Last week, my favorite kitty started ailing, suddenly. With cats, they'll be fine one day, and then the next, almost overnight, they are suddenly ill, and that was him. Last weekend he was fine, last Tuesday he had an extended abdomen and muscle wasting on his hips. No one knows for sure why they show no illness until it's too late when they are really ill, but it makes treating them hard to do, because by the time you know they're sick, the disease/illness is so far along, you usually can't do anything but say goodbye.
Unfortunately, it's not something he can get better from. .it's either heart failure or cancer. . .the vet wasn't very optomistic due to how fast he has gone downhill, so is not encouraging me to spend a lot of money just to 'know' what he's sick of. . .he did do an ultrasound, and heart looks normal, but there is so much ascites(liquid in his abdomen), they couldn't get a look at his other organs to see if there were any tumours. He's so weak, exploratory surgery is out, and I'd hate to have him die on the table. I'd rather he passed at home, or in my arms, not on a cold table.
So, it's just a guess, just like when I lost Schatzi the same way, fine one day, suddenly ill the next.
So it's just a waiting game. ..
Up until yesterday, he was being better than past cats(which total 5 I've had to forcefeed) in letting me put food in the back of his mouth and swallowing it. Today not so patient and nice, wanting nothign to do with the chicken I made him, tho he did eat 1/2+ of a can of fancy feast today while I was at work. . problem is, he should be eating about 4 of those a day
Unfortunately with cats, going off their food will kill them faster than just about anything, due to 'fatty liver disease'.(feline hepatic lipidosis) which causes liver failure. . .so you have to forcefeed them. . .it's not a fun game of making a sick cat eat. . .babyfood is the easiest as it can go thru the syringe easier and is a lot less messy than trying to puree cat food into a nice thin mess. I more often than not get more food on me than in the cat, and hate it, hate spendng the last few days/weeks with an ailing pet fighting them. It's hard enough letting them go, watching them get weaker, without remembering how you fought with them.
Unfortunately, the PC world has encroached into the cat world, and if you tell many 'feel good' cat people you are forcefeeding, they ahve conniptions, they prefer the gentler term 'assisted feeding'. . this isn't a child or older relative that has problems hitting their mouth, you are making an animal eat, forcing them to do something they would rather not due, yet they get soooo damn pissy if you point that out. .and I refuse to use the words 'assisted feeding', when I know what i'm doing is forcing them to eat, even if it's for their own good.
And BOY do they get uptight if you refuse to use their PC words "asissted feeding". . I guess it's their way of making themselves feel better for doing something not so nice. . but I'm sorry, a spade's a spade. .cat has no desire to eat, you're forcing it. Why do people have to fancy up things instead of just being honest with themselves??
it sucks. .treasure is my boy, he's only 8. . this is the 4th in the last 15 months. .and he's nto that old, barely 8 yrs old. .. he stepped into the hole Schatzi left back in 2002. It's only a matter of days really, but as long as he enjoys having his ears scritched and plays with the ribbons on a racing blanket I have in the room, we'll keep going, but my pillow will be so empty when it finally is time
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
more fun in the mud
I don't remember coursing in such nasty weather as I've been doing lately. . .LOL. . weather in MD has been hit or miss, at least it's not gotten hot as fast as it did last year, still perfect weather for Zoi, even if it's miserable weather for us humans.
Saturday was horrid, with high winds, horridly cold rain. Borrowed the van which was like driving a sail boat with the way it handled the wind. Clouds were ripped across the angry grey sky, trees whipping around in the wind, thankfully not a lot of line problems. Put points on my friend's girl and Mr Wizard, and got a QC on a Mir granddaughter, and was never so happy as when we finally got on the road and started heading home. Lots of flooding, with a local dog show being cancelled due to it and the photos I saw of that were horrendous, show hall beyond flooded!
Parking was fun due to the field being soaked to the gills. . I left before a lot of people, so not sure if anyone got stuck LOL
Sunday started out with high winds and an overcast sky, but quickly changed to cleared skies and pretty nice weather.
