Tuesday, August 31, 2010

BUDDY

P1120568
P1120569
P1120573
P1120579
Last Saturday, after we were back from our evening walk and have had our dinner, Buddy suddenly started shaking. Just like one does when one is cold. It has been raining and the temperatures were down. But not enough to really make us shiver.Besides, we have had a particularly active walk, trying our best to get away from Daddy to chase two cats and a pack of strays. (But to no avail, sadly)
There was no way Buddy was shivering from cold. And that fact got us all very, very worried.
Mummy wrapped him in a shawl, just in case, and asked him what the matter was. He responded by licking her face but seemed a little confused about what was happening.
He had stopped shivering by now. It had lasted for just maybe some 30 seconds and then for a few more seconds, his head and ears kept twitching.
What was worrying Mummy was the thought that he might be having a petit-mal seizure.
Petit-mal seizure is a milder form of seizure where there may be twitching of focal groups of muscles. It makes you feel dazed and confused for some time and there maybe some changes in the size of the pupil. There may be a bit of limp and unsteadiness when you try to walk. Apart from that you seem fine. But the danger is that you can have major fits and have difficulty in breathing if the seizure activity continues.
Mummy instantly lowered the TV volume, dimmed some lights and sat down talking to him, watching him, trying to decipher what was wrong. His pupils were fine, he was breathing fine, was responsive and very much conscious but seemed confused. He also felt a little warm to touch, at least warmer than I was.
And then, he tried to get up and walk to the bedroom and he wobbled and we all realised he had developed a limp. That got Mummy and Daddy really worried.
Daddy tried to make him lie down but Buddy seemed very eager to go to bed and limped to the bedroom. Finally Daddy just picked him up and took him to the bed. All this while, I was watching him from a distance with rapt attention without as much as blinking an eye-lid.I knew something was wrong.

Mummy felt his legs. Had he injured a ligament somewhere? Is there something in his paws? He is, after all. always on his paws, always active, always ready to chase any and everything chase-worthy!

Yes, Buddy did winch when Daddy palpated his left front paw. The joint was fine, no dislocation. So probably he had injured a muscle or torn a ligament. That was much better than having a seizure, however mild the latter may be.
By now Buddy was sleeping peacefully, with me lying next to him to keep him warm and safe.

But Mummy was worried stiff.
Seizures were not very common, just about 4 in hundred dogs. But those statistics were true for episodes of grand-mal epilepsy. Petit mal seizures and such minor focal fits often go unnoticed and can be seen in many dogs following stress, trauma, food allergies or even without any inciting factor when it is called idiopathic. These can recur and the worst part is, there isn’t any test that can detect any abnormality because there isn’t one in most cases.
We are all just hoping Buddy hasn’t had an episode of petit-mal seizure induced by probably that injured ligament and the following pain. Let us just hope it was just the pain and fever that caused him to shiver.

He seemed better the following morning. he still had a mild fever, was still unsteady on his legs and kept lifting his front paw but seemed very eager to go out for his walk.
I took it upon myself to look out for him. It is usually he who chases the squirrels and cats and lizards, checks behind the large bushes and trees, often disappearing into the tall grass. I prefer to run alongside Daddy and keep to the road at most times unless something really interesting appears.
But that day, Buddy wasn’t inclined to pursue his usual activities with much vigour and I tried to keep his tradition going. Mummy and Daddy were rather surprised, but a girl has to look out for her brother when the need arises.
Even with his limited activity, Buddy was tired when he came back. It breaks our heart to see him so quiet and subdued, He is usually a large bundle of energy,so athletic and so very aware of his surroundings. Now he just wanted to lie down and watch the world, holding his favourite toy, unwilling even to come up to the table to smell the food.
It was so endearing that he still wanted his toy and wanted to cuddle up to Mummy and Daddy and me. He walked wobbly pawed to the toy basket, picked up his favourite toy and came sat down at Mummy’s feet under the table while she had her morning-tea.
He has been taking his medicines, eating well and doesn’t have a fever today. And his limp is much better. He even tried to chase a cat and stand up on his rear paws to scare away the lizard who lives on our living room wall.
But Mummy wouldn’t let him. she wouldn’t let me play with him too in case he injures his paw further. It makes me very sad because I do enjoy my daily bitey-face game with my brother.
But I want him to get well soon too. So, for now, I am just concentrating on being a good, gentle girl.

P1120581
Hope he gets well soon. Mummy says she will take him to get a CT scan done to rule out any lesion in his brain, just in case that was a seizure. But that is after he is back to being his usual active self. It wouldn’t be good to expose him to unnecessary tests when he is already stressed about his paw.
I really don’t want anything to be wrong with him. He is such a good brother all the time, always so loving and indulgent (he lets me win all our games though he could easily over-power me) and really looks out for me.
Get well soon, Buddy. We love you.
Wags,
 

Saturday, August 28, 2010

ABANDONED & IGNORED!

