Why Did I Throw Up This Morning?

Mommy & daddy thought they had it all figured out and the vet even said the Pepcid AC would help the extra acid in my tummy, but I threw up this morning at 5 AM while daddy was in the shower. That's the first time I threw up since starting my antacids.

Mommy made sure I didn't throw up in my bed and pulled my ears back. Then she had to clean the hardwood floors. It was just the yellow bile so it wasn't gross or anything but I don't know why I did it.

What could it be? Last night I had soft peanut butter instead of chunky. Or maybe I didn't really swallow my pill? Or maybe it was something I ate in the park? Or maybe it's the special rawhide that mommy gave me for my anniversary? I just don't know.

I don't like throwing up. Hopefully I'll be better tonight. The good news is that my heartworm test was negative so I'm heartworm free. Yeah!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is my one year anniversary with my mommy & daddy. I can't believe it has only been a year - I feel like I've been with them my entire life. Even though today is "bath" day, I'm still very happy. Mommy says we're going to celebrate by going to a fancy dog boutique where I can pick out a nice treat, and then we'll go running around a large park with lots of woods. Of course no anniversary celebration is complete without dinner, so we're going to a dog-friendly restaurant later tonight. I can't wait! I already started the day off sleeping in the human bed , and mommy even gave me a nice belly rub. Happy Anniversary to my mommy & daddy! I woof you!

Do I Have Egg On My Face?

Mommy is trying to lose a few pounds so she no longer eats egg yolks - that means I get to eat them - yeah! They are good for my coat and they taste great too. This morning mommy cooked my egg yolks, mashed them up so I could easily digest them, and mixed them with water. She knows that I can be a messy eater so she put my snood on to protect my ears. Thank goodness she did that because mommy accidentally knocked my bowl full of eggs into the counter while trying to serve them to me, and they spilled all over the kitchen floor.

Since I was already wearing my snood I figured, "Why not?" So I started eating all of the eggs off of the hardwood floor. Mommy started laughing and said I was a funny dog. She was trying to clean up some of the mess when she heard what she thought was a warthog. She knew our neighbors didn't keep any warthogs - roosters and chickens, yes, but not warthogs. Then mommy got closer to me and learned that I was the warthog! I was making snorting noises as I was trying to find all of the egg mixture in the kitchen.

When I had licked all of the egg and water mixture from the floor, mommy noticed I had some egg on my face so she took my photo. She said I looked awfully cute and thought you might want to see my picture. Don't worry, mommy made sure the egg was removed from my face afterwards. She wouldn't want me to embarrass myself in front of the other dogs during our morning walk now, would she?

P.S. Mommy says a nice doggy named Bailey is available for adoption through CAP - the Citizens for Animal Protection - so if you'd like to learn more about Bailey, click here.

Heartworm

I went to the vet yesterday so they could test me for heartworm. Mommy makes sure I take a special pill every month so I don't get it, but unfortunately I still have to be poked once a year to make sure the medicine is working. Mommy says it's medicine but it tastes just like a yummy treat to me.

The vet tech tried two times to get my blood to come out but it didn't work. Maybe I'm too furry? He was awfully nice so I didn't mind. Then a different vet tech had to draw my blood and I was a very good boy. I didn't moan, whince, move or anything. I really like the staff there. They are always so nice to me. When it was all over, I got a special bone-shaped treat. And I when I was in the waiting room, one nice man said cockers are great. He told mommy that cocker spaniels are like children, only better. Mommy is always getting compliments about me. I must be one special dog. Well, when I'm not trying to eat poop that is.

I hope all of you doggies out there are on heartworm preventative medicine. If you're not, make sure you tell your owners to get you tested. If your test comes back negative, that's a good thing. Just take your medication - which tastes like a yummy treat - once a month and you're good to go.

Heartworm isn't a good thing so you want to make sure you never get it. It is a yucky worm that you can get from a mosquito bite. Mosquitoes like to bite my mommy. She has big red marks all over her legs. We can't wait until the winter when there won't be as many mosquitoes out.

Don't Leave Your Dog in the Car

Owners, please don't leave us dogs in the car. It's hot in there and we can get all sorts of health problems. Some doggies have even died from heatstroke because they were left in the car.

No pet should be left inside a vehicle during the summer – even with all of the windows rolled down. The temperature inside a vehicle during the summer (even if the temperature is only in the 70’s) can rise quickly within a matter of minutes and can easily cause heatstroke.

Heatstroke can cause blood-clotting abnormalities, brain swelling, seizures, kidney failure, shock, coma and death. The adverse conditions might not appear right away, so please take the signs seriously; and more importantly, take precautions.

