Greyhounds, etc.

Ringoniscing

2012-02-04T22:28:00.003-05:00

Green & Gold

2012-01-29T13:17:00.005-05:00

were Ringo's colors. His eyes were green and he exuded a regal aura that commands respect, hence the gold. He passed away in his sleep last August. He didn't get sick at all. We just found him on his favorite spot on his bed one morning. We still miss him, he was such a great cat. But Sebastian seems ok, we were worried about him since he refused to leave Ringo's side that morning. He knows Rings is gone but I think he is stepping up to make sure we don't miss Ringo so much.

Kindred Spirit

2012-01-29T12:51:00.006-05:00

There's a new greyhound in our neighborhood, well, different street but we occasionally see him during our walks. His name is Marco, a 2 year old male grey with the same colorings as our Louie, not to mention the same friendly, "are-you-here-to-pet-me" attitude. It is always great to see rescued dogs and it feels great seeing another greyhound make it to a good home.

Hanna's paw ulcer resolved after almost 2 months of nursing it. We never had this issue in our old neighborhood making me suspect the tons of ash tree seeds scattered all over our sidewalks (they have a needle-like pointy tip). But husband has figured out that maybe, just maybe, having 4 boots on Hanna will protect her very delicate paws from getting cuts (that turn into nasty ulcers) again. She is very patient when we are putting all four booties on but it is such a production....

It is Louie's turn now to nurse an abrasion that is actually almost non-existent if it weren't for his constant (almost obsessive)licking. I have to duct tape a sock/fabric over the vetwrap so he wouldn't lick it raw.

Tip for cleaning paw wounds: povidone-iodine wash. This was what our vet advised us to do when Hanna first got her paw ulcer. Some povidone-iodine plus warm water just enough to make a tea-colored solution and just enough to immerse the paw in--done for 15 minutes 3X a day.

Hanna's Paw Ulcer (The Continuing Saga)

2011-12-16T13:32:00.004-05:00

Yep, it is back. On the other paw. I kept beating myself why I didn't buy 2 more Thera-Paw booties instead of additional one only. My theory is that since greys are very thin-skinned, Hanna is a typical example, and with all the ash tree seeds with pointy ends (more like needle-like) everywhere, her paw got scratched, got licked and wet and voila, got infected!

We are now on day 4 of having 4 booties on her. We are doing conservative management (conserve money of the owners, kidding, just keeping the wound clean, disinfected and dry) because the first 2 episodes in the other paw racked us up a hefty vet bill to the tune of more than 2K (vet fee, diagnostics, blood work and antibiotics). We love our critters but they get expensive.

So I am keeping my fingers crossed. Even our very experienced vet is puzzled by this. Last thing I want is another hole on my dog's skin (FNAB of lymph node).

Summer & Early Fall Flowers

2011-09-28T14:57:00.012-04:00

Our backyard is still a work in progress but husband & I enjoy seeing everything in good health and just going nuts with flowers.

Calendula-started out as a seed from my Seeds of Change packet.

Gaillarda-bought from the farmers' market around July in a 3 inch pot. This is one of our favorites because it has gotten bigger and has flowered abundantly since we added it to our flower bed.

Lobelia-tiny dark blue flowers that just kept going (planted around late spring)

Cosmos

Scarlet zinnia with cayenne pepper (the deer has decimated some of my zinnias and i'd like to enjoy at least some of them, the zinnias, I mean).

Purple coneflower

Bed Envy?

2011-07-21T11:35:00.005-04:00

That's Sebastian on one of the dog beds and

that's Hanna on the cat bed.

Spring & Summer Blooms

2011-07-20T18:22:00.009-04:00

This spring, we enjoyed the daffodils that we planted last fall. They were a gift from my dear MIL. The flowers were amazingly beautiful and some were so fragrant too. The grape hyacinths that we planted with them didn't do quite well though. Latter part of May, we had the rhodondendrons (3 big bushes) going nuts with light purple flowers, they were such a sight to behold. Summer came and we are now enjoying the dianthuses which suffered a minor setback early on because a rabbit ate more than 10 flower buds.

Then we planted some perennials under our Japanese maple tree, shastas,Japanese iris, feverfew, pentermon husker red, purple coneflower and hostas...

The shasta daisies that we started from seeds 2 years ago is loaded with flowers. And the moon flower (blooms open at night) also has lots of flower buds. The black-eyed susans that we planted last fall are also putting on a good show....

Blooms aplenty--just one of the beauties of summer.

The Catfather

2011-06-05T00:30:00.005-04:00

Dear husband & I thought that among our 4 furry family members, Hanna is the queen bee or the alpha. Two days ago, we were reminded that despite Hanna weighing 65 lbs. and Louie 76 lbs., the boss of them all is Ringo at 15 lbs, (yep, he lost a whopping 4 lbs last year!). I was giving the greys their dinner yesterday when I caught Ringo just devouring Hanna's food and Hanna looking up at me as if saying" Mom, uh, help, Ringo is eating my food!". I picked Ringo up, gave him some cat treats and let Hanna eat her meal- peacefully.

Scalibor

2011-06-05T00:19:00.005-04:00

As we move into the warmer months, we are back to our routine flea & tick preventive care--once a month Frontline Plus. Our vet though is skeptical about these one time application mode of protection, she even called it kinda like putting water on your dog. We never had any problems with these bugs while we were on Frontline.

