Kempton

Sorry for the picture quality...this was taken with my iPhone. Also - sorry for chaos in the background...Steve was out of town which means that the house was dirty. What would I do without him? I would be one of those people who only have a path through their house to walk on. Just kidding (kind of). My mom would never let that happen to me...she and Steve both suffer from mild to moderate OCD when it comes to cleaning.

Anyway, back to Kempton. As you know, we had a little scare this week. Kempton started exhibiting some of the signs of Lyme's disease (soreness, stiffness, fever, lethargy), but after seeing his vet (and blood tests), it turns out that he has degenerative joint disease (aka osteoarthritis). I'm not sure if that is better, or worse. I guess I am not really surprised...pretty much all the big dogs that I know have suffered from arthritis as they have gotten old. I do know that it is frustrating and heart wrenching to know that there isn't much you can do for them, and that it is only going to get worse. I started him on medication last night, and he already seems to be doing better...or in better spirits anyway. He howled at me and pranced around in a circle when I told him he couldn't have yet another treat...which is a good sign (anyone who has met Kempton knows what I mean - he howls and talks back constantly...like a lippy teenager). I also consulted with a holistic breeder who recommended some supplements to use (in addition to the meds the vet gave), that are suppose to help (thanks Tara!).

While I was doing research on the aforementioned supplements yesterday, I unfortunately came across a pile of articles and research on canine (and feline) diet. I won't go into detail here (it involves things like rotten meat, applying preservatives with a spray gun, and chicken heads), but lets just say that if you like the convenience of your Iams or Purina...don't do any research on diet or nutrition. My brother feeds his dog a raw diet (raw meat, veggies, grains, and enzymes and supplements), and I always thought he was kinda nuts. I mean, it seems like he spends more time preparing his dog's dinner than his own sometimes! But after reading all of the information, I am afraid I am going to have to jump right on board with him. I probably won't switch Kempton completely to a raw diet, but I am going to start adding finely chopped or pureed vegetables, high quality proteins, and enzymes from plain yogurt or cottage cheese...in addition to upgrading him to better quality dry food. Before you switch your dog (or cat) to a raw diet (or any diet switch, really), you should do the research and ask your vet.

Anyway, I am hoping that a combination of all these things, along with convincing him to take it easy for the next week or so (no jumping or humping), will help ease his discomfort and hopefully prevent any future injuries...I'll let you know how it goes. Thank you for all of the support this week - my phone has been ringing off the hook! Steve joked that people are more concerned about how Kempton is than they were when he got diagnosed with cancer. What can I say? We love our pets! (We love you too Steve.)