Does this photo look familiar?? Thursday morning Emmi went downhill again–vomiting, refusing food and water, no energy. Back in the truck and heading to Tucson. She was admitted this time with acute pancreatitis!! What are the odds of one little dog getting two major, life threatening illnesses in less than one week??? While the veterinarians don’t agree with us, we are both still convinced it was the antibiotic metronidazole. Needless to say, we won’t let another vet give us that antibiotic! Emmi spend Thursday and Friday night in the hospital on IVs and anti vomiting medications. They called and said we could come get her Saturday morning and we couldn’t get there fast enough.
We are cautiously optimistic. I have made a batch of homemade dog food–cooked chicken breast meat, rice, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes and a tiny bit of flax seed–and she ate the small amount of this I gave her. The clinic sent us home with two cans of Royal Canin prescription required low fat dog food. The first ingredient is water followed by pork by-products! And the ingredient list is a mile long with unknown additives! We won’t be feeding her that stuff!
We’ve made four trips to Tucson this week but in between we did manage to accomplish things. The load bearing wall in the main house kitchen has to come out. Something has to support both sides of the roof when this wall comes out. The reasons for removing a load bearing wall–something the Cowboy doesn’t like to do–are: The wall will have plumbing running through it–thus it needs to be 2×6 studs rather than 2×4 studs. And there will be three large windows over the kitchen counter–those windows need beefy headers. These photos are little hard to comprehend but give you a general idea–
In between talking to the veterinary clinic I made dog food, cleaned the house, laundry–anything to stay busy! And I took lonely walks without my little pooch.
This guy played hide and seek with me, first his back was to me as in the lower photo, he then flew and landed facing the camera. I think it’s a red tailed hawk?? 
Just a little bit of color in the sunset.
And I made homemade pizza–it was so good!!!
So, we will see what the next few days bring–we so hope our little Emmi is on the road to recovery.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
A slow day, probably sounds good, right now!
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Yes it does Geri, it most certainly does–we are both exhausted and I’m coming down with a cold.
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I am so sorry Little Emmi has been so sick. My Little Teddy has been fighting the same problem for the last 7 months. Gets better but never himself completely then has a round of diarrhea and vomiting then back on meds and gets fluids. He too has been on the same antibiotics as Emmi. He also takes 10 mg of Pepcid AC and Sucralfate 1 gram to coat his tummy. He also has been taking meds for his Liver but his last blood test showed no liver problems now. They told me to continue to give him the liver meds ( Denamarin and Urisidiol ) or the problem might return. Sometimes I think too much medicine might be the problem but am afraid to discontinue it. I sure hope Little Emmi is better real soon.
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Thanks Gail and I hope your little Teddy gets all better really soon! If it were me, I would get the vet to give him some other antibiotic. Emmi is taking Denamarin too for her liver.
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I totally agree with your decision on the RC food from past experience w/it and a 100 lb. Lab. Yes, I think you have better control w/what you prepare. I also agree it started w/the antibiotics prescribed.
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Thanks Carolyn–even if we are wrong, there are lots of other antibiotics out there if we need one. She likes the food I fixed.
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I once had a puppy-mill puppy with liver toxicity from pesticides. Vet gave me a recipe similar to the following, which I fed to puppy for two years (he lived to be 14 years and then had to be put down due to other inbred problems such as more frequent seizures in addition to being blind from age six months):
Ingredients
1/4 pound cooked ground beef (do not use lean)
2 cups cooked white rice (no salt)
1 hard cooked egg, peeled and chopped. Can include well-crushed shell.
3 slices white bread, crumbled.
1 teaspoon calcium carbonate (blend a bottle of calcium carbonate in the blender until it’s a powder then keep in a resealable plastic bag)
I remember something like a “liver” supplement that looked and smelled like yeast powder and probably was food-grade brewers yeast powder (a very small amount sprinkled on serving of above recipe)
s/Terry Apple
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Emmi is going to need to be on a low fat diet so I think beef is out, I forgot to say I did put egg whites in the mixture I made but no bread. We will probably experiment with the mixture and see what works best for her. Thanks for reassuring me that dogs will do fine on homemade food.
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I feel so bad for your little girl. Chicken, rice and pumpkin are our go to foods for our pups. I so hope she feels better.
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It’s amazing the number of people who make their own dog food–I’ve never done it before but guess I’m going to start!
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Sure hope that all is continuing to go well for Emmi as I write this. It certainly has been a rough week for you three. Fingers crossed Emmi is over the hump. Wow! The main house sure is stripped down. Lots of hard work going on there. The pizza looks wonderful! My problem is always the sauce. I can never find a good sauce that isn’t too sweet. What did you make for the sauce? Beautiful hawk!
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We too hope Emmi stays on the path to wellness! It’s been an awful week! Will send you the pizza sauce recipe- -it isn’t sweet.
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Prayers for Emmi and for you both also. Very stressful times.
I’ve heard the organic canned pumpkin has been suggested
by several vets. Supposedly healing for digestion system.
Your pizza looked wonderful !
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Thanks Linda. I sometimes give Emmi pumpkin mixed in with her food.
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Sure is stressful when our pet babies are not well! (Thank you to your readers who are sending healthy pet food suggestions – I’m taking note too!) And with all the rush to be ready for the “stucco team” by Feb 1! The 3 of you need to simply do nothing but relax for a week after that’s done.
~ Linda K.
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I don’t think relaxing is on our agenda Linda—unfortunately!
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