The Joys of an Old Dog

Since my last post, Reba had her follow up visit with the local vet to check on her progress.  Our vet recommended we go for a 5th amino acid treatment. Last week I took Reba to London for the day.  She stayed at the vet clinic.  I went shopping, had lunch with a friend and did my errands for the next month.

There is some minor improvement to her feet.  The clinic also prescribed medication for yeast infections in her feet and ears.  Reba has never had a problem with her ears before this.  Now I am cleaning them and putting drops in daily.  I am soaking her feet in special shampoo to control the yeast.  She smells better!

The fungus and previous infections in her toenails has a side effect.  The nails growing in are brittle and damaged and keep breaking off.  Reba was in to the local vet this week to have a toenail removed.  It had partially broken inside the toe and I did not want to pull it off.  Hubby and I went together to see Dr. Stephanie.  She was able to remove the nail easily and Reba has stopped limping.

We know Reba has gone blind in one eye and is sight impaired in the other.  Her sense of smell is not what it used to be.  She has trouble locating food on that has fallen on the floor.  She can hear but seems confused as to what direction the sound is coming from.  I will call her name from one part of the room.  She will turn to look at Hubby in a different direction.

We have been letting her go outside on her own again.  Sometimes we have to go out and look for her when she  becomes lost and can't find the door.  If she finds the door on her own she just stares at it.  She used to bark to come back in.  For a while we thought she might have forgotten how to bark.  Then one day I heard her barking away standing in the middle of the back yard.  I think the squirrel startled her and then she set off the chorus of dogs in the neighbourhood.

When Reba became sick, Hubby and I lost the heart to correct her behaviours.  What was the point,  her remaining time with us is limited.  We no longer make her sit and wait until we tell her she can eat.  In hindsight this might have been a mistake.  She has taken up barking at me while I am preparing her food.  It is like she is saying "Hurry up, I am hungry."  Lately I just have to open the fridge and stand at the counter to set her off.  Poor Hubby no more sleeping in for him!

While I waited for Reba last week I went to Len's Mill Store and picked up yarn for a Christmas sweater for the Ladies Sweater category.  I decided that I would start with the sleeves.  (Since I took this picture I finished the first sleeve and am about half-way through the second).

I am going to do the back next.  I am saving the front where all the action is until last.  There will be an intarsia picture for the front.  I hate intarsia.  I don't know why I keep choosing patterns that call for it.  I figure if I have the rest of the pieces done I will have the incentive to finish the front.  If I started with the front and got frustrated, I just might end up throwing it at the wall and just give up, not making the sweater at all.  This plan includes a back up plan.  If the picture piece goes flying I can always just knit a plain front; I will still have a sweater and since it is green, still suitable for the holidays.

I made a mug rug.

Look - it is reversible.  I used a couple of motifs from Christmas Knits Book 2.  I added a couple of layers of cotton quilt batting to make it puffy and protect the furniture from a hot mug.

I finished the Girl's Sweater category.

I picked up the buttons at Len's Mill Store and I am thrilled with the results.  The finished project drawer now holds two more entries.

I also finished the orange socks.  I am still not sure if these are going in my sock drawer or the gift drawer.

My sock recipe made with Mineville Wool Project in  #2909 - Sock Yarn.

And then I cast on another sock.  I just don' t understand why.