Gummy Bear (aka Toothless Wonder)

Can't believe it's been since Christmas that we submitted anything to Pink Nose Prose. Guess it's the cold and dreariness of the after-holiday liveliness that tended to make Naughty Autie and me cocoon indoors by the fireplace except for our walks. She has grown a full crazy coat again and next week she'll be groommed for spring. This is a much less trying appointment than was her first dental cleaning the last week of February when her mom took the whole day off, nervous as can be, while Autumn spent from 8am to 3:30pm at the vet's office. All went well except for the unfortunate need to extract 2 of her upper incisors, center. Felt so bad! If only I had taken her sooner to have those teeth cleaned but we didn't have the budget. The missing teeth don't show unless we pull back her top lip. All healed well after a short round of antibiotics and it doesn't seem to bother her at all. Now she's our little Gummy Bear. But she still hates having her teeth brushed.

Good spring weather to our pup pal friends and their parents and thanks so much for the new "rosettes"! Autie turned five on St. Patrick's Day and loves getting them along with the "bones".

Able Autumn, Able Me

Last year Autie and I were laid up after surgeries through the holidays and weren't able to put up all the Xmas decorations, or go walking, or go out to parties. So this Thanksgiving we are truly thankful we are able to walk, put up all our decorations, and shop for gifts. Autie had her annual check-up yesterday, not too long past our "Gotcha Day" which was a week ago. Four years out, she is my little buttercup, as the song goes, and I try to avoid mistakes of old by not allowing her to become overweight and by making sure she gets enough exercise and proper foods.

Hello to our friends today. We are posting a couple of new pics. One is our "card" with Autie in the corner looking pensively onto a scene of a happy boy and his puppy--just found! They are both so grateful to be together (in an actual pic from our Xmas village). The other is Autie waiting for Santa in front of our little tree. She is hoping for what she always hopes for: BACON!

Happy Turkey Day and a Merry Good Christmas ahead for all.

Jumpy in July

We love this country; we love celebrating Independence Day; we love the skies filled with pretty light; but we hate the noise!

Okay, so mom is an HSP (highly-sensitive person) and so am I, says Autumn. Loudness makes us nervous. Last night, I spent hours shaking from the scare of the boom-booms and bang-bangs and POWS! every few seconds. I ran to my mom and I let her hug me and she told me all would be okay and it was, eventually. I was even brave enough to go outside when it got a little less noisy, tail between my legs, with mom encouraging me, to do my business, then we rushed back in. Wow, what a challenge, but I did it! In the past, I never would've gotten out the door and would've been under the bed with The Bitz (my sister-cat), hiding through the racket. The Bitz came out later but even the next afternoon, she wouldn't go out.

It was just a have-to thing that people do every year. They have fun but it ain't much fun for me. Mom says about a half hour of booms would've been enough for her. Next year, I hope my mom and me get out-of-town. That or get some really good earplugs.

As for our flag gift from the Family of Lucy & Daisy. Thanks! Mom and me are happy to see it; it is beautiful and so QUIET.

Diggin' Dirt, not Hot Spots

What's not to dig? (Dig: in groovy talk, that's "like") Well, that would be hot spots. We've had to go to the vet twice to check this out. Itchin' and Scratchin' ain't fun. But we think we got that wee patch o'irritation on the haunch cleared up thanks to the Clovis Vet Hospital vet and their techs.

As for what we really dig: We dig in the dirt. That is Autie does. She'll try and get under the asphalt trail or the concrete walkway to find those runners. Mostly gophers and squirrels although on the school grounds, we've seen BIG holes about the size that Autie could go into herself, and from far away, we see a big beast, maybe the size of a raccoon, jump into those big burrows and disappear. Too big for a gopher, even for a squirrel. What beasts lie beneath the grass? What does Autie smell that makes her crazy to worm her way into the dark tunnel? I don't even want to know!

Easter Energy

Ah, so long since we've written, Autie and me. But we are here, and gratefully received all our pals' birthday wishes on St. Patrick's day, aka Autie's birthday. Unfortunately, this pet parent had a migraine for 3 days and wasn't up to much that weekend but that is past now as we move onto sunnier April days and warmer weather in the valley of San Joaquin. Autie celebrated her birthday belatedly with an extra long walk, more bacon treats and plenty of schmoozing for love and a hand to smooth her head and long coat---that is if that hand didn't get caught up in a wad of matted fur!

