GOING TO THE VET

A very dear friend came to visit and share a cup of coffee. We hadn’t seen each other in a very long time and had much to catch up on. She had not seen Dakota in quite a while so we got to talking about the changes he’d made since coming to live with me. One thing led to another and she mentioned how dogs seem so afraid to go to the vet. She said that her dog started shaking the minute she got into the parking lot. I mentioned that in all of my years of having dogs not a one got the shakes or resisted going into the clinic. I am no expert on the subject, but I think a lot has to do with the owner's attitude prior to going.

As I've stated in previous posts, I spend an inordinate amount of time talking to my dogs. I constantly jabber when they are around and quite often I talk directly to them. I know you probably think I'm crazy - maybe so - but it has worked for me. I tell them they're going to the vet and when it is time to go it is just a matter of fact thing for my dogs. I don't make it special except for surgery and major trips but I also communicate with them about their trip. It also is a matter of trust. My dogs trust me. That comes from communication too.

All of this communication pays off when you leave the house and other things that cause dogs to have anxiety. Then Dakota came here I was told that he had a case of separation anxiety. It didn't surprise me since he'd been bounced around - at least in his advanced years - and he had no one to trust or anyone that communicated with him. Today he accepts my departure as part of his life. He's so anxious to get his treat when I say goodbye, that he pays no attention to my exit and locking the door. He's not even that overjoyed in seeing us when we come back. He greets us with a wagging tail and wants to be petted and off he goes to get one of his plush toys and go out potty.

I have a wonderful clinic too where the whole staff responds to all of the animals that come in the door. They are welcomed with open arms, made over and greeted with wonderful tones in their voice. They are a big part of this issue. More and more clinics are changing their approach toward animals that come in for appointments. My dogs also go willingly with the vet from the examining room to elsewhere in the clinic for whatever needs to be done...such as cutting nails, getting shots, etc.

You can help your dog not to fear, tremble, or resist a trip to the vet and turn it into a matter-of-fact visit that may not always be fun, but it's nothing to get up tight over.

VOTING

I’m always so happy when my ballot arrives in the mailbox. It means that I can cast my vote and drop it back into the mail. Now I do not have to listen to any more political ads or comments on the radio or TV.
I do not understand why this country cannot bring itself to offer voting by computer for those of us that have computers and by phone for those who do not. We go to the moon, send up spacecraft after spacecraft but we remain in the horse and buggy era when it comes to voting.

They claim it is because of security. Heck, we’re not doing all that well in other security areas. I believe that it is quite possible to make voting quite secure. It is barbaric to make people stand in line in this day and age to vote. Just look at the security lines at airports. This country should be the leading edge of technology. Is it any wonder the turnout for our elections is so pathetic.

This whole voting thing is based on fear. It is the very reason our highways are jammed with cars driving to and from work. Supervisors fear they will loose control over employees if they cannot see them at a desk. And to think we worry about gas prices and availability. And, it is not just gas, it's air polution with over crowded cities and their tall buildings.

We will see down the line in a generation or two quite a change in our old fashioned approach to dailing living. I believe I heard that we work longer hours than any other country. We are inefficient in everything we do. I think it is absolutely stupid to send people to Washington for legislating. They should be staying in their district and attending to business there. Imagine the money we would save.

I've had many technical writing contracts where I worked out of my office. It was wonderful. I usually got my work done in half the time. The companies I worked for did not have to supply me with space and equipment. I didn't have interruptions. I was able to send my work in via computer, communicate with engineers and staff by computer, get needed drawings, answers, etc. all by computer. Those that I worked with loved not being interruped with a visit from me. I made appointments to fit into their schedule when needed. There was no wasted time on their part or mine. They could always reach me by phone.

I suppose there are those that would take advantage of the situation but they are weeded out pretty rapidly. The one negative is that you do not have contact with people in person on a daily basis. At times you do feel isolated. But for me it wasn't a problem.

It was wonderful not to have to jump into a cold car, sit on the freeway, and deal with road rage. It cut down on the wear and tear on my car, lowered my insurance rate, and cost of clothes etc. Imagine the savings in this country if a lot of us could skip the commutes. We could cut down on road repair and congestion. We could cut down on the cost of government, cut down on the cost of energy, and run our lives so much more efficiently. It would also affect health care in a positive way. We would not be spreading viruses at mock speed. There are other benifits if you just think about it.

