Keeping Your Head Warm

Speaking of cold.....On days that the house seems a bit chilly in the evening my OH walks around with a stocking cap on his head to keep his head warm (due to the fact his hair is becoming rather scant on the top of his head). That would be far too mundane a thing for me though, I have my own head cat. Yes, Monty likes to sit on my head. He does it just about every night. See photo.

Here We Go Again.

Back into the deep freeze here, right now -11, and a wind chill advisory (I think that was between -30 and -40. Tough days on the hounds when the temps are that cold. They just don't get to stay out long. It leads to more trips outside due to not being able to get all their business done without freezing their vital parts. ;pThe dogs always seem a little mopey on days like this and so am I.

Camping With Greyhounds

It is just that time of year when you begin to think of vacations (especially in Minnesota) and warm, sunny times. I start looking at photos from last year's camping trips and think, just gotta' get out there again. Well...camping season in Minnesota really doesn't start until May so we have a while to wait (and sometimes we get a head start in April depending on if it is still snowing or not). When the season starts we go a lot. It is some work, so in the last couple of years we have gotten an RV for our greyhounds. ;)They adjusted to it really well. Matter of fact, Scooter just doesn't want to lay around outside, he wants to stay inside unless we are hiking (do a lot of that too). I actually have a video on YouTube I made about our Camping With Greyhounds. So instead I will put a link here in case anyone wants to see it. Better yet, instead of the YouTube link I will provide a link to my website and if you want to take a look at where we have camped (photos and all) feel free to. Last year's camping pages are not complete...but I WILL get around to it.

http://www.sistertex.com

The 'Camping With Retired Racing Greyhounds' video is the second one down on the page if you'd like to view it. By the way, Renner is the Greyhound who is currently gracing (not racing) the top of the main page. He is laying in the back of our HHR which we tow behind our RV.

Blew Again

He was doing pretty good yesterday, but when the other dogs were turned out to run and play, I had him go inside. He was fine with that. He is eating well, but is still having diarrhea off and on. Morning loose by the evening okay. However, the disturbing thing with him yesterday occured last night on the way to bed. Our stairs to the upper floor is a rounded staircase with a landing half way up. He just got stuck and could not do the last section of stairs, so my OH ended up carrying him up the last few stairs. He hasn't been indicating pain though...gets up and down fine, doesn't cry with movement. He is kind of a baby when it comes to pain, so maybe it could just be that he pulled a muscle in the back, and is sore...or something. No yelping though.He really isn't due for his 6 month check yet, but something happened to him a couple of days ago. I am a bit puzzled at this point and will be taking him in for an exam early next week.Meanwhile I will be watching him closely to see if anything else is going on, but other than these few strange things he has been doing, he was was pretty much his happy old self yesterday, wagging and eating...so on and so forth.

Blew

Blew had an episode yesterday that upset me just a bit, I was worried that he had a stroke, or some sort of a seizure. He just suddenly got up, and went into the kitchen and just squatted and pottied. Out of the blue....he is 11 now and he sure knows how to get people up around here to go outside, but I was sitting right next to him and he didn't even acknowledge me, just got up and did his business.I yelled at him, which usually gets his attention and makes him stop what he is doing, but it had no affect on him this time. I led him outside and then went back in and cleaned up the mess. Usually he will be standing back by the door to come in, but he wasn't he was just standing outside...I called him in and as he walked to the door I grabbed his collar and lead him into the house and onto a bed where I told him to 'drop', and I finished cleaning the floor. Mean while he kept getting up, unhappy, unable to get comfortable and turning around and around. Then he would lay there and make a groaning sound - which is his noise for wanting something he isn't getting. This went on for a while, several beds and another trip outside, trying to get a feel for what was wrong with him. Inside he laid down again and I just sat next to him petting him, telling him what nice boy he was...things like that. It was maybe a couple hours later (and more turning around and around not being comfortable) that we went outside to play. Scooter and Renner went out and had a blast while Blew just stood next to me, I was reluctant to turn him out considering the prior events. Then he got a little bit more excited to go - so I let him. He went out and instead of running like he normally does at first he just stood around looking back at me. The other dogs came in...I was chipping poopcycles out of the ice...the dogs went out again and this time he went with them and ran like normal. Time to go in. Inside he was tentative again about doing things normally. He kept turning to the left...which is why I was thinking stoke or seizure possibilites. He didn't cry when getting up or laying down, he does have a weakening of the rear end, but it didn't seem to be bothering him. A couple hours later, after dinner, he was just fine, back to normal. Today - ever better. So I don't know what the deal was with him yesterday, but I will be keeping an eye on him for a while to come to see if it happens again. I will also be mentioning it to the vet when we go in again....might be related to something going on with his chemistry. He's good to go right now though and that is a relief.