But all is repaired, at least for the next 3-4 months as far as the tangled, fine, fuzz that Autie wears is concerned because groom day came yesterday and she is ready for the wind,squirrels and heat in her new short puppy cut. Finally, Autie, we can vacuum the carpet and have it last a little longer sans the mist of white.

Happy Easter to all and today, thanks to our gifted Easter egg friends, very nice!

Cherry Blossom Pink

The earth loves pink as evidenced by the gorgeous cherry blossoms already blooming on the trail and I love a special pink nose and the mutt behind it named Autie. She has been crazy busy chasing cats who do messy things out of our yard lately and gets so excited she can not be called in but must be bribed with doggie bacon IF she manages to hear me through all the shreeky barking.

We passed my 53rd birthday today by enjoying a long walk as usual, bumping into the aforementioned pink blossoms and the usual squirrels. Other day we also saw a kind of small brown pheasant, low to the ground, which we'd never seen before. We're amazed how after many walks we still see new sights out in the surrounding fields from time to time. It was somewhat chilly but the sun was wanting to break out and did later on. It's the little things we appreciate.

Healing and Eating Together, etc.

Wow, look at all the mistletoe we got, Autie! Thanks to our friends who gifted them to us; it was quite exciting to see them coming into our email all day yesterday.

Autie has a powerful, good, appetite since her bladder stone removal operation in October and I'm almost fully recovered from my gall bladder removal surgery in November. I'm also able to eat better and more so Autie and I are having fun sharing new foods and being free and easy with our meals. No restrictions is fun.

Christmas was quiet with a few family over and Autie got to see her favorite nephews uncles. They couldn't keep her from buddying up to them and begging for a head scratch or neck rub.

Now, noisy New Year's Eve--which, for a dog and her devoted parent afraid or annoyed by loud noises--is not fun. Glad it's only one night a year.

Scary Belly

This newly-added photo shows Autie's pink-mottled belly minus the stitches which were removed on Wednesday the 26th--hooray! It's kinda icky-looking, the dark scar, but all was good news after leaving her at the vet's for 4 hours for her urinalysis: no more bladder infection, the tetracycline did its job.

It was odd, after five weeks, when I realized I didn't need to administer pills anymore, visit the vet's and deal with her discomfort (which makes us pet parents upset). Autie could go back to being her independent self. It's wonderful seeing her spring back into being a pup-like pet again, going full-bore after cats and jumping on people. It's great to see Autie normal again, even when she's naughty!

Walkies

We went for a short, real walk today. Got in car to the trail but on the side where there are no squirrels or squirrel burrows to temp a little dog that shouldn't be running yet. Yet she does try. All of those stringy stitches are holding up fine and due to be removed late in the week coming up. I can see that going #1 is much easier for Autie and her tail is tightly curled round her back which means she is probably feeling much better. The pictures I'm putting up today are her majesty's "Queen Liz I" collar pic, looking quite relaxed this last Thursday night; and her sutures, which look even cleaner and clearer and less puffy today, 2 days later; and then the nasty ol' struvite stones--a portion of them, as I mentioned, taken out of her bladder. In addition, her belly is less rounded and bloated now, 10 days post-op and we are hoping the antibiotics clear up the remaining infection which time will tell in the urinalysis, also later this week.

Thanks to everyone again for their get wells and gifts. Ebony and Nina and all of you all! Appreciate it. Being Diary pick of the day was fun. Learn something new about this site everyday.

Struvites!

The vet called us today and Autie's stones were struvites, the magnesium based kind that occur with infections, probably recurring or long-standing. He has switched her antibiotic to a more effective one against this type of infection to tetracycline so we're crossing our fingers that will clear it up. So, another round of pills for 10 days then the stitches come out and another urinalysis.

She is still hating the e-collar but is tolerating it. I take it off for short periods when we are watching TV and I can watch HER for Naughty Autie actions like messing with the sutures although they must itch and I feel sorry for her. She's eating well but needs to go #2 more often. In the meantime, she is skittish about movement around her because she can't see what's coming with the collar on. Glad it's only 2 weeks she needs to wear it. Stitches are looking well, healing. She's so brave; she's inspired me to face my gallbladder operation with courage just as she has.