I am hard pressed to believe that our population reacts to all of these negative, mean-spirited ads and it is the only way canidates can get our vote. I do not believe or trust all of these ads. They cost a fortune. I prefer to get my information from reliable sources. If you do it on the computer and the Internet, it's faster, cheaper, and more accurate.

This country needs a huge overhaul. If we were really smart we would figure out how to put this country on hold and make changes...one by one until we had a better functioning country.

Maybe it's time for me to get back to doggie pictures and poems....next

PART TWO

Well, my effort on Dakota’s elbow ulcer worked but not well enough. I’ve thrown in my dog nursing towel and turning it over to my vet. She can figure out what to do. I’m beginning to think just ignoring it would be a good answer but I don’t want to risk possible infection at his age.

I also have realized something positive has come from my two computer crashes. I put my brain into gear and all of the work I’ve put it through has really helped my thinking and memory process. At my age that is a good thing. It certainly helped me more than just becoming a couch potato and watching weekend football games and more baseball.

My sole mate of 49 years did battle with the media companies and I have my dish stations back again. I was so looking forward to getting up this morning to watch Imas. Wouldn’t you know I overslept. Usually when I oversleep I find Dakota waiting for me at the stairs rather than on the bed for his morning “love in” but such was not the case this morning. He wanted his time even if I was late. I cannot deny him that special time. I think he was so happy to wake up and find that I was no longer messing with his leg.

So, this afternoon his doctor will do what has to be done and I will nurse my guilt in failing to solve the problem. But he will be gushed over by the whole clinic staff that adore him and he will come home a happy camper. I will now be able to turn my full attention to my new computer and ponder how I can find my lost email addresses and files.

Halloween is next.

DAKOTA - THE SAINT

DAKOTA – THE SAINT



Dakota breezed through his first year with me. Time flew by just as smooth as silk. Thank goodness! It all came to a screeching halt this past week. I found that one of his calluses on a front elbow had an open hole in it. As many dogs as I’ve had through the years, only one other had calluses as huge as Dakota’s. Through the ensuing days, I have put this poor dog through endless attempts to heal the hole right in the middle. This was only a tiny hole that I’m sure I overlooked for some time.

If you’ve never had the experience of wrapping a dogs leg, you’re in for the most exasperating time of your life. I’m convinced that a degree from veterinarian college is based entirely on successfully bandaging a dog’s leg. Pitfalls lurk with every attempt. I’m not talking about the straight part of the leg. Oh no, that would be too simple. I’m referring to the wrist, elbow, hock areas. You basically have two choices. You will wrap it too tightly thus endangering your dog’s circulation which is very serious or you can wrap it comfortably [loosely] and have it all fall apart.

A front leg callus is not a static object. It is called a Decubital Ulcer. It happens when a bony part of the body – human or animal – rests for long periods against a hard surface, restricting blood flow to the area. “With blood flow restricted, tissue dies and sloughs, or detaches from the body.” The treatment involves relieving all direct pressure on the ulcer. Trust me, this is not an easy task. Thankfully, there is a wonderful solution today. A company makes a complicated unit that fits over your dog’s leg[s] and solves this frustrating situation. They can be found on the Internet. You must send in measurements as they are made specifically for your dog. But be prepared to take out a second mortgage – this is an expensive investment. However, if you have a fairly young dog, I’d say it is well worth it. But it is hard to justify for a senior dog over the age of 10 living with retired folks on a limited income. The company is called Dogleggs.

I am blessed with a rescue dog that is a saint. Dakota has the patience of Job. Since I could, in no way, afford the Dogleggs solution, I had to set about contriving my own method of keeping pressure off of the elbow enabling the ulcer to heal. It was been so long since I dealt with a Decubital ulcer I’d forgotten how I solved the problem. I gathered a tray full of possibilities. Then I called Dakota to join me on the couch. He headed the other way. Smart dog. It was most important to keep a calm atmosphere because I knew this thing could drag out. I also knew that Dakota would probably put on a good five pounds with all of the treats that would be needed to get us to the solution. I reached for the lead. He immediately comes when he sees one and he quietly jumped up on the couch. I figured the couch was better than having him on his grooming table since this would be a long, involved experiment.

As much as I’d like to steer you through this nightmare try after try, I won’t. So far I think I’ve used half of a drug store. My greatest fear was getting the bandaging too tight. I think it is a phobia with me. Just because I haven’t had to deal with Decubital ulcers through the years, I have had to deal with other leg problems. It still is my worst nightmare.

