Our first walk of the year by River Song

Today the most interesting thing happened.  After we got out of bed our harnesses were put on, our leashes were attached to them, our Daddy took the handle of the leash in his hand, and me, Pocket, Mommy and Daddy went outside and Mommy told us we were going on a “walk.”

I vaguely remember a walk from four months ago.  I was pretty sure it happened outside, there were great smells, wonderful people, and I could poop and pee freely.  But it had been months earlier, before winter came with the hundreds of Pockets of snow, the nasty wind, and slippery ice, so I couldn’t be sure.

We started and slowly it all came back to me.  The smell of the ground was amazing.  So many messages from friends who had trekked out before us.   Pocket and I made sure we left lots of messages explaining our absence and saying we were back.   I swear you can communicate more with one pee than a thousand words.

And I remembered the daily struggle, me pulling as hard as my little legs could pull, and Daddy holding both leashes in his hand keeping us next to him as the pressure cut circulation to his fingers.

The grass didn’t tickle my paws, it lay there mushy and lifeless, but with my super-sensitive hearing I listened to it growing under the ground, getting ready to stand up, turn green, and reach for the sun.  And deeper down I could smell the flowers preparing to beautifully pop up.

I was so caught up in everything I forgot to poo.  But I won’t forget tomorrow.

Summers coming and the time is right for walking in the street.  

For more terrier adventures click here here

Lily is our March 29, 2015 Pup of the Week

    When it comes to the health of us precious babies there is no illness or medical procedure that is small.  This week when Lily’s, everyone’s sister and best friend, who I had been jealous of because she had kept her ovaries while mine were discarded like an empty treat package, had those very same ovaries turn on her, causing medical issues, and the ovaries needed to be removed.  I was upset first because I hate when my friends have surgery and second I am now a teenager and like any teenager I get mad when Mom is right.

Things change very quickly here.  All us pup angels were lying on the grass, soaking up the sun, when our prayer phones started chirping, and we were inundated with prayers for Lily.  We all took off, flying the prayers up the mountain, while frantically trying to read the reason for the prayers.   She has to get her lady parts out.  It could be worse:  But truthfully the thought of Lily having any surgery scared the fluff right out of me.

Lily isn’t the pup who should be needing prayers.  She sends prayers, she helps those who are down, she has answers, she makes everyone laugh.  She has never needed prayers. 

She is an invincible little pup so her needing prayers scared me, and when I landed I realized it scared the other angels too.  

 We got together to discuss how to make sure Lily didn’t cross the River of Life.  I suggested blowing up the Bridge but Ladybug said if the Bridge wasn’t there the Big Guy would guide new angels across the River.  I then suggested blowing up the stairs so Lily couldn’t climb them to be sworn in and Ladybug told me the Big Guy would just lift her up.  I  suggested we blow up where I swear pups in and Ladybug put a paw on my shoulder and suggested anger management.

I was angry.  There has been been way too many pups crossing the River and I certainly did not want Lily to be one.  So, instead of blowing something up I decided to go back to my cloud and pray for Lily.

I could hear lots of puppy prayers during Lily’s surgery, both on the mortal .and immortal side of the River of Life.  Thankfully every prayer was answered yes and Lily was brought home the night of her surgery.  

 It was a rough first, as it is for all of us.  The after effects of the anesthesia is a bugger to get past.  And whenever someone sticks a knife in you and remove something it stings a bit.  But Lily is recovering and we pray she continue to do so.

We spend so many time cursing the Big Guy for saying no I must give him credit when he says yes.

Ask Aunt Foley

Dear Aunt Foley:  My name is Chloe.  Angel Aran has selected me to move into his home, help his parents heal, and be their loyal dog.  I understand as part of this I will have to share my adventures on social networking.  What is required of me to be a good social networking dog? Chloe

Dear Chloe:  Being a social networking dog is a very big responsibility.  Basically we need to know every single thing you do every minute of the day.  Every pee, poop, bath, and walk we need to know about.  There is no detail too small.

And if you sneeze, throw up, or have a bad poop we need to know right away.  Then we all gather together to pray that  you get better.  We shake our paws at the vet who sticks things up your butt and prods you.  We try to guide you to do better the first day you nearly run off.  We defend you when you rip apart on of your parent’s prized possessions because we know you would do the same for us

And pictures.  We need pictures.  Pictures of every moment of your life.  We love to see our friends.  So get ready for lots of pictures..