Signs of Heatstroke in Your Dog

• Excessive Panting (*Note: Dogs pant to cool down but when they pant excessively, this is the time to worry).
• Excessive Drooling
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Dark Red Gums
• Walking Slowly or Differently than Usual
• Extreme Lethargy
• Odd Behavior
• Seizures
• An Elevated Heart Rate (*Note: a dog's normal heart rate is between 70-160 beats per minute)
• Collapsing or Becoming Unconscious
  

Steps To Take If Your Dog Develops Heatstroke

1. Call your dog's veterinarian and go to the closest veterinary hospital as soon as you suspect your dog has heatstroke.
2. Move your dog to an air conditioned area. If you are outside and have no access to air condition, move your dog to a shaded area.
3. Apply water to your dog to lower his temperature back down to 104. Be sure to do this within the first ten minutes and use cool water, not freezing cold water. Start with your dog’s neck, legs and paws first before moving onto the rest of the body.
   

Ways to Water Your Dog

• Wet a towel (or a piece of clothing if you are outside) and place on your dog as described above.
• Submerse your dog in a sink, bathtub, or wading pool for a minute at a time.
• If you are not able to lift your dog, use a garden hose to wet your pet down once the hose water cools off. (*Tip: Remember your hose will be affected by the heat as well, so initially hot water will come out. Let the water run until it becomes cool).
  

Tips for Walking Your Dog in the Heat

• Walk your dog in the morning or late at night when the temperatures aren’t as high.
• Carry personal identification with you along with your dog’s id.
• Bring your cell phone. *Make sure your phone is charged.
• Add your dog’s veterinarian’s phone number to your cell phone address book. It’s also a good idea to have the number of an emergency animal hospital just in case your veterinarian cannot handle the case.
  

It's Great to be a Spaniel

As I sit here typing with my muddy paws and wet fur, it makes me think about what I was born to do. I love sniffing things in the woods and chasing anything I can find - usually squirrels and birds - and when I'm done, my mommy gives me fresh cold water (it's filtered and everything).

Daddy says I'd do well with tracking. Mommy thinks I'm great a jumping over things so agility might be my calling; and one nice man told my parents that I would make a wonderful hunting dog. Of course everyone says I'm sweet too, so perhaps I should be a therapy dog? So many activities and not enough time to do them all. Maybe I'll try a different one each year, or maybe I'll just continue to sniff the local woods and watch TV.

All I know is that my little tail goes a million miles per hour when I'm on the scent for something good at the park. Being a spaniel is fun although I'm sure my parents aren't fond of wet, muddy paws. Thank goodness for waterproof seat covers!

Adopt Me - I'm Teddy the Lap Dog

This entry comes from Teddy, our guest blogger who is currently staying at Rover Oaks in Katy, TX while waiting for a loving forever home.

Hi,

My name is Teddy and I am a seven year old, seventy pound Shar-Pei mix. I might look a little gruff (I prefer to think of it as "distinguished"), but I am really just a big old teddy bear. Get it? "TEDDY" bear! Hah!

Anyway, my story is a little sad but things have been looking up for me in the last couple of years. I was a stray, and a very nice lady found me on the road after I'd been hit by a car. She picked me up and took me to a vet, where they took care of my injuries and also treated my heartworms. She wanted to keep me, but I didn't get along very well with her other dogs, so she asked CAP (Citizens for Animal Protection) if they could find me a home.

The folks at CAP asked their friends at Rover Oaks in Katy if they could work with me a little bit since I wasn't very good with other dogs. So, I came to Rover Oaks, where I have been staying for over a year. The trainers there told CAP that I'm not really dog-aggressive, I just have something called a high prey drive so I am inclined to chase after smaller animals. Who knows, maybe it's because I had to find my own food out there on the streets.

In any case, I absolutely love people and all the folks at Rover Oaks absolutely love me in return. The only reason I haven't gone home with one of them is that almost everybody already has other pets, and it would really be best for me to be the only animal in the house. My favorite things are chew bones and stuffed toys, and my favorite activity (besides sitting in laps and getting chest rubs) is tug-of-war. Most days I get to go and hang out in the big kitchen at Rover Oaks, where everyone pays attention to me and I get lots of love. But, it would be even better if I had a family of my very own!

I'm a very low maintenance kind of guy and would be happy if I could find a home where I could be someone's couch potato companion. I'm also very healthy, except for some pesky allergies that make me really itchy in the late spring and early summer.