And so we were introduced to Scalibor. It is an anti-tick & flea collar that works for 6 months and in the long run is cheaper than buying a 6 month supply of the other drug. Hey, we always love good products and savings!

One of our concerns was its safety to our cats. Our vet said that unless the cats lick the dogs' necks & collars, there shouldn't be any problem.

Update: It is now July, so far so good!

Hanna's Paw Situation

2011-03-07T22:17:00.005-05:00

Early this year, we had a recurrence of Hanna's toe problem. This time, we were on antibiotics for 8 weeks. Xrays didn't show any bone pathology, so that was good. Last time we did the wound discharge culture (E. coli) so we opted not to do it this time. Our vet suggested FNAB (fine needle aspiration biopsy) of the enlarged lymph node but we declined and decided to just finish the antibiotic course. It was a grueling & frustrating 3 months, not to mention expensive because in the middle of the antibiotic treatment, the toe got swollen twice! The last time it got swollen (with bloody discharge oozing out), I squeezed the open wound real well. I am thinking it is a foreign body that keeps causing the infection & inflammation. Anyway, by mid-March, the toe was dry and the node, much smaller. We are keeping our fingers crossed. The picture above was taken after the swelling & redness have subsided.

A Dog Owner's Best (Cleaning Tool) Friend

2010-12-07T22:42:00.002-05:00

This carpet spot/stain remover and Clorox wipes have been my dependable tools when cat or dog accidents happen.

Random Cuteness

2010-12-07T22:36:00.004-05:00

Winter Has Arrived

2010-12-03T13:46:00.002-05:00

and Hanna is loving it! Hanna is not in this picture, I haven't mastered the skill of holding 2 greys' leashes on one hand and a camera in the other while trying to catch Hanna's happy walk on the snow...

Synchronized Napping

2010-12-03T13:44:00.001-05:00

Tattered Tail

2010-12-03T13:27:00.007-05:00

A long skinny greyhound tail, a closing door, and an inattentive human just don't mix.

It has been more than 3 weeks since it happened and yesterday was the only time I could muster the courage to take pictures of the havoc I have caused on my pup's tail ;( The povidone iodine bath, daily wound care/dressing and the tail shaving demo I got from our vet helped.

I hope my pup has forgiven me....

Fall Colors

2010-11-10T14:31:00.003-05:00

A Classic Sign of a Greyhound Owner

2010-11-05T12:45:00.003-04:00

The couch is not primarily for the human's use. We either sit on the rug, on another chair or elsewhere or share the couch with 2 sleepy couch potatoes.

Our Duty & Right to Vote

2010-11-05T12:41:00.002-04:00

2010-10-26T23:14:00.002-04:00

Trees take years to grow so it is always such a pity when I see a big and majestic tree go down. We have this really tall and healthy oak tree in our yard (the tree in the background) which was cut down last week to give way to the installation of water drainage pipes. I don't mind having tons of leaves to rake during the fall, I just want my trees. But I guess it's that or our yard will be flooded come spring.

Well, I guess another advantage of having that tree cut down is having more sunshine in our yard--our bonsai trees will be very happy.

Bastian's favorite perch

2010-10-26T23:07:00.002-04:00

It wasn't his birthday (since he & Rings were rescued, we don't really know their exact bdays) but he decided to sit on my chair just as I was preparing a brownie. I just think he is so cute.

Nasty Toe Situation

2010-10-15T08:02:00.002-04:00

A week ago, I suddenly noticed Hanna's toe (rear paw, right) looking like it was going to burst--it was shiny red and three times as big. I didn't hear her cry (if she stepped on something sharp or injured it while running/playing) or seen her limp. No visible signs of trauma or foreign body. It was just like she grew a big vine tomato on her toe (tomatoe!)... It didn't help that it was raining the whole week (the Pawz rubber bootie kept getting punctured). I was thinking infection so I nursed (povidone-iodine and topical antibiotic) it and kept it dry (those Wegman's medicine plastics proved to be very useful!). Fearing that it would get worse, we brought her to the vet 3 days later. Vet was stumped. She'd never seen anything like it in her decades of practice. At this point, there appeared to be a slight oozing from a small cut at the base of the toe. The vet also considered osteomyelitis. CBC was normal. Wound discharge culture was done. Hanna was started on Baytril and an anti-inflammatory. We did Betadine baths (soaking paw in Betadine & water solution) for 15 minutes 3 times a day. Hanna was such a trooper, just very patient.

Fast forward to 3rd day of antibiotic, + slight decrease in toe swelling. On 4th day on oral antibiotics-there was marked decrease in swelling and redness. On our check-up, we learned that the wound culture grew E. coli ( must be from the sidewalks where we walked on). The toe continued improving but our vet placed us on 4 weeks of Baytril just to make sure.

It helped that Hanna loved peanut butter so giving her the meds was so easy.

Lesson learned: inspect paws daily for cuts/bruises.

Carlashes

2010-09-08T13:44:00.003-04:00

Saw this amusing Carlashes product in Jeanne Moos's CNN segment. It is hilarious especially if you imagine seeing a pair in one of those muscle cars, Hummers or trucks. It would really look adorable on a mini-cooper, I must say. Seriously, it's like putting a pink flamingo in the front yard, but then again, it's just me....I could just hear hubby say, "ah, NO!"....but hey, to each his own, different strokes for different folks.

