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The diary of one Mighty Mouse...

Tear Stains and "The Dog Food Project"

My Mom is concerned about what sorta stuff goes in my dog food. It started out cuz my eyes were tearing really bad. Worried it could be allergies to something I've been eating, she visited Bone Appetit in St. Albert. The owner there Nadiya offers a bunch of food brands that are not as well known but have a lot better choices for ingredients. She recommended this website to us called "The Dog Food Project", check out :

www.dogfoodproject.com

There's a link on the left called The Yuck Factor which will give you a good idea of some of the things that are put into our food...I don't wanna gross you out so I'll let you check it out for yourself!

From all the foods I tried, I liked Raw Instinct by Nature's Variety the best. There is another that I liked equally the same called Orijens which has three kinda protein sources. Both have 0% grain which has REALLY helped the tearing go down and it's only been a little over a week... And if you get a chance, try the Tripett. Humans think it stinks but it's soooooooooooo yummy!

Booooooo Winter!!!

I'm tired of this cold weather!! I haven't been to the parks since September, my hang out the Dog Park has been closed since December and I miss my friends!

My mom booked Bay 54 at Grand Paws by Kingsway in Edmonton, AB for Saturday March 3rd between 2& 3 pm. You can check out their website http://www.grandpaws.ca/ I encourage all you small breed Edmonton doggies to join us!!! RSVP by sending me a message to my Dogster account by February 24, 2007.

Hope this turns out well so us lil' dogs can have some fun!! See you there,

Rafi

"A Will to Live"

I had a big scare a couple weeks ago, Wednesday October 25 to be exact. Something didn't sit right in my tummy from the night before and I vomited. I get embarassed when I make a mess so I pretended like nothing was wrong. My Mommy went to work that day and came home to check on me at lunch, I garnered up the strength to meet her at the door so she wouldn't think anything was wrong but there was. I even ate some food, but I couldn't breathe right.

Things were the same after work that day and she insisted on taking me to my vet. They x-rayed my lungs and gave Mom some bad news--I had pneumonia :( That vet wanted to keep me in her clinic overnight on an IV but there would be no one watching me after 6pm!!! Mommy wouldn't have it, she took me into the emergency clinic immediately.

I stayed in an incubator filled with oxygen that night but my glucose levels were dropping rapidly by the hour. The vets told Mommy all they could do was support my environment and let my body try to fight the infection.

I went hypoglycemic Thursday morning while being transferred to a daytime clinic, I don't remember what was going on until a couple hours later when an AHT was pricking my ear to test my glucose levels and I nipped her! Mommy tells me now that Dr. Person was trying to be as supportive as possible and preparing her for the worse that was very likely to happen. He told her that they were "deep in the forest with no way out right now", all they could do was wait and see if I had it in me to fight the nasty pneumonia. I was only 5 months old and a small puppy, my odds weren't great.

A nurse was by my bedside monitoring me the whole day. It was nice to know I was not alone--it was pretty scary in that oxygenated kennel by myself. The IV hurt my arm and I kept getting shots of antibiotics, my ears pricked to check my glucose levels, and more blood taken for my cell counts. It was exhausting but I kept thinking Mommy must not have abandoned me, she left me there in the capable hands of the doctors and technicians so I could get better.

She came to visit before they transported me back to the emergency clinic. She brought Grammy & Gramps too, I could tell she had been crying and wanted so badly to go home right then with her. I missed Felicia too that night, the incubator was heated but it's not the same as snuggling with her in Mommy's bed.

By Friday night they say my vitals were stable, they worked on weaning me off the oxygen and glucose. My xrays showed no improvement but at least I could breathe on my own and eat some chicken baby food. Mommy left late that night, about 3a.m. after I got to rest in her arms for a bit.

Saturday came and enough was enough. I was tired with that IV and kept yelping so they finally decided to try taking it out. Lots of other dogs came and went and I wanted outta there too. I was perky and bright, I ate whatever food they gave me (even if it was yucky) and I drank water on my own. The visit with Mommy was good, I kept wagging my tail so she knew my little body wouldn't give up the fight. Grammy and Gramps were pleased I made quite the comeback and everyone was confident I was over the hump.

Late Sunday evening, Dr. Jackson said I could be discharged--FINALLY! I could take my medicines at home and sleep in my Mommy's bed again. The doctors and technicians were happy to see me go home with my Mommy even though they treated me like I was their own little doggy the whole time.
They think I aspirated my vomit which caused the rapid infection of my lungs.

Yesterday I had my final re-exam and Dr. Persons declared me CURED!! My xrays and bloodwork showed significant improvement and I'm back to my old ways chasing Feli and playing with my toys. He said the resilience of young little animals continues to amaze him and that he was so happy to see me well again. He told Mommy when I was in the room that I must have had A STRONG WILL TO LIVE after what I went thru.

People often understimate our breed because we are small and frail looking, but I'm one tough little Papillon. Special thanks to Dr. Persons and his wonderful staff at Delton Veterinary Clinic for saving my life-- your time and dedication will never be forgotten. Thank you as well to the doctors and staff of the Edmonton Veterinarian's Emergency Clinic--your capable hands and attention helped see me through this battle and into my Mommy's arms again. Grammy and Gramps--Thank you and I love you for taking care of Mommy, and for your constant support through difficult times. Mrs. Tracey Owens, my breeder family-- Thank you for your prayers which were quickly answered, God did spare Mommy my life.