Thursday chat

I was AT the vet at 7:30 for Billy's ultrasound and this travelling vet called saying she was "stuck in traffic" (??? don't know of ANY major traffic hassles here today) and never got there til almost 9:30.  I was NOT a happy girl but I stayed so I could take him home and let all the dogs out so THEN I can stay late tonight and at least give Andy a full day of work and hopefully more.

Glenda -- if you can find a health store, switch Thunder to St. John's Wort -- give him 2 every six hours.  It's a super antiviral but in this case it's a danged good almost sertonin-like herb.  It should level him out better.

One Calms is not really enough -- whether you are a sumo wrestler or a human baby the dose is 2 tablets.

As soon as this insanity stops and I get word from the vet I'll post a Billy update. 

Glenda, sorry the dogs are going at each other and hope this settles down once you guys are settled in a house. 

Julie, I posted on your fb status about the search for the alz guy.  I'm glad the state police are now going to allow SAR to search but it will likely be a recovery instead of a rescue.  And the state police will then claim they did all they could to find him.  grrrrr    I hope he's found one way or the other.

It's been one thing after another around here what with the wandering dog and work being crazy.  Last night Gabby didn't eat her dinner which raised a huge red flag since she'll eat anything, anytime, anywhere.  She obviously didn't feel too good either.  This morning she's her bright and happy self and polished off her breakfast in record time. :)    She really wants to see the visitor but I'm keeping him separated from her, just in case.  You can see a pic of him in General Chat.  And no I am not a dog hoarder if anyone was wondering, just a weird sort of lost dog magnet.

Have fun this weekend lauren. :) 

 Glenda, this won't help solve the dog problem, but I wonder if the cooler weather of MA might have them wanting more activity.  I know my dogs get really lazy when it's hot.  Hang in there...

THANK you Callie.  I'll go today and get some from Vitamin World...they seem to have everything else.  The bottle of the Calms Forte says 1-2 so since I was giving it with Vallerin, thot that I'd better start on the low side.  Actually, Thunder is so stoned that he walked into a tree on just one 1000 mg vallerin and one calms.  But, St. Johns Wart it is!

Geeze Jackie!  What is up with you and lost dogs???????  Is your cologne by chance "raw beef"?

glenmar

Geeze Jackie!  What is up with you and lost dogs???????  Is your cologne by chance "raw beef"?

I know, it's crazy.  This dog was picked up by my coworker but the dog was in front of our building.  I couldn't count how many dogs I've picked up over the course of my life.  This city has over 100,000 stray dogs on the streets.  I pass many by because you really can't save them all but they all break my heart.  I hate this town sometimes.

 Aww Glenda, I hope things settle real soon. Your DS may very well be contributing to the increased tensions. I know Ari picks up on my moods, faster than even I know how I'm feeling!

Jackie, I hope that little guy's owners claim him soon. He is a cutie. 

This heat has got to go. I don't sleep well at night, which makes me sleep in and get up too late for a walk, but at night it's too darn hot and sticky. Blech. I should just get my lazy but up and out early in the morning, but well...I'm lazy. 

I'm really looking forward to my hair appointment today. It's one of the few girly things I really enjoy and I need to destress right now, badly. Maybe, if I'm feeling brave and the cut looks nice, I'll snap a picture and post it here to see what you all think. Maybe. It also depends on whether or not I can figure out the new camera and figure out how to get the picture off the camera and onto photobucket lol. I'm going to a new hair salon, so hopefully the cut won't be a trainwreck. I'll miss my old stylist but she's just too far from me now that I work from home. I hate breaking in a new stylist though lol.

Glenda - I'm sorry about your rough start to the morning. Having dealt with fights like that, my heart goes out to you. I also know that figuring it all out can make you crazy. I hope things stay calm until you can get into the house.

Lisa - I hope you get some answers on the gallbladder issue today. Hurting so badly that you can yell for your husband makes me feel awful for you. Yay for Charlie though.

Callie - I didn't know anything was wrong with Billy but I'll be thinking good thoughts that it's nothing serious.

Jackie - another dog? Really? When I was little, I'd see a dog on the street and coax it all the way home and then tell my mom that it followed me and we had to keep it . I know you're not doing that but you must have a magical vibe that makes them all want to be near you.

I finally broke down and called my eye dr. this morning and have an appt tomorrow to see if there's anything he can suggest for this chronic dry eye condition. I'm fine during the day when my contacts are in but when I take them out at night, they start hurting and burning right away. If I get up in the middle of the night, which is always, I can barely open them because they hurt so bad. I use eye gel about 4-5 times at night and then wake up with my eyelids stuck together. I'm ready to bite the bullet and try restasis and even though it costs a small fortune, I hope it'll help.

cakana

I finally broke down and called my eye dr. this morning and have an appt tomorrow to see if there's anything he can suggest for this chronic dry eye condition. I'm fine during the day when my contacts are in but when I take them out at night, they start hurting and burning right away. If I get up in the middle of the night, which is always, I can barely open them because they hurt so bad. I use eye gel about 4-5 times at night and then wake up with my eyelids stuck together. I'm ready to bite the bullet and try restasis and even though it costs a small fortune, I hope it'll help.

