New Update

Sorry that I wasn't around yesterday folks, I was battling a nasty stomach bug. The past couple of days have been like a roller coaster for me. When I checked on Slate Tuesday afternoon, they were waiting for the blood test results, x-rays, and had ordered a new EKG. He wasn't feeling well at all. At yesterday's update, Dr. K said he was some better, but he couldn't figure out what the problem was exactly. He said that the EKG didn't really show any new information, and his x-rays didn't really show anything different than the set from early last month. He did say that he had thrown up several times. When he said that, that's when it hit me. Both Fergie and Bear have suffered from some kind of stomach bug the last week or so. It started with Fergie and the vomiting and diarrhea. It took her 3 or 4 days, but she finally got better. Then last weekend Bear got it, and he's still getting over it. Dr. K said that was REALLY useful information. He seems to think that, indeed, is the problem. He tried a couple of different things last night. When I spoke with him this morning, he said that overall, Slate is feeling better. He is still weak and his electrolytes are out of wack, so he still wants to keep him another night. Hopefully, this afternoon's update will be just as good. Thanks for all of the good thoughts and prayers that have been sent our way. We really appreciate it!

Slate Update

Casey and I had to take Slate back to the vet this morning. I'm not really sure what the problem is exactly. He seemed fine yesterday morning. He was eating good and going about his normal business. When Casey, Mom, and I got back from the Dr.s in Nashville, he was VERY lethargic and refused to eat. He seemed really out of it for a little bit last night. He was still lethargic this morning, but more of his usual self by keeping his routine. Casey and I just decided to take him in and see what's going on, cause we don't have a clue. We're not sure if it's the heart condition or what. He was just acting weird. The other dogs have been passing around some kind of stomach condition, and we were wondering if that may be what's going on, but we're just waiting to hear back from the vet. We didn't hear anything right away, so we've assumed that he's not critical. I'll update, as soon as I know something.

Melting!!!

WOW is it ever hot out there today!! I nearly melted, and I was in the pool doing laps. It doesn't help that the humidity is at nearly 50% either. Just miserable. Since the heat is cranking up, please remember to take extra special care of your furry family members. Let them stay indoors or please make sure they have enough shade and clean water to drink. NEVER EVER leave your pet in a parked car during the summer. It only takes a few minutes for them to get overheated. Once again, here are some hot weather reminders from the ASPCA.

School's out for the summer! It's time to play and have fun in the sun! But sometimes it's not so fun for pets. Do you know how to protect your kitties, pooches, and all other furry little friends when the temperature soars? Here's how to help them beat the heat.

There's no place like home! Bring your dog indoors when it is too hot and let him relax in the coolest part of your home with you. Keep your kitties indoors, and always provide all of your furry friends with plenty of cold, fresh water.

Help, I'm lost! Never leave your animal loose outside. Your animal friend might become lost, injured, or even stolen!

Hot! Hot! Hot! In really hot weather, don't leave your pooch standing outside too long, and keep his walks short. He is closer to the street than you are, and his little paws can burn!

Let's play! Have fun and exercise with your animal in the early morning or at night, when it is cooler. Do not play with your animal after he's eaten or in really hot weather.

If your kitty or doggie is a little pudgy or old, have him stay indoors as much as possible.

Never leave your dog, cat, or any other animal friend alone in a car in hot weather! The inside of a car can heat up very quickly—even with a window a little open—and your animal will suffer. So, if your animal friends go on a trip with you, make sure you and your family take them wherever you go. Carry plenty of fresh, cold water.

Splish! Splash! If you take your pooch to the beach, make sure he has a place to rest that's away from the sun, and give him plenty of fresh water to drink. Remember to rinse him off if he takes a dip in the ocean.

Opportunity

Once again, I was away yesterday. I've really spent my time focusing on the new Times-Gazette blog. This is such a great opportunity for the Shelbyville-Bedford County Humane Association. I finally have a venue to speak to the average citizen of my town about animal issues. I've been getting some really nice feed back about the blog too! That makes me REALLY happy! Earlier this week, I had sent an e-mail to the director of Bedford County Animal Control as well. I asked to work with him to promote his county shelter as well. I had a really nice e-mail back from him yesterday, and I'm happy to say that I will be working with him, as well, on my newspaper blog. This is my chance to really do something good in the community, and I intend to make it count.

If you would like to read along to find out how it's going, click HERE.

Time Gets Away!

