Mama Pajama

Poor B

Don't you just hate when people dress up their dogs in silly costumes.  It's Ok, I don't either.  It could have been a lot worse for him, considering that over the years we have dressed him up as a jester, a clown, and Batman.    And oh yes, he also owns a Santa suit.

Buster's Back

  Well, Buster is back to normal!  He had his bladder stone surgery a few weeks ago, and has since had his staples removed.  He continued to bleed for a few days following the surgery, which was to be expected. But within a few days he was already taking his nightly walks around the neighborhood.

Now he's  back to rough housing with Chris and Cameron.  We started him on another special food so that we can hopefully prevent them from coming back. But, unfortunately, we were told that the stones were made of calcium oxalate, which tend to return.  We're hoping Buster will the be an exception to this.

My Boys

Cameron isn't really sure what's going on with his dog. He keeps going near the kitchen to watch Buster.  We are obviously keeping them apart for a while.  Cameron is fairly gentle with him, considering he's a three year old boy, but you never know. I would hate for Cameron to accidentally hit him where it hurts. 

Want to See Them for Yourself?

Some of you might think this is kind of gross, but I'm posting it anyway. Here's an ultrasound picture of Buster's bladder stones. If you look at the very bottom in the center, you'll see two white marks. Those are the stones.  (There were actually three) Pretty wicked image, right?  At least they're out of there now.

Another Update on Buster

Well, Buster is not happy about having to wear the E Collar.  I can't blame him. But it is keeping him from licking/biting the huge incision on his belly.  We have to bring him back in two weeks to get the staples removed.

Considering he had major surgery, he's acting pretty tough.  He needs to go out extremely often, and there's still going to be blood in his urine for a week or so. But all in all he's handling all of it like a trooper.

To think that he had to go through all of this just because a  few small stones (that looked like miniature pinecones!) were spinning around in his bladder. Poor dog!

Buster's Surgery Update

   We just heard from the Vet Surgeon that Buster's bladder stone was successfully removed. He had told us this morning that he might end up needing a more complicated surgery due to the location of the stone(s) but he ended up not needing that.  I never thought we'd be spending this much money on a dog...but he's part of the family.  At least this was a problem with a clear solution. We are going to pick him up tomorrow morning - coming off of pain meds, I'm sure. That should be interesting!  Poor B.

Buster's Surgery

Well, tomorrow Buster is having his bladder stone surgery. Today he went for an ultrasound (they couldn't see the stones on the vet's x-ray) and we were able to see the actual stones.  Hopefully, everything will go smoothly.  Cameron is so attached to Buster now. I really think he'll be fine. He's a tough little dog.

Air Buster

"Live from the Astrodome....in Houston Texas....it's Buckin' Bronco Buster....." - that's Buster's cue to find that toy and play this game. He's been doing this for the past six years.  I have pictures of him doing this when he was a tiny little puppy.  Too bad they aren't digital, or I'd post them.  Chris plays this really rough game with Buster at least once a week, and Cameron never gets tired of watching it.  But, it is too hard on the arms for me to do it with him!

Not Again!

Our Westie, Buster (right) might have bladder stones again. We noticed that it is taking him a long time to urinate. Also, today we saw a little blood that dripped on the floor.  We are bringing him to the vet tomorrow morning.  The vet saw bladder stones several months ago and he was put on a special food to help dissolve them.  It seemed to work, but now he's showing signs of this problem again.  We'll obviously know more tomorrow.  He's such a good dog - I hope he's OK!

Buster Update

Buster was diagnosed with having bladder stones a couple of weeks ago. Since then, he's been a on a special food that might be able to dissolve them, along with an antibiotic.  But you'd never know there's anything wrong by looking at him!  He's still chasing the mockingbirds out of our backyard and enjoying the cool but sunny weather.  The only thing bothering him right now is that when I open the door to let him back in the house, the smoke alarms keep going off because of all the wind outside.  I guess it changes the pressure in the house or something.  He goes back for another x-ray in about a week and we'll know if they are dissolving or not.  If not, he'll probably require surgery.  Let's hope they go away on there own.  Has anyone ever had a dog with bladder stones???