    Most of all we are here to support you.  Luckily you have stumbled upon the greatest dog support group in the world.  You will become one of us and you will have brothers and sisters spread out across the world.  Anytime you need a friend she give out a bark and someone will be sure to find you.

    And most of all you are getting an army of angels to watch over you and keep you out of trouble.  So welcome Chloe.  You are going to have the time of your life.  (And just remember no matter what you do someone is watching.)

Wordless Wednesday

Two Dogs, One Bladder

I know I have weird sisters.  I had one and recruited a weirder one.  But here is the strangest part of my surviving pack members.  Even though they are not twins, nor from the same litter, they share one bladder.

River almost never pees.  She gets up in the morning and goes outside, sniffs the ground, sniffs the air, looks around, sits down, chews her paw, rolls on her back, looks at the sun, and then Daddy yells at her to pee.  River tells him she has performance anxiety and can’t pee under pressure.  Five or ten minutes later she squirts out a bit.  If it is raining and she is left to go on her pee pads inside she can take up to an hour to pee.

Pocket wakes up and is brought outside to pee first.  She comes back in and River goes out.  Then Pocket goes back out and pees.  She comes in, Mommy showers, Daddy plays ball with Pocket, and Pocket gets excited and pees, sometimes on the pad, and sometimes not on the pad.  Then Daddy showers, and when he is done he takes Pocket out and she pees.  Then after breakfast he takes Pocket out and she pees.

During the day Pocket will pee three or four more times before supper.  Just before supper River will got out for her second pee on the day.  During the evening Pocket will pee three more times before bed while River will have one more pee after playing with her treat ball.  That is 12 Pocket pees to 3 River pees

So the answer is obvious.  Somehow my sisters are sharing one bladder and Pocket, being the more generous of the two, is the one who pees more often.  How else could you explain such a thing?  So it any dogs don’t want to pee send a note to Pocket.  She loves it

Max is our March 22 2015 Pup of the week

Some long time readers may have heard me tell tale of Daddy’s Aunt Bev.  When Mommy and Daddy were first married Daddy wanted a dog.  Mommy was reluctant.  One Saturday afternoon Mommy mentioned she might like a small dog.  Daddy knew his Aunt Bev had small dogs her whole life, and knew Mommy respected Aunt Bev’s opinion a great deal, so he hurried Mommy over to the house Aunt Bev shared with Uncle Bob.  Aunt Bev explained to Mom how wonderful a little dog could be, and that they were virtually no work.  Yes, she lied.  But she did so because she knew her nephew wanted a dog and that Mommy would be a great dog lover, and she was right.Aunt Bev and Uncle Bob    no longer had a dog.  They were at an age when they knew the dog would outlive them, and they were right.  But we will always owe our lives and happiness to Aunt Bev and Uncle Bob and they have a special spot here on the immortal side of the River of Life.

Angel Ladybug, and our newest angel Max have parents who remind me of our Aunt Bev and Uncle Bob very much:  They are kind, generous people in their golden years who have always had a place in their hearts for wonderful dogs.

Because of this profound faith Ladybug, after crossing the River of Life, was awarded with the job of fitting the new angels with their wings and teaching them how to fly.  Meanwhile her parents were not looking for a new dog, but a series of unfortunate events caused their daughter to move in with them, and when she moved in her dog Max came with her.

Max’s grandparents fell in love with this sweet, caring, low key, little gentleman.  Their home was filled with a dog’s heartbeat once again, and that sound made their home come alive.  When their daughter was ready to move out but had to leave Max behind she knew that Max was in the best of hands.

Max didn’t just bring a calm demeanor and deep loving eyes, he brought a sense of joy and comfort.  No matter how many times the bad news rolled in there was Max, telling his grandparents it would be all right.  While the scars of Ladybug’s passing were still there Max eased their pain as all new dogs do.

But what happens when the dog who healed the scars crosses the River of Life too?   That happened this week.  Sweet Max quickly took ill, and before the thought of losing him could be properly digested by his grandparents he was gone.

When he arrived Max was treated like a prince.  I did my duties, and passed him off to Ladybug who took him into her loving wings  She told him he could have anything he wanted.  He was at the place where all wishes come true.  But all Max wanted was a place in the sun to be warm and at peace.  And so many young pups, who never knew calm, peace, and love, joined him each day, snuggling with him and enjoying his greatest gift, the gift of love.

