We dodged a bullet.  A prickly bullet.  And I wonder if the neighbors heard my human scream…

So I wrote yesterday about my seizures.  And if two wasn’t enough – I had ANOTHER one at 1 AM yesterday morning.  Which has my human worried, puzzled and again studying for her internet veterinary degree. What has she learned?  One of the meds I am taking can cause one of the side effects I am having – even after being on the drug for some time.  She also learned that it is NOT uncommon for seizures to appear after a period without them.  And she also learned that some essential oils can REPORTEDLY trigger seizures in some dogs.  Two of the listed oils are eucalyptus and rosemary.  Look familiar?  Yup I listed them in the ingredients in the “all natural” tick repellent she has sprayed on us.  Coincidence?  Possibly.  But it did necessitate a quick bath before she went to work yesterday.  I’m sure the amount of oils in the repellent are not high – but who knows.  Better safe than sorry.  No more spray for me – and I think Frodo will be having a bath as well.  The FG swam on Sunday morning – so he no longer smells like potpourri.

Anyway, after I had my 1 AM seizure, my human went to take me out.  I was on a leash, and for SOME reason, instead of just walking near the house, she decided to walk up the driveway – because she had put on her headlamp.  And we were walking and I suddenly stopped to sniff something in the bushes.  My human shone the light in my direction and screamed when she realized what I was sniffing.  A PORCUPINE!!!!!!  She nearly toppled over backward pulling me away as Mr. Needles rustled off into the brush.  She felt all over my face to make sure I had no needles in me.  Now wouldn’t THAT have made an already bad situation even WORSE?!

We came back home and I quickly went to sleep – AFTER I had something to eat.  When I have one of these things I become ravenous – even MORE than I normally am.  If you can imagine that.

So keep your fingers crossed that we get this under control again.  I’m generally a positive kind of guy – so I think we will.  And a few prayers wouldn’t hurt either…One thing I know for sure – SOMEBODY up there was looking over me when I met Mr. Needles…

Have a good one.

Back to the drawing board.  I haven’t posted about my health for quite a while.  I did have a seizure or two back in March – so my Vet decided I needed another seizure medication – which I started at the beginning of April.  I had a seizure at the end of April – but none since – so I human was over the moon because I finally went for over a month without one.  But space ships come back from the moon  – and Saturday morning, I had a seizure.  And I had one Sunday night.  A goal of one seizure or less a month is what we have been striving for.  But….I have also had some side effects from my medications – so my human had taken me in for blood work last Thursday – even before I had the first seizure.   So now we are waiting to see what my blood work looks like, and I may be going on a new drug.  It is very much a balancing act.  Otherwise, I am in great form.  My energy is the same, my appetite is fantastic, all systems are working just great – and the seizures have not changed – they are no longer in duration, and after they are over, I return to my normal, crazy self.  I was very good at the Vet, but I did get a BIT dramatic when they put a bit of solution on my leg – BEFORE they even put in the needle to draw blood.  Einstein, the real drama dog, told me how to do it.  It’s a great way to get extra treats.  But they did realize I was being dramatic – because I didn’t make a PEEP when they actually put the needle in.  So now we wait for all the results…

In other news, my human has lost her mind.  Yup.  She has LOST it.  She decided she could no longer stand the sight (or aroma) of that area carpet in the dining room – so OUT it went.  She put us on the deck while she rolled up the massive thing and dragged it out to the garage.  She was going to take it to the dump – but couldn’t fit the thing in Ludwig – so it will have to wait until garbage day.  She scrubbed the floor, waited for it to dry and rolled out the new carpet.  The FG was the first one to run in from the deck.  He raced around the dining room table – and although he has never peed in the house, my human had this momentary fear that he was going to christen the new carpet.  She whisked us all outside and then let us back in.  She watched the FG like a hawk to see his reaction to the new carpet.  He looked in earnest for the holes he had so painstakingly created in the OLD carpet.  Gone.  He rubbed his face in the new one and stared at it – wondering how to start a NEW hole.  He didn’t ATTEMPT it – because my human was standing RIGHT next to him.  But I know him – if left alone, he WILL start it off.  So he will have to be watched whenever he is loose in the room.  THIS will be interesting.

It’s Monday.  The start of a new week.  And I understand SOMETHING may be happening at the END of the week.  Stay tuned!

Have a good one.

We smell.  Really.  My human, in her desperate attempt to protect us from the dreaded ticks has turned to an all natural protect – made here in Nova Scotia.  It’s a combination of things including witch hazel, rose geranium, citronella, lavender, cedar, rosemary and eucalyptus.  We smell like either something you should cook or use as a cleaning product.  When my human sprays it on us, she is obviously careful not to get any in our eyes, mouth or nose.  But we still sneeze when she puts it on.  Then to make us smell even better, we have been taking these garlic tablets, formulated specially for dogs.   So while our coat smells somewhat appealing (which is open to opinion), our breath smells horrid.  Not only are we capable of repelling ticks, no other living organism will come near us.  So far, though, it seems to be working – we have had no new vagabonds – even after our travels into the woods the other night.  Wonder if we could be hired to do commercials.  I can see it now – the three musketeers posing as the anti-tick poster dogs.  But knowing humans in this world, there is PROBABLY some entomology advocacy group trying to “save the ticks”.   And we’ll have protesters picketing outside our house.  You know humans – somewhere out there, there is probably a tick fan club.  Humans are so odd.