Adopt a Penguin

2010-09-06T23:16:00.002-04:00

As a birthday gift to our nephew ( a future marine biologist!), we gave him an Adopt A Penguin gift last January. For $49, our nephew had the privilege to name a (his adopted) penguin, he also got a book about this majestic birds and updates on its progress from being a chick to being a juvenile. The updates are very detailed and sometimes make us want to adopt them all . It is a great gift idea, very educational, and it made us more aware of the plight of these birds and what we could do and shouldn't do to ensure the perpetuation of species. Suffice it to say, our nephew's adoptee is coming back to its colony next month (to lay eggs) so we are looking forward to more updates (yes, the gift-givers get copies of the updates too).

http://www.seabirds.org/adopt.htm

Good Purchase

2010-09-04T17:37:00.006-04:00

Got 2 of these beds (the round blue beds-for smaller dogs) for 9 bucks each from a local store-not for our greys but for our 2 male cats so we can reclaim our favorite Stickley chairs. These are cheap dog beds but very well- built and easy to wash too. And most importantly, the critters obviously love 'em.

Rescued (Texas) Greys

2010-08-17T12:59:00.007-04:00

These are the links to the websites (of 2 Texas greyhound organizations) about the rescued greyhounds in Texas and the updates about each one of them. These dogs have been badly abused (the pictures will only tell half of their tales) and yet there is no meanness in them just those lonely look in their eyes. I just can't fathom how people who are supposed to be the most intelligent (obviously, also could be the most heartless) beings on earth can torture innocent and helpless creatures like these greys.

http://www.greyhoundsunlimited.org/adopting/SpecialNeeds.shtml#fwacc
http://www.greyhoundadoptiontx.org/help/FWACcase.shtml

Bright side is, they have been rescued and will be on their way to healing, not just their physical wounds, but the trauma that they endured all these years.

I found a picture of our greys taken last winter, all tucked in on their respective beds, and enjoying a much needed (yeah, right! from sleeping all day) sleep. I don't think I spoil them (hey, they don't have body fat, I don't want them getting cold at night hence the blankies ;). Hubby thinks I do. I just love them and give them the respect and care they deserve.

Furball

2010-08-13T10:17:00.003-04:00

Amazing how our greys can curl up into a tight ball-given that they are all legs.

Update on Ringo's rodent ulcer

2010-08-07T21:52:00.004-04:00

Husband & I are relieved that the ulcer is now very small and not as pink and noticeable, almost two and a half months since it first appeared. Ringo is back to his usual self--very social and loving and very food-motivated. We are thankful that our vet is quite knowledgeable about this (hence saving us the pain of going through more treatments). The clearing of Ringo's dental infection (which caused urinary infection and lip ulcer) and lots of tummy rubs probably helped...he is not in pain anymore but he still won't let me take pics of his lips upclose. Here he is waiting for me to pay attention to him.

Cruel

2010-07-20T11:33:00.000-04:00

Got this link from the Greyhound group of CNY mailing list.

http://www.greyhoundsunlimited.org/adopting/SpecialNeeds.shtml#fwacc

The people who did this to these dogs are just cruel and heartless.

Sebastian moments

2010-07-17T21:27:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I wonder what Sebastian thinks when he takes over the dog beds or when he decides to play with a sleeping dog's tail. Don't worry, I intervened (picked up the cat) before any tail got injured.

Cool Video (2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition)

2010-07-13T18:44:00.003-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDHALrvp2CI

This nicely done video is a testament that American bonsai are world-class.

Unplugged, sort of...

2010-07-12T12:30:00.005-04:00

Last year, husband and I decided we didn't need a TV. Difficult at first (especially during the Superbowl) but we managed. It's now almost 1 year and 4 months. If we can choose cable subscription instead of paying for channels that we don't intend to waste our time on, we'd probably still have a TV/cable subscription. It saved us the pain of being exposed to mind-pickling shows that dominate the airwaves, I'd rather spend my time staring at this

Rodent Ulcer

2010-07-08T17:01:00.000-04:00

Way back in May, Ringo had his check-up, dental and quite a long antibiotic treatment. On our 3rd week of antibiotic treatment, I noticed a round ulcer on Ringo's upper lip which I later found out to be a "rodent ulcer" because it looks like a rodent just bit the cat's lip off. Being a worry-wart, we brought Ring to our vet and confirmed that it is a rodent or eosinophilic ulcer. Nothing to worry about, it is autoimmune, and just watch/observe. For widespread cases, steroids are given.

Fast forward to today, the ulcer is much smaller in size. Ringo's case may be due to the infected tooth on that side where the ulcer is also located.

http://www.petcaregt.com/catcare/catrodentulcer.html

Love this Website

2010-06-20T17:36:00.001-04:00

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/about-the-dogs/

it just cracks me up.

What NOT to do with dog stuff toys

2010-06-19T21:36:00.004-04:00

This is Hanna's favorite migrator mallard toy. It was getting yucky with all the drool so I washed it one day and shoved it in the dryer--big mistake. The fake fur got "burnt" and curled up.

So for Hanna's 5th bday, we got her a pheasant migrator toy. And yes, I am not drying it on HIGH again when I wash it.

A Success!

