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Penelope is puzzling

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I am inspired by the fact that my dogs set the bar ever higher when it comes to puzzling “What the hell is THAT all about?” type scenarios.

Penelope was bred 2.5 weeks ago. For the last few days, we’ve been seeing the occasional teeny tiny, pinkie nail sized clots just fall out of her vagina.

It happened to Sean first, and as he said himself “I think I’m taking it pretty well, all things considered”. Not every man can refrain from shrieking with horror when a piece of blood clot falls out of his dog’s vajayjay and lands on his shirt, so big thumbs up there, fella!

Literally, they just fall out – you’re holding her on your lap, and ploop! A tiny solid piece of whatthehellever falls on your lap. In between ploops, she’s got no discharge of any kind.

The clots are solidly formed, with no bad smell. She’s not sick. She has no fever. She’s not lethargic. Or off her food. Or drinking too much/too little. All of those are the signs of pyometria, which was my first worrisome concern. After a check over by the vet, we’re both pretty sure that pyo is what she doesn’t have – it’s what she does have that’s still puzzling us.

The vet, on being told about the little bits of stuff that were falling out of Nell, said “What the hell could THAT be?”. Gee doc, if I knew that, I wouldn’t be here! Just kidding, I love my vet. And hey, it’s sort of stimulating to be the case that causes her to say, with some excitement, “This, this is really quite fascinating, to be honest with you”.

Cell cytology revealed.. nothing. No pus, no infection, no plethora of white cells.

Google searched it – nothing.

The veterinarian did a  Vet Med search on it – nothing, other than a repro vet suggestion to ultrasound her uterus, to which I said “And what does THAT tell us?”, to which the vet said “Nothing”.

So… what the hell? Anyone ever seen this? If you have, what was it? And did your girl still conceive?

I’m going to go bang my head on the desk for a while now..

Tessa doesn't like crowds, and Petal has a secret

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Keady MarketIt was cool and overcast this morning, so we decided to bring Tessa with us when we went to Keady market. It’s very dog friendly – lots of people bring their dogs with them, and so long as you avoid the livestock areas, there’s no problems taking them through the entire market.

The market today was the most crowded I’ve ever seen it – a combination of nice weather and prime tourist season, I suppose. Keady is right on the road north to Tobermory, a popular tourist spot, and a lot of local literature pumps it up as a ‘great place to see real! live! farm animals! It was wall to wall people, with more than the usual complement of ‘free kitten’ hawkers present.

What’s with that, anyways? Why would you haul your yard bred kittens all the way to the market, and sit around all day waiting for someone to take them away, when you could just spay your cat? I don’t quite get the logic in that.

Petal the CatOur ‘own’ cat, Petal, has some rather strange secret life that Sean and I haven’t quite figured out yet. She comes to our porch for her meals, twice daily and as regular as clockwork. Seriously, you can almost set your clock by her, she’s so regular. What’s strange, though, is that we have no idea where she goes for the rest of the day. We’ve seen her trotting across the road, apparently from our neighbour the bucket hoarder.

We’ve speculated that she’s actually their cat – she seems to live there. If so, why don’t they feed her? They can’t possibly be feeding her, we’re sure of it – she chows down simply incredible amounts of food when she’s at our place, and she was skinny and malnourished when we first noticed her. She was also covered in fleas, which we treated her for.

So, if she is their cat, she’s not being well cared for, which means I should have no qualms about simply taking her and making her into an indoor cat, right? It’s not so simple, however, in large part because the bucket guy sort of scares me a little bit, seeing as how he’s kind of a hermit and we only ever see him when he drives down the driveway to get his mail (which he does from inside his truck). Sean doesn’t want confrontation with him, partially because he might be crazy, and partially because he’s our closest neighbour. For now, then, Petal comes here for her meals, and goes wherever it is she goes in between. This is going to have to change come winter time, however, as I can’t stand the thought of her being out there in the cold. I have an appointment to take her in for a spay next week, and don’t see why she can’t just stay inside the house for good afterwards. Outside cats disappear all the time, right?

Tessa at Keady marketToday at Keady was the first time that Tessa really seemed unhappy out in public. She didn’t seem comfortable in the crowds – she kept getting confused, and worried when she couldn’t see me. Finally Sean just picked her up and carried her, which she accepted as her Princess-like due, and which gave her a great view of the livestock areas. I think that might have been her last trip to anyplace so crowded and busy, as she really didn’t seem to enjoy it, and I couldn’t relax because she was so stressed out.