On Sunday morning Max joined Ladybug at the Cathedral and sat dutifully at her right paw as she told young pups and old how faith, love and belief had brought us all here, and how it will sustain us until the day that we are with our human families again.

As for Max’s grandparents who are once again going through one of life’s most painful losses, they know they are lucky, even if they don’t feel it right now, because they can hear Ladybug’s preaching, and feel Max’s presence through their strong faith, and when that presence reaches across the River of Life to touch the souls on the other side it eases the wicked pain..

I do hope that faith helps Max and Ladybug’s parents.  And if it does I hope more of our parents find it.  

Ask Aunt Foley: Peanut butter on nipples

Dear Aunt Foley: (This question was first asked on Slate.com’s Dear Prudence blog.  It is paraphrased.)  I am a human with a question.  My sweet, innocent, kids, well-adjusted 13 year old attended a sleepover with his friends  All the boys there, including my son, covered their nipples in peanut butter and had the family dog lick it off.  I told my son not to do that even if the dog loved the peanut butter.  Do you think this is something I should discourage or am I overreacting? - Concerned Mom

Dear Concerned Mom:  Should you be concerned?  Only if you don’t want your kid to be a freak.   Kids letting dogs lick peanut butter of their nipples?  Let me warn you, this is a gateway licking.  And the end of the road is bacon in the anus no matter how you cut it.

Now don’t go blaming us dogs either.  Sure the dog licked the peanut butter off the  nipples but believe me, we have licked worse off of much worse.  Peanut butter off the nipples is nothing.  (Note:  Dog food connoisseurs recommend a nice bowl of toilet water after peanut butter served upon nipples.)

You have to sit down and have a long conversation with this kid.  While I don’t have any position on same sex marriage I know those who argue against it always bring up the point that the next step is people marrying their animals and peanut butter off the nipples is the first step to that.

And, if you can, find out how the boys discovered that this was enjoyable.  Was one boy waking with some peanut butter and another kid was walking around shirtless, they bumped into one another and the first one said “you got peanut butter on my nipple,” and the second one said “you got nipple on my peanut butter,” and then the dog jumped up and said “two great tastes that go great together,” and licked it up.  

       Either way, lady, I think you got a house of circus freaks.

For more Ask Aunt Foley click here 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Finley and Briscoe are our March 15, 2015 Pups of the Week

Rainbow Bridge is getting filled with my friends.   For every one of them there are broken hearts on the other side of the River.  We carry the weight of those broken hearts with our every step.  We have to find a way to shed that weight for both our parents and ourselves.  Nothing cures a broken heart, and helps us lose that weight, like love.  Nothing cures a broken heart like a new pet.

Recently two of my closest friends passed over the River of Life.  Otis Campbell and Brody were beloved dogs, by their parents and many friends.    They were both the only  dogs in the house.  Their parents were left with the overbearing silence of a missing heartbeat.  From the day they arrived Otis and Brody knew they had to replace the absent heartbeat  

Brody, who is forever watching over his family, wasted little time in accomplishing this feat.  He slipped into the dreams of the woman who helped rescue him and told her that his special Mom needed another dog very quickly.  She had just such a dog.  A beautiful baby named Finley.  She contacted Brody’s Mom and told her she had a dog that she knew Brody’s Mom would love.

Brody’s Mom had become very cautious.  Several unexpected life shattering disasters do that to a soul.  She also has two young children and a cat so a love connection needed to be made with all of them, or at least with the humans.  Sometimes all we can expect from a cat is tolerance.

Initially Finley was called Test Subject, or TS for short.  Brody’s Mom did not know if she could commit to another dog.  “Come on Mom!” Brody yelled while watching her on his TV at Tommy’s mansion, just like he would yell at her to feed him or throw the ball.  “I sent him to you.  Stop worrying and be happy.”

Kids, being kids, and Finley, being a dog, fell in love instantly.  It took a while, and several dream visits from Brody to convince his Mom, and now FInley is home for good, easing the pain from Brody’s Mom’s heart, and the weight from his shoulders.

Otis Campbell loves his Mom very much but when he arrived on the side of the River he was tasked with opening his drug store and ice cream shoppe.  He worked night and day to give us the best treats anywhere at the Bridge.  But during every spare moment he had Otis was looking for a new pup for his family too.

