I'm a Bad Mom

April Fool!  That's actually a cat, not a plant!  Fooled ya!

Isis had to go to the vet today.  She has a growth on her gums, which, as it turns out, is just a fleshy swelling, common in older dogs (but most commonly seen in Boxers).  The only potential problem is that it might overgrow the tooth, at which point she could chew on the growth, causing it to bleed.  So, for now we're keeping an eye on it.  It might stop growing.  It might shrink.  We also might have it removed...

...because Isis' teeth are full of plaque.  And she's fat.  So I feel really guilty.  I can make a million excuses about why I don't brush her teeth more often or make sure she gets more exercise.  But the truth of the matter is, I get so focused on Indiana sometimes, because she is so high maintenance, and I neglect Isis.  I don't mean neglect as in "I don't meet her basic needs," because I meet her basic needs and then some.  But I don't focus on some of things of lesser importance (though still important), like dental hygiene and regular exercise.  I certainly don't love Isis any less than I do Indiana, but I suppose a person can only focus on so many things at once, and when Indiana has so many things of life-and-death importance to focus on, that leaves less room for "incidentals."  I feel really bad about that.  Isis has so few needs and demands.  I love her to bits.  And I feel like I've let her down. 

Pending blood test results, we may opt for dental surgery to clean her teeth and remove the gum growth.  That would give her (well, really me) a clean start, so to speak, where I could clean her teeth as often as I really should, so this never happens again.  And we've already started exercising her more, but now we know how often we should do it and for how long.  She's also starting a diet, and we've got a firm daily calorie amount to follow every day, which will be easy for us to do. 

So even though I know we can, and will, do this for Isis, I still feel really guilty.  I want to have given her more before now.  I hate that she often comes second to Indiana.  So sweet, so understanding, so undemanding.  She deserves better.  And I vow to do better by her. 

An Open Letter to Small Dog Owners

Dear owner of a small dog,

I love your dog.  I really do.  She is small and furry, and I am an equal-opportunity dog lover.  I love to pet your dog, and maybe, if I'm lucky, get kisses, and though, as a large dog owner (an owner of large dogs, that is, not...ah, well, that one's kind of true too) I don't quite understand why you carry your dog everywhere, thus never allowing your tiny creature's feet to touch the ground, I really don't care what you do in your own time.  It doesn't affect me.  But you know where it does affect me?  At work. 

That's right.  Some of your wee children are super happy to see me, as I am happy to see them.  I am glad to be greeted with wags and kisses and an exuberant personality.  However, there are times that your dog is less than happy to be ripped out of the familiar, loving arms of Mom (or Dad) and handed over to a complete stranger, whom, they know by now, is going to do horrible, awful, unspeakable things to them like give them a bath and trim their nails.  (I would like to point out, for the record, that I am not the one to actually do these horrid things to you, furry creatures; I'm merely the middle-man)  When your dog is struggling to get away from me, more times than I can count, your dog's nails, which are due for a nail trim today, pierce things like skin and my shirt.  Okay.  These things aren't going to kill me.

But you know what totally sucks?  When your terrified, really unhappy dog is ripped out of your arms into mine, causing a very nervous bladder to suddenly open up in a gush of smelly, sticky ickiness, soaking through to my skin.  I am no stranger to pet urine, mind you, and while I'm not exactly afraid of it, and in fact think nothing of cleaning up the piles of urine left by just-as-upset-yet-leashed pets, but there is nothing quite so unpleasant as dog urine soaked into one's clothes.  Again, this isn't the end of the world.  Will I die?  No.  Stink?  Maybe, but I was minutes from going home and taking a shower/throwing every stitch of clothing in the washer anyway.  So no harm, no foul.

Yet, when I return home, I know I will be inspected by the canines in my life.  I'm pretty sure having another dog's pee on you is the doggy-equivalent of having an affair. 

So, my plea, dear small dog owners, is that if you know your dog is fidgety/leaky when you drop him or her off, please consider letting him use the four paws that God gave him.

UTI Woes

I suspected last week that Indiana had (yet another) UTI.  She had several accidents in the house, which is totally not her thing.  This dog was potty-trained in about three days when we first got her as a puppy, so I always know something is wrong when accidents occur.

