Conferencing In (and Out)

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BlogPaws Day 1: Success? Not so much. But it was worth a try. We called it quits about halfway through the day. Heather, Mr. K and I attended two classes together and, for the most part, made it through without any major damage done. I should've known it was all downhill when Mr. K's arch nemesis decided to take a seat - you guessed it! - right in front of him in the very first class. At first, it was as if Mr. K himself didn't believe what was going on and struggled to believe it was real. But as the class went on and that M-E-O-W got more defined, Mr. K could not contain himself. He squirmed, whined and even worked himself up to a heavy pant. And for those who know what a Scottie can get like when there is an evil C-A-T around, you know just how embarrassed this Scottie Mom was.

Fast forward through the second class (which Heather and Mr. K acted beautifully for and even scored a few treats) and Mr. K decided to rumble with a fellow pup for about 0.25 seconds before Scottie Mom snatched him up and took him outside to cool off. We walked around the hotel so Mr. K could mark some territory and came back to go through the exhibits - hands down, Heather and Mr. K's favorite part of the day. Everywhere they turned, they were handed treats and asked to pose for pictures (which, as loyal Scottie Mom followers know, Heather and Mr. K are always happy to do). Then, Mr. K decided to start his shenanigans again and lifted his leg on one of the vendor's boxes. As any horrified Scottie Mom would do, I apologized profusely. Just a few minutes later, we settled in to relax in the lobby waiting for our next class to start. That's when Mr. K decided to squat.

You can only guess just how humiliated I was. And that was just minutes before I marched the doo-doo bag outside, took the pups out for their second walk within mere minutes and came back in the lobby to flip - yes, FLIP - over a bench I neglected to see. (Wearing a dress, I might add...) So, here I was, two Scottie dogs and two bags in hand, landing face first on the floor. Luckily for me, my extended humiliation didn't appear to have been witnessed by others and I hoped it would end there. I picked myself up, sat down with the pups to take some pictures documenting the memorable morning and called Scottie Dad to come pick me up. I had enough adventure for one day and was ready to retire. Tomorrow, I'll likely give another go at the BlogPaws conference but I can't decide: go solo or just with Miss Heather Beather? It was a bit much carrying the two around from class to class and Heather sure does know how to network the best out of the three of us! In the meantime, we're set out to find some new adventures of a more touristic nature!

Crime & Punishment

Whether it is a missing shoe, a yellow puddle on the floor or a mess of torn papers across the room, Mr. K reminds his Scottie friends (and other fellow misbehaving pups) to play it cool when your Scottie Mom suspects you are guilty of a Scottie crime. The trick to getting away with something, he says, lies in your ability to look cute as can be, act as if nothing actually happened and you have no idea how whatever it is got there. He cautions against Scottie cams if your Scottie Mom has one and recommends you "take care" of those first before you carry out any plan you may have had. Without that crucial step, you might just get busted...and if that happens, remember: you are innocent until proven guilty (and you can always blame that dark shadow on the cam destroying everything on that Ninja Scottie that's been ransacking houses lately).

Detour to the Vet

Sometimes, there's just no rhyme or reason why these things happen and there's no telling what our pups get into while we're gone. As a somewhat seasoned Scottie Mom, I'd like to think my condo is pretty much Scottie-proof. You'll find nothing on the floor (except food and water bowls, of course), no sharp cornered furniture, and nowhere for Miss Heather Beather to hide underneath (except the hooman bed, when Scottie Dad isn't around!). So why, nearly three months to the date, does she get a nearly identical injury on the back of her head? That's a question neither myself or the the vet can seem to answer.

Let me set up the scenario, as I know it. Once again, only Scottie Dad was home. He had just returned from a trip to Chicago. You might remember from the first incident that Heather last banged her head on one of favorite (and now nonexistent) hiding places in the corner near Scottie Dad's guitars. Immediately after the last incident, those guitars were moved as they seemed to be the only thing Heather could have bumped into. Today, Scottie Dad said there was no bumping into anything of any kind and yet, when he went to take the leash off after an afternoon walk, he noticed the back of her head was once again red. Upon closer examination and much to his disbelief, he saw that Heather had somehow reopened the wound from nearly three months ago.

It was at this point I get a few frantic calls at work, although I cannot answer them. Scottie Dad texts me that there has been an emergency. The situation as he explains it makes no sense. How did this happen? Why only when I'm not home? What did he do? This time, we had a problem: I had borrowed his car for work while he was in Chicago (the Scottie Mobile decided to overheat and stop running just two days earlier) and so he couldn't take Miss Heather to the vet until I got home. As soon as I could, I hopped in the car and went to pick up Heather, who took another trip in Scottie Dad's forbidden, sweet ride.

