Henry (Photo courtesy LD Porter)
So, it happened. Mom and Dad had a Halloween party, on Halloween. A lot of our neighbors came; friends from work, and my human sister Sarah’s friends from her work.
Mom was super excited because for the first time since she and dad moved here eight years ago, they had trick or treaters. I don’t understand only getting treats once a year. Boo, Brody aka the Brodster, and I get treats all the time and there are no tricks.
Boo sometimes pretends to drop a treat. It goes under the couch, so mom gives her another one. Boo then twists herself into a position that any Cirque du Soleil performer would envy and gets said treat from under the couch, usually when mom is in the other room. She is amazing.
Hey, it’s my birthday month! I’m 2 years old! We got awesome birthday cookies from our friends at The Animal House, and I got some new toys that Boo stole right away. Mom managed to get them back for me, which was great, but dog slime … yuck.
From the change in weather, I am coming to realize that the elf hats or reindeer antlers will be coming up from the basement soon. Mom says she is going down there to exercise, but she recently joined a small gym in town, so I kinda sorta think she is scouting around in the stored Christmas stuff looking for them. Another give away is she has been working on her camera. It apparently hasn’t been working right and she has taken it from its case and checking it over.
Hoo boy, here we go. She usually just uses the camera for Christmas card photos. The up side of it is we get lots of extra treats. Boo, Brodes, and I have figured out if we don’t pose right, we get more treats. Pretty savvy says me. I also score points with Boo and Brodes. It’s a win-win!
It’s a rainy day as I write this. I am going to head back in a few minutes for nap # 4. I usually bark at the birds in the feeder, but it just feels too good being lazy this morning. Mom is going to make homemade chicken soup later. Dad will be watching the Penn State football game. It is a good day to snooze.
Mom has been getting some sweet potato fries for us. She got the idea from her friend Daphne and Golda. Golda apparently is a sweet potato fries aficionado. Mom thought she would give them a try and I must say they are yummy! Mom also saves the sweet potato skins for us when she bakes them.
Brody aka The Brodster’s heartworm update: Mom brought him to our awesome vet Dr. Tichy. Her very wonderful techs did a blood check. The results came back that he still has heartworm antibodies. This may show for at least a year. He is on his treatment for the rest of the year.
He takes a prescription medication every month and mom keeps an eye on him. He likes to play, but does get tired easily. The good news is he will be OK. He sure was lucky to be rescued, and we are so lucky to have him here with us.
What is heartworm you ask?
Heartworm disease is a serious disease that results in severe lung disease, heart failure, other organ damage, and death in pets, mainly dogs, cats, and ferrets. It is caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis. The worms are spread through the bite of a mosquito.
Signs of heartworm disease may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss. As heartworm disease progresses, pets may develop heart failure and the appearance of a swollen belly due to excess fluid in the abdomen.
Vets will normally do blood work to check on us. It is easy to prevent with a monthly chewable pill. (Boo and the Brodster think they’re treats.)
What a journey it has been for him, but he is safe and loved. Can’t believe he has been here for seven months. Time sure flies.
Speaking of flying, I need to go outside and bark. I think I saw a leaf blow by or it could have been a chipmunk. Please remember to buckle us up when we go for a ride. It takes a few seconds to clip a harness to a seatbelt. Keep us safe. We love you and want to be with you for a long time.
Happy trails to all my friends out there. Happy Thanksgiving! Let’s all be good to each other.
Hugs, Henry.
