It r gud news!

Well, we had a bit of a scare last week when Mama found a lump on my shoulder! Mommy was so freaked out, she didn't even tell you, our dearest dogster friends. All she could think was that dreaded c-word. Anyway, the vet said she was 99% sure it was a fatty lump, but if we weren't comfortable we could get a cell sample. So, Mommy and Mama, being even prudent, decided that we would do that. The nice vet lady took two samples. I was a very good girl, and barely even flinched when she took them with a needle. I got lots of hugs and kisses after. Anyway, today the vet called and the lab results are back. IT IS a fatty lump! NOTHING to worry about! Mommy and Mama are so relieved!!! The vet said to keep an eye on it, but in general we didn't have to worry. OMD, thank you nice vet lady!

in other news, I got groomed for my Christmas photo. I look naked, I think, but Mommy says I look really pretty. Izzy had tons of knots and mats, so her skirt was shaved off last month and she didn't need to go this month. It's only starting to grow back now, BOL!

Bark to you later!
love always,
Rudy

It's Holiday Time Again!

hi Everypup!
It's the most bestest time of year again, Christmas time when me and Izzy get to send and receive Christmas cards from all our bestest doggie friends around the world! We have some of your addresses, but if you would like to receive a card from us, could you please send us your real address by pawmail here on dogster? We just love sending and receiving cards. If you are already signed up for Schnauzers Rule card exchange, then we will already have your address!

love Rudy (and pain in the butt sister Izzy)

FREE CAKE!

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! Dogster HQ is givin' out FREE CAKE in the gift shop! Hurry and get your free cake now! Send 'em to your pals, send him for birthdays and gotcha days and rainbow bridge days, and Wednes-days, and all sorts of other days. EVERYONE likes cake!

I hope someone sends me cake too!
love Rudy

French Heartworm!!!

YIKES! Did you know, pups and doggies from Newfoundland, that we are the island of Newfoundland is the only place in North America that has reported the parasite of French Heartworm?! It was first found in Europe in the 1800s, and can infect both dogs and foxes. The first found source in Newfoundland was in 1973. It can be extremely dangerous, especially to puppies. That is why it is so important to take a flea and worm medication. It is particularly hospitable on the Eastern part of the province due to our moderate temperature year-round. Both Sentinel and Advantage Multi protect against French Heartworm.

Here's a pamphlet for you to become informed on French heartworm! We love our doggie friends and want to make sure you are protected!

http://www.nr.gov.nl.ca/nr/agrifoods/animal/an imal_health/ds_08_009_french_heartworm.pdf

love Rudy

we are going on vacation!

Guys! Guys! WE is goin' on BAYCATION! Mommy and Mama are going to Cuba for a week to get some MUCH needed sunshine, so me and the Izz get to go to our bestest dogsitter, "Auntie" Jill. Jill and her hubby Ed let us sleep in the bed, and they have a big retriever, Cody and two shelties, Scotty and Gus, who stay with them all the time. So we are going to have a big dog pawrty for the whole week! We like Cody, Scotty and Gus, and we get to go for big long walks in the woods twice a day with Jill. She lives on a big lot of land, and she even has chickens and turkey, and a rooster named Fred. Mommy says Fred is scary, but we can bark as loud as he can caw, so we are not afeard!

Mommy says that her and Mama are going to have a way better time than me and the Izz, but I don't think so!

Bark to you all in a week!
love Rudy

BRRRRR!

Oh. My. Dog! So much snow fell yesterday (21 cms/8.3 inches in six hours) Mommy and Mama had to shovel and snowblow for 2 hours so that we could clear the driveway. The snowplow must have come up and down the street a dozen times. Mama was so good to make our little roads with the snowblower in the backyard so we could do our business. Of course with all of the wind from the blizzard, we have big snow drifts 3 feet high and when we are going along our little roads, Mommy can't even see the tops of our heads! And we are supposed to get more by the end of the weekend, they are calling it a "monster" storm. Oh. Joy. So for all you pupses complaining that you don't get to play in the snow, come here, we've got plenty!!! Playing in the snow is a lot of fun except Mommy makes us wear our jackets cause it's minus-a-million outside (not really, it's -9 celsius, windchill -21 (for you fahrenheit pups that's 15 F/-5 F windchill). That is too cold for us!

