Adventures with Astrid: A Blurry Battle

Astrid met herself quite an adversary on one of her walks recently. It was on a day when I worked later than expected, and so the pup got her walk in the dark. That night, we were ambushed and challenged to a duel.

This kingly snowknight had already lost an arm by the time we met him. He also had some suspicious yellow spots on his snowy person, which is what Astrid targeted with her nose during the duel.

Turns out the opponent didn't have much left in him, what with missing an arm and having already been humiliated by previous opponents. So, Astrid called it a draw and proceeded on her walk. I do wish we had found that fellow in the daylight, or that I had at least managed to snap non-blurry shots. Even so, at least we have the above evidence of the blurry battle.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Our series of winter safety tips has already covered wiping off those paws when they've been in contact with snow, ice, ice melts, and so forth. Today's tip relates to all of that, and is to regularly check your furbaby's cute little toes. It is of course important to always ensure that your furbaby and his or her paws are free or injury, but this is something that is especially important in the winter. The cold and dry air, as well as the cold ground that might be covered in snow, ice, ice melts, and other substrate in the winter, can potentially lead to dry, cracked, bleeding, and overall uncomfortable paw pads. This is why it is important for you to regularly check your pup or kitty's paws in the winter, and of course year round. Be especially vigilant of the condition of paws that frequently go outdoors.

If you do notice your furbaby's paw pads are dry, cracking, or bleeding, or if they are displaying any discomfort when walking, consider options for treating and combating paw pad dryness and discomfort. There are pet paw salves on the market that are intended to combat dryness and to protect paws pads that often go outdoors. In some cases, petroleum jelly might be deemed safe to wipe onto the paw pads before they head outdoors, but this is sometimes a debated option. More importantly, when it comes to the health, safety, and comfort of your furbaby and their paws, it is of course always recommended to discuss the matter with a veterinarian. A veterinarian can check for any damage to the paws, and can also best recommend treatment for or prevention of dryness, cracking, and other injury to the paw pads. So, do be observant of the state of your kitty or pup's paws, and seek veterinary care if you have any concerns.