The Running of the Dogs

Yesterday was a nice warm day considering it is mid-January. The dogs went out for a run, enjoyed the warmth. Did their 10 minute stint doing laps around the area and then ran inside. Tired dogs are happy dogs. ;) Looks like it will be warm enough again to spend some more play time outside. Foggy today though, kind of weird looking out this morning. The dogs just stood looking out as a deer zipped by in the fog, not walking, but running, and the hounds' ears perked up like 'what is she running from'? Of course I saw nothing, but can't help but wonder what all the dog's knew about the situation that I didn't. I'm sure they knew more than I did, inspite of the fog...and my dogs, though sighthounds, see pretty good with their noses. ;)

Treats

There is not a lot of treating in my house, generally they get a Chicken Jerky Strip after going potty outside before I leave them alone to go somewhere. They get another smaller treat in the evening, after any medication needed is given and doing a 'trick' before bedtime. The funny thing is that during the day, if I do not leave, they end up not getting a chicken strip. So some days when I stay home they are all about getting me out the door, at least that is how I see it. I get up and they are all up and happy...is she leaving now? Do I get a treat? Probably happens at least a half dozen times. So I have been staying home because I have been sick, been home, not leaving for 3 days straight now. They are just ready to kick me out! That Chicken Jerky strip is one powerful force!

Grinding nails

Yesterday was a nail grinding day. I have two dogs that are good with it and one that I can't get within 20 feet of with the grinder. Renner is a little tenative about it and lets me do it but I kind of have to sneak up on him and just start doing it while he is laying down. If he gets onto the fact that I have the dremmel in my hand then he gets up and starts walking around so I can't do it. So I stash the dremmel close at hand and then go a little later and sit down by him and pull out the dremmel. He is like - oh...well okay. Blew just plain doesn't care, doesn't bother him, so I start with Renner and then move to Blew. Blew is lucky due to this because a lot of times the battery goes out when I have only finished two feet, and so he gets two feet done one day, and then the other two feet the next day. No long grinding stints for him. ;) Scooter has to have his nails clipped he doesn't like that either, but doesn't have a choice since he won't let me grind his nails. I'm hoping that one day Scooter will not mind grinding over clipping as well as it is a more comfotable way to go I think.

Vinni Is Doing Fine

Just a little while ago I mentioned that one of my kitties, Vinni, was having some trouble with eating and then throwing his food up. It has been a couple of days and he is doing fine. He is on the new food, tossed what was left of the food I was taking him off of after the vomiting episode, and is keeping everything down now. Both my old guys are on the same grain-free food now, really like it, and we will stay with it for now. Now Blew, one of my Greyhounds, is having a round of diarrhea, for some unknown reason so we will see about fixing that now. You know, if you have enough pets there is always something going on to keep you hopping. ;)

They Feel Your Pain.

Another cold... I really hate them. Had too many of them in the last couple of months. Interestingly enough I feel that when I am not feeling well my dogs and kitties pick up on it and cut me some slack. I feel animals are truly sensitive in this way and have read many stories about how animals sense things about human chemistry that humans can't. There are stories out there about how animals are sometimes used to sense when a seizure is coming on in a child (or adult), how perhaps they can detect cancer, well all sorts of things. I think this is just amazing and often wonder if we humans could do this sort of thing if we were able to fully utilize our brains and elminate all the scattered thoughts running around in our heads. I can't help feeling that animals keen sense of things are elevated due to the fact that they think on a basic level and our heads are so full of, well, you name it, that we can't even begin to think or use our brains on the level our animals do. Perhaps they just walk into the room, sniff me and think 'uh-oh, that's not good, Mom get some chicken soup ready!' Now if only they could talk.

Dog's I've Known and Love

I was sitting here yesterday, feeling down perhaps because of yet another cold I have come down with...watching the snow fall and with all the zootoo things I have been reading I couldn't help but turn my thoughts to all of the loving, wonderful animals that have filled my life. Looking back at all of the photos and videos I have of them stock piled I can see that they have given me great joy and filled my life with wonderful memories I will always carry in my heart. Many times due to the fact that they were all rescues, they have given me purpose. Like some of the news stories I have read and commented on, I felt a calling once I got involved with just one of them, that drove me forward to invest myself as much as possible in trying to help more of them. Indeed all of the hounds gave back ten fold what I put into them all. Many of the people I met became more than just others helping with the same cause, they became friends. They were people I would have never met if it weren't for the hounds. Shelters and rescue groups are there for the animals, but they are more than that, for many people they are saving graces as well for giving people a way to do things for others, making them feel good about themselves as well. Volunteering and giving of yourself to do some good in your little corner of the world is a great thing for those doing and for those who do not have the voice and ability to do for themselves. In return I have been given so many wonderful memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life. There is no better gift.

A Cold...The Cold , Take Your Pick

I'm comming down with a doosey! The hounds are all lounging right now, taking it easy...but happy to be playing in the snow again since the temp is now 17 degrees. It has been snowing all morning and Renner in particular thinks it is important to bounce around and lick at the air with big snowflakes falling. Meanwhile Blew and Scooter are standing just inside the door with me (come on let's go in and eat breakfast!) but Renner stops and looks back at them like 'just a minute can't you see I'm busy...get out here and enjoy this with me!' He is the one that enjoys running and the outside the most, and I know he is very happy to have the temps a little bit warmer again.

Vinni

Vinni was feeling very well this morning, he is one of our two 19 year old (soon to be 20) cats. He ate okay but then for some reason began throwing everything back up. I was just getting ready to switch his food, so that will be happening today, instead of after totally running out of the old stuff. Hopefully it is a short term thing and he will be just fine. He is due for an exam in a week or two, if this type of thing keeps up with him, I will move it up and get him (and Monty...our other cat) in there for a vet visit. He is plenty plump and healthy though, so hopefully it will just pass. They *really hate going into the vet!