Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

Neurological Disorders Resources. Treatment and care for pets having pain or trouble walking or standing due to spinal injuries or neurological disorders like IVDD, FCE and DM.
kandykane
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

Post by kandykane »

Jez I haven't been on line
sit down and think I will got on here
nope, sit and my bed just looks so good so plop I go

Stocking up for the coronavirus I am
even stocked up on toilet paper, store had my brand buy 1 get 1 free, loaded up my buggy
and had coupons, even gave a couple to my favorite cashier to use

Got looking at some of the treats I bought Skipper, they say made in China, but I called Purina and they said they go through testing here, just scary, I mean they say that they don't know where it came from the coronavirus

I stocked up on baby wipes and have a spray bottle of watered down soap I carry, I spray my hands than wipe em with the wipes and the store has wipes for the carts you can use to wipe the handle, so I take a couple of them on the way out too

Skipper is funny, he started barking at me when it is supper time,
I usually bring him in the kitchen to eat with us and if I don't he will bark
like he is saying what about me, hey I'm hungry too
I try to tell him i'm tired big boy I will bring your food to you
nope, I bring it to him and he gives me the look I'm not eating here
i don't blame him, it's lonely eating alone, so to the kitchen he goes and he likes to nudge me to see if I will give him some of mine, i do sometimes

He has been gaining more strength in his rear right leg, that had me worried
his left leg is so much better and he still scratches his neck with it on occasion

finally got his wheelchair together, was having problems finding the right wheels had em to big then too small will post pics he seems happier moving around on his own

Hope you are doing good
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CarolC
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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I'm like you! Out buying extra toilet paper and I found unscented hand sanitizer in the big bottle for 99 cents at 99 Only. And I got a bunch of RediWipes for a dollar at Dollar Tree. I like them better than hand sanitizer, you can do your door knobs and car keys and steering wheel and everything with them. I've got dog food for my dogs and the dogs next door and the dogs across the street just in case. I was afraid my neighbors might come ask for some if we have a lockdown and they run out, because they know I have dogs, and I don't want to say no, or risk running out for my dogs, and I don't want their dogs to be hungry. I figure my dogs will eat it later if I don't need to give it to someone's dog during a lockdown. We have as many dogs as people in this neighborhood. :) I've got a lot of cat food I could share, so I didn't have to buy extra of that. Actually, I had some extra dog food already, too, but some of these people have big dogs and mine are small, so it wouldn't have gone very far.

Did you get a refill of your sister's :medicine: like they are saying we should do?

I called PetsMart to see if they are going to be open during a lockdown. I'm not sure what I expected them to say, because they probably won't know till the time comes. The lady on the phone was nice. I explained that I noticed in China when they have a lockdown they still allow the grocery stores and pharmacies to stay open. PetsMart is like the pet grocery store and our pets are our kids. I know people can get pet food at the grocery store, but I'm afraid the supermarket will run out with everybody forced to shop only there.

Actually Walmart was staying open in China, too, but they have groceries so that is partly a grocery store. Even if we have Walmart and the grocery store open, they still may run out of pet food, I don't know. A lot of people buy food at PetsMart or PetCo, etc. Anyway, Petsmart said they would check on my question and get back to me. If you ask me it's a judgment call. I'm sure they'd like to stay open, but it could be a risk for their staff. But then if Walmart and the grocery stores are still open, they will lose business.

Then I was hoping maybe if the stores all close, we could still get food through online delivery, like chewy.com. But that depends on a lot of things. You need staff to show up for work at the warehouse, and truck drivers, so there may not be any delivery trucks from Chewy or Amazon or walmart.com or whatever. I don't know, I'm just thinking about possibilities and trying to figure it out because I don't want pets to suffer because of a lockdown.

The biggest way they might suffer is if we get :sick: and have to go into the hospital. A little over 2 weeks ago I started staying home as much as possible because who knows when the virus may show up in a certain location. I wish I could make a bargain with a friend, that I'll take care of their pets if they get sick, and they can take care of mine if I do. Unfortunately, that would be asking your friend to go into your house where there might be germs. It's all pretty complicated and I've been afraid to ask anybody. I think the best idea is to stay home and avoid it. But then today I went out and voted, but at least there wasn't a line.

Are you guys still doing the exercises? Is he still able to stand up? Did you ever get a scarf to help walk him short distances, for example when he wants to come in the kitchen with you for dinner?