His task was harder than Brody’s.  Otis’ Mom wanted a puppy of a certain size and type.  In between putting sprinkles on ice cream and making milk shakes he was checking everywhere looking for the perfect pup.  When he saw Briscoe he knew this was he had found little Mr. Perfect.  He lead his Mom to Briscoe and his parents were overjoyed to once again find the pup of their dreams.

Brody’s Mom and Otis’ Mom felt guilty that they had fallen in love again,   I ask them both to remember:  This is what your angel babies wanted you to do.  You have helped them complete their last task for you (although they will do many more.)  They know another pup is taking care of your earthly needs.  Now even Otis can sit and enjoy a sundae.

And more good news:  Aran just came flying over.  She thinks she has found the perfect dog for her Mom too.  We are all working to make this happen for her Mom.  Hopefully it will, and Aran’s burden will be eased too.  

; Dear Sweet Mommy:  Pappy is going to do everything short of burning that house down to keep someone from buying it.  He still thinks it should be the Ted Gay Museum but I think the House of the Stupid will make a better name.  And since the appliance he was most concerned with is the sump pump he is now haunting it.

I don’t think we have to worry about going to the Chinaman’s with Samantha.  The next time you go you just tell the Chinaman that Samantha is the famous Lizard Girl.  He won’t want anything to do with her.  Chinamen can only touch Lizards during the year of the Lizard.

So the Delicate Genius is going to work from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturdays?  Oh well that’s just great.   Let’s make sure he gets plenty of sleep.  Never mind our nap time.  He is really burning my tail right now.  You don’t go shopping when he’s working.  You take a nap with me.  Selfish moon faced jerk.

I have to tell you that I admire you and Daddy not getting all worked up about the creepy homeless guy living under the house.  He is quite content there and he leaves in the morning unless it is raining.  It has been months since he has killed a family so I wouldn’t worry about that.

I am going to pray that you have a better day tomorrow but the Delicate Genius is getting a new computer so I am sure he is going to get all worked up and drive the day straight to shit.  Oh well, what can you do?  Remember all your grandbabies and angels love you and miss you but I love you and miss you most of all and I will see you in your dreams.

Love Foley Monster

Ask Aunt Foley: The Neanderthals

Dear Aunt Foley:  I recently read that dogs sided with humans to help kill off the Neanderthals.  Is there any truth to this? – Wylie Hudson. 

Dear Wylie:  Typical humans:  Blame us for killing off the Neanderthals!  Why not?  We get blamed for everything else.  Do you know why the Neanderthals were killed off?  They were freaking Neanderthals!

OK.  There is a back story.  According to recent “studies” humans domesticated wolves so they became more like dogs, loyal to their humans.  The dogs helped the humans hunt so they did not starve to death.  The Neanderthals did not domesticate wolves, did not have help hunting, and starved.

And why?  Again, they were Neanderthals.  Hey look us dogs tried to play it down the middle.  We offered our services to the Neanderthals.  We handed them a stick and asked them to throw it for us to fetch.  They hit themselves in the head with it.  We caught a wild boar, ripped it’s leg off and presented it to them to eat.  They hit themselves in the head with it.  Neanderthals were our first choice but after all that head hitting we decided to move on to humans. 

But we still tried.  When we would kill something so our humans could eat we would always leave a limb behind so the Neanderthals could eat too but all they would do was sit in a circle around the bone, play spin the femur and suck each other’s faces.

That was the thing with those damn Neanderthals!  No hunting, no gathering, just party all the time.  We warned them, tried to help them, and suddenly we are getting blamed for their dying off.
I tell you, anyone who want accept the love and help from dog is a freaking Neanderthal.

Wordless Wednesday

Sumthin' under the house by Pocket Dog

There is something under the house and I don’t like it. 

Sunday night I caught the whiff of something rotten, then my super sensitive hearing picked up the sound of something scratching.  I immediately ran over to a floor vent in the kitchen.  I stuck my nose down there and picked up the scent of vermin.  I barked to alert my family that we had an intruder under the house.

I did not get the warranted response of concern and action.  What I got was to be told to sit down and be quiet.  “But people!  There is a vermin under the house!”

