BUT - even though there is nothing to say right now, I HAD to post this. Because every time I pull up my blog to check out YOUR posts on my Blog Roll, I see the photos of the SNAKES. I'm so tired of looking at those Bull Snakes - they aren't my favorite critters.
I noticed the photo below on-line this morning and thought it was so cool. Talk about taking a photo at the exact right second! So... here it is, and it's going to be nice to look at as I'm scrolling through to read all your posts.
It's from imgur.com and was titled, Perfectly Aligned. Isn't that the coolest photo? I would have been happy to snap it even without the plane above it in the sky. I think it's a Canada Goose, right? What perfect form! Note: Per Judy and Tom in the comment section, it's a Sandhill Crane. Thanks to you both!
Oh, wait, I DO have something to tell you about. Poor Katie. About a week ago Katie stepped on a red ant again. Same foot as the red ant nest two years ago. Just one ant this time, I think, but she went nuts. It must have been inside her pads again, because I couldn't see it. She was crying and lifting her right rear foot, which was shaking like mad. We went inside The Palms and she ran to her car seat and started licking the foot like crazy. She wouldn't let me touch it, or even look at it. Apparently she is very allergic to their bites/stings.
When I tried to pet her she snapped at me. She was determined I wasn't going to get close to her. (I don't' think she would have bitten me, but she did snap, as a warning, and I left her alone.)
I immediately went on-line to see if there was anything I could do for her. Then I called the Vet she's seen in Las Vegas, NM. She just had her annual check-up there. I wasn't happy with what he said, so I called the Vet in Grants, the nearest city to Bluewater Lake. Ditto with him. There didn't' seem to be much I could do.
I went back on-line and all the sites suggested making a paste of baking soda and water and applying it to the bitten area. There were other things as well, but that one was on all the sites. Of course, Katie wouldn't have let me NEAR her paw, and there was no way I was going to spread her toes and apply a paste, so I made a "solution" of baking soda and water in a plastic "squeeze" catsup bottle. Then I went over to her and drizzled the liquid onto her foot, from over her head - out of reach so she couldn't snap at my hand. I drizzled it a few times.
Within a minute, her foot stopped shaking and she finally laid it down on the blanket covering the car seat. Not long after that, she jumped up over the passenger seat back to the dinette bench seat, down on the floor, and walked over to her water bowl. She wasn't putting all her weight on that foot at first, but it didn't take long before she was walking normally.
It was amazing! That solution was a miracle. She's been fine ever since. Just in case you have a similar experience with your dog, BAKING SODA AND WATER!
And an update on the joint issue with that same leg. About a month ago I started her on VetIQ Hip&Joint Glucosamine. I got it at Wal-Mart. There are 45 "chicken Flavored Soft Chews" in the package. A dog Katie's size gets 1/2 treat every other day, so they will last us 180 days. I've noticed that she is walking longer and longer, and just this week she has a bounce in her step again. We took a walk yesterday (with the stroller along, as usual) and Katie walked a mile without stopping to be lifted into the stroller. That was a first!
I've been taking Glucosamine Chondroitin for years, and it's made a real difference in my joints. I used to have knee and hip pain, but haven't had a twinge in YEARS. I think it's really working for Katie, too. They say it takes a month or so to start noticing improvement, and that's what I've found, with both Katie and myself. It would be nice if we could go back to taking walks without the stroller along. :)
Here's Katie in her new halter:
And that's it for now. From me and Katie, take care everyone! :)
Sweet little Katie. Sure hope she doesn't get bitten again. That was a great idea you had about the baking soda.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Momi YaYa. I hope not, too. :)
DeleteSorry to hear of Katie's encounter with the red ants...bad ants. I am glad to hear her walking is coming along. Be well.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they have a reason to be on this earth, but I agree - BAD, BAD ANTS! :(
DeleteI have a kitty that needs the hip and joint supplements too. They are not all created equal. Some work better than others and some won't work if the finicky eater won't eat them. I swear by it !
ReplyDeleteI have a kitty that needs the hip and joint supplements too. They are not all created equal. Some work better than others and some won't work if the finicky eater won't eat them. I swear by it !
