Rainbow Bridge - 12 March 2012

After years of struggle with health problems, Bode developed a very aggressive cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, and was euthanized. He was a good dog, faithful companion, and now at rest.

Arthritis, yuck!

I got some medicine after my checkup in March because I was starting to limp. It is warmer now, but my limp got worse, so Kathy took me back and I am on two different kinds of medicine now. They took X-rays, have two bad thoracic vertebra and one in the lumbar region, but there are bone spurs in my right elbow, which is probably what is making me limp.

So, I am taking a prednisone burst for three weeks and drinking and peeing a lot. Sure get hungry too! I feel a little bit better. Kathy was worried, wants me to rest so we only go out around the block instead of all the way to the river trail. The day I went to the vet, I felt so bad that I didn't want to get out of the car at Kathy's mom and dad's place and they are two of my favorite people.

I am still limping, but not as bad. I get around pretty good at first on our short walks.

Some sad things

Kathy's mom had a stroke last April. Kathy needed to go with her dad to the intensive care unit in Pittsburgh a lot. I had to stay home, but I was extra nice each time she came home. Kathy's mom was in the hospital or rehab or residential care a lot after that, even had another stroke. I went with Kathy to visit her when she was in skilled nursing. They said it was OK but it was hard to get in because the other residents wanted me to stop so they could pet me!

Then it got cold. I don't mind snow and rain, but Kathy sometimes needs to stay in. She really got discouraged when there was ice from freezing rain and I slipped (well, more than once). So, instead of walkies I took care of business in the side yard many days. It is getting warmer now, so we are going out more. Woohoo! Walkies!!!

Spring

Kathy has been out digging in the ground and putting in seeds. I can supervise her from the porch step. Now that is is warmer out, it doesn't take her nearly so long to get dressed when we go out.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, there are a lot more babies out in their strollers when we go to the trail! Love babies!

New way to get biscuits!

I discovered that Kathy unwisely put her thermal underwear in the bottom drawer of the dresser last spring when we moved here. So, the other day I fluffed up my blankie and put it right in front of the dresser. Then I laid right in from of that bottom drawer and looked pathetic when she came out of the shower and tried to open it.

She coaxed, but verbal praise doesn't always work. I only moved when she offered the biscuit. Try it, might work for you too!

Biscuits -- woohoo!!

Kathy is on a health food kick again, keeps muttering that people eat a lot of junk. But, she is mixing good things out of the cupboard and refrigerator and baking really good biscuits in the oven for me! They are fresh and crunchy, and, she often adds good stuff like peanut butter too.

She read on the internet about dogs getting sick from eating the food that comes in bags. How horrible! She is pretty good about cooking an extra potato for me (taters, yum, yum!) or sharing the cooked veggies.

That is good, because now that it is cooler outdoors, my appetite is very good.

The surprise anniversary party

Kathy's sister Connie sent me an email message saying to be ready for a good walk on Saturday evening when she "dropped in" as a surprise for Kathy's parent's 60th wedding anniversary. Then Kathy's brother John came too! Connie took me for a good walk, she even started running, didn't even stop to change from her street shoes into running shoes.

I got a couple other more walks with Connie before she left on Tuesday morning, even one with brother John up the hill above the garden.

They both went home yesterday. Kathy and I slept in this morning until 7:30, then Kathy went back to bed and didn't get up until almost 10 am! She says we will have a rest day today. It is cool out, was only 55 when we went out on the back deck at 10. So, maybe we will be back to mid-day walkies unless it gets hot again.

Delayed walkies

Yesterday morning Kathy slept through our walkies time. The night before we had an extra long walk, so I let her sleep in. She took me along to the Kittanning Riverfront Park to walk yesterday evening. I met a family with two little girls (they asked first, then petted me) and a golden retriever when we got out of the car.

In the park, I had to mark a lot of stuff, then we walked along the river where I met three fishermen. Kathy had choir practice, so I got a good drink of water from the bottle in the car, then I stayed in the car on Kathy's seat. Kathy gave me a biscuit when they were done and I met a few more people and marked the lawn by the parking area. Kathy asked if they would celebrate the feast day for St. Francis and told the people how good I am at not raising my leg at the statues of the Virgin Mary in our neighborhood. I am good about the St. Francis statues too, but I think he would understand.

It was foggy this morning, but we went out just after 7 am. I took Kathy by the parochial school because I knew there would be children there. We saw school buses and children walking to school too. I wanted to go farther, but Kathy said it was time to head back home, so we went on the bike path part way then on the sidewalks.

