Xmas Meds

How about this weather?? My dogs think they're puppies again!

Here is a message I sent to the Austin rescue list, in response to the usual warning about holiday dangers. The poinsettia hysteria is largely debunked -- they will cause gastric upset, which is not pleasant in Mals ;-), and are very bad for cats, but usually not automatically lethal. Still, best not to have a bunch of them sitting on the floor.

New adopters or fosters of large dogs may not be aware that some like to snack on low-hanging ornaments and boughs. Pine needles present a grave danger of choking and can create havoc in the GI tract, resulting in high-$ surgery. Anyone who has a tree indoors with large dogs should familiarize themselves with basic first-aid techniques and have the emergency vet's number to hand.

You may need CPR (refresher at http://members.aol.com/henryhbk/acpr.html). Obviously the Heimlich will NOT work with a pine needle, and it is usually too small for a fingertip, and must be removed carefully with tweezers or forceps or similar. Prop the mouth open with a roll of Vetrap (should be in every First Aid kit anyway). Speed to the vet is of the essence.

If you are looking for Christmas gifts for your best friends, instead of a bunch of squeaky toys or dubious rawhides, how about a useful first aid kit? I've been looking around for a good one, and am leaning toward the sporting dog one at http://store.yahoo.com/moravia/spordogfirai.html, or LL Bean's, although for the price they could have added Benadryl, boxed long-life water and soap or soap towelettes, and a few splints. This one at Cabela's seems like a good base kit if you add antiseptic towelettes etc.:

A decent list of contents for a make-your-own seems to be http://www.afn.org/~afn26752/firstaidkit.html. You'd want to add something to measure out ml, tsp, tbs, etc. I always have a water bowl, leash and towel in the car as well, and use Rescue Remedy.

Connie (veteran of trips to the emergency vet 8-(

Rowan's new tricks

Rowan keeps getting cuter by the minute. He has a couple of new tricks up his sleeve. His sleeves, by the way, are thick and wooly, and he trails clouds of pink undercoat as he goes. Fortunately, he likes to be brushed!

Rowan has learned the ambush kiss. He waits until I am concentrating on something -- weeding, or fixing the lawnmower -- then he sneaks up and sploosh! a long pink tongue right in the ear! He always looks very pleased with himself and dances around grinning and bowing to his applauding audience. Considering that he eats poop, I'm not always in the mood to applaud, but it's awfully cute.

Rowan also has a voice. I was worried that he'd been debarked, since he usually only squeaks or grunts, but the other day a fire truck came roaring by with the sirens going full blast, and Rowan plunked down on his butt, stuck his nose in the air and let loose with a yodel that was perfectly in tune with the sirens. He kept going long after the fire truck was gone, with me and Sascha the Ridgeback mix howling right along with him. The other Mals just looked at him and went back to sleep, but Rowan is now a confirmed siren-howler, and we all look forward to fires and accidents!

Rowan is blowing coat

Rowan is blowing coat and he's RED. Oh my doG!!! There are CLOUDS of PINK fluff thickening the air, clogging my air filter, up my nose, between the sheets, between my teeth, in the fridge, and killing yet another vacuum cleaner ... I swear I'm getting a Dyson one of these years. The other two haven't started shedding yet, but they have regular short hair and only turn into cotton ball dispensers that is easy to rake off. Rowan is relatively long-haired and boy does he shed! He's outdoors now enjoying the cold and turning the yard pink ...

Now to find a spinner and weaver or knitter to make me an awesome variegated scarf -- white from Ghost, cream from Allie and PINK from Rowan!

Blood work

To K9KidneyDiet:
Her Excellency Alexandria the Malamute just had her regular check-up. The vet was pleased, said she seemed healthy and that her blood values were pretty good, considering. I am HORRIFIED! I thought she would be getting better, not worse, with all we are doing differently now. And her awful blood values do not seem to reflect how well she seems. Allie is prancing around like a puppy, performing on drill team and eating everything in sight. She gets the homecooked chicken/veg/rice diet with some egg white, is on daily 250 ml saline. Supps: omega 3, CoQ10, B-12, B-50, MSM, parsley herb mix, calcium carbonate, digestive enzymes with probiotics. Since her electrolytes are okay, the vet says we can go to LRS if there is any reason to.
Here are Allie's current values compared with August after 6 wks abx and 2 weekend iv treatments. Is it time for another? Please let me know what I should be doing differently. Or, I guess I have to ask, am I kidding myself? At what point do we slip into denial?
As always, thank you all so much!
C, with Allie the love of my life

11/10 8/17 Ref. Range
Lipase 741 712 100-750
Total Protein 6.1 6.1 5.1-7.8
BUN 60 91 7-27
Creatinine *4.0* 3.8 0.4-1.8
Calcium 11.5 10.5 8.2-12.4
Phosphorus 4.1 6.3 2.1-6.3

Rowan and the vet

Well, Rowan had his long-overdue 2-week (hah!) vet checkup and is doing well. The wormer worked and he is now free of his heroic case of tapes, negative on the fecal (whew!). He has gained 2 pounds and is now at 62! The vet wants to see him closer to 85-90, but concurs that we should move slowly. His bloodwork is pretty good. (Rowan's, not the vet's). He is slightly anemic and his electrolytes could be higher. I am increasing his B-12 and working on hydrating him more. The new pail should help, since he can't use it as a frisbee ;-). He'll find some creative use for it, I'm sure. Enzymes etc. are all normal. Amazing considering how emaciated he is. The vet feels that his physique and coordination will improve tons with exercise and just hanging out outside, but says not to set expectations too high and that he'll always have some trouble with things like stairs and corners because of the chondrodysplasia. His feet just aren't where he thinks they are. So no agility for our Rowan. But as he gains muscle tone, he should be able to handle regular walks, curbs and things normally. My job is to be patient with him and not push him too hard on heeling, figure-8s, etc., and always make sure hills etc. are easy for him to negotiate. And to start doing some research on chd. Rowan's eyes and ears are admirable as are his lungs and heart, and his tummy is super active and gurgly, he has to be fed several times a day, preferably three (I'll try to figure out how to do that). It's too early for his coat to have improved much. His teeth are a train wreck, so I'll have to get him used to the brush.

