petsr4us

Previously, I had said I would highlight some of my pets online.  The picture above is Angel Baby.  She is a smooth coat tan pure-bred Chihuahua that I got from a friend of mine.   Angel is often called Chunky Butt because of the weight she has gained that has made her chunky. 

Angel is a sweet dog who prefers to sit right next to me and sleep with me in bed.  She often takes over the second pillow I have as if it belongs just to her.  Angel does the best little dance when she wants to play where she seems to be moving sideways.  Angel is a lover and can often be found in someone’s arms.

Angel will play with Sparky and she is gentle with him even though she is very rough with her sister Princess.   Angel has a special place in my heart and is slowly winning over my husband too.

 Isn’t she just the cutest?

First off, I wish to apologize for not posting so much lately.  A new job and a nasty cold seemed to have slowed me down.  When I get home from work, all I had time for before falling asleep was taking care of my pets. 

Sparky is doing awesome now.  He is a little over 10 weeks old and he weighs in at 1 pound 2 ounces, which means he gained 4 ounces in the last two weeks.  He is fully eating his dry puppy food and he is readily drinking his own water.  He has his own water dish since he is so small and he goes to it (which is a long way from the living room) when he is thirsty.

He is still learning how to gown down the puppy stairs.  He can get up in a heartbeat but I think the down part is still scary to him.  He is really into playing with several of the other Chihuahuas.  He is particularly fond of Angel Baby (who is 4.5 pounds) and Maxwell (who is 10 pounds).  He is also good buddies with Chimi (3.5 pounds) although her sister Changa doesn’t really care for Sparky.

I will try to post a little more regularly as my life gets back to normal.

 How have you all been?

My pet dog Sparky, who weighs in at 14 ounces, had another couple episodes of hypoglycemia this weekend.  He will definately be visiting our vet as last nights episode scared the dickens out of me.  I really thought he was not going to make it through and of course its the middle of the night.  We finally were able to get him to eat honey off a spoon and then he was able to eat his regular food.  Sparky, since he is so little, is prone to attacks but we are usually good about making sure he has food every few hours.  I’m not sure if I just didn’t notice due to the fact that I was sick with a cold, or what but it seemed to sneek up out of no where.  Have any of you experienced this?  Is there any thing you’ve tried that isn’t the standard: karo syrup, honey, peanut butter, cheese, etc.?  If you have hands on experience with this issue, please post a comment on what works for your dogs.  I’d like to have several remedies to try when this happens again.  I know it will happen because Sparky is so small.  Thanks all!

Valentine’s Day is in a little over a week.  How about getting your sweetheart a pet related gift that also helps the ASPCA? They have some really cute things, such as a sterling silver pawprint pendant.  Or how about a coffee mug, t-shirt, key chain, tote bag, or other item that will help the ASPCA?  I know the standard gifts are chocolates and flowers, but a sweatshirt will last longer.Personally, I am planning on donating money to the ASPCA and my local animal shelter in honor of my husband for part of his Valentine’s Day present.How about you?  What are you going to do? For gift or donation ideas, visit http://www.aspcaonlinestore.com/index.php

Today was the first time I have ever experienced hypoglycemia in one of my small Chihuahuas.  Sparky, who is 10 weeks old, just didn’t seem like himself and when he was walking, he kept falling over.

Here are some of the signs/symptoms to watch for in your pet (from PetPlace.com & my own personal experience):

• Loss of appetite
• Extreme lethargy
• Uncoordinated
• Trembling
• Muscular twitching
• Weakness
• Seizures
• Unusual behavior
• Dilated pupils
• Apparent blindness
• Stupor or coma

One thing you can do to bring up your dogs sugar levels is to rub Karo syrup or honey on their gums or in my case, Sparkly was coherent enough to lick it off my fingers.   This is fairly common in toy breeds and puppies less than three months old.  In either case, you should make your veterinarian away of the episode as there may be another underlying cause.

I’ve included a link to an article that will provide you with even more information: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/hypoglycemia-in-dogs/page1.aspx

Do you have a favorite pet?  Out of all of your pets that you have or had, which one is your favorite and why?

My favorite right now is Chimi.  She is a small long-haired Chihuahua who is gorgeous.  She has so much energy and a zest for life.  Chimi is about 8 months old and weighs a little less than three pounds.  How can such a small dog get into my heart?  It must be her endearing spirit and her love of life.  She will gladly kiss anyone she meets and I don’t think she knows what a stranger is.  She has fun riding in the car and is good at the vet’s office.   I guess the biggest part of my love for Chimi is that she is so lovable herself.  She is huggable, kissable, and just plain CUTE!

Who is your favorite?

A friend sent me this in a chain email about pets… I had seen it before but I always laugh so I thought I’d share it with you:

Dear Dogs and Cats: The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
 
The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help because I fall faster than you can run.
 
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.
 
The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat’s butt. I cannot stress this enough.

Do you have any funnies or humorous articles to share?  Let me know, I’d love to post more humor.  Laughter frees the soul.

I received an email from the ASPCA talking about making Valentines Day safe for pets.  From their information: “Two common holiday hazards to stay alert to are chocolate and lilies, warn our poison control experts. In the week prior to Valentine’s Day 2008, cases involving chocolate ingestion increased by 74%—a number comparable only to cases seen during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. And bouquet senders and receivers alike are often unaware of the dangers of lilies.”

I was aware of the dangers of chocolate but not of lilies.  How about you all?  Other dangers are rose thorns, open flames in fire places, some sweeteners in candy, ribbons, etc.  Do you know of any other dangers we should be worried about for Valentine’s Day with pets?  If so, please comment and let everyone know.

Visit the ASPCA’s website at http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/valentines-day-tips.html for more tips for a safe Valentine’s Day for your pets.

A friend recently sent me a few jokes that were pet related; more specifically relating to dogs and cats.  The following joke made me chuckle and I hope it does the same for you.

Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they

(1) eat less,

2) don’t ask for money all the time,

(3) are easier to train,

(4) normally come when called,

(5) never ask to drive the car,

(6) don’t hang out with drug-using people;

(7) don’t smoke or drink,

(8) don’t want to wear your clothes,

(9) don’t have to buy the latest fashions,

(10) don’t need a gazillion dollars for college, and

(11) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children

Please send me your jokes or humorous stories and I can share them.

Recently peanut butter and products with peanut butter have been recalled.  Have you checked your pets treats to see if they need to be thrown out?  If you want to check out the list of recalled items, you can visit the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/.  There is a link on the website to see what items are on the list.  The following is listed on the site: “Product recalls now include some pet food products that contain peanut paste that was made by PCA. While the risk of animals contracting salmonellosis is minimal, there is risk to humans from handling these products.”

Have you checked it out?  I have and none of the items we feed our pets are on the list.