Print

[carolh]

Hi Eva,

How's prada?  How's Marge? 

I miss hearing how things are going.
Carol

[evayola]

You are so darn sweet for asking!!! Prada is doing well. She was finally able to take off her onesie on Monday. She was not happy being in it all but she did look super cute! The laceration has healed up beautifully. The vets are amazed at how good it looks. Since the incident one of our other cats, Drama, has become her full time body guard. They were never really "friends" before and this has given them such a close bond. It really nice to see. When she was wearing her onesie the other cats apparently thought she was someone else because they would constantly hiss at her and not go near her. Drama was always there in their faces helping to protect her from harm. He would sit in the cat tree on lookout and if one of the cats started hissing at her he would jump down to her rescue. Once the onesie would come off, the hissing would stop. Things are starting to go back to normal in the house.

About Marge... Her thyroid tests came back in the range where we need to be prepared for hypothyroid in the near future. The holistic vet does not believe that we should just sit back and wait for her thyroid to become hypo. Instead, she put Marge on meds now to help support the remaining function of her thyroid. Marge has been off her itra and on her herbs and meds for thyroid and she has been doing fantastically! In the first few days after she started the thyroid meds we noticed she had an increase in activity and now she is just so much happier it seems. I am so happy that this holistic vet was on top of things and looked beyond the norm to help Marge out. We will retest her thyroid in a few weeks to see if there are any changes.

Our biggest issue we have now is Homer and his arthritis. He has the prey drive of a hunting dog and he has been chasing animals left and right in our yard which ends in him being extremely sore by the end of the day. There is no stopping him once he gets the scent of a squirrel or rabbit. He will not look at us and is at full speed. So far he has caught and either injured or killed 6 baby rabbits, 12 birds, and a possum the size of a dinosaur! It really makes me sad that he does that to these poor animals but I know he is a dog and this is just what they do. I am not exactly sure why the rabbits and chipmunks think that our yard is the best place to set up shop for their babies. At night Homer is so arthritic that he s grunting when he gets up or lays down. We have him on cosequin/dasaquin and sometimes Deramaxx when it gets real bad. Any suggestions out there?

[carolh]

Hi Eva,

Wow, such good news about Prada and Marge.  Yes, Hale Bopp had to wear a "onesie" when he impaled himself on a stick.  He hated it but did look so darned cute.  Hooray that Prada had a protector.  There is NOTHING quite as moving as two cats who really care for each other.  Drama is a good boy (another great name, by the way!).  Our two, Pipit and Chacha, are very close.  ChaCha came to us from the shelter as an adult, Pipit as a kitten.  It was clear ChaCha had been a lady of the streets and had had her share of kittens.  So she hopped in and started caring for little Pipit right away.  They continue to be so very close, cleaning each other, playing, tussling.  When I walk the dogs on our property, it is not uncommon for a cat or two to join us.  If it is one cat, the other is always looking for her compatriot.

Have you taken Homer to the holistic vet?  Here was some crazy news for us re Hale Bopp   Vet had said his lungs were filling with white blood cells (caused by over production as his system fought off allergans) and it was clear he was in arthritic pain.  A blood test found he was loaded with allergies and so we started the allergy shots, switched him away from the food that contained items he can no longer eat.  Vet was amazed his lungs cleared.  He was even more amazed that Hale Bopp dropped years because, while not a spring chicken, he can romp and play well now.  Apparently the allergies were attacking his joints!  He's still on glucosamine (we use cosequine -- cheaper and I trust the lab who did independent research to confirm its quality and value).  I'm so very high on your holistic vet.  Ask her!  Re animal killing, first let me say, I'm so impressed with Homer.  He is catching birds?!!!  Mika and Bopp try but...  And a possum.  That is a fiercesome creature.  That mouth of sharp teeth!  Yikes.  But yes, they are dogs.  I'm ever vigilant to keep raccoons out of our dogs' reach because raccoons fight by going for the eyes and Mika only has one good one left.  Hale Bopp recently caught and ate a rabbit.  Bad move.  Bactrin, lots of tummy upset, and we just finished treating the dogs for tape worm (ugh).

Such happy news re Marge and Prada.  Thanks for well wishes re our crazy little girl.

Carol

[Wilson3]

Carol I agree ....what wonderful news to hear 
Glad you guys are doing so well!
wilson3