Like the maple tree all five of us reached out to the sun, enjoying some time outside. We have endured a long, cold, snowy winter. It isn’t over yet, we will have more cold and snow to endure. Yet I think the most brutal and hardest spells are behind us. Winter’s end is closer, each day spring is one day closer. A cardinal was caroling in our Manitoba maple day before yesterday.
I’ve owned Stella for over ten years now and Achilles for almost seven. For all of that time they have gotten along well and been good play partners. Stella is the more assertive of the two so Achilles’ more deferential temperament is a good complement. Having said that Achilles is often the one to instigate play sessions.
Beng older now (Achilles who knows, our best guess is ten with Stella being almost eleven) they play less. It’s interesting to see how Achilles uses his 20 pound size/weight atvantage to push missy dog around while Stella counteracts with her quickness, darting and boxing. Sometimes Achilles would (and still does) simply butt-tuck and race around the yard, zooming up to and past a nearly stationary Stella. I came across this sequence from March 2010.
Chili Dog circles in. Stella waits, hackles slightly raised yet ears and mouth relaxed.
Full speed and flat out he reaches the speed of sound. Zoom zoom. Hackles up but Stella’s facial and head expression was still playful. Achilles swept past and came in for one (or more?) strafing runs.
I’ve learned a lot about canine body language. The unknowing might watch them play and conclude that at times they are angry, fierce, blood is about to fly. I’ve never seen that. They growl, fling themselves at one another yet it’s play. When Stella has had enough she snaps and briefly chases Achilles; he understands and stops.
Taken and posted with the PlayBook
Think I’ll take a nap.
Taken and posted with the PlayBook.
Let’s get walking!
Whatcha doing?
I dropped Stella at the vet yesterday for dental cleaning. She was clearly displeased at being left there, trying to drag the vet tech out the door in pursuit of me.
A full blood panel and urinalysis were done before the procedure because she is a senior, almost eleven, and because of her weight loss from 35 lbs to 31.
The vet called to say that the bloodwork was fine, nothing to report. However sugar crystals were found in her urine. This was interesting because this was one finding during Kendal’s workup when he was so sick in late December. The vet delaying the dental work since it was not crucial to perform right away. He also recommended taking a second urine sample for comparative analysis, and because the first sample was possibly contaminated. The second sample revealed sugar crystals though not in the same high concentration.
Faye picked Stella up and brought her home, and we will try to capture a pee sample in a couple weeks or so. Miss Stella seems to be fine, has her normal energy and interest in things going on around her.
The vet also recommended further increasing Stella’s kibble. We recently switched all three dogs from the Acana Regionals cycle to Acana Senior, so perhaps I have not appropriately adjusted her kibble. Another factor is the colder winter than the recent ones, which of course requires expending more energy to stay warm.
Dropping Stella at the vet (Wallaceburg Animal Hospital) this morning. She’s got some gingivitis which teh vet will look at and treat. Other than that her teeth and gums are fine.
Also having a full wellness blood panel and urinalysis done. Stella is almost 11 and has lost about five pounds from her normal 35-36. Her appetite, energy, pee, drinking, interest in things are all normal. We’ve increased her kibble, and the only variable I can think has changed is the kibble itself (a switch from the Acana Regionals cycle to Acana Senior. She did test Lyme+ in 2012 yet has been asymptomatic since. So we want to try to find out what’s going on.
I’m a weather geek and enjoy surfing various forecast services. My primary soures are Environment Canada, The Weather Network, and the US National Weather Service. Intellicast and the Weather Underground provide useful information. I ignore The Weather Channel – too much breathless hype for me. I review the available forecast packages then make an educated guess at what will happen.
Today we had some sun and it warmed up to about 4 degrees, which melted some of the snowpack. Tomorrow morning we have a chance at snow and/or freezing drizzle which will make for an interesting drive. Dropping Stella at the vet for some dental cleaning, she’s lost five pounds over several months and about 1 1/2 since her last visit a month ago. Her standard weight is about 35 or 36 so it’s concerning.
Tomorrow afternoon and evening we could see heavy rain, possibly an inch or more. That’s a lot of rain to fall on our ten inches or so of snow. We might get a rumble of thunder. Then a cold front sweeps through during Thursday night bringing colder temperatures and winds possibly gusting to 80 kilometers per hour (around 50 mph). May our and our neighbours’ trees stay where and as they are.
I’m not Panicky or Freaking Out, weather like this is a part of life and of living in this part of the world. It’s good to be knowledgeable and prepared.
Stella generally sleeps doughnut dog style.
previouslytexan 