The vet is as confused as I am. They take her back and discover scar tissue that makes it appear as if the old wound may have not healed properly and something caused it to reopen. The vet is confident that this was not caused by a bite (not that Mr. K would ever do that to his sister!) but also feels confident she had to hit her head on something. The scar tissue is indicative that the wound is older but then the cut itself is fresh. The vet tells me there could be a number of explanations: 1) it was some sort of head bump, plain and simple, or 2) there is an underlying cause (i.e., cancer, Cushings, etc.) that keeps her immune system low and hence, why the first wound may have never healed properly.

Scottie Dad has since added a third theory: he has never agreed with the fact they only put in one staple the first time this happened. The rationale - as we were told - was so that the liquid could drain from the wound. Tonight, they put in FOUR staples for a wound the same size (and in the same exact location). He thinks the vets simply didn't do it the way they should have the first time, making it harder for the wound to heal in general and thus, making the skin in this area more susceptible. My only problem with that theory is that the staples really and truly were effective in closing her up when she had major surgery to remove the cancer - EIGHT staples held her side together, in fact.

And, much like last time, the right eye is again acting up. It closes while the other one remains wide open. Luckily, the vet explained to me last time that this is usually just a result of stress and it will go away. In the meantime, we're back to the one eye drop three times a day to make her feel comfortable. She'll also be taking one antibiotic every 24 hours to reduce the chance of infection around the wound. Not to worry, though, Heather Beather is in the highest of sprits - it is as if nothing happened today.

Here's where I need your help, fellow Scottie Moms and Dads: has anyone ever experienced the vet's second theory of how an underlying health issue caused a wound like this to not heal properly? Of course, hearing the evil "C" word will scare any Scottie Mom into action. The vet offered a second option which I believe to be a bit extensive given the circumstances, where they would biopsy some of the tissue from inside the wound, take cultures and a few other things that would help them determine if there is indeed another cause like the evil "C." This would require she be under anesthesia and I'm all about avoiding that whenever possible. Plus, there's always the possibility that it would come back clean and we'd be just as confused as we are right now. However, I do not want to be the negligent Scottie Mom and miss an opportunity to catch something early. We've already battled the evil "C" once and we can do it again, although I sincerely hope we do not have to.

I have two weeks until Heather and Mr. K go in for the annual physicals and we'll get to discuss today's events with Heather's main veterinarian, the one who helped her beat the evil "C." However, I'd love to get other Scottie Moms' and Dads' thoughts. We'll be doing another round of blood work on Heather to make sure her liver values are continuing to normalize and I'm even considering having her tested for Cushings so we can rule that "C" out along with the even more evil "C." All I know is that after everything we've been through, I don't want anymore medical mysteries and I'm hopeful we can look forward to a healthy and vet-free year sometime soon!

Siete de Mayo

[caption id="attachment_2579" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Scottie Mom's quesadillas are lip-smacking good![/caption]

Mr. K missed the Cinco de Mayo memo. In fact, he waited two whole days to "properly" celebrate. Tonight, it was Scottie Mom's turn to host book club and so the fur kids broke out their Scottie charm and entertained the guests while dinner preparations were being finished. Chicken quesadillas were being served - complete with a little cayenne and some pepper jack and cheddar cheeses. Mr. K was more than proud to walk beside Scottie Mom to present this perfectly laid out dish of triangle-cut quesadillas with crackers and dip in the middle to the guests.

Much to his dismay, no quesadilla bits were accidentally dropped on the floor for him to enjoy. The food made it safely to the middle of the room and was placed on the ottoman that doubles as a coffee table. Scottie Mom laid out a number of dishes and gathered drinks for everyone. This is when Mr. K forgot his manners and decided he had missed out on the Cinco de Mayo celebrations for too long. He circled round the table, away from the guests so his head could blend in with the black ottoman as he raised it above the table and went in for the kill. First, he maneuvered his head to make it look like he was simply resting his chin on the edge and when no one caught on to his advancement, put his front paws up on the ottoman and snatched a quesadilla.

All this in a matter of seconds. By the time Scottie Mom turned around with the last drink, Mr. K had chowed down on nearly half a quesadilla wedge. Scottie Mom was not pleased. Her near perfect presentation had offically been ruined and before any of the guests had been able to partake. Mr. K's eyes met Scottie Moms as she discovered his wrongdoing and he stopped chewing in his tracks. She moved closer and started addressing Mr. K directly instead of chatting with guests. Mr. K, not wanting his Siete de Mayo fun to end just yet, snatched up what was left of the quesadilla wedge and attempted to run away with it.

Unfortunately for Mr. K, the condo isn't very big and he wasn't able to stash the quesadilla or eat the remains before Scottie Mom got to him. The coveted quesadilla was confiscated and while he remained in the living room to play his part as life of the party, Mr. K had to rely on his charm and good looks to win over the crowd since Scottie Mom made it clear that the Siete de Mayo quesadilla snatching was his last comedic act of the night.

