This, That, and the Other

Hello, friends!

So, this is going to be an unusual post. For anyone who doesn't have the time or desire to read all of my rambling, I'll go ahead and cut right to the chase right now and say that while I usually and prefer to post even a little something every day, this very post right here will be this week's Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday posts here on our blog. If you'd like a little explanation as to why, in the form of incessant rambling, feel free to read on.

As I've mentioned a couple of times lately, I'm having some technical difficulties. I think a tad bit of it is related to Blogger itself, such as when it comes to actually publishing posts at the scheduled time. I know that sometimes it's me forgetting to properly schedule a post, or me failing to get a post ready in time to schedule it, but sometimes I am absolutely certain I've scheduled a post, and yet then it just doesn't get posted. And then sometimes my scheduled posts publish on time without any hitches. I don't know what's going on there, but it's a thing. Then again, maybe my shoddy, shady computer is at fault. Speaking of which, my laptop is not doing well. It has a mind of its own, it sometimes works, it sometimes doesn't work, it sometimes shuts itself off without my consent and won't turn back on for hours, and you get the gist. I need a new computer, but I despise learning the ins and outs of a new computer, and so I'm being stubborn and trying to outlast this laptop's impending death, and that's just not going to happen. So, I need to invest in a new computer pretty darn soon.

On top of the technical difficulties, this week is simply a hectic one, both in terms of my personal life and work life. It's nothing all that significant or bad, it's just a lot. It's my sister's birthday this week, and I'm in charge of making the cake, and I'm also trying to finish for her a special piece of art. I'm also monitoring my special boy Evan even more than usual. Sometimes it's really hard to tell if he's having just a strange flare in his urinary incontinence, or if he has another UTI, which is common for cats with both paralysis and urinary incontinence. He was just at the vet last week with no issues noted, and except for a slight change in his level of incontinence, he's acting totally normal. Even so, he's got me a bit on edge, because isn't that the life of a worried cat mom? Then, as for work, well, it's work. We had an official snow day last week at my work place, which is incredibly rare. Due to the nature of the work we do at my job, that snow day, combined with the delays the snow caused with deliveries in our local area, has led to this week already being crazy, and that's just as I type this on a quick break three hours into Monday morning. You gotta love adulting.

I don't mean to complain. There's nothing majorly upsetting or detrimental going on in my life, and so I honestly have no right to complain. It's just busy and crazy, because such is life. And I guess venting really helps, and I consider you all my friends, and so you were the victims of my venting. Anyway. All of the above is to say that, as I mentioned above, this very post will cover Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday here on our blog. I enjoy and prefer to post every day, even if it's a quick little something, and the perfectionist in me doesn't really like skipping days. That said, I think taking even just two days off of blogging will just help me get past the busyness that is the first half of this week, and will give me some time to hopefully sort out some of the technical difficulties even just a little further. Perhaps my tech savvy sister can even find some updates for my laptop to see if that will give it a bit more life. Wishful thinking at its best.

Honestly, haven't I rambled enough already? Yeah, I have. So, let's bring on Evan, Tonks, and Astrid, our usual Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday stars. None of them wanted to fail to appear on our blog this week, and I don't blame them. When you're as cute as they are, you need to be seen.

First up is Evan, who loves watching the critters outside enjoy the food we throw out into the snow for them.

And Tonks is of course also enjoying a seat by the snowy window. She's of course still claiming Blanket Mountain, which I have yet to steal from her so that I can fold said blankets.

And, unsurprisingly, Astrid is enjoying the snowy scene outside from her favorite window. Well, she was enjoying the scene, before she fell asleep during her photo shoot.

And we won't leave you without a doodle. Our new bookish doodles will resume on Thursday, but for today, we'll stay cozy by the fire in this wintry scene.

We'll be back on Thursday for Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop and with a poem for Angel Sammy's Thoroughly Poetic Thursday challenge, alongside the poem's illustration. Actually, for reasons, that poem will have two illustrations to go with it, both of which I've had a lot of fun working on, but I digress. We'll also of course share the fill-in statements for this Friday's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge on Thursday, and so on and so forth. I think not posting even for just the next two days will give me the time, energy, and overall reset to finally get more on track again with the blogging that I find to be such a calming creative outlet. And I also plan on getting back on track with far more consistently commenting on all of your wonderful blogs. If you guys could only see the new daily schedule I'm creating for myself in my planner to ensure that all of my personal and creative endeavors are accounted for. I thrive on routine, and I've been off of my routine for a bit, which is probably why I'm such a mess. Okay, end of rambling.

Thank you all for being such amazing friends and for letting me ramble on and on! We'll see you Thursday!

***

Tip of the Day

Today's tip is going to be a long one, since it will contain what was supposed to be covered over a couple of days. You've been forewarned.

As part of our series of tips for National Pet Dental Health Month, let's discuss some of the symptoms to look out for related to dental disease. First up, of course, is halitosis, or bad breath. This can signify any number of issues, including an infected tooth or gum disease. Of course, bad breath can also come with certain diseases, such as oral cancer or even kidney disease. For these reasons and more, never ignore abnormally rank breath in your cat or dog. Moving on from bad breath, though, if your kitty or pup is suffering from certain dental issues, they may also of course have a decreased appetite, or seem pained or have difficulties when eating. In some dental cases, you also might notice blood or excess drool coming from their mouth. There is also the chance you might visibly notice broken teeth, loose teeth, discolored teeth, or even tartar buildup. Also don't forget that the teeth are in close proximity to and therefore often linked to the eyes and nasal cavity, and so discharge from either of these can also potentially signify an oral concern. All in all, if you smell, see, or in any way notice concerns relating to your furbaby's mouth, or any part of their body, do be sure to have them examined by a veterinarian. Dental health can even be linked to heart health and other systems of the body, so this is again one of those cases in which it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Now that we've discussed symptoms you might notice if your furbaby is suffering from any number of dental issues or diseases, let's discuss other important factors of maintaining your kitty or pup's dental health. We'll start with the obvious recommendation of, of course, taking your furbaby to be seen by a veterinarian if you notice any dental concerns. Your veterinarian can take a look in your cat or dog's mouth to get a basic idea of what might be going on. They might be able to see a broken tooth, an abscess or infected tooth, gingivitis or other gum disease, or masses growing within the mouth. Of course, a simple exam may not reveal everything, and when dental disease is noted or suspected, it might very well be recommended that the animal go under anesthesia for a more thorough dental exam, dental x-rays, dental cleaning, or extractions.

If a dental procedure is recommended, of course discuss the necessary details, options, and plans with the veterinarian. Make sure that both you and your veterinarian are on the same page. If your furbaby has other existing diseases, such as those of the kidney or heart and lungs, of course discuss with your veterinarian if or how it is best to safely proceed with a procedure.

If a dental procedure is scheduled, make sure that you understand all preparations for it. Give your kitty or pup any prescribed pre-op medications, such as antibiotics, if applicable. Just as we recently discussed in one of our spay/neuter tips, also be sure to pull your furbaby's food at 10 pm or so the night before the surgery, or whenever you are instructed to do so, in order to reduce the risk of aspiration while under anesthesia.

Also make sure you understand all post-op care. For example, give antibiotics, pain killers, or other medications as instructed. Some dental work, such as tooth extractions, requires that your furbaby go off of dry food and exclusively eat moist food for at least a couple or a few days after the procedure. Be sure that you understand if this is required, so that your furbaby can recover and heal as quickly and efficiently as possible. After dental work is performed, also make sure that you understand if your veterinarian recommends at-home care from then on out, such as brushing your cat or dog's teeth or applying certain oral medications on a regular basis to help prevent future concerns.