Weekly update Sept 12-18

What a week ... starts out hot as blazes, in mid 90's, ends up cool and cloudy, fall is here ... full moon ... Snoopy goes to vet, torn ACL, goes to first rehab treatment,gets herbs, crystals and energy ... have to 'restrict activity' for who knows how long ... Corey goes to groomers, Banshee and DB enjoying cool weather ... visit Sally ... dont see little Mattie this week ... mower back from shop, now have both operating again ...


 "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown

Monday Sept 12: Persimmons ripening

In 90's again ... hot morning run, Snoopy still limping, trying gamely to keep up, bringing balls to be thrown (I throw a few feet) ... DB runs in her circles around Snoopy, trying to 'egg her on' ... the persimmons are ripening, Corey and Banshee feasting, Corey finds a NEW persimmon tree (well, new to him, I knew it was there) and barks excitedly at it ... feed and kennel, go to work ... return, greeted at gate by all 4 dogs, Snoopy, still limping. Go inside, fix food, brush DB and Corey's teeth, try again to feel between Snoopy's toes, oh no, she's having none of it ... evening run, feed and kennel

Tuesday Sept 14: Snoopy still limping

Warm and muggy. Morning run, Snoopy limping (well, hopping on 3 legs) ... feed and kennel. Giving her Arnica. Will call vet today. Flat tire. Get fixed, go to work. Another loong day. Return, Corey and Banshee inside, DB and Snoopy in crates (husband had been working in shed). Fix food, leave with husband to feed, I have meeting at church. Return, give dogs their yogurt, then into shed to groom them. Corey definitely is overdue at groomer. Poor Snoopy, cant get on table. Put them all up again. Full moon again.

Wednesday September 15: Snoopy goes to vet, has torn ACL

Foggy morning, can barely see. Morning run, Snoopy still hopping. Trying to restrict her activity level. Feed and kennel, then take Snoopy to vet. They come out to car but want me to bring her inside to sedate, which I do, she doesnt get too freaked out, only snaps at tech and vet when they approach to try to get her on scale ... I manage to get her on scales, still at 45 lbs, then they give her shot (cant do IV obviously ) it takes about an hour for her to nod off enough for me to get muzzle on her and vet to manipulate her leg. No thorns in pads (which was my guess) instead its a torn ACL. Oh no, poor Snoopy, my great ballplayer, who loves to leap in the air and catch balls midair ...  Do Xray and blood work in case I decide on surgery wont have to bring her in here again ... wait for husband to come pick her up (he's in town buying supplies) so I dont have to drive all the way home and back ... he arrives in truck, tech carries her out, she is coming around, but no snapping. Poor Snoopy. I'm going to have to restrict her activity level for months, whether or not do surgery. Call pet rehab place and Am going to try conservative treatment for 8 weeks, if she shows any sign of improvement, will continue conservative treatment (restrictted activity level, anti inflammatories, glucosamine basically) ... get appt for Saturday (they have an underwater treadmill, also can hopefully teach me some gentle massage) I think it important to get her using the leg again asap, to avoid atrophy and to lessen danger of other knee blowing... On to work, yoga class, then return home, all dogs inside. It is really not possible to leash Snoopy to walk her while the others are loose. Fix food, then take Corey,DB and Banshee on run whle Snoopy stays in with husband. Very hot and buggy tonight. I sure miss Snoopy on our run, she livened things up with her constant wanting to play ball ... sigh. This reminds me of when Angel Ginger was sick, and tried so hard to 'run' with us, and I had to leave her inside because she just wouldnt not try to 'keep up' ... back to trailer, husband comes out with food and Snoopy, kennels Snoopy and Corey, proceed with evening feeding. Please pray for Snoopy, that she can recover from this and someday, play ball again...

Thursday September 15: Restricting Snoopy's activity level

Another warm day (supposed to get cool tomorrow)  restricting activity for Snoopy is tough with my 'set up'. Letting dogs out of kennels in AM, husband has to help now, and put Snoopy on leash, and she doesnt get to go for our run ... what we did today was I let the other 3 out and took off down hill while husband stayed in kennel with Snoopy til we were gone, then leashed her and took her out to potty. Rekenneled her. Then I return with the others and proceed with feeding. The 'normal' day has been, after I go to work, husband unkennels dogs again depending on weather they hang out with him and workers outside, or go inside with him. Now Snoopy cant hang out with the others outside (there is no way he can monitor her while working). So, he left one dog kenneled with her, then tried to alternate, but this got too difficult so he kenneled them all til noon, then took them all in the trailer with him. It's about 150 ft from the kennels to the trailer. Hope that isnt too much, but I dont know what else to do.  Snoopy is still hopping on 3 legs. She does not appear to be in pain, she sleeps fine, she appears perfectly comfortable. When I got home, I was greeted outside by DB and Banshee, Corey and Snoopy inside. Let DB and Banshee in, fix food, then put DB,Banshee an Corey out, petted and brushed Snoopy for a few minutes then (since it looked like rain) took the 3 for a quick run, thunder and lightening, so returned and kenneled everybody. Husband says he took Snoopy out, on leash twice during afternoon (let all dogs out, Snoopy on leash, there is a ramp up to my porch so she can go up and down that, then potty. Other than leaving Snoopy kenneled all day, which I think would be very hard on her mentally, this is about the best we can do in restricting activity. In the good news area, the broken mower has now been fixed, so I'm back to two ...