Congratulations on the wheelchair. Would love to see pics! :photo:

It is looking like Spring here. They said we can expect 80 this weekend. I'm ready for that!
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CarolC
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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How are you guys doing? We are under a stay at home order here. Fortunately, they are allowing veterinarians to remain open so that's a big load off my mind. I don't need one right now, but if I did it would be awful to have them closed. Our stay at home order is effective till April 9, but I expect they'll extend it.

I was worried because once a day I go feed a feral cat that I spayed in 2009, and I was afraid it wouldn't be allowed. Right now the police are not pulling anyone over to check why they are out, they are just checking businesses to be sure the ones that should be closed are closed. They said in a public Q&A the cops are not going to check people, but I do not know if they might start paying more attention to people after they have all the businesses complying.

You can still go to the grocery store, but I'm not going, I've been ordering food off of walmart.com. Do they have a lockdown or stay at home/shelter in place order where you are? Do you still have pet grooming and vets open?

Life really is not too different than usual right now, except I am home all the time so the dogs think I am here to let them in and out, in and out, but at least it's exercise! :lol:
kandykane
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

Post by kandykane »

Yep, we are lock down also, so no work for me
they did have every place closed except for grocery stores
and that meant Vet's were closed up unless it was an emergency, but they changed it 3 days ago, too many people spoke up, most aren't working and for an emergency vet visit cost plus whatever else the pet needs people can't afford it and
restaurants are drive thru, I am told they put a jar out the window you put your money in it roll your window up the take your money and put your food out the window and after they close the window you can roll your window down and get your food and if you have money coming back it's in the bag

I braved it and went to the store to get a couple things, not going out again nope
the stores are doing their part good I thought, it's the people
I walked past the bread isle had 8 people standing side by side and the vegetable section also
I needed to get tomatoes for BLT's, finally had to speak up, said I just need a couple tomatoes can you please move forward so I can get some Please
and only me and a couple other people wore gloves and masks

Glad you get to feed your cat they shouldn't have to suffer through this

Skipper doesn't know what to think with me home all the time, neither does my sister
and I'm going stir crazy, good thing the grass is growing got to mow lawn, not used to sitting doing nothing

Had my elderly neighbor come over a couple days ago, wanted to know if we had a cup of rice she could borrow, I said No - how about a few bags and what else do you need, get your butt in the house and we will go through and see what we got for ya, we got the rice and alot of food from a farm share here for free and it was way to much food so gave her some chicken strips potatoes boxed eggs rice beans apples, pears, peanut butter and some paper towels
better to have someone have it than let it go to waste and me and my sister aren't big eaters, we have a good meal and nibble if we are hungry through the day
and when i went to the store the shelves were still 1/2 empty, and prices have gone up, can't wait to see how high food is going to be when stores get fully stocked

Skipper has another ear infection, now that it is hot and humid here, glad still had ear drops left
but I put the pool back up couple days he should be doing better
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CarolC
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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Bless his heart, he's got an ear infection again? It's wet and humid here, too. My diaper dog can't go out in the morning unless I want her to come back in soaked from the grass. If it's really nice I let her out, but usually I wait a few hours till it dries up. It's not just her diaper that gets soaked, it's her fur, too.

I've been giving the feral cat a full can of food instead of one of the little cans. Usually I give her a small can (Fancy Feast size) unless it's really cold weather, because I think there may be someone else feeding her, too. I used to see a water bowl out, but not lately. With businesses closed and a stay at home order, I'm afraid if anyone else does sometimes feed her, right now they may not. So I'm trying to make sure she has one big meal every day just to be safe.

I didn't realize you were working. I thought you were pretty much just home looking after your sister. I have a vintage treadmill in the sun porch that I was getting on once or twice a day to get some exercise, but yesterday I did something to my knee moving boxes so I'm resting it today.

I can't believe they actually closed the vets there, even for a while. I haven't been to the vet, but I called mine this week and they were staying open till 5:00 on Saturday, when ordinarily they always close at 1:00 on Saturday. I'm not sure why, but it might be so they can spread out appointments and have fewer customers inside at a time. They have a small waiting room that is usually crowded.

If I do have to go to the vet, I'm wearing my mask, and I trust they will realize it is for their protection, too. What would they rather have standing 3 feet away from them in the exam room or at the check-out counter, a pet owner with a mask or without a mask?

I talked to a gal who goes to a different vet and she said they're not letting people in at all. She said they come out to the parking lot to bring you whatever you're picking up, and they take your credit card in and ring it up and bring it back to you. If you are bringing a pet to be examined, they come get your pet and take it in, which she doesn't like because she strongly prefers to be in the exam room during the exam. I spoke to a vet tech because I may need some flea medicine, and she said they could mail it. That would be OK but I don't want to get put on some kind of automatic scheduled program where they send it every month or something, I just need it once. :?

