Dreary Thursday Chat (3/20//14)

My sleep pattern is all messed up. It hasn't normalized since dst Grrr. So I am so tired!

One of our sar dogs got sprayed by a skunk last night. So glad it wasn't abbie! I know it is going to happen to her though. I need to get something to keep in my car for the just in case moment. The handler carpooled and they had a 2 hr drive home with a skunk dog. I wouldn't be able to handle that!

The fuzzy thing is becoming house trained.  It is coming on, but slowly, so you don't realize it.   He likes to sleep in his kennel (this totally surprised me), and is now waking me about 5:30.  Much better than 3:30.  No accidents in the house for about a week.  Non dog owners probably don't realize how joyful an event this is.  He has a sharp piercing bark to announce that he needs out.  Very effective.  Hasn't picked up Pipers trick of just getting us to open the door so she could look outside. Yet.

I swear this dog teleports.  You see him across the room, take a step and trip over him.  He is so quiet, but always there.  And he is brown.  After years of looking for white, Lugnut  fades into the carpet or ground.  But he likes to lick noses and chew ears,

We just got back from our big WMA by the river.  If I can find a cable for my camera, I will post a few pictures.   The beastie appears to be worn out after a morning of running up and down the hills.  Really feels good to get out a walk in the woods a bit.  Stretch, work up a sweat walking, hear the sounds, hear the silence.

Warmer weather is bringing in the fog in the mornings, but the snow is in full retreat.  You can see grass and mud.  Puppy of course likes puddles.  

Best to all.

@DougB

I swear this dog teleports.  You see him across the room, take a step and trip over him.  He is so quiet, but always there.

Ruby is the EXACT same way!  We call her "Ghost" because you turn around and there she is behind you, staring.  Seriously, I have nearly jumped out my skin a few times. 

Julie, having experienced Ruby getting sprayed by a skunk in the backyard one night and knowing how the odor kept me awake even when I went to sleep in another room, I can't imagine how it would've been to be contained inside a car for a long ride.  The smell "up close" is so much worse than when you just smell it as you pass roadkill or something.

Beautiful sunny morning at my house, even wore sunglasses on the drive in.  Then I hit the downtown area (lower elevation) and was socked in by thick fog.  It's starting to burn off and some sun is expected later.

DH is in Hour #2 of his marathon dental appointment this morning.  He has 2-3 more hours to go, I think.  To say he was not a happy camper when he left the house this morning is an understatement.  I've got potato soup on the crockpot, so the "easy to eat" dinner will be ready to go!

Doug, please forgive me for being stupid, but is Lugnut's name really Lugnut or is he Gunther? He's a handsome fella either way.

Lots of work to do, not much sleep, worries about GingerD, but the workday is half over and the sun is out on this first day of Spring. Thank doG for small favors.

Lost my post, I guess  

Tina sending GingerD vibes from GingerP

Sad news in our community today.  We lost our guard donkey.  I will miss him so much.

RIP Sephie

Tina, is GingerD okay, or is it continued worry about her infected tooth and the food guarding issue you told us about earlier this week?  Is she sleeping better at night now that she's had time to adjust to that medicine she started on?

Count me in the stupid group about the puppy's official name, Doug (that's why I often refer to him as "puppy!";).  I figured you might be using a nickname, but I wasn't sure.

Reminds me of a cat my aunt and uncle had.  She was a gorgeous, sleek all-black cat named Creusa (from Greek mythology or something??).  My uncle ALWAYS called her Pinhead for some reason, and lots of people had no idea what her real name was!

GingerP, I missed your post.  I'm so sorry to hear about Sephie the donkey.  

@tacran

Tina, is GingerD okay

Well, she's still eating. She's either got old dog vestibular syndrome or neurological issues. Had some stumbling/falling incidents over the past 2 days and now has a head tilt and sort of googly eyes. The bad tooth still needs to come out, so either  I risk her becoming septic or losing her under anesthesia. She didn't sleep much last night and neither did I, which is not helping.

I knew going into this there would be no miracles for her. Trying to keep the Serenity Prayer in mind.

Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear about the new worries!  Realize I'm grasping at straws here, but could the infection from the tooth be causing any of the symptoms?  Also, is it at all possible to extract a tooth without full anethesia, like some mild sedatives and novacaine, or is that only an option for humans?  What does the vet advise?

Sending loads of good vibes to both of you . . . I wish I could offer some kind of magic wand or miracle answer for you!

I like the name Lugnut, although I think it's truly Gunther :)

We call Bugsy creeping Jesus. Like you Tracy he has made me jump as he will suddenly be behind me. During my mom's recent visit she said he spooked her multiple times because he would suddenty appear.

I am debating changing my car. I honestly don't know what to do. I've saved a chunk of money and can get a very good price for mine and I would like to get something with better gas mileage (at least 10mpg improvement). I have narrowed it all down, etc. But then I get all sorts of ideas about what would be a better use of the money. I basically got confirmation yesterday that I am there through the end of 2014 so it really makes sense to get a vehicle with better MPG as it is 70 miles round trip daily but I don't want to spend a bunch of my pennies on a car.....................

Overall a good position to be in though

Poor B's allergies are pretty bad at the moment. He's itchy and the last two mornings he got sick when he got up and then was fine. Benadryl seems to work for the itchies but I don't know what to do about the morning stuff. This happens every March (I think it's March when it happened last year) so I am confident it's allergies

Tina glad GingerD is settling in

OK better refocus on work :(

Tracy, the tooth and vestibular issues are unrelated. The vet looked up adverse affects between the infection, the meds GingerD is on, and anesthesia. We spoke extensively about risks of surgery and it's a 50:50 chance that either nothing will go wrong or everything will. It's too difficult to pull teeth under mild sedation since the dog can still move around, not to mention the risk of the vet being bitten. The tooth is so bad that it has to come out. No matter the age, there is always some risk, and especially if the dog is not in perfect health. I hope I am doing the right thing.

His proper name is Gunther.  The girl we got him from called him Gunnar.  Wife didn't like that.  Gunnar is Norse, Gunther is German for Gunnar, short for the Latin Guntherious.  When things are good, he is the Lugnut, and has several other names that wont get past the forum censor when he is evil (think gloves, boots, leashes, and any other chewable item).

That is a tough decision, Tina.  But leaving the tooth there will cause certain problems (100% chance of that), so it seems the 50/50 risks of the surgery are the lesser of two evils, so to speak.  Doesn't make it any easier to choose that option, however.  I'll keep sending good vibes your way, including to the vet/surgeon!

On a lighter note, I don't blame you, Karen, for struggling with the car decision.  But with that kind of commute, something with better MPG will pay off in the long run.  

@kpwlee

We call Bugsy creeping Jesus.

Okay, I may have to steal that nickname.  Makes me think of the houseplant, Wandering Jew.