Poisonous Mushrooms

Part of the backyard stash.

This has been a fantastic year for mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest. Hiking has been wonderful for all the varieties one can see and if you're knowledgeable, great for picking and eating. However, while 'shrooms can kill you if you ingest the wrong variety, they can likewise poison your dog. I was at a recent pet first aid class put on by our local emergency vet hospital, ACCES. The vet tech conducting the class said they have seen a large influx of dogs poisoned from eating mushrooms. 

A local TV station recently posted this article which has some great links at the bottom. Please read the article and check your yard for mushrooms, protect your dog. I removed a large bowl from mine.

Car Travel Safety

I've had my dogs in car harnesses for over 10 years. I began using a walking harness (see this earlier post) and have since graduated to a Bergen harness as I felt it provided better protection, offered more chest coverage and therefore, less impact harm to my pup. Bella is never in the car without being in her harness. But today, I came across an interesting article that relayed test results from different dog harnesses and the Bergen was not a leading contender. In fact, for a 75-pound dog, it proved catastrophic meaning the restraints broke, launching the dog.

With a bit more scurrying around the Internet, I was able to locate the actual study and am linking you to it, so you can see how the testing was done. This is the first time I've read that a study was even conducted. It seems the Sleepypod Clickit harness was recommended in all dog weight ranges (small: 25; medium: 45; and large: 75 pounds).

The Clickits are not cheap, but it could save your pup's life.

Lost & Found

Heaven forbid your dog runs off. As careful as we all are being mindful of our dog's location, things happen. Unfortunately for some owners, their dog take off without the slightest provocation. Lucy was like that. Any opportunity was golden. Luckily, the majority of the times she "left," she went to one of two neighbors who would bring her in and call us. How could we be so careless with her?

For the first five years of her life, she made no attempt to leave our fenced yard. Then, one summer a new family moved in with a passel of kids. It was late June and the kids had gotten a hold of "squealer" fire crackers and were lighting them off in the alley behind our house. Lucy panicked and jumped the fence in fear. Luckily, we saw it happen and were able to race after her. Long story short, once she discovered this access to the world, she made the most of it until we could eventually build a taller fence. She learned to open the gate latches with her nose, so we installed locking handles.

Bella stays close by, but she is a normal dog and an open door is...well...so beckoning. If my husband doesn't pay attention and the garage door to the alley is open, she trots out. Luckily she only goes across the alley to our neighbor's garbage. (Not so good for her tummy and our carpet, but usually we catch her before she devours the pile.)

All our dogs have been licensed. All have had tags. (My favorite tags are Boomerang. They slide over the collar, don't clink and more importantly, don't get stuck on things. Bella once caught her tags in the slit between deck boards. I've used Boomerang since then.) All dogs have been microchipped. Every year when we go for Bella's annual checkup, I have the vet scan her to make sure the chip is still reading. When we travel, which we do a lot, I carry recent pictures of her and her medical records.

But what to do if your pup bolts and isn't found? I came across this article today in the Huffington Post, How to Find a Lost Dog: Things You Haven't Considered, by Nicole Wilde. It covers the basics (posting flyers, walking your neighborhood, eliciting help from neighbors, checking at local shelters), but also covers some ideas I hadn't considered. It hadn't occurred to me to give a poster with my dog's picture and our phone number to the mailman and UPS/Fed Ex guys that regularly drive the area. Wilde also recommends posting the flyer at local vet offices and stores. Again, a great idea. If your dog is hurt, perhaps a good Samaritan took your pup to a vet. Perhaps a shopper at a store you don't frequent, has seen your pup.Not only should you post with local groomers and pet stores, but at any local shop. Take your search on-line. A local dog, Harley, was eventually found after four months, because his owner took every avenue to search for his beloved dog. Don't give up on your pup!

Are You Coming Home Tonight?

Are you coming home tonight? You can 100% guarantee that? What if your car breaks down? Or heaven forbid, you're in an accident? What if you aren't able to make it home and your pup is home alone without access to food or water and no one knows? What plans do you have in place in case you aren't returning soon?

I came across this article today that lays out just this scenario. The author was biking when—whoa!—an accident caused an unforeseen delay in getting back to their pup.

One sad puppy...because you aren't coming home.