The vet called him a Very Pretty Dog, and every one at the clinic Ooohed and Aaaahed over him, and of course he acted like a total ham, grinning and fluttering his eyelashes at all the girls, waving his big fluffy tail like crazy and strutting around like Mr Big Stuff. He did scare the living daylights out of a teacup chihuahua when he put his snout in the thing's carrier, but those things don't count as self-respecting dogs anyway. Good think Rowan didn't inhale. He loves our vet, ran up to smooch on him this visit, basked in all the attention and squeezing. He likes riding in the car, I guess because he thinks it means we're going to go see his buddy the vet! There are a couple of guys who live up the street who are usually home when we walk by; we always visit with them, and Rowan adores being in the limelight. He really comes out of his shell when people are cooing over him. Not that he has much of a shell, Mr Friendlypants. I'll have to see if I can get him trained up for drill team -- he has such a star mentality. Or maybe I'll install a spotlight in the living room -- "Heeeere's Rowan!"

Malamutes and Drill Team, hmmmmm ....

Two concepts intrinsically alien to one another. Case in point: on Saturday we attended the Travis County Kennel Club dog show. Allie was gorgeous and shiny, not a whiff of the chicken entrails she had rolled in, since I was able to get her an emergency visit at the groomer's on Friday. I won't say she was fluffy -- next to the show-mutes, her funny cowlicks and stegosaurus ridge look somewhat less than plush. But she was adorable, had nicely clipped claws and a perky red bandana. And that certain gleam in her eye. It should have warned me. We were called for one p.m. and were kept waiting interminably, and Allie got more and more Malamutey, while my back was aching and I was developing some 'tude of my own. After several eons, we finally entered the ring. To my shock, Allie did not immediately throw herself onto her back and present her tummy to the admiring multitudes. Instead, she was a perfect angel and performed the first half of the routine dead on. When we got into the big circle, however, and I put her into her "down," she did not settle all the way down, and I should not have had any confidence in her stay. As I moved away to walk around the circle, I glanced back, and of course Allie had broken the stay and gotten up to meander after me. The expression on her face was pure-as-the-driven-snow innocence. So of course I had to return to her and stand with her, face burning, while everyone else completed the manoeuvre. Fortunately, the next part is a comedy bit, so Allie and I had basically loosened the audience up ... we should probably have done a little schtick, if I could have thought of something. Of course, of all the parts of the routine, the down stay is one she NEVER gets wrong in practice. Malamutes! She was very tired afterward. The diva slept like a log til morning.

Rowan's plastic snack

When I took Rowan out of his crate this morning, his stomach was making funny gurgling noises. I looked around the crate and saw that one of his squeaky toys was missing. Only one shiny plastic corner had eluded his appetite. The silly galoot had devoured an entire big, white, bone-shaped squeaky toy with dental spines. His poop will be closely observed for the next couple of days! This is definitely a plastic-loving dog. He completely ignores the soft plushy toys in his kennel run and snubs the other dogs in favor of demolishing any and all plastic pails, planters, watering cans, handles of garden tools, and all other hard, jaggedy plastic items he can find. I swear he has a vendetta against his stomach lining. However, he has merrily passed everything else so far, so I trust this too shall pass; if not by tomorrow, we will visit the vet with very red faces (his red by nature, not embarrassment like mine). What a dog!

Rowan still moves very much like a cartoon dog. He loves to run, and when he has to stop short, the legs and big paddle feet go flying everywhere. He still thinks that the street is where you walk, preferably in front of the bus, and the lesh is only there to tell him how far he can circle around me -- our walks are more lateral than forward, because he's curious about everything. We have lots of laughs, and never a dull moment!

He and Allie have completely fallen in love and tend to lean against each other. They clean each others' faces and make googly eyes. It's very cute. He seems to realize that he can't be as rough with her as with Sascha and is really sweet, except when he's sitting on her. But he never hurts her. I really cherish that in him, because he obviously doesn't have any body consciousness, so he really has to put in an effort.

He loves to eat, but was having loose stools when I gave him too much; this has now settled down -- we'll see what happens with the addition of toy supplements! Of course he would rather eat all day and have the other dogs' dinners too! His coat is improving a bit, although I can't groom him after he ate the rake ... that Rowan! he's always good for a grin.

Rowan and the Chickens

So there we are in the backyard, Rowan and I. I'm teaching him a few tricks, or trying to, but he keeps sitting on me, the big galoot. Meantime, The Magnificent Ghost is bawling up a storm from his kennel because he wants to mix it up with Rowan. These boys are just too much. So I wander to the back of the yard to get a little peace and quiet, and what should I find but a passel of chickens! What a clucking and flapping of wings! Feathers everywhere! The intelligent Malamute hunkers down to allow the frenzied fowl to settle down and forget all about her presence. I cast an eye over my shoulder to make sure that Rowan isn't going to come galumphing along in full bellow to spoil this plan, like that young sprout Ghost invariably does, but the silly thing is gazing off into the distance and watering the bamboo. So I'm slowly creeping up on a particularly juicy hen, when the rooster spots me and flings himself over the fence with a wild cackling, and the hen goes after. Foiled again! I check to see what Rowan thinks of it all, but the goofy redhead is sniffing the ground, completely oblivious to the life-and-death drama unfolding mere inches away. >sigh< I have my work cut out with this one. Alexandria out.