I apologize for letting my blog go unattended for the last few days. Just when it seems that I can slow down, I peak the hill and craziness ensues. The new edition of our little hometown newspaper, went online this morning. I spent a while over there making the first posts on my blog there. Just go to the site and click the BLOGS tab to see our group of community bloggers. One of my posts there was about Celebration Pet Day and the Celebration Pet Day blog. I had made a new post for the details of this year's event, but I hadn't updated it this week. Since I mentioned it, I figured I had better give the readers something new to see. So, I raced off to make a good update. Here's the event's information just for my special readers here: The Shelbyville-Bedford County Humane Association is gearing up for it's 3rd Annual Celebration Pet Day. I'm coordinating this event, again this year. This year's CPD is going to be bigger and better than ever!! Here's the information you need to know:

WHEN: Saturday, September 29, 2007 from 10:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. WHERE: Bedford County Agricultural Center

We have LOTS of fun events planned for this year's event including: The Celebration Pet Day Pet Show sponsored by Puppy Palace and George and Kathy Houk.

Appearances by:

Pamela Johnson-Bennett of Cat Behavior Associates . Ms. Bennett is one of only a few cat behaviorists in the country! She has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and the National Geographic Channel, and she is the author of six books. Her session will include an audience question and answer session, as well as a book signing!

Amanda Oliver, Executive Director of the Beesley Animal Humane Foundation will give a short, informational session on Tellington T Touch Therapy for pets.

. The Society of Secret Identities will bring your favorite comic book Super Heroes and Villians to life! Come on out and meet your favorite characters, and don't forget to bring the camera!!

We'll also have vendors, other area pet rescues, dog agility demonstrations, other pet information programs, food, and fun!

For more updates and in depth coverage check out the Celebration Pet Day Blog

Dog Fighting

It's taken me a while to digest all of the information about the Micheal Vick / dog fighting case. The video footage is just horrible, and the parts that I've been able to watch have broken my heart. Dog fighting is a heartless,cruel, torturous sport. It's horrible to think that civilized people could treat an animal that way. I can't believe that he's pled not guilty to the charges. I mean, he's right there ON THE TAPES!!! It's situations like this that prove to me that we need much stricter animal cruelty laws. Not only should Vick be punsihed for running a dog fighting ring, but the spectators of events like these should be charged with felonies too. I'm glad that all of the big animal advocate organizations: American Humane Association, Humane Society of the United States, and the ASPCA are all bringing charges and contributing to his prosecution. It also makes me happy that there are federal, not just state charges against him. I believe that he should spend A LOT of time in prison. It scares me to think about the link between animal cruelty and violent crime. It's there. It's been proven. I feel like they should lock him up and throw away the key. He should be done the exact same way he's done those animals. No mercy should be shown to him.

If you'd like to encourage your legislators to stop dog fighting, click HERE.

To see what the animal cruelty laws are here in Tennessee click HERE.

Hometown Musings

Since it's official, I feel that I'm o.k. posting this. Our local newspaper, The Shelbyville-Times Gazette is currently undergoing a "facelift" of its online edition. With this new revamp, the newspaper has put the call out for local bloggers. Yes, they are dedicating a space on their new frontpage for the voices of local, blogging residents. Since it seems my friend, John, is heading up the project, I've answered the call. I received all of my login information yesterday, and I've ventured over to do my introduction post on the new site. As far as I know, the new version isn't ready yet for readership, but it's coming soon. I plan to make my space there much like it is here; giving a voice to the voiceless, the animals. It's a great way to make the residents of my own hometown aware of the homeless and abandoned animals right in our own city.

When I signed on this morning, I was pleased to see a good group of local bloggers. When John ran an article last summer in the paper about local bloggers, there were only the two of us that came forward. I'm glad to see that others have now come out as well. This should be fun!

Now, I'd like to welcome any and all that havefound my home here on the web from the link over from the paper. Please pull up a seat and stay a while. You're more than welcome here. I hope you find the information helpful. Feel free to vist anytime!

Without A Hitch!

The Bedford County Fair Dog Show went off without a hitch. The weather cleared off just in time to start. It was sunny and cool, and it remained pleasant after dark. We had a really good turnout for the show. We had a lot of entrants (not sure yet, I haven't tallied them up) and LOTS of fans in the stands. Our announcer, George Houk was wonderful. He kept everyone in stitches by interviewing not only the competitors, but also the fans on the sidelines. He also did a great job of running and announcing the classes. His wife, Kathy, was the judge. All of the dogs were just precious, and I had to try and pet them all. There were two dogs there that were named Germs and Measles! Measles ended up taking ribbons in quite a few classes. I can't remember what kind of dog Measles was, but he had a mohawk!! I remember one other dog's name and that was Rusty. Rusty was a fiesty little Schipperke, and an exact replica of my Bear. He even had Bear's personality. He won first place in the Lap Dog class. The best in show went to a little boy. He was so cute and sweet. He and his dog were dressed as pirates. I'll have names to go with the winning classes soon. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from last night.

This is the little boy and his dog that took Best in Show.

I'll post the rest of the few I got tomorrow. Enjoy!!