In the old days, before our house was burgled, we had a dog door that allowed Lucy access to the fenced yard. This gave us peace of mind for the dog if we were delayed in returning. (Of course, we weren't thinking our delay would be anything but what we had control over.) Luce had water inside and out, so the only absence, besides us, would have been food—and she could have made it for a while with an empty bowl.  (Lucy wasn't much of an eater and would literally go days without touching her food. I think her tops was four days, her choice.)

Today, post burglary, we no longer have a dog door, so Bella does not have that same freedom. And like the author of the article, we never leave the house thinking we aren't coming back. She brings up great points and stresses her plans aren't for permanent contingencies, but a shorter period of time—24-72 hours.

I am a cyclist also and identified not only with the possibility of an accident, but just the fact that "stuff" happens. I immediately checked my phone's ICE contacts and realized the woman who looks in on our house when we travel was not an ICE contact. She is now, as she as complete access to the premises and loves Bellie to bits. I know she would take excellent care of her. Next up, a list where we keep food, treats, poop bags and leash for our neighbor, and vet notification that said neighbor, knowing our desires, is authorized to make medical decisions for Bella, should they be necessary.

What are you contingency plans?

Snail Bait—Not So Pet Friendly

When Bella was a pup, my husband put some moss kill on the lawn. I don't remember the brand, but it had iron in it—and Bella loved it. Her tongue turned orange (which was how I knew she'd been lapping it up). Although she didn't act sick in the least, I took her to the vet just in case. Luckily, all was well and those products are no longer used in the backyard where she hangs out.

Today I received an email via a gardening group to which I belong. In it was an alert about iron toxicosis in pets that had consumed slug bait containing iron phosphate. Symptoms of consumption are typical: lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea.

Although slug bait containing metaldehyde is more toxic, iron phosphate is not benign. If you live in slug country, as I do, battling those slimy garden decimaters is an ongoing job. There are less lethal methods of controlling slugs (beer traps), though they may not work as quickly. However, better safe than sorry with your beloved pets.

You can read the AVMA notice here.

Remember, although a product may be organic or natural, it doesn't mean it's safe when consumed. Be sure to:

1. Always read pesticide labels carefully and follow the directions for recommended dosage. More is not better!
2. If the product is dry (i.e., pellets), don't create bait piles. (If you must, but it in an enclosed container that only a slug can enter.)
3. And of course, store the product somewhere out of reach to pets and children.

Baby Kisses Dog

I have seen tons of pictures recently showing babies and toddlers face-to-face, lying on top of, or tightly hugging their dog. Babies and dogs together aren't anything new—and the photos are sweet, but have you ever noticed how uneasy the dog often is? Perhaps these photos stand out to me because I am both more aware of how a dog communicates and I have two new grand-(great?) nephews (1 year and 9 months). More often than not, the poor dog looks like it is tolerating the interaction and gratefully, is well-behaved enough to suffer through the interaction. But how many people unknowingly subject their dog to the discomfort and their child to the danger? It seems like a lot.

I came across this video showing very subtle dog communication around a wee one. I sent it off to both new sets of parents. They may be comfortable with the interaction between their baby and their dog, but do they know their friends' dogs as well?

After Lucy passed away, we briefly trialed-for-adoption, a male pup around a year old. He was a sweet, young thing, but I realized almost immediately he harbored more issues than I was skilled to deal with. Although he suffered several bizarre personality traits, the clincher for his return was nipping a neighbor's young daughter. The little girl, around eight at the time, came over to see our new pup. She was shy and stood quietly by her mother, when Jake came up and nipped at her shirt. No one had anticipated that. He didn't touch skin, and neither the mother nor her daughter was bothered by it. The little girl was unharmed. However, I was greatly concerned! We travel a lot and are in many different situations which include children. I did not want a dog that needed constant monitoring; I had already experienced that with Lucy. After much distress on my part, the young dog was returned to his foster home for more evaluation.

Lovely Bella is as sweet as can be, but she isn't used to babies who grab her fur for balance or grab her neck to hug or topple accidentally on top of her. Whenever we are around small ones, I monitor her and the babies like a hawk and do not allow close interactions. I am guarding Bella as much as the baby. Bella is far more quick than I and a baby's face is far closer to Bella's teeth.

On the street, there are several things I do when a child runs up to Bella, as often, the parent with the child does nothing.