I'm glad you wore a mask in the store. I wore mine when I had to get my oil changed. I haven't been to the store since February but I have a friend whose sister went to Walmart last week and she said, "Can you believe, nobody in there was wearing masks and they all had their kids with them?" She went for chicken and eggs, had to open a bunch of egg cartons and switch eggs around to get one carton of unbroken eggs, then she got 4 packages of chicken and was thrilled. I told her you couldn't PAY me to go to Walmart right now. They are great about delivering stuff. If there's something I want that they don't have for delivery, I'll just do without. I had a lot of loaves of bread in the freezer but was going through it faster than expected, so I've been baking bread. I was worried because I couldn't get Milk Bones when I looked a couple of times, but they got them in again and I ordered some. :D

That is nice of you to help that lady out. I keep encouraging one friend to let me know if she needs anything, because I would love to be able to help her avoid any more trips to the store.

I look around and there are a lot of small families or single people who have pets and if anything happens to the owner, the pet could become homeless. In my case it would be 5 homeless pets, so I don't DARE go anywhere. And when you have disabled pets, there are fewer people who would be able to take them, so I will probably still be staying home even after they lift the stay at home order. I was staying home for weeks before they made the order. I'm not sure how we are going to really know when it's safe to be out again, considering how much is at stake for our pets?
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critters
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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Our vets aren't allowing humans into the buildings--only critters, and some have hours shortened a bit. Here, even pet stores are allowed to be open, but many smaller outfits that are allowed to be open are closed because they can't make enough money to stay open.
kandykane
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

Post by kandykane »

Hope your taking it easy with your knee Ouch

don't take Skipper out in the morning either no more too wet and been foggy

Glad I am learning the signs of something going on with Skipper, he is better, think I got it as it was starting up

I don't work often, I do odd jobs helping a friend I meet that does computer jobs for banks, stores and peoples homes, been slow and he has turned down a few jobs cause they sounded sick on the phone, 1 guy told him its allergies which it could be, grass and tree allergies are high here now

Vets don't let you in either here, meet you outside and your pet goes in with them, gez, that would make me uncomfortable, I like to be at least in the waiting room if I have to be not in the room and yes I will wear my mask and gloves, so Skipper is kinda grounded, don't want nothing to happen

Florida the whole state is now Quarantined, which is good, today it was mainly semi's going down the road a few cars maybe people are finally listening,
I take that back no they aren't, had a friend call me and said she went to Walmart and as you said no one wearing masks or gloves, she was the only 1 and the shelves there were still 1/2 empty, she went for rice and bread and milk, no rice no milk. told her I got rice come on over, she will be here in the morning, only lives 4 blocks away so that's good will fix her up a goodie bag
Really don't think the stores need to be open every day, I thought that the day or night the trucks come in let the store close for a day or 2 and have all truck deliveries come that day or night and have a good work crew, but then idiots would be pounding on the doors trying to grab everything up, still a limit of 1 or 2 items here

There are alot of people who there pets are all they have or the pets are all they have and it would be bad for the pet big time if no one would step up and take care of them if something was to happen
I worry about that with Skipper, but my sister would take care of him, but I am not going any where I hope, I don't need to go out, I will work with what I have

Glad you got some dog bones coming, with the flea stuff make sure the Vet understands only 1 time thing, I don't like that automatic thing either
I looked at my supply, got enough for a while, but they are going faster than I thought

and no nothing is going to happen to you, if you needed and thought something was happening I'd drive and make sure your pets have a good home, but nothing is going to happen to you, you are needed
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CarolC
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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:thankyou:
You're right, nothing is going to happen, because I'm hiding out, but thank you so much for the kind offer. There is a vet tech who comes to the house to do grooming, and she surprised me a few weeks ago by saying she would take care of getting my pets rehomed if anything happened. I said, even the special needs ones? She didn't think it would be that hard. Really surprised me, they are all either senior or disabled or both. After being a vet tech for 20 years she probably knows a million pet people. And on top of that she keeps offering to go to the store for me. I told her I have everything and I don't feel right letting someone else go into a store on my behalf and possibly expose themselves to the virus, even if they are younger and careful. I know she is careful because when she came 2 days ago to pick up my Yorkie mix to take her home and shave her down, she was wearing a mask and gloves, and all I did was stand inside the doorway and hand her the leash out the door.

