"Spoiling" Can Be Murder

I've had a dog for most of my life. Since the first family dog, Mooch, dogs have been important to me. These days I don't own one, since the care and feeding are out of my money range and I won't subject an animal to poverty. But there are still dogs in my life, and I hope there always will be.

Until the day she died my mother had dogs, but they weren't disciplined or well cared for. They were also spoiled with human food on an hourly basis. In any event they weren't given things that could poison them. But I know some folks who do give their dogs foods that could really harm them. Here is a list I gleaned from the ASPCA and vets' websites:

Alcoholic beverages
Avocadoes
Chocolate (all forms)
Coffee (all forms)
Tea (all forms)
Fatty foods
Macadamia nuts
Hops (as in beer)
Moldy or spoiled foods
Onions, onion powder
Raisins and grapes
Salt
Yeast
raw dough
Garlic
Sugar (all but honey and maple syrup)
Products sweetened with xylitol

All are potentially deadly foods for dogs. This is not a comprehensive list, as many purebreds and others have allergies as well. By posting these, I'm hoping people will be more informed and not think it's funny to give their dog a sip of vodka or beer for their own amusement. Dogs aren't people, they have a different system of digesting and different chemistry to us. What some people think of as treats and entertainment can very well be deadly. Please pass this information on to dog lovers you know. What's done in innocent ignorance can lead to dire consequences.

Fat Tuesday

How did we get to Lent already? I'm just getting the year correct on my checks, and here we are sliding toward Easter.

Too much has been going on to tell, so I can't do it justice so I'll wait til I can.

There's this really annoying headcold that won't leave. I've tried everything- even the fresh air, even fasting, even Nyquil-like substance -and you get to feel ok for 1 day, then slam you go again. So until this is gone I will be found in various states of hibernation.

By then, the snow may be gone. Sometime in May, I'd guess.
Stay well! Don't get it!
Later...