Cathy, Restasis is a cyclosporine drop.  I used a generic cyclosporin drop for Shari's chronic dry eye I bought through the local pharmacy when my vet prescribed it.  I first got it through the opthamology doctor I took her to at Mich. State and had to order it from their pharmacy.  Then I switched vets and he ordered it locally.  I think I spent less than $20 monthly for it (obviously not covered for the dog).  I don't know how different Restasis is, but I'd ask if there is a generic.  I believe it has to be handled at a compounding pharmacy, so maybe that is the only difference between what I got for Shari and Restasis (maybe it's already mixed). 

The downside to using cyclosporine drops is that they leave the eye more open to infection (sometimes frequent). The cyclosporine is a steroid.  I spent a lot of time and money at the vet fighting the infections Shari got because of the weakened immunity.  And honestly, I think it got to the point where the cyclosporine didn't help her produce many tears, which was why she ruptured her eye at age 14 (rubbing the dryness).

sharismom

The downside to using cyclosporine drops is that they leave the eye more open to infection (sometimes frequent).

I read that and in light of my low WBC, it might be a stupid idea. I'll definitely discuss it with the dr. and I trust him and know he'll err on the side of caution. I know that the generic cyclosporine oral med is somehow different than the Atopica I give Sassy. I'd love to be able to save money and use the generic for her but from what I understand, there's enough of a difference that it's not an option.

Well, phew.  When DH came home to "help" getting the dogs walked (they are quieter if he is here) we talked about the situation.  We agree that the best thing to do is to get into the house and then evaluate his behavior.  In the meantime, he'll just have to be doped up.  Tomorrow, will put the crate up the second I get out of bed, leave the meds out for him before I go to bed tonite so Todd can give them to him when he gets up (an hour before me), and when I get up, Thunder will go to his crate.  By that time he should be good and groggy.  We'll simply have to manage and manage carefully for the next 2.5 weeks.

Todd does NOT like the idea of "drugging" the dogs, but I pointed out that they aren't really being drugged.....this stuff wouldn't be available over the counter if it were addictive or heavy duty.  So he agrees that we just will do what we have to do to keep things from blowing up again.

I will say this....it has been an incredibly peaceful day.  The ONLY time we had any barking at all was when some guy came and beat on the door to try to sell us something.  This guy roamed around the campground and bothered everyone tho, and I heard a LOT of dogs barking.  I'm thinking that was a fairly acceptable bark fest.  And it ws far less than normal too.

I will be soooo incredibly glad when this week of early mornings is over!  Not even three in the afternoon and I feel like I could go to bed and sleep until tomorrow!

Cathy, I'm sure your eye doctor will have the best info for you. Sometimes my eyes feel  dry, esp. after being at work all day because there is a lot of paper dust in the office. Maybe that is contributing to your issue. 

Glenda, I hope you can sort out the dog issues.  And a 20-minute power nap isn't always a bad thing for you. You just can't do it daily or it'll really screw up your sleep cycle.

I bought some plain old steel wool at lunch time, so will commence Operation Deter Chipmunk when I get home.  Makes me think of the old Mickey Mouse and Pluto cartoons involving those pesky critters.

sharismom

Cathy, I'm sure your eye doctor will have the best info for you. Sometimes my eyes feel  dry, esp. after being at work all day because there is a lot of paper dust in the office. Maybe that is contributing to your issue.

I've had this problem for many, many years. I don't know if it's true, but I read that it's more common with blue eyes. My contacts are the Oaysis (sp?) and I love them. While I have my contacts in, my eyes rarely bother me a bit but I have to take them out at night. Menopause has tipped the scale for me on the dry eye issue, so I'm ready for the big guns. :)

Oh, and I totally agree about the power nap. I could use one myself right now.

WHEEE!!

My kinky boots are here!! Aren't they something???

I am going to ROCK this Halloween...whee!!

rwbeagles

WHEEE!!

My kinky boots are here!! Aren't they something???

 

I am going to ROCK this Halloween...whee!!

OMG Gina - I love them!!! Now you need somewhere special to go to show them off.

of course! We are maybe hitting an interesting sounding 'do on Halloween, it's called "Dark Carnival" burlesque show, fire eaters, freak show, dj, etc. Should be totally goth and fabulous, LOL!

I <3 Halloween. I wish it came more often.