• First, I safeguard Bella. I make sure she is not anxious (never the case) and next to me. 
• I explain to the child they should never run up to a strange dog. 
• They should always ask the owner permission to pet the dog.
• They shouldn’t shout or grab at the dog—all things that can frighten it and precipitate a bite.
• When greeting a strange dog, they should extend a fisted hand, fingers down, for the dog to sniff (safe-guarding small, tasty fingers).
• When leaving, it is wise to walk, not run, from the dog.
  
  

A bit of overkill, perhaps, but if the parent is non-responsive, I assume the child hasn't been taught how to behave around an animal. Better to know how to approach an animal safely, than risk a bite.

Recently I read the article, Why Some Pet Photos Make Me Nervous, by Dr. Nancy Kay, DVM. In it she advises parents to:

• Actively teach young children how to interact with animals in a gentle, respectful fashion. Role model this behavior every chance you get.
• Be reminded that every animal is capable of unpredictable behavior. Never leave a young child unsupervised with an animal, even if that animal happens to be the beloved family pet.
• An eating or sleeping animal is wearing a “do not disturb” sign which should be respected.
• If your pet enjoys spending time in a crate or other small, enclosed shelter, consider this to be their sacred space and bar young children from entering.
• Avoid subjecting your pet to unnatural, uncomfortable poses for the sake of a photo!
  
  

Respect a dog's sense of space—and be responsible for your child’s interactions with pets.

Sitting in a Parked Car

We've all heard it—don't leave your dog in a parked car on a warm (notice I'm not even saying "hot" here) day. I'm sure this video will go viral in the dog world. A vet, Dr. Ernie Ward, takes a video of himself sitting in his car for 30 minutes. His windows are ajar. Unless you can do the same and be comfortable, don't expect your sweet dog to fare better. Leave your pup at home.

Loose Dog—"Oh! He's friendly!"

This kind of situation would not have been an issue for me had we not been blessed with Lucy. Lucy was aggressive with any dog who approached her—unless it was a puppy or a dog she knew. Lucy was always on a leash, not so other dogs, though some were on equally unmanageable flexi-leads. Somehow, dog owners assume that because their dog is non-aggressive, all will be well, but they don't consider the other dog. Lucy was beautifully behaved on a leash—unless charged by another dog.

I can't tell you the number of times people allowed their dog to zoom in our direction with the shout, "Oh (s)he's friendly!" (The flexi-lead walkers were almost always oblivious to the location of their dog.) No one ever bothered to ask if my dog was friendly. Usually, I could maneuver Luce away or yell to the owner to grab their dog before things got out of hand—but not always. A fight would occur and who was considered the guilty owner? I always felt horrible that Lucy was in a situation in which she clearly felt threatened. Her psyche was so fragile and I did my utmost to avoid those scenarios.

So I was quite taken aback the other day while walking mild-mannered Bella. A loose Golden Retriever, hackles raised, came rushing at us from behind some shrubs. What did the owners yell? "Oh, he's friendly!" In fact, there was no problem because Bella reacts beautifully in those kinds of circumstances, giving just the right doggie "I am not boss" signals. But that's besides the point as I don't want my girl to have to be in those situations. I had no time to extricate her or avoid the oncoming Golden. Had it been Lucy, there would have been no question of a fight.

The owners were walking their dog off leash. Mistake number one. Two, they assumed because their dog was friendly (although his approach was anything but), there would be no issue. Three, they made no attempt at calling their dog to them, but let the situation unfold. Trying to be as calm as possible, I explained why it was very unsafe for them to allow their dog to do that. They looked at me like the problem was mine. I feel very, very sorry for their pup. He may not be so lucky the next time he charges a dog.

Garbage Hound

We have a dilemma. There is a member of our family who doesn't pay attention to Bella and open doors. Bella normally stays close, although I wouldn't put money on that always being that way. However, a neighbor buries his garbage—shallowly. I am not sure why he doesn't use the recycling we have available, but he doesn't and Bella is delighted. She has non-discriminatory taste buds and the appetite of an elephant.

So when unsaid family member isn't paying attention, Bella crosses the alley to the delicious pit of rotting scraps and gorges. And then gets sick. At home. This could be funny, but isn't. And it could be deadly, but thank heavens, hasn't been so far. She has upchucked all sorts of undefinables, which have included chicken bones. Unsaid family member didn't seem to get the seriousness of this and luckily our neighbor is unaware of the rat issue and hasn't used poison.

I think this errant family member, after the last binge-eating repercussion, may finally realize the seriousness of what his inattention brings about. I hope so. I love Bella and want her to live to a ripe old age, but cannot be here 24/7 monitoring the both of them. This is a big issue.

