This week, a cyst on Daisy’s leg became irritated and broke open. Poor Daisy! There was blood everywhere and, not surprisingly, Daisy was licking and uncomfortable.
A visit to the vet confirmed that she needs to keep away from the wound and be on antibiotics for at least a week. We were initially given a traditional Elizabethan collar (also known as the bucket or cone of shame). However, this stressed Daisy out and she wouldn’t settle. She couldn’t drink from her raised feeder, either, because the collar got in the way.
And when you think about it, who would feel comfortable with their peripheral vision closed off and feeling like you were trapped?
Enter the BooBooLoon Air Cushioned Pet Recovery Collar! This inflatable ring comes with sturdy Velcro fasteners and allows Daisy to see out and drink from her bowl, without the constriction of the Elizabethan collar.
I recommend this alternative for dogs as it is more humane and less likely to cause stress. I doubt the Velcro will hold up to a dog that really wants it off because running into furniture or pawing it strongly is likely to break through the fastening.
But for dogs who are well-behaved like Daisy, it’s ideal. Ask for it specifically at your vet or buy one directly from their website.
Daisy rests on her bed wearing her BooBooLoon despite hating having her photo taken
Fast asleep on the bed with the BooBooLoon supporting her neck comfortably
This product endorsement is non-paid. I bought Daisy’s BooBooLoon from my local veterinarian, who ordered it especially for us.
Posted in products for dogs
Tagged Boobooloon, bucket, cone of shame, Daisy, Elizabethan collar
Daisy hasn’t been her usual self for the last 8 weeks or so and, in consultation with her acupuncture vet and her regular vet, we’ve decided that she is showing signs of dementia. Things like wandering around at night unable to settle and waking me (Mum) about every two hours….and having trouble negotiating doorways.
I’ve made changes in our healthcare regime which include introducing a new supplement and changing her diet. The good news is that I have seen some improvement over the last week and I hope it continues.
Given that time is precious and every day over age 13 is a blessing, I have also decided to try crystal healing for the first time. My opinion is that even if it doesn’t do a thing, she looks really cute wearing her crystals around her neck!
I hope you agree.
Have you ever used crystal healing on your dog?
Daisy is wearing an amethyst for clearing negative energy and as an all-around healer. Her clear quartz is a master healer for all conditions and is meant to strengthen her immune system and offer protection.
Daisy is very relaxed about having her crystals around her neck.
Posted in dog care
Tagged amethyst, clear quartz, crystal healing, crystals, Daisy, dementia, immune system, protection, signs of dementia
It’s been a bit busy this week, so I haven’t had time to post until now. One reason for the busy week has been that I have appeared in The Press, the Christchurch region’s newspaper. The reporter wanted to know more about dog massage (which of course is a favorite subject of mine). Both Daisy and I are very grateful for the free publicity, which came out of the blue in the form of a phone interview.
The article generated a very special enquiry in the form of an email:
May I ask if Daisy is a Pinerock pointer? I lost my beautiful old lady Gracie in May and this morning I almost fell off my chair to see that face. Even friends have asked how I found the massage worked with Grace. That’s how alike they are – my girl had just turned 13 so they could conceivably be a similar age. Happy to send you a picture if you like.
And so it transpired that I learned more about Daisy’s sister, who lived with another dog named Shamus, who still grieves for her. Indeed, it is eerie to see how much Daisy and Gracie resembled one another. The bloodlines are clearly apparent…
“I will take her ashes to the Pointer Memorial Garden at Pinerock where Pluto the Pointer watches over their souls.”
Gracie’s mum may come for a visit to meet Daisy one day. I’m sure Daisy would be as welcoming as always and we will share more stories of Gracie.
Posted in Dogs, dogs and mourning
Tagged Christchurch, Daisy, dog massage, Gracie, Pinerock, pointer, The Press
Today we woke up and went to the largest dog park in Christchurch, The Groynes. Although the sun was coming up, it was also showering and we saw a lovely rainbow settle over the park:
Daisy loves being off-lead and able to exhibit her natural dog instincts. She looks up to keep tabs on me often, but enjoys foraging around:
And tonight Daisy enjoyed a slice of her birthday cake for dessert. This cake is salmon and rice, with a lowfat cream cheese frosting, doggy choc drops and homemade chicken & parsley doggy treats:
Happy Birthday, Daisy. I love you!
Posted in Dogs
Tagged animals, birthday cake, choc drops, cream cheese, cream cheese frosting, Daisy, dog park, dog treats, groynes, off-lead exercise, off-leash exercise, salmon, The Groynes
This is it. Daisy’s 13th birthday weekend. The day started out the sad news that one of Daisy’s extended family, Icy, passed away yesterday at the age of 15 1/2. It makes me realise that Daisy is definitely a senior dog and every day past 13 is a blessing.
We started this afternoon off with a visit to dog park on what is a warmer than usual winter’s day. Daisy is proudly wearing her Birthday Dog scarf and is ready for action.
Tonight she had doggy meatloaf (a combination of kibble, beef, carrots, brown rice, beef broth and lots of love) for her dinner.
How do you celebrate your dog’s birthday?
Several weeks ago, Daisy and I met a little dog when we were out for our afternoon walk. From his tag, I knew his name was Louie. He was obviously lost and happy to follow us, but also lacked car sense (running across roads without stopping to look for traffic). So, I encouraged him to come along with us and picked him up when we were approaching streets to cross.
I think together Daisy and I have ‘rescued’ three dogs in the last year who have lost their way from their homes. In Louie’s case, matching him with his owner was not difficult because Louie’s owner had secured a name tag with her phone number to Louie’s collar (a move which I applaud and endorse).
Louie
Now, Daisy is an older girl and she is very congenial to all dogs and humans. But, she prefers her routine and very young Louie was a little too much for her. On arrival at home, she went to bed. I went for the phone to call Louie’s owner who, as it turns out, was out of town. She’d left Louie with a friend and he’d escaped. Help was on the way within the next hour or so….
Daisy couldn’t help herself. She had to come out and see what was happening in her house. Louie wanted to play; Daisy wasn’t so sure. Here’s a video of their encounter (latin dance music courtesy of the film that was playing on the tv at the time)…
Louie was picked up by his owner’s flatmate.
Today, my doorbell rang and Anna (owner) was there to thank me. Louie, a Bichon/Poodle cross, decided to jump out of the car and say hello too, to both Daisy and I. We were given a bottle of wine for our efforts (Daisy won’t indulge). All’s well that ends well.
But Daisy is still glad we are a one-dog household…
Posted in dog ownership, Uncategorized
Tagged Bichon, car sense, Daisy, identification, lost dogs, Louie, poodle, tags
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