I hesitate to say that I have solved the problem because sure as heck if I do, it will fall apart too. But so far, it’s the best I’ve come up with and it seems to be working. I am using one of those rubber-like heal cups you can put in your shoes for cushioning. It’s taken me only two tries with scissors to cut it down to the right size. It now fits exactly over the round ulcer and the thin part goes down his leg and can be secured with tape to hold it in place – mostly just to steady the cup part. I then put a cut section of a nylon [foot and top removed and sized] over it and firmly [not tightly] wrap it with self-sticking tape. So far Dakota has tested it out by going outside and rolling to his hearts content several times and it has all held together.

This sweetheart of an animal has been up on the couch endless times with his sad eyes looking at me as if to say…”Is this the last time mom?” The wastebasket has been filled with attempt after attempt failures. The little hole seems to be healing – at least getting smaller. I forgot to put come cotton or something to absorb a small amount of drainage and that may set me back, but at least I can correct that when I take it off at night to allow air to circulate around the ulcer and to let this precious creature sleep comfortably. I cannot begin to tell you how guilty I feel. Mostly because Dakota is a rescue dog. I have no idea if he’s had previous problems. I would think he has because of his size and I have good reason to think he spent time on a hard cement floor somewhere along the line. But he’s been on carpet since joining us and perhaps that’s added to this problem. But I still feel guilty. He shouldn’t have to endure all that I have put him through. With so many years and dogs behind me, I should have learned how to handle one of the major problems dogs have. I can’t hug him enough, love him enough, pet him enough or tell him how much I appreciate his patience and trust in me to let me try to help him. Hopefully this is a good solution as he might need to have it done again. The hardest part of all of this for me was finding patience and not fall apart. There were so many times when I wanted to scream or cry. Just to see him get off of the couch and watch everything fall apart after trying so hard and spending so long on something I thought would work. A number of times I just took it all off and left him alone. The sore would get worse and I would have to try again. I don’t know what I did to deserve Dakota, but I’m so glad I have him. He will have extra stars in his crown along with his heart that is as big as all outdoors.

MY TWO WORLDS

Since the first day I jumped onto a computer with fear and in trepidation, I was told that it would make my life so much easier. Just who the heck was the clown that started this rumor? This invention of the 20th century has made my life a living hell. I’ve learned that it does not cut down on paperwork. On the contrary, you have to document everything on this darn contraption because every time it crashes, you cannot find any of your precious world of documents unless you are a millionaire who can afford to turn the machine over to the Geek Brains to find all of the bits and bytes hidden in na na land.

Through the years I have slowly lost so much of my life. I’m sure it is just like living through a hurricane [that I’ve done too, along with a couple of typhoons and earthquakes in the Pacific.] It no long is a matter of how long computer printed pictures will last if they are not printed by Kodak. No, one just learns to adjust to reality. And don’t start on the “do a save every day” as the solution to computer life reality. It turns out to have just as many pitfalls as crashes.

This month has been the worst I’ve endured since entering the electronic world. Two crashes in less than a month! No human being should have to endure this evil event. I could write a whole book about the painful and sadistic twists and turns I have endured. I am a writer. I take pride in my craft – more so in the business end than the personal end. So much of that documentation was ‘me’ and it told about who I am. It is the same as pictures. But now, pieces of me are scattered in space – electronic space – never to be heard from again.

Then there is the matter of email! Don’t get me started on that madness. If you rely on it for daily communication with people that are important to you, when you loose it, you suddenly find yourself alone in the world. There are only two choices – you either wait until you hear from someone again or you spend hours and days trying to locate that person. I did just that this month. I desperately needed to find a friend for some important information. My defunct computer coughed up an email address for her but it was ages and ages old. She had changed her address several times before my computer crashed. But I was encouraged that finding her would be a piece of cake. She had a business. I knew what it was so it was a source to search for. She, like myself, was into dogs big time – AKC etc. so I figured I could find her through breed. She was into gardening. That was how I met her on the Internet so I thought I might be able to do it again. I tried everything but nothing worked. Then, one day when I turned on my computer – there she was! An email had followed my computer crashes. I was so excited. I finally found one of my friends. I was positively giddy. I wrote back and told her my story. It was quite a reunion.