I think from now on I’ll stick to bringing her places that are less crowded, like the ice cream stand, and for short walks in Durham. Farmer’s markets and other places with big crowds just aren’t enjoyable for her anymore, and Tessa’s happiness is incredibly important to me.

Thursday Thirteen – 6 Word Memoirs, Canine Edition

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Our friends over at Smartdogs Blog had a great idea – six word memoirs, canine style. The idea? Write a memoir for your dog, in six words.

I like the idea so much that I’ve decided to write thirteen memoirs, for thirteen of my most memorable – and memoirable – dogs.

  1. Tula – crazy dog grin masks sweetness
  2. Bunny – Her life’s soundtrack is circus music
  3. Journey – in her is everything zen distilled
  4. Sailor – I can still kick your ass
  5. I jump therefore I am Dexter!
  6. Delilah – weirdest dog in the whole world
  7. Paris – loves all people, hates most dogs
  8. Tessa – benevolent dictator in a fur suit
  9. Hammer – the soft center of Charlotte’s heart
  10. Tara – fierce warrior, puppy licker, child’s companion
  11. Ellie – only loved those she knew best
  12. Penny – your loss I regret the most
  13. Murfee – My gentle giant and best friend

Brie the French Bulldog Terrorizes Manhattan

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Brie from Colorado, world's second cutest French Bulldog

First we had demonic French Bulldogs taking over an office building in The Hague – now we have an angelic French Bulldog taking over Times Square.

I’m sensing a trend here – forget about packs of toddler devouring Daschunds. What the world really needs to be worried about are French Bulldogs taking over entire buildings.

Move over, Godzilla. Get bent, Mothra. Make way for the French Bulldog that ate Manhattan.

Someone alert the media – wouldn’t that make a swell sound bite?

Brie in Purina's Picture Your Dog in Times Square Event

Author’s note: Brie is actually a cute little Frenchie from Colorado. She owns Marleen Puzak, and is more inclined to eat cookies than she is to devour buildings.

Just don’t piss her off.

Here’s a close up of her appearance in Times Square, which was part of Purina’s Picture Your Dog in Times Square event.

Update: Gina Price is Found GUILTY

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Updated news from two of the trial witnesses: Gina Price has been found GUILTY!

From John Hoffman –

I am very pleased to report that this afternoon, July 14, the jury in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee convicted abusive puppy importer Gina Price of fraud by mail, fraud by wire, income tax fraud and social security fraud.  The jury acquitted her on 2 counts of witness tampering because they were unable to sufficiently recall the revlevant testimony.

Ms. Price was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshall pending sentencing on December 8, 2008.

There will likely be stories in at least two local newspapers tomorrow.  I will forward copies.

John E. Hoffman, Lawyer

This note from Tom, another trial witness, details how Gina tried to play the ‘poor, sick, crazy lady card’, and failed –

Gina Price was found guilty on:

1. Wire Fraud
2. Mail Fraud
3. Social Security Fraud
4. 2 counts false statements to Social Security
5. 2 counts False tax returns

They are looking at between 72 to 84 months in prison. Hopefully it will be close to 7 years.

Its finally happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SHE PULLED HER MENTAL THING AND THE JUDGE CALLED AN AMBULANCE, SHE REFUSED THE EMTS OF EVEN TOUCHING HER. NANCY HARR ASKED FOR IMMEDIATE INCARCERATION SINCE THE RISK OF A RUN WAS GREAT.   (Judge) AGREED, Said ” US MARSHALL, PLACE THIS WOMAN IN CONFINEMENT”

…….YEAH AND WOO HOO!

The case has been well covered in the Tennessee newspapers, with Knox News and the Tricities Paper doing an excellent job. Reporter Mac McClean in particular did a wonderful job. It was refreshing to see newspapers and reporters not blowing this off as just ‘another dog thing’.

You can read the full reports on the jury’s decision here and here.

And before you leave… Go read Charlotte Creeley’s excellent blog – “What if the Price Trial Was Conducted by Dogs?”

My thanks to those who’ve been following the trial via this blog, and to the witnesses who’ve been sending me reports from the trial.