So, I just wanted to tell you my story and hope that someone who reads this might know someone who would like to take me home! The trainers at Rover Oaks would be very happy to work with any new family to help us adjust to our life together. If you'd like more information on me, you can call Rover Oaks in Katy at 281-693-7687 and talk with Joy or Jacque. Thanks for letting me share my story!

Love, Teddy (a/k/a the Lap Dog)

Euri, the Dog Ate an Entire Bag of Cookies

Last month when my mommy and daddy went to the Pacific Northwest, I stayed with my host family. Melissa Maertens from Pets Are Inn picked me up in her van and off I went. I didn't mind because I love staying with my host mommy. She's always so nice to me, and she even lets me sleep in her bed - something daddy won't let me do because he says I hog the bed. Me? Hog the bed? I'm just a medium sized dog, how can I take up the entire bed?

So while mommy and daddy were away, I had a lot of fun with my host mommy but on the last day, I saw her pack up my belongings and I got scared. I did not want to leave so I did something naughty. I saw a bag of cookies just sitting there on the kitchen table, so I jumped up, knocked the cookies down, and ate all of them - that's right, each and every cookie. My bad.

I'm on a wheat-free diet so I'm not supposed to eat things like that plus I don't even know what was in those cookies. There could have been chocolate which could kill me. My host mommy was surprised that I had done something mischievous when I'm normally so well-behaved. I bet she won't leave cookies lying around the house next time I stay with her.

So on the way home, I got sick in my crate and threw up. Poor Melissa had to clean it up, and when I got back home to mommy and daddy's house, I didn't react enthusiastically so they knew something was wrong. They thought of me during their vacation and bought me muttaroons - wheat free macaroons for dogs. I normally will eat anything but I was feeling so sick that I didn't even eat the muttaroon mommy gave me. Mommy was insulted and didn't know what was wrong, but then Melissa told her about my antics.

As soon as Melissa left, I threw up on the area rug. Daddy was not happy that I chose the rug instead of the hardwood floors - which would have been easier to clean - but the rug was so much more comfortable. Then, as mommy was cleaning up my vomit, I ran to the bedroom so I could vomit again....on the area rug of course, isn't that where I'm supposed to throw up?

I was pretty sick all night and the next day but fortunately I made a full recovery, and I learned my lesson....well, OK, so maybe I didn't learn my lesson but what do you expect? I'm a dog for goodness sake!

Guest Blogger, Turbo the Poodle from Texas

This entry comes from Turbo, our guest blogger whose mom is Joy Lee, co-owner of Rover Oaks in Katy, TX, and author of Rover's Rescues. Read her interview with the Houston Dogs Examiner by clicking here.


My name is Turbo because that's what I used to be like when I first showed up at Mom's work...some guys brought me into her pet resort and said I was a stray and they couldn't keep me. Thankfully, Mom did!

I am only about three years old now, but I'm not really a Turbo any more. I've had lots of health problems for a young dog, and I think I've been to the emergency clinic you were talking about one time when I took some medicine for my aching joints but it ended up making me throw up blood. And, I was in the hospital part of that clinic for three different knee surgeries and a bunch of tests. They say I have something called "lupus"...I'm not really sure what that is but I do know that the medicine they usually give for that is the same medicine that sent me to the emergency clinic. So I am on a different medicine, plus I get acupuncture and herbal medicines. And, I'm doing a little better now and am kind of getting back to my old self.

I still keep finding new and different reasons for Mom to need to take me to the vet though. Like, the other night, I was exploring in the back yard and came across a walking stick insect. Did you know those things spray a really nasty stuff and they are really good at getting it right in your eyes? I came running back inside, shaking my head and rubbing my eyes, and Mom took me and flushed my eye out, but the next morning it was still really swollen. The vet says I got an ulcer on my cornea from the bug and now I need ointment in my eyes four times a day so it will get better. Anyway, the picture Mom is sending of me isn't my best, but it's the best one she can find right now.

Hope we can be blog friends, but right now I want Mom to stop typing on the computer so she can give me my nightly massage! Bye for now, Turbo

Commemorate Your Deceased Dog With a Scrapbook Memory Box

Mommy couldn't sleep this morning because she was thinking about a great idea: a scrapbook memory box for dogs that have gone to heaven. She thinks it is a nice way for dog owners to commemorate their beloved best friend who has passed on.

Want to read mommy's idea? Click here and give her your thoughts. Have you lost your doggy? If so, how did you deal with it?

I hope I never leave my mommy.

