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Well, everything in my area is all neat and tidy now. For the most part. There are still a lot of logs in the esplanades on the main streets in Kingwood but the debris in the neighborhoods has all been picked up. And for most of us in this area life is back to normal.
This is Felix trying to get a taste of freedom. I had to go out with him and Ginger every time they went out for about a week. Then we got a new fence. Again, Mrs Myron and I know we are so lucky. Again.
The wonderful Miss Phlegmfatale just posted about a chihuahua of her acquaintance. That triggered a memory of a tale told by a fellow I used to work with.
Way back in the 50s during what this guy referred to as the Eisenhower depression (dude only ever pulled the voting machine lever with his left hand, if you get my drift) and he was between refinery jobs he was pumping gas at a local service station. For those who are too young, a service station was where you went to buy gasoline and an attendant pumped the gas, checked your oil and cleaned your windshield. All for about 21.9 cents per gallon at the time of this tale. And you could get an oil change, wash job, flat repair, etc while you were at it. Amazing, huh? And it may well have looked a bit like the photo on the left. But since I remember the location, probably not and it definetly wasn’t a Union 76 station. We didn’t have them in Houston. But I digress.
Anyway, gas pumping dude said there was an elderly couple who came in every week and filled up. Mrs. Elderly was always holding the chihuahua. One day as my friend was wiping the windshield with a chamois the dog had it’s forelegs on the dash and was barking and raising hell and chasing the chamois as my friend was rubbing the windshield. He said Mrs. Elderly looked away for a moment and he lifted the chamois about 6 or 8 inches off the glass and then suddenly slapped it back down. He thought the damn dog was going into cardiac arrest. Scared the crap out of him but as Mrs. Elderly turned her head back to see what had frightened her baby, he was looking away and whistling like nothing had happened.
Just curious. Have you ever seen a chihuahua that wasn’t a pure pain in the ass? At least to everyone except the person who fed it?
This photo of Sabrina just about says it all. The kitchen window faces southwest so we gets us some afternoon sun.
Me, I haven’t been up to much lately. Mostly just lazing around the house. And trying to look busy so Mrs Myron won’t try to find me a project. I have been baking a bit of bread with my new bread machine thingy. I found a rissipy for honey wheat that was okay but needs some fine tuning. I’ll post it when I get it to my liking.
I still need to make some jam in it just because I can. Looks easy enough but I really wish I could find a recipe for orange marmalade that I could use in the machine. I can eat me some marmalade on toast.
And just for grins here’s Sabrina. I submitted it to I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER so let’s see if it gets posted there.
moar funny pictures
Well, I picked her up last night about 9:30 and took her to my regular vet this morning. He said there’s not much to worry about just yet. The change in diet Mrs Myron gave them thinking she was doing good, bless her heart, may have caused the pancreas to act up. Anyway, she’s home, eating her special diet like I eat barbecue (voraciously) and happy as a clam. Thanks for the comments and emails.
Well, Christmas eve, actually. I got to spend Christmas Eve at the local Animal Emergency Clinic with Ginger. It is about 15 miles from me and one of only 11 that I can find in all of Harris County. So you immediately get the picture, right? The clinic opened at 6:00 pm and we got there at 6:45. There were already 6 folks ahead of me. And one family came in right behind me that got to go ahead of me. And I didn’t mind at all, given their dog’s problem but more on that shortly.
Ginger didn’t act right most of yesterday. And she didn’t want to eat which is very strange for her. She has a voracious appetite. Anyway, she ate a bit about 3:00 or so. It came back on her about 4:30. Completely undigested. I got her and the pile cleaned up and gave her some Pepto. About 45 minutes later, she gagged a bit and threw up. A clear, foamy liquid. Cleaned her up and gave her Pepto again. 30 minutes or so later repeat the above. Only I didn’t give her Pepto. She has never done this so I called my vet and the office was closed. But the answering machine message gives the number of the emergency clinic so I gave them a call and got their location.
When I got there, six family’s were ahead of me. Plus the family coming in behind me. So I knew it would be a while. The vet finally saw her about 2 hours later. After the exam she said she thought Ginger had pancreatitis but would need blood work to confirm. About an hour and a half later, she told me that Ginger did have pancreatitis. But it is in the very early stages and we should be able to treat her. It is however a lifetime problem. Anyway, Ginger had to stay the night to get fluids and meds started. I left there about 11:30 or so last night $1300 poorer but with a lil doggie that will probably be okay. I just checked and she hasn’t thrown up again all night which is a good sign.
