Bugs?????????



Maxie staring at ?????

Maxie spent 5 hours last night lying on his belly staring at either one front paw or the other, or the space in between them.  He's been doing this for a few days -- on the floor, on the couch, on my pillow, and in our bed (both under the covers and on top), even after the lights are out.  What is he looking at?  Occasionally he will dart his tongue out like a frog catching a fly, and occasionally he will bob his head up and down and chew air like he's mauling a flea in his mouth.  But I don't find any fleas on him.  I'm wondering if his eyesight is going bad.  Or if his brain is sending him strange signals.

Watching his own movie?????

We've long called him "the abberant one" because of the way he stares down without moving, as if watching a movie.  But it's never lasted more than 15 minutes at a time. And it's so cute, I've taken lots of pictures.  But as of 3 days ago, on top of staring, he won't stay up in our bed for anything.  As soon as I put him up there, he is pressing against me to get off.  And instead of curling up with me on the red couch at night to watch TV, he runs off to a corner under the table and won't come out.  I sorely miss my snuggling.  Otherwise he acts normal.  Do I have bedbugs?  Chiggers? Our sheets are clean and the mattress is fairly new.  Willow, Lucky and Fooh don't seem bothered by anything.  We vacuum the upholstery and carpets once a month or so. What can be wrong?

Today I am fogging the whole back half of the house with Bengal.  I'm giving all the dogs their monthly drops of Advantage.  I bought a bag of Ortho Bug-B-Gone to spread on both dog yards just before the next rain, supposed to kill all sorts of bugs. The hardware store recommended this product and said this year with all the rain the fleas are horrible.  I notice the dogs tend to hop-skip across the yard on certain days, and I have felt something "pinging" my ankles as I walk through the grass, but I don't get bitten. It must be "invisible" fleas.

8/16/11 Followup:  None of the above seems to have made any difference.  I paid a visit to Pet Stop on O'Neal and purchased some Petcor which you spray on the dog's fur and work into their skin. Comes 16 oz in a pump spray bottle.   It can be used on newborn kittens, it says, as often as desired, and is supposed to kill larvae as well as fleas on contact.  I'm doing this treatment tonight and will bring it to the Hattiesburg trial this weekend.  I can't have Maxie and Lucky stopping to scratch during their runs!  Tom, the manager, also sold me some Flea Stoppers Carpet Powder (active ingredient Orthoboric Acid) which I am to spread on carpets, sweep around and vacuum up, and Precor 2000 Plus which I am to spray on upholstery, baseboards and bare floors, let dry, sweep, vacuum.  He says Frontline, Advantage and foggers are a joke.  They've been working for me all these years, but not now.

8/17/11 Update:  Yesterday I sprayed all my dogs with the Petcor, starting with the inner ear, then wetting my hands with it and working into the face and neck, then spraying the rest of the body and working the spray through the hair down to the skin.  Not soaking wet, just a mist spray.  They each went crazy trying to get it off, like they do with anything else, even after a bath, but I thought it smelled agreeable enough and didn't sting my hands.  Maxie hasn't stared since then!  So now my assessment of the staring thing is that he was looking at little larvae wiggling around.  That is so disgusting to think of larvae on my dogs, on my couch, in my bed, but the pest control guy affirmed that that's what happens.  Eggs, larvae, fleas, eggs, larvae, fleas.  Foggers kill the larvae and fleas on the surfaces they touch but don't get deep into the upholstery, under things, behind the baseboards.  Nothing kills the hard-shelled eggs.  They hatch and you're back where you started.  And I learned that for Advantage or Front Line to kill the flea, it has to bite the dog!  That is totally unacceptable.  I've been under the impression that these topical products put out a bubble of protection around the dog so fleas wouldn't jump on.  Not so.  The Petcor does that, and they say it survives one washing.

If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know.
 
Sometimes Upwards and Onward can be a bit of a struggle -- not really moving forward but trying not to fall back too far.

Cape Coral Trip

T to B: Mom, Dad, Maxie, Willow

John and I just returned from an 8 day, 1800 mile road trip to Cape Coral, FL to help celebrate my dad's 95th, and my mom's 90th birthdays.  4 days on the road (2 there, 2 back), with 2 dogs, covering about 450 miles a day, stopping every few hours at McDonalds or a gas station for coffee and to stretch, pottie ourselves and dogs.  At each stop, I kept with my commitment to sprint 100 yards. 