Ziva proved she enjoyed the mud by putting on four spectacular runs. . not because I ran her for field, but becuase I handed her off to someone and in her thrashing, she managed to get loose while the 2nd course of FC's were running. Thankfully she was wearing the missing blanket(blue), and wasn't trailing her leash. As I walked off the field with her and Wizard, was told it was one of the best courses people had seen LOL. . Didn't make up for the fact I'd gone 11 years without a dog getting loose LOL After the BOB runoff, she was still raring to go, but I wasn't going to try her a 5th time LOL
After being attacked, she has taken to taking the bunny out to the judge where she feels safe to tear it apart. . I'm not sure if I'm happy about that or not LOL She doesn't run away when I go out to get her, she just doesn't want to be near the other dogs when she shreds her bunny ..turkey child. Many who knew her father told me they could tell she was sired by Grins LOL. Even after four runs, she was still raring to go, but I didn't tempt fate with having her run across the mudpits again. She did get a nice BOB win: 4 point major, with Wizard bringing home the 3 point major from the FC stake.
Unfortunately both my cert dogs came up with a 'hitch to their giddy up', but Charles offered his handsome Serrano who ran well with Miss Jenny, who now has her QC, taking a nose dive in a pool of water, and still getting up to tear across the field and kill her bunny
I sure did not enjoy putting those disgusting dogs in my car. . LOL.
the dogs were flatzois, jenny curled up in the front seat, head draped across my knee, Ziva in the backseat with her head draped over my arm .. not the most comfortable way to drive.
Looking at the next coursing event. . well, that's the II, am toying with the idea of going to some NOTRA, but also looking at AKC events, I have 4 Opens now, so strange to finally break that dry spell.
Unfortunately, Grins is probably retired from competition.. off and on neck problems just bouncing around the yard. . .he doesn't realise at 8.5, he should NOT stop on the top of his head. He'll get to cert dogs now and then and run at our practices, but he more than likely is never going to enter the coursing field again. . maybe NOTRA wont' be as hard on him .. we shall see.
This weekend is our supported entry. Ordered a new knee brace. First show that I've shown in since the knee went CRACK!!! last fall(9 months ago) hopefuly I'll be able to do this without collapsing. Brand new outfit(former outfit doesn't fit anymore!). Dei's in veterans, as I'm very proud of my 10.5 yr old, and Ms Nacht in 12-18, it hopefully will be fun!
Saturday was horrid, with high winds, horridly cold rain. Borrowed the van which was like driving a sail boat with the way it handled the wind. Clouds were ripped across the angry grey sky, trees whipping around in the wind, thankfully not a lot of line problems. Put points on my friend's girl and Mr Wizard, and got a QC on a Mir granddaughter, and was never so happy as when we finally got on the road and started heading home. Lots of flooding, with a local dog show being cancelled due to it and the photos I saw of that were horrendous, show hall beyond flooded!
Parking was fun due to the field being soaked to the gills. . I left before a lot of people, so not sure if anyone got stuck LOL
Sunday started out with high winds and an overcast sky, but quickly changed to cleared skies and pretty nice weather.
Ziva proved she enjoyed the mud by putting on four spectacular runs. . not because I ran her for field, but becuase I handed her off to someone and in her thrashing, she managed to get loose while the 2nd course of FC's were running. Thankfully she was wearing the missing blanket(blue), and wasn't trailing her leash. As I walked off the field with her and Wizard, was told it was one of the best courses people had seen LOL. . Didn't make up for the fact I'd gone 11 years without a dog getting loose LOL After the BOB runoff, she was still raring to go, but I wasn't going to try her a 5th time LOL
After being attacked, she has taken to taking the bunny out to the judge where she feels safe to tear it apart. . I'm not sure if I'm happy about that or not LOL She doesn't run away when I go out to get her, she just doesn't want to be near the other dogs when she shreds her bunny ..turkey child. Many who knew her father told me they could tell she was sired by Grins LOL. Even after four runs, she was still raring to go, but I didn't tempt fate with having her run across the mudpits again. She did get a nice BOB win: 4 point major, with Wizard bringing home the 3 point major from the FC stake.
Unfortunately both my cert dogs came up with a 'hitch to their giddy up', but Charles offered his handsome Serrano who ran well with Miss Jenny, who now has her QC, taking a nose dive in a pool of water, and still getting up to tear across the field and kill her bunny
I sure did not enjoy putting those disgusting dogs in my car. . LOL.
the dogs were flatzois, jenny curled up in the front seat, head draped across my knee, Ziva in the backseat with her head draped over my arm .. not the most comfortable way to drive.