ReplyDeleteYes, lkbexplores - I tried another pill in the beginning. I had to "cut" it into fourths because she is so little, which wasn't easy, and then she wouldn't eat it. I forced it down her throat for a few days, but she stopped eating and was very lethargic, so it wasn't worth it. Then I found the current one at Wal-Mart, and she loves it. It's a treat! Works like a charm. :)
DeleteI am going to try baking soda and water in FL this winter. They drive me crazy and last a week to 10 days.
ReplyDeleteI was happy to find a "solution" drizzled on the top of her foot worked so well. It just ran down into her paw and did the trick. If I ever get bitten/stung by fire ants, I'll put the paste on me. Nice to have something that works and I always have on hand - baking soda and water. :)
DeleteRed ants are awful whether you're a dog or a person. Hopefully, she'll never get around them again.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree, but I know we'll be around them again. I see them all the time, and try to walk around them. This time, I walked right over a trail of ants and didn't see the red ones until I was past, but Katie stepped right on one. I can hope for "never again," though. :)
DeleteThat's a good tip about the water & baking soda. I remember our little Motormouse stepping on a red ant one time when we were in Slab City. She reacted just like Katie did & we didn't know what to do. Red ants are just the worst. All the best to you & Katie.........
ReplyDeleteThanks, Al. Poor little Motormouse. I know exactly how you felt. The first time it happened, Nancy M was walking with us and she held Katie while I pried open her toes and removed the red ants. That's not something I could do this time, being alone. Sure was glad the baking soda/water solution worked so well. :)
DeleteI'm glad you were able to find the solution for the ant bite, poor Katie! I'm glad to hears she's doing better with her walking. I may have to look for the human glucosamine for myself...I have an ankle that twinges continuously.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your break!
Eileen - try it, for sure. It was highly recommended to me by a bunch of "old ladies" at my church who were all taking it, and swore by it. Now I'm one of the old ladies recommending it, LOL. Give it a month or so to start working, though. I had times when I was walking with a cane when I walked my dog (lots of years ago) and since taking Glucosamine with Chondroitan every day, I've had little if any pain. I hope it works for you, too. :)
DeleteAbsorbine Jr will take the pain away within 5 minutes and within 20 there will be no sign of the sting or bite. I got hit by 10-11 yellow jackets a few years ago. That same summer my ex got stung by two wood bees. Think bumble bees with an attitude. Absorbine Jr to the rescu!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy - I just put that on my shopping list. You can never have too many solutions to this problem. :)
DeleteCrikey Katie .....you gotta let your Momma help you when you get bitten by those ant blokes. Trust me ..... they know what they're doin' at times like that. I've been stung by those bad boys too and they always get stuck in my pads. Mum gets 'em out quick and dunks my foot in iced water. It sure helps but she's going to try the baking soda trick next time. You gotta let your Momma help, Katie. It's great the Chondroitin is working for you and you are able to walk more. Walkings good, aye? I really liked seeing that picture of you Katie. You're a good lookin' sheila!! It was good to hear from you. Tell your Mom she's got lots to talk about. She's got you!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great photo, aye?? Of the bird Katie ...... not you ..... although the photo of you is good too.
Thanks, Charlie. But Katie says, "No Way. She's not getting anywhere near my feet. But I'm glad she dripped that stuff on my paw. It sure helped."
DeleteI did read about the ice water on-line, but Katie wouldn't let me touch her. If it was a life or death situation, I would have grabbed her and stuck her foot in a bowl of ice water, whether she liked it or not. I decided to let her be, though, since she was so adamant. She's usually very docile, and although she doesn't like me touching her feet, she will let me if necessary.
Whew, I'm sure glad that's over! :)
Good to know about the baking soda, Jake has been taking glucosamine and fish oil for a couple of years, it has certainly prolonged his life.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know. So far it has really helped Katie. I love watching her bounce along again and not walking so carefully. It was only recently I learned from a vet in Yuma, AZ that the issue of her not walking much might not be from the seroma, but from an actual joint problem. I don't know if they are related, so maybe this is a new issue. She's only 9 years old, though, pretty young still for such a small dog. I don't know about it prolonging her life, but it sure is improving her quality of life. :)
DeleteThe baking soda works for people, too. Whenever I get a bad bite I use it. My daughter got a spider bite that started to swell and the baking soda worked very fast , like magic, to reduce swelling and pain.