Dog Booties Uber Alles

Bella's paws are in good condition this year for three reasons:

1. Last year I picked eight jillion pounds of broken glass from the yard of the home we rent while in Baja. (She had seriously sliced her feet more than once just running across the yard.)
2. This year, the landlord has hired someone to rake the sand (i.e., yard) once a week. The other six days, I continue to pick up broken glass.
3. Bella wears Ruffwear's dog booties when we go mountain biking. 

Well-worn, de-sanded and moderately washed dog boots.

Last year I wouldn't allow her to bike in the cactus forest (La Bufadora), but she's more mature and I thought she could manage it this time around. With booties, she's done well, and still, we've pulled some huge thorns from the soles. So thanks, Ruffwear! Bella (and I) are happy campers knowing her paws are protected!

Baja's Second First–Mountain Biking in the Bufadora

Biking through the cactus last year.

We took Bella mountain biking in the Bufadora! This is a large cardón cactus forest at the end of our bay. Last year we kept her to the sand road skirting the area, but yesterday took her onto the trails. My concern was that Bellie's Australian Shepherd genes keep her running alongside my husband's bike. Not viable in a cactus forest! She tried to maintain her position, but she understands the command "Ahead." We tried to keep her there as much as possible.

This year has seen a lot of rain; the whole drive down we talked about how green everything was. The forest was truly spectacular. Desert grass skirted the trails, cactus were in bloom and everything was green, green, green. The trails were in excellent condition as the rain had packed the sand. Cycling was easy because of it.

No one puts their dogs in booties down here, even though I was told to bring them.  Although I had them in my Camelback, I didn't make Bellie wear them. Every major trail intersection, we'd stop and check her paws. She was good to go!

The temperature is still cool and there was no need to worry about her overheating. We had plenty of water with us. We'll keep riding with her until the morning temps prove to hot.

Baja First–Bella Hits the Beach

Wearing a muzzle means fun beach time! Oh boy!

Last year, after a fraught visit to the beach, I did not bring Bella down to the water again–at least not in the area where we live. There was an influx of dead sea slugs and puffer fish that year and living in the curve of a bay, we are the repository for most of the flotsam and jetsam. I had been warned these sea creatures exude such a powerful neuro-toxin that if mouthed, they can kill a dog within 24 hours.  It can drop a person who has only ingested a teaspoon. I had been told stories of friends dogs that had touched one and they filled me with dread. I was not going to expose Bella to that danger.

This year, I worked consistently with her wearing a muzzle. Before leaving, I was able to walk her around the neighborhood while she wore her muzzle with only infrequent rubbing against my leg. Two days ago, I took her to the beach with her muzzle. The sea slug scare remains, but the influx is next to nil this year.

She was so happy on the beach. Water! Running! She did drag her nose occasionally trying to remove the muzzle, but she was obviously blissful. Good girl, Bellie! Another beach visit is in your future.

Immediate Baja Addendum

Just spoke with a neighbor down here (Baja ) who has a lab who mouthed and dropped a toxic, dead sea creature (sea slug). He spent three days with a retired US veterinarian and a Mexican vet putting his Labrador into a three day, intentional semi-coma. The pet owner is an emergency room doc in the states. They did the intensive care in the owner's home. The dog came out of it, but continued to lose weight as the toxin had ruined the stomach lining. They flew home with the dog, saw an US vet and after three months, and visiting a vet who practiced acupuncture, were able to see their dog on a road to recovery who could tolerate digesting food.


I was going to take Bella to the beach tomorrow sans muzzle. Our friend said he never saw his dog pick up a thing. Guess Bellie is going oceanward with a face-trap.

Getting Your Dog Out of a Trap

One of my biggest fears when we're mountain biking or hiking is that Bella, or another dog we are with, could be caught in a trap. I am grateful that Bella stays with us and rarely, if ever, ventures off the trail or far from our side.

However, our friends have a dog they acquired as a stray. This little girl kept herself alive by hunting rabbits and squirrels. The vet said she had had at least two litters by the time she was spayed, so she was also feeding her pups.

She does not stay on the trail. She bolts into the brush at the crack of a twig. I'm sending this article and it's links to her owners. If you spend time in the woods and your dog wanders, please read the linked story. It could save your pup's life.

Are YOU Ready?

