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.

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Kelly

Kelly is my oldest guy. I'll get photos posted soon (with the help of my sister-in-law) but the best way to describe Kelly is SCRUFFY ! Kelly looks like he could have played Tramp in the movie Lady and the Tramp. He's got the personality to match too.

Kelly moved in with us seven years ago. A friend's aunt originally got Kelly from the pound and then she died. No one knows how old Kelly really is, but we're guessing between 12 and 15 now. Kelly was just what I needed after my beloved Newfoundland died. I swore I'd never get another dog after that death, because I couldn't stand the pain of another loss. Somehow Kelly made that different. He needed me.

Age hasn't stopped Kelly much. He still rules the roost around here. Yes, our boy is pack leader...there's no doubt about that. He routinely puts Maddie and Annabelle in their place. In fact, he rolls them. Kelly decides who gets to sit on the couch with us. He even decides where. they will sit One look from Kelly is all it takes. His body language dictates where the other dogs go. Maddie and Annabelle respect Kelly. So do I!

When Kelly first came to us he had a five foot vertical jump. It's down to about three feet now. Believe it or not, Kelly's energy level still surpasses that of a thoroughbred on the track.

Health wise, things are looking down a bit. I just got back from picking up medication for Kelly. Kelly's appetite is not what it used to be and he's been a bit incontinent. Blood tests show elevated liver enzymes. Somebody forgot to tell Kelly that he's a little under the weather!

The vet put Kelly on Denamarin for his liver and Diethyl Silbesterol for his incontinence. Anyone ever used those medications?

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