Evan's Squeaky Clean Mancat Monday

Today is Mancat Monday, for anyone who might have forgotten.

For the manly occasion, Evan decided to get himself squeaky clean for his audience.

My hind limb paralyzed boy has some very special looking baths, and I love it so much.

The above said, Evan doesn't mind the baths he gives himself, but he sure hates when I bathe him. That's too bad, though, because I bathe him at least once a day. With all of his urinary and intestinal issues mixed with his hind limb paralysis, we have to keep up with those baths no matter how much he hates them. Don't worry, though, he always gets cuddles and treats after his baths, which always brings back his purrs.

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

It's been almost exactly 2 years since Evan had an upper respiratory infection that involved some sneezes and head shakes that landed him with an ear hematoma. All things said and done, that hematoma left Evan's ear permanently disfigured. But, with the help of a specific ear cleaner that was invented by our vet clinic's founding doctor, Evan's weird little ear gives him no issues these days. That's not how it always was, though. When the hematoma was still fresh and we were trying to sort it out on top of his other health issues and meds, Evan was miserable. I remember scribbling up the doodle below during that time to try and makes something cute out of the rough time Evan was having.

Again, though, Evan's ear no longer bothers him. It is disfigured, but we have an ear cleaning routine that keeps it and my boy very happy. That means he hasn't needed the surgery we feared might be required to potentially remove his problem ear, especially before we got the resulting ear infections in control. I'm so grateful that we were able to avoid that and that my Evan is instead a happy boy with an ear that's just as special as the rest of him.

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Tip of the Day

Today's winter tip is to, despite the fact that it's winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, still keep in mind parasites and their prevention. If you live somewhere that is warm or temperate even during this time of the year, of course certainly do consider keeping up with those parasite preventatives for your furbabies. The same, though, goes even for those who don't live somewhere consistently warm in the winter. Some winter days are not as cold as others, and parasites such as mosquitoes and fleas can survive and make reappearances when the temperatures rise. Sometimes, some parasites even make their way into our homes and survive winter climates by hanging out in the warm comfort of our heated houses. With this in mind, don't forget that mosquitoes can carry heartworms, and fleas can cause bloodborne diseases and can also carry tapeworms, all of which can cause dangerous side effects. For all such reasons, do think about the benefits of keeping up with parasite prevention for your furbabies all year round.

One more note we want to make regards none other than mice. This time of year, mice might find ways to enter our homes, garages, and sheds in search of a warm place to stay. What's more, mice can carry parasites such as fleas, tapeworms, and roundworms. This means, especially if your furbaby gets near or even eats a mouse inside the home, or anywhere else, they are at risk of such parasites. This is yet another reason to keep up with parasite prevention for your furbaby, no matter what time of year it is.