We found a great halfway point between Baton Rouge and Cape Coral in Tallahassee, where we stayed at a really nice LaQuinta Inn, exit 199, right off of I-10, which included roomy rooms, continental breakfast, WiFi, NOON checkout, and NO PET FEE for only $58.50/night, including tax. There was no microwave or fridge in the room, though.  $4 extra for that.  Rooms 161-167 (odd numbers only) faced on a charming wooded slope the dogs could run in, and there was a designated grassy pet area further down.

5 hours to Houston had been Maxie's longest road trip up til now, and both he and Willow travelled like champions. At the birthday party Maxie did all his parlor tricks, and Dad got the biggest kick out of his "I'm depressed" trick (where I say "When you knock a bar, are you depressed?", and he slumps over and hangs his head and won't straighten up until I say "That's OK". Nobody understood how I use food to train various behaviors, so I got to demo that as well.

Maxie got ill for a few days, throwing up and diahrreah, wouldn't eat.  First time ever for being sick, scared me. We think maybe he ate a berry off the ground around one of the many palm trees in the area.  That's what it looked like came out of him, anyway, or maybe he licked harsh chemicals off the tiles of the Paradise Cove hotel room.  So on the trip I blogged about putting together a Doggie First Aid Kit.  He recovered, but I should have been better prepared.

Willow and Maxie are none too happy about
potential rivals to their thrones (puppies in crate).
Maxie is positioned between me
and the pups, keeping up a low growl. 
Willow keeps licking an empty bowl.

On the way home we stopped in Myakka City, FL where my cousin, Lois, a Papillon breeder, surprised the heck out of us with 2 9 week old AKC Papillon puppies -- to keep, or to sell!  She doesn't have time to fool with this litter, she said.  Since I acquired Maxie when he was 6 months old, and Willow at age 6, I've never been around Papillon puppies.  Oh my, are they ever cute!!!!!  I will keep them another few weeks or so to socialize them before hopefully sending them off to a good home.  Please, God, don't let me get too attached.

Already I can see differences.  The female is slightly more dominant than the male, quicker to figure things out, faster, stronger, and has a more dense body.  When I got home I weighed her on my kitchen scale at 2.5 lbs.  Though they appear the same size, the male only weighs 1.75 lbs. 

Jitsu (sitting) and Roku (lying down).
Roku looks bigger because of his fluffier hair.

We temporarily named him "Racoo" because his face looks like a raccoon's, then we nicknamed her "Jitsu" after a sign we saw posted on a telephone pole for Ju Jitsu lessons.  Then Racoo devolved to Roku for some reason.  So it's Roku and Jitsu.  They eat every few hours, and pee and poo all over the place and often, and they and their shredded paper stunk by the time we got home.  I gave them a bath, blow dry and nail clip, and now they smell sweet and are little soft white fluff balls.  Jitsu loves water. 

We set them up in Lucky's big crate, lined thick with newspaper so I can remove the top layer a few times a day, a tub of kitty litter on one side (which they love to dig in, so that didn't work), a towel to snuggle on, some little tug toys, and a heavy bowl for water (which they scamper through).  Outside, I set up the x-pen in the grass and they tumble around in there several times a day.  They seemed to suffer no ill effects from the long trip home. 

I've got my work cut out for me for the next little while.  Yet another learning curve - crap!  Will I ever know everything about anything?  I'll take some pictures and videos over the next few days to try and capture their markings, expressions, and antics, which will help in advertising them for sale.  They are hearty little things, mighty cute, and such a blast they make John laugh great big belly laughs, which I've never actually heard coming out of my husband before.

Upwards and onward,

Doggie First Aid Kit

Over the years I've gathered information about meds and therapies for dogs from various vets, breeders, etc.  After Maxie got sick on a road trip (vomiting, diarreah, and wouldn't eat for 2 days) with me unprepared and unable to access my list, it was a Wake Up Call that I need to make up a First Aid Kit for home and on trips, and to post the list here on the web so I can access it from any computer. Maybe other people will find it useful (but please, use at your own risk -- I'm not a vet).

If anyone has corrections or more to add to this list, please let me know. Be sure and site your sources.

