BYC Café

[DobieLover]

Good morning Cafe. Thanks for the coffee and the laughs Shad!

We had strong enough winds last night to blow the cushions of the deck furniture.

 

[Sally PB]

Thanks for the laughs, Shad!

Freya is going back to the vet (well, I'm going too; she can't drive yet) for a follow up appointment re: her diarrhea and ear infections.

The diarrhea is gone. The dewormer did the trick. The ears seem to still be bothering her, despite cleaning and drop twice a day, so we'll see what the vet says. Probably just keep cleaning and using the drops. At least she is VERY good about it. Both our Dobes had ear infections during their lives*, and neither were as accommodating about drops as Freya is.

* Both had their ears down, ie, uncropped. That may have made a difference.

 

[sourland]

Good morning, Cafe'.

 

[aart]

Rascal ears had to be plucked regularly, definitely don't miss that part.

 

[LaFleche]

Good afternoon everyone!

It is grey and very windy again, temperatures at night below zero, so I had to install the heating plates for the waterers.

The ears seem to still be bothering her, despite cleaning and drop twice a day, so we'll see what the vet says. Probably just keep cleaning and using the drops.

Ever since I stopped the commercial ear drops prescribed from the vets (some seemed to even make it worse) and instead used strong sage tea with a drop of liquid dishwasher detergent twice a day for three consecutive days, none of our dogs had any more ear problems/infections.

This also works as a preventative measure twice a year, administering only for one day (2 x).

Rascal ears had to be plucked regularly, definitely don't miss that part.

Yes! Very important for Airedale ears as well.

 

[aart]

Dark laying Marans broody again!

 

[Sally PB]

and instead used strong sage tea with a drop of liquid dishwasher detergent twice a day for three consecutive days,

Can you elaborate on this? Did you use regular sage, like you'd get in the spice section of the grocery store? How many leaves?

I have a tiny sage plant down in my garden, but it's so paltry looking I don't dare take any leaves of it.

 

[LaFleche]

Can you elaborate on this? Did you use regular sage, like you'd get in the spice section of the grocery store? How many leaves?

I have a tiny sage plant down in my garden, but it's so paltry looking I don't dare take any leaves of it.

I have used organic sage tea bought at a health food store, but also grow my own sage plants and used their finely chopped leaves with equal result.

3-4 table spoons of finely chopped sage leafs (dry or fresh)
1/ litre of hot water

Let it steep for at least 1 hour, it will get very dark in colour.

Use a tea strainer to filter and add 2-3 drops of liquid dishsoap. Stir gently and in case it is too cold, add a bit of warm, previously boiled water to get at a lukewarm temperature. This is important as using too cold a liquid can cause severe problems (seizure, disturbance of equilibrium etc.).

I use something similar to this to fill the ear:

Sit the dog between your legs facing front. Grab one ear at the folding edge and slightly pull upwards towards the middle of the scull to open up the ear canal. Then slowly fill the ear canal and massage gently for some minutes.

As soon as you let the dog go, s/he will shake their head for a while and whatever debris was in the ear will come out.
After a long treatment with vet ear drops of different kinds (one contained honey!) I was amazed at the amount of accumulated gunk and old ear drop residue, that came loose.

Whenever there is a bacterial infection, be careful not to use the same device for the other ear, as you might transfer germ into the healthy ear by doing so.

It is better to have separate little milk jugs, so each ear will have its own.

Clean and dry the outer ears carefully with separate clean cotton rags.

 

[bruceha2000]

Just looking into our workshop sometimes makes me cringe because of all the doubles, triples, multiples of all kinds.

Time for a garage/tag/yard/"whatever you call it in Germany when you sell surplus stuff at your home" sale

Oddly, there are never garages, tags OR yards for sale at these things!!

Daughter that I live with has contracted Covid when visiting Poland for her husband's fathers funeral.
One of the gandmothers at the funeral has also tested positive. Still trying to contact others who went to the funeral.

I hope you stay safe and everyone recovers quickly with no long term problems.

Came home, gave the nuts another try and they all came loose!!

Yay!!!!!!
I find that PB Blaster can free up ALMOST anything though sometimes one does need to be patient.

Looking at my daughter lying on the sofa all wrapped up in blankets looking very sorry for herself reminds me of what she was like as a child when she got ill.

Are you giving her the things to occupy her "down time" now that you gave her then?

Freya is going back to the vet (well, I'm going too; she can't drive yet)

I wouldn't bet on you losing that job to her anytime soon. Sounds like at least things are improving. I think that with some dogs, ear cleaning is a lifelong thing.

 

[Sally PB]

Then slowly fill the ear canal and massage gently for some minutes.

Do you have an estimate how much liquid? I don't have anything like that pitcher, but I have a bulb syringe that probably holds 2-3 tablespoons, or 60-90 ml.

Yes, the liquid HAS to be warm. Putting cold water into the ear canal is VERY painful.