With Hurricane Sandy wrecking havoc on the east coast of the US, it isn't surprising to see a glut of information about what to do with your pet(s) if you have to evacuate. This is a reminder for me also as I have a traveling bag for Bella, but still lack a crate.

My excuse? She's a big girl and needs a big crate—where would I store it? But when an emergency happens (and there is no area in this country that isn't plagued by recurring natural disasters), you won't have the time to prepare, nor can you guarantee you'll be thinking logically in a panic situation. Being prepared is the only way to safely care for your pet in a time of need. Although Hurricane Katrina was a turning point in evacuating and sheltering with pets (more shelters now allow them to come with you), you are still required to have your dog sequestered in a crate.

I just read Pet Care During a Natural Disaster from the Sun Gazette.com. I always read these articles as there is usually something I haven't considered. In this article, author Dan Boyles, had a couple of really good ideas. One is to have two bags prepared: a large pet bag if you and your pet will be staying together at a known location and a smaller bag for immediate evacuation to points unknown. Of course the requisite items were covered: food, water, medications, toys. Another great idea is to have a picture of you and your dog together. I always carry a picture of Bella in her bag, but the author says a picture of you together helps corroborate ownership should you be separated.

I guess it's time to start scouring Craig's List for used, large dog crates. I don't want Bella left out in the cold if a disaster shakes our area.

Quick Toothy Update

Bella was slowed down for several days post surgery. She didn't seem to mind the absence of toys...until two days ago and then it was a battle to keep things out of her mouth. No toys were available, but she raided our backyard wood pile several times and ran south, happily crunching through a plastic plant pot I was about to wash from transplanting veggies to a bigger container.

To keep the both of us sane, I decided it was time to ease dry food back into her diet and began reintroducing toys. None of her harder toys are available, but anything that is soft-edged is back in her toy basket. Her biggest joy? Her very-most-highly-obnoxious Good Cuz squeaky toy. This toy (she has two—I don't know what possessed me) has an awful, high-pitched squeak that she goes crazy over. She immediately de-limbed both of them which makes their bounce even more erratic (another selling point for Bella). We only allow her to have it for a couple of days as my husband and I turn into loonies from all the squeaking.

It is a joy to see her so happily jaw-boning again. You just can't keep a good chewer down!

Car Travel Safety

Mountain biking outside of McCall, Idaho in '05.

Several years ago, my husband and I were mountain biking outside McCall, Idaho. The trails were gorgeous, the weather superb and the three of us (my husband, myself and our dog, Lucy) were having a wonderful ride until we met up with a young couple and their three legged border collie. They were also enjoying the area, but when we learned why the dog was missing one leg, my mood changed. Their dog fell out of the back of their pickup truck and was hit. Luckily the dog survived, but I am continuously flabbergasted when I see dogs unrestrained in cars, let alone loose in the back of a truck. What are these people thinking? Obviously not about their dog!

I used to own a Honda Civic hatchback (great little car) and initially kept my dog in the way back. At some point I had the awful thought of what might become of her if I was rear-ended. She then road in the back seat in a harness/leash/seat belt contraption.

Since then, all of our dogs have worn a harness attached to a short 18" leash. The seat belt passes through the handle and then into its buckle. I have looked at other harness mechanisms and at this point lean towards Ruff Rider's seat belt as I like the design, padding and chest criss-cross. It's not very expensive and has received lots of lauds yet suffers the same drawback as my present system. If the dog can step on the buckle, they can release the belt. Bella seems quite adept at this even though the buckle to hard to reach.

Periodically I revisit this issue to see if anything better has come along. Part of my recent research was because of an article in the May issue of Bark Magazine regarding traveling with your favorite four-legged friends. The article doesn't critique belts though and I wish it did. Recently I've seen several references to the downside of crating your dog in the car. Each time they refer to a German study. Here are some short videos from About.com that are horrifying even though they are testing with dummies (human and canine).

After looking at the video and the Ruff Rider harness...and then at my homemade, jerry-rigged setup, I think I'll be purchasing a real doggie car harness!

Bella's seat belt from in front and from behind.

Flying your Pup

If you been following this blog, you know my reticence for flying Bella. Well, I just found this article in our paper regarding a survey taken by PetFinder. Pet Airways seems to be a winner, though they still don't come to my city! I'm surprised Alaska Airlines didn't get named as they are the "Iditarod" airlines. I wish the article would post the survey questions and compilation rather than just the results. I'm curious what questions they asked. PetFinder's article can be found here where you'll see several other links that help in your decision-making should flying your pet be in your future.

