Abby Home - An Update and then on to How I spent my summer vacation.

Abby the Lab is home and none the worse for wear but for some shaved fur for the IV's. That was a close call. I am so thankful I was only gone a short time and she was able to vomit all the raisins shortly after ingestion. After a couple of hours without forced vomiting, it's often fatal. Please check your kitchen folks - these were in a deep cupboard where I keep my oat granola bars, a space she had never showed an interest in when the door was opened and also a very small space her head would barely fit into, yet she still got them out. Thank God for Countryside Veterinary Center who took awesome care of her.  Her dog walker helped me get her wrangled to go get her 24 hour follow up blood work (she lives right by the Vet and just met me there to help unload and unload in lieu of today's walk) and she's home from that and the results were great.

Her band-aid has TRACTORS on it!

I knew that macadamia nuts, chocolate, onions, and garlic were toxic to dogs but I had no idea raisins were so potentially deadly. I am going to make sure ANY product with raisins in it is high up in a closed container.

In the news this week, another dog died after eating just one cupcake made with artificial sweetener xylitol. Even one serving of xylitol can kill a dog. That can be found in peanut butter, so please check your label before feeding.

Other sources for xylitol include:

Sugar-free mixes such as pudding, cake, cookie mixes, even ice cream, and yogurt. (we always check Abby's yogurt purchase to make sure it's made with only sugar.)

Sugar-free condiments.

Sugar-free breath mints and gum.

Flavored waters and drink powders

Protein bars and powders.

Toothpaste, mouthwash, breath spray and some nasal sprays.

I'm going to be the most avid label reader from now on. No one should have to be terrified that they accidentally poisoned their beloved pet.

Now on to happier news!  It's Abby Lab in "What I did on Summer Vacation" Blog Hop presented by:

• Da DB Boyz (Arty and Jakey)

Dad spent his extra time working on the house here in the Windy City plus he was in Texas and England a whole bunch this summer for work.  So I kept Mom company and got lots of walks with my dog walkers. They didn't take a vacation so Mom can check up on her Dad in Washington regularly.

But I still had a great summer, even better now that Dad rebuilt the back steps so they go INTO the yard instead of onto the driveway, I have a fence so I can go out and roll in the grass and snoot things.

It used to look like this.

Yes, that's as steep as it looks. The new steps are only half as tall so easier on my joints and on Mom's bad knee.

Dad worked hard on it!

The wires you see up above is a zip line.  When it's super duper cold and dark, Mom hooks the blue line onto my collar and it slides down the red line.  That keeps me close to the fence and the garage which is lit so Mom can make sure I just do my business and come back. (It's high enough and angled so it doesn't catch on the fence). She hates when she has to put on boots and go fetch me because I'm snootering the front corner of the property where she can't see me and won't come in, even though it's 20 below with the wind chill.

Not that we ever get any snow in Chiberia.

I tried to talk her into a little short line with a basket so I could give squirrel rides into the garage door (one way!) but Mom said "no!" 

These pictures were taken before the paving was done from the steps to the gate but I was so happy to check it out after the steps were stained.

"Mr. Bun - are you under the bush today?"  The house was built on TWO lots (lots in the old villages are TINY) so there is another good bit of yard across the driveway and the rabbits have a regular highway going back and forth.

 Thanks Dad for making my backyard fun and safe for my summer vacation!

Squirrel patrol - my watch never ends.

Here it is with the paving!