2010-06-19T21:24:00.002-04:00

The National Bonsai Exhibition was a huge success! Over 200 plus beautiful bonsai trees from as far as Oregon came. There was a ficus as big as me (yup, in a pot!) and a dwarf jade with amazing ramifications. My favorites are always the shohin and those are really amazing. It was a lot of work but was well worth it. And the icing on the cake was hubby's pine tree winning the Best Classical Bonsai category. This picture of husby's pine was taken May 2010 during the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York show (sorry, no taking pictures allowed during the exhibit).

Yup, I am mighty proud of my husby!

All roads lead to Rochester, NY (bonsai-wise) June 11-13

2010-06-04T13:19:00.005-04:00

It will be the 2nd National Bonsai Exhibition next week in Rochester, NY. There will be lots of world-class bonsai coming from all over the country. This just shows that there are excellent artists and bonsai here in the US.

This is my mame (it is just 3 inches tall) bonsai, it is still a work in progress and not even close to the grand beauty of our teacher's (the world renowned William Valavanis) bonsai (or my husband's ;) but hey, I love it and it is so cute!

On the critter side, greypups are both doing well but with the warmer weather comes Hanna's discomfort in walking too long. Must be the black coat. I heard the same is true with another black greyhound in our neighborhood. Louie, on the other hand, loves the longer walks (more time to check his pee-mails (as my dear SIL puts it)). The pups are getting lots of compliments everyday.

Husband came up with the idea of retraining our dogs when it comes to their diet (I add canned food or cooked ground meat with the kibbles). It is always such a big production during feeding time. Suffice it to say that our system now is simpler, cheaper, and healthier. It took several days to "retrain" the pups and I almost gave up seeing that they were not eating initially. But husband was very supportive and firm. We are currently giving them Missing Link as recommended by a friend. Seems to be working well on the pups. I don't have to give them the Lipiderm for the skin & coat and they look healthier.

Dental Health

2010-04-06T10:57:00.004-04:00

We brought Ringo, our 13 y/o cat, to the vet last Thursday for his senior medical and dental cleaning. We weren't expecting that we will be leaving him for the night (he put up a fight even before the vet could examine him so vet decided that he had to be sedated to be fully examined) and we'd have a huge vet bill later on.

Ringo has lost so much weight in a span of 2-3 months(13.5 lbs at the vet from 19 or so lbs). We thought the light kibbles are working-he is losing weight and now he can clean himself thoroughly without rolling over. But another concern was diabetes (drinks a lot, pees a lot, eats ok but losing weight). Aside from the weight loss (he used to be 19.5 lbs), he was his usual active and Mr.Charming self. In retrospect, hubby & I felt so bad because Ringo may have been hurting all this time.....

Three extractions and several blood tests later and a thousand dollar vet bill, we got back our cat. He had an infected canine which probably caused the UTI, but aside from that, he is perfectly healthy. He will be on Clavamox twice daily for 4 weeks. Husband came up with a great strategy in giving Ringo his meds. We drape a thick towel across hubby's chest then he holds Ringo close to him. Fuss-free and all meds are where they should be(in his throat), most of the time.

He is recovering /eating pretty well. And has gained 0.9 lbs. Our vet wants him to be at 15 lbs max only.

Stairs

2010-03-29T20:42:00.001-04:00

We got Louie straight from the kennel in Florida so one issue we were ready to deal with was teaching him how to climb the stairs. His first day with us was a challenge, everything was new and the stairs were too much for him so husband carried him up and down the stairs. The following day, with Hanna's help, he mastered (and conquered!)the stairs. We laid down treats on a few steps. Hanna was hovering around (as if telling/showing Louie, this is how it's done) and I was pushing/lifting him from behind (as taught by husband). It helped that our stairs are carpeted (some greys freak out when walking on hardwood floors).

Anyway, I just remembered this while reading this grey manual (the link was from our greyhound e-group):

http://www.bayareagreyhounds.org/pdf/greyhoundcaremanual.pdf

Cats & UTI

2010-03-20T21:46:00.005-04:00

Our dear friends' cat just had urinary tract surgery. I didn't get the exact details (the cat's urethra was shortened, he couldn't pee well) anyway, the vet apparently was attributing this to the ash content of the cat food. So I "googled" ash content in cat food:

http://cat-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/ash_content_in_cat_

And here's an article about how to encourage cats to drink more:

http://cat-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_get_your_cat_to_drink_more_water

Thankfully, our 2 senior cats (12sh) seem to have healthy urinary tracts (I need to change litterbox every 2 days or so, aside from daily scooping). I have their eating area in the basement so Hanna won't be tempted to feast on the cats' kibbles and leftover canned food. I can't really monitor their "drinking habits" with this set-up though. When we got the pups, the cats started drinking from the dogs' waterbowls. I now know that both cats, based on watching them, love their water, esp. if it's fresh (have to change it twice a day)and in the clean aluminum bowls. Sometimes, Ringo will drink and come up to us with his water beard....

Good to Know (medical) Facts About Greys

2010-03-09T10:45:00.003-05:00

Husband found this greyhound rescue group's website

http://www.goinghomegreyhounds.org/

At the bottom of their homepage is an article /handout about medical idiosyncracies in greys. It is a comprehensive listing & explanation of the common (& actually, must know medical facts) health issues among greys. It would have saved us grief when Louie (for a brief period of time) had some incontinence and had to be on some drug that made him lose appetite and when Hanna had bilateral front paw corns.