Poor "B"

Well, we took Buster to the vet today to get his teeth cleaned for the first time. But unfortunately (or fortunately) the vet noticed that there was a small amount of blood in his urine.  After doing x-rays, he discovered that he has kidney stones.  He put him on a new type of food and hopefully they will go away.  I'm glad he caught it early, but he still may need surgery in the future. 

Almost Our New Baby

  We were about an inch away from picking up this beautiful little Yorkie Boy.  The owner is a college student that doesn't have enough time to spend with her two young puppies. (She also has a female that is the same age - 9 months old).  I spoke with her on the phone (for once it was not a scam!) and she sounded just as sweet as she could be. She really wants to make sure that the people that buy her puppies plan to keep them forever.

We were all set to meet her at a Petsmart and introduce the male puppy to our dog, Buster.  The only problem we have is that Yorkie Boy is not really potty trained. He uses those puppy pads and he still needs to go out overnight.  As much as that wouldn't have bothered us before, with Cameron crawling all over the house now, it would just be too much.  We already get up in the middle of the night to give Cameron an extra bottle, and the thought of cleaning up after a dog at that time just seems like a lot.  The reason that we want a little bit older dog is so that we can hopefully find one that is potty trained.  I think we're finally ready to stop looking for now. I think we should focus on being grateful that Buster is such a good boy now!

Weekend Snapshot: Buster the Cat

Buster just got groomed about a week ago, so he's always a little bit cold.  This weekend I found him buried under the sham pillows. It's not a bad place to hide, since Cameron can't climb up onto the bed yet.  Sneaky dog.

Another Pet Scam!

OK. We're officially done with looking for a pet online.  Even the "adoptable pet" from someone's home (through Petfinder.com) ended up being a scam.  The dog was supposedly in Dallas, but when we practically agreed to come and get her, she told us she was actually in Wisconsin and would "ship" the dog after we paid about $300.  Sure, I'll do that as soon as Britney Spears gets the Mother of the Year Award.  After watching the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet yesterday,  we remembered how fun Westie puppies are. So, we might just wait and get another Westie later on.  They are very high energy, very fun, but very challenging.  If you get the alpha male(Buster), you'll really have your work cut out for you. :) For now, the puppy search is on hold. 

Not a Good Fit

Well, I submitted our on-line application for the Westie Rescue Shelter in our area.  We thought we had found the perfect pooch for us, a three year old, named Molly.  She looks almost exactly like Buster, and it said she loves to play ball, etc.  The only problem is that we have a young child in our home. They will only give this dog to a family without small children.  You see, she bit a toddler in her home, and that is why the owner gave her up.  I was so thankful that those running the rescue were willing to divulge this type of information.  I was impressed and appreciative. Hopefully we will eventually be able to find a perfect match for us.

Puppy Scammers

Last week I mentioned that we were thinking about getting another dog.  So, I've been checking out local animal rescues and the classifieds on-line.  So far, my first two inquiries have been obvious scam operations.  How stupid do they think people are?  One Yorkie,  that was originally supposed to be in the Houston area, was actually in Africa.  All we have to do is send the money and they'll ship the poor little dog all the way over here.  Right.  The other one wanted money shipped first, and then the "perfect dog" will magically arrive on our doorstep the next morning.  Both of these claim to be very young puppies, but they are housetrained, wonderful with kids, in perfect health, etc.  Sometimes if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.  Petfinder seems very legit, so we are hoping to find a Yorkie, Maltese, or Westie that someone wants to place up for adoption.  Has anyone ever adopted a pet through using Petfinder?

Another Dog

We have recently started entertaining the notion of getting another dog.  Buster is a Westie, and he was possibly the worst dog to train ever, in the history of the world. So, the thought of potty training another one is what's holding me back. We really  like the Bichon Frise (right). Now there are so many mixed breeds with the Bichon, so that might be what we eventually get.  But, I've read that Bichons are very hard to train.  (AAAHH!)  I like the Cavashon (Cavalier King Charles mixed with Bichon - (left).  Our neighbor down the street has one, and she also has two little boys.  She has told me that he's great with the kids.  I also like the Havanese breed.  They are just so cute and cuddly.  Any suggestions on small, non-shedding dogs that love kids?                                                                                                                                   

Baby Buster

Recently I found this picture of "B" while I was searching through a drawer.  This was the day we went to "just visit" the puppies.  But, of course, once you see a puppy, it's virtually impossible not to want to bring him home.  He was such a cutie. That's how they lure you in. But, oh was he bad. Male Terriers are not easy to train... just in case you were wondering. But he was and is still a very loving and loyal dog. 

