Ringo & The Leather Couch

Rings has discovered that the next best thing to hogging the red chair is sleeping/sitting on the leather couch next to husband's favorite spot. Ahh, the good life of a cat.....

Beauty Berry Bonsai

This is my husband's beauty berry. It is a cascade style bonsai, 4 inches above the pot and 10 inches wide. The purple berries come out during the fall. This was taken before it was put away for the winter. Gorgeous little tree....

Chillblains

We got Louie from a racetrack in Florida. He arrived NY early February. Shortly thereafter, we have noticed tiny red splatters of an unidentified substance on our walls. We finally figured out where those splatters were coming from--from the tips of Louie's ears. Apparently, greys have poor circulation to the tips of their ears hence the increased susceptibility to chillblains which occur during very cold months. The ear tips become dry, cracked or bloody. He would scratch his ears then shake hence the splattering. We learned that a lady's stocking when cut and used as a sort of headgear should keep the ears warmer. But it was not user-friendly, it kept sliding back and exposing Louie's ears to the cold temps. So I thought of using sleeves from my old sweaters as Louie's "snood". Louie's ears are now much better with only a teeny-tiny dot of dry patch in one ear. And yes, no more red splatters.

Cats & Greyhounds

Husband & I were browsing through our old photos when we saw these






so he said, "who would've thought that cats & greys couldn't mix?" We are very lucky having cat-safe greys and very accepting cats (who didn't go berserk when we brought home 2 big greys 4 months apart)...

Husband is Home!

Husband is back from a 2 week trip in Taiwan & Japan. So greymom and the critters are all happy...

Below is a picture of a bonsai stand in a Japanese train station:

Resource Guarding

A precious or valued resource can be a bed, bone, favorite toy or food. In our greys' & cats' situation, this is what they compete for



This is one of our 2 red Stickley chairs. Husband & I love these chairs and it turned out, all 4 critters love these too. They take turns keeping these chairs warm. If Louie wasn't so big, I would have laughed my head off when one day he tried to climb onto the chair with Ringo already on it. Ringo was unfazed about it, he knows he should be given the respect he deserves (as the senior critter in the household). I am training the dogs to patiently wait for their turn to sleep on the chairs. One important rule is, no chair covers, no pets allowed--and all four are very good following that.

Pet First Aid Bag

I am thinking of giving Gilbert, my brother's newly adopted 4 y/o beagle, a pet first aid bag of his own for Christmas. This is what we have for our pups & kitties. I thought of just buying one online but hubby suggested that we assembled our own kit. We got our first aid items from KVPet and Omaha Vaccine. We have the following :

1. topical antibiotic
2. hydrogen peroxide
3. gauze
4. cotton buds
5. medical tape
6. vet wrap
7. tissue forceps
8. digital thermometer
9. Pawz disposable rubber boots
10.gloves
11.KY jelly (when somebody's anal glands get impacted, I have to express them)
12.bandage scissors
13.surgical scissors
14.disposable syringe (for flushing wound/foreign body in eyes)
15.bitter apple spray
16.velcro muzzle
17.pill splitter


I used to have the EMT gel (first aid gel), used once then it got expired.

Canine Influenza

Louie & Hanna had their first shot of the canine flu vaccine last week. For more info on this, check out the CDC's website,

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/canine/

It is a series of 2 shots, 3-4 weeks apart. Hanna didn't even flinch when she got her shot. One shot costs around $19. The pups don't go to doggie daycare but we do go to the dog park and there are plenty of dogs in our neighborhood so when the vet recommended it, I didn't have second thoughts.

Yummy Fall & Winter Treat

Got these pomegranates at Wegmans' last weekend. The avrils are plump and very juicy. Yum!

Fall Colors

Gorgeous!

Our Corn Therapy

My husband & I have brought Hanna to our vet for months now for regular hulling of her corns but walking is still difficult for her. Other treatment modalities that I am contemplating on trying if Hanna's limping (due to painful corns) persists: Kerasolv, Abreva, and soaking the affected paw/s in water with epsom salts on top of the hulling. I am happy to say that this is the treatment the works for Hanna: Durham's Wonder Salve (our vet says this salve makes it easier to remove the corn) + corn removal (every 2 weeks or so)using the dental root elevator technique(which I have learned to do by myself) and Therapaw booties (she only wears these during our outside walks). We are so glad to have our happy prancing girl back!

Not One But Two

yep, we have 2 Therapaw booties now. Hanna's 2nd bootie arrived this week and for the first time in months (even with the hulling of her corns), she is walking without any limp, she has gone for long walks and is actually wagging her tail as she sniffs from tree to tree. Why we didn't think of getting 2 booties right away beats me. Can't sing enough praises for this wonderful bootie...



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On a sad note, lots of lives are affected by the floodings in Asia and even here in the Southeast (Georgia, Tennessee). I hope Mother Nature gives the battered areas some respite from all these tragedies and people learn to respect her (the environment) more.

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Got a heads' up on a Nutro dog food recall from our greyhound mailing list. Here's a link: http://www.nutroproducts.com/press10-1-09.shtml

Cat/dog beds

Got our cats (a 12 lb and an 18.5 lbs) small dog beds (the flimsy cat pads won't probably do well with our cats) for $9.99 each. They both loved their new beds even though the pic below shows otherwise ;)

Update on the Corn Issue

Hanna had her sutures removed (s/p cysts removal) last Wednesday and we also asked the vet to hull her left front paw corn which has thickened up fast. It was last hulled 12 days ago. Anyway, the vet did the dental root elevator technique. More on this technique from this website and how it is done. It is a lot different from dremelling.