I just saw today where Walmart is changing the way they do things. They are counting how many people they let in the store, only allowing 5 people per 1000 sq feet of store space. They say that's about 20% of their normal capacity. So there are going to be up to 80% fewer shoppers inside Walmart. When one shopper goes out, they'll let another one in. Wow! Imagine what it will look like outside. :shock: I don't go anyway so it doesn't matter, but if I was going to go I'd think twice. They're partly trying to get people to leave their kids at home. Some people probably don't have child care and will leave their underage kids in the car. I wonder if it will be Mom standing in line for an hour to get into the store, and little kids in the car unattended.

That's right, I remember you did computer stuff. A lot of people may not have money to hire tech support right now. Or maybe they need it more than ever since they are trying to work from home. :D
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critters
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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Around here the Walmart has been almost empty when I was there, but I'm not doing peak times. The store was still picked clean, though. That was maybe last Monday. Aldi probably has more per foot because the stores are so much smaller.
kandykane
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

Post by kandykane »

Haven't been on line here much
You would think since I am home would have the time - nope
Between Skipper, my sister and trying to get things going good
tell ya I looked in the mirror and got a flock of grey hairs time to dye the old head

Skipper is still the same
well some days are better, he is moving his rear legs more, but not walking yet
trys so hard he does, can do a few good steps then, it's wobbly then back to pulling himself with front legs, do got the pool set back up, had to buy a new tent to put it in, he's enjoying that
got myself a bigger pool too, got to set it up yet

I still don't go to the stores much, last time I went no one was wearing masks but me and the county I live in said it was mandatory to wear masks, but these idiots aren't
I did go to a food drive and got some good food
got 10 lbs of blue cheese now just got to figure out how to use it,
and 20 lbs of pepperoni from pizza hut and 5 lbs mozzarella cheese

They did some what open restaurants some what and thrift stores, I'm not doing restaurants and going to wait till it dies down at the thrift stores

Hope you all are good
I do need to get on here more, got to make a sign do not disturb I'm busy so I can get on here

Skipper I think has another ear infection, can't figure out for the life of me why, clears up and keeps coming back, my neighbor asked if I was using a ear dryer on my dog, never heard of it, I guess you put it in the dogs ears after cleaning so the ears get the moister out, have to ask the Vet and it is so hot and humid here
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critters
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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Sounds like y'all are planning a lot of swimming! :D It's not unusual for them to take a few steps then go back to dragging, just like people who walk some then go back to their wheelchairs. If he's trying to take steps, that's a good sign.

I've heard of some people using soft things like cotton athletic wristbands or headbands as snoods to hold up dogs' floppy ears to let the ear canals stay dry. I don't remember if your baby has floppy ears or not. Depending on what likes to grow in his ears maybe one of the Zymoxes would help. It can come with or without hydrocortisone and doesn't need a prescription. It's NOT any kind of antibiotic, but it has enzymes that interfere with the growth of many kinds of ear cooties, although NOT mites. https://www.amazon.com/ZYMOX-Pre-Clean- ... 60&sr=8-10 We've used it for years, and my parents have with their kitties.

In my state, masks are still illegal, so I don't use them. Some people do, though. I expect I had that early on, when a family member had a presumed case and a client may have had it, too. I don't know anybody who's had a test.
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CarolC
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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Sounds like pizza at Skipper's house! You lucked out!!! :hurray:

I agree, I wear my mask when I go out, which is as seldom as possible. We have an order here to wear them anyplace you can't social distance, but I see so many people at bus stops and places like that without one. I have only seen one person on my street with a mask so far, besides me.

As far as I know, both Walmart and the grocery store require it. When I was at Walmart, the cashier had one on but it was pushed down her face to only cover her mouth, not her nose. I am sure she was having trouble seeing the barcodes with it over her nose because the cloth masks without a nose clip are bulky and block your downward vision and she couldn't see to work. I went because I had to get American cheese and baby food and fancy little things of gourmet soft food for my dog who hasn't been eating well after a tooth extraction, and I got enough so I hope I don't have to go back till October. I order everything I can online, but I haven't tried getting fresh or refrigerated stuff that way, and it takes a pet "emergency" to get me to make the trip. I'm thinking I don't know when it's going to be truly safe to go out shopping or anything else.

Has Skipper been practicing just standing, where you stand him up and let him support himself as long as he can. It sounds like he mostly needs a little strength, he is getting close. Another exercise would be assisted walking with his sling if your back can handle it. When he takes a few good steps and then goes down, is it because he crossed his legs and got his feet tangled? That is extremely common. If that is what is happening, are you able to bend over well enough to stand him back up and fix his feet and let him keep going? The "fancy" term for the crossing is "scissoring". My dog walked with crossing for ages, the crossing never entirely went away but got a lot better eventually, but in the meantime she learned to correct her feet when she crossed. I knew a dog named Pasha who crossed and her mom would tell her, "Fix your feet". I used to run along behind my yelling "Uncross! Uncross!" :D It sounds funny but I think the verbal reminder helps when they don't have full feeling. Or maybe it just lets them know you want them to uncross and continue walking rather go down and drag, which might be less effort at this stage.

