Warm winter day

Tuesday started off chilly but the frost wasn't as heavy as the day before.  I don't mind a chilly start to a day, or even a chilly day, as long as the sun shines like it did today. 

Before I could get anyone out to enjoy it, however, I had to drop off Cabell at the vet's office for a thorough work up.  He's been acting a little off lately, like he's uncomfortable, in pain, or just unable to get himself settled down.  At 12 years old I always fear the worst, so he went in for bloodwork and a general going over.  The blood was mostly normal except for one kidney function.  They were unable to collect a urine sample, which didn't surprise me.  Cabell isn't exactly pee shy, but if you are trying to collect a sample by sticking something under him, he shuts it off and it's no chance, no way, no how. 

They took an xray and it showed some arthritis, no surprise, but his hips are good.  Hopefully this was just a pulled muscle or something, but I'm glad we did the bloodwork and I am going to continue to try to collect a urine sample. 

L to R: Radley, Trooper (rear), Spartan, and Dixie

Back at home I had Dixie, Spartan, Radley, and Trooper together in the dog yard this morning.  They were fine and all had a good time.  I was up in my office working when I heard the downstairs dogs, Zachary and Bremo, going off.  I went down to investigate and found Spartan standing on the porch wanting in.  A half hour later the loose dog alert was sounded again and I found Dixie on the steps, having jumped or climbed out of the dog yard.  Radley was at the dog yard gate, frantically trying to get under or through it--he's a little stout for the jumping or climbing.  I put 2 and 2 and 2 together and realized that someone in neighborhood was firing guns and that was what had driven the dogs inside.

Trooper (rear), Spartan (front) and Dixie (right)

Radley was having a major anxiety attack and took quite a while to calm down.  With Dixie, Spartan, and Radley in my office crates, Hannah was displaced for hers but she just settled down next to my desk chair.  Molly was on her bed, none too happy about the invasion of the space she normally just shares with me and Trooper.  Molly had her toys gathered up to make sure no one tried to get them and just hunkered down for the day. 

When I went back to town to pick up Cabell I just took Hannah along for the ride.  I'm even letting her offleash outside now, she doesn't want to be far away from me.  The results of yesterday's skin scraping on Spartan showed lots of bacteria, so he still has an ongoing skin infection, but no yeast.  He had been on a course of cephalexin previously, so he's starting on the Cipro tomorrow. 

Cabell was glad to be home but still wouldn't pee for me until I left him alone. 

It's dark out now and Roscoe has started his howling.  He'll be going into a crate in the shed very soon, I'm not going through that again this evening. I got a neuter appointment for him on Friday and have already had a couple inquiries about him even though he's not on the VGSR website yet.