Hoshi's Guest Blog Entry

This blog entry comes from Hoshi, our first guest blogger. Hoshi is a beautiful American Cocker Spaniel and my new friend. Hoshi's dad runs the Cocker Spaniel Forum at http://mycockerspaniel.com/forum/index.php

My dad was flustered this evening because he couldn't get Euri, my new Twitter friend registered on his cocker forum. Dad isn't good with registering "COPPA users." I don't even know what that means. All know is dad was clicking his mouse and typing like crazy. Dad is mad at me too because I chewed the phone line to our fax. He says puppies shouldn't play with cords because they are dangerous. Dad needs a fax so "COPPA users" can become members. I'm all excited about my new friend Euri. I hope he likes to play ball. Dad is taking a rest now. I think he figured out the "COPPA" thing so Euri can join dad's forum.

I'm Looking for Guest Bloggers!

A few months ago, my mommy and daddy offered to dog-sit a Shih Tzu for the weekend. It turned into a fiasco because the dog had fleas and the owners never told my parents. But before mommy and daddy learned about the dog's flea problem, they learned that I was a jealous and needy dog.

I hated the attention they showed to the Shih Tzu and I acted like a spoiled brat who had sibling rivalry. Whenever mommy tried to pet the Shih Tzu, I would maneuver my way under her hand so she could pet me instead. Mommy said I was being selfish, so in an attempt to be less selfish, I'm going to allow guest bloggers on my blog.

So what do you have to do to be my guest blogger?

Well, you have to be an animal of course - any type of animal is fine, I don't discriminate - and you have to e-mail me your article. My e-mail address is EuritheDog@yahoo.com. Don't forget to send a photo of yourself too!

Part II of My Trip to the Emergency Animal Clinic

Mommy made sure I was buckled up in my seat belt so I didn’t get hurt just in case daddy stopped short on the way to the hospital, and off we went down Houston’s highways. They might be scary for some people, but I love adventure. We used mommy’s Garmin to get to the emergency veterinary hospital and it took us there in no time. I wasn’t feeling very well but I still enjoyed the ride. When we got there, mommy and daddy couldn’t figure out how to enter. It turns out we were all on camera and had to use a special buzzer. A magical force opened the door and then we went into a big box that moved down. Mommy told daddy that I had never been on an elevator before but I have – at the airport. Silly mommy!

When we got there, only a kitty cat (that was old) was waiting but I was the very next patient. Mommy filled out the paperwork while a nice lady took me to the back room. I have to admit I was scared and anxious but the staff at the animal hospital was so nice to me. They kept telling me how handsome I was and I felt better. Who doesn’t feel better after receiving a compliment?

The doctor examined my belly and said I was a glutton. Me? Can you believe the nerve? OK, I admit it I am a glutton. I love to eat! Do they have overeaters anonymous for canines? "Hi! My name is Euri, and I'm an overeater."

The staff at the animal hospital suggested that I get an x-ray just in case, so my parents agreed – despite not knowing how much it was going to cost them. Pets; what are you going to do with them? They’re so expensive but we give you so much love.

Mommy and daddy went back to the treatment area where the doctor explained to them that I had eaten too much and showed them a picture of my stomach. It had expanded like a balloon, and all that food was putting pressure on my organs. Mommy and daddy were very concerned but the doctor kept laughing; she thought it was funny that I had eaten so much. I don’t think she’s ever seen such a piglet in a doggy before. They called me a chow hound, but I’m not a hound, I’m a spaniel.

The doctor told my parents that they could give me something to induce vomiting to help purge some of the contents of my stomach, so they agreed but then they left me with the staff and I was scared again. They gave me a shot and I knew I had to vomit but I was embarrassed to throw up in front of everyone. They kept telling me it was OK so I went ahead and threw up. The staff at the animal emergency clinic told my parents that a whole lot of food came out which is good. The rest of the contents in my stomach? Well, I had to poop them out the next day and not just once, but many, many times. At least I didn’t throw up again.

Mommy and daddy were asked a lot of questions about me because everyone wanted to know where they got such a lovely dog. I was very popular that night, and I have to say I loved the attention despite not feeling well. Afterwards, mommy paid the large bill and we went home. The moral of the story? You can eat as much as you want as long as you vomit afterwards. What? That isn’t it?

My Weekend Walks

On Friday night mommy took me for a walk to the local park. We go every evening but some nights are more fun than others. On our way there I ran onto Spot's driveway - Spot is a cat, not a dog. Spot arched his back and started hissing at me but I didn't care. Mommy tried to pull me away but I just stood there with my tail - oops, I mean stub - wagging

When we were on way home two large dogs came out of no where. I wasn't sure if I should be scared or not but mommy told me it was OK.

The dogs' owner kept shouting at the dogs but they didn't listen. Mommy put her hand out so the dogs could sniff her and she kept saying things like "Hello doggy!" in a silly voice to the big dogs to keep them calm.

