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The Princess Emma Diaries

Happy Birthday to me!

On Nov. 11 I turned 7 years old. I am still pretty young though. Mom loves to watch Jack and I rat wrestle and race through the house. I do like my down time, and then I want to snuggle with mom on her lap.

We didn't do anything special for my birthday except go for a nice long walk. The weather was beautiful and lots of smells to sniff in the piles of leaves everywhere. I did get some new chewies for Jack and I to enjoy.

Soon that nasty snow will be here and we won't want to linger outside. For now, I am enjoying the crisp fall air.

Love,
Emmy

Emmy and the Tooth Fairy

Hello, Emmy here again. Just writing to say I should be nicer to mom when she tries to brush my teeth. I recently had to go in to the vet's for a dental cleaning and I had to have some teeth pulled. Mom knew I had a bad one, she has been trying to keep my teeth cleaned but I absolutely hate it, so it is hard for her to do so.

I was at the vet's most of the day. Unlike the first dental cleaning I had, where I sat politely on the vet tech's lap while my teeth were scaled and polished, I had to have general anesthesia. To my mom's surprise (and horror and guilt) I had to have 4 teeth extracted!!!! Oh my. Rat terriers are known for dental caries but mom had no idea 4 of them were bad. Looking back, she noticed I would paw at my muzzle once in awhile...

So, mom picked me up at 3 pm and I was still very woozy. So much so that I had to be carried to the car. Normally I am very hyper and boingy! Mom drove me home and carried me outside to potty. I just sat there with a glazed look on my face so mom took me inside to rest. The vet tech said they carried me out to potty just before mom picked me up, so mom wasn't too worried.

Mom let me lay on a comfy pillow and doze while she watched over me. An hour later she checked me and I had a potty accident and was laying in it. I am sorry I ruined her pillow, but I really didn't know I was "going" as I was still pretty drugged up. I had a lot of IV fluids so that contributed. Mom wasn't mad, she just picked me up, carried me outside in case I had to go more, and when she brought me in she gently washed my backside and legs. After drying me off, she found something called a "bluepad" and lay it over her lap, then let me nod off on top of it. We sat in the chair for a couple hours like that. I love my mom, she took good care of me.

At about 8 pm I awoke and my tummy was growling! I had not eaten since the day before. Mom fed me half a can of solid gold soft food as my kibble is too hard for my sore jaw. That was a yummy treat! Jack has to have some, too, or he feels left out. Mom tries to do everything fair around the house so there won't be any squabbles.

Later the next evening I had one of my little seizures where my back legs give out. At the time I was laying in bed with mom and Jack, resting. I tried to get up to go to mom and tell her, but in my flailing about I actually fell off the bed onto the floor. Poor me! Of course that scared my mom, who tried to catch me, but it happened so fast. She picked me up and held me until I felt better. Thank heavens I wasn't hurt as mom has a bed with one of those high mattresses!

It has been over a week now and I am off the soft food and back on my kibble. Mom says I will have to let her brush my teeth, even though I really detest it. She bought some new meat flavored toothpaste so hopefully I will get used to it. I can't afford to lose any more teeth!
The teeth I lost are big molars in the back, both upper, and the smaller tooth next to it..both sides. Mom sent them to the tooth fairy and I was rewarded with a trip to the park when I felt better. Jack and I got to romp and play and chase tennis balls. We watched little kids play soccer and Jack was good for a change and didn't bark at the youngsters.

Take care, my furfriends, and remember: when your mom or dad brushes your teeth, it is for your well-being, so please cooperate. I am trying to be a braver girl about it. It is easier to put up with that than to have teeth pulled out.

Bees...........AGAIN!

Let's see. It was in April I think or maybe May. Anyway 2008. I snapped at something flying around the house and didn't realise it was a yellow jacket (until Mom found the dead bee a day later...I got it!) Anyway, Mom and Michael were watching tv at around 11 pm and suddenly they noticed my muzzle was swelling up. UtOh! Not again. Mom got the Temovate or whatever that stuff is. Stronger than benadryl. She gave me some in some cheese (Jack was jealous....he had to have cheese, too!) and they watched me for an hour. The swelling was spreading so Mom (being the good worrier Mom she is) called our emergency Vet line. Now Paw Paw Vet Clinic is affiliated with the Southwestern Emergency Vet Clinic on the corner of Burdick and Cork St. in Kalamazoo. Despite the late hour (almost midnight) they were open (24 hours a day!) and Mom and I got in the car and rushed the 14 miles over. They took me back and worked on me, gave me a shot and some prednisone and made me all better. Mom recognised that the vet tech working there that night went to high school in Coldwater with her, so a hearty shout out to Steve Macklin! And thanks for the great care. What a way to reconnect with an old friend.
Anyway, I am all better now and I will try and remember not to eat anymore bees.