Critter Update

Both Tammie and Oscar have been doing well. The only thing I noticed is that Oscar lost his appetite for a while and would only eat half of what I would give him.  I figured that perhaps his jaw was still hurting when he chewed.

Tammie has had no appetite issues but last week her right cheek was swollen like she had a small ball inside her mouth.  For the past couple of days have been giving her the medications I got for Oscar from 1-800-Petmeds.

Today that I got up early to give her the medicine hidden inside of a hot dog, she and Oscar were nowhere to be found.  When they got back he ate but she ate very little. I do believe she still frequents places where they would feed her in the past.  My only issue is that I do not want the medication to go bad inside the wiener but I also do not want Oscar to eat it since he does not need it anymore.

Pedrito who is always feisty and active seems to be depressed.  Wednesday I was raking the leaves around the two trees where he is tied up and he turned his back like he was mad at me or something. He didn't even try to lunge himself at me.  I do not think its serious as he has not lost his appetite and probably never will :)

I made him a cucha this time using an old water container as his prior cuchas which I have made out of cardboard boxes do not seem to hold up. Lined it with an old blanket so the metal will not make contact with his body. With his pillow some old flannel pants, old towels and a blanket he manages to keep warm.

I would like to buy him a doghouse but I would have to purchase it online and then assemble it. When I was a teenager I was always in charge of assembling things my parents bought and quite frankly I do not want to do it anymore.

Went to Sutherlands (it's like Home Depot) where I have seen them for sale in the past. Though they are ugly and look homemade, they only had one small one.  The guy in charge told me that they are made by a local man but he is backed up on his orders. The good thing is that delivery is only $15.00 since there is no way I can possibly get one inside my car...better yet get it off my car!

Walter, Dulcinea and the new horse seem to be doing fine. Hope the vegetation dies off so I can go check up on him without fear of encountering a snake.

Oscar Update

I do not know why the dogs choose the worst times to get sick or in mischief.  We were going out of town early Wednesday morning when I went to feed them.  I noticed that Oscar's jaw was swollen. I looked at him closer to see if he had gotten in a dog fight but that did not seem to be the case.

As usual, we were running late, so I gave him a tablet of Acetaminophen in case he was experiencing pain.  Thursday the cold front came in and there was no way I was going anywhere, so I gave him a tablet hidden in a hot dog with each meal.  I did the same for Tammie as the poor thing has not had the benefit of seeing a vet to extract her quills, though most are gone or at least not visible.

Yesterday was another struggle to try to get Oscar in the car. It is like he is afraid or it reminds him of his last visit to the vet.  Since I gave Tammie the last three Acepromazine pills to no avail, I had none left for him.  Each pill costs $40.00 Mexican pesos which for Mexico it is a lot.  I have already spent $200.00 Mexican pesos ( 5 pills x 40 pesos) on Tammie and she has never even made it inside the vehicle.

40.00 Mexican pesos divided by $18.00 exchange rate = $2.22 per pill

$2.22 USD times 5 pills = $11.10 USD

The month of December is highly congested at the International bridges. Taking into account that yesterday it was Friday and a weekend, you are looking at crossing times of one to one and half hours on both sides of the border.  I love Oscar but I am not spending three hours in traffic without him being sedated.

It costs $3.75 USD to cross the border into Mexico and $26.00 Mexican pesos to cross from Mexico to the United States.  I am looking at $5.19 in tolls.  Went online to 1-800-Petmeds and found the Acepromazine 25 mg. pills selling for .90 US cents each, a lot cheaper than what they sell for in Ciudad Acuña.

Since I have a vet prescription for Azium 0.5 mg and Clindamycin 150 mg ordered them online as well.  I thought I would have a problem since he is a Mexican veterinary but that was not the case as his name was on the list of veterinarians for this area.

I recall a couple of years ago, I once got my eyeglass prescription in Piedras Negras, Coahuila. They honored the prescription at the Del Rio Walmart since we are on the border and people like myself who can not afford health insurance go to Mexico to seek medical treatment.

I called the veterinary clinic to let them know they would be getting a call from them.  I inquired if they spoke English and his wife said they did.  Forgot that many Mexican professionals send their children to private schools in Del Rio. He has grown children and a son-in-law that work for him, so there are no language barriers, thank goodness!