ReplyDeleteHi Teri - that's interesting, but makes sense. Next time I get a mosquito bite I'm going to put some baking soda paste on it. Thanks! :)
DeleteThe baking soda does many great things, and the glucosamine has been helping me for years too.
ReplyDeleteYes, George, there are websites that list all the things baking soda is good for. It's amazing stuff. I think I have a document in my files that has all that info.
DeleteGood that glucosamine is helping you, too. I'd never heard of it until I met all those all old ladies at my church. I mentioned that my knee was bugging me, and everyone there told me about it. Amazing that I had never heard of it before then. (Honestly, I thought they were a little crazy, but tried it anyway. I was amazed it worked so well. Never doubt an old church lady - LOL.) :)
Fire ants are becoming a problem even in New Brunswick where they have been detected first time this year. They are really nasty creatures! Good that Katie is alright again.
ReplyDeleteOh, gosh, Bea. that's too bad they've been detected there. Keep a watch out for them. And make sure you have some baking soda on hand. (I'm sure you DO, with all the cooking/baking you do!) Yes, thank goodness Katie is doing fine now. :)
DeleteTwo great tips. Glad to hear Katie is doing so well.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim - Dora probably doesn't walk in areas that would have fire ants - hopefully, but just in case it is nice to know. And for you, too, just in case YOU get into a fire ant nest or trail And with all your hiking, you might just need that glucosamine in the future. Hope not, but you never know. :)
DeleteBaking soda and water!!!! Also good for a shampoo. We use it on Lola to get her white fur clean. it turns yellow from her drool. ugh. lol. Great to know about the ant bites too!! Have a fun break. !!!
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting - I'd bet a lot of people would love that tip about getting a dog's fur white again with a baking soda solution.
DeleteWhen Katie jumped down onto the floor (a light brown carpet), I squirted her foot again, and now I have a slightly lighter area in the rug. I wiped it right away with a wet cloth, but I know soda/water definitely bleaches. So you have to be careful where you squirt it, because it will drip off the dog's foot. :)
I'm guessing that's a sandhill crane, not a Canada goose in that picture.
ReplyDeleteit is a sandhill.
DeleteThanks Judy and Tom! I was hoping someone would correct me if I had that wrong. I'll change it in the text. They are so beautiful in flight. :)
DeleteVery interesting about the baking soda and water. Did either of the vets mention it?
ReplyDeleteNo, surprisingly, neither mentioned it. I was told to get her to a nearby vet to have her checked out. That's when I called the second vet. and he said she would be fine, but to watch for specific symptoms like heavy breathing, swelling on her leg, etc. If they happened, then call and bring her in. It would be an emergency then. Luckily, she had none of the symptoms. :)
DeleteLove the photo of the Sand crane. How the heck did they get that shot?
ReplyDeleteGood info about the baking soda. A partial benedryl may have also helped if she had an allergic reaction, but Google it first to make sure it's ok.
I'm confused about the snakes? I guess it's just me because no one else mentioned it. Where are you seeing snakes? :)
I'm on a blogging break too. Nothing going on and nothing to blog about.
I had photos of two mating snakes that Patti and I saw at Storrie Lake Bull Snakes. They are in the last post, and every time I pulled up my blog to check on my blog roll, that post came up. And there were the snakes. So I posted again to have a new photo to see when I pull up my blog. And, yes, Benedryl was also mentioned, but only when really needed. I have some - oral and spray - that I bought after Katie stepped in the fire ant nest two years ago, but it was after the fact. So I have it on hand just in case. I had the spray out, just in case.
ReplyDeleteAbout the Sandhill Crane - Think of how many photos are taken every day, must be millions. even if a few each week are taken at the perfect time, they would add up. I've seen blog sites with photo after photo that were like that. They are amazing, and very lucky shots. :)