No wonder Mommy and Mama are going to Cuba in April. They need a warm beach, pronto!

oh WOW!

Thank you dogster for makin' me a Diary Pick today! That's good, cause I always got lots to say, according to Mommy. I Arrroooo-rooo-rooo out the window all day long!

On Sunday I had a bit of a setback with my allergies. Mommy and Mama saw that I had thrown up on Saturday night after my supper, but didn't think that much of it because sometimes I do throw up. BUT, I didn't look that good, I was lethargic, and I ate my breakfast the next morning and threw up again. Then I threw up again and again. I threw up so much there was no food in my belly and I was just barfing up bile. It was NOD good. I wouldn't take any water, and I just lay down on the kitchen floor, which is not normal for me, I usually lie down on carpet. Mama called the emergency vet. She knew I was real sick.

Well I went to the emerg vet on Sunday afternoon, luckily they were able to take me, and I got some fluids right away cause I was dehydrated. I also got an anti-nauseant shot. It wasn't too pleasant, but I didn't feel well so I knew Mama and the lady vet was trying to help me.

We have since determined that I had an upset stomach from the Atopica medication, which is normal (throwing up), even though I have been on it for two weeks. Since I am on such a limited diet, we know I didn't react to anything bad, UNLESS I got into some yucky mess in the backyard, but Mommy doesn't think that was the case.

After I came back from the e-vet, I had a good nap (the anti-nausea worked like gravol), and then I was the best kind again. It was a very scary episode for Mommy and Mama and me, but I perked right back up after those fluids. Sigh. I have cost my Moms a lot of money, I am sure glad they are able to take care of me and my health issues. I am such a lucky dog.

Anyway, this week was much better, no barfs and much more like myself. I am still a bit itchy, but I'm getting a bit better, now that I'm not allowed any treats, chicken or anything else. Humph. At least I've lost 1.5 lbs, and am now closer to my ideal weight (although still a little heavy)!
love Rudy

OMD, I'm Dogster Dog of the Day!

Nov 12, 2011, I am Dogster's Dog of the Day! I can't believe it! For five years Mommy has been saying I should be Dog of the Day, I'm so cute and adorable, and today I was chosen! Yippee! This calls for a celebration! Since I can't have any special treats, I'm getting more than usual belly rubs, head scritches, and a long walk in the sunshine. It's cold, so I'll have to wear my sweater, but I don't care, cause at least it's sunny!!!

Thank you to all my special pals who have been sending me messages and rosettes, and congratulations on mommy's facebook page. You all mean the world to us! We love you Dogster family!

love Rudy
Dog of the Day!

p.s. if someone wants to make me a special Dog of the Day graphic, we would love that, Mommy doesn't really know how to do it.

Rudy's dermatology visit in PEI (epic diary entry)

Sorry for the late entry, but it literally took Mom a week to get it all straight in her head, plus she was emotionally and physically exhausted from the trip. We have been back a week, and we are finally starting to get back on track.

We flew on the airplane to Halifax (Mom doesn't recommend flying with dogs unless you can get liquor for the humans to drink before, during and after), then we got the rental car and drove to Charlottetown, PEI (another three hours). It was a long trip with two nervous humans and two nervous dogs. We finally got to the Holiday Inn, and it was a nice place, good sized room, clean, and hooray, we weren't the only dogs there! There were lots of doggies cause Charlottetown was having a dog show that weekend! Mommy said she was glad that we wouldn't be the only ones barking. It was very exciting to be there, lots new to smell and pee on! We slept Thursday night and got up early Friday to go to the Atlantic Veterinary College where Rudy's dermatology appointment was.