It is weekend and usually this is the time we are supposed to be catching up on our friend's stories.
But NO! Mummy has her nose deeply buried in THIS!


Oh well! Hercule Poirot is our Favourite Detective too and certainly it must be interesting to learn more about this illustrous man. Though he solves crime after crime, the person himself has been rather elusive, you must agree?
Also, isn't it clever of Anne Hart to have come up with the idea of deciphering Poirot?
For the likes of Mummy who have read and re-read all of Agatha Christie's books and still craves for more, it is good fodder!


We checked the bookmark and it still has to travel about a quarter of the entire thickness which probably means our Blog will not see the light of the LED screen till tomorrow!

'What of those half typed posts? We are so behind in some memes we like to play,' we inquired.

But Mummy is adamant!She says she just HAS to finish this book today and couldnot be bothered to type anymore.
HrrmmPPHH! Hope she at least remembers to cook us dinner!! Not that we will let her forget for long...Hee hee!
Will let you know how we survived the weekend.
Hope you all have a very COLOURFUL one.


wags,
,

IT"S D FINAL COUNTDOWN......

Hi Everybuddy,

We are here to quickly remind you about  SHELBY"S AUCTION.
Today and tomorrow are the final two days of this fabulous auction you can't just miss.
Please do head over there and sniff around. You might just come across that one thing you have been looking for since ages!


And even if you don't find anything you like, you can just maybe help spread the word to your friends.
And while at it, you just have to go visit our friends JD n MAX, the coolest Schnauzers we know.



They and their Mummy have been working hard almost this entire month to make this wonderful auction a reality.

You just must go Congratulate them for this highly successful endeavour.

JD n Max (n of course your FH), We think you guys have been very kind and enterprising and wonderful to have taken all the trouble to arrange and oversee everything. Doggy-Bloggy world is proud of friends like you.

Wags,

,






Friday, August 27, 2010

MUMMY"S MUSINGS...Skywatch #3

'Twinkle, Twinkle…..

……………………………….
Up above the world so high…
……………………………….'


As a child, the sky always held immense fascination for me. The twinkling, mysterious night sky inspired wonder while the vast expanse of sky-blue by day always made me dream…
I remember we had fun trying to find our favourite fairy-tale character in the woolly clouds that floated by or conjure up stories about what might be hidden behind a particular ‘fluff’ of cloud.

Decades have passed by but no amount of scientific knowledge has been able to corrode my fascination for the sky and those cottony clouds.

However, I don’t remember indulging in night-time sky-gazing in a very long time now. Most of my evenings are inevitably occupied by more mundane earthly activities that tire me out.
But by day, like one of those ‘In-a-jiffy’ coffee vending machines, the sky still doubles as my ‘get-refreshed-in a second’ centre!

And I still try to find an Ugly duckling, the Mad-Hatter, a Bunny Rabbit or just Ginger and Buddy in the clouds.

Thanks to the 'Skywatch Friday ' team I am inspired to look up, more than ever before.









(A Rainbow!!We went so close, I felt I could reach out and touch it!)




(Thank You, Ginger and Buddy, for letting me share your space and joining me on my nostalgic Journey. Mummy loves you heaps.)

Thursday, August 26, 2010

'F' IS FOR....



To peruse through more alphabets, please go visit Denise and her team Here




'F' is for FULL

Found this rather Fascinating Foto while Fiddling through 'Fun Facts' on the internet.
Don't you think it is a Frightfully accurate picture that illustrates 'FULL' ?

wags,
,

Pee Ess: We decided a little Footnote is in order. Well! those are coconuts with their outer husks!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

THE COFFEE TABLE

It has been quite someone since we posted last. No don’t worry, we are absolutely fine.


After ages, Mummy decided to work on one of her unfinished projects.
There was this theme she had been deliberating upon for our dinning table since a very long time. She calls it ‘The Coffee Table’ look.

Now, why would someone want to dress up a Dinning-Table as a Coffee Table?
Maybe she and Daddy just love coffee too much! We haven’t ever tasted any but  definitely can vouch for the lovely aroma which we think is very appealing.

Mummy was at it the entire weekend and before and after that too, of course interspersed by weekend outings, grocery-shopping trips, book-reading sessions (Have you forgotten the books she bought last week already?)

Thank Dog, it is all done now.
Mummy too is delighted that one of her projects has finally reached fruition.
Here are some pictures.

