Inspiring Millennial dog moms to live modern, meaningful lives.
Dogs show us unconditional love. All they want in return is, you guessed it, love. Let’s show our canine companions how much we appreciate them by making them as happy as they make us.
Be honest – do you brush your dog or cat’s teeth? Did you know that only 2% of pet owners brush their pet’s teeth?
Um, I’m guilty. I don’t brush my animal’s teeth. I do, however, take preventative measures to ensure that my babies maintain bright beautiful smiles! Here are some things you can do to avoid a costly dental procedure in the future.
When Kirby passed away just over a week ago, I never thought I’d be able to open my heart or home to another piggy. Kirby was my first Guinea pig and I figured he’d be the last because he was so special.
I fell in love with Sammie at AZ Piggie Poo Rescue on Friday and I had such a connection with him, that I was in front of the rescue 30 minutes before they opened yesterday so I could make him my own. The previous evening I had gotten approved to adopt him and I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep.
After an amazing adoption experience, I drove 45 minutes home with Sammie. As soon as I walked in the door, I was bombarded by a herd of wild animals wanting to see who was in the carrier. Okay…maybe not wild animals, but MY animals…which pretty much makes them wild.
Wynston was beside himself. He wouldn’t stop crying. Not only was he crying but he was crying loudly, almost to the point of howling. When I took a moment to assess the situation, I began to wonder if he thought Kirby was home at last!
Not so much, my dearest Wyn, but I did bring you home a new brother! Matt and I got Sammie settled in to his new fantastic space. I bought brand new EVERYTHING for Sammie since I donated my leftover items. The rescue offered my items back but I told them I’d rather them keep the items and I would purchase new from them to support the rescue.
Sammie was an instant hit with our kids. Khloee, Wynston and Sadie surrounded the cage, curious and crying. They all grew up around Kirby so to see a new piggy must have been terribly exciting!
I decided to introduce Wynston and Sammie one on one. Sammie didn’t seem scared and he’s so laid back that I figured it’d be alright. Well, that made Wynston’s day. I don’t remember the last time I saw him that genuinely happy. He’s a happy boy but wow, the excitement he displayed was indescribable. At that moment, I knew I made the right choice in adopting Sammie. Wyn and Sammie kissed, played and hopped around together. It was an instant bond.
Since Kirby’s passing, Sadie has been displaying signs of depression setting in. She’s back to howling and slinking around the house. It didn’t take long for Sadie to realize that she has a new brother. There was an introduction between Sadie and Sammie and it was fantastic. Sammie immediately took to Sadie, as she put her paw around him and licked his head, almost to say “Welcome home brother. Mom will give you a good life.”
Emotional. Seeing my animals react to one another is what makes my world go round. I caught Sadie sleeping next to Sammie’s cage yesterday and she’s next to him as we speak. Not only has adopting Sammie brought new hope and joy into my life, but it’s done the same for my other animals which is the most important of all!
I have created a new page in memory of Kirby and dedicated to all things Guinea pig. Check it out here!
Last week when I drove Kirby to the vet, I knew he wouldn’t be coming home with me. But I also didn’t think about the fact that the next time Kirby would be in the car, he’d be in the form of ashes.
I opted for a private cremation, no questions asked. I even had him cremated with the blankets that I brought him to the vet in. Cost wasn’t an issue, and it actually ended up only costing $80.
Today I got the phone call that Kirby’s ashes were ready to be picked up. Deeeeep breaths. I’ve cried a lot this past week and I really didn’t feel like crying anymore but I went straight out the door to pick up my piggy.
When Matt and I got to the vet’s office, the receptionist opened up a cabinet filled with beautiful gift bags, adorned with name tags and ribbon. As she looked through the bags for my Kirby, I said “Wow, guess I’m not the only one going through this.” It’s probably a daily occurrence for her.
She blessed us with her sympathies and I thanked the ladies for being so wonderful and making this process the easiest it could possibly be.
I didn’t cry. I was relieved and felt peace. My Kirby is back where he belongs…with me.
Ever since Wynston was about 6 months old, he’s had an issue with coughing. At first, the vet thought perhaps it was just due to getting acclimated to the air outside of the puppy mill. As time went on, the vet thought maybe he had a collapsed trachea, as it’s common in small breed dogs. Well, Wynston’s coughing got progressively worse as time passed. The episodes of honking and coughing went from once a week, to multiple times a day over three years. Thankfully I’ve come up with a home remedy to treat tracheal collapse in dogs, and now his episodes are rare.