Human Medicines safe for dogs:
Robitussin - Cough, (1/4 tsp/10#) - Breeder
Pepto Bismol - Upset Stomach/vomiting (1/4 tsp/10#) - Breeder

Kaopectate - Diahrrea (+- 1 Tbsp/20#) - Breeder
Immodium - Constipation (1 mg per 15 lbs 1-2 times daily) - Breeder
Mineral Oil - Constipation (1/2 tsp/10#) - Vet
Neosporin - Cuts, Bites (topical antibiotic ointment) - Vet
Children's Liquid Benadryl - allergy, sneezing, wheezing, itching (1 tsp/10#), also works on some dogs as a tranquilizer. - Vet
Hydrogen Peroxide: to induce vomiting, about a teaspoon per 5 pounds of body weight by mouth. If vomiting does not occur within 5 to 10 minutes, the dose may be repeated at least 2 more times. - Vet
Ice Water - Overheating. - Vet
Normal dog temperature ranges from 100 to 102.5. Overheated, the dog pants and the tongue turns purple. They may throw up. Remedy: drink ice water, dip rag in ice water and put on head, belly, underarms. Take temp rectally. If they can't hold down any water, bring to vet at once
Antibiotics - for infections, oral antibiotics such as chloromycetin or tetracycline are safe.

Equipment:
Rectal thermometer
Needleless syringe (to dispense liquids)
Cotton swabs and Q-tips

At home remedies for general health:

Apple Cider Vinegar: Try the health food variety over supermarket brands. Put in the dogs water bowl, 1/2 oz for large dogs and 1/4 oz for smaller dogs. Taken internally, helps get rid of fleas, improve tear stains and the condition of the dog's coat. Use in the rinse water after the shampoo for smooth, soft fur and also a flea detterant. - Breeder

IVERSIDE - Heartworm Medicine. Breeders can get a bottle from vet for $38 and give by dropperfuls (syringe) to all the dogs, mixed in their food once a month (1 drop per 2 lbs of dog.).  - Breeder

Can get flea/tick/mosquito control by bottle at PetSmart and treat all animals with that. Much cheaper than other treatments. - Breeder
Can get eye drops from PetSmart for weeping eyes. Vet doesn't have these. - Breeder

Advantage: Flea Treatment, now over the counter med, data supplied by Azelea Vet Svc.
Cats under 9 lbs, .4cc
Cats over 9 lbs, .8 cc
Dogs 1-10#, .4 cc
Dogs 11-20#, 1 cc
Dogs 21-55#, 2.5 cc
Dosages can vary without consequence. To save money, buy for a large dog and divide each monthly treatment using a needleless syringe among several smaller animals.

Tranquilizer:  Children's Liquid Benedryl (makes some dogs hyper), safe for older dogs or those with heart conditions who should not be given tranquilizers.

Doggie CPR: 
If dog isn't breathing or there is no pulse.
Lay dog on their right side, kneel with your knees to their back.
Feel for a pulse under the dew claw area, or at the heart (where their elbow touches their chest).
Stretch their head forward in straight line with their body.
Stack your hands and lock fingers.  Lock elbows.  Do 15 chest compressions rapidly.
Cover their nose with your mouth, hold their jaws closed, and breathe into their nostrils 4 times on the first turn, then 1 time every turn thereafter.
Compress their abdomen to circulate the blood, one hand over, one hand under abdomen.
15 compressions to one breath, then an abdominal squeeze.
Repeat until you feel a pulse.
see video at CPR in Dogs  (if it is still there)

Poisonous Foods to Dogs:

• Onions, grapes, raisins, chocolate, cocoa, avocadoes and macadamia nuts can be fatal, too. As few as 7 raisins can kill your dog due to renal failure.
• Dogs, cats and humans are highly allergic to chocolate and yellow jasmine. One square from a thin chocolate Hershey's bar can kill a dog, One yellow jasmine flower can kill a sensitive human, much less for a dog.
• Dogs and cats have been known to suffer toxicity from large quantities of onions or garlic. (A bit of flavoring in meat or gravy won't hurt them).
• Raisins and grapes in quantity are also toxic.

Care and Maintenance:

Expressing the Anal Glands: Anal glands on male dogs need to be expressed periodically. If the dog drags his butt across the floor or seems excessively interested in the anal area, this can indicate it is time to express: The anal glands are paired sacs located at about four and eight o'clock positions around the rectum. They are comprised of sebaceous oil glands that secrete a serous odoriferous brown discharge. The discharge is usually expressed as feces are eliminated. However, in smaller breed dogs this discharge seems to be saved until times of extreme fear, anger, or revenge! in these breeds the anal glands are usually expressed as the groomer lifts the tail and manually pushes up and out. Lift the tail. Press a warm damp washcloth over the area. Use the thumb on one gland and the forefinger on the other, and squeeze the fingers towards each other. Use a sprayer bottle of clear water and clean rag to clean the area after expressing.

I'll add to this list as I get more information.  Now, to make up my travelling First Aid Kit . . . . .

Upwards and onward!