Looking at the next coursing event. . well, that's the II, am toying with the idea of going to some NOTRA, but also looking at AKC events, I have 4 Opens now, so strange to finally break that dry spell.
Unfortunately, Grins is probably retired from competition.. off and on neck problems just bouncing around the yard. . .he doesn't realise at 8.5, he should NOT stop on the top of his head. He'll get to cert dogs now and then and run at our practices, but he more than likely is never going to enter the coursing field again. . maybe NOTRA wont' be as hard on him .. we shall see.
This weekend is our supported entry. Ordered a new knee brace. First show that I've shown in since the knee went CRACK!!! last fall(9 months ago) hopefuly I'll be able to do this without collapsing. Brand new outfit(former outfit doesn't fit anymore!). Dei's in veterans, as I'm very proud of my 10.5 yr old, and Ms Nacht in 12-18, it hopefully will be fun!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
getting older
Yippee, another year older
Older I get, the easier I find it to look back and go WTF happened? WTH did that happen??
Friendships lost over stupid sh*t. . .not any one the sole reason of it, all parties involved could've been a little more flexible. .
I also am finding it easier to deal with people I've had problems with in the past. . .long as they don't prove to be fools. Am actually talking with one person who used to be a friend, but the friendship broke. . don't know if it'll ever be a friendship again, but at least the communication line is open and I can hear about my pup she has, even if said pup is almost 10. The door is open, and it's nice that door is open and that I hear about said pup more now than I have ni recent years
Another one has a litter I'd love to have a pup out of, too bad there's no boys in that litter LOl. .
Trying not to be as prickly. . .or easy to go on the defensive. .. hard to do, I have a temper, tho it's mellowed with the last few years. Facebook has been a wonderful, I have gotten to know people I didn't really know on email, changed my opinion(Some good, some bad) on people via facebook, some people will let it all hang out, and boy it can make you see the real them. . not sure why it's different, but have forged some nice friendships with people off of facebook, and got to know people better.
Yet, the older I get, the less patience I get for fools.
Nor do I have a lot of patience for those who enjoy stirring up sh*t.
Unfortunately, there are a few of those in the dog world. . .people with nothing else to do.
Last fall I got caught between one of these people when they called my friend outwest, accusing a local club member of not taking care of his dog at a field trial .. they had my friend upset, sure that Bud had left his dog in distress to go huntmaster, that he hadn't cared about his dog, who was in their words suffering heat stroke. This person had my friend wound tighter than a top over this. Why they called someone 18+ hrs away to complain, rather than pick up the phone and call the breeder, who is local, I have no clue.
My friend called me demanding I talk to the owner, I told her to call the breeder, then proceeded to do just that. The breeder contacted the owner and the field trial chair about the incident.
Truth of it was? Dog runs hot, field trial chair asked him to huntmaster and offered to take care of the dog for him. Dog was not in distress at any time, nor was he a cold hearted b*stard ignoring her. Why did this person feel the need to do that? Who knows. . just makes one shake their head.
So, here's to another year. . may it be better than the last
Older I get, the easier I find it to look back and go WTF happened? WTH did that happen??
Friendships lost over stupid sh*t. . .not any one the sole reason of it, all parties involved could've been a little more flexible. .
I also am finding it easier to deal with people I've had problems with in the past. . .long as they don't prove to be fools. Am actually talking with one person who used to be a friend, but the friendship broke. . don't know if it'll ever be a friendship again, but at least the communication line is open and I can hear about my pup she has, even if said pup is almost 10. The door is open, and it's nice that door is open and that I hear about said pup more now than I have ni recent years
Another one has a litter I'd love to have a pup out of, too bad there's no boys in that litter LOl. .
Trying not to be as prickly. . .or easy to go on the defensive. .. hard to do, I have a temper, tho it's mellowed with the last few years. Facebook has been a wonderful, I have gotten to know people I didn't really know on email, changed my opinion(Some good, some bad) on people via facebook, some people will let it all hang out, and boy it can make you see the real them. . not sure why it's different, but have forged some nice friendships with people off of facebook, and got to know people better.
Yet, the older I get, the less patience I get for fools.
Nor do I have a lot of patience for those who enjoy stirring up sh*t.
Unfortunately, there are a few of those in the dog world. . .people with nothing else to do.
