Our hearts are with the Houston Pittie Pack.   Please contribute what you can.  Thank you Mayzie's Mom for setting this up for dear Sandra.

We will be absent from blogging until after the New Year.  Our hearts are still attempting to heal from our own loss and we aren't able to contribute to blog world with positive energy at this time.

When it rains....

it pours, right?  I have the knee ouchies.  The vet says I tore the cruciate  ligament in my back knee.  The only good news is that he thinks I didn't rupture it.  Based on the fact that I become a total wimp at the vet and get all shaky and nervous he couldn't quite feel for sure how bad the instability in my knee is.  But since I am really not limping (I just turn funny and don't put weight on my leg when standing) and that I showed zero signs of pain he doesn't think it ruptured.  Or I is just very strong.

Official treatment is 3 weeks of pain medicine (deremaxx and a pain shot in my butt) with close monitoring of my actions - no running, jumping, zoomies, or playing wif other doggies.  I must walk at least an hour every day.  I must make improvements each week and report these to Mr. Vet.  If improvements are not being made it means x-ray & surgery.  I have not had an x-ray yet because it is very scary to put big doggies under anesthesia.  So, if I needs an x-ray I'll get the surgery too.  Mr. Vet and the hoomans don't want me to have to go under twice.  The real statistics are if the tear is under 50% it can heal on it's own (it very well may tear again though).  Mr. vet thinks there is a 20% chance that I will needs the surgery.

How is I suppose to enjoy the Holidays if I can't do zoomies?

Note from Momma:  Tucker doesn't think anything is wrong with him.  He hurt his leg doing major zoomies in the snow on Thanksgiving and was limping.  He showed no sign of pain when when being poked and prodded so we gave it some time.  It's common for him to pull his back thigh muscle, he's done it four times in 3 years.  This time the limping was better in 2 days, he continues to try to run, but when standing you can see he is putting all his weight on his other leg.  Tucker's vet likes to veer on the side of caution if the pets are not showing discomfort.  I like that about him.  There is a strong possibility that this will heal without surgery and we are hoping we can keep him calm enough so that it will.  We just need to prevent the zoomies, keep him on leash, walk him to make him use his knee correctly, and prevent him from chasing Vader. He is already putting weight back on the leg after 4 days of anti-inflammatory meds.  Fingers are crossed for our boy.  Also, thank you all for your kind words about Ellie.  We miss her dearly.

Goodbye Ellie

Today is a sad day.  Kitteh sister Ellie unexpectedly went to the rainbow bridge while sleeping in a patch of sun on the futon.

Ellie was at best guess maybe 6 years old.  She found the hoomans at their apartment in April of 2007 on Easter Sunday.  She was starving and covered in burdock from being forced to make it on her own for a Maine winter eating out of the compost.  The neighbors down the street had moved in November and they must have left her behind, forgotten - unwanted.

She wriggled her way into everyone's heart with her broken meow and her love of laps.  If you didn't pet her she'd lightly pat your face to remind you she was there.

Ellie was the only kitteh that accepted me when I came into the family.  She was my kitteh, she never once hissed at me or swatted at me - even when I used her as a napkin.  This is us yesterday.

We almost lost Ellie last year when she couldn't eat because of her teeth, we discovered she had periodontal disease.  After two weeks of syringe feeding and dental surgery she learned to eat on her own again and was back to full heath.  Her checkup in August was perfect, what was left for her teeth were healthy.

This morning Ellie ordered her breakfast as usual, she scolded Vader for chasing her as normal, and she won the best spot in the morning sun.  That is were she went to sleep and just never woke up.

Tonight the hoomans sit with an empty lap and a broken heart.

The 12 Tucker Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

 A couch that is too small.

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On the Second Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Two Monster Mouths

and  A couch that is too small.

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On the Third Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Fourth Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Fifth Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Five Silver Bowls

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Sixth Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Six Fleece Blankies

Five Silver Bowls

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Seventh Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Seven rolls of poop bags

Six Fleece Blankies

Five Silver Bowls

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Eighth Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Eight Dog Boots

Seven rolls of poop bags

Six Fleece Blankies

Five Silver Bowls

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Ninth Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Nine Stuffies

Eight Dog Boots

Seven rolls of poop bags

Six Fleece Blankies

Five Silver Bowls

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Tenth Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Ten Bandannas

Nine Stuffies

Eight Dog Boots

Seven rolls of poop bags

Six Fleece Blankies

Five Silver Bowls

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Eleven Dog Collars

Ten Bandannas

Nine Stuffies

Eight Dog Boots

Seven rolls of poop bags

Six Fleece Blankies

Five Silver Bowls

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas the hoomans gave to me:

Twelve Marrow Bones

Eleven Dog Collars

Ten Bandannas

Nine Stuffies

Eight Dog Boots

Seven rolls of poop bags

Six Fleece Blankies

Five Silver Bowls

Four Doggie Beds

 Three Red Kongs

Two Monster Mouths 

and  A couch that is too small.

 ************************

The 2010 version is here: http://greatdanetucker.blogspot.com/2010/12/12-toys-of-christmas.html

I've entered into Pet Safe's Contest http://www.petsafe.net/
We have their kitteh door and their drinkwell kitteh fountain.