I took a urine sample in to the vet last Thursday, and my vet was kind enough to start Indy on antibiotics to prevent something awful over the weekend, given her history with UTIs.  (This is probably her fifth one in about a year) 

I got the test results back today, and not only does Indy have a UTI, she has FOUR different bacteria growing, one of which "many commonly used antibiotics are ineffective against."  Hooray.  For those in the know, our enemies this week are Proteus mirabilis, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus.  And apparently they can't all agree on one antibiotic that will (or won't, as the case with Enterococcus may be) work, so she's on Baytril and Doxycycline.  Indy's had Pseudomonas before, and it's hard to treat.  The one drug that works on Pseudomonas, Amikacin, is kidney toxic, which is a major no-no in dog's with kidney disease.  So we're hoping that the antibiotics, along with a holistic urinary tract supplement, will be effective.  Another urine test in 7 days will give us a better idea. 

So, next up for me: to find out why Indy is getting recurring infections.  If we can prevent them, then we can avoid all this misery for her.  We have a vet appointment on Friday, so I'll find out more.  I have a feeling there is little we can do, because my very proactive vet probably would have already suggested it if something existed.  But still, maybe I can start to shave her around her lady parts or something. 

Despite all of this, Indy is feeling pretty good.  She has had a bright, happy look in her eye all week, and last night, she even played with Gus.  She still is getting up to greet us when we get home, and she's spending some time outdoors too.  She is so tough, and so amazing.

Speaking of which, I saw Indy's old vet today (whom I refer to as Vet #2--he left the practice, we didn't leave him).  He was seeing Gus for chiropractic but asked about Indy.  He had been talking to Vet #1 about her, catching up on how she was doing.  He told me that he talks about her all the time in his practice, and that in all of his years of veterinary care, he's never seen another dog like her.  I was super-proud Mama at the point, hearing all of these glowing things about my girl.  I don't understand what I ever did to deserve such an amazing dog, but I can say that everything I do, every sacrifice I make, I do it to live up to the standards that she has set.

Variety is The Spice of Life

While watching the local news early this morning, Jim and I saw a segment on Vitamin D and foods that you can eat to increase your Vitamin D levels (featuring a nutritionist from Jewel-Osco, oddly).  This is a popular theme on news shows; I guess they have to talk about something.  Plus, it seems like every week, some scientist has come out with a study proving that we have to eat more of this, less of that, blah, blah, blah.  Watching the segment on Vitamin D, I remarked to Jim that I would love to see someone put together a spread of the ideal food to eat for an entire day that fits every single requirement.  I'm pretty sure it'd be impossible to do. 

What we can take away from these scientific studies then, is that variety is key to a healthy diet.  If you eat a (fresh) varied diet, over time, you're going to cover all of your bases.  But that got me to thinking (because this is a huge soap-box topic for me) that it is absolutely no different for our pets. 

I work part-time at a pet food store--high end, human-grade, quality food, of course--and it still never ceases to amaze me how people are content to feed their pets the exact same thing every meal of every day.  Not only is this booooooooring for the pet, but it also doesn't promote health.  (And I won't proselytize on kibble vs. raw, at least not today)  Think about it: each company has their own proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals that it uses in its products.  If, with every new bag of dog food (or even every meal--really, my pets typically get a different food at each meal) you used a different brand, and had a rotation of a minimum of three or four, every bag of food would afford your pet a different mix of vitamins and minerals, thus eliminating any long-term deficiencies. 

A healthy pet can typically handle food rotation.  (Don't try this on a dog with confirmed GI disease without talking with a vet knowledgeable in nutrition first)  We like variety in our foods; our pets  like variety in their foods.  We thrive on variety; our pets thrive on variety.  It's simple, it's easy, it makes sense.  So the next time you head to the pet food store to pick up a bag of food, try something different.  You'll be promoting health and making your pet happy all in one fell swoop.

A Shameless Plug

This cute little kitten wants you to donate money to Paws 4 A Cure

Is it fair to use a years-old, heartbreakingly adorable picture of Gus to promote something near and dear to my heart?  My cat, my picture, my rules.  Besides, Gus hates animal cancer just as much as I do, so he's totally on board with this post.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Paws 4 A Cure walk, founded by my good friend Keri, a fellow dog Mom.  Founded in honor of her son, Nikko, Paws 4 A Cure raises funds to provide treatment for pet parents who cannot afford treatments on their own. 

Anyone who has ever dealt with animal cancer knows it can be shockingly expensive.  Some cancers can be removed surgically or treated with drugs.  But other cancers, like lymphoma (which require months and months of multiple drugs) or osteosarcoma (bone cancer, which often requires surgery, radiation, and chemo) take months, or even years, to treat.  These costs add up.  And some families can't afford even the simplest of treatments.