Here's the link,

http://www.greyhoundadoptionofoh.org/Greyhound_Health_Packet_08.pdf

Health Benefits of Having Pets

2010-02-10T12:00:00.002-05:00

Husband & I once had to answer a question from a neighbor, "You feed and take care of the dog but your grey won't fetch slippers or play ball, so what does the dog do for you?"

Having pets have proven health & emotional benefits. The following is from the CDC website:

Most households in the United States have at least one pet. Why do people have pets? There are many reasons. Some of the health benefits of pets are listed below.

Pets can decrease your:

Blood pressure
Cholesterol levels
Triglyceride levels
Feelings of loneliness

Pets can increase your:

Opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities
Opportunities for socialization

_________

When husband & I adopted 2 retired greyhounds, we didn't expect them to fetch our slippers/newspaper, play ball with us for hours, be mean to trespassers, etc.yada, yada...Based on our good experience with our 2 adopted cats, pet ownership is just so much more than your pets being able to do tricks for you (Sebastian has learned how to roll over, though and Louie can now sit, ;). But before we got our 2 dogs, I barely knew our neighbors, now, we know almost everyone in our block. Whenever husband has a bad day at work, the pups & cats will be all over him when he comes home, whether he likes the loving or not, it will be given to him in the form of licks, headbutts, purrs and furballs on his lap. When I am walking with our pups, people not familiar with the greyhound breed tend to avoid us (they don't know, our pups will just lick them a lot). We get more walking exercise and Vitamin D (if the sun ever shows up here in upstate NY). I can go on and on about the benefits, there's just too many to enumerate.

Closing Greyhound Racetracks

2010-02-07T11:32:00.000-05:00

There will be tons of greyhounds that will be available for adoption when these racetracks close. Hanna raced at Dairyland (in Kenosha, Wisconsin) and won one race (the difference between a winner and a non-winner is just a hundredths of a second or a full second). We are glad though that she retired early (because of a leg injury). Louie is from Florida and raced three times then retired. He was skin and bones when we got him straight from the track. We're glad that he was retired early too, otherwise, we won't have such good pups.

Greyhounds are very smart, very clean, very affectionate and quiet dogs. If we have the resources, we will open our home to more pups so they too, can have a happy and loving family.

http://bhsdogblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/ma-greyhound-tracks-closing/

http://www.dairylandgreyhoundpark.com/adoption.asp

Great disposable boots

2010-02-06T14:15:00.003-05:00

I just reordered these PAWZ rubber (biodegradable & disposable) booties for our greys. I got large for Hanna & extra large for Louie. Whenever they have a cut or wound within the paw area, these booties are very helpful in keeping the wounds clean & dry. They look like balloons but they are made of thicker rubber and what's really amazing is they stay on. Yes, they will get punctured after several uses but I still think they are worth the price. If I remember right, I got the large ones for around $14 (12 booties in a box) and the extra large at around $16 (12 booties in a box). They are good to have at hand esp. for nursing paw wounds.

Thin-skinned

2010-01-19T13:14:00.004-05:00

With their long legs and sleek built, greyhounds are very graceful and regal-looking . They are really awesome to watch when they are running in an enclosed area. I am just amazed at the speed and the power...

But imagine a tripping 75 lb slightly gangly, highly excitable and clumsy grey with 4 long legs (that seem to have a mind of their own)--can be funny if the involved grey didn't get hurt and catastrophic if some sharp object or body part is involved--because greys have very thin skin and almost no body fat. We brought the pups with us 2 Sundays ago to visit family. As hubby and I left the pups with their grandps to meet up with our Pop, we got a phone call informing us that Louie got out to greet our newly arrived relatives, skidded the icy pavement that turned into a gravel path and sustained more than 4 cuts in his extremities. Good news was, we weren't there to witness all these, so I avoided a major freak out. Another good news: Louie, despite being off-leash and outside the house, DID NOT escape at all(greys are notorious for fleeing, despite all established bonds, I think it is the sight hound in them). Bad news was his deepest wound was in his front paw, dime-sized and there's even that glistening tell-tale sign of a digit's tendon. The dilema is to have it sutured or not. I learned from Hanna's surgery (Fall 09)that sutures in greys don't last long (they rip up the skin and therefore defeats the purpose of having sutures anyway). So for the past week we have been nursing Louie's wounds and I must say, we are doing well. There is granulation tissue growing and almost closing the wound and no sign of infection at all. What we did was, nightly cleaning with povidone-iodine (Louie can't stand hydrogen peroxide) then topical antibiotic then covered with gauze and vetwrap. Then Louie is muzzled (works better than the lampshade collar) to prevent him from licking his wound. Can't sing enough praises for our plastic muzzle, vetwrap and topical antibiotic. Oh, and we kept his wound dry by wearing a bootie on one and a rubber disposable bootie (Pawz) on the other when we walk outside.

This is a picture of Louie's wound after 3 1/2 weeks of daily wound care.

Hanna

2010-01-17T22:02:00.004-05:00

Both red chairs (all 4 critters' favorite) were occupied so Hanna decided to take the blue cat bed...

Happy New Year!

