Puppy Poop and Puppy Play

I gots teeth to chomp you wiv!

Yesterday morning, the pups weren't feeling well. Some really gross stuff, which I won't describe in detail lest I challenge your gag reflex, led to a decision to immediately deworm them rather than wait until week five* as is customary at the SPCA. Fortunately, two SPCA volunteers were coming over to puppysit while I went to a couple of appointments (thanks, Ann and Sheila!), so they picked up the Strongid-T dewormer enroute. They also brought along a basket of