The appointment itself was not too bad. The vet dermatologist and two associates were very nice and treated us like gold. They loved me and gave me lots of hugs before they took me in to get sedated. They asked Mommy and Mama a bazillion questions about my environment and food intake. Then Mommy and Mama took Izzy out for a walk and to look around while they did the testing on me. The appointment all in all was about four hours. They sedated me, and did an extensive scratch test with 51 common allergens, and then did a serum test to look for more allergens. They had to shave quite a large spot off my side to do the scratch testing, but they were able to get the results for it on the spot, which was good. The serum and blood tests had to be sent away to a lab in the U.S., so it will take a few weeks for those results.

The results of the environmental tests came back okay, there was an allergic reaction to some weeds and some trees (like pine), but none of the results were obviously bad. The dermatologist told us that means it is mostly food allergies, which makes sense, since I itch year-round and it is getting worse. So now I have to be on an elimination diet to figure out what it is. There are no conclusive tests for food allergies now! The dermatologist said there is a blood test but it is so inconclusive that she doesn't even get it done on her patients anymore!

My symptoms are very like food allergies too. I scratch my ears and scratch, bite and chew spots on my back, as well as lick my paws excessively. The two weeks before the dermatology appointment were pure hell, cause I had to be off the prednisone and I was just miserable. They two days before the appointment I maybe got 2 hours sleep. As soon as we left the dermatologist I was able to start the /2 of a 5 mg prednisone daily (again), but the nice vet also gave me antibiotic for a month as I have a bacterial infection on the skin of my back and paws. She really wants to make sure I get better from it. Since we don't want me to be on prednisone long-term, we are starting a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory called Atopica, which is slow-acting. Eventually we will be able to decrease the prednisone. I also got ear drops for my ears which were infected, and weekly ear wipes. Don't even ask Mama what this cost, but considering the flight, the car rental, the specialist visit, the hotel stay, let's just say I must be worth it!!! BOL.

The treatment at home has now started too. I have to have a bath twice weekly with prescription shampoo which is to help take the inflammation down. I get my ear drops, ear wipes and pills. And I'm on a special food. The vet suspects that I am allergic to multiple types of grain and protein, as Mommy has tried all kinds of food with me. So, I am on a hypoallergenic kibble, called MediCal Vegetarian, which has potato protein in it. It was important to find a food that had a rare (to me) protein (not chicken, beef, liver, lamb or duck). If that kibble does not give me any relief in my itching in the next two months, we will try another food. The vet gave us a list of four. The four foods the dermatologist recommended were Purina HA, IAMS KO, MediCal/Royal Canin Vegetarian , or MediCal/Royal Canin HP. There is also the home-cooking option, but Mommy says she has to do a lot more research into it before she tries it.

The worst part of this is the diet. Mommy and Mama are not allowed to give me any treats of any kind. No table food, no scraps, no treats. Just kibble. So Mommy said she was going to give me a few piece of kibble for treats. The vet said that was okay. I think it's kinda mean on the vet's part, but I know she just wants me to be well.

That's all Mommy can write for now. BUT, there will be more ranting on her part later, I'm sure. If anyone has any allergy/food testing experiences, Mommy would love love love to hear them.

love always, I'm STARVING,
Rudy

VINDICATED!

Izzy pees on my head at least once a month when she gets over-excited on our walk, and jumps on top of me on a mound of grass and squats right over me. She usually gets me right in the beaner. It's humiliating. The little pipsqueak just won't learn though!

Well, last night Mommy walked us and I was peeing on a really good spot. It was prime real estate, I tell you. Do you know that fool Izzy stuck her nose right under my "little area"!? So she got peed on. Right on the snout. I am not evil like her, so I didn't *mean* to pee on her, but still I am vindicated. Maybe that will stop the peebag...

love Rudy
p.s. Mommy can barely stop laughing to get out the baby wipes to clean us off when this happens!