Black & White Sunday

Don't Touch My Bear

I'm Guarding My Bear

Friday Food Recall (a day late)

Good News. 

No Pet Food Recall

There were no new pet food recalls by the FDA nor did any companies voluntarily recalled products.

Good News for BJ

Yesterday I know I said I would go the vet because of my panting.  And I really was going to be good about it, but when we came to 2nd Ave and started to turn the corner on 65th Street, my reaction just kicked in.  I dug in my paws and wouldn't move.  Mom started to pick me up and I knew I lost.  So, when we got near the vets entrance I ran really fast past his door.  Mom let me go a few feet making me think I had won and then reeled me in.  You can't win.

Mom put me on the table and I moved around and squirmed so it was hard for Dr. Cotter to examine me.  I also made noises and whined so much that it was hard for him to listen to my heart and lungs, etc.  I only snapped at him twice.  And then licked his hand.  All he wanted to do was feel for lumps or whatever else and I didn't get any shots or blood work; I was just not happy.

Anyway he said there didn't seem to be anything wrong with me.  I was certainly energetic and didn't have any other signs that something was wrong.  He asked Mom about:

• panting in the middle of the night
• not being able to lie down and put his head down
• excessive drinking
• exhaustion
• weight lose
• blue gums
• showing signs of pain 
• diarrhea 
• lethargy 

She answered no to all of them.  She told him that she keeps the a/c on in the hot weather because  electricity costs less than his visits.  He laughed.  But it's true.

I'm resting with Bear.

Dr. Cotter said that with none of those symptoms he didn't think we needed to take x-rays or blood tests.  He told Mom to watch me for any further distress and then bring me back.  (NOT)

Mom did the research and she'll take it from here.

BJ was not a good patient today surprisingly because the vet didn't do anything to him.  Hopefully we won't have to go back until he needs his shots.

In the meantime, I found out a lot about possible problems with excessive panting.  And thought I'd share it.  The following could be causes, some more serious than others.

• Obesity - panting happens in people too
• Hear failure or other heart problems
• Pain
• Cushings Disease 
• Heat stroke - DO NOT leave your dog in a car in the hot weather.  Temperatures heat up quickly in a car even if you have the window cracked a little.   It goes for a very hot room too.
• Exercise that makes the dog hot and causes difficulty in breathing
• Anemia - that's why he asked about the blue gums
• High fever = it can indicate an infection
• Heartworms
• Poisoning
• An object stuck in his airway
• Other injuries

These can all be very serious and that's why you should always check with your vet.  It's too dangerous to self diagnose.  Not catching a problem can have disastrous effects.

My information was culled from a number of veterinarian  websites.  i did not rely on the general public offering their thoughts.

Some sites I consulted:

• VetInfo
• PetMD
• Dog Channel

Good Thoughts for BJ

I'm letting Mom write this.  She thinks it will calm her.

I think BJ might be sick.

Please have good wishes for BJ and wish him luck.

Can you see my tongue?

In the last few days BJ has been panting a lot and is not breathing smoothly and sometimes is not steady when he gets up from a nap . It's not the heat.  I don't walk him in the middle of the day and I don't keep him out long.  I also leave the central a/c on for him.  He's eating as usual and I don't think he's drinking an abnormal amount of water.  What else.  I haven't noticed a behavior change.  He still cuddles.

I was worried about the panting and then I went to medical sites and read the diseases and problems it could be.  I shouldn't have done that.  I got more worried.

He's going to the vet tomorrow.  If my vet can't see him,  I'll bring him to another one.  

I'll post the results tomorrow.

Mom said I look sad.

Dogs for Therapy

We all know that therapy dogs give comfort to the sick and to people in trauma from disasters.  Recent studies have found that dogs have a calming effect for prisoners.  Dogs get forever homes because people want a dog for companionship.

I'm a therapy dog and had visited a nursing home.  People petted me, talked to me and smiled.  I have done that job for a while.  Today i became a therapy dog for Mom.  She came home from shopping and was frustrated and angry.  She parked on the good side of the street (in NYC we have alternate side of the street parking).  When she came out of the store an SUV was doubled parked blocking her.  She blew the horn and no one came out.  She called 311 to get the car ticketed and towed.  That was a waste of time.  They couldn't help.  She tried to get a towing company to come and tow the SUV; they couldn't come quickly enough.

Finally the owner came after more than an hour and wasn't even apologetic.  In fact Mom said he said too bad.

My  Loving Look

I was rushed into service.  Mom finally sat down and I jumped on her lap and cuddled.  It took a while but Mom calmed down and started patting me and smiling.

Cuddling

Friday Food Recall

Another pet food manufacturer has recalled six of its brands.  The FDA makes routine checks of foods and found salmonella in one product.  The company is recalling everything made in that facility.
The recall is for dog, cat, and ferret dry food products with expiration dates prior to June 10, 2014 of the following brands:

• Innova
• California Natural
• EVO
• Healthwise
• Mother Nature
• Karma

Canned wet food was not affected. Go to Natura pet food for a guide explaining where to find the expiration date for specific products.

Natura apologized and wrote on their website, “Our decision allows us to ensure that all products available in the marketplace were produced after June 10, the date when we implemented additional finished product testing procedures with the guidance of industry experts.”

 You can get a full refund by going the the Natura website to fill out a form to sned to the company. 

Wordless Wednesday

Central Park Smells Good 

It is also sunny.

And it tastes good.

An Update on Schoep

5 years ago

Schoep turned 20 on Friday.  You may have seen the video of the dog being cradled by his owner, John, in a lake.  John takes him every day to relieve his arthritis pain and help him relax.  That was went Schoep was 15.  John has kept up his daily routine and Schoep is now 20.