Weekend Snapshot #7: Buster's Bliss (Fall is HERE!)

Buster is in love with the fantastic weather we've been experiencing. During the day, the temperatures have dropped from the usual 90 degrees to around 65 degrees. Cameron and I have been enjoying our morning walks as well. If only this weather would last year round!

To join in the fun, go to Weekend Snapshot.

Weekend Snapshot #3: Puppy Love

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Heads or Tails #6: Pets

  This week, the theme is pet(s) or pet peeves.  Well, I just did a post about Buster, our Westie.  And this gives me an excuse to write another one! Don't you just hate people that go on and on about their pets like they are people (hahaha - a pet peeve).  Don't worry, that's the last joke of the day for me.

To read more about Buster and his latest adventure with BFTC, click here.  I wish I had noticed the topic for this week or I would have waited to share that story. Now someone might actually read it (haha). 

Head on over to Skittles' Place to participate in the Heads or Tails Meme and join in the fun.  You can even join the blogroll!  Weekly topics are listed on her site.

   

Weekend Snapshot #2: I Know I'm Cool

                                          

   

To join in the fun, go to Weekend Snapshot.

Buster: Scared of Cats?

Buster is our five year old West Highland White Terrier.   He was our first baby and our first love.  Terriers are known for their feistiness.  They are stubborn and loyal by nature.  Buster is no exception.

He spends his days lounging around the house, taking several long naps throughout the day.  But, Buster waits all day for his evening walk.  When he sees me looking for my shoes, or when he gets that first whiff of mosquito repellant, he loses it.  He barks and runs around just as fast as he did when he was a puppy. In fact, he gets so excited that it's almost impossible to get the harness around his neck.  Finally, we're off.

Buster likes certain "poles" to mark his territory. Like most male dogs, Buster has quite an ego.  He likes to "go" on corners of fences where dogs reside.  He prefers gas lights to fire hydrants, and light poles to mail boxes.  He lives for this twenty minutes of dog heaven.

On our walks, there are several cats that make their presence known. Some peek above fences, while others brazenly sit in the middle of "his" sidewalk.  Buster hates cats.  He goes crazy if he hears one in our front bushes.  He can run at the speed of light to chase one out of our backyard.  But, that was before he met "the big, fat, tan cat."

According to my husband's report last night, Buster came face to face with BFTC.  She was parked at the end of her own driveway.  Buster could not resist walking right up to her.  Upon approaching her, she stood up, hissed, and actually growled at Buster.  What did our strong, tough, stubborn Westie do? He just meekly walked past her, giving her the respect she had finally just earned.

What a puss.

Our First Love

Five years ago, my husband and I decided it would be fun to get a dog.  We weren't sure which breed would be best suited for us, so we did a little research online.  My first instinct was to get a Bichon Frise, or some other small, nonshedding, cute breed.  I grew up with poodles, so I wanted a dog that would not only sit in my lap, but would also love to play.  We looked in the newspaper and online, and eventually decided that a West Highland White Terrier would be a great fit for us.  Fiesty, fun, cute, barely sheds...perfect.  We also thought a girl would be sweeter and easier to train.  Well, we went to visit the puppies, and found out that the only girl had already been chosen.  We picked our favorite male puppy, and marked his little fur with fingernail polish.  When my last day of teaching for the year was over, we rushed over to pick up our sweet little puppy.  We still aren't sure if he's the one we picked (the polish had mysteriously vanished), but we certainly loved him right away.  He became the center of our universe.  He may have been the worst behaved puppy ever, but five years and hundreds of bottles of Incredible Carpet Cleaner later, he is the companion we always wanted.  And, our little boy loves him just as much as we do.