A rare video that Peanut took while she was sitting with Stella. Stella is such a lovey dovey girl to humans, it is a shame she does not like other cats so that she can’t be out in the general population. I think she would really enjoy all the people.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, animals, Cat, Cat People, cats, caturday, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pets, postaday
Louise actually was hungry yesterday. That is such good news since she has been refusing food for weeks now due to pancreatitis. Maybe it was the yummy lean turkey, rice, pumpkin and mixed veggies that I made. Whatever it is, I am so glad that she is taking an interest in food. She actually was jumping up at me, which is her playful way when I am taking her bowl to the mat. Nothing can make a Parent happier (whether dog or human) than to see them eat after they have been sick.
She misses her kibble though. This mushy stuff goes down real quick. Should I try to go back to some commercial dry? And how do I make sure of all the supplements that I should put in my homemade stuff? I am no dog nutritionist and this is becoming a huge experiment (digestive enzymes, fish oil, vitamin E, coconut oil, B12, selenium, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and methionine to name just a few). For years, I have had the feeding of my 7 animals, with 8 different foods, down to a science, but this has now thrown me for a loop because it is going to be long term. Do I move all the dogs to the homemade diet once I figure out the complete mix?
Do you cook for your pup? How do you get the right stuff in the mix? Do you have multiple animals? Do they all eat the same thing?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Blog, blog hop, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, home made dog food, lorian lipton, pancreatitis, Pet, pets
Louise is down with a really bad bout of pancreatitis again. It started mysteriously a few weeks ago when she would occasionally refuse to eat in the morning. I asked the vet and he really didn’t think much of it. Then she went for her Rabies shot. The following week she was pretty sick. I am wondering if it could have exacerbated her condition? (Your thoughts?) He took lots of blood work, and thought maybe Addison’s disease (which I did not) and sent us home with a probiotic and Flagyl (an antibiotic). Blood work was negative (they check Cortisol levels).
She got worse. She vomited in her sleep Thursday (she never does that). But the next morning (Friday) Sofie vomited too, so I thought maybe they both had a bug. I made my usual sick dog food for her. But that night she vomited 6 times in her sleep. Every time a changed the bed, she went again. Ok, now I was very concerned. I rushed to the vet in the morning (Saturday) (but of course my usual vet was on holiday) so I saw this nice stand-in guy. He took more blood ($$$$). He gave us more Flagyl and an anti-nausea drug called Cerenia.
By Monday she was worse. She wouldn’t eat (which meant I could not give her pills) and was lethargic. When I called the Vet they said to take her to the Emergency Vet. Thank goodness for Veterinary Emergency Clinics, they are just such a wonderful addition to pet care. They took X-rays and did a sonogram and gave her a shot of that Cerenia drug since I could not give it to her orally. While I was at Emergency the stand-in vet called with her blood work and said her pancreatic enzymes were elevated (no kidding, like I didn’t know that already). The Emergency doctor said her sonogram looked ok but things looked ‘thick.’ He and I decided to stop the Flagyl (if it hadn’t worked already it wasn’t going to).
She appeared to perk up on Tuesday but on Wednesday evening she went down hill again. I made some special boiled turkey cutlets for her for Thanksgiving and that perked her up again. I was able to get a Cerenia down her and I think that helps. I also read that probiotics may actually not be good for animals with pancreatitis. So I stopped those too.
I have started making large batches of dog food (and I am thinking I may move her and maybe all of them to my own mix). Each day is touch and go. Somedays she’s ok, others she is not. I have her wrapped in a nice warm sweater all the time (it’s 20 degrees out). She does want to go for walks most days and then I put a coat on top of her sweater. I want to keep those organs warm. When she is not sleeping she is following me around and giving me that look that says “Please help me feel better, Mom.”
One day at a time.
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: blog hop, dog, dog health, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, funny dogs, lorian lipton, Mischief Monday, pancreatitis, Pet, pets, postaday
It is amazing to me how time flies when it comes to age. Sofie Bear turns 8 years old today. My silly girl has been on a roller coaster of emotional/health issues for most of her years, but underneath it all, she is still my silly fluff ball who loves to roll in leaves and chase squirrels.
Happy Birthday, Sofie Bear! We would not be DogDaz Zoo without you!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, Birthday, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, nature, pet blog
Noel suffers from chewing everything she shouldn’t, especially plastic. She chews napkins, tissues, and any plastic wrappers or bags that she can find. She really likes those plastic airbags that come in Amazon packages. We do our best to ensure she does not have access to things that she can swallow, but we don’t always know what she will start gnawing on next. I think they call this eating disorder PICA, a need to eat non-food things like dirt or paper. That would be our Noel.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, Cat, cat naps, Cat People, cats, caturday, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pets, pica
Today we are celebrating “Thanksgiving.”
It is a fun holiday full of food and smells and family.
I am busy making vegan pumpkin pie and marinating the tofurky and roasting all those wonderful winter root veggies.
Thanksgiving is a time when I look back at the people and things in my life and take stock of that for which I am most thankful.
I am thankful for 7 years of blogging this month, which has allowed me to meet YOU, my readers. I have met your families and your pets. You’ve shown me your life through pictures. You’ve read me your poems, and most of all, you have allowed me to experience your life through your blogs.
Thank you from the bottom of my DogDaz heart. – Lorian
The trio sleeping off a good holiday meal.
———————————————-
TIPS FOR FEEDING PETS AT THE HOLIDAYS
Many pets can get a little too much food today, as do the people. So, as you are getting ready to sit down to the dinner table, here are some tips from ASPCA experts for a fulfilling Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.
Talkin’ Turkey
If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it’s boneless and well-cooked. Don’t offer her raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria.
Sage Advice
Sage can make your Thanksgiving stuffing taste delish, but it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression to pets if eaten in large quantities. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils.
No Bread Dough
Don’t spoil your pet’s holiday by giving him raw bread dough. According to ASPCA experts, when raw bread dough is ingested, an animal’s body heat causes the dough to rise in his stomach. As it expands, the pet may experience vomiting, severe abdominal pain and bloating, which could become a life-threatening emergency, requiring surgery.
Don’t Let Them Eat Cake
If you’re baking up Thanksgiving cakes, be sure your pets keep their noses out of the batter, especially if it includes raw eggs—they could contain salmonella bacteria that may lead to food poisoning.
Too Much of a Good Thing
A few small boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie shouldn’t pose a problem. However, don’t allow your pets to overindulge, as they could wind up with a case of stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse—an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. In fact, it’s best to keep pets on their regular diets during the holidays.
A Feast Fit for a Kong
While the humans are chowing down, give your cat and dog their own little feast. Offer them Nylabones or made-for-pet chew bones. Or stuff their usual dinner—perhaps with a few added tidbits of turkey, vegetables (try sweet potato or green beans) and dribbles of gravy—inside a Kong toy. They’ll be happily occupied for a while, working hard to extract their dinner from the toy.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: dog, dog blog, DogDaz, Dogs, Feeding dogs, lorianlipton, Pet, pets, Thanksgiving
I really don’t know how those children and pet photographers do it!
Sit – Stay – Look at me!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Best Friends, Blog, blog hop, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pet photography, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