Going to Work

Yay! I got to go to work with humom yesterday. First I had to throw up a little in the morning, so she went into a hysterical tizzy. What is her deal? She knows Malamutes can throw up whenever they want! Besides, a renal dog always has a bit of an upset tummy. Anyway, mission accomplished, she called in to work and got permission to bring me in. Well, duh. As if I could be anything but a highly desired guest! So we drove in, and I threw up a tiny bit more in the car, just as a reminder that I really needed to be Observed all day. In the office, I was not allowed to run up and down the hall chasing my squeaky ball like in the summer session, but had to stay in the office and receive my admirers there. Lots of people came by to give me lovin's and scritches on the head. We also went outside several times, where I had Little Chats with the squirrels, which are unusually fat. But humom did not alow me to eat them, although they did not run away, but just sat there waiting for the Malamute pounce. Very disappointing indeed. A few people shied away from the Big Dog, hahahah, but several asked about my breed and quite a few called me Beautiful, as is my due. It's amazing how many students are dog-starved and desperately need to hug and grab a nice substantial dog. I am always happy to oblige.
Today, for some odd reason, humom left me at home again. I cannot fathom this oversight. Clearly, I will have to throw up again on Monday. Humans! Alexandria out.

Drill Team

Tonight is drill team practice. This is the second week that we will have gone back to "class," and Allie is wriggly with excitement at the word. When I put on the music to practice the routine, her ears almost meet in the middle from anticipation. We still have to work on the down-stay -- her preference is to get up and do something interesting while I'm doing my walk-around --but otherwise she's perky and happy. It's so good to have her back in shape to participate in something she enjoys so much! We perform in two weeks, and Her Majesty will undoubtedly have come up with some neat trick to give me a heart attack -- lying down on her back before the first note, or something. Hurray! I will know she's feeling really good when she gets up to some mischief in true Malamute fashion.

Rowan and leash walking

Rowan has his own interpretation of how to walk on a leash! He's very nice about it, he's just clueless. I'm standing in the middle holding the leash, and he treats me like a maypole, dancing all around. He has no idea about cars -- dashing out in front of them, or running away scared, completely unpredictable. He doesn't understand "walk with me," much less "heel." So we're starting from scratch, just getting him around the next cul-de-sac and back, avoiding the block with the Rottweiler and the one with the Akita ... Poor fella is so weak that I can control him easily. I can just pick him up and move him where I want him! He's afraid of the stairs down the back of the house, so we're working on that -- I put up the other dogs and he has to descend the stairs to get his dinner, at his own pace. He has chewed up his collar and eaten a toy. He is such a hilarious character! Sascha has decided that he's her soulmate and just adores him. They're both bright red so they're very cute together.

Rowan just inhales his dinner! I've decided to feed him twice a day to try to avoid bloat and to aid digestion. That boy can eat! I want to start brushing his teeth but he's not thrilled about me touching his mouth ...

He LOVED the rain and all the mud on his big paws! my T-shirts will never be the same ;-)! what a goofball!

To S - first Rowan report

He is a PRINCE!! He is the nicest dog I have ever been around. I'm crying all the time, can't let myself think about this sweet angel being neglected. He already has a huge part of my heart.

L and S have a picture up on my wall -- I have a shrine to them! They are SAINTS! I can only imagine the work they have done with this little fella! We went for a walk around the block and when we went up and down curbs, he would stumble, and fell down once. He must have been a total wreck when they got him out. It's only their loving care that has made him able even to get around the back yard, I'm sure. But he has such a great spirit, and is always cheerful and game for any project; I'm sure he will bulk up soon.

He has some patches where the skin is really dry and the hair is brittle and broken -- I'm wondering if R even fed him decent food. But S and L have given him a good start, and he's going to get nothing but the best. I have to cook for Allie's kidney diet anyway, so I might as well cook for Rowan as well and give him a high-protein diet with extra canola oil for the skin. He's getting Omega-3, CoQ10, B-50, Vit E, calcium, and I'm throwing in Allie's glucosamine/MSM joint formula just for thrills. He's also getting digestive enzymes and an herbal mix sprinkled on his food to make it all bioavailable. Between them, these dogs are going to bankrupt me ;-)! But it's going to be so rewarding to see him blossom.

Rowan already had a cat encounter and completely ignored him, much to my relief!

I don't actually have any exciting stories to tell yet, but will be sure to write once he has settled in and I have something to report.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for bringing this little guy into our lives!! He is so good-hearted, and promises to be such a wonderful member of the family. It feels like he's always been here. Please give L and S my thanks too!

Introduction -- Rowan

It is with some butterflies that I introduce my new dog, Rowan ("the red-haired or ruddy man"). He is bright red! He was rescued by Mal-loving people from Brazos animal shelter and I adopted him on Saturday. He is a big, long fellow, with short squatty legs, and so skinny that you can feel every vertebra and rib. He has so little muscle tone in his hind legs that he has trouble walking, indicating long close confinement. He does not appear to be hip dysplastic. I am taking him in to the vet this week for a thorough checkup. His coat is dry and sparse, but he will be a gorgeous dog once I have fattened him up and worked on his nutrition. He is now getting handfuls of supplements and home-cooked food. The Magnificent Ghost still would like to eat him, so we are working on a desensitization program, but he gets along great with the girls, and completely ignores all cats, indoors and out. He is alert, responsive and sweetly affectionate. What a guy!

