Adventures with Astrid, an Elf, and the Letter C

Hello, friends! We're on the third day of the April A to Z Challenge, which means we've reached the letter C.

Our theme this year is All Things Cat, for which we're sharing doodles of items shaped like cats. And today, C stands for cup, or perhaps coffee or cocoa.

Believe it or not, I do not like and do not drink coffee. I know, that's more or less a crime. Even so, in this kitty cup, I'd like some hot cocoa. But that's just me, and that also might have a bit to do with the fact that's it barely even 30°F outside today.

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Now, are you ready for pup Astrid? In today's post, she brought along a squeaky, festive little friend.

That there is Astrid's Christmas elf squeaky toy. She loves him very much, which is why the other day she decided he needed to go on a walk with us.

As always happens when toys go on walks with us, I ended up carrying the elf home.

I tried putting the elf in my pocket, but not only did he make a squeaky racket in there, but Astrid also wanted to regularly check that I still had him. So I just carried a Christmas elf around the neighborhood in the middle of March.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Tip of the Day

As we've been saying over the past couple of days, April is Heartworm Awareness Month. This is why we are repeating a series of heartworm tips that we originally posted a couple months ago. The fourth tip in this series is below.

Yesterday we discussed some of the potential symptoms of heartworm disease. Today's tip is a simple one grounded in a bit of common sense. And that is, if your kitty or pup is showing signs of potential heartworm disease, or if you have any concern regarding the disease for any reason, of course schedule an appointment for your furbaby to be seen by their veterinarian as soon as possible. Furthermore, this is the time to discuss heartworm testing with your veterinarian, and of course to ask questions as needed to understand the process.

That being said, keep in mind that there is a relatively simple heartworm blood test for dogs. It is recommended that this testing be done at least annually, or as needed. On the other hand, testing for heartworms is not as easily done in cats. We will discuss this a bit further tomorrow, but typical blood tests for heartworms do not always offer as definitive results in cats as they do in dogs. In cats, a heartworm antigen or heartworm antibody test can be done. Another option is to have imaging done, such as chest x-rays. Though not always simple or easy, as long as you and your veterinarian work together, it is possible to determine if your kitty has heartworms. So, if you have any concern whatsoever that your kitty, or your pup, might be risk for heartworm disease, do not hesitate to schedule a vet visit for testing.