Puppy stomach problems in the bad weather

You may not realize but rainy weather dramatically increases the level of exposure of your dog to irritants and protozoa that can cause various levels of (as the vets callit) dietary distress.

Rainwater is the culprit and the problems begin when your dig sniffs, licks and steps in the wrong place and continues when they lick themselves clean in front of the fire.

Prevention: Clean your dogs feet after they come in form the rain. Even just toweling them off will help.

The first symptom is pretty noticeable. It’s some form of diarrhea. If it is very liquid and is accompanied by your dog declining to eat or drink for more than 24 hours then it is worth getting a fecal test at your vet. They will test for giardia, coccidia and a few other things.

Basic home treatment begins with withholding food for a day. There should still be access to fresh water.

Pepto bismol works for dogs. One teaspoon (5ml) every 3 hours is fine. (more for bigger dogs) I recommend using a infant medicine syringe and not an actual teaspoon unless you want pink walls.

Simplify the diet. Over cooked, soggy white rice and over boiled chicken or turkey is great tummy comfort food. (Your dogs will over it too!)

Spin Class

Rugby pre season has arrived. We start practice on Tuesday. Our first game is Spetember 18.

I really took off-season at it's word. ;-)

I have been pretty light at the gym since season ended on memorial day. Fortunately for me, I played two post-season tournaments in June so I can be self righteous about "needing a break". (yeah right!) Unfortunately, the excuse wil have little solace as I am huffing my way to death during "Zig Zags". That is the bizzare fitness excercise our coach has devised to up our fitness or get us desperate enough to kill him. Whichever comes first.

So I am joining the rush to jump start my season. I have good company among my teammates. One of which has joined the "Spinista" (spineesta) That being those who have converted to the religion of the bike that goes nowhere. He dragged me to class on Staurday (Thank god).

It was OK. I wasn't blown away either out of amusement or because it gave me the workout of my life. I didn't quite give it my all as I was figuring out the technique and my mind wandereed to challneges in my life. But it was great to be back in the gym.

But then, today, I got this craving...to go to a spin class.

And then I found myslef at the 4 PM spinfest at my gym. I had a blast. It was engaing (fun is not the right word for a good excercise) and I worked my butt off. Zig Zags here I come!

What am I doing?

So this is where I start blogging. Hmmmm.

My friend says that no one will read it until I write something embarrassing and then everyone will.

I'll play small for now

Spend the day watching Soprano first year episodes. On HBO on demand. I think HBO demand is one of the great benefits of western society. Although, once you can get Fear Factor on demand I will know we have turned the corner.

I already believe that we have all the signs that the empire is falling. It hit me one day when I was reading the Herald Tribune in Hyderabad, India and saw the women from The Apprentice in their Victoria secrets ad. I knew then that the empire wasn't just falling but that it had probably already fallen.