Responsibilities

Both our dogs are 15 years old. They mostly sleep. Mekayla has been blind since she was 2, but she gets around just fine, although on walks you have to watch her. She does occasionally bump into things, but don’t panic, she has a very hard head! And a stubborn streak. Her nose and ears rule. They get fed twice a day with snacks twice a day. Below is a description of the daily routine. Mornings · Let Karma out the back door to go to the bathroom first thing. There is a small fenced in area that she can go in. You have to watch she actually goes down the stairs. Sometimes you have to shoo her down. · If Mekayla’s not up yet, feed Karma ½ cup of the OM dry dog food. Then give her another ½ cup dry food when you feed Mekayla. · If you’re feeding Mekayla at the same time, you can give Karma all hers at once. Karma has not been eating her breakfast. It’s not really a problem as she is overweight. But if she really goes a long time without eating it you might put some small bits of chicken in it to get her to eat it. Or sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on it. Mekayla Feeding can be a challenge. She is very underweight and a very fussy eater. We try to feed her at the normal morning and evening times, but if she ever seems hungry go ahead and try to feed her. (the only thing is you’ll have to give Karma a little something or she will drive you crazy. Try some green beans) Mekayla often won’t eat all of her food, or even eat at all. Here’s what to try: · She’s supposed to eat the k/d canned food (white can). Sometimes she will eat it, most likely if she’s recently had a dose of her appetite stimulant. So, try that first since she seems to eat better for pet sitters than us. · Next up, as needed, usually daily, I cook a chicken breast in the microwave. Cut up some pieces and feed her that. There are raw chicken breasts in the fridge. There may be some left over cut up, cooked chicken in the fridge too. When you’re using leftovers heat about 20 seconds in the microwave. You can feed her as much as she will eat. If she doesn't eat, which is more likely: -Try sprinkling some parmesan cheese on it. - Lately she’s been wanting Karma’s canned food. It’s fine to give her some of that. - You could also try some of Karma’s dry food · Try putting the food in another bowl. And/or wash out her bowl If she just will not eat, put her bowl in the fridge to try again later after warming a bit. Be sure to watch what she does because Karma will race in to try to eat whatever she doesn’t eat! · If she goes a day without eating she has a liquid appetite stimulant that works amazingly well. Fill the syringe to about the 1.9 mark and put it down her throat. **With Breakfast Mekayla gets TWO of the Azodyl pills (in the fridge) with some Pub Cheese in her dish. Check she ate the pills. Sometimes she leaves it, sometimes she pushes it off to the side of the bowl or outside the bowl. If so, you’ll have to put it down her throat. For morning and afternoon walks: The red leash is Mekayla’s. The green one is Karma’s. There are poop bags on their leashes and more in the pantry. We put the used poop bags in the brown container to the right of the garage and then dump it in the trash can when we take it out Monday night. If it rains, the orange towels on the shelf above the dryer are good for drying them off. Karma rarely goes for a walk, but she makes it very clear when she does want to go. Mekayla HAS to have a walk to get her to poop – rain or shine. She only goes around the block now, sometimes not even that far. After a walk Karma gets a little bit of a dog treat, even if she didn’t go. You can try with Mekayla but she rarely will eat one. Let Karma out frequently when you are at the house and any time before you leave. She is not good at holding it. Mekayla gets another walk usually around 4-5 – or when she tells you. You can tell when she starts panting and pacing and eventually she will “woo”. She is getting to a point where she sometimes wants at least a short walk 4-5 times a day. Sometimes when she’s panting and pacing she will eventually settle down so you can wait and see if you want. If she finally woo’s or pokes at you that means she really wants to go. Unfortunately she doesn’t always know day from night and will get you up in the night. Hopefully she will be kind to you and not. Dinner Feeding around 6-6:30. · Karma gets a ½ can of the OM food (black can) at first. IF Mekayla eats at the same time you can give her the whole can. But usually Mekayla doesn’t eat right away so save the other ½ can for when Mekayla does eat so Karma feels like she’s not missing out. If Mekayla doesn't eat that evening just give Karma the rest of hers whenever. · See above for Mekayla plus: At dinner time she gets a probiotic (in the blister pack) and ONE Azodyl with Pub Cheese or peanut butter on the side of the bowl. Check she ate the pills. Sometimes she leaves it, sometimes she pushes it off to the side of the bowl or outside the bowl. If so, you’ll have to put it down her throat. After your lunch and dinner Karma will bug you for a “snack”. Karma gets about ¼-1/3 of a can of green beans. Mekayla gets any of the stuff mentioned above if she’ll eat. If she doesn’t it’s fine. Bedtime: · Let Karma out the back one more time before bed. Then throw a couple pieces of a dog treat in the crate and she’ll go in, then lock the gate. I’d suggest waking Mekayla up and taking her out for a bit unless she had just been out. Better chance that she’ll · Put some of Karma’s dry food and leave it out in the closet overnight for Mekayla. We found that she will often eat it during the night. Just be sure to pick it up as soon as Karma is up because she may eat it before you know. Misc for dogs: Our dogs are total opposite eaters. Karma is overweight and hungry all the time. She will try to eat anything. Mekayla is underweight and often won’t eat at all. Karma doesn’t understand why Mekayla is getting fed all the time and she isn’t. So if Mekayla is in one of her moods where we have to keep trying different things to get her to eat, we give Karma just small portions of her food so that she doesn't go crazy. We also often let her lick Mekayla’s empty or almost empty bowl and that seems to calm her down. If Mekayla has diarrhea, she has pills for that on the counter (yellow container). Give with her next meal with pub cheese or peanut butter. One or two doses usually does it. If the dogs throw up or have an accident on the floors or carpet, we have a bottle under the sink of Folex cleaner. Spray that on the stain and rub with a paper towel. That gets it up. Their vet is down Catawba Ave. Animal Hospital of Cornelius 18726 W. Catawba Cornelius, NC 704-892-1585 There is an emergency clinic in Huntersville their number is 704.949.1100. I do not know the address but if you need them, you can just call. There’s also a new Urgent Vet after hours clinic that just opened at 102 Statesville Road in Huntersville. Never been there but their number is 980-306-6800.