That is funny what you said about being too busy to get online. I feel like I spend all day letting the dogs in and out. Yesterday I finally decided I was going to count how many times I did it, to see if it was really as many times as I thought. I counted 24 times that I got up to open the door for a dog, it only seems like more. They are my exercise these days! :lol:

Critters I didn't know there was any state where you could not wear a mask. I always wear a mask when I mow the grass or I would be sick ALL the time. I've been doing that since the 90's. I guess I would have to pay somebody to mow the grass if I lived where you are. You think you had it? :shock: I'm glad you are OK!!!!!!!
kandykane
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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Haha i did make pizza today
Skipper barked while I was making it, told yes you will get some, he knows the smell of pepperoni so he has to have a few pieces

I noticed when I was out last people do have their masks on but as you said they don't have them on right so whats the point of wearing them

Oh your poor baby, I feel for him nothing worse than getting a tooth out, here they will only do it in an emergency situation, even a human dentist can't pull a tooth unless it is an emergency, but you have to go to the health dept first and they decide if it needed or not, it is crazy like who are they to decide

He does cross his legs and sometimes I can uncross them, not sure when he is doing it on his own, but that could be it, I'll have to say that to Skipper uncross your legs, I'll put that thought in his night time story tonight and I tell him what we may have planned the next day

I wear a mask when mowing lawn too always have and i wear ear protection, mower is loud i do 5 acres here not all in 1 day, but by time i finish got to start all over now that it is that time of year

It does seem like it takes up alot of time taking Skipper in and out more now, but he enjoys outside so we do what we got to do
got to get his nails done tomorrow, but the lady comes out to the truck and does them, so much easier, I hold him and she is done in no time and Skipper likes her, he won't let me do them and it's a good 10 bucks spent and I bring her favorite doughnut and me 1, so we sit eat the doughnuts and talk, Skipper gets a couple treats too
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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CarolC wrote: Mon May 18, 2020 8:21 pm
Critters I didn't know there was any state where you could not wear a mask. Well, some people do it anyway these days, but yes. I always wear a mask when I mow the grass or I would be sick ALL the time. I've been doing that since the 90's. I guess I would have to pay somebody to mow the grass if I lived where you are. I expect that may be OK, but they're wanting to avoid people showing up at banks, for instance, in masks. That may be why bank lobbies, at least for both of my banks, are completely closed. You think you had it? :shock: I'm glad you are OK!!!!!!! I expect I did. A client got terrible diarrhea early on, which I wonder if it may not've been cooties. A family member got it from the hospital early on, so I was exposed. I don't know of anybody who's been tested, so all presumed. I'd LOVE to get antibody testing and be done with it.
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Re: Please help new to this Skipper my dog is lame both back legs

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I don't even know if my bank lobby is closed, I assume it is. But going through the drive-thru is hardly a good way to avoid germs. First you have to get a deposit slip out of the dispenser, which requires both hands, and you're touching surfaces that have been touched by everyone else who came to the bank. Then you sit in your car for a long time, with lots of other people in their cars, because they are serving all customers through the drive-thru. I don't want to close my window or I may not hear the teller when s/he's finally ready for my lane, and most people turn off their engine so they can't run the a/c, so we're all sitting there pretty close together with our windows open, so that doesn't work. I finally got smart and grabbed several deposit slips to keep in my car, so I don't have to get them out of the dispenser every time from now on.

I've been to 2 vets now, and both are parking lot service only. When I called my main vet, they said they didn't have any appointments available for a week! I explained the situation and they said I could bring my pet for drop-off and they would do the exam between appointments, so that's what we did. At least this vet hospital was a lot more organized and cheerful than the other one I went to last time because my one dog's record was there.

I was thinking about Skipper today. It is Saturday and I like to make ramen and have a diet Coke on Saturday because it reminds me of the early days of having a disabled dog and a lot of other pets and working full time, when getting out of the house for an hour and a half on Saturday morning to go to the mall and have noodles and walk around with a diet Coke was a big treat. I was thinking, nobody with a disabled pet can really do that right now, what do they do? Kandykane, I'm glad you got some donuts with the appointment, that would be a treat. I don't know, for me it was important to be by myself for a little while and just really relax for a few minutes.

Critters I wish you could get your testing, too...
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