(It is made out of Black Leatherette and Red Cotton Fabric)









She found a matching Cup and Saucer set to complete the look. It says ‘Coffee Times’ and talks about the origin of Coffee





(Mummy just loves it!)



And here we are with our latest pictures.





Hey! Mummy says we resemble SOMEONE here but she can’t exactly remember who!!
Silly, Silly Mummy!

(She definitely should click Here and Here)

Wags,
,

Friday, August 20, 2010

SKYWATCH

It has been raining persistently for over a month now, with the sun making intermittent, brief appearances tentatively. The curtains, the indoor plants, the cushions and everything around emit a weird musty smell from absorbing much more than their share of moisture.
The companies selling room-freshener sprays must be doing brisk business! They (we mean the sprays) do come in a variety of fragrances, Orchid, Jasmine and Lavender to name a few of our favourites and dispel the mildewed odour considerably well.

Apart from the muddy paw prints that soil our floor which we cannot help and which seems to distress mummy a great deal, we are unfazed by the rains.
We are Labradawgs and Labradawgs live for water, be it pouring from above, flowing with a roar, rising in a wave or collected in a pool.

Apart from the delights of playing in the rain soaked grass and chasing the myriad life-forms that the after-rain sunlight wakes to life, there are other pleasures the rains bring which serve as good blog-topics!















Daddy was only too glad to capture the changing hues of the morning sky for us. We hope they bring you as much joy as they did us.
To enjoy a few more lovely skies, please go visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Wags,

,

Thursday, August 19, 2010

LOOK WHO VISITED US!!!




















One fine morning a few days back, this little guy walked right into our garden!!!
We found him on the threshold of the Dog-kennel. (Why the place that Daddy keeps his gardening tools and fertilizers called a Dog-Kennel we could never understand. Such infringement of copyright, we think!)

Anyway, there was this little guy, blissfully basking in the long wished for early morning sunlight. He smelled of fish, had rather inquisitive eyes and seemed to be contemplating the world around him.
We had never seen something like him before and were tremendously fascinated!

Our animated and curious barks soon brought Daddy out into the garden from the bedroom where he was desperately trying to wake Mummy up from a state of comatose slumber, which is a daily routine on ALL WORKING DAYS!
We soon learned it is a tortoise.

A Tortoise? By now, our little friend had withdrawn into his shell and looked rather like a large rock. We pawed at him and shoved him with our noses but he stayed put.
We raced inside to inform Mummy who was still tossing and turning and trying to cut out the noise from all our activity with her pillow.

A Tortoise in our garden? Couldn’t you pawple find a better excuse to drag me out of bed?’ she complained.
But then she opened her eyes and saw the excited looks on all three faces crowded around her bed!!!
Could they be serious now’, she wondered.

But truly and honestly there he was, our little tortoise now once again risking his neck out into the world.
Instantly, in true ‘Mummy-fashion’, Mummy pulled us away, terrified that it might snap at our noses if it could gather enough courage.

GROAN!’
Mummy Was awake!

We realised we knew nothing about tortoises. And there wasn’t enough time to google about him because Mummy and Daddy had to leave for work soon.
An animated discussion ensued to decide the further course of action. We couldn’t possibly keep him as a pet, he seemed like a free- bird…err…tortoise to have walked and survived the busy streets and for all we know, might be in the middle of THE Race!
(Those of you who are not familiar with the legend of the famous aforementioned race must click HERE!)
We couldn’t let him loose in the streets either, he was more likely to be squashed under the tyres of some unsuspecting car. He looked like a rock at most times, if you remember.
So we finally decided to drive him down to a place we thought he will be relatively safe in and be able to enjoy nature.
Mummy suggested a shoe-box as his temporary car seat and off we went looking for a home for him.
There was however, one little problem. We hadn’t reached a consensus about whether he was a preferably land or aquatic life form.

There is this little stream, a little away from home, with thick vegetation on its banks. Though it is by the busy highway, it is at an incline. Our little tortoise seemed rather the adventurous type, but we decided even he wasn’t likely to attempt acrobatics of that magnitude and risk his life!

So terra-firma by the stream-side it was to be for him.
Daddy was pretty confident he will take his pick of the green leaves or the myriad life-forms in the little stream and will not go hungry. So we found a clearing big enough for him under the bushes, hid him, said our final goodbyes and headed home.

We just hope he wasn’t really in the middle of any Race!

Wags,
,



Pee Ess: We did google about out tortoise that night. He is supposedly a land-turtle, a reptile who lays eggs and hatches them on ground unlike an amphibian who lays eggs in water. He survives on green leaves and vegetables and is preferentially a herbivore. Proteins such as from insects and fish can cause his shell to grow weak.
So we did fine with our choice of habitat for him. That is reassuring.
Share