Mommy continued to ignore me but Daddy became intrigued.  He joined me in the kitchen.  He removed the grate, bent down and sniffed.  Oh Daddy!  You need a super sensitive nose to smell anything.  Then he put his ear near the grate.  I was so afraid that the vermin would spring up and bite him and Daddy would have a mouse earring for the rest of his life.  But luckily the vermin had a better sniffer than Daddy.

Daddy went back to his chair to watch zombies.  I stayed over the grate staring down at it.  If this vermin showed its face I would act like a true Yorkie and run like hell barking for someone bigger than me to do something. 

Daddy told me he would go under the house in the morning and see what was bothering me.  Mommy rolled her eyes and shook her head.  She knew that’s how the wicked witch died.  House landing.  I told Daddy I would go with him but he told me it was all right he would do it himself which I was really happy about because I was lying my stubby tail off. 

The next morning he went under the house and looked around.  He didn’t see anything but is counting on my sniffer and ears to see if anything comes back.

I am not sure if there was anything there or if I was just imagining it but I like to see how far I can push Daddy.  I am going to start barking at the skylight to see if I can get him on the roof.

For more Small Tales click HERE

Aran is our March 8, 2015 Pup of the Week

                As I am greeting new arrivals at the Bridge I expect a few of their friends to arrive but when Aran crossed the River of Life there were dozens of pups waiting.   Aran, who I last wrote about when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, had beaten the odds.  The brain tumor did not grow.  Aran thrived for several months.  So many months that I stopped expecting her arrival.
                Aran even found love.  She became engaged to Wylie, who, like Aran, who was saved from the wild streets of Philadelphia, was a rescue dog.  When she was planning her wedding she began to slow down, began to lose her balance, and seemed confused.  She lost sight in one eye.  Both Aran and her Mom knew the worst was occurring.  The tumor was growing.
                Wylie and Aran were quickly married and went on a lovely honeymoon in the Bahamas.   Wylie had a wheelchair and he pushed Aran wherever she wished.  For a week she was a Princess, the type that a girl off the streets of Philly could only dream about.  There’s was a love for the ages, and like all such love, so deep, so sweet, it ended much too early.
                Soon after Aran’s wedding her Mom made the most difficult decision and helped her cross the River of Life to the Bridge.  She was worried that Aran would be alone but there was no need.  There were so many dogs waiting that I had my minions put up tents so the angels could gather under them when the tears of sorrow caused by Aran’s passing went over us.  I barely got the swearing in done when Aran was gathered up by Tommy Tunes, Molly and Daisy, Barnum, Hershey, Tupper and Max, Savonna, Izzy and Misha, Kitty Kimber, Cassie and many  more.  While I wanted to catch up with my old friend I knew she was in excellent paws.  She was going to learn everything I could teach her and more.
                Over the next few days I would see Aran swimming with Willie, playing with Smartie and Fella, and flying with Ladybug.  I was hoping to see her but I knew she was happy.
                Yesterday afternoon I was sitting in my favorite chair reading a book when there was a soft paw knock on my door.  I opened it to find Aran.   I gave her a hug and asked her to come in.  I offered her some food but she assured me Tommy was keeping her well fed.  I asked her if I could help her and she said she had one question:  “When will it stop hurting?”
                Oh boy.  This was the most difficult question of all.  “I’m sorry Aran but it never stops hurting.  That is why we are given everything we could ever want here.  It keeps us busy and helps us forget how sad we are.  And someday your Mom will come here, and you will be happy, but there will be somebody she will miss, and that you will make sad because you feel for your Mom.  Then that person will arrive here, and your Mom will be happy, but that person will miss someone, and you will all be sad for her.”
                Aran thought about this for a while.  “I thought this was supposed to be a happy place.”
                “There is another place,” I said.  “It is a place where no one is sad, because they aren’t missing anyone.  But the reason they aren’t sad is that they have never loved anyone.  They are alone.  They never opened their hearts to anyone.  So they have no one to be sad about.  So you see sadness is God’s gift, it’s a reminder that you love and are loved.”
                “So it’s good to be sad?” she asked.
                “Sometimes,” I said smiling.  “Being sad is the residue of being loved, and it connects you to that love.  You can’t function being sad all the time. You can’t keep your sadness buried away either.  When you aren’t with someone you love you feel sad to keep the love alive.”
                Aran got off the chair, came over to me and gave me a kiss.  “Do you feel sad?” she asked.
                “Yes I do,” I said, “because I was loved.  And so does my Mom and yours.  So when you feel sad, or your Mom feels sad, remember, it’s just love.”
                Aran heard a whistle.  Her angel friends were here.  I told her to go with them.  “But is it all right I won’t be sad?” she said.
                “It will be fine,” I said.  “The sadness will find you.”
                I then walked to my door to watch Aran flying with the angels like souls on both side of the River trying to keep the sadness of missing love at bay for a while longer.
              

