Hello everyone…Today I have a special guest. He’s the family dog and his name is Buddy. I went to visit him today and he was sort of scared…This is where it gets kind of tricky…I’m almost scared to admit it, but he got scared of a chihuahua. Also, he’s been diagnosed with heart worms and his treatments begin tomorrow.
Ola! My name is Buddy and I am a 12-year-old Labrador retriever mix! Don’t refer to me as a dog because everyone knows I really do try to converse with the humans around me, and it’s not my fault if they can’t understand a thing I am saying. My human’s mama, Tina spends more time with me lately. She brushes me and walks me on my leash–well, I should say I walk her since I love taking the leash into my mouth and leading the way.
Yesterday she took me to the vet. His name is Doctor Burt. He’s a nice guy and he’s getting grey hair like me! He’s not old like me though. He says I seem remarkably healthy for an older dog! I run, jump and play like a pup! However I know Tina got upset. The doctor said that I have things in my body called heart worms. She gave me good food at home–sort of like the human food but she didn’t tell me I had medicine in it to fight infections. One of my humans gave me more of it today before Tina took me back to the vet.
I was ready to play at the vet and saw other dogs but Tina wouldn’t let me play with them. She then walked me to the back of the animal hospital. I don’t understand why, but she and another nice woman put me in a cage. When they shut that door, I gave ’em both a piece of my mind too, but I know I heard Tina say, “I don’t know why you’re having such a fit! They can’t neuter you again!” That’s Tina for you. She talks to me like I am a human and speaks her mind like I do. Now if she could just keep Gizmo (the chihuahua my other human owns) to leave me alone when I’m being petted, I would be in Heaven!
I also like cats. I love to clean kittens and let the cats sleep on my belly! I don’t know why other dogs chase cats and such, but I am not like that. I’m a good dog! I have to start getting treated for the heart worms in the morning, but I know why Tina is upset. I heard her talking to my humans on her phone…She’s upset because getting treatment for heart worms is also very dangerous to older dogs. I won’t be allowed to do anything I like for the next 8 weeks–meaning the only exercise I will get is to be taken out in the yard on a leash to use the bathroom.
You see, as the adult heart worms die, they will travel to my lungs and once there, they decompose and are absorbed back into my body. This can make me very ill, but it’s very important that I rest because if I get too energetic and start going ape, it can put too much stress on my poor old heart. My humans love me, and they’ll make sure I’m taken care of now–but mama Tina is ready for me to move in with her. She really does love me more than she lets on, but that’s okay! I am a good and faithful old friend, and I know she will look after me at either place!
The reason I am telling you all about this stuff going on is that heart worms are preventable. That is why Tina is so upset. She always made sure I had all I needed on time as a pup–and so did her sister Ruby! Now she’s coming through again. However, it is better for you guys to prevent this by giving your pets their monthly heart worm medication. It only takes one bite from a mosquito carrying the eggs to put these into your pet’s bodies. I certainly don’t want any other animal to suffer like I am suffering right now–even if I refuse to show it much around my humans. Good night for now.
Buddy
Buddy--Christmas 2o1o
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