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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Strike a Paws.... Vogue!

Strike a Paws....

High End Manhattan Canine Model, Ms. Georgia Peach
Anthony Rubio
Sophie Gamand


       I am at a loss for words, and that seldom happens! The reason why is my first glimpse of a collaboration between pet couturier  Anthony Rubio, and photographer  Sophie Gamand!

This series of photos shows the regal chihuahuas as they seem to envision themselves, something along the lines of royalty. Small in stature, and huge in personality, these chihuahuas shine in these scenarios.

My royal chihuahua pack, among very adorable others,  proudly participated in the series. My small Cosmo, pictured here, really enjoyed his photo shoot! He seemed to revel in the attention given to carefully putting on his fancy attire, and he proudly showed off his many glamorous looks. 
I know I rule the world, and it works for me.


This project took a full year to complete, and the effort was well worth the time spent. Anthony Rubio is a very talented designer,  who brings  especially  creative and unique fashion to his canine looks! He is a true artist. 

Sophie Gamand  is a gifted artist as well, a   photographer, who donates much of her talents to dog rescue. See:

My sweet as sugar Miss Georgia Peach, representing girly girl chihuahuas worldwide!


Anthony Rubio's chihuahua dressed to impress.



Tuesday, February 12, 2013

We Interrupt this Blog.... for a Cat Interjection!

  I have two cats currently, and my oldest one has an eye infection.

I took him to the Humane Society, and was informed of the likelihood of his needing his eye removed.
 He is going to be 15 this spring, so I really was flummoxed over what to do.

I ended up taking him to the Animal Medical Center.
http://www.amcny.org/about-amc/veterinarians-specialists/alexandra-van-der-woerdt-dvm-ms-dacvo-decvo

This doctor was great, Dr. van der Woerdt. I was very pleased with my experience here. My cousin Carl had taken his cat, Peter Rabbit, to her about a decade ago. I was very reassured by his positive review of this specialty veterinarian.

I learned that my cat Mr. Reegis P. Conklin JR had a minor eye infection. Just a few days later, with oral antbiotics and an eye ointment, he seems to be doing very well. 

If I could tell you the name of the woman at the Humane Society I would. She was not the most pleasant vet I've encountered.

I don't know her name, and it is not on their site. I am not being helpful. Other vets I have seen there were great, and I don't know their names either!

Moving on... That night, my cat bit me very hard when I administered his antibiotic. He is nearly 15, but it is the first medication I have given him, I would think.

The bite was accidental. The bite hurt like nothing I have ever felt. I think I was in shock, as I dont remember someone rinsing it, or wrapping something around the wound. I just recall screaming and crying! Cat teeth are no joke!

I was not very concerned, until I saw some comments under my 'cat bit me' Facebook post. I googled 'cat bites' and the photos I found were all absolutely terrifying.

The stories I read were very scary. I was so completely frightened that I did not go to sleep that night. I waited for my finger to swell up, turn red, or any number of horrific variables.

My finger (right pointer) hurt and was stiff. The pain radiated far from where the tooth entered the skin. I was concerned.

I did not go to the hospital, as I really wanted to wait and see how it looked. Perhaps anyone in this scenario should go, at least that is what I hear and read.

But I am writing my outcome because I found none like it in my searches.

The area never got redder. It didn't swell a lot. The pain subsided and is now far better. The whole thing looks very good. I am reasonably sure it's fine on day 5.

The stiffness is also no longer. I soaked the finger in hot water with table salt every four hours, dried it and put neosporin on with a bandaid with new 'quiltvent' technology.

I know that doesn't do much for a puncture, but I still did so, as there still was a wound there. 


When it first happened, the person with me squeezed some of the blood out to try to flush the puncture. 
I am not suggesting to not get a cat bite looked at or contacting your doctor, at all. I just want to be that one picture (at least I couldn't find one) that shows a cat bite that is part of the supposed 20% of bites that does not end up a total nightmare. 

I probably 'dodged a bullet' by not going to the hospital for a deep puncture.  I will say though, keeping an eye for redness and swelling is not, in my opinion, the worst thing to do. If you have no spleen, you should likely immediately seek treatment, or  if you are over 50, have a compromised immune system, or if a child is bitten. I read that if you do not have a spleen, having a cat is a pretty risky thing to do.










    • "Some people are more susceptible to infections due to cat bites. These include people older than 50; those who have diabetes, circulatory problems, liver disease, HIV/AIDS or alcoholism; or anyone who has had his spleen removed, gone through long-term chemotherapy or steroids, or had any type of organ transplant. Experts suggest that people without spleens stay away from cats and dogs due to the possibility of fatal infections. However, for most people, having a companion cat far outweighs any risk. It just takes a little care and common sense to avoid bite-associated infections from your pet."



Read more: Human Cat Bite Infections | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6136339_human-cat-bite-infections.html#ixzz2KfZiGedK



My accidental finger biter, Mr. Conklin, post bath.
But finally, I had no idea of the pain and possible risks associated with a feline bite. A vet has never mentioned it to me, nor has anyone. Even though mine is looking well, the pain of that bite was extreme. Stay unbitten!

Friday, February 1, 2013

Valentine's Day Meetup at Happy Paws


Saturday February 2,2013 1-3 PM
Happy Paws
316 Lafayette Street
Fee $9 per person; $6 each additional person
Lunch included
Free door prizes
OPTIONAL DOG DRESS-UP CONTEST
3 great prizes for the dogs in the best Valentine's Day outfits
10% discount on all non-sale merchandise at Happy Paws


I will be there with Miss Georgia Peach in her Valentine's finest. Afterwards, I am hosting a small private chihuahua party.