Meet Me At The Fair

The Bedford County Fair Dog Show, which I'm chairing, is tonight. This past week has been crazy trying to make sure that everything was together and ready to go. Unfortunately it's raining right now, so that might throw a monkey wrench into our plans. If it's raining at show time, we plan to have a make up show on a rain date. We'll determine the date, after we all get there tonight. I'm crossing my fingers that it clears by show time. So if you'd like to see some really cute dogs, and you're looking for something to do and you're close, come on out.

Bedford County Fair Dog Show 7:00 p.m. (Registration starts at 6:30 p.m.) Bedford County Agricultural Center $5.00 per entry

I should have some really great pictures for you guys tomorrow, weather permitting.

Checked Out

Well folks, Kim came by and dropped the new Harry Potter off to me today. WOOT! WOOT! Now the mad reading begins. I'll be back next week, after I've gotten some chapters under my belt. Everyone have a great weekend!

D-Day

How could I let today pass without mentioning Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This is the big day that Harry Potter fans have been eagerly awaiting. Since I'm working today and tomorrow, Kim is going to the midnight release tonight. She is going to pick up my copy there. So hopefully, I'll have my own copy in my hot little hands by tomorrow afternoon. I'm looking forward to a new book this weekend! I've cleared my reading schedule, and I'm ready to go.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

WOW!! What an incredibly busy day I've had today. Work has been crazy. When I've been on my breaks, I've been busy with the Bedford County Fair Dog Show and Celebration Pet Day. I haven't even had time to say my own name. I don't know why I'm suprised. It's always like this, when I start planning for Pet Day, and adding the Fair Dog Show in the mix has made it doubly hectic. Planning for both events is going smoothly, and both events are going to be incredible. If some of you are close enough to come out, please do!! I'd love to have you! Gotta run. I have much to do and miles to go before I rest.

Another Project

Since the beginning of this month, I've been hard at work planning our humane association's 3rd Annual Celebration Pet Day. This project is my baby so from here on out, my days and nights will be filled with phone calls, schedules, and meetings. The event is Saturday, September 29, 2007 from 10:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. We have a LOT of exciting additions to Celebration Pet Day this year which include Super Heroes, a dog show with cash and prizes, new pet information programs which include Ms. Pam Bennett, one of the foremost cat behaviorists in the country, dog agility demonstrations, games, vendors, food, and fun.

BUT this year, I have another project going on at the same time. This year, I'm the chairman of the Bedford County Fair Dog Show. This show is a LOT less work, but still a good project. The show is on Wednesday, July 25th, on the grounds of the Bedford County Agricultural Center at 7:00 p.m. It is a fun dog show with classes for all dogs and owners. I've secured an announcer and a judge. Now I just have to get people to help at the registration tables. I attended a meeting yesterday morning with some of the fair boardmembers, and I think I'm set to go. I also learned at that meeting that I'm the chairman of the fair dog show, until I choose that I no longer want the position. I've been given permission to promote our pet day there, so I think this is going to be a wonderful opportunity to network and meet some great, new people. Everyone wish me luck!

A Good Pit Bull Story

More often than not, Pit Bulls have a bad reputation. I encountered a Pit that made me rethink my idea of the breed. Yesterday as I walked out the back door of my office, I ran into a really nice, sweet Pit that was an assistance dog. He was calmly laying there after leading his master upstairs to do some searching. I didn't speak to or pet him, since he was working. I figure if the dog assistance programs are using some Pits, they can't all be bad. I still go with my gut that a lot of times, the owners cause them to be vicious and disobedient. This Pit was very gentle and loving. He posed no threat to me or anyone else. I guess it's just like people. There are rotten apples in every bunch. Just because we have high jail populations, we don't ban people. When I worked at the kennel, I met my share of nasty dogs of all breeds, large and small. It just goes to show that, "you can't judge a book by its cover."

What I Did This Morning

I got this neat, little thing to do over at Dog's Eye View from Laura. I wish that I could have put a few more animals in the picture. This is kinda what my life is like. I may put this in the sidebar. What do you guys think?

Tense

Sorry for skipping out yesterday. I suffered a bad bout of insomnia over the weekend. I figure that it was brought on by worry. The worry over Slate to be exact. He started having trouble breathing late Sunday afternoon. So Sunday night, I kept waking up any time I heard a noise to check on him. He seemed a little better on Monday morning but by the afternoon, he was having trouble again. I figured that the humid weather was playing a part, but I didn't want him to get to the congestive heart failure state again. So, I called Dr. K on Monday afternoon and told him what was going on. He said to give him an extra Lasix and bring him in Tuesday morning and let them check him out. So, no sleep Monday night either. They had a lot of emergencies at the vet's yesterday, so I really didn't know much, except that he wasn't critical or in danger, until late yesterday. He is pretty much the same as last time. No worse, which is good. His blood work came out perfect, so it is o.k. to up his dose of lasix to help in the hot, humid weather. So, we just keep on keepin' on. I'm definitely glad that it was just the weather!