Friday September 16: Turns into fall, visit Sally

MUCH cooler. Feels cold. Had to wear jacket, wind blowing, in 60's. Brrr.Morning run with DB,Corey,Banshee, husband on duty with Snoopy on leash .. the other 3 run wildly down the hill, Corey barking, DB at full speed ... the cool weather ... dammit I hate this for Snoopy, waited all through this awful hot summer ... and now cant run. Back to kennels, feed, pet Snoopy awhile. Then go to work, stop by food bank. At lunchtime go visit Sally, who wont go IN her doghouse yet. Sigh. Work with her and her mom a bit, then inside (where Sally has torn up new mom's couch cushion and chewed an end table) Explain the value of CRATES. Sally is also jumping on people still, show her mom a few techniques to work on. Back to work, then to chiroprator, then home. Greeted at gate by 3 dogs, Snoopy of course inside with husband and the Damcat. Give Snoopy some attention, brush her a little, then let others in, fix food, give all treats. Take the 3 for a run, Snoopy stays with husband inside, poor dear can not understand why she doesnt get to go ... meet husband back at kennels, he has Snoopy on leash. Feed and kennel.

Saturday September 17: Snoopy goes to rehab

Very eventful day! Another cool day. Morning run (morning hop on leash for Snoopy), feed and kennel. Then load up all dogs (Snoopy did jump into her crate in the van), go into town, drop Corey off at groomer, then take Snoopy to rehab. (DB and Banshee snoozed in van). Snoopy was very skittish at rehab, but after a long while settled down some,  wouldnt let vet or assistant touch her but did take treats; I learned a bunch of exercises to do with her, then she tried the hydrotherapy treadmill, surprisingly (given her fear issues) she did well, and of course Snoopy loves water! The rehab vet and staff are very kind and patient, those of you on FaceBook can see pictures of Snoopy at rehab. Dried her off, back in van, Corey not ready yet so went by my herbalist-communicator friend for some herbs, a spot of reiki and communicating for Snoopy, the loan of some crystals to put around Snoopy's sleeping quarters, and a bowl of homemade soup for me! (Hooray, I thought I was just going to get power bar for lunch today!) Corey ready, pick him up, (he looks gorgeous ) then take DB and Banshee into PetSmart to visit, then drop by feed store to pick up dog and and cat food (Corey went in with me), then stop by my chiropractor friend for some energy work for Snoopy ... then finally home. All are worn out, (me in particular) we all take brief nap, then evening run for DB,Corey and Banshee, and feed and kennel.

Sunday September 18: Flexi lead chases Snoopy

Weather still cool and cloudy. Morning run, husband keeps Snoopy on leash while I take off with others, am at bottom of hill and I hear hollering ... look up, Snoopy is hopping down hill, being chased by  her 'flexi lead' with husband running after her yelling and waving arms, Banshee runs over and attaks the evil flexi lead box, I get there and manage to unclip lead, untangle everybody (DB and Corey have joined in) . This is only ONE thing I hate about flexi leads (which I never use, I had this one left over from years ago and husband said Snoopy wouldnt potty near him and the 20 ft training lead he got tangled up, so he wanted to try the flexi.) Husband took Snoopy back up hill (on lead), I finish morning run with others, back to kennels with food, feed and kennel, go to church. In afternoon, take several runs and mowing with 3 dogs while Snoopy stays insidewith husband. Husband then takes Snoopy into shed while he works on computers, I then bring all dogs in, crate them, take Snoopy out and try a few of the exercises I learned at rehab, she still hasnt pooped today ... then get Snoopy onto grooming table and massage some comfrey oil in her knee joint, she is letting me touch her knee and foot briefly now, I am also trying to masage foot as rehab vet told me to , to keep it from curling up. Also do a bit of practice with her  taking treats out of a basket muzzle (I've been lax about this, but when I started back she was at the same point, she will eat treats from the muzzle but freaks when try to fasten it. I will perservere.) Then groom all dogs, Corey (although groomed yeterday) has sandspurs in his feathers. Banshee is in pretty good shape. Clip DB's nails (she requires minimal brushing, I rubber curry her weekly.) Go get food, take 3 for an evening run ... Corey brings several of Snoopy's toys to me, found out on the property, usually Snoopy brings them to me and Corey and Snoopy chase them, but when I throw for Corey alone tonight he has no interest, its like he's collecting up Snoopy's toys ... back to kennels, husband has Snoopy in shed, kennel her then  feed and kennel all.