Last week, poor Gracie had to go to the vet and get four of her teeth pulled. Two were abscessed, and one of those had three roots … so they had to remove the tooth in sections. The poor Muffin has had bad teeth from day one — I guess that’s not an uncommon issue in poodle.
Each year we take her for her annual cleaning, and more teeth have to come out. So now she only has four teeth left on the top!
She was in a world of hurt all weekend, and they sent up home with drugs a decent supply of various drugs.
About 8 months ago, I have a vivid memory of Topher and I sitting across each other in a restaurant booth and I say. “We’re awfully fortunate to have healthy animals. It seems like we hardly ever have to take them to the vet for issues.”
Apparently, we failed to knock on wood, or we walked underneath a ladder, or some mirror shattered because every animal we have is falling apart. Every. Single. One.
Here is the daily schedule:
Gracie: 1 antibiotic, twice a day, 1 ibuprofen twice a day, 1 pain killer twice a day
Lulu: 1 allergy pill a day, 1 antibiotic for bladder infection twice a day
Charlie: 1 allergy pill a day
Kitten: 1 antibiotic twice a day for upper-respiratory infection, eye drops three times a day, and a syringe of some maple syrup flavored something-or-rather for this virus
Now this is a full time job in itself. It wouldn’t be so bad if you could just give it to them and they took it, but Nope … that’s not how it works at my house.
They each spit-out their meds three or four times before they actually swallow it. I have to do a different trick with each one of them to get it to work:
- Charlie will only eat his in turkey meat.
- Kitten will only eat hers in wet dog food (which she isn’t supposed to have because of her hyperthyroidism, but I can’t find another way), and we have to hold her down to give her the eye drops and the syringe thing (which usually ends up all over her or us). The vet said it tastes like maple syrup, but I am pretty sure she disagrees.
- Lulu will only eat hers in leftover pot roast — so I found myself making another roast today, solely for the purpose of giving dogs their pills.
- Grace will only eat hers in either pot roast or wet cat food, and that is after I have had to handle her chewed-up-and-spat-out-used-food-infused pills multiple times.
Just when I think pill time is successfully over for the day (or at least the next few hours), it never fails that I look under the kitchen table and see a spit up pill.
4 of the pills I give look almost identical, so I have no idea who’s it is. I don’t want to give the wrong pill to the wrong animal and I don’t want to give the same animal a double dose.
So for our most recent rotation, I put kitten’s antibiotic, cleverly hidden in wet dog food, on the floor for her to eat, and before she could get to it Charlie swoops in and eats it! 6 pounds of lightening fast tornado!
Then while I was running after Charlie, Kitten jumped on the counter and ate Charlie’s turkey-wrapped allergy pill!
I can’t wait until everyone is healed.
Ugh!
In the off minutes between tricking my pets into eating their medicine, and coiffuring the unnamed child all over Wichita, I’ve managed to dedicate some time to finishing this cute little grey nightstand. It’s painted the same color as the grey desk I showed last week as an accompanying piece for a client.
Here’s the before:
And the after:
Little Grey Nightstand
Little Grey Nightstand
Nana Diana says
Love the piece you redid. Do you suppose you jinxed yourself when you said how lucky you were that all were healthy?;>) God bless ya for taking care of all those special needs- xo Diana
Shanna says
Oh yes! From now on I am totally knocking on wood when I say something like that!
Laura @ Inspiration for Moms says
Wow Shanna! You did a fabulous job! I love the new color! 🙂
Shanna says
Thanks so much Laura! Have a great weekend!
Carmen says
Have you tried the “dab of peanut butter with the pill in it on the roof of the mouth” trick with the dogs? Sometimes it works and they usually like peanut butter.
Shanna says
Thanks for the tip Carmen, but sadly peanut butter doesn’t do it for my picky pups. We are almost finished having to give about half of the pills, so hopefully it won’t be quite so time consuming going forward. Have a great week!
Tanya says
What a gorgeous redo!! I love the color you chose and leaving the hardware dark, lovely! I would love for you to share your redo with us at the Pretty Things party (live now)
xo, Tanya
http://twelveoeight.blogspot.com/2013/04/pretty-things-link-party-17-and-party.html
Teresa Bishop says
EEK! I’m just now seeing this since we have been out of town….LOVE IT!!! 🙂 🙂
Shanna says
I’m so glad! I would love to have a picture of the whole room when it’s finished for the blog if that’s alright with you.
Melanie says
Visiting from Brenda’s blog…sorry to hear about all your animals being sick! Love your nightstand re-do; it’s gorgeous.
Sue says
Hi. I found you on Katherines Corner. I admire the restoration you did and enjoyed reading about your pill-giving dilemma with your much-loved pets.
Shanna says
Thanks Sue! What we don’t do for our pets. I hope you stop by again!
Anu@MyDreamCanvas says
his looks great! I am visiting you via No Minimalist Here. Do stop by My Dream Canvas to see my latest makeover. Thanks!!
Kala @ My Breezy Room says
I love this color! I’m looking for a nice grey to paint some bedroom furniture, and this might be a contender!
Peggy~PJH Designs says
Poor babies. I hope they are better now. I hate it when my dogs are sick. Wonderful job on your end table. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Transformed Tuesday.
Hugs,
Peggy~PJH Designs
Shanna says
What kind of pups do you have Miss Peggy?
Stacey says
Very cute! Hope all your pets are on the mend 🙂
Stacey of Embracing Change
Shanna says
They are doing much better knock on wood! Thanks Stacey!
suburbsmama says
I love the transformation. If you get a chance, please share this on my linky party: http://suburbsmama.blogspot.com/2013/04/sunday-link-party-5.html
Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. says
Really pretty now!
Angelia Johnson says
I have a mini poodle that is very picky. Liver pate you find it in the lunch meat section. It is a fine meat puree and you just crush the pill and mix it in. My dog loves it. No more special food made just to hide the pill. Now I just buy this for about 4 dollars and it last a long time. you may have to take a little out to come to room temp then mix the powder pill in. I love the night stand makeover!
Shanna says
Great suggestion Angelina! I will definitely have to try it! Thank you!