2010-01-07T18:35:00.002-05:00

Husband & I spent our 3rd Christmas with our family in Denver. Our nieces & nephews are now mostly taller than me (their human growth chart, since my height is easier to catch up with than my husband's 6'8"). Then we went to Copper Mountain for some quality skiing. Husband & I have now polished our turns, we even ventured out to the top of the mountain where one could really feel how beautiful mother (or father) nature is when taken cared of (left alone or not trashed/destroyed). It was a great vacation which we hope to repeat Christmas 2010!

Wishing you all a healthy, prosperous & peaceful 2010!

Ringo & The Leather Couch

2009-12-14T23:23:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-13T21:52:00.004-05:00

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

2009-12-13T21:30:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-17T20:37:00.006-05:00

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!

2009-11-13T21:49:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-09T20:24:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-04T18:00:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-04T17:50:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-27T13:10:00.002-04:00

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

Fall Colors

2009-10-26T09:50:00.001-04:00

Gorgeous!

Our Corn Therapy

2009-10-22T11:20:00.004-04:00

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

2009-10-02T11:07:00.002-04:00

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...

****

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.

****

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

2009-09-29T14:11:00.005-04:00

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

2009-09-24T13:29:00.006-04:00

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

2009-09-24T12:57:00.000-04:00

the cat takes over their beds....

Bonsai Galore

2009-09-17T13:52:00.010-04:00

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

2009-09-16T11:19:00.002-04:00

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

2009-09-16T10:47:00.004-04:00

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

2009-09-04T20:04:00.004-04:00

Natural Cat Toy/Teaser

2009-09-02T22:49:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-02T22:39:00.003-04:00

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 ;(

2009-08-28T10:15:00.002-04:00

is the main suspect for this

Amusing Critters

2009-08-24T10:09:00.005-04:00

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

2009-08-01T10:38:00.002-04:00

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

2009-07-26T09:59:00.002-04:00

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

2009-07-25T13:44:00.003-04:00

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

2009-07-25T13:34:00.003-04:00

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

2009-07-25T13:19:00.005-04:00

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

2009-07-24T11:32:00.004-04:00

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.

More Montana Pics

2009-07-23T08:23:00.008-04:00

Amazing beauty. I wish we were able to bring the pups with us. Would have been nice seeing their reactions to the water. Hanna loves being cool (hates heat) so she would have loved wading or swimming with Bella in those cool waters. Louie, I don't know. He just stands still when I give him his bath in the tub.

Montana 09

2009-07-13T11:49:00.007-04:00

Husband & I visited my SIL and her family in their summer place in Montana 3 weeks ago. Gorgeous sceneries. Amazingly, the water at Flatheads Lake is also so clear. I hope the locals can maintain it so future generations can enjoy nature at her best....

2 cats & a robin

2009-07-13T11:43:00.002-04:00

Shot taken a couple of weeks ago. Ringo & Sebastian were both intently watching a male robin perched on our courtyard fence. The robin was chirping and making tons of noise. The cats were probably thinking, "robin stew, robin sushi, robin french..."

Lyme Vaccine

2009-06-25T10:56:00.003-04:00

Just got a reminder card from our vet recommending Lyme vaccination for our greys because the clinic is seeing an extremely high number of ticks in our area. Since our greys didn't have any history of this vaccination, we made an appointment for next week. Hanna had a lyme titer done last spring which turned out negative. Meanwhile, we also make sure they both have their monthly Frontline Plus.

http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/lyme.html

Bye, bye clams

2009-06-21T09:21:00.003-04:00

This is our T. derasa clam. We got it 5 years ago for our 120 gallon tank, knowing that it can grow really big. It was initially just 4-5 inches wide when we got it. When we pulled it out of the tank yesterday, it was probably 10-11 inches wide. Gorgeous clam, very hardy too. We are slowly selling most of the corals, can't really bring them with us when we move. So yesterday was goodbye to our derasa and 2 smaller clams, an open brain, merulina, nepthia, and star polyps mat. Sam, our very territorial clownfish, put up a fight while husby was taking the corals & clams.

We sold all of them back to our reef stuff dealer, The Reef Shoppe. They have been very good in guiding us into this wonderful reef keeping adventure.

Shown here is our derasa clam and our sea cucumber (grew from 3 inches to 7 inches) at its base. The people at the reef shop were wowed by this duo yesterday...we were too, for the last 5 years :(

Motion Sickness

2009-06-20T10:21:00.003-04:00

While Hanna loves hopping into our car & going for a drive (be it to her vet), Louie just can't tolerate driving that well. Be it a long drive or a short drive, he gets woozy/drooly and just vomits. Not a pretty sight (or smell). So we were advised by our vet to give him Meclizine (the generic name for an antihistamine with anti-emetic/vomiting mechanism) 2 hours before we go...yes, things we do for our beloved furkids...

More cuteness

2009-06-16T11:34:00.004-04:00

Feeling Better

2009-06-01T12:38:00.003-04:00

Hanna is walking better, with less limp and discomfort. We haven't ordered the Therapaw bootie yet. I guess the "dremelling & hulling" done by our vet helped a lot. The vet didn't remove much from Hanna's corn but it made such a big difference. It's good to see her so "painless" again.