Ride, Ride, Ride!

A week ago Saturday Kathy gave me a real good bath and grooming, then Sunday morning just after it got light we put a bunch of stuff in the car and went for a ride instead of going walkies. Kathy said we were going on vacation.

We went to a place callede the Chautauqua Institute on Chautauqua Lake NY first. We parked the car and walked a long way to the gate. Kathy used her rollator (walker with wheels) and I was good and walked along beside it. There were lots of nice people there and I met some nice dogs too. We went to a big open building first where you had to be quiet, then we had a good walk and Kathy got ice cream and gave me the cone. Kathy got tired and it looked like it was starting to rain, so we left and rode to Jamestown NY where we met Schoppy's dad Dave and two other friends.

The rules at the place we stayed were no dogs allowed alone in rooms, so I got in the car with Dave, Ron, Debbie, and Kathy to go to supper. I took over Debbie's seat while they were eating, then teased her by refusing to move when they came back! Fortunately she is slim, so I put my front paws on the floor and rested my backside beside her on the seat to go back.

The next day I was up at 5 am, which was a good time because the rain stopped. Kathy got a cup of hot chocolate from the machine by the office and we went out for a bit. When Dave and Debbie were ready to go, it started to rain hard again. We said goodbye to them (Debbie now calls me "puppy-puppy") and took a rest.

Ron left his car in Toronto with Trixie and her mum Louise and Kathy said we were going to take him there. We drove for a long time and saw a lot of vinyards, bigger than what Tom and Della and Bobo had before we moved. Kathy and Ron declared me along with two bottles of whiskey when we went through customs. Then we were in Canada!

We drove on busy roads for a long time and stopped for walkies and snacks a couple times. Then we turned off into a place with lots of houses and trees and there we were at Trixie's house! Her mom gave me some cool water to drink and we visited for a while, then we followed Ron in his car to his farm. From the gate I supervised as he fed two calves some milk he mixed from a powder and gave the big cattle hay using his tractor. Kathy said I shouldn't chase them.

Ron showed us the famous Peterborough Lift Lock and we looked around some and had some nice walkies in Ron's lane.

Kathy said we should start home, but had some time to explore, so we left Ron's farm and went by some more lakes, farms, and woods to a little grocery store where Kathy got some ice and snacks. It got hot and Kathy stopped at a place called Thousand Islands and we took a walkies toward the water. Kathy took her sandals off and waded in the water, but I just stayed on the sand and visited with a nice lady and a little boy who were having a picnic by the water.

Kathy drove further to another place on the water where some people and their two dogs were swimming! This time Kathy got in the back and put on her swim suit, just like for going to the YMCA, and we went to the water again. She got in and talked me into getting my paws wet and she splashed me to cool me off too. So, when we went over two big bridges and back to the USA, we were both wet!

We drove for a long time again, stopping at rest places for walkies and snacks. We went through a place Kathy said was called Finger Lakes. Fortunately it was getting late by then and she didn't want to jump in!

We stayed at a very nice place in Elmira NY where they gave me a goodie bag with a bowl, biscuits, a poop bag, and a cat toy -- neither one of us could figure that part out.

The next morning Kathy told me to stay after we had our walkies and she came back with some eggs that she said was Denver Omlette and some fried potatoes for me to have with my kibble. We drove again for a long time and visited some more rest stops. At one I met a Welsh Corgi, whose mom recognized me as a Beardie.

In the afternoon it started to rain, so we didn't stop any more but we were back home before supper time.
It started to rain and thunder while Kathy was bringing things in from the car, so I had to bark at the storm until it went away.

So, that was my big adventure. Kathy said I was a really good rider, and we should make some more trips. I want to visit Kathy's sister Connie. I love, love, love her because she takes me for long walks.

The "B" word and the "F" word

Kathy has that "time for a bath" look in her eye. I show my opinion by not coming and making her put a leash on me to lead me to the tub, but once there, I cooperate. I like to be clean so I am very happy afterwards.
My legs are a bit too short to climb into our bathtub, so Kathy puts a step stool at the side. I usually only get baths every two weeks, or less often in the winter when it is snowy.
This summer has been bad for fleas, so I am getting baths every week. I come out of the tub lot less itchy! Kathy says the shampoo and water drown the fleas, then she can use a comb to remove the dead ones and the ones that are just stunned when we groom afterwards.
On bath day I get lots of treats, usually dog biscuits: 1 after the pre-bath grooming, 1 after the bath, 1 after ear cleaning, 1 after the post-bath grooming.