Last fall I got caught between one of these people when they called my friend outwest, accusing a local club member of not taking care of his dog at a field trial .. they had my friend upset, sure that Bud had left his dog in distress to go huntmaster, that he hadn't cared about his dog, who was in their words suffering heat stroke. This person had my friend wound tighter than a top over this. Why they called someone 18+ hrs away to complain, rather than pick up the phone and call the breeder, who is local, I have no clue.
My friend called me demanding I talk to the owner, I told her to call the breeder, then proceeded to do just that. The breeder contacted the owner and the field trial chair about the incident.
Truth of it was? Dog runs hot, field trial chair asked him to huntmaster and offered to take care of the dog for him. Dog was not in distress at any time, nor was he a cold hearted b*stard ignoring her. Why did this person feel the need to do that? Who knows. . just makes one shake their head.
So, here's to another year. . may it be better than the last
Monday, April 11, 2011
Planning on puppies
So, in preparation to hopefully breed my darling princess Secret, I've been getting her health tests done. She Cerf' last fall, got her DM test in January, and two Mondays ago, I took her in and got her OFA Thyroid panel and heart eval.
I'm not sure when she's due in season, some people don't keep records like I do on things like that, just sometime this spring. So I took her in, hoping it was far enough ahead of her season, that we'd be ok. . .
Handed the vet the appropriate paperwork and got called in. . .he read over the OFA cardiac thoroughly, and then started the exam.
Now, I had her sister done by the specialist last year, and I swear it was over and done in a lickety split. Dr B took forever, to the point both Secret & I were fidgeting AND I started to worry he found something. Without saying anything, he took her in the backroom to draw blood, check her microchip, and brought her back, still not saying anything. . it wasn't until he handed me the paperwork and I looked down that i saw it was clear. . not as if I ended anymore gray hairs!!!
Last week, I got the results on the blood test, thyroid normal, wahoo!! :) Sent in the heart paperwork and now waiting on her Chic #. . need to get her mom's microchip checked and sent in, and then it'll be two generations of Chic'd dogs :)
Now it's a wait. . and rethinking stud dogs. .the top boy on my list is not keen on plastic, he interferes, not meanly I'm told, but still. . .Secret has prey drive, but her work ethic sucks LOL He is beautiful in every other way, the next boy I don't like the stud agreement given me, others I like would require chilled AI, and just don't have that type of money laying around right now.
Of the dgos locally, I LOVE Wizard, his built, his personality, his work ethic, his willingness to pelase, but he's not the dog for Secret. . .he's got the best front in that litter, the rest of his sibs are too straight for my tastes, and I'd like to fix her front(just a little more under), so nope, not him(tho I did get his dad to send me the DM swab and he's now been DNA'd for that and sent in!). . .oh well, may go the 1st choice I have. . and just hope the genes come together for running like they did with the Holiday litter.
I'm not sure when she's due in season, some people don't keep records like I do on things like that, just sometime this spring. So I took her in, hoping it was far enough ahead of her season, that we'd be ok. . .
Handed the vet the appropriate paperwork and got called in. . .he read over the OFA cardiac thoroughly, and then started the exam.
Now, I had her sister done by the specialist last year, and I swear it was over and done in a lickety split. Dr B took forever, to the point both Secret & I were fidgeting AND I started to worry he found something. Without saying anything, he took her in the backroom to draw blood, check her microchip, and brought her back, still not saying anything. . it wasn't until he handed me the paperwork and I looked down that i saw it was clear. . not as if I ended anymore gray hairs!!!
Last week, I got the results on the blood test, thyroid normal, wahoo!! :) Sent in the heart paperwork and now waiting on her Chic #. . need to get her mom's microchip checked and sent in, and then it'll be two generations of Chic'd dogs :)
Now it's a wait. . and rethinking stud dogs. .the top boy on my list is not keen on plastic, he interferes, not meanly I'm told, but still. . .Secret has prey drive, but her work ethic sucks LOL He is beautiful in every other way, the next boy I don't like the stud agreement given me, others I like would require chilled AI, and just don't have that type of money laying around right now.
Of the dgos locally, I LOVE Wizard, his built, his personality, his work ethic, his willingness to pelase, but he's not the dog for Secret. . .he's got the best front in that litter, the rest of his sibs are too straight for my tastes, and I'd like to fix her front(just a little more under), so nope, not him(tho I did get his dad to send me the DM swab and he's now been DNA'd for that and sent in!). . .oh well, may go the 1st choice I have. . and just hope the genes come together for running like they did with the Holiday litter.
mudfest 2011!
