The Adventures of Cato, Tara and Jasmine

Haha!  Love the pic of Tara looming over the rabbit.  Those sculptures are neat - big and smooth enough for kids to clamber over. 

Tara?  Have you thought about trying out for the gymnastics team?

Bet you all enjoyed the shady woods and all sorts of sniffs too! And leave it to Tara to find MUD....how do you do it girl. 

Lovely walk, lets do it again this fall when there are no leaves and bare twigs to compare the seasons. Love the sun bouncing off the greens leaves......beautiful ?

Gymnastics team?  Hahaha!

She will have to lose a bit of weight first.

We just got back from the vets.  

- Cato for his annual jabs (very productive discussion re Titer Testing. apparently they now do Leptospirosis every 12 months, and then the other jab they only advise every 3 years now - what a result, eh?!? - and would be happy to titer beforehand, if that is my preference.  The bad news is that he has gained 700g, or 1.5 pounds since his last visit!!!  Horrified.  Stern words with Mr C about treats and portion sizes!!!  and no more grated cheese on his tea!!!

- Tara had a quick once over too - for a tiny lump I found on her back.  Thought it was a scab to start with, but 3 weeks later, still there.  He cheerfully IDed it as a sebaceous cyst, which may resolve with her next moult, or may be a permanent feature, but not to worry.  Keep an eye on it and come back if it grows too much or bleeds, or...  He squeezed it.  She wasn't impressed.    and her weight is 12g (half an ounce) more than last time, but he thought she was at the top of her healthy weight, so could trim back a little.

She would certainly need to skinnify to make the ladies gym team.  they all look like shrimps, don't they?

Yay the bear!! Love all the other critters too but esp Tara with the bunny!! What a great walk you had, the colors are stunning!

glad the vet visit went well for both. Cato Missy feels for you sweetie, if it helps any we both think you look Perfect! It's just all muscle ya know!  

1 1/2 pounds.......that's a lot.  When I'm working on losing weight, I think of each pound as 4 cubes of butter.  When you lose 1/4 of a pound......that's like a whole cube of butter!  6 cubes of butter spread over Cato's little body is a lot.  My sister has a teacup log-haired Chihuahua who weighs about 4 lbs.  She is a little butter barrel and I'm always on her about it because she has luxating patellas and generally bad legs.  She tried to convince me it was fur and after guinea pig sized Lily was groomed.......she lost 2 lbs of fur!  That's ridiculous......can you imagine how much of that fur it would take to do that!?

Cato's weight is a real pain in the derriere.

He eats about one third of what Tara does.  But it is really hard putting such tiny portions into a bowl for him.  You can't actually believe that he can live on so little... so both Dad and I fight a constant urge to just put in a little bit more.  The suspected thyroid thing isn't helping either.  Or the fact that we have been walking less because of the heat.

And then there are the treats.  Dad is the treat giver.  And he gives them equal quantities because that is 'fair'.

Yeah.  I know.  We have already had The Conversation.

I am really loathe to start weighing their food portions, and phaffing like that, but unless he loses some weight soon, we may have to go that route.  Am NOT happy.  The vet (who was the best vet I have ever seen) said that he would be OK if he got the 1.5 pounds off, but should ideally lose more.

Summerangel said:    I think it's me, (I've got a headache) I'm not sure what you mean about the every 3 years part? Sorry... 

My guys had Lepto for the first time last year and will soon have to go for their boosters. 

 

Your dogs eat raw.......right?

I understand the pain in the derriere thing.........for myself and for the dogs.  The first time I had to do it for Mack it was HARD!  Food was his religion and he was not a happy camper (translate into a teenage punk) when he was hungry.

Regarding your walk, I think Cato looks cute waiting near the tree stump to be picked up ? 

50 minutes ago, Summerangel said:

Summerangel said:    I think it's me, (I've got a headache) I'm not sure what you mean about the every 3 years part? Sorry... 

My guys had Lepto for the first time last year and will soon have to go for their boosters. 