Paw Issue

2009-05-29T12:25:00.004-04:00

One February afternoon, as Hanna was doing her "zoomies" (running around) in our living room (oh yes, they were allowed to do that once in a while, not too often to prevent injuries (both to our dogs & furnitures, hehe), and I was busy in the kitchen, she suddenly let out the infamous greyhound's "cry of death". It is just a very shrill yelp which translates to "I just hurt something, mom". I rushed over and saw her lifting her left paw. No blood, no visible deformation or bruise so I thought she just sprained something and it will go away in a week or so. A week and then a month passed, the limp was still there, we weren't too concerned because her appetite was good, no weight loss, no enlarged lymph nodes, no visible ulcer, she still jumps and plays, just that pesky limp that won't go away. Fastforward: vet did xrays, lyme titer and blood chemistry & CBC--all clear so we went home on Deramaxx.. She didn't think the corns are bad enough to cause the limping. Fastforward to 2 months later: no improvement, I did manage to remove a small metal splinter from that paw. Concern now is if there's ongoing infection /abscess formation in the splinter site. I have been nursing it with hydrogen peroxide & topical antibiotic every night. It looked good /dried up in the outside but Hanna is still limping so yesterday we sought a second opinion from another greyhound-savvy vet. Diagnosis: Lameness due to corn, left paw. If there is a grading for corn, it should just be a grade 1--not too thick nor deep enough to cause that much discomfort. Vet tried to "dremel" the corn a little bit. Then she prescribed Durham's Wonder Salve. This corn treatment is apparently the buzz in our new vet's "hulling" group. We thought we'd give it a try and then there's the special boots TheraPaw. I will be updating you on this. Meanwhile, here's a good article on corns:

http://www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/corns.htm

Maybe our Hanna has a very low pain threshold, or a diva with a low pain threshold.. ;)

Ikebana

2009-05-26T21:54:00.008-04:00

A friend invited me to the local ikebana (Japanese art of floral arrangement) club's meeting last week. They had a speaker from out-of-town who came in and did some demos. These were some of the arrangements. I usually just enjoy my fresh flowers in a glass vase so seeing such creativity (using maple branches, twigs, hostas) is really amazing.

Crocuses

2009-05-26T21:51:00.001-04:00

...one of the many reasons why I love spring! Got these from Americanmeadows.com last year. They were so pretty and dainty.

Sitting Situation

2009-05-26T21:43:00.003-04:00

This is what happens when you have 2 cats and 2 dogs. Not pictured here is Louie hogging the big couch. Where do the humans end up sitting? On the carpet.

Remembering Tabora

2009-05-14T09:47:00.004-04:00

Tabora, our friends' 5 y/o brindle greyhound, would have turned 6 last May 9th. She was the friendliest, easiest to take care of, & smart girl I have ever met. She was bullied by other greys/dogs (from the strories that her adoptive mom told us) before she was adopted. Before husband & I got our own greys, we always looked forward to seeing her with her owners/parents/people, during one of their walks. She would always pull her owners towards our house/direction and give us lots of doggie attention. Not long after, we got our own versions of Tabora--our very own greys.

She had a good life with her people until she got sick. Vets thought she had some cervical (neck bone) problem. Lots of tests done-even exploratory laparotomy was done , nothing. Vets couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. Definitely not cancer so she was treated as a case of immune-related disease. We were optimistic she'd pull through. But she had a relapse early October 08. Her vet couldn't even determine if all these painful treatments would cure her so a painful decision was made by her parents. Tabora passed away October 18th....

Her parents consented to an autopsy and the result was vasculitis (initial symptoms she had: loss of appetite, nape pain, enlarging lymph nodes, loss of weight, enlarging spleen & fever) , inflammation of her blood vessels. She was being treated correctly based on the working diagnosis, she just got too weak and since it was so rare in greys , even her vets could not assure a good prognosis. The doctors at Cornell are optimistic that Tabora's case can help them treat dogs with similar presentation in the future.

Not sure if it is related, but incidentally, she was on Nutro.

Busy

2009-04-23T09:51:00.002-04:00

week so far.

Hanna used to be on Nutro dog food when we first got her but we shifted her to Eagle Pack because her poops were always very soft on Nutro.

Our friends' grey who passed away last year was on Nutro.

And recently, there's this headline, "FDA Confirms Probe of NUTRO Pet Food Deaths, Illnesses" ........http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/04/nutro_foia.html

Still under investigation. Just glad we are now on a different brand food -gives us peace of mind and healthy pups & kitties.

Hanna's brother has been adopted!

2009-04-02T21:16:00.001-04:00

(Jamaica at the kennel, Fall 08)

Jamaica, our Hanna's littermate who looks just like her, was adopted Feb 09. Husband & I were thinking of sending him some stuff (they are very well cared for in that MA kennel) so when we checked the kennel's website, we learned that he has been rehomed! Currently, there are 40 dogs for adoption (http://www.greyhound.org). But they were able to rehome several dogs this Feb-March period. Husband & I are very happy for sweet Jamaica.

(Louie & Hanna)

Walking a Deer

2009-03-31T11:33:00.003-04:00

We got Louie Feb 9 of 08. During my first walk with him sans husband & Hanna & a winter coat, a youngish man walking his yellow lab commented, "oh, I thought you're walking a deer.".....

Ok-ay...can Louie pass off as a deer? Maybe. Because not many are familiar with the greyhound (not the bus) as a dog breed, I can accept that. One grey owner wasn't as lucky, her grey was mistaken as a kangaroo by a 5 y/o and one grey mistaken as a daschund by a fully grown man.

Happy Weekend

2009-03-27T12:36:00.002-04:00

Amidst all our country's economic woes, here's to hoping & praying that our government's efforts lead us (the whole country & hopefully, the world) to better times.