OMG. . mudfest 2011 is over.
There was mud
There was water
There was more mud
There was fun
There was more mud :)
I was hoping after the light drizzle last week the field wouldnt' be so bad, but. . .it poured overnight. . and the field was soup. . dogs took nose dives, snorkeled, owners were covered with mud. Numerous hunt masters ended up with mud on their foreheads, I got thru that job clean, it was my own dog that gave me muddy glasses. . .thankfully, I didn't fall :) I remember vividly the year I ended up in the mud with Races standing on my chest looking at me LOL
Going to take me forever to get the mud off of everything, including my poor boots!!
I had a load of fun huntmastering, well until Dart the Greyhound caught the bunny at the far end of the field when the line broke. it took me 5+ minutes to undo the macrome he made out of the line. I truly have no clue WTH he did, but it was a huge mess. Had a few WOW stakes, one RR and one saluki that was just AWESOME.
Ziva proved to everyone that she truly is Grins' daughter by her behaviour at the starting line. . leaping in the air, lunging, almost pulling me into the mud. Unfortunately her first course on Saturday was horrid due to issues. . 1/3 of the way thru the course, someone's whippet got loose. . we traipsed across the field, got the dogs, started it, damn whippet got loose AGAIN. Ziva had bumped the other dog trying to get to the line, so I told her I'd hold her back so she couldn't do it again(she was yellow, he was pink). Hunt master Tally-ho'd, I'm holding a squirming, jumping, fighting Ziva, and the male didn't move, I finally let her loose, and he chased her across the field. When she pulled away, he cut the field, and cut her off, causing her to stop. She looked for me and he chased her across the field. . thankfully the judge did the right thing, but it just drives me nuts.
Unfortunately, she was the only open I took who run beautifully, but then, she's the only one I (or Bonnie) had who isn't recently out of season LOL I miss the days where I had nothing but boys to run. We will be working with Gibbs this spring in hopes that he'll be ready to run this fall, because running girls STINKS LOL My step dog is visiting while his dad is in China and he'll be out running with me this spring, working on his LCM. Saturday he won his FC stake of three with a runoff, Ziva forfeited BOB to him, and then he went on to win a nice BIF run, a really nice run. Sunday,
Daquiri & Reba went with us instead of Tip & Bella. Daquiri is Mir's granddaughter, so family :) beautiful bright red brindle girl that I could steal. Little tank girl. And my friend Erin & I had a blast holding the two squirming, jumping, twirling, happy girls who REALLY WANTED THAT FREAKIN bunny LOL Thankfully neither of us ended up in the mud, not that you could tell with all the mud I had from huntmastering!
Ziva pleased me to no end by suddenly coming in hard on the bunny, then she snatched the bunny off the line, went out to stand in front of the judge, and shredded it. He was laughing when I tromped out there to get her and when I said she was Grins' daughter, he started laughing more. The run between her and Daquiri was GORGEOUS. . Ziva's got a little advantage with being longer legs, but it was a beautiful run, wish there'd been a photographer.
Wizard won his stake, but slowed down considerably at the end and was obviously sore, so I forfeited breed to Ziva who was raring to go, she's in better shape, but we're working on that with Wiz, that's part of why he's with me, getting in shape for the II.
Unfortunately, in Ziva's BIF run, she was attacked by the saluki, I wasn't sure that's what I saw, until the LO and huntmaster said they saw it,(as did numerous people who came up to me from field side) unfortunately one judge thought Ziva just 'got in the way' of the saluki, the other didn't see it. . she slowed off the bunny after that, and if the other dog was near it, wouldn't get close. .frustrating. . will have to make sure she gets some good experience with nice salukis be fore we try again.
OTOH, it seems like she's gotten over being afraid of men after a large tall, gruff gentleman scared the crap out of her last fall chasing her and yelling at her at a race meet when she got away from him. She was being nudgy to anyone who got close, she's still soft, and I won't let someone like that handle her again, but so glad she was being pushy for ear scritches and attention, even if she does like to rip bunnies off the line:)
So, Ziva finished the weekend with her 2 1sts, Daquiri got 12 points and a 2nd, and Wizard his last placements towards his LCM. We head to AKC coursing this weekend, a bunch of QC's to do!
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