Trials of older animals

So yesterday I had to drive to my vet who is 20 miles away.  Why, you ask, do I need a vet 20 miles away.  For two reasons.  1) His clinic has a vet on call 24/7.  If I use a vet here and I have an emergency, I have to go to the vet school and it is about three times what my vet charges.  2)I like my vets.  I have known them for over 30 years.  They are like family.  Whenever one of mine have to leave this world, they cry with me, they mourn with me.  Everyone including the women who work the desk. 

Anyway, this morning Duncan was scratching his blanket into just the right spot and he lay down.  As soon as he lay down, he screamed.  Then he ran to the other bed they have in this room.  He crawled into that bed and cried horrible cries.  I picked him up and cuddled him until he stopped.  He stopped crying, but I could tell he was hurting somewhere.  I went over his body feeling for broken bones, stiff joints, anything.  I found nothing.  So I called my vet.  Yes, bring him in today at 4pm.  So I was there at 3:30.  They got me in right away.  David examined Duncan and could find nothing that would have caused hm pain.  So then he went to the ears.  Yep.  That was the problem.  Duncan has a severe inner ear infection in his right ear.  David put some drops in his ears, then he gave him a shot.  And he cried and cried over the shot.  David gave me more ear drops and a 5 day supply of clavamox.  Duncan is already feeling better. 

And when I got back, Jock was jealous.  He thought Duncan was getting attention he was not getting.  So instead of sewing tonight, I had to sit on the couch and hold Jock.  They each have their own personality.  And I love each of them very much. 

Daisy again

Last night Daisy was having trouble breathing.  It was so much worse this morning.  I gave her Benadryl, hoping it would help.  It did not.  So I set about the daily cleaning necessary for someone with allergies.  I washed her blankets, dusted the room she sleeps in, wiped down the walls with vinegar.  And I call the vet.  I told him what was happening.  He told me to come and get some steroids.  I set off this afternoon to get those steroids and got hung up in an accident on the highway.  It took me an hour and 45 minutes to make a 45minute trip.  But it was for Daisy.  I gave her her first steroid tonight and she is already doing much better.  She is able to sleep.  She did not move when I took Duncan and Jock outside.

So on a daily basis, I dustmop the floors with a dustmop treated with endust.  I change out the blankets the dogs use and wash them in hot water.  I dust everything.  I know the drill.  And once a week I wipe down the walls with vinegar.  Once a week, I pull out all the heavy furniture and clean and dust behind it.  Once a week, I pull the refrigerator out and use canned air on the coils, wipe it down with vinegar.  I do this with Daisy outside because of any dust that has accumulated on the coils.  I do have a clean house.  I hate housework.  But she is worth it.  I do love her. 

Still on .2ml

Another shot tonight.  We are still at .2ml and I think I see some improvement.  Maybe it is just wistful thinking on my part, but I am not seeing as much blood.  Until we started these shots and up until about last Friday, I was cleaning blood smears off my white cabinets several times a day.  That has not happened probably since Saturday.  So, I have my fingers crossed.  And the things she is allergic to are things that I cannot completely control.  About the only thing she is not allergic to is the other dogs.  She is even allergic to dandelions.  Go figure.  But I will do whatever it takes to help her with this.  Sometimes she drives me nuts, but I do love her. 

Up to .2ml

I gave Daisy her shot this morning.  We are up to .2ml now.  I don't see as much blood from her nose as I did.  I would find blood smears all over the cabinets and quite a bit of blood on her blankets.  That seems to be slowing down.  And she definitely feels better.  So, I hope these allergy shots work.  She deserves to be well.  She had a really rough  start in life.  All my friends did.  I will see to it that they have a great finish.  Love them so much. 

The ongoing saga of Daisy

Got the meds in for Daisy and started her shots on Monday.  The vet gave her her first shot.  I gave her one on Wednesday and yesterday, Friday.  She is getting .1ml every other day.  On Sunday, I up it to .2ml every other day.  When it gets up to about .5, I will be taking her to the vet to get her shots.  I have seen a reaction to allergy shots and I am afraid I would fail her and lose her.  Anyway, they seem to be helping.  According to the vet, it will take 4-5 months to really see and improvement and she will have to take them for at least a year.  My experience with allergy shots, if they are working, you take them for life.  Hopefully, this will not be the case.  Up until yesterday, I was still cleaning blood from my cabinets where she had brushed her nose against them.  Not a lot of blood, but blood smears.  She is still having some bleeding, but not as bad.  I am so hoping this works. 

Fall is here.

I took down my hummingbird feeders today.  I haven't seen them in about a week, but I still cleaned and replace the feeders just in case.  Well, I guess I will put them away until about April.  Time to fill the bird feeders with seeds and put out corn and nuts for the squirrels.  Not that that will stop the squirrels from raiding the bird feeders.  They raid those feeders with me standing there watching them.  And I have several of this year's crop of squirrels in my yard.  They are really cute. 