Ask Aunt Foley

                Dear Aunt Foley:  There is a possum outside our window.  Why is a possum coming to our house and what should we do about it?  - Boris K and Minnie.
                Dear Boris K and Minnie:  Oh you don’t want to mess with those possums.  They are vicious little creatures.  Forget everything that Big Vermin has told you about animals.  It is all lies.   In truth there are only rats and squirrels and everything has evolved from them and these possums are just big mean rats who like to play dead and when you go to eat them they eat you.   Please keep away from the possums at all costs.
                Dear Aunt Foley:  We live up in the mountains and the Tanner Brigade is down in the valley.  Mom and I have to climb down the mountain to visit and then climb back up.  Can you install an elevator? – Enzo
                Dear Enzo:  I can do better than that.  I am going to visit you in your dreams and give you the codes I used to put into the computer to upload me wherever I wanted to go.  I went to the White House, to Hollywood, to my friends.  Wherever I wanted.  Just be careful.  You have to fit through all the small tubes that make up the Internet.  It was easy for Pocket and me because we are small but you and your Mom might have some problems.
                Dear Aunt Foley:  Why, before they do terrible things to me at the vet won’t they feed me first?  I think that is adding insult to injury

.  – MacDougal
                Dear MacDougal:   Vets don’t want you to eat because they are going to poke and prod you and stick things where they don’t belong and often when you get stuck in your most sensitive place you say “I think I am going to puke” and then you puke.  And who can blame you?  You just got something stuck in your most sensitive place.  So, to avoid the puking they don’t let you eat. 

For more adventures of two tiny terriers click HERE

 

Wordless Wednesday

Pocket's Book Tour

            Unlike Foley, who, when compared with Kanye West, would be called the one with the inflated sense of self-worth, I am a private dog, but when our book sold dozens of copies, and was briefly included in Amazon’s top million books, one of us had to go on a publicity tour, and, since Foley is currently booked on the main stage at Otis Campbell’s ice cream shop for eternity, that task fell into my small lap.  I would like to include some of the highlights:

            Good Morning America:  Way too early in the morning America.  I spent the entire interview cuddled on George Stephanopoulos’s lap.

            The Today Show:  My book agent thought another morning shows was a bad idea so he booked me for the last segment with Kathie Lee.  Things started poorly when I thought Hoda was her dog and went downhill when I drank their wine and puked on Hoda. 

            Live with Kelly and Michael:   No one told me there was going to be a giant.  I am freaked out by giants.  I thought I saw a kibble on his tongue and I tried to climb through the gap in his teeth to get it.  I got stuck and they needed the jaws of life to get me out of the giant’s jaws.

            The Daily Show:  Mr. Stewart was very nice.  He came to see me in my dressing room.  He asked me how much I worked a week and I said a couple of hours. Mostly I sleep and eat.  He said that sounded good to him and he quit the show.  Afterwards my twitter feed got filled up with death threats.

            Late Night with David Letterman:  He insisted I do a stupid pet trick.  I became flustered and peed on his floor.  He watched me, said “what the hell I’m out of here,” and peed next to me.

            Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon:  Good news!  I beat him in beer pong.  Bad news!  I peed all over the ping pong table.  Now some of our book profits are going to buy the Roots a new table tennis set.

            Late Night with Seth Myers:  Of course I am sure you have heard of the poop incident.  Now Triumph the Insult comic thinks I am trying to steal his act.  It made the Puppy Conan segment look like a little dribble on the floor.

            After my disaster on Seth Myers my agent decided no more TV for me and we tumbled out of the top million sellers, but that’s OK.  We did it so we would have memories of our friends and the stories of our lives would be transcribed forever.  Well, Foley did it for fame but  she was pretty famous to begin with.