Sweatin' In the South!

WOW, it's sooo hot out there today! To use an old cliche', "It's not the heat. It's the humidity." Instead of the dark clouds giving us rain, they've settled for humidity! Since I feel like a wilted green today, I figured this was as good a time as any to remind everyone of the hot weather tips for pets. Always make sure they have clean water and plenty of shade is the most important, but there's MANY more. Here are some more hot weather tips from the ASPCA:

THE HEAT IS ON: SUMMER SAFETY TIPS FOR PET OWNERS

It’s summertime, and the living isn’t always easy for our animal companions. Dogs and cats can suffer from the same problems that humans do—overheating, dehydration and even sunburn—when the mercury rises. By taking these simple precautions, you can keep your animal companions happy and healthy in the hot weather:

* Exercise your dog in the cool of the early morning or evening—never when it's extremely hot or humid. Take care not to let your dog stand on hot asphalt, as his sensitive paw pads can easily burn.

* Provide plenty of shade and cool, clean water for animals kept outdoors. And during the hottest part of the day, please bring your cat or dog inside to rest in a cool part of the house.

* Never leave your animal alone in a vehicle. Overheating can be fatal. Even with the doors open, a parked automobile can become a furnace in no time. Parking in the shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day.

* Some animals will need extra special care in hot weather, especially those who are elderly and overweight or have heart or lung disease. Certain breeds of dogs, including pugs, bulldogs, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus, also need extra attention on hot days. If your pet is showing signs of heat stroke or exhaustion, take him to your veterinarian immediately.

Everyone have a terrific weekend, and try to stay cool!

What's Going On Today?

It's one of those lazy Fridays. It's quiet. Lots of people are on vacation, so everything's a little lighter than normal.

Earlier this week while I was trying to hobble around, I got an e-mail from BlogInterviewer.com. They requested that I fill out an interview survey for them, so I took a shot at it. For some reason, my work category has ended up being the same as my blog description. Weird, but other than that, it's a pretty neat little thing. To read the survey results, go HERE. I think it's kind of neat that I'm listed on their site now.

UPDATE: It seems that the doubled blog description for the job description has been corrected. YAY!

I'm Back, Recovery, and 4th of July Breakdown

Well folks, it seems that I'm finally getting back to normal. I'm still limping, and I still have some pain in my foot, but I'm able to get around now. The big, ugly bruise is finally starting to fade too. I spent most of my 4th of July vacation reclining with said foot propped up. I did manage to get the house cleaned and the laundry done on schedule. Today, I get to swim again....YAY!! About Tuesday, things started to look up. On Tuesday night, our good friend, Geoff, and his family invited us to go see the new Transformers movie. He and Casey were BIG into Transformers as kids and had been waiting for the release. Now, I have never even seen one episode of Transformers, so I had to get the whole storyline from Casey. I basically went in with no expectations. All three of us were totally BLOWN AWAY by this film!! We L-O-V-E-D it!! If you haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for? This movie shoots out the gate at 90 mph from the get go. There was a lot of good humor and good corny parts (but not too corny) too. It was a great film to kick off the holiday with a boom! We are all going to the drive-in this Saturday night to see it again, and I can't wait!

Casey and I slept in yesterday, because of the late movie the night before. We had some hamburgers and hot dogs with my Mom, and then got ready to go to a big 4th cookout/party. Our friend Joe invited us over to his annual Joestravaganza. He didn't disappoint either. We swam, grilled, and had nearly two hours of beautiful fireworks. It was great to see so many good friends. I spent most of the evening laughing and eating great food. Casey and I left around 11:00 p.m., but the party was still in full swing. I think they were getting ready to light the fire pit and have smores. I hate that I missed that part. All in all, I had a fantastic 4th, and I hope you guys did too.

Another Squee Day

Sorry that I've been away folks. I had already planned to take a long weekend with my days off this week. I started a day earlier than I had planned. I took a spill off of the front porch on Friday night, and sprained my ankle pretty badly. I ended up taking Saturday off, because I couldn't even get around. Today is the first day that I've been able to half way walk. I was just over at my brother's checking e-mail when I discovered that I've been bestowed with another blogger award, thanks to Laura from Dog's Eye View.

I'm just pleased as I can be. Now, it's my honor to bestow the honor on five more "Rockin' Girls". Hmmmm. Let's see. Here's my picks. I can only name five, but I'd love to award all of my girls. Christine - Half Geek

Pennie - Why Rush

Yvonne - Forty Plus

Leigh Ann - The Blog Pound

Chrissy - Warm Puppies, Fuzzie Kitties and Life

All of these are excellent reads that involve life with animals. Check them out. They are worth the read. Thanks again to Laura for the award!