Rowan

Well, I wasn't expecting THIS! Humom went out for a drive with her partner in crime, Lynn, and came back with another DOG! Where will it end?

I should not be surprised. Lynn's house is where I lived for a year until humom finally got around to discovering and adopting me. Whenever she goes out, she comes back with another dog. They call it "rescue." I suppose it's a good thing.

So here he is, a big red Malamute, yet another male. He'd be handsome if he had an ounce of flesh on him and any muscle tone. Knowing humom, he'll be fattened up in no time and need to go on a diet. Two nice Malamute lovers, L and S, sprang him from the shelter a month ago and have been taking great care of him and getting him ready to be adopted. I'm glad; a shelter is a terrible place to be -- it smells like terror and death, and if nobody takes you, they kill you. S and R remembered that humom is kind of partial to Malamutes and told her about Rowan, whose name was something very bad before. Now he is called the red-haired man, which he is.

What I want to know is, is humom still going to pay any attention to ME?? I am the Queen of the Universe and expect the due amount of respect and adulation to be paid accordingly. I will be Extremely Miffed if this Johnny-Come-Lately thinks he's going to steal the limelight. Alexandria out.

Ham

Allie has known that Something is up for a couple of days now. Although it's been up to 105 degrees out, she's been dancing a little jig as we walk around the block, anticipating the fall weather, and indeed, it cooled down by 20 degrees today. She fluffed out her coat, put that sparkle in her eye, and charged ahead, insisting that we take the long walk all the way around the playing fields and beyond.

A little girl came out of her house as we walked past, all pigtails and teeth and dwarfed by her backpack. She immediately stretched out both arms in a passionate gesture and cried out, "doggie! good doggie! Mommy, I want that doggie!" Note that Allie undoubtedly overtopped her. Her Mom said to her sharply, "that's a German Shepherd, they're not very nice," and dragged her off to the car. I barely managed to call out loudly, "Alaskan Malamute!" before the kid disappeared in the cavernous SUV, crying out "doggie!" the whole time. Meanwhile, Allie was rolling her eyes at the child, tossing her head, ears pricked up, tail swishing brightly, white paws flashing high, giving her the full treatment. How she loves to be the object of adulation!

I hope the kid heard me. Everyone has to meet their first Malamute, an experience akin, I assume, to being hit by a small, perfectly formed bolt of lightning. It changes you for life, and she will hopefully remember Allie when one day she is selecting her own first dog.

Allie's Cats

There are up to 6 feral cats living under and around our house and eating us out of house and home. Allie comes and helps me feed them as part of our evening walk. It is a good opportunity for us to practice Be Nice to Kitties. Or rather, Don't Eat the Kitties. Hah!

Actually, Allie is very good about cats as long as they don't run. Unfortunately, no-one has imparted this to the ferals, who tend to boot-scoot when they encounter something large, wolf-looking and obviously prey-driven. But Allie leaves the indoor cats strictly alone. This took a long time and a lot of patience to learn, but she is now able to sleep curled up with them on the bed. This is the Mal who once proudly brought me a cat carcass when she first came to me. If Allie can achieve the peacable kingdom with cats, any Malamute can.

When I adopted her, I made a dog-free zone by placing a backless bookcase in the hallway -- the cats could get through it, but not the dogs, without some effort. It was mainly a strong psychological barrier. There are also lots of bookshelves, filing cabinets, etc where they can find refuge. Then Allie and I immediately went to obedience class, where we worked hard on Attention. At home, we practiced: treats and praise whenever I called her name and she made eye-contact with me. LOTS of praise when she did so in mid-cat-chase. The first few days she was on-leash in the house so I had some control in case she got too close. After that, I just gave a sharp reprimand if necessary ("hey!") and immediately called her name -- chase cat = bad, look at me = good. At the same time, my dog-savvy cats reinforced the lessons with the occasional bat across the snout. Unfortunately they find the Malamute tail irresistible and used it as a toy from the very beginning, attacking it from under the bed or from a perch on a chair! Nowadays, when Allie rolls an eye toward a running cat, I just remind her quietly -- she doesn't move a muscle toward it -- but only in the house. Outside cats are still extremely interesting. And of course possums, squirrels, birds, mice, etc. are fair game. >Sigh<

Sideways

Well, if there's one thing a lady doesn't enjoy, it's being blown along sideways! All very well to take my stately morning walk, but now my lovely coat is all tousled and I feel all battered from being buffeted by the wind gusts. A lady doesn't appreciate having to constantly brace herself to keep from flying along like an ice skater -- and then when the wind drops, she staggers back like an overloaded weight-lifter. It's not as though one were pulling a sled in the Arctic or something -- this is Texas and it's in the 90s already, for doG's sake. One is entirely disconcerted and in need of many treats and a good nap. Alexandria out.

Whole Again

There she is, that beautiful face; that sassy plume of a tail; those monumental paws; that glorious coat, standing up in cowlicks, generously shedding; that irresistible tummy. Much as I enjoyed every moment in Ireland and had a glorious time, I realize I was just half a person. It's great that I've found a boarding solution I have confidence in and can attend important conferences and excursions, but boy is it great to be back with my other half. Sure, she needs me, but I need her too.

Funny how The Magnificent Ghost seems to have missed me even more than Allie. He really gets neglected, and I tend to forget what a needy fella he is, the poor poot.

Humom's Back

Well finally. Sheesh. Not that I didn't have a great time at PAH. Drs. D and O took great care of me, and the gals waited on me hand and foot, as is their role in life. When humom came to pick me up, they all converged on the desk to tell her what a wonderful dog I am. I smiled sweetly, already planning my exploits for when we got home. Dr O spoke very seriously with humom and told her several things about kidney disease that she didn't know, and made some good suggestions, so I will get even more fantastic care. She said that I seem like a much younger dog! I deserve an Oscar!