Through nearly five years of battling cancer with Indiana, we've always been fortunate to be able to afford anything we wanted.  We've never had to make a decision based on finances.  But I've seen it happen.  Sitting in the lobby of the Purdue University Small Animal Clinic, waiting for Indiana to finish up some tests, I heard a conversation between two distraught parents and a vet.  Their dog was dying, currently in the ER, awaiting a much-needed surgery.  After a quick discussion with the vet, they left, only to return a short time later.  They had crunched some numbers and made some calls, and come to the realization that they couldn't afford the surgery for their dog.  They were both in tears, heartbroken over this.  The vet left to stop the surgery.  It was the saddest thing I have ever seen.  I don't know how it ended up, if the family found some way to help their dog, or, if in that moment of decision, their dog's life was ended.  I honestly couldn't bear to find out what happened.  I wanted desperately to help, but my own finances don't allow for taking on thousands of dollars of another pet's care. 

This happens more than we realize.  Loving, committed families forced to make awful choices because of money.  Wanting to save their pet, but having to decide between risky surgery or feeding their children.  No family should have to make that decision.  Paws 4 A Cure makes sure that they don't. 

If you are financially in a place to do so, I encourage you to visit the Paws 4 A Cure website and make a donation (no size is too small).  I'm already committed to the walk, and I'll be making a donation too.  The care we give Indiana should be available to everyone.  Please help Paws 4 A Cure make that a reality!

The Party of The Century

Yep.  It's a mega-themed party for Indiana's 13th Birthday.  We've had a big party for her every year since she beat cancer back in 2006, but this is the first (really big) birthday party we've done.  Thirteen is a huge milestone for any dog, let alone a dog who has tangled with cancer twice. 

For those who don't know, Indiana's "full" name is Indiana Bones, named not after Indiana Jones himself, per se, but after Indiana Jones' namesake, his childhood dog.  "We named the dog Indiana."  "I have very fond memories of that dog."  After commissioning this portrait for Jim's Christmas present last year, we were inspired to make Indiana Bones the theme of her birthday party.  It only seemed appropriate, since we'll be celebrating her and her life.

For those who have never attended a Schneider party before, you have to know this: we don't do anything simply.  Think children's party (lots of food, games, prizes, swag bags) but on a grand, adult scale.  Go big or go home, I say.

I can't talk too much more about the party without giving away all of the fun details.  What I can say is that it will potentially be the best party yet, honoring Indiana in true Schneider fashion.  I don't mean to brag, but, heck; let's just say it's going to be EPIC.

It's Always Something

Snuggle time with Q*bert

Yesterday, Indy had a really good day.  She had good energy, was eating well, and went on her longest walk yet this year.  The walk spurred her appetite, so she ate like gang-busters last night.  Today she got to go to Boommaw and Boompaw's house (that's Grandma and Grandpa), her favorite place in the whole word.  No sooner did I get Isis out of the SUV and into the house than I turned around and saw Indy in the driveway...instead of waiting for me to come back, as I told her I would, she got herself down the stairs out of the car.  I was simultaneously overjoyed and scared to death!  But she had gotten down safely, and I was happy that she was so eager.  I know she'll be tuckered out tonight, because she never rests when she's at Boommaw and Boompaw's.  Too much cool stuff going on.

The only bad thing is that I think she has a bladder infection again.  She has peed in the house twice now (something she never does).  She has a looooooong history with infections, especially in the last year, so I'm fairly certain this is what's going on now.  I took a urine sample in to the vet's office this morning for them to have a culture run to check for bacteria.  I also asked to start antibiotics ASAP, since the results won't come back from the culture until at least Monday, and I just know that it will suddenly turn bad on Sunday, when my vet is closed.  As it is, she's out of town this week anyway, but her staff is going to request the meds when she calls to check in.  So I'm crossing my fingers that we can get this thing nipped in the bud as soon as possible.  And that it's bacteria, and not something awful like a worsening kidney condition.  But it honestly doesn't feel serious.

On a personal level, I have been having trouble sleeping lately, which is a rarity for me.  Usually, I read for a while before bed, and once I turn off my light, I'm out almost as soon as my head hits the pillow.  But not lately.  I've been having difficulty turning my brain off, so it keeps cycling through all of the things I've been thinking about (i.e. worrying about) during the day.  That in turn makes me crabby and tired the next day.  So I think I've been a real joy lately.  I hope I can get the things that are worrying me sorted out soon so that at least my nights are left stress-free!  The darn cats haven't been sleeping with me lately either, so they're just no help.

Tomorrow, I'll be sharing Indiana's birthday party theme.  Be sure to check back--it's a fun one!