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=392957&sk=&date=&pageID=2

Our vet said the corn just popped out from its bed, probably attributable to the Wonder Salve. Ok, so I guess, it is working--the salve I mean. I was ready to toss it and try the Kerasolv.

So Hanna has been pain-free and jumping, running and just being her happy self for the last couple of days. Loved watching her walk with her tail wagging....

When the dogs are downstairs

the cat takes over their beds....

Bonsai Galore

Rochester, NY is not just known as the home base of companies like Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb. This is also were Jell-O started. Repeatedly, this city has been included in the top US cities great for raising a family. But Rochester is also home to one of the best bonsai teachers/artists in the country, Bill Valavanis. His annual symposium (one, if not the most, of the most organized symposium) held every September is always a must-see. This year's theme is about shohin (shohin bonsai are smaller sized bonsai, measuring under 10 inches (25cm) tall above the rim of the bonsai container). Some of the trees in the exhibit were 2-3 inches tall only. It is just amazing seeing very healthy and beautiful tiny trees. Enjoy the pics. Pictured above is hubby's beauty berry with fruits that have yet to turn deep purple in the fall.

Rude Customer Service

Husband & I have, so far, had good luck buying online (from books, pet products, etc.). Last week, I purchased (or so I thought) Kerasolv (a keratolytic gel for Hanna's corns) from Discount Pet Drugs. I was waiting for a week and then I got an email from them about my purchase with a small note on top that said, "this order has been cancelled". No explanations, no phone calls. When I finally got hold of them to ask why they cancelled my order without any explanation sent to me, a yelling male customer rep just responded, "you got an email".

So much for good manners & customer service. I am surely not buying ANYTHING from that online store again.

Hanna's Annual Check-Up

Hanna had her annual physical check-up, blood tests, prophylactic (I was indignant when the vet tech handed me deworming pills and she assured me it is just standard practice, but no, Hanna doesn't have any worm!)deworming, updating of shots and dental cleaning last Thursday. We also threw in removal of 2 small cysts on her back and hulling of her corns. Our vet also trimmed her nails (really short). I was teasing the receptionist as she was updating me on all the procedures, "we may be picking up a smaller dog later on, you are taking a lot from her" ;) Our vet also ran a thyroid test , she has seen a case of bad corns in a hypothyroid grey.

Hanna didn't need any extraction and we opted to have an oral sealant applied on her teeth (protects teeth for 6 months). I knew it would be an expensive visit but our vet gave us some discount. Preventive medicine just doesn't make sense when you are holding the bill but the rewards later on make every dollar spent worth it...

Clowning Around

Natural Cat Toy/Teaser

This papyrus plant was given to me by our bonsai teacher 3 years ago. It is now around 5 feet. I placed it in the powder room --tucked away & safe from the predatory (yeah, right) paws of our 2 cats. Both cats love munching these then they'd throw up later on. I discovered though that each stalk with a tuft of leaf blades at the end acts like a feather teaser. Our cats go nuts when I play/tease them with this. Natural & chemical-free toy and it's free!

MIA

Neighbors usually see me and husband walk with our 2 greys. Lately, they have been asking why I am only walking Louie. Because of Hanna's painful corn, I am forced to give her very short walks. I just bought Kerasolv online, hopefully, this will be more successful in giving her pain relief, am not sure now if the Durham's Wonder Salve is of any good at all ;(

is the main suspect for this

Amusing Critters

Having 2 dogs & 2 cats could be a lot of work but they provide us with so much more. Ringo has claimed a kitchen corner as his and regardless of what's in there (cantaloupe, milk cartons, used table napkins, etc), that is his spot.

Less Limpy

Hanna's Therapaw bootie seems to be helping her. The cushioned sole probably decreases the pain when she walks on hard surfaces. It is a hassle putting it on everytime we walk but hey, as long as she is pain-free, anything is doable.

No more booda dome

Our new booda dome is after all, a failure for us. Probably too small for our cats. I've been changing litter every other day and when I checked yesterday, there was urine outside of the box. Not good. Our cats never did that unless catbox is full/dirty. So yesterday, hubby & I got the Van Ness large kitty box with cover.

Roacher

This is Hanna in her favorite roaching position. Roaching is the greyhound lingo for this position (similar to a dead cockroach's position-being belly up). Based on our experience, not all greys roach. I have only seen Louie do it 3X in the 1.5 years that we've had him. Hanna, on the other hand, is a true blue roacher. She roaches when she is relaxed, happy, or when she is just enjoying her sleep.

The Booda Dome

Got this new litter box for our cats. I think it is a bit small for Ringo who has slimmed down to 18 lbs already(hey, he used to be 20 pounds heavy) but both cats are managing, I haven't heard (or seen) any violent reaction so far. I have to change the litter every 2 days though, it doesn't hold as much litter as the bigger cat box types--and our cats are great pooping & peeing machines ;) Got it because it occupies a smaller space than the traditional rectangular catbox.

Greyhounds & Corns

We are on day 5 of applying the Durham's Wonder Salve on Hanna's corns. I have stopped giving her Deramaxx. She is less limpy. 2 weeks ago, our vet also hulled her left paw corn again. It is too early to tell if the Wonder Salve is really working but hey, she seems to be in less pain when she walks. So between the Therapaw bootie and the Wonder salve, there has been some improvement.

Tag Team

Louie & Hanna are notorious for bringing out all their toys & scattering them in our living room when they are in their playful mood. These pictures show the other critters interested in the dog toys...and beds.