Winter can cruel to aging warm-blooded pets. The best arthritis advice I received was when my great vet told me, “Just get them through the winter.”
Wonderfulness via Ryan McGuire of Gratisography.com and tweaked by da-AL
Even in warmer climates like Southern California, winter is his busy time when it comes to pet owners frantic to relieve their pets of arthritis pain. “Even if it feels warm to us, they know it’s winter,” he said.
“Keep them warm,” was his advice. At all hours.
An electric blanket is perfect during the night. Toss it over your pet’s sleeping area. Make sure it’s the type that will stay on at a very low setting all night (don’t get the kind that switches off after only an hour).
Of the many remedies I explored to make my best friends comfortable, the electric blanket afforded them most dramatic relief.
How do your pets fare in winter?
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Any dog that lives long enough, according to my vet, will eventually get arthritis. Worse, when my dogs got it, they weren’t able to tolerate the pain medicines that were prescribed.
This picture by Sofia Oratowski of her dog always makes me smile.
Exercise: Even the shortest of daily walks helped. In the d-o-g/g-o-d karma of dogs, walking benefited me as well.
Supplements – Glucosamine: An orthopedist explained that the sulfate formula (harder to find than the HCL kind) is best. I believe human supplements are held to higher standards than those for pets, so I bought the people kind. Within days, my dogs showed improvement.
Supplements – CBD Oil: Being in pain is stressful. My dogs would pant and pace when they were miserable. Within an hour of taking several drops of CBD oil on their tongues, they would become calm, yet neither disoriented nor beset with side effects.
What works for your dogs? Or doesn’t?
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My doggie and I were at her vet’s office, waiting for her anal glands to be expressed (eeeewwww!!!! indeedy) when we saw this anonymous missive posted on the doctor’s wall:
Pug photo by Ryan McGuire altered by da-AL
Dear God,
Is it on purpose that our names are the same, only reversed?
When we Dogs get to heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it the same old story?
Why are cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit — yet not for a Dog? How often do you see cougars riding around? We Dogs love nice rides. Would it be so hard to rename the “Chrysler Eagle” to the Chrysler Beagle”?
If a Dog barks her or his head off in the forest and no human hears, are they still a bad Dog?
Detail of pug photo by Ryan McGuire
Things we Dogs can understand:
– Human verbal instructions
– Hand signals
– Whistles
– Horns
– Clickers
– Beepers
– Scent IDs
– Electromagnetic energy fields
– Frisbee flight paths
What do humans understand?
Please, more meatballs, less spaghetti.
Are there postal carriers in heaven? If so, will I have to apologize?
Why do humans smell flowers yet seldom if ever, smell one another?
Detail of pug photo by Ryan McGuire
It’s not easy being a Good Dog. Here are some of the things I must remember:
– I will not eat the cat’s food before they eat it or after they throw it up.
– I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, or other beautiful things just because I like the way they smell.
– The litter box is not a cookie jar.
– The sofa is not a face towel.
– The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.
– I will not play tug-of-war with Dad’s underwear while he sits on the toilet.
– Sticking my nose into someone’s crotch is an unacceptable way to say “hello.”
– I don’t need to suddenly stand straight up when I’m under the coffee table.
– I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house — not after.
– I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt.
– I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch.
– The cat is not a squeaky toy. The noise it makes when I play with it is not a good thing.
Sincerely,
Dog
P.S. When I go to heaven, may I have my testicles back?
Photo by Ryan McGuire
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How often do you use the public library nearest to you? Books are heaven to me (I’m in the middle of writing two novels!) — but here in Los Angeles, they’re not the only reason to I love them.
Visitors can browse, and cardholders can borrow in-person or order online — materials from hard copies, audiobooks, magazines, music, movies, and more — to downloadable ones.
Los Angeles County has nearly 100 libraries, including bookmobiles. Free of charge, they’ll deliver books from one site to another.
Physically challenged people can have items delivered.
Vocational and fun classes are available online and at their facilities — many online ones engage real teachers.
There’s live online homework tutoring.
Job seekers and business owners have lots of resources.
Enjoy fun events — music, crafts, reading, and workshops.
Over the summer, kids get free lunches.
Lonely or just want to be cozy and quiet? Come on in!
Meeting spaces can be used by groups and tutors.
Get help obtaining a high school diploma.
Wifi, computers, and printers are complimentary. Photocopying fees are nominal.
Photo by 2Photo Pots on Unsplash
Share about your public library and share this post…
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Val Erde’s sensitive and artful photo coloring truly brings history to life. Based in the U.K., she kindly contributes this for you to see…
In my blog I show the colouring work I do on my collection of antique and vintage photos. I’ve been an artist all my life and have been doing these photos since I had my first pc and graphics program. I usually colour photos of people, though I have a few that include dogs and cats, but this is the first in a long while that I’ve done just of a dog. I hadn’t intended to colour it, but well… look at it. Wasn’t it barking calling out for colour? Or, more likely, food.
“Please give me a treat. Anything will do, really. Maybe something you’re eating? I like your food. I like everyone’s food.”
I haven’t a dog so have to rely on photos for colour references and as I don’t know what breed it is, I’m not sure I got this one right. I suspect it’s a bit of lots of different things. Well, doggy things, anyway.
So… any ideas what sort of dog it is? And – the dog aside, can you by any chance identify the flowers to the right? The ones on the left are roses, that I know, but the rest – what the heck are they? To me the blossoms look like Cosmos, but the leaves are wrong. Anyway, to be safe, I coloured the innards yellow and the outtards (yes, I know) varying shades of pink. But they could be anything really.
There’s more to do on this photo but I decided to call it a day. Well, actually, I’ve called it a dog.
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Whenever I look at this photo of my sweet doggie, it makes me smile back at her huge grin!
Which animals have you seen smile? What made them laugh?
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The Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain, features many American artists, from Frank Geary’s architecture to Jeff Koon’s “Puppy” flower sculpture.
Sure Frank Gehry’s amazing architecture at the Guggenheim Museum helped put a failing Bilbao, Spain back on the map. Front, back, in, and out the Guggenheim Museum, Spain, turns perceptions upside down and inside out (tap or click each photo for more info)…
The river that runs beside Guggenheim Museum Bilbao features innovative structures, lights, and steam.
A shot of me from an upstairs window, admiring Jeff Koons’ “Tulips.”
I’m waving hi to you from the feet of Maman (Ama) by Louise Bourgeois.
However, art and art-worthy architecture abound everywhere in Bilbao.
There’s much notable architecture in Bilbao, Spain.
Along the way to the museum, we stopped to see Azkuna Zentroa. Built in 1909, it now houses a building within a building balanced on unusual columns.
Akzuna Zentroa, Bilbao, Spain.
Look up at Akzuna Zentroa to see the bottom of a swimming pool.
The kids’ room at Akzuna Zentroa’s library.
Many amazing columns hold up the inside of Akzuna Zentroa.
In the windows behind me, folks are busy reading!
It’s part of the Spain half of Basque Country. That means that both Spanish and Euskara are spoken. Good food abounds, including pintxos, Northern Spain’s version of small delicious plates of tapas.
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