            So back to the bed and the recliner for me.  Hopefully River will go on our next publicity tour.  How much trouble could she cause?

            Maybe you should all up your insurance beforehand. 

For the further adventures of Pocket Dog click HERE

Mouse if our March 1, 2015 Pup of the Week

            It has been a long difficult winter for all of us, but no one has had it harder, or faced longer days, than our friends the Min Pin Gang and their sister Mouse.

            It began with her parents going their separate ways, the Gang getting divided, and her sister Crickette Anne joined me at the Bridge.   Mouse’s Mom moved in with her sister, and her fellow pup Scooter.  As soon as they settled in her Mom began to notice that Mouse was not feeling well.

            Mouse’s tests came back showing acidities and crystals in her urine.  Also her liver enzymes were elevated.  Scooter’s thyroid readings were very low but Scooter’s road to recovery was a lot smoother than Mouse’s would be.  Mouse’s Mom talked to the vet they saw before they moved and she told Mouse’s Mom that both pups should have fasted before their blood tests which meant they had to be tested again, and the expenses would grow.

            Mouse also developed a terrible case of reverse sneezing.  I went through the same thing when I was on the mortal side of the Bridge.  My reverse sneezing greatly scared my Mom.  River does it sometimes too.  It is very frightening because our parents don’t know if we will ever breathe correctly.  

            The vet who took the new blood test after fasting called to say that both dogs’ blood levels were better after fasting and we hoped Mouse’s health problems were ending but they were just beginning.

            The reverse sneezing and coughing she was doing was not getting any better.  And there were no answers.  Mouse was put on antibiotics when it continued for more than a week. 

            Mouse’s Mom took her to another vet.  This vet told her that Mouse was congested in her nose and he gave her more medicine to try and clear that up.  More days passed and Mouse still was not improving.  The vet became worried that it was more than just reverse sneezing and that Mouse may have contracted something viral that could lead to pneumonia.

            The coughing and sneezing worsened.  X-rays of the trachea were needed.  Mouse’s Mom’s sources of income were rapidly dwindling but she could not give up on her baby.  None of us parents could.  But for Mouse’s Mom she was spending her last dollar, and then more.

            The x-rays showed the heart was enlarged but not to worry, it was only a sign of aging.  The trachea showed no signs of collapsing.  He did say that Mouse was suffering from bronchitis.  Mouse got more medicine and if she did not improve they would do further testing to find out if there was something else wrong.

            Then Mouse began showing neurological problems.  She began to have problems walking and she was whimpering in pain.  Another expensive trip to the vet was in order.  The vet took a full body x-ray.  To add to all her other problems Mouse had a slipped disk in her neck.  The vet was not sure why it occurred but it was possible it happened during the reverse sneezing.  Poor Mouse.  One problem causes an expensive other which cost an expensive other. 

            Even more concerning was that the scan showed Mouse’s liver was enlarged.  While her levels had proven to be good on the second blood test if there was a growth on the liver her numbers would still be normal.  An expensive ultra sound was ordered.  And worse than the money was the fear what that ultra sound might show.

            Mouse’s Mom talked to the vet who would be doing the ultra sound and he suggested they wait until the bronchitis was cleared up and the slipped disk was healed so there would be no complications with the anesthesia.  While Mouse’s Mom wanted to know what was wrong with her she welcomed the break from the constant testing.

            Slowly Mouse was improving but not without continued problems.  Her neck hurt which made it difficult for her to eat.  And the vet wanted to do more expensive tests, among them a clotting test and another blood panel.  From reverse sneezing, disorientation, and liver levels the worry now was not eating and a growth on her liver.  Mouse’s Mom was particularly concerned with him not eating.

            On the 23^rd Mouse, Scooter and their family spent their entire day at the vet.  While the liver was enlarged it was still in the same shape which meant that it was unlikely that there were any tumors.  The enlarged liver and pancreas could both be treated pharmaceutically. 

            So after all this, and many vet bills and visits it does look like Mouse is on the road to recovery.  She has her appetite back and is moving better.  But in a few weeks she will be headed back to the vet for who knows how many visits.  Mouse’s Mom could use some recovering too because she has driven herself deep into debt trying to help her baby.

            There has been a chip in set up for his Mom if you can help.  It is HERE.  We understand if you can’t.  Money is tight now.  But prayers aren’t.  So please keep Mouse in your prayers