Michelle, I'm sorry to hear that you're having a tough time with Tayda.
I hope the new idea will make things quicker so she can get back to eating with you. And if not, keep up the good cop/bad cop routine between you and Ondrej as long as you can, it just might last for a bit.
It is too bad you don't live here anymore. But if you want to you're more than welcome to swing by and leave them here so you can get a break during your trip. Are you cutting through Canada? Is there somewhere we can meet? When will you be leaving? I think Jazz will be here until July 10th, while his family is in Italy.
Kelly! You're the best! I'll be probably driving through Pennsylvania… it's fine... the hotel allows dogs and I will be taking a work car and driving during work hours so it's fine... but I might keep you in mind for if we ever go on vacation again! I'm going to start interviewing pet sitters more seriously around here too - so hopefully I can find someone I am comfortable with!
Have you tried putting the pills in peanut butter and sticking the peanut butter to the roof of her mouth? It works beautifully with Jazz - she likes peanut butter, and as she works to lick it from the roof of her mouth, the pill just slides down {I do the bicarb whole this way; the others I break into tiny pieces or crush.}
She's at the point now where when I try to crush them into canned dog food, she won't eat it. Well, in the evenings she still does okay, but in the morning she is much fussier and more inclined to skip the meal.
Oh yeah, Tayda actually doesn't like peanut butter… never has. I have tried it though - along with cream cheese, american cheese slices, EZ, cheese, nacho cheese, velveeta, liverwurst, mashed potatoes, bar cheese, cat food, yogurt, brie (yes, brie), bread dipped in gravy, etc etc. the list goes on and on.
For now, she seems to have surrendered to whipped cream cheese. Hopefully it lasts....
Where in WI are you going to be visiting? What are the dates? I have some busy weekends coming up, but would be willing to help if possible…and I'd love to meet some other basenji's, I've only seen another one time before
I'll be staying in Lake Geneva - the last 2 weeks of July - we should meet up if you're near there. My boyfriend will be coming out during the second week through the weekend but after work I'll just be hangin' w/ the dogs… Its supposed to be a nice place, so I'm looking forward to going on some nice long walks with them.
Unfortunately, that's pretty far from where I am (about 3 hours I think), but I have been there once, and it's a beautiful place…you'll have a great time!
I can usually get Topper to take his pills in whole milk ricotta, I hold the container and put the pills on top, gibe Eddie and Nicky a spoonful, then squish the pills down and give that spoonful to Topper. Also canned EVO, same routine, and we are using raw ground beef now. We have to rotate, cream cheese lasted for months, now he won't take it at all. (Topper does not have Fanconi, but has asthma and congestive heart issues and gets 4-5 pills twice a day) When all else fails, the same trick with ice cream, give a bite to the other 2 dogs first, then Topper's spoonful has his pills in it.
Good luck to you, it is misery to fight with a dog over pills!
No prob Michelle! If you change your mind and could use a "vacation" let me know. 
Also when you figure out about when you'll be passing through Toledo, we can certainly come down for a pit stop visit.
Yes, any time you need help just holler. You can always drive here and then be free to visit family, etc. or fly out from Metro to wherever you need to go.
So I got the floor grate in the mail today and just assembled it to the crate. I think it will work well if Tayda has an accident. I think the grids might not be too comfortable if they had to stand/lie on them directly, but I put their two big dog beds in and they pretty much take up the whole area of the crate floor. I put the towels under the grate so that if she has an accident it will hopefully fall through onto the towels. It's actually quite a good idea - I had no idea they made these add-on floor grate things until just last week! Tayda has been really good about peeing under the beds onto the towels so hopefully she will still do that now that they are in a separate little compartment. There's about 2 inches of space between the new floor and the old floor so it didn't take away too much of their headroom. I was worried about that.
Thankfully - Tayda has been holding it while I've been at work for the last couple days, so maybe it was due to the UTI that she couldn't hold it before. Fingers crossed. But the "just in case" grate thing will be in place just in case she has an accident! Here's some pics of their new digs!
