Drum Roll Please!

I did it. I pulled the wool over Maddie's eyes and I only felt a little bit guilty. Poor Maddie.
You remember my dilemma from yesterday? I needed to take Kelly and Annabelle to the vet but I didn't want poor Maddie to be stressed out and alone at home.

Up until this morning, I still wasn't sure what I was going to do. I even had Maddie's leash and collar by the back door ready to go. And then it happened. Cheerios fell from the top shelf of the pantry and hit the kitchen floor like tiny hail in a spring rainstorm.

Why hadn't I thought of it before? All Maddie needed to be happy and calm was a little food distraction. I used the hailed Cheerios to my advantage. I cleaned up most of them...not all. Call me crazy, but I left some of the Cheerios on the floor (behind the closed pantry door).

When it got close to time to load Kelly and Annabelle into the car to go , I opened the pantry and called Maddie over. She was in Cheerio heaven.

I was quicker than greased lightening. Off to the vet we went...Kelly, Annabelle, and me.

Annabelle got her booster shot. Kelly had more blood work done to check on his liver enzymes. He had his nodules measured. Kelly has lost a pound during the last four weeks, but I'm going to get it back on him. As of now, he's hanging tough. Like I've told you before, Kelly is a scrappy little guy. It's going to take a lot to knock my boy out of this world.

Okay. Before I start to cry just thinking about Kelly's future, let me share a thought that just occurred to me.

I outsmarted Maddie today. I'm not so sure that's worthy of a drum roll. What was I thinking???

Maddie's a sweet girl and she did just fine. I'm still an obsessive compulsive animal lover. Some things never change.

Read more...

Two out of three to the vet....

No doubt about it. I'm obsessive compulsive...especially when it comes to my animals. Okay. Here's the deal: Tomorrow I have to take Kelly and Annabelle to the vet. Kelly is going to have his lymph nodes rechecked (yes, I'm pretty sure it's cancer) and Annabelle has to have a booster shot.

The vet's visit is not the issue. What I'm obsessing about is whether or not to take Maddie. "Why?" you ask.

Because if I don't take her with us I rationalize to myself, she be freaking out at home all by her little not-so-bright self.

Having said that, you probably think it's a no brainer. "Take Maddie," you say.

Well, that's easier said than done. The pack mentality takes over when we are in the vet's waiting room IF (and that's a big IF) there's a dog in the immediate vicinity that Kelly decides needs to go home. Once Kelly starts barking, the others join and it's downright embarrassing.

The good thing is that two dogs does not seem to constitute a pack. That bad thing is that three dogs do.

I am not the pack leader at the vet's office. I'm the flustered owner who is tangled up in a web of dog leashes. It's even more difficult now since Kelly is deaf. He used to listen to me. Now he really can't hear...he doesn't even have to pretend to ignore me.

Taking one dog to the vet is easy. Taking two dogs isn't so bad. Going with all three looks like the zookeeper went crazy and all the animals are on the loose.

My rule of thumb in most of life's difficult situations is to try to imagine the worst case scenario. Worst case scenario if I take all three dogs is that my blood pressure will be over the top and I'll be wrestling three little dogs in front of dignified human beings.

Worst case scenario if I leave Maddie home is that she'll be freaking out and unhappy for about an hour.

Since Maddie's not destructive in any way, shape, or form I guess she'll be staying home. Poor little Maddie.

I've made my decision. Now I need to quit obsessing!

No! Wait! I just thought of something else! I could call the vet and schedule individual appointments...that might just solve the problem. It would cost me more time but.....

Read more...