Schoep is also receiving laser treatments and it seems to be helping.   

When BJ was hurt from his fall, he had laser treatments and he is a happy dog now.  No pain.

Read Schoep's Story.

The Black and White blog hop is fun.

Caught BJ resting in his bed because it's Sunday.

I love my bear.

Dog Food Recall

Today BJ had a tummy upset and no, I'm not posting that picture.  Anyway, it got me to thinking about what he might have eaten to cause it.  i didn't change his food brands, I didn't over-treat him, I didn't give him dairy, etc., yet he was sick.

Resting with Tummy Ache

I started to wonder about dog food recalls.  Was his food recalled and I didn't know it and the food made him sick?

We got back from our walk and I  investigated dog food recalls.  The number of recalls on just dog food is scary.  By the time the company finds something that requires a recall, and then recalls it, and it's taken off the shelves, thousands of dog could have eaten the food.  BJ needed to rest when we got back.

The following is taken from the FDA website. Dog food recalls in 2013.  This list doesn't include 2012.

• Bravo! Recalls 2 lb Tubes of Chicken Blend-Raw Frozen Food Diet for Dogs and Cats (One Lot Code).  Possible Salmonella Health Risk.

• Diggin’ Your Dog Recalls Strippin' Chicks Pet Treats.   Sold in Colorado and Nevada.  Possible Salmonella.

• Jones Natural Chews Co.  Recalls Woofers Dog Treats.  Possible Salmonella 

• Nature's Variety Issues Voluntarily Recall of One Batch of Instinct® Raw Organic Chicken Formula for Dogs & Cats.  Possible Health Risk Plastic pieces

• Milo’s Kitchen® Voluntarily Recalls Chicken Jerky and Chicken Grillers Home-style Dog Treats .

I Woke Up to This

I dozed watching TV, woke up and opened my eyes to this:

What a Face and Nose

Do things get better than that!

Black and White Sunday

BJ Pup's lazy day Sunday.  I've joined the Black and White Blog Hop.

I love my bear.

Do You Hear Me Now?

My Facebook friend, RumpyDog and my blog friend, Something Wagging This Way Comes said it very well in his Facebook post.  He said, "Hey NSA: Since you're reading my Facebook posts anyway, why not go ahead and send a friend request? Or don't. I'd deny you anyway." 

I commented to his post:

You're right Rumpy. Tracking all of our conversations. I wonder is they're secretly following our blogs.
We should all write about all the things we want like - do away with BSL, go after puppy mills more aggressively, and harsher punishments for animal abusers. 

Ssssh, I'm Listening

We might as well go for it; maybe something good will come out of our government keeping tabs on us.

What would you add?

To the Park!!!

Hot Diggity.  It finally stopped raining and Mom rook me to Central Park.   It was so good to be able to run around on the grass with no leash and say hello to my friends.  We can be off leash in the NYC parks from 9 PM to 9 AM.  I visited my old haunts, and I stopped and sniffed, and stopped and sniffed,  to my little hearts content.  The weather was perfect, sunny, not too windy with temperatures in the 70s.  We get that king of weather maybe 10 days a year and today was one of those days.

Warm and Sunny - How Great is That

My Outdoor Breakfast

The rest of the day was okay.  Mom left me for most it and tonight she's going to the ballet to see dancing.  I told her I would dance for her and it would cost $75 for a ticket.  No such luck.  She wants to see all those people jump around in beautiful costumes - I call them tutus.

I did meet a new friend on my afternoon walks.  She is very cute, my size, and she liked sniffing me.  Mom didn't have her camera, so no pictures this time.

Am I Spoiling My Dog?

Mom is writing this one.  Lying here holding BJ at 1 AM as he pants and shakes because of the thunderstorms we had last night, I got to thinking about whether or not I spoil BJ.

(Other people's opinions of spoil.)

A short list of the extras that I do for BJ, in stream of consciousness order:

• Minutes before thunder or blasting for the subway, BJ would zoom up on my lap and begin to pant and shake uncontrollably. I would hold him and talk softly to him,  The thunder suit didn't work.  Is that spoiling him?

I have ice cubes.

• When we come in from walks in hot weather and I give him fresh water, I put a few ice cubes in it to make it refreshing.  He now waits for the ice cubes.  Is that spoiling him?

• BJ doesn't like to eat alone.  If I want him to eat immediately I stay in the kitchen until he finishes.  If I walk away, he follows me.  Is that spoiling him?

G-d this list is getting long.  Maybe I am spoiling him.

• I've been quite sick from soon after I returned from BlogPaws and have been in bed most of the time.  Since BJ doesn't like to eat alone, I moved his food dish into the bedroom.  He looks at me and starts eating immediately.  Is that spoiling him?

I'm Allowed!

• As you might note from some of the pictures, BJ likes his comfort, ergo soft pillows.  When he gets tired of resting on the chair cushion, he hops up on the back pillow.  Is that spoiling him?

My Side of the Bed

• In spite of his having his own memory foam bed, he'll jump up on my bed and hop on the pillows on "his" side of the bed.  When they get flattened, I puff them up for him.  Is that spoiling him?

This one is empowering him.

• When we get into the street for our walk, I stand still for a second and he chooses the direction.  There are times when I really need to go a certain way.  If it's okay, he goes; if it isn't, he digs in and refuses to move.

So what do you think?  Am I spoiling BJ?

What things do you do that you think spoil your pet?

Mom made me take a bath.

The Black & White Sunday blog hop hosted by My Life in Blog Years,
Dachshund Nola and You Did What With Your Weiner.