What we do for our pets


 
Rich Dahl

Rich Dahl

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
UPDATE BELOW
It’s amazing what we do for our pets. Holly our youngest Golden Retriever (she’s the one in my avatar) who is nine years old suddenly started losing weight which we thought was due to great increase in exercise she was getting and us too.
When we moved to our new home there are open fields at the end of our street that go for miles on end and is full of critters to chase and find.
She was loving it, walk one block on the leash and off the leash and run her heart out for two or three miles. Even Raddy her Mom was loving it but at a little slower pace seeing she’s 11.
Alas, not the case she suddenly had zero energy and could barely get to the end of the block and she stopped eating all in a matter of three days.
We took her to the vet and he did a full panel blood test and discovered she had diabetes, the good news is we caught it right away so no damage to any organs.
So she now gets insulin shots twice a day and eats dog food that cost $65 for a 28 pound bag and Barb makes her sugar free homemade dog treats as we couldn’t find any that didn’t have sugar in them.
The wonderful thing is she’s skinny and acts like a two year old dog out there running after those Jacks again and she can hang with them for about fifty yards.
Cost over two grand plus the ongoing maintenance. Worth it? Priceless.

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UPDATE
Some times life just sucks! Holly was doing great until a week ago when she started slowing down. We took her to the vet because we were thinking she needed a little adjustment on her insulin, wrong the vet did a blood test and found she had tick fever. He put her on the strongest meds available but with her diabetes it was a losing battle, she fought hard but just no match for the infection and we lost her yesterday.
She was the best dog we ever had no one was a stranger everyone was her friend.
She will be dearly missed
 
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I didn't like where this post was going at first Rich, but the ending is beautiful!
You can't put dollar signs on a member of the family for their health and well being.
Give Holly and Raddy a belly rub for us!
 
:(

:)






18.5 WSM > 22.5 One-Touch Platinum > Smokey Joe Gold > Go Anywhere Gas > Genesis Silver B
 
They are like kids and we just have to do what we have to do. Can't put a price tag on that.
Your one of the good guys, some folks would not have given her the chance.
 
Nice post Rich....glad Holly is doing good!! I would do the same..both mine came down with doggie Ebola last week and I had to baby them all weekend ...spoiled brats...just like kids!
 
Great to hear she's doing good. We switched our dogs to a better food that costs about the same as yours. Since they eat less of it and the place we get it has a loyalty program which gives you a free bag for every 12 you buy the actual cost doesn't work out to be much more than the old crappy food.
Our cat was diabetic and she lived a long and healthy life. Try giving a cat a needle twice a day that would rather take your eyes out than get the shot lol. She got used to it after a couple weeks thank god.
 
Great post. I had 2 Goldens growing up and have some really good memories! We had a 90lb female named Brandy that was afraid of everything! We would take her bass fishing. She loved the water and liked being on the boat until we had to use the big outboard engine. My dad drove the boat and this 90lb golden retriever would jump on his lap and bury her head between my dad and the inside of the boat to hide from the outboard.... once we were at a spot had the outboard killed and had the trolling motor going she was fine! They were great dogs!
 
The problem with pets, they steal your heart. Even the ones you didn't like all that much, looking back, you realize just how much you loved them

Happy for GR, they're the best of the best
 
I'm insane. My cat has his own voice mail. Seriously. His name tag has his phone number so that worried do-gooders can call and see that he is not a stray . Just an attention seeker.
 
Great post Rich and I understand completely. I also have a Golden and he's my true grilling buddy. When you have the chance, how 'bout sharing the recipe for the treats?
 
Rolf Jacobsen said:
Great post Rich and I understand completely. I also have a Golden and he's my true grilling buddy. When you have the chance, how 'bout sharing the recipe for the treats?
Click to expand...

Rolf will do when Barb gets home as she makes them. I'll PM you when I post it.
 
ChuckO said:
The problem with pets, they steal your heart. Even the ones you didn't like all that much, looking back, you realize just how much you loved them

Happy for GR, they're the best of the best
Click to expand...

One of my friend's dogs died not long ago - someone said (rough quote) "each one dies takes a piece of your heart but replaces it with part of theirs - one day mine will be all dog" or something like that (theirs sounded better ha ha).



Rich Dahl said:
Rolf will do when Barb gets home as she makes them. I'll PM you when I post it.
Click to expand...

No need to PM! I wanna see it too, not that I'll do it 'cause I'm too lazy but still.....
 
For those that asked for the dog biscuit recipe here it is.


Dog Biscuits

One cup low sodium beef broth
1/3 cup margarine
½ cup powdered milk
½ tsp. salt
One egg beaten
Three cups whole wheat flower

Pour beef broth over margarine. Add milk, salt, and egg. Gradually add flour ½ cup at a time till you have a stiff dough. Knead 3-4 minutes, roll out to a 1/2“sheet.
Barb uses a small pill bottle for the cookie cutter, if you drill a hole in the bottom of the pill bottle the dough will fall right out of the pill bottle when you lift it.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour

Store in plastic bags, no need to refrigerate they will stay fresh for months.
 
Rich Dahl said:
For those that asked for the dog biscuit recipe here it is.


Dog Biscuits

One cup low sodium beef broth
1/3 cup margarine
½ cup powdered milk
½ tsp. salt
One egg beaten
Three cups whole wheat flower

Pour beef broth over margarine. Add milk, salt, and egg. Gradually add flour ½ cup at a time till you have a stiff dough. Knead 3-4 minutes, roll out to a 1/2“sheet.
Barb uses a small pill bottle for the cookie cutter, if you drill a hole in the bottom of the pill bottle the dough will fall right out of the pill bottle when you lift it.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour

Store in plastic bags, no need to refrigerate they will stay fresh for months.
Click to expand...

Rich thank you so very much. I'm all over it this weekend!
 
Rich & Barb, our hats off to you two for all that you do for Holly & Raddie.
When we had Rose, and found out she had health problems my wife did all that she could for her.
The results, she had a long, happy & good life.
Give them both some extra love.
 
My soon to be 9 yr old Lab girl, Darby, ended up this summer not eating her dinner one night. When I went to feed her the next morning her bowl was full of food. She hadn't even nosed it around any. Still piled up just as I'd dumped it in. She was disinterested, ...not exactly lethargic, but wanted to be left alone. That's pretty out of character. This was (Thursday) July 3rd. My vet couldn't see her 'til Tuesday. I called another vet (w/ multiple vets) and they saw me that day (...eventually. We were overlooked and sat in the waiting room for an hour ...so the visit fees were waived.) The vet thought she may've eaten something, but couldn't feel anything (that wasn't gas). Sent me home with some hairball meds, and instructions on Giving. My. Dog. An. Enema. Also gave me his cell number, ...with instructions not to make him regret giving me his cell number. (I thought that was fair.) He also gave me the animal clinic's number that's staffed to the nines and outfitted with all the latest gadgetry, in case things were obviously taking a nose dive..

Things didn't get better over the 4th ...and the procedure that shouldn't have to be mentioned again didn't "produce", so first thing (ok, 9am) Saturday July 5, I call the vet's cell and he says to just take her to the animal clinic. She'd lost about 12 lbs at this point.

3 days and $1600 later, I get my dog back with 3 different medicines to administer (each at different times of the day and for different lengths of time), missing a patch of fur on her tummy. What I **DID** get was a baggy with a bload-soaked napkin and a completely intact, if a little bloody, pecan.

This, and an episode with pregnant bats in the attic, set us back a good bit on some home renovations ...but its just money, right? Stupid dog!
 
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