Catching you up on this and that is what Follow-up Friday is about:
The knees. (What Do Other People Do?) Still waiting for MRI. Don’t understand why it takes 2 weeks to get authorization, but it is a good thing that I am a patient person. I assume if I was bleeding out, they would just let rigor mortis set in. I have an appointment with Surgeon next week. Probably tore the meniscus, but with all the arthritis in my knees, this could be a long road back. But anyway, the dogs have decided that they need to protect my knees and immediately, upon returning home from my trip, had to find ways to both apply pressure to each one.
I am absolutely enforcing the ‘don’t run down the stairs before the human’ rule (which sometimes I am lax about). They must stay at the top of the stairs until my cane and my legs get down to the bottom, or I do let them go before I even start (I figure that is safer for all). Nine, the Mancat, has taken to throwing his full little body on the steps when I am coming up, and now he has also been added to the obstacles to be avoided.
Follow Up Friday is part of the blog hop hosted by Heart Like A Dog. Check out the other blog hoppers:
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Animal, animals, blog hop, dog, DogDaz, Follow Up Friday, Knee, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pet, pets, postaday, Sofie
When I got home from my trip, the family was very concerned about Sofie’s nose. They had all noticed that her black nose had slowly been turning pink. They worried that she was doing something to herself, like scraping off her skin (ouch!). Or that she was sick. I assured them it was nothing to worry about, but then I started to worry. Why does a dog’s nose turn from black to pink? Did she have a vitamin deficiency? Was there something wrong? I know that with age most of my animals had started to lose pigment in their noses, but she was only 2 years old. So, being the ‘research-everything’ person that I am, I of course ‘Googled’ the situation, and found some very interesting facts.
Black Nose
April
1. Some dogs loose pigment in their noses in the winter. (Which is what I think might be going on here.) They call this ‘snow nose’ or ‘winter nose.’ Who knew? Though it seems to be something that is more common to dogs like Labrador Retrieve, Golden, Bernese or Husky (Sofie being none of those that we know – well maybe Golden?), the seasonal variation is no cause for alarm and goes back to black in the warmer months. I guess we will have to see.
2. Age of course is another reason. There is an enzyme called Tyrosinase which produces pigment. As a dog ages the nasal plenum (that is a cool word, don’t you think?) might change from black to brown or pink, as less of the enzyme is produced. Interestingly enough, Tyrosinase is also sensitive to temperature. This may be why the fading of the ‘plenum’ in warmer months happens too.
Pink Nose
January
3. Dermatitis, especially from plastic bowls, has been found to temporarily cause this. Or a real trauma, like an abrasion. If allergies are the cause, the dogs gums will possibly be red or inflamed too.
4. There is an immune disease that can cause a pink nose, called Vitiligo. (That is the disease that Michael Jackson said he had that turned his skin from black to white. I wonder if Sofie can sing?) But if a dog has this, there would be white patches usually throughout its body and white hairs. This seems to be found in Doberman, German Shepard, Rottweiler, and Dachshund mostly. It appears to be a rare problem, but I was happy to know that it can be managed by nutritional supplements (if you’re worry about the color of your dog’s nose). I guess show dogs can be disqualified if their pigment is not exactly right – so this might help in those cases.
Any changes in our little furry charges is always a cause of concern, but luckily Sofie has to go to the vet soon for her Booster shots, so I will have Dr. Kate take a look. Otherwise I would just wait until spring to see if her nose turns back to black. If it stays pink I guess I will have to invest in some Doggie sunscreen (Is there such a thing?).
What color is your dog’s nose?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, Animal welfare, animals, cute dogs, Dachshund, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Michael Jackson, Pet, pets, Pigment, postaday, Rottweiler, Snow nose, Sofie, Tyrosinase, Vitiligo, winter nose
Louise, Sofie, and Mojo
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, animals, Blog, blog hop, BlogPaws, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, FAQs Help and Tutorials, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
The welcome that a dog gives you when you return from a trip, whether across the world or even just across town, is something so wonderful that I could not imagine life without it. Dogs make you feel like you are the most important being in the world. ‘Mom! Mom! You are home. We are so happy to see you! Happy! Happy! Yahoo! You’re here! We love you! Love Love Love Love Love.’ You get the idea.
Cats on the other hand sure seem to show great disdain. “I don’t really care that you have returned. You are a lowly human that chose to be out of my territory for a while, and now you are back, and you will have to regain my approval to be in my space and until I am ready to show you that you have been here a sufficient amount time, I will shun you!”
Oh, were you talking to me?
I’ve got to say that I think the dogs win this one.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Cat, Cat People, cats, dog, Dog People, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday
Tags: Animal, animals, bacon, cute dogs, dog, Dog People, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, Pugs
Wow, it is hard to stay away from the blog for a week. It makes me realize how addicted I am to the process of putting my thoughts down about the little furry ones and also reading all the fun things that people are saying and doing in their worlds. I must say that it was kind of freeing not to have to meet the deadline of a postaday (which I had been doing for 14 months), because, sometimes, I did find that to be stressful, and that is not what I want this experience to be.
I have been out of town on business all week so I have been crazy busy without blogging, but I have missed it. I wanted to tell you that life has changed here at the zoo a bit since I decided to take a week off. Not just because we are still trying to get used to the loss of Miss Constance Kitty and The Muffin Man, which we feel every day, but because, I badly injured my knee last Friday (final diagnosis yet to be known) and currently I can not walk the dogs (or myself for that matter). This has really complicated my life since I love to walk them. It is hard enough for them with my travel schedule, because no one walks them when I am out of town (mostly they go in the yard and then to day care twice a week), but now, even I can not walk them. I have 2 active puppies who love the time with me and also have the need for that type of exercise. I am worried because Louise usually waits and will not do her business until I take her for a walk. I have no idea how long before I can really walk far again and if I need surgery, ‘Oh Boy!’ that will really tie me down. Should I hire a dog walker? I know this is silly but I don’t really want to because I am jealous and want to be the one to be with them, but it needs to be about the dogs, not me.
What do other people who can’t walk do? Will the dogs get used to just being ‘yard dogs?’ Will they still love me? (I guess I am feeling a little low…) What a weird post to restart my year but it is going to be a little different for a while.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Constance Kitty, disability, dog, Dog People, Dog Walk, DogDaz, Dogs, Louise, Muffin Man, Pet, pets, postaday
Tags: Alaskan Malamute, Animal, animals, cute dogs, dog, dog sled, DogDaz, Dogs, funny dogs, marathon, Pet, pets, postaday
Tags: Alaskan Malamute, Animal, animals, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Graduation, Pet, pets, postaday
Tags: Animal, animals, cute dogs, dog, Dog People, DogDaz, Dogs, funny dogs, Pet, pets, postaday
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