I stood still as the two big dogs sniffed me, but they got bored after a while and just wanted to be pet by mommy. Then, a car was driving down the street and one of the big dogs ran into the road but mommy protected him from being hit. When the car stopped and pulled into the driveway, a man got out and told mommy how pretty I was.

We continued walking down the street when two kids on bicycles came up to us. I didn't know what to do so mommy made me go over to them so they could pet me. Some kids in our area don't have nice dogs so mommy thought it was important to show them that I was a nice doggy and that I could be pet without biting them.

Then we were almost home and I ran into Spot's driveway again - I never learn! Needless to say, Spot arched his back and hissed at me again. You'd think he would be friendly by now but I'm getting the feeling that he doesn't like me much. Again, I tried to stand my ground but mommy didn't want my eyes to be scratched so she pulled me away. Oh well, maybe next time.

Over the weekend, daddy took me for my walks. Even though my parents are together, daddy has custody of me over the weekend...or something like that. Mommy says I'm daddy's dog on Saturdays and Sundays so he has to walk me. The good thing about walking with daddy is that he lets me off the leash when I'm at the local park so I can run and find poop before daddy can get to me. Poop is one of my favorite treats but my parents don't like me eating it. I don't know why, do you?

I Had My First Visit to the Emergency Vet Last Weekend

Last Saturday my parents went to the gym - I'm not sure why my mommy goes when she runs with me twice a day - and when they were gone, I did something very mischievous which led to a trip to the emergency veterinary hospital.

My parents always give me a Kong filled with kibble and treats before they leave so I won't be bored, but last Saturday night I discovered that daddy did something naughty and I got the blame. He not only left the pantry door open, but he forgot to put the lid back on my food container. So what's a dog to do?

After I finished rolling my Kong around, I headed towards the pantry and well....I jumped up onto the food container, stuck my head in the opening, and ate and ate and ate until I couldn't eat anymore. I was very careful not to knock the container over so mommy and daddy wouldn't find out, but unfortunately my big belly gave it away.

I was so full that I had to poo, and even though I've never gone in the house before, I had no choice. At least I was considerate enough to go on the tile floor where it would be easy to clean up.

When my parents got home my dad said something disparaging. "Hi fat boy!" I was a bit insulted but I guess the cat was out of the bag - he could see my bloat. Mommy yelled at daddy for being mean to me because she never even noticed how bloated I was. But moments later when she took a few steps, she saw the poo and knew something was wrong.

Daddy thought I might have been spiteful but I have never been spiteful. I'm a good boy; well, most of the time. But mommy noticed that I was acting funny and she started to get worried. She saw that I was swelling up like a balloon so she started researching bloat on the Internet. She knew it was dangerous and dogs could die, but she wasn't sure if I had the dangerous kind or not. So daddy called the emergency hospital and they said to bring me in to play it safe.

So my parents ran around the house getting ready for our road trip. Oh I love road trips! They're my favorite...next to eating to my heart's content.

Stay tuned for Part II of my emergency vet hospital saga.

Oops, I did it again!

So yesterday morning my daddy fed me extra early before he went to work, but what he didn't realize was that he left the pantry door open. Inside the pantry was a fully loaded Kong with food and treats that my parents were supposed to give me the night before but didn't because they were lazy and decided not to go to the gym.

So daddy put the Kong on the lowest shelf in the pantry - silly daddy - and when I was done with my breakfast, I knocked the Kong onto the floor. I did it! I'm brilliant!

Mommy was sleeping since she's not a morning person but she must have heard the thump because she called my name soon after the Kong fell on the floor. I had to quickly eat everything so she wouldn't see what was going on, and then meandered back to the bedroom where I pretended I had just eaten my breakfast slowly. Who knew acting was my forte?

Mommy was confused when she woke up and saw the empty Kong on the floor and assumed that daddy had given me the Kong for breakfast, so she called daddy at the office but he didn't answer. Fortunately for me, mommy felt guilty about me not getting a proper breakfast so she gave me another one - lucky me!

Later, daddy called mommy and told her the truth and I knew I was in trouble. Mommy wasn't angry though, she just laughed. I guess she knows me by now since we're coming up on on one year anniversary together.

Welcome to My Blog!

Hi! My name is Euri and this is my blog. I'm not exactly sure what a blog is but my mom says people would like to read all about my adventures because I'm um, mischievous. Actually I'm just curious and smart and when you put the two together, well...things happen.

Thanks for reading my blog and don't forget to tell your four-legged friends and owners about it!