But that doesn’t happen with all lost addresses. What bothers me the most are the email files with serious data in them. Some form the backbone of my writing. Some files have pictures and information about the family etc. So many things are lost and never recovered. I don’t have a lot of time left in my life to reconstruct the bits and bytes of my life.
Then there are the problems with software packages, upgrades and many other problems that deal with the hardware/software which cause more headaches than one person can effectively deal with. So, I am seriously considering the rebirth of the electric typewriter. I have a very close friend that refuses to use a computer. She writes postcards and old fashioned notes. I chastise her when I have to race out to meet the mailman or I’m out of stamps. But I don’t have to turn on a machine to go back and read her notes and look at the beautiful pictures she takes on attaches to the front of the postcards. I can see them anytime. I can put them up on my office board and look at them daily. They bring a smile to my face and memories of our years of friendship. While I do admit to loving the ability to search for instant answers to urgent problems via Google, I still enjoy picking up one of our old encyclopedia books and stopping along the way to read interesting sections. The same can be said for cookbooks. When I’m out of ideas for dinner, there is no better place than the Internet for instant ideas, recipes, and help. But there is nothing more satisfying than to curl up with one of my many, many cookbooks for inspiration and learning.

So I am caught between two worlds – the old one I grew up in and spent the best days of my life, and the new, electronic marvel I’m forced to tolerate and use on a daily basis for business and pleasure. I sigh and try to convince myself that I have the best of both worlds, but sometimes I’m not so sure. The best part of my world is my life with dogs. They keep me humble, balanced, and in touch with my true, inner self. There is nothing better for my health and happiness than having my four-legged canine companions next to me. It’s the very best world of all. [Stay tuned for Part Two]

BUT OH! WITH LOVE

Nor what I am,

Nor what I say,

Will matter much

Beyond today,

And so it is

With this in mind,

I get on well

With humankind,

With rainy weather

And with pain,

With joy and sorrow,

Loss and gain,

But Oh! with Love,

I beg, I borrow,

Today, tomorrow

And tomorrow!

......Gladys McKeeflker

DAKOTA SPEAKS

Hi Folks,

Dakota here! My forever mom had another computer crash! Yup, two in less than a month. But there is good news. She now has a much needed new computer AND even a new monitor. There has been a lot of comotion around here, many, many boxes, cables, and a lot of other stuff I don't understand. She says she is still not up and running but my forever dad has her limping along and as soon as he gets some software she will be able to run like she used to. I don't understand any of this stuff. Dogs don't do computers.

I pretty much just stay on one of my beds or in a corner out of the way. The good news is we had some snow here. Boy was that fun. I had a a chance to roll in it and made tracks around the yard. I even brought my mom frozen green tomatoes. She praised me and gave me a treat. I've had to chase a couple of rabbits out of the yard too. I love winter..it's my favorite time of year.

I had a visitor yesterday. Boy was it fun. He was a little baby..they said he was 9 months old but he sure could get wround. We played on the rug and I shared my toys with him. His favorite was my polar bear rug. He really liked dragging it round and laying on it. I sure hope he comes back to visit again. I liked him better than the puppy and big dogs that come to visit.

I don't have much to say but I just wanted you to know that my mom will be back online here this week and hopefully she'll get back to writing about all sorts of things for you to enjoy. Please come back in a few days. We'll be here for sure.

Dakota over and out.

TO MY DOG[S]

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I love thee agreeably - enough to let your stinky doghide on the bed after a run through damp leaves, mud and slug infested gardens.

I love thee steadfastly - enough to devote a year to raising you from a wobbly speck into astrong healthy adult (who promptly attempts to seize control).

I love thee passionately - despite your repeated efforts to probe my ears, eyes and mouth with the same tongue you use for various other atrocities.

I love thee well - despite the amazing odors you produce.

I love thee deeply - though you use me as a napkin at every opportunity.

I love thee madly - despite the various bodily functions you have performed at inappropriate moments - in inappropriate places.

I love thee constantly - despite the dog "bladder curfew" I have lived by for many years.

I love thee truly - despite the "doggie landmines" hidden in the grass.

I love thee absolutely - because you never (well hardly ever) hog the remote control.

I love thee gratefully - because you stay by my side (or on my side).

I love thee devotedly - more than clean carpeting, clothing, furniture, floors or walls.

I love thee bravely - enough to battle the indomitable flea on your behalf.

I love thee monetarily - enough to put the vet's children through college.

I love thee openly - I will bear any embarrassment for your furry sake.

I love thee totally - more than free time or excess cash or a predictable life.