Texas vacation

I loved my Texas vacation! It was so nice to see Grammy. I didn't really like the trip down. Everytime we got in the car, I would shiver and tremble for a couple of hours because at first I thought mom and dad were going to give me away. The second day of travel was a little better but not much. I really enjoyed getting out at the rest stops...all the different smells and other dogs! Sometimes I would ride in the back seat with my Aunt and Bosco. He let me sit next to him but then he couldn't go anywhere anyway, hehe! I had fun in Texas though. We went for walks and it was neat because everything was different. I stayed away from the fire ants but mom forgot and got bit and she was wearing sandals! It was nice and warm too and I just love the sun. I wish we could move there, mom says maybe someday.

I was a better traveler coming back. I only trembled for a few minutes and then I was fine. Mom said we were going home to our house so then I knew they were keeping me! I even brought something back from Texas...mom called it tapeworm and not in a happy voice so I guess it wasn't a good thing. Anyway, I got pills for it buried in a big gob of peanut butter so it was good to me!

Hello...

Mom has been sick, she caught something called a virus. Tho, if it makes you sick I don't know why she wanted to catch it! She says it gave her a sore throat, headache and fever. She said her sinuses were running and I offered to catch them for her but she said no. Oh well, I'll just cuddle with her now and then to make her feel better.

Mom and dad took me the the vet doctor February 9th. I was due for the rabies, bordatella and my parvo and Dsomething booster. But mom and dad talked to the doctor and since I'm not a show dog or being boarded anywhere I didn't have to get the bordatella shot. In fact I only got the rabies shot, we go back in 3 weeks for the booster. The doctor said that dachshunds were predisposed to allergic reactions to those kinds of shots bunched up together.

We all know that I am a mix of Shih Tzu and Dachshund but I found out that I am a mix of a wire-haired Dachshund! How about that?! The doc said that they have shorter muzzles, which I have! Hmm, learn something new everyday! Well, I hear mom....I'm gonna go and give her a cuddle!

And bees too...

Because I'm short-legged, my belly hair tends to collect a lot of grass, dried leaves, etc. So when I came in Friday evening from one of my jaunts outside, my aunt noticed a bee hanging from my tummy. I didn't seem like I was hurt so she knocked it off and killed it. Nobody thought anything else about it. The next day, mom noticed that I was scratching like crazy and since I was due, she gave me a bath in my medicated shampoo. Then Sunday morning she noticed that I was covered in hives! Mom and dad didn't figure out til later that the bee must have stung me. So now besides being allergic to grasses, etc., I'm also allergic to bee stings! Another call to the vet and I'm back on Temaril-P plus an antibiotic. Why do I have this feeling I'm going to love cold weather?!

Grasses and trees and mold, oh my!

Well, I went to see my doctor Friday and the good news is I don't have a food allergy. It seems I am allergic to grass pollens and possibly mold. Dad wanted the doctor to do a patch test on me but the doctor said they only do that if the allergies are really bad and then only as a last resort. He said besides being involved, etc., it is a little costly. Since mine isn't really that bad right now, we are going to control it with medicated shampoo. I think that might mean frequent baths. Hmmm, don't know if I'm going to like that!

What now...?

Mom noticed that I had what looked like pimples in my armpits. They would dry up and scab over but they never seem to open. Anyway, the itchies drove me (and mom and dad) crazy. Dad took me to the vet and he took a skin scraping and put me on Temaril-P (trimeprazine with prednisolone) for the itching. It's about a 3 week treatment and I drink tons of water and pee alot. I'm supposed to weigh 9 pounds and right now I weigh almost 14 and that was from when I was on steroids before! I never got a chance to lose the weight from that time! I hope I don't gain more!! Anyway, this isn't a cure because this rash or whatever is spreading. I guess right now, we wait and see what happens.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all of you 2-legged dads out there! I love my dad so much! We had spent a nice weekend together at the camper and later in the evening, while mom finished up the laundry, dad and I sat in the recliner and took a little nap. Then when dad took me for a walk before bedtime, guess what we saw! A deer! In the middle of the street! In the city!! Dad saw it long before I did so I didn't really get a chance to chase it off before she (it was a doe) took off on her own. It was kind of a magical moment just between me and my dad!

Uh oh...

Mom usually leaves the basement door open for me so I can go down to her craft/sewing room to keep cool while she's at work. Tuesday, I peed on the carpet...I don't know why I did it. I got in trouble too. Mom was disappointed because I hadn't had an accident in almost two months and there was a potty pad upstairs I could have used. Now I'm not allowed down there unless she is with me. Mom told me that I had to put this in my diary. I didn't want to but she said that maybe if I was embarrassed enough I wouldn't do it anymore.

I'm back!

I know, I know...I haven't updated my diary. Mom says she's been busy but we know how that goes. Anyway, as for the Babesia, the parasites are gone! Yay! I'm off the Prednisone! Now I have to lose all this weight I've gained and believe me at this time it is more than the one pound! I don't eat as much now which is a good thing. In fact mom was feeding me 1 cup of food a day, half in the morning and half at dinner time. Now I only eat about half of the 1/2 cup in the morning and at dinner, sometimes I eat all of it, part of it or none of it. Hopefully I'll lose some of the weight before I go back for a check-up in about a month!

We just got back Monday afternoon from the campground after staying there for a whole week and oh my gosh, I love it there! Dad fenced in part of the yard and Bosco and I just ran and played and played and barked at people and barked at dogs and played some more! I dug some holes looking for chipmunks and moles, it was fun but I got in trouble. I got in trouble for barking a lot too but mom says once I get used to all the coming and going I should be quieter. I love to sit by the fence and watch the world go by (I just can't bark all the time). New neighbors moved in across the way from us and they have a 10 y/o miniature poodle named Nugget. He's shy and can't see very well but I hope we can become friends. I'm sad to be home but mom says we can do this again. I'm not sure what that means but I can't wait to go camping again!

Helloooo...is anybody in there?

Well, I went to the Metro Hospital for a check up last Friday and do you know the first thing the doctor said to me?! He said "You're looking good. I see you porked right up." What a thing to say to a female! Mom asked him if I was too fat and he said only by a pound but not to worry about it until I get off the steroids. They ran a CBC again to see if I have any of those little buggers left in me. Doctor said if everything was okay that I could stop the steroids but he was supposed to let mom know Monday and here it is Tuesday and we haven't heard a word. She's going to call in the morning. The doctor said he'll want to see me 4 to 6 weeks after stopping the steroids. Hmmm, I wonder if he bought a new car.....

I went camping last weekend too and now I know why Shadow loved it so much! I got to be outside alot! I love being outside. At the campground, all the dogs have to be leashed but mom and dad always left Shadow loose because she stayed nearby. Well Bosco and I each have our own tie-outs but dad is going to fence off an area for us. I can't wait! I think it's because I got in trouble though. Auntie was hooking us up to go potty and I got loose from her and ran and ran and ran. Mom and dad were inside and didn't hear her hollering for me. Luckily there is a fence by the road 'cause she was afraid something bad would happen to me. I finally stopped and she took me back but she asked me how would she face mom and dad if something happened to me or I disappeared. I hadn't thought about that, so then I felt bad. But I gave her a bunch of kisses so we're okay now!

Thank you pupsters!

Mom just loves the "Tips Game" thread and all the tips and help from the more computer saavy pupsters (and their moms and dads)! She loves to play around on the computer and make Shadow's and my pages look nice. She says that sometimes it's easier to understand when someone explains it than when she reads it in a book. So mom and Shadow and I want to say thanks for sharing your knowledge pupsters!!!