Well it’s nice to see our human not having to do any WORK this weekend.  HOWEVER, she did mention that she would now have time for some GROOMING.  Excuse me while I go and hide.

Have a good one!

OK.  We went over the line.  I must confess, we were very bad yesterday – and we went SO far as to make our human cry.  You all know that we can be a little naughty at times.  OK – a lot naughty.  And she is able to put up with our antics.  But yesterday she completed her intensive time at work.  From what I gather from eavesdropping on her phone calls, her work is very rewarding – but sometimes a tad mentally and physically draining.  So here she comes home exhausted after wrapping up 4.5 weeks of work, and instead of welcoming her and being all happy for her…well I hate to confess this – but we all took off.  First I spotted a bunny when she let me and Einstein out.   And I was gone.  So much for the New Year’s resolution.  I was off into the woods.  She could hear me barking in pursuit in the distance.  And THEN Einstein followed me.  The dog who doesn’t like to get messy.  So she shouted and reminded us we hadn’t had supper.  Didn’t matter.  So she was down two PONs.  The FG was safely secured in the fenced run on the side of the house.  So she went to get him.  BUT – she was SO tired, she left the screen door unlatched..He raced through the garage and was OUT the door.  He came into the woods looking for us.  So now she was down three dogs.  

Long story short, she rather dramatically sobbed as she prepared to head down the trail to the lake to find us.  Einstein and I actually returned before she hit the trail.  She put us in the house, and then spent probably 15 minutes chasing the FG.  Every time she was close to him – he bolted.  And my human trudged sadly along.   I might add that in addition to being totally exhausted, she is sporting a dark purple finger – from slamming it in the front door the night before – when going to take one of us out for our nightly pee.  

She finally gave up chasing the FG – who actually followed her back to the house – in the woods just out of sight.  He lay down 10 feet from the front door.  Of course when she went to get him, he bolted AGAIN. He eventually came in when she opened the front door.  

The remainder of the night, we were ALL very well behaved.  I didn’t style Einstein’s hair and the FG didn’t destroy the carpet.  We all knew we crossed the line.  And you know, we weren’t REALLY trying to be bad – we were just celebrating the fact that she is finished her work – for now- and she has a bit of a break.  We just rejoiced by going for a joy run.  That’s what we’ll call it…

Today we let her sleep in.  Until 5:30.  We figured she needed some sleep.  And she was all happy and relaxed when she got up.  It’s a new day.

We MAY be well behaved today.  But no guarantees.  I mean, we DO have a blog to write.

Have a good one.

Well, well. It’s June 1 – and it’s New Year’s Resolution Recommitment Day.  What does the fact that they have such a day tell us about humans and their ability to hold fast to their resolutions?

I looked back at my resolutions, and I’m doing OK….  For example, I vowed not to take off in the woods after bunnies.  And I haven’t been doing it.  Much.  Yesterday morning there was a bunny on the lawn when we went out for our last pee before my human left for work.  I was on a leash – and Einstein was free.  Good thing I was on the leash.  Einstein took off – but of course he only chases bunnies as far as the lawn goes – he doesn’t want to go off into the woods and mess up his hair.  I would have been G-O-N-E.

I also vowed to be nicer to the FG.  And I AM being nicer.  I still don’t exactly PLAY with hm – but we can lie right next to each other and chew bones – and it’s fine with me.  He also sometimes barks right in my face, in an attempt to get me to play – and I no longer scowl at him.  I just look at him and roll my eyes. I really don’t mind him – although I’m still not so sure about sharing my human’s bed with him – when he is let out of his crate at night – 4 years from now.

I have been bugging my human for more walks – in an attempt to help her get rid of the Halloween candy she is still sporting around her waist.  From 2015.  That was one of my resolutions too.  I bug her every chance I get.  Even at 2:30 AM.  I’m a thoughtful guy – and concerned for her health.  I know she appreciates my concern. 

I guess if I were to make a new resolution for the remainder of 2017 – it would be to stop our linen destruction.  My human discovered when she was making her bed yesterday morning, that someone had AGAIN chewed on of the pillowcases while she was in the bathroom.  She is JUST about out of pillowcases.  But let’s just be clear – Einstein also helps in this project.  So I’ll have to get him to commit to the resolution too.

Anyway, good luck with Recommitment Day.  You still have half a year – there is still time to reach your goals – so get to it!

Have a good one!