It would be really nice if I had the chauffeur I am due. Humom is just a terrible driver. It didn't help that 183 is under construction and the traffic was terrible, but did she have to cry most of the way home? I hunkered down in my brace-for-impact position and could only hope for the best. Which has materialized in the form of my favorite Branstone's cranberry treats ...

I am seriously miffed that I can't go to work with humom any more. The semester has begun and for some reason that makes a difference. Stupid. All the more reason why the students should benefit from my wise presence, I say. I have several times been able to sneak into the car, but unfortunately an Alaskan Malamute is difficult to conceal. Must work on camouflage. Alexandria out.

Prescription?

Depressed? Weary? Anxious? Horrified about Katrina approaching the coast? Can't sleep, eat, concentrate, get anything done? Aha! I have the perfect prescription for you! Five minutes nose to nose with a mellow Malamute will convince you that
a) everything is right with the world,
b) even if it isn't, here is a special place where magic rules,
c) you just have to breathe with this dog, and
d) there's nothing that matters that can't be seen in her eyes.
I will admit, is has been an awful day, but one short Allie treatment is the magic potion to set the world right. Where do you get your therapy dog certified for "Soul Dog"?

The Baker Dancer

One of the objects I studied at university was a Hellenistic bronze statuette called the Baker Dancer. She is a strange little woman wearing a thick, richly pleated dress with a long, transparent mantle over it that covers even her head. Her face is covered by a tight veil with eye-holes. The head is tilted, giving the impression of movement. One hand draws a fold of the mantle to her face, while the other arm is outstretched and displays the fringed hem of the garment to good effect. Her free leg kicks out a bit and the booted toe peeks out under the dress. She is very undancerly by modern standards -- chunky under the voluminous garments. It is the free hip that juts out awkwardly higher than the standing hip in a non-balletic, off-balance pose, belying the popular interpretation that she is spinning, and yet what is she doing? She is eminently realistic, and yet the entirely mannered work of the invisible artist. She is exotic, gorgeous, mesmerising, infuriatingly enigmatic, familiar, strange, and new every time you see her.

Why am I wittering on about the Baker Dancer? Because you remind me of her in many ways, Allie. I was admiring your mask this morning. Some call your face "dirty." It is one of the many ways in which you don't conform to the Malamute standard, bless your heart. You almost have goggles, but they are a soft, taupeish gray and flow gently into a Mardi Gras mask that extends down the side of your face like batwings, shading into reddish browns, golds, grays, creams and white. It is as though you were wearing a veil of gossamer (not that I know what that is, but it's traditional) pulled tight across your face and shimmering in many shades against your contours. You could not be more gorgeous. Your expressive brown eyes are set in high relief by their halos of white. The little hairs swirl in perfect order to create exquisitely molded landscapes, some white hairs marching off into lush eyelashes. It's amazing how the merest twitch of those tiny muscles can transform your face from Contended Dog At Rest to Poor Starving Baby Must Have Cheese Now ...

You are so familiar to me, and yet completely enigmatic. I don't speak dog, let alone Malamute, and you are so much of an individual that I don't think I would get you even if I did. Sometimes your basic body language is clear even to me -- Must Go Out Now, or Take Me To Work. Other times I'm just stumped. And when I look in your eyes, there's so much someone there, but I have no idea what you're thinking, other than Stupid Human. I'm always asking you, How high? and you persistently refuse to tell me, Jump.

Under the Fence

Back in my domain. Gave the cats The Eye. Set a few things straight with that young sprout, Ghost, and Sascha the rhodie mix. Then humom absolutely insisted that I spend some time outside in the backyard. Well okey-dokey. The gals next door were also outside so I went over to investigate. Lucy, the little black Lab mix, was shy and gentle as usual, but Zoe, the big brown pit/? mix that mom calls the Psycho Bitch from Hell was yelling her head off as usual. So I decided it was time to mosey on over there and have a little chat with her. Turning my rather substantial self into a different form of matter altogether, I slid beneath the fence and rematerialized in their yard. I raised a single eyebrow. Suddenly, there was complete silence. The Psycho Bitch and I communed. She agreed, and wandered off. I reassured Lucy, and we had a refreshing round of chase. Then I lay down in the shade and had an overdue snooze. When humom came to find me, of course I was on the other side of the fence, with no visible means of transport, and no way to get me back. I smiled sweetly. There ensued three hours of high drama including long-distance phone calls, earth-works and excavations, involvement of neighbors, tears, rantings, cajoling, treats, recriminations and regrets, during which I had several meditative naps and a pleasant game with the gals. When I was brought back into my yard, I was finally allowed to stay in the air-conditioning (d'oh) and got many special treats in apology, and quite right, too. I mean really. This is the way I get treated after a stay at the vet's? Guerillera Alexandria out.

Humom Returns

Return of humom! No big deal, of course. Megan at Dr. D's took great care of me. At first I was a bit astonished to see the multitude of colors stuck in her ears, but she used a nice voice, and I immediately set out to make her my personal slave. I gave her the big brown eyes, the waving plumy tail, the ingenuous smile, and then presented her with the snowy white tummy to rub, folding my paws gently on my chest. Who can resist the bunny pose? Sure enough, I heard the requisite "awwww," and felt the strong fingers on the tummy. After that, my visit there was a breeze. They gave me masses of fluids, and I was a sweet angel and didn't try to pull the needle out like I do at home. I even ate the icky k/d. When humom came to pick me up, everyone told her what a sweet temperament I had, what a pleasure it had been and what a wonderful dog I was. Hah! I don't work by stealth for nothing! On the way home, humom mentioned that I had cost an arm and a leg. Hahah! She can't fool me, I still count 2 arms and 2 legs. Anyway, for my next fluid treatments, she is trying to sell her hair on eBay -- as if anyone would be interested in such a pathetic display. Fortunately, she took my advice and put a picture of my gorgeousness on the site. Maybe it will dazzle and distract. Now to restore order at home and to put that young sprout, Ghost, Sascha the rhodie mix, and those pesky cats back in their place. Guerillera Alexandria out.

