False Alarm

Nap Time!
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Dixie is back to her normal kissy faced, pesky, lap monster self.

We are thinking that she got into something, whether she ate a bug or toad, part of a plant, or got into the anthill that D treated the other day. What we are sure of is that she has killer farts. The kind that make you want to open all the windows, put the fans on full hilt, and vacate.

Sweet Baby

Cuddling with Papa.

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Poor Dixie has had a rough night.

It started with retching at 7pm. Then 11 pm. Then 6am and 6:30am. Our normal lap monster is laying under the dining room table looking like she was ridden hard and put away wet.

We have consulted the vet tech from our vet that lives across the street and she said to fast her for 24 hours, making sure that she drinks.

We've given her a milk bone and the fast has begun, wish her luck, and if you know what it means, rub a bentley for her.

Birthdays!

Yesterday doing what she does best.















A fateful couple. 7.27.07















Her "Gotcha Day!" 1.21.07

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Completely unfoster related.

Today is Corona's third birthday and Donovan's 29th.

He is at work, handsome in his summer whites (insert drool here).

And she will most likely spend the day lying on the couch waiting for a belly rub, she has been especially fond of ear scratches today.

YaY!!! THE VETS OFFICE!!!

The patented ACD "Porn pose"
















"Superman"

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http://www.dogster.com/dogs/866159

The above is a link to Dixie's Dogster Page.

She is doing just fine, spooned with me nearly the whole night. She only showed some distress (she just couldn't find a good position to lie in and was very restless) yesterday afternoon until I gave her one of her Codeine pills for pain (lucky girl).

There was no decrease in appetite or any other symptom the vet told us about that might occur.

It took 2 techs, the vet and Donovan to hold her for her shot, I had her face in my hands. The first attempt she screamed like a stuck pig. She wiggled so much that she bent the needle (there was only one tech and D holding her that time). However we couldn't be too entirely sympathetic because she whined the whole time he was listening to her heart and lungs with a measly stethoscope. He said her heart and lungs sound great so he didn't want to do x-rays or ultrasounds. And that she is a big sissy.


Fun fact: our vet is on the board of directors for the American Heart Worm Association, and vets from all over the region call him with their questions. (Woo Hoo!)

http://www.heartwormsociety.org/article.asp?id=8

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*this is where D and I get to puff up our chests*

He said he couldn't think of a better home for her to be in right now.

W

The Cattle Girls.

In person, if you were to casually look at this pic you'd see two happy dogs, in reality Buela is gearing up to bite Dixie in her bratty little sister 'play with me bitch' way. Also note how much alike they look apart from the spot on Dixie's head and the red around Buela's eyes.















Happy Tails to you. With in hours of coming into our house, nothing but zoomies and play fighting.
















What happens after an ACD spends 3+ hours in a car followed by 2+ hours running amock.

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So Dixie immediately blended in and started clapping to the floor to initiate play. No major spats or growling, nothing like when we brought in Bindy. Of course we got the 'Here we go again' death look from Corona, but nothing that wasn't expected.

She truly is a sweet dog, but lacks socialization in the way that the flush of the toilet made her wild eyed and back up. The beep of the microwave made her do that head cock that dogs do when they listen intently. Nail clipping was definitely a chore that I gave up on, as I am going to need a second person to hold her. What a big goober she is.

She has no house manners so that means if you so much as make a clucking noise at a different dog she is right there in your face and bound and determined that she is going to get her 40# body into your lap and you ARE going to give her loves. Demmit. If I have food there is immediately have someone panting in my ear...and it definitely isn't my newlywed husband.

In general she just needs some boundaries and to get through her heart worm meds. Which she starts Tuesday at 10:30 am. She is definitely more than adoptable.

D has taken to calling them the Cattle Girls. You cannot go far with out have them both with you, Buela because she is the velcro dog poster child and Dixie because she is a pro at monkey see monkey do. I have woken up more than a few times in a cattle sandwich, Buela up against my back and Dixie spooned to my front.

There was one night when Buela was getting a little disenchanted with her new shadow, Buela would settle by my head with her usual huff, then Dixie would settle against my back. Buela would get up with another huff and flop against my stomach. Dixie would then flop against my thighs. Buela would get up with another grumble and go back to my shoulder blades. Dixie spooned my back again. Buela huffed again and got off the bed. I fell asleep again after that parade of paws at 2 am.

I'll post on adventures at the vet when we recover from them, apparently last time Dixie went she needed a muzzle and sedatives. We are taking Buela as the good will ambassador as she loves everyone at the vets office.

Wish us luck.

Newbie on the way.

Nope, not Buela.




















That looks like a Buela face though.
















It's Dixie Rose.

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Wednesday I get to drive to Columbia to pick up another foster through Blue Crush Rescue. Her name is Dixie and was an owner surrender due to relocation. A relocation which also means that 2 children no longer have their best friend.

Surely a family pet that is housebroken and altered still young and full of life should be easily adopted right?

Donovan found her posting on AuCaDo under the urgent category and emailed me in regards to her after emailing Chris and Martha from Blue Crush Rescue about her. I called Martha and got the dirt. She will be pulled from the Asheville Shelter Monday and here with us on her lucky day the 13th.

Unfortunately Miss Dixie has heart worm. we have yet to find out how severe a case of heart worm she has, but are looking at 2 to 3 months of permanent quiet time. This should be fun, keeping a 2 year old ACD quiet for 3 months. If you do not know the temperament of an ACD, you shouldn't be purchasing or adopting one. Think of a golden with an attitude and mind of its own, on speed, steroids, and prozac encased in just a 30 - 50 lb body. Trust me, I love my Buela Grace, I wouldn't trade her for the world. Loyal, intelligent, protective, loving, problem solving masterminds of trouble and delight.

Heart worm is a disease that is spread by a mosquito bite and it can only be passed via a bite from an infected mosquito. What happens is an infected dog gets bitten by the mosquito, larval worms in the blood then live in the gut of the mosquito and go through 2 - 3 larval molting stages (instars) then move to the salivary glands of the insect. When the bug bites another dog these larval worms then live in the dogs veins and arteries, going through another 2 or 3 instars before becoming adults and moving to the heart. They can be 6 to 12 inches long and a severe infestation can easily be seen on an ultrasound and looks like spaghetti busting out of the heart.















Treatment involves up to 3 shots of an arsenic based vermicide. The treatment has been likened to chemo for dogs. To avoid the dog going into shock or have embolisms the treatment is dragged out so a few worms die at a time. The cause for keeping the dog quiet is so that pieces of dead worms do not cause a stroke or embolisms in the tiny pulminary veins of the brain or lungs.

How do you prevent heart worm and months of pain and soreness and misery for your pet? Put them on a preventative. A $13 a month beef flavored pill (which all our dogs take like a treat with no problem) versus having to go through the entire treatment process. All of this nonsense could have been avoided.


American Heartworm Society (sad really that there needs to be one of these).