Reflections from Crumbly Acres: veterinarian

Dorah's first annual check-up (2012)!

It was tricky. For all those with pets, I'm sure you can empathise. You can laugh, if you wish, too!

My first mistake: bringing up the carriers and letting Dorah see them. She was in the window, quietly, calmly bird watching, and immediately took off down to the basement. I should have picked her up and popped her in right away. It was three quarters of an hour until our leaving time, but it would have been prudent.

Annabelle, whose one-year checkup is in December, was sitting beside the carriers on the floor: laughing, hands on hips.
OK, I put the crates on the chairs, up higher from her sightline.
Next, I grabbed a cat toy on a stick. Dorah loves those. She sat at the foot of the stairs, at first. Then a few minutes later, me madly flicking the toy, and up into the living room she came.

I pretended to reach for some fluff on the carpet, testing the waters, and she was gone, again. Another 10 minutes pass. Eventually, I grabbed her. Daisy hightailed it behind the couch.
We stuffed Dorah in backwards.

This was in 2014!
She jumped from the scale to my shoulder!

Daisy and I spent a few minutes playing tag behind the L-shaped couch. Then, with JB guarding the doorway, she slipped downstairs. She was determined.

Downstairs, she ran into the furnace room, which has a door on either side. I trapped her in there and I chased her around the furnace for another 5 minutes. I threw a towel in front of her, she ran the other way towards me, then I grabbed her, too. SIGH.
We've all gained weight. Daisy, particularly, has been reticent to go long walkies with me. The wet snow isn't pleasing on her paw pads. Dorah has seldom ventured outside. We sort of throw her out on a warm sunny day.

All three were born in 2012. They are now on dental crunchies (lo-cal), and diet wet food!

Daisy 9.9 lbs. (from 7.7)
Dorah 17.7 lbs. (from 15)
Annabelle 11 lbs. (from 10.4)

Yes, every year. Deworming, needles, physical examination,

Dorah as a kitten

Daisy and Dorah, Oct. 2012

weigh-ins.
They are terribly cute as kittens, but they grow and need to be cared for, monitoring their weight, heart health, coats, getting rabies shots and FVR.

In April, we begin watched for ticks and fleas.

Dorah at the vet,
in Oct. 2012

It's quite the project. The rewards of pet ownership are immense, as many of my blog friends know! If you can afford it, and can maintain their good health, there is research to support the social/emotional value of having pets. Pet therapy animals are the perfect example.

Sadie has been our main challenge. She developed food allergies, which is simply rectified by hypoallergenic vet-sourced cat food. With four cats, however, they all have to eat it.

First day, Sadie

I needed a strategy. Firstly, hubby walked softly into the room, grabbed her by the scruff and called me in. I took her by her neck and wrapped her in a towel with the other hand. Unceremoniously stuffed her in the crate, after she'd growled at me.
One needle, one inspection, one thermometer up the rear quarters.

Buster was concerned,
sitting behind her.

All is well. She has lost a pound from last year, and is now 12.75 lbs., reaching a fine old age of 8 years. That was Monday. Tuesday, we tackled the other three.

Day two

Grumpy girl of 8 yrs.

Everyone else. Two girls in the larger crate, which is less sturdy. Buster in the harder shelled crate. Covered with a blanket, and popped into the back of the car.

Once at the vet, we brought them out one at a time. Dorah has a history of climbing. She did the same thing this time!

Buster, with his chipped tooth seems fine. He's a sturdy 12.3 lbs., a little less than biggest sister. He is the teenager, about age 3, and has an active life. The coyote feeding on the deer carcass in our side yard hasn't dissuaded him of his nocturnal adventures.

Dorah (12.4 lb.) has some dental plaque, and she'll need some toothpaste gel to kill bacteria. Daily for a week, then weekly thereafter. She could use a weight loss program, but she, like Sadie, is reluctant to go outdoors in the cold. We'll fix that with forest walkies in spring.

Daisy (7.6 lbs.) also has plaque and a gum infection, as well as an eye infection. She's a slim trim little fireball! I've been putting optical Polysporin in twice a day, but should have been doing this 4 x's per day, as it seemed to come back. I'll do this another week.

Thank goodness for the Line Of Credit! The bill, including a bag of dry cat food, shots for all, 4 examinations, 'toothpaste' = $400.