Daisy

I had to call the vet tonight.  Daisy has a swollen nose and is having trouble breathing.  I had been giving her Benadryl twice a day and it had been kinda keeping her allergies in check.  Not great but better than nothing.  Well, a front blew in and she got so much worse.  I had some steroids on hand that I had been given (don't ask) so I wanted to know if I could give Daisy those.  Dr. Schmidt said yes it was a good idea since the Benadry was not doing it for her.  I feel so sorry for her.  She was laying on the floor in the kitchen while I washed dishes and I could hear her trying to take in air through her nose.  She seems better since the steroid kicked in.  I sure hope that antigen comes in soon.  I did not know a dog could have this many allergies.  Poor Daisy. 

Daisy

I am still waiting for the antigens for Daisy.  She is having a lot of trouble with her allergies.  I am giving her 10ml of benadryl every day and it is helping but not controling them.  Jock has some allergies, but nothing like Daisy.  My goal is to remove all the grass from their yard, and it is a big yard, and replace it with river rocks and decks.  I think they would like this.  And besides nothing grows under the Bradford pear anyway.  The Turks Cap shrubs stay.  They love playing in them.. And I love watching them..

Duncan

It never ceases to amaze how resilient dogs and cats, well all animals are.  When Duncan came to me, he was a mess.  He was scared of everything.  He only weighed about 3 pounds.  He was scared of people and other dogs.  However, it did not take long for him to attach himself to Jock.  Now he wants to be with Jock all the time.  When he goes outside, he wants Jock with him.  His favorite place when the grandkids are here and it is kinda noisy, is on a bed I made for him in my bathroom.  It is at the back of the house and quiet.  He likes quiet.  He does not like a lot of activity.  And he is definitely my little guy.  If we are in the yard, he will lose sight of me.  He will wiggle through the fence and head for the side fence to get out and go look for me.  I make sure I am always out with him and that I always have my eye on him.  I don't think he can see well because when I am calling him, he will be looking around for me and not seeing me.  I have to get within 5 feet of him for him to see me.  No matter.  He is home and here he will stay. 

Saving seeds

I have been saving the seeds from my native plants.  I have a ton of seed for lemon mint and Turks Cap.  I am also saving seed from my 4-o-clocks.  There are different colors of 4o'clocks, but I have only managed to get the yellow ones.  I have seen them in red and pink and would love to have some of those, but the yellow will do.  I am planning to get started on an herb garden this week.  I have the perfect spot.  My neighbor runs his sprinkler every day.  It runs to my yard, so my yard along our fence  is always damp.  I can add some rocks, soil and have it built up enough that the herbs will not have wet feet, but will have enough moisture.  I think it will work great.  And there is a low spot between our yards where the water  stands.  The mint is going in there. 

I am also hoping that the English Thyme that I broadcast under the oak trees in from takes root.  I would love to have English Thyme as a ground cover under those trees.  Grass is very sparse under oak trees and I need a ground cover. 

My creations

In addition to my little guys keeping me busy, I find time to do various needlework and sewing creations.  Here are some of those examples.  This is done with finger crochet in the new Sashay yarn.  This one is shades of silver, black and gray.

This one is done in shades of silver, brown and gray,.

And this one is done in shades of purple.  All have some sparkle to them.

Missy

We had thunderstorms last night and Missy was so agitated.  I finally got her on the couch with me and in my lap.  Every time the lightening would flash, she would jump.  I think it is because she has lost most of her sight.  She doesn't seem to have any night vision and now she is so scared of thunderstorms.  She can still hear and she can chase those squirrels.  Here she is in Duncan's bed.  Keep in mind Duncan is all of 4 pounds. 

She is convinced she can fit into that bed.  Daisy can.  Somehow Daisy can curl up into a very small ball and she can actually fit into this bed.  They never cease to amaze me. 

Nightlife

I just saw the most beautiful moth feeding at my 4-o-clocks in the front.  These are the flowers that open around 4pm and stay open all night and give the night a heavenly scent.  These are by my front walk and there is a reason for putting them there.  I  love the soft, sweet scent and apparently so does the moth. 

I had the hardest time actually getting a shot of him.  I hope you can see him.  He is in the middle of the flowers right above the "hope" in this post.  He was just flitting from flower to flower and he was beautiful.

Daisy

Daisy is having a real problem with her allergies.  I have her on 10 mg of Benadryl per day.  This helps but does not control her problems. Hopefully, we will get the antigen soon and more hopefully it will work.  I feel so sorry for her.   Jock also has allergies, but his are not as bad.