Second day away

Today is Allie's second day in boarding at the vet's. She is getting her fluid treatments, and is eating and taking her supplements. They are lovely people there, and their experience with renal dogs is vouched for by other patients. Still, taking Allie there, an hour's haul during excruciating "rush"-hour traffic, had every nerve in me screaming, "don't do it! turn back!" Driving home without her was horrendous. I'm two-thirds of the way across the country now, and of course I keep calling, and they keep reassuring me that she is fine and doing well, but until I see that wagging tail and those brown eyes, and feel her warm breath on me again, I'm going to be a wreck. This does not bode well for my 10-day trip in September. What is it with these dogs?? She is perfectly fine without me, but I'm totally dependent on her...

There is good news: Allie's anemia seems to be gone! All that good food and the supplements are helping in one sense anyway. Her other kidney values are still too high, but we have one good reason to celebrate!

Ghost at Home Depot

Alexandria here. Well, my training of that young sprout, The Magnificent Ghost as he insists on calling himself, is finally paying off. He came back from human training (joke!) yesterday all puffed up and full of himself. Harrumph! But it wasn't because of anything they worked on at training (Stand! I ask you!) but what happened on the way home. Apparently the car was shaking like it was going to fly apart into a million pieces. Humom was scared and didn't have her phone with her. Ghost won't admit it but I bet he was REALLY scared! He's terrified of thunderstorms and fireworks and buses and children and basically everything. Macho man! But I'm working with him. So they stopped at the Home Depot to see if they have a savvy person in the car department who might help. (Note to humans: HD does not have a car department). They wandered around for a bit, and Ghost did not lift his leg on anything! He also did not cry and try to run away when he saw large men, although he did use humom as a shield. But that's okay! And he did not run away from those nasty children, who insist on squealing and lunging in your face. He was a Very Good Boy, and a nice lady gave him a hot dog on the way out. I'm very proud of him, and will continue work patiently to impart my wisdom to him. Remember: Be Nice, Get Treats. You can always do something outrageous later.

Mouth

Allie has the softest mouth. This is in contrast to The Magnificent Ghost, who feels that the Malamute, being descended from the wolf, should act accordingly, and interpret "treat" liberally, in a crocodile-like manner. What's a finger more or less? And blood adds that special spice to the bland Milk Bones ... But Allie's mouth is as soft as a pony's nose, and tender as a queen cat with her kittens. I love to hold a Natural Balance roll cube for her to suck slowly out of my fingers. This is her training treat, but what the hell, it's also fun to have her practice a few moves just for the pleasure of giving her some treats. And she'll nibble on those cubes even when she won't touch anything else. Thank you, Natural Balance! The most fun is giving her her Baytril, which I cover with cream cheese. She happily sucks it down, then thoughtfully and meticulously hoovers all of my fingers that have been involved in the gloppy task, making sure there is not so much as a hint of cream cheese remaining. It's the most wonderful sensation. Not slobbery or sloppy (I was kissed by a Dane recently, oh boy), reticent and delicate, completely concentrated on the job at hand. I have no doubt that she could carry an egg in her mouth for miles without breaking the shell.

Bedhog

At some point in the night, the cats got frisky and Allie decided they needed chasing. After satisfactorily concluding her task, she returned to bed, but not to her usual place, on the right side taking up 80% and leaving me clinging precariously to the left edge. Instead, I was turned toward the middle, so she jumped onto the tiny sliver I had cleared on the left, put her head on my pillow, and used her entire body weight to shove me, ever so gently, further toward the middle. No, I did not leap to my feet, proclaim my alpha and banish her cringing to the foot of the bed or her crate. Instead, I let her sleep happily in my place and slept in hers, enjoying her gentle breathing, the coarseness of her fur and the obvious glee she took in getting to sleep with her head on the pillow. She has a great sense of humor, and bless her for that.

Sunday

Last night, Allie decided to take the "medium" walk. The "short" walk is just to the traffic light and back, lately with many stops in the shade in between, to contemplate life and observe the world around us. The "medium" walk goes all the way around the blocks with the playing fields along the creek, and features many opportunities to sniff, greet other dogs and offer to eat them, and cover oneself with burrs and unspeakable substances. Allie made it all the way around without once demanding to be carried -- an interesting proposition with an 80-pound dog. She did not actually chase any squirrels, but she gave them the evil eye, which made my heart soar. What a great day, that called for an extra yoghurt treat, not to be shared with the cats!

Rasslin'

Subqs are still a real trial -- Allie keeps rolling onto my hand with the needle and pulling it out (in the nicest possible way, but an 80# dog can be pretty firm!)