Have a safe & healthy weekend!

It's SPRING!

2009-03-27T12:32:00.002-04:00

Dear hubby is happy now that spring is here. This means more sunshine, milder temps, and bonsai season! Our curly dwarfed quince is already in full bloom so we brought it in (from our garage) and placed it on our mantel. Beautiful little tree.

Smell & Hear no Evil

2009-03-27T12:17:00.004-04:00

Several friends and neigbors who have been to our house have commented on the absence of doggie smell, given that we have 2 big dogs (I don't use airfresheners--they are toxic to our health). Greyhounds don't have long fur and there's only one layer--not much dander or oil, so less smell. They also only go out (supervised & leashed) to do their business & exercise or go to the park or the vet, so less exposure to odor-causing entities. Sometimes, Hanna will have that freshly baked almond cookies smell, seriously! Different story though when they are gassy, THAT can really clear out a room!

A neighbor also mentioned that he never heard our dogs bark (which can really be annoying for some people, if you have a constantly yapping dog), another grey trait. Hanna & Louie had their share of barky moments (strangers, human & canine alike) but very rare.

So we are happy & proud that we don't smell and our neighbors are not bothered by our dogs.

The Sunshine Meetings

2009-03-27T12:11:00.004-04:00

These four have been meeting at the same spot, same time everyday for a couple of weeks now....maybe they are deliberating on giving me, their mom-staff-owner, a promotion or a raise ;)

Good Cat Food

2009-03-19T11:08:00.009-04:00

A couple of years ago, Ringo tipped the scales at 20 pounds. We feared bringing him to the vet for his check-up because we know we would get lectured at how obese our cat is... He was 9 at that time. He was really cute but it was difficult (not to laugh) watching him try to clean himself (because he couldn't reach his butt & everytime he tries, he just rolls over like a ball). Suffice it to say, I had some baby wipes ready, just in case... He LOVES food and there's nothing that he won't eat--he even loves begging for bread. Then we switched to this dry cat food. Even before the melamine-contaminated-petfood-from China-fiasco, husband & I have chosen to pay more for healthier pet food. Husband saw this from a farm's website, http://www.springfarmcares.org/ and we are very satisfied. A 9 pound bag costs around $25.49 but it lasts almost 2 1/2 months. We have two 11 y/o indoor cats. Though we give them wet food (1/4 portion of a 3 oz can--they don't really finish the whole can so instead of wasting it, I give them smaller portions) at breakfast (just so that they don't feel left-out that the dogs are having a big meal). Anyway, we are happy with this brand, cats look & act healthy (as verified by their vet), we have the peace of mind, and a bag goes a long way. And oh, Ringo is now in a much better shape at 18 pounds.

http://www.frrco.com/cat_formulas.php?PHPSESSID=aed4ea8b88a5bba54347e6bf05b97ef5

Healthy weight

2009-03-18T12:25:00.003-04:00

A while ago, I was whining about how Louie lost so much weight while he was in boarding kennel. I was just ashamed to be seen walking with him because he looked so malnourished (like I wasn't frying eggs for him & going out of my way to make his food more palatable to him). So after upbuilding him (good dry & wet food, rice, treats & lots of love), he has now packed on several pounds & he is looking much better. We were able to walk the other day without any winter coat & he just got lots of compliments from other people. I have also discontinued his phenylpropanolamine since he is not leaking urine anymore. He loses his appetite (big time) when he is on that drug. What's amazing with Louie is he loses weight fast and regains it slowly. Wish that works with humans too, ehem!

Poop Disposal System

2009-03-18T12:05:00.004-04:00

With 2 greys (palm-sized poops!), poop disposal is quite a concern. But I must say, our system is quite reliable and fool-proof. We purchase these biodegrable poop bags (made from cornstarch) and just pick -up & toss.

Our doggie bags used to come from petsuppliesdelivered.com but they have stopped carrying these biodegrable doggie bags. They switched to a different brand which is NOT biodegradable. So we tried Ebay.

It is warming up here in our area and together with the melting of ice on sidewalks, piles of dog poops left behind by irresponsible dog owners become visible. Yup, instead of crocuses & tulips or daffodils springing out from the ground, its piles of poop that you see. We live in a historic neighborhood (with a very strict homeowners' association) and I guess putting up reminders or dog bag stations (kinda like this onefrom an upscale Denver neighborhood) is more of an eyesore to them...Duh! Piles of poops VS dog bag stations? I guess you don't have to be a genius to know which is more of an eyesore.

Meet Hanna's sibling: Jamaica

2009-03-18T11:48:00.004-04:00

Husband took these pictures of Hanna's littermate (Jamaican Jerk, yes, I also wonder what goes on in the minds of those greyhound breeders when they name these dogs) when he went to Massachusetts last fall. Jamaica has the same personality as Hanna, quite reserved but playful later on. He enjoyed the box of treats that husband brought for him. He hasn't been adopted yet. Good thing he is in a no-kill shelter. Maybe someday, when we have a bigger yard and can actually manage to have 3 greys, we can adopt him. He looks just like Hanna except for the curved tail.

Home Improvements

2009-02-22T10:48:00.001-05:00

Busy with some home improvements. Greys, kitties, fish & hubby are all doing great! Pics to follow. Time flies so fast....