Aby-a-Day – 11 Februari: King Kong (Thursday Things)

A few months ago, Dashiell started over grooming himself. We think Lorelai being in heat may be stressing him out on some level, although their interactions are fairly normal and they play chasing games along with Izaak and Alfred every day.

He started in on his belly. I tried giving him Amitriptyline (which I had on hand for Angel in case she has urinary issues), but the process of catching him and getting the pill down his throat once a day seemed to only cause him more stress, which seemed to defeat the purpose. Same with spraying his belly with Bitter Apple, plus I ended up getting the stuff on me, too (FWIW, it really does taste vile).

I also tried the ThunderShirt, but he just over groomed parts of his body the shirt didn’t cover, like his arms.

After careful observation, I determined his over grooming wasn’t likely caused by internal belly pain (when Tessie over groomed her belly, it turned out she was constipated and she was trying to make it feel better), especially after he started in on his arms. Out of ideas, I asked on my new Facebook Aby/Somali group, and several people suggested I try Zylkene, which is given as a powder in food. Dash’s licking lessened after a week or so, but it didn’t stop completely.

Zylkene takes a few months to really take effect, according to other Aby owners who have used it, so I added the cone of shame, which he tolerates quite well. He isn’t able to reach the places he was over grooming, but he can wash the bits he needs to. I put his cone on upside-down, like a cape; Dr. Natalie at South Boston Animal Hospital suggested that for Tessie, so the cone would bother her less and to avoid whisker fatigue. He’s been wearing the cone for a few days now, and I think we’re finally getting some results!

Aby-a-Day – 10 September: There ain’t no party like a South Boston party, ‘cos a Southie party don’t stop! (Medical Monday)

Last week, we went to the South Boston Animal Hospital’s grand opening party at their new 9 West Broadway location…the building I used to live in.

After Jacoby and I toured the medical facilities, we went to check out the new exam rooms. At the old location, there were only two rooms…I don’t remember how many are at the new place, but it’s at least double that.

One room was set up as a photo room, with decorations and props, and guests were invited to use them and take photos. As you can see, there was a luau theme. So we started with the lei, and shot a few poses…

…before adding the grass skirt.

Jake wasn’t sure about that bit.

Okay, Jake, we’ll take it off and move on.

In the new location, there were exam rooms specifically for cats! No dogs allowed.

In one exam room, there was a rocking cardboard scratcher.

I didn’t think Jake would go for it at all, but he surprised me. He ROCKED that thing!

Then he noticed the mechanical mouse-in-the-cheese toy.

The yellow plastic mouse would pop out of the white plastic cheese wedge at random.

Apparently not randomly enough for our Jake.

“When the bloody hell is this sodding thing going to pop out?”

And then, finally…

“Well, that wasn’t worth all the excitement, now was it?” No, Jake…and welcome to about half the TV shows I watch.

Next we encountered a good, old-fashioned scratching post.

Finally, a toy I can relate to! Thought Jake.

“Oh, scratching post…you understand me.”

In another exam room, there was a catch-the-string machine.

Despite having a similar toy at home that has, the entire length of its career, been completely and utterly ignored.

Oh, but downstairs, it’s the Best. Toy. Ever.

And you know when we went back upstairs the toy we have? Totally ignored.

But no playtesting session of the exam rooms would be complete without a bit of a schmooze with the vet.

Jake and Dr. Natalie really did have a connection.

I know I miss her…I wonder if Jake does, too?

At the snacks table, there was, of course, ham…and Jake did get a bit.

He handled it extremely awkwardly, but he got some ham.

Finally, I just have to share this lovely painting of a white cat and a martini. It reminded me of Kylie.

Aby-a-Day – 3 September: The life of the South Boston Animal Hospital party (Medical Monday)

(This is the second installment of a series of stories about our last days in Boston and our last visits to our beloved South Boston Animal Hospital. It was meant to take place over several weeks following starting back on 9 April…but then Logan got sick, and we had Jacoby’s mystery ailment, and the Medical Monday topics covered more immediate issues. But…better late than never!)

I have to admit, it was bittersweet. Finally, my beloved, trusted vet moved into the first-floor space in the building I lived in in Boston. I mean, think about it: To go to the vet, all I had to do would have been to get into the elevator and go downstairs. but noooo…I had to move to Sweden.

They had cake, though.

I wasn’t quite quick enough to get a photo of the cake before it was cut, though.

Jacoby checked out a pile of handouts from the ASPCA.

It was a real party! There was champagne as well as seltzer and pop.

Jake was a special guest of honour. This little girl and her dad just loved him.

He got to take a special tour of the new facilities. He thoroughly investigated the recuperative dog kennels.

Or, possibly, for cats, too…

I really miss Dr. Natalie.

She personally took Jake on a tour of the swanky new cat condos.

She said Jake was the first cat to go inside the condos. Ever!

He seemed to approve.

Is it wrong to feel a bit sad that he’ll never get to stay in one of them?

Next, Jake inspected the dog scale.

And then the file room. Everything seemed to be in order. No HIPAA violations here!

From the file room, we moved on to the medical refrigerator and the staff workroom.

And the shiny new operating theatre.

Uhhh…there’s not going to be champagne on the operating table during surgeries on a real patient, right?

Our tour ended back in the lobby, where, naturally, Jake had to sit at the front desk.

He seems to be a natural office employee.

People wondered if Jake was starting a new job!

*Looks around*

“Yeah, I could totes handle this place.”

Next week, we’ll continue the party and check out the new patient exam rooms!

Aby-a-Day – 9 April: Timing is everything (Part one) (Medical Monday)

As most of you, I think, know, I moved from my beloved Boston to Sweden in June 2016. But what I haven’t had a chance to explain yet is…

…my beloved Boston veterinary clinic, South Boston Animal Hospital, moved from East Broadway between H and I Streets (which is now, rather disconcertingly, a nail salon so fancy it calls itself a “nail bar”) to…

…Yeah. Right. In. The. Building. I. Was. LIVING. In.

It’s one of the few things I really, really miss about my life back in the US. The fact that, for 15 short, precious days, my vet’s office was in the first floor of the building I lived in. I mean, literally…all we had to do was go down the elevator, go out the front door, walk a few steps outside…and yeah. You’re at the vet. The awesome vet that you love, not the sucky one you go to because you have no options.

We were lucky enough to go there three times before we left.

The opening was supposed to be on my birthday, 1 June, but it was delayed because of…reasons. We visited on 6 June and work still wasn’t quite finished. There were caution cones all over the place.

They did have impressive wifi set up already, though!

Jacoby was eager to check everything out.

Angel was…rather less enthusiastic about exploring.

This was our fist visit to the new location before moving. Next week, come along with Jake and me to the SBAH grand opening party!