Allie update / Neufchatel cheese

To K9KidneyDiet:
Allie has actually eaten of her own free will yesterday and today. I started her off by hand, but she finished up out of the bowl!! Even had a couple of cans of k/d, but for some reason I just feel more confident about the Chicken / Egg Whites / Gl Rice / Veg meals I've been cooking her, poor soul. Her tummy feels better since she's been getting pepcid ac (cvs pharmacy generic) and acidophilus yoghurt. No vomit in 3 days. She is perkier and has lost that dreadful listless gray look.
We've settled into a rhythm of 250 ml saline at lunch and 250 ml at dinner -- that's about all she'll sit/lie/roll around 'still' for. I know a big dog should get more, but at least we're getting this much, and can try to sneak in more as she gets used to it. We also have a 22cc syringe and we have Marx-bros moments with me introducing water into her mouth and she dribbling it out the other side. Or maybe she's Lucy, she's red-haired and has the attitude, bless her.
Her supplements are currently: Omega complex, Vit E + fish body oil, Vit B12, Glucosamine, MSM, Calcium citrate. Today we add coQ10. She also gets digestive enzyme powder plus probiotics. Amounts of these depend on how much of her food she will eat as they are mixed in.
Today Allie is a whole new dog! Thanks to the great advice and support on this list, we have seen real improvement and have enjoyed two good "up" days, and are prepared for the "downs."
Query: I'm giving her abx and pepcid wrapped in Neufchatel cheese -- it says it's just lowfat cream cheese, but according to NATS the phos is 40 and Na 120 with fat 16g / 1oz, while cream cheese is phos 20, Na 90 and fat 10. Does anyone know where Neufchatel cheese gets its rep as particularly healthy?
Also query: why do cats get Lactated Ringer solution and dogs get .9% saline, or is it just Allie?
Thank you all, and a happy Sunday
C and a sparkly Allie

Replies: Fat-free cream-cheese is better, and it's just Allie. It's a matter of electrolytes; blood test values determine which fluids to use

Which needles?

These are Terumos. I only got 250 into her of the prescribed 500, but did 500 this morning and plan to do another tonight. We no longer have a sense of time. I can certainly hang the bag up higher, but then I can't both squeeze it and keep her in check.
She is really doing poorly -- threw up a little this morning, just stomach fluid, but still worrisome. Malamutes usually have cast-iron stomachs. Hate to think she can't handle the Baytril. The vet says to take with food, the web site says take an hour before food, and Allie says "I'm not eating anyway." She ate k/d at the vet's, but adamantly refuses at home. She had diarrhea for a day after the ivs, vet said normal, I'm not thrilled. She's lethargic and won't even chase the cats. >Sigh.<

Fluids in!

HUGE relief! Finally able to get a decent amount of fluids into my girl!!! Beginning to feel like I have a purpose in life after all!

Response to K9KidneyDiet:

Thank you, L! We found a "tent" space on the rear/side of the neck and just used that -- scares me to death, but I'm careful. Yes, always fresh and slant side up. She is a very good girl, just really hates the procedure and tries to rub the needle off by turning on her back - so I'm trying to wrangle an 85# dog and stabilize the needle, squeeze the bag, etc. You're right, I am going to get bigger needles, these little ones are flimsy and slow. There may also be some scar tissue -- she's a rescue. She seems better now with some fluids in her -- I didn't realize how fragile she'd still be after the ivs, but her crea is still above 3. It's just starting to sink in what a day to day struggle this is going to be ...

Thank you so much for your help!

Feeling like a fumbling idiot

Sent home in shaking terror with a bag of saline and a handful of needles. Set up at home and now can't do what the vet tech showed me! The needle won't go in! except into my fingers ... So I'm trembling and howling and dripping and bleeding all over my poor Malamute, who is refraining from snapping at me, the amazing queen.
Sent this to the angels at K9KidneyDiet: Okay, I'm biting the bullet and trying to give my beloved Allie her loathed subQs. She has been home for a day and a half after her iv fluids. She must be pretty dehydrated, because her skin is like leather, and I'm having trouble getting the needle in! I feel like I'm torturing my girl! It's only an 18 gauge, which is small and slow-drip for a Malamute, and I'm trying to go fast, but it's really tough. Is there any place better than the shoulder where the skin might not be so leathery where I could get her hydrated a bit?

Dog, I feel like a horrible mother!
C
for Allie, who is being a gentle giant

How's Allie?

Dear Margie,

Nose barely above water, but she's eating, so I'm hopeful. A non-eating Mal is a terrible thing. The Clavamox was really rough on her. Now she gets to be outrageously pampered and to heal. Thanks for asking after her. You are one of the few people who know what a funny sweetheart she is. She's being a supercool trouper about pills, injections, iv fluids, ultrasounds, the works. I have so much respect and admiration and love for her, it's her strength that gets us through. What an amazing soul. Time to go cook her some more chicken and egg whites!

Love, Connie

Nierenkranker Hund

Liebe Tante Meggie

>Mich wuerde nur interessieren, wie man merkt, dass ein Hund
was an den Nieren hat. Dass er Schmerzen hat, das merkt man ja
sicher am Jaulen und Winseln, dass ihm sonst was fehlt, das merkt
man sicher daran, dass er nicht fressen will. Aber auf die Nieren kommt
wohl erst ein Arzt oder ein Bluttest....

Ja, sie hat furchtbar gejault, und zuerst dachte ich, es ist ihre Arthritis, oder sie hat am Ruecken oder Hals was eingeklemmt, aber die Untersuchung zeigte da nichts. Beim Bluttest stellte sich heraus dass sie sehr wenig Nierenfunktion hat, so wird sie wohl einen Stein oder vielleicht Tumor an den Nieren haben. Mittwoch wird mit Ultraschall nachgeschaut. Sie frisst nicht gern, schlaeft viel, aber ist sonst ganz normal -- spielt draussen mit Ghost, geht mit mir spazieren, trinkt, spielt, macht Unsinn ... nur hatte sie diese Schmerzanfaelle. Jetzt nicht, sie kriegt Tabletten. Sie hat auch mehrere Behandlungen gekriegt mit Fluessigkeit, so eine Art Dialyse um die Gifte auszuspuelen. Diaet und Vitamin B-12, Omega-3, usw. koennen nichts rueckgaengig machen, aber den Abbau vielleicht verzoegern.