Be Inspired by a Scottie (Dad)

Meet Heather's Foster Scottie Dad John. I've only met him twice personally, but this man (and his whole family) has more of my respect than some of the people I've known for years. Not only did he rescue my sweet Heather Beather and give her a chance to find happiness in our home, he and his family also go above and beyond the call of Scottie duty for countless others. His home is a temporary haven for those in between homes and permanent living quarters for a special few.

This weekend, I learned more details of just how Heather came to be the girl we love today. It broke my heart to hear of the mistreatment my baby girl endured and yet, it made me all the more grateful for John and his family for taking her in. There really aren't enough words to describe the impact a foster Scottie family can have on a pup's life. Two months ago, I gave loyal Scottie Mom readers my Top 5 reasons to foster a Scottie. Allow me to add one more to that list:

To foster a Scottie is to embrace the chance to give back to the very breed that has and will continue to bring you joy. It is an easy way to put a little good back in the world in a seemingly small way while maximizing the impact on dogs in need everywhere. To foster is to save a life - or two - and to live up to our Scotties' expectations and be the Scottie Mom (or Dad!) our fur kids think we should be.

One day, when this Scottie Mom is "all grown up," I hope to be half the person John and his family are for Scotties everywhere. My dream is to be part Scottie Mom, part foster Scottie Mom and to open my home to Scotties in need while preparing potential Scottie Moms (and Dads) to be responsible pet owners. My vision is a world without homeless, abandoned, mistreated, neglected and puppy mill Scotties. John, who has had as many as a dozen Scotties sharing his home at one time, is trailblaizing his way to Scottie sainthood (if he hasn't already achieved that!) and is certainly one we should all be inspired by. ArRRrOo to you!

Scottie Picnic

Yesterday, we made the long trek to Lebanon, Tennessee to attend the Tennessee Scottish Terrier Rescue's annual picnic. Much to Heather's dismay, it was raining but that didn't stop us. Heather and Mr. K arrived in style with their baby blue and yellow raincoats, and they were greeted by more Scotties than I've ever seen in one place at one time. There was so much barking as we walked around. It obviously was a little disconcerting for Heather and Mr. K who are used to a very quiet lifestyle but they managed just fine. The noise was very much music to my ears - so many happy Scotties in one place! - but had Scottie Dad reaching for the Advil within minutes. 

I stopped when I saw Bella's puppies. Bella is a purebred Scottie the Tennessee rescue group saved last fall. Just a day or two after she was placed safely in the hands of Tennessee Scottish Terrier Rescue, she delivered four puppies...two of which were still looking for loving homes of their own at the time of the picnic. Bella and the two other puppies had already found furever Scottie Moms!

What do you mean you want to take them with us?!

I stopped when I saw these two because I knew where there was a Scottie and/or Scottie mix in need, Heather's foster family wouldn't be far away. That, and I was amazed by how big the pups had gotten since I had last seen photos of them! Heather's foster family had taken in Bella and her puppies the day after they were born. The two that remained, Cocoa and Snickers, were now just as tall as Heather and Mr. K. They are some sort of shepherd mix and they are very beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, they caught Scottie Dad's eye and for a brief moment, I thought I might finally have the keys to bring those two more rescues I've wanted through our doors!

It wasn't more than a few minutes later that Heather was greeted by her Foster Scottie Dad. It took two years but we finally made a reunion happen! Heather was happy to make herself available for extra back scratchings and soaked up every bit of attention she could get. We settled in and I took Cocoa and Snickers from their crates, hoping to win Scottie Dad over. Snickers came out first and as I held him in my arms, I laughed at seeing just how quickly two pairs of Scottie eyes shot up at me cradling a pup that wasn't them. Mr. K was especially not amused.

Keep us close, Scottie Mom!

Alas, Scottie Dad didn't cave (yet) but did suggest we could trade Heather and Mr. K and then we could take the two Scottie/Shepherd mixes. (GASP!) If you think Heather and Mr. K's eyes shot up at me fast then you should have seen my reaction to Scottie Dad's moment of insanity. (And let's also point out that he is still in the dog house for that comment!) Cocoa and Snickers eventually found a furever home together in Columbia, South Carolina - where I found Mr. K years ago. However, there are still others needing homes. I have all the confidence in the world in the Scottish Terrier Rescue of Tennessee and their ability to find these precious pups find the homes they deserve.

Transforming Cuteness

What a difference a good grooming can make! As these before and after shots show, Miss Barbara at Barking Hound Village really outdid herself today. Heather and Mr. K look great and are so obviously happy to show off their new looks to the world. Now, that's not to say their scruffier alter egos weren't as cute - everyone knows there is no such thing as a Scottie that isn't cute - but you can tell these two enjoy a day at the spa every once in a while and their confidence really shines through when they're all groomed. So, what do you think? Is this a true transformation of cuteness or what?