 

 

Sorry - didn't explain properly.

my old vets insisted on the usual jabs plus lepto every year.

but this new vet says that once they have had the usual jabs 3x in a row, immunity will last a further 3 years.  So that they only need the usual jabs as puppy, then years 1 and 2.  Then they can miss 3 years, titer on year 6 and only get the jab if they need it.

the lepto immunity only lasts 12 months though (he says) so that one does need annual top ups.

1 minute ago, Crinkly said:

 

Sorry - didn't explain properly.

my old vets insisted on the usual jabs plus lepto every year.

but this new vet says that once they have had the usual jabs 3x in a row, immunity will last a further 3 years.  So that they only need the usual jabs as puppy, then years 1 and 2.  Then they can miss 3 years, titer on year 6 and only get the jab if they need it.

the lepto immunity only lasts 12 months though (he says) so that one does need annual top ups.

Thank you for explaining. It does make sense. 

I'll ask my vets when I go and see if I get the same or a similar response. It will be interesting. 

Do Cato and Tara have the Lepto? 

Yes.  I'm against all excess vacs, but i saw a dog get lepto once, years ago.  Poor thing was never the same after.  It wrecked her life.  so i take it very seriously.

I've heard good things and bad things about Lepto vaccine. My head hurts some days trying to think what's the best decision to make.

Is that wooden figure a badger? 

Shhh!  Don't tell Tara.  She thinks we found the bear!

(but I think you are right, and it is a badger.  Mum's the word, eh?)

I have no idea what you are talking about. ,  what badger.....

I only see a bear... ? That's right isn't it Tara. ?

Tara, girl, you sure do love the mud!   Cato, you are such a ham!  Funny boy!   Looks like such a nice walk. 

Tara:  Mud is LUSH!  I love it.  Mum says we must make the most of all this sun and hard mud and stuff, cos soon we will be back to wet and wind and rain and mud.  I can't wait!!!

Mum:  interestingly, I think that tree stump episode - and me walking off and trying to get him to jump down himself has rather upset Cato.  He's a delicate little lad.  Very sensitive (especially when compared with Tara! lol).  In the 2 nights since the woodsey walk, he has howled in his sleep.  He only EVER does that when he has had a distressing time, and been worried about abandonment/separation.   Don't know whether it was the woods (reduced visibility, esp for someone with short legs) the smells (woods sniff very differently from our usual haunts) or me walking off and leaving him (though I was never out of sight, and I DID go back for him!).  Could be something else too, of course.

But whatever it was, he has been a little clingy since.  And the howling.  Poor love.

Pip and Abby sending a hug to the little lad 

Awwwww little Cato, all your Aunties are sending you a hug 

Thanks everyone!

I think he is doing better today.  Well, except for the not-having-a-walk bit.

Too hot.

Dad actually rang me from work today and said 'Don't take them out at lunchtime - far too hot.'

So they have been with me solidly all day.  But we had Python Wars and Teddy Lobbing, and wrestling, and he is now snoring on his bed.  Hopefully no howling tonight.

This is them this morning, after Little Miss Restless went out into the garden and barked 3 times in a row, and had to be chained to my desk.  Again.  lol.

Aww what a sweet pic! And look at that heart on Tara, Love it!! So glad Cato is doing better, hugs from Missy and me sweetie. 

What sort of night did Cato have? 

Cato:  @AuntieAngel

I slept very well.  I didn't have a bad howly dream, and I sneaked onto the bed without them noticing before it got light! 

Only then Tara was jealous and jumped up to.  Onto Mum.  And then she tried to pick a fight.  She hates it that I can get up onto the bed now, using the step Mum made for me.  So she bounced on me.

And that woke Mum and Dad, but we all went back to sleep really quickly, so it was OK.

Thank you for asking, AuntieAngel.

Awwwww I'm so pleased you slept well sweetie and I'm chuffed that you sneaked onto the bed with anyone noticing...  sometimes we just need an extra snuggle to make things ok. 

You're welcome sweetie  ?