I do too. Anybody that knows him will fall in love with him. He's a knucklehead.

                                   

Michelle and I took care of each other. The money for the job allowed her to support herself. Sadly for me and happily for her she has moved on to another passion in her life and is in a nursing school in Missouri. Yes she is now living in Missouri. We had a lot of fun together, and she is missed by the other two staff.  Ryan, her love, painted a sign for me that is in front of my gate. I think of her every day and am so grateful for the experience of loving her. Michelle will do great things in her life. She touched my life with her wit and drive. She is a force to be reckoned with, and she has a huge heart.