Am I thinking about flying Bella? Nope. But it's nice to see airlines being rated.Our local paper also had an article on tips for traveling with pets. However, the author, Michelle Higgins, with The New York Times, states what all pet owners fear the most:

"Meanwhile, pet safety has become a more pressing issue. Incidents of animals being lost, injured or dying have recently risen. Thirty-nine animals died while flying aboard commercial jets in the United States last year, compared with 22 in 2009, according to the Department of Transportation. Thirteen were injured and five were lost. Delta was responsible for a significant portion of the increase, with 16 deaths and six injuries in 2010, compared with three deaths and no injuries the previous year."

Whether or not this is a small percentage makes no difference to me. I would rather keep Bella in my sights. This is the only time I wish she was small enough to be in an on-board carrier in the passenger compartment!

Bloat

The day we had to put Lucy to sleep, I feared she had bloat. She'd been diagnosed with lymphoma and the vet had given her a very short time to live, so we knew any time with her was a gift. She had just finished a meal and wished to go outside and for whatever reason, I felt it necessary to watch her. She paced around the yard which was not unusual, but she couldn't stop. She tried several times to throw up or to defecate and couldn't manage either. I ran to her and saw (and felt) that her stomach was rock solid and big, so I feared bloat. We rushed her to the hospital and though they were about to close, stayed open for us. It wasn't bloat, but her cancer. Our decision was made.

Today in looking at our local paper on-line, I came across this article on bloat and thought about Lucy. Bloat is so scarey because your time—your dog's time—is so very limited and the odds so poor of your dog surviving it. No one seems to know what causes this though large breed dogs seem more prone. Exercising immediately after the dog eats and drinks seems to be a culprit too. Heredity and stress also see some finger-pointing (which makes me think about the benefit of a mutt though a friend reasoned with me that mutts can inherit bad traits too). Raised food bowls remains controversial as a cause, but the story states a huge probability in predisposed breeds.

Please read the article and be aware of this deadly situation. If you suspect your dog may be suffering from bloat, do not delay. Get your pup immediately to an emergency vet!

It's All About the Chompers

We're a couple of days post surgery and teeth cleaning. Her teeth were pretty clean from daily attempts at brushing, but they are a bit more sparkly. (I don't think I can justify calling it actual brushing because I don't do a very thorough job.) The front, lower incisor has been removed and that particular part of the ordeal took a little less than a half hour The good news is after taking x-rays of the rest of her teeth, my vet felt the lower canine, premolar and molar were still okay (no pulp exposed) and therefore a root canal or more invasive surgery elsewhere in Bella's mouth was unnecessary.  Woohoo!

Bella is taking two drugs for four days:

• Clindamycin (150 mg) every twelve hours (antibiotic)
• Carprofen (100 mg) every 24 hours (anti-inflammatory)

She was pretty woozy the first night and not quite up to snuff yesterday. Today, we both agree, she's still a bit subdued and I think that's from the drugs. She's also pretty plugged up, poor girl.

She's to be on soft food for a week, so I've cooked up some burger, brown rice, pureed pumpkin and wheat bran for her. She thinks it's pretty darn good! We're getting around the morning "Go Find" by substituting Pup-peronis for biscuits. Our morning routine is to get my morning coffee, I hide, Bella has to find me, my husband delivers the caffeine. Upon discovery of me (hard to find clever spots to hide in a small house), he takes Bella outside for a series of tricks and then she gets a biscuit. BIG excitement. Because of the soft food requirement, the biscuit is a no go...hence, Pup-peronis to the rescue!

The tough part is no toys. No toys?!? Bella is a professional chewer! Life without toys to chew up is like no life at all. We were going to dog-sit her half sister, Molly, this weekend, but were advised against it as the two dogs play hard and Bella always chews on sweet Molly's ruff. So I'm not too disturbed if the drugs are slowing Bella down. It's keeping her from being completely bored out of her gourd.

It good be worse. Bella's best friend, Amber, has just gone through a second bout of leg surgery (torn ligament) and has to be crated for eight weeks. I can't imagine keeping a dog sequestered for that long. Even Lucy was able to move around fairly soon after her back surgery even though longer trips (up and down stairs or hills) were limited for several months. We're going to bring a frozen, stuffed Kong over to Amber's. What are doggie friends for, eh?