Thanks to everyone who chimed in on this thread while I was having a nervous breakdown about Tayda. It really helps to have all of your support/ideas/comfort!
Do you ever worry about the water dish in there? You might want to get on of the "lick" bottles to hang in there on the side of the crate like I did for Mickii when she has problems after a episode with Vestibular.
Here is a link to the pictures
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=3899&highlight=vestibular
You also might want to get puppy pee pads for easier clean up for you.
When I had the fanconis b…I always kept water for him...he would get frantic if it wasn't where he could get it... just my 2 c.
That looks like a great setup.
I second what Sharon says about the pee pads (or paper towels, or newspaper)…give yourself a break so you don't have a ton of laundry. ;):)
Oh, for water, I use hanging flat sided 1qt pails in my kids crates. I think they are $4 each at petedge.com.
Do you ever worry about the water dish in there?
Worry about what happening? The dish getting knocked over or them chewing on it? I did at first, and I put the bowl in there until I could get one of the hanging things or hamster type tubes, but the bowl has never been knocked over once…
That looks like a great setup.
I second what Sharon says about the pee pads (or paper towels, or newspaper)…give yourself a break so you don't have a ton of laundry. ;):)
Oh, for water, I use hanging flat sided 1qt pails in my kids crates. I think they are $4 each at petedge.com.
Yeah, I could put newspaper in there now that it's separate - I tried it before the new floor grate and they just ripped it to shreds - now I guess they can't get to it so it would be a good idea now….
I just want to add that reading this thread breaks my heart. Don't ever feel bad about letting out frustration or being upset. Being a caregiver (whether for a sick pet or sick human) is exhausting both mentally and physically. And when you can't take part in things you love (traveling, etc.), it makes any normal person resentful at times.
We all know…Tayda is lucky to have such a loving and caring mom!
It looks like the suspended floor is going to work perfectly! They look so content -cute picture of T&L. They look like they're thinking, "So what's the problem Mom? This is good!"
Worry about what happening? The dish getting knocked over or them chewing on it? I did at first, and I put the bowl in there until I could get one of the hanging things or hamster type tubes, but the bowl has never been knocked over once…
Yes, worrying about being knocked over… and they sell the hanging ones (like the one I got for Mickii) for larger(dogs) animals. It took her about 2 minutes to figure out how to use it.
Yes, we have wonderful 'bolt on bowls' for in the travel crates. We got them at Wal-Mart, I think they were under $10. I was afraid that our dogs might not 'get' the whole bottle thing. Besides that, the ones I had for rabbits and such ALWAYS leaked, and I didn't want the dogs to have lie in a puddle, so…the bowls were a find for us.
Yes, we have wonderful 'bolt on bowls' for in the travel crates. We got them at Wal-Mart, I think they were under $10. I was afraid that our dogs might not 'get' the whole bottle thing. Besides that, the ones I had for rabbits and such ALWAYS leaked, and I didn't want the dogs to have lie in a puddle, so…the bowls were a find for us.
We have the kind that hang on the sides also, and for much the same reason.
They're easy, don't leak, don't spill, etc.
They work very well.
Wow - so I guess it's unusual that Tayda and Lenny don't make a mess with the bowl? It's never spilled or even moved from it's original spot!
Wow - so I guess it's unusual that Tayda and Lenny don't make a mess with the bowl? It's never spilled or even moved from it's original spot!
I don't know. I don't think mine would spill. I got the hanging kind so there'd be more room on the bottom of the crate for them, not because they were spilling from the regular bowl.
Ok, well I went to the pet store at lunch and got them a hanging bowl for their crate! You guys convinced me!
I'm also reverting back to the Wellness Core - it is the only food that Tayda would ever eat willingly. I think she's been revolting against me because Lenny gets to still eat it and she doesn't. Gotta keep those BUN/CREATININE numbers down but I figure I'll give her the Wellness core and cut it with other veggies and non-protein things so that overall her meal is still "lower" protein.
She wins - again. :rolleyes:
