Wednesday, June 17, 2009

More random stuff

We have our foster care home study tomorrow so I have been searching for marriage license, insurance cards, vaccination record for kids (and pets), paycheck stubs, social security cards. Feels a little like a scavenger hunt, only without all the fun and laughter.
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We are planning a trip to Mexico this summer to visit my parents so we had to drive all the way to the downtown post office to issue Ava a U.S. passport. When we arrived downtown and pulled into the parking garage, Hope asked, "Are we in Mexico?" To her credit, it did look a little like Mexico.
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Gideon the cat seems very happy here and--I'd never thought I'd hear myself say it or see myself type it, but--is really growing on me. Hope refuses to believe that he is really a boy. After all, he is white and looks like a Princess Snowflake.
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The animals are now tick-free, thanks to my friends who suggested Frontline. You know, in the city I never remember dealing with ticks or fleas ever. But out here. Oh my goodness.
It turns out Nellie has heartworm. When I took her in about a month ago for her vaccinations and check up, etc. they tested her and it came back positive. Of course we have no idea how long she has had it but heartworm is very serious and we have to make a decision how aggressively we want to treat it. I, the frugal one in the relationship, feel that we can provide a happy doggie life for her and very little cost by just letting her be. John on the other hand, is more generous, nurturing, or maybe just a little more attached to the dog, and wants to pursue the aggressive and very expensive treatment which still may not necessarily guarantee riddance of the heartworm. Decisions, decisions.
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When I took Nellie in for a treatment, waiting in the vet waiting room for her, I found out by using one of those dial chart thingies, that Bliss is over 100 years old in people years! I guess that would explain a lot of recent behaviors-and odors. While also waiting in the waiting room, I read a couple of framed thank-you letters from former (deceased) "patients" and their owners. Needless to say soon I had rivers of tears flowing down my cheeks, and all my children were laughing hysterically at me.

I have been wondering what the key has been to Bliss' long life (two years over her life expectancy), and the only thing I can come up with is all those great table scraps......And this.


9 comments:

Natalie said...

Bliss looks just blissful!

One of my dogs came to us with heartworm. Our vet charged about $500 to treat him. He has been happy, healthy and heartworm free for over 3 yrs now. And, he has definitely given us more than $500 worth of love and affection. I agree with your husband.

Natalie
www.adoptyaroslav.blogspot.com

Cammie Heflin said...

Too sweet, frontline is a lifesaver here too!

Pan Cratius said...

uhm Didn't imbide much hard liquor, wasn't addicted to sofa TV watching, tobacco free enviroment, did you do vitamins and minerals?

Natalie said...

Thankfully, our dog only needed one set of treatments. I guess if you have multiple treatments, the cost could go up there. My biggest concern was if a flea bit him and then one of our other dogs, that he could pass the heartworm on to them, as well.

Natalie
www.adoptyaroslav.blogspot.com

Ssejors said...

Can't think of a better reason to keep my heart beating, than a good floor snuggle with family.

Leah Spring said...

I can tell you from personally witnessing it, that watching a dog die from heartworms is a horrible, awful death. It is TORTURE for them. Spending a few hundred dollars on a dog who gives back so much more than that is a small price to pay. Our pets look to us to take care of them, when something is so simple to treat, isn't it our job to treat it? In the past week we have spent $1500 on a dog's foot (see my blog www.homingholly.blogspot.com) A dog who isn't even ours. (long story, read the blog) It's not a "put the dog to sleep" type of injury, but it IS an injury that could kill her if left untreated, and at a minimum she would loose her leg. My belief is when we choose to have pets, we choose to make the commitment to care for them, which includes vet care. And that if you (meaning people in general, not you specifically) don't want to provide that care, then you shouldn't have pets. Heart worm isn't a "let the disease progress and kill the dog" type of thing, like canine cancer is. It's a "treat the dog and be done with it." kind of thing. How is it different then when Moses got the stick in his neck? Was there any guarantee Moses wouldn't have gotten an infection and died? No, but you treated him anyway, right? Most people don't realize there is pet health insurance (though your dog would not be able to get it now since she has a preexisting condition) but it's there, and for $30 a month usually covers their yearly vaccines, AND...in the event of an emergency...covers emergency vet care.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully you have Bliss on heartworm prevention, we use Heartgard. It's a monthly chewable pill that our dog thinks is a special treat:) LOL You can't give it to dogs until you're sure they are heartworm-free.
Wendy

kirsten said...

It's the love for sure....Bliss has been there since the beginning, beginning.

Christy and Kevin said...

Treat the heartworms. Since I have been doing animal rescue for years and years there have been many, many dogs come through my home with heartworms. I always have them treated and they go on to live long, healthy lives. I am a mom to a 16 yr old dog that had heartworms at 2 yrs old, we treated him and he is still alive and kicking today. (you can see him on my blog www.dailynewsofus.blogspot.com ) his name is Brownie. I have had him since he was 2 months old but as a teenager was not viligant in giving him his heartworm preventitive and he got heartworms. Anyway, please have the dog treated.

Christy