>Noch eine Frage: fuehlt sich ein Malamute denn ueberhaupt wohl im
heissen Texas? Zwingt man ihn denn da nicht in eine Umgebung,
die seiner Art ueberhaupt nicht entspricht? Wird er denn da nicht viel
anfaelliger? Ich weiss, Du hast das Tier ja nicht nach Texas geholt, sondern
dort gerettet - aber weisst Du denn, ob Allie jemals wirklich gluecklich
war?

Allie war in Texas geboren und muesste sich sehr langsam und vorsichtig dem Arktik anpassen -- eine ploetzliche Umstellung haette sie wie alle Hunde nicht ueberstanden. Sie ist dem Klima hier gut angepasst. Malamutes haben eine niedrige Basaltemperatur (100 F) und sind durch ihr Fell isoliert, mein Ridgeback wird schneller heiss. Sie haben hier Schatten, Brise, eine Porch mit Airconditioning (!) und Fan, und ein kleines Swimming Pool (sie sind gern im Wasser). In den letzten Wochen war Allie fast staendig drinnen im Airconditioning, weil ich mit dem Ruecken zuhause war.

Malamutes wurden von den Mahlemut Eskimos gezuechtet, um durch unglaublich schreckliches Wetter ueber Eis und Schnee ihre Schlitten zu ziehen. Sie mussten ihr eigenes Futter fangen. Nur die staerksten, am stoischsten und gutmuetigsten ueberlebten. Das heisst nicht, dass sie es genossen. Kein Malamute lebt heute "Artgerecht," und zum Glueck. Malamutes kamen nicht absichtlich nach Texas, aber sie nehmen das Klima mit der gleichen coolen Einstellung und machen das beste draus. Besser von mir gerettet als getoetet, und besser 5 sehr vergnuegte Jahre als garnichts. Ich glaube doch dass sie gluecklich war und ist, furchtbar verwoehnt, und dass sie unsere obedience, agility und drill team Aktivitaeten sehr genossen hat. Ich glaube dass sie gern mit mir auf dem Bett schlaeft, in ihrem Swimming-pool plaenschert, und gebuerstet wird. Das ist fuer mich ein grosser Trost.

Deine
cze

Alexandria (Deutsch)

Liebe Tante Meggie,

Du weisst dass meine Alexandria (Allie), meine Malamute-Dame, die Koenigin der Welt, meine grosse Liebe ist. Sie ist nierenkrank. Ich versuche so viel wie moeglich mit Diaet usw zu machen, und habe schon hunderte von meinem und Charlottes Geld fuer Tests und Behandlung ausgegeben, aber es ist mir klar, dass mein einziges Ziel sein muss, ihre Zeit so angenehm wie moeglich zu machen. Sie hat furchtbare Schmerzen, so dass wir Steine oder ein Tumor vermuten, naechste Woche wird mit Ultraschall nachgeschaut. Gestern Nacht musste sie wieder ins Krankenhaus fuer die Schmerzen, es ist furchtbar. Ich will nur, dass sie ihr Leben geniesst -- ich werde nicht versuchen, Monate dranzuhaengen wenn's sie nur quaelt. Sie ist ein wahnsinnig liebes Tier und jede gute Stunde ist ein Geschenk. Ich bin so froh, dass ich viel Zeit mit ihr verbracht habe, letztes Jahr mit ihr zur Show in Utah gereist bin, und jeden Tag mit einem "thank you, Allie" angefangen und geendet habe.

Es ist sehr ruehrend wie Vati und Charlotte mir den Ruecken staerken -- ich versuchen, nicht durchblicken zu lassen, wie schrecklich die Lage ist und wie viel ich heulen und verzweifeln muss, aber sie verstehen and fragen nach der Allie, und helfen auch finanziell damit sie die teuren Behandlungen kriegen kann. Es bedeutet sehr viel!

Anfangs war mein eigener Tierarzt abwesend und wir sahen seinen Partner -- wir verstanden uns schlecht mit ihm. Jetzt aber ist meiner wieder da und es ist eine RIESEN Erleichterung -- ich kann mich auf ihn verlassen, und er weiss wirklich bescheid. Du kennst das bestimmt auch von Menschenaerzten ...

Jetzt weisst Du alles im kleinsten Detail. Wie steht die Lage bei Dir??
Danke fuer's ausheulenlassen

Deine cze

Starting treatment

L, Thank you so much for your support and knowledge!
I spent several nights and days on the internet researching kidneys ;-) and finally got to talk to my own vet. He spent 1.5 hours with me going over Allie's blood work and urine. She is not concentrating as well as she should, and there is some blood. There are some anomalies in her blood values. So we have scheduled a thorough ultrasound for next week with the best woman in town (I researched this). Allie is on phosphorus binders, and he gave me some Eukanuba Early Kidney, since she refuses to eat k/d (dog; she loves k/d for cats!). He also recommends what they do on the web: regular protein diet, supplementing with omega-3, fish-body oil, vitamins E and B-12. She is low thyroid, so that may have to be treated, although she isn't showing symptoms. We probably will do a fluid treatment next week to get BUN and creatinine down at least temporarily to give her a break, depending on what the ultrasound shows. But he is letting me do one thing at a time, and putting the diagnostics before the treatments! What a relief, to speak with my own trusted vet and have him be rational and, I feel, thinking of Allie's best interests. She is such a great gal, she really deserves it.

I don't know how much longer I can continue taking time off work for my back problems (facet joints and annular discs, yeah), but while I do, I'm enjoying every minute with Allie!! ;-)