It could have been worse. There was one family, a mother and a couple of girls about 12 and 14 who brought their Chihuahua in. It had gotten out of the yard and been attacked by a larger dog. It was DOA. Poor kids. What a Christmas present. And another lady and her grandson had another Chihuahua that had been attacked by a larger dog. It didn’t make it. There was another dog of some mutt variety that weighed in about 60 pounds. Seemed like a sweet guy. He came out on the bad end of an encounter with a Golden. But he was okay. Just a bit bloody. And the folks who came in right after me had an 11 year old Beagle. Their Chocolate Lab had attacked hum at his own food dish. One ear was almost ripped off and the vet had to remove the lower third of the leather. And there were several folks whose dogs had diarrhea and vomiting but got to go home. As I said, it could have been worse.
I did miss seeing #2 son and #2.1 and #2.2 grandsons open their presents with Grandma. But I hear the boys loved when Granny got ‘em.
And later today we’re going down to Rosenberg to have Christmas with #4 son, #4 d-i-l, #4.1 and #4.2 grandsons and #4.1 and #4.2 granddaughters. Looking forward to that. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll get to pick up Ginger on the way by the animal clicnic.
Felix, the oldest had another seizure last night. This was his second. The first was about a year and a half ago. That one happened while the outside patcher uppers and painters were making all kinds of racket with power washers, nail guns, etc. The vet gave him Valium at that time. Well, last night it happened again.
Felix had been fidgety and restless most of the evening. Whining and whimpering for no apparent reason. A couple of times he came flying up into my lap and wouldn’t get down. But he would get up and walk a circle and lie back down. I had put them in their crate in the family room about 10:30 or so. Mrs Myron stayed up watching the TV box and I toddled off to bed. About 11:30 I awoke to the most blood-curdling howl I have ever heard. I jumped out of bed and went flying into the family room. Felix was on his side, back bowed, head back, legs straight out and howling. Poor little Ginger was at the back of the crate scared as she could be. I opened the crate and tried to get him out. He was stiff as a board. When I finally got him out, he had urinated on himself also. I let him lay on the floor awhile and then I lifted him up. He started walking around as I was talking to him and petting him and that little tail was curved up over his back and just wagging away.
I sat on the couch and he jumped up with me. But he was restless as all get out. Seemed like he couldn’t get comfortable. I took him to bed and the same thing was going on. He lay by me a moment, got up, got on Mrs Myron’s pillow, got off, sat between our pillows, got up and walked across me to the edge of the bed, etc. I got up again and called the emergency vet for our area.
The young lady said that the good thing was he survived with apparently all his faculties intact. She told me that it may take a while for him to return to normal behavior and the best thing I could do last night was put him in a quiet, dark place with minimal brain stimulation. So the crate went into the bedroom and the dogs went into the crate. He sat up for about 5 minutes or so and then lay down and went to sleep.
Seems pretty all right now. He’s whimpered and whined a few times this morning but he’s napping now.
I did a bit of on-line research on canine seizures this morning. One comforting thing I read was that the vocalizing is involuntary and not an indication of great pain as one would think upon hearing it. This could get interesting. Think I’ll go boil him some chicken and taters.
I don’t have the foggiest idea what I’m doing. Just screwing around while Mrs Myron takes a much needed nap. We had a pool full of kids and grandkids over today.
And Ginger was here
FHB reminded me I haven’t updated the Ginger situation. Well, all is well. I took her in for blood work last Monday and her liver functions are all okay. According to what my vet read on sago poisoning, if they make it for 48 – 72 hours they will be okay. Of course, we keep an eye on all of them and the least little problem gets them a trip to the vet so not to worry. We’re not going to ignore any sign that there’s a problem.
I haven’t posted in a while because I’ve been busy as a cat covering crap on a tin roof. Everytime I turn around, Mrs. Myron is buying more patio furniture that I have to put together. But it’s gonna be purty when we finish. One more batch and we’re done. And the planting of new landscape crappola is almost complete.
And Mrs. Myron had some minor elective surgery last week. Nothing to worry about it just took up a bit of time. She’s doing fine.
