Sunday, March 14, 2021

A Pi-Day pupdate

The scent of daphne odora is in the air!
After a brilliant burst of sunshiny spring days, today brought the other kind of spring weather – cloudy, cool, and damp. Rick is off doing his own thing, so it's a good day to stay mostly indoors and do things like make a pot of beans, bake a four-loaf batch of bread, write up minutes from an in-person(!) meeting last night, spin, blog, and snuggle my pup. (I suppose I should make a pie in honor of 3.14....)
Said pup is doing much better now. Last Wednesday I took her with me to run a couple errands and decided to see if her sister was available to play before we headed home. She was and oh, they had fun! That night Rick x-rayed her front legs, and found the cause of the swelling and soreness; she had fractured her left dew claw bone, probably playing with the neighbor dogs Monday. Since it is a vestigial bone it's just sore, not serious – but he also saw problems in her right leg. She's developed arthritis in her 'wrist,' possibly from some previously undiagnosed fractures there that were missed in the original x-rays after Lance stepped on her. That explains why she still sometimes favors that leg, and mouths/chews on it occasionally. It makes me sad to think of her having to deal with a lifetime of discomfort, but it is better to focus on how much she enjoys an active life. Yesterday all three of us visited her sister's family, and Poppy and Penny ran and wrestled and played as only two young terriers can! It was impossible to track them with video and still photos don't do them justice, but these will have to suffice:




Penny's 'dad' is Rick's woodturning mentor, so Rick took him a chunk of our almond tree that came down in the ice storm. We got to admire the dining room table he is making out of English walnut slabs and glass; it's gorgeous!

Look at that chatoyance!

I asked Rick to save a chunk of almond for Ed Jenkins, who makes my favorite spinning tools. In fact, I may have a couple more on the way, so there will be more gorgeous woodwork to show you!

Not much woodwork to see on this spindle, as it is filling up with POF:

That's it for now from . . .

14 comments:

Mama Pea said...

Oh, poor Poppy. But it's good to know that her "injuries" don't keep her down and out to any great degree. And it would be a shame to keep her from her play dates or just running with joy around your place. She just doesn't know how to take care of herself because of her zest for her doggy life!

Michelle said...

And since activity is better than inactivity for arthritis, Mama Pea, I guess it's better for all of us to just keep moving! I HAVE been giving her Cosequin for months now, which can't hurt and probably helps her arthritis; now that I know she has it I'm increasing the dose a bit.

Kim said...

Well, I’m finally back on the blogosphere and what do I see but cute pictures of Poppy and then learn she was stepped on! Poor puppet, glad to know her spirit and liveliness are undaunted. Arthritis is a reality of life, and she seems not to let it stop her joyful self from loving life....

Florida Farm Girl said...

Oh, that walnut is gorgeous! So sorry to hear the girl has developed arthritis so early in her life.

Susan said...

I have a feeling that nothing will keep that active girl down for long. And, as you said, activity will help with the arthritis. What beautiful wood! And wool!

Retired Knitter said...

Sorry to hear she has some arthritis from her injury. There is dog glucosamine and although glucosamine doesn’t work for all people it does work for some with arthritis. So you might try that. Or that egg shell membrane supplement. When Milo had back surgery the neurologist suggested that supplement for Milo and he was only 6 years old with no symptoms at the time since his “problem” had been surgically fixed. Vet felt it might be a good option for him for the rest of his life. And that is what my daughter did. Of course your husband being a vet probably has some opinions about treatments. As far as all that activity she does, that probably will help her more than anything.

Tim B. Inman said...

Chatoyance! Now you're stepping into my world. Not many folks know that word, and not many can correctly apply it. I'm impressed! As a professional furniture maker and antique restorer, this sort of thing has been my 'world.' I'd love to know more. Has the maker used any mordants to enhance the cat-eye effect? or is this just a lucky find from nature?

How about metamerism? Is that in your color box? It is one of the words we use when a 'perfect' color match in a damaged spot looks like a giant blemish when one goes around to the other side for a look - or on the way out of the house and looks back over the shoulder. There are other words used in this situation as well, but not for here.

Cheers!

Tim B. Inman said...

Oh dear. In my 'furniture world' excitement, I forgot to mention Poppy. I did want to say that two of our dogs were helped tremendously by glucosamine. Barney, our Dachshund, had back surgery when he was 4, and our vets recommended a feed with it as an additive. He lived a full and healthy life until 17. Rex, my Dad's last Black Lab, was the biggest lab I've ever known, and developed arthritis. He lived to about 14, again with a glucosamine supplement. My wife, Joyce, had knee problems (old college basketball veteran) and used it with good results, too. This is all anecdotal, but it is my experience and observation, for what it's worth.

Michelle said...

Kim, the dew claw bone is recent, but the 'stepped on' happened over a year ago, when she was just nine weeks old. 😔

I agree on both the walnut and the arthritis, Sue!

Susan, she IS active! I keep telling Rick she needs a permanent playmate, as we can't keep up with her.

Elaine and Tim, the Cosequin that Poppy is on is the top-rated-by-vets OTC supplement containing glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, and manganese. (It's also available for horses.) I suppose she might be a lot worse by now if I haven't had her on this since last August. I do plan to keep her on it.

Tim, I learned the word chatoyance long ago, probably because I've always loved pretty rocks. But I was quickly drawn to it in the fine wood spinning tools I collect from Jenkins Woodworking; my favorite spindles have it and I could admire it for hours. Knowing the maker of the table, I would doubt he used any mordants; this is just a gorgeous slab of walnut! I'm not familiar with 'metamerism;' I'll have to google it!

A :-) said...

Oh, poor Poppy. I'm so sorry to hear this about her legs. I hope she heals well from this latest mishap.

Tim B. Inman said...

Metamerism: Like when a duck's feathers appear to be different colors depending on which way you hold the feather.

thecrazysheeplady said...

Beautiful wood and yarn! Sorry about Poppy's injuries. At least she's young and small and if she stays fit like I know she will, that will surely help as she ages. Sigh...

wyomingheart said...

Look at that little tree climbing Rock Star!!!! We have had our little Jack Russell on glucosamine for years, as he is old and doesn’t realize he is old in his ever active Jumping Jack Russell brain! It is hard to see him struggle after playing with the neighbors terrier, though. Like you said, use it or loose it! It was exciting to see the walnut wood, as we have been shopping for a wood mill, to process some of our dead standing black walnut trees in the woods. It’s very exciting to see how beautiful that wood turns out! I’ll keep you posted on that! Have a great week!

Donna said...

I am happy to see that Poppy is back in action!