Woof Woof Wednesday: A Gotcha Day and an A+

Hello, friends! First and foremost, on this Woof Woof Wednesday, Astrid would like you all to know that she was happy to celebrate her 12th gotcha day this past Sunday. We indeed brought her home on July 20, 2013, after she showed up in my uncle's yard and no one stepped forward to claim her. So, we were blessed with this sweet and sassy pup! To celebrate the occasion, I ordered some cookies from Astrid's favorite pet bakery.

After (sort of) patiently waiting for a few photos to be snapped, Astrid then made the executive decision to pick which cookies she ate first.

What's more, Astrid's exam and senior panel from last week all came back looking pretty darn good for a 12-year-old big pup like herself. Her arthritis and vestibular issues are staying steady. The arthritis is managed pretty well with a couple of pain meds for now. The vestibular issues make her a bit off balance sometimes, and they've led to a frequent right-sided head tilt (which you can see in the first photo above) as well as occasional strabismus of the right eye. But, Astrid's vet is overall happy with how she's handling all of that and is very pleased with how she's doing, as are we. I'd like to say Astrid earned herself an A+. (At least close to it. The pup is also a bit overweight at nearly 88 lbs, but pretend you didn't hear that from me.)

Some of the other issues Astrid was having a couple months ago, including difficulty swallowing, have improved vastly with some other medications. Luckily, Astrid happily takes her 9 doses of meds per day in peanut butter. She's one of the easiest furry babies to pill, because she'll take anything you stick in a spoonful of peanut butter.

I can't tell you the amount of relief I felt after speaking to Astrid's vet about her current status and bloodwork results. Except for one liver value that is often elevated in older dogs and has indeed been elevated for Astrid for a number of years now, Astrid's bloodwork looked phenomenal. Her organs all seem happy, and she seems happy, and so I'm happy.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

How about another old Christmas in July doodle. It's a bit of a random one, and I can't remember exactly what my thoughts were way back when I scribbled it up many years ago, but here it is nonetheless.

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Tip of the Day

When there's rain rather than shine, it can often make it difficult to take our pups or outdoor kitties outside. For those furbabies who might need to go outdoors, such as for a bathroom trip or a walk, you can try to find ways to keep them as dry as possible in the rain. Did you know that there are indeed products on the market specifically designed to help keep your pups or even kitties dry? For example, there are leashes available that have umbrellas attached to them, so that your furbaby can stay dry beneath the umbrella while on their leash in the rain. In addition, there are also rain ponchos available for pets. With such products, you of course have to ensure that you get a product that matches your furbaby's size, and also that the item doesn't scare or agitate your pup or kitty.

There are also, of course, other options for helping your furbabies stay dry when they go outdoors in the rain. You can try the simple trick of holding a typical umbrella over your furbaby. Another option is to have an area of your yard that stays dry, such as beneath some sort of canopy, where your furbaby can comfortably enjoy the outdoors even in the rain. For furbabies who might refuse to go outdoors in the rain, yet who are not litter box trained, you can also train them to use pee pads in the house if plausible or if in dire straits. So, there are a variety of ways to potentially help furbabies stay dry in the rain, which is especially crucial for those who go outdoors to use the restroom yet who also don't like getting wet. Simply take into consideration what methods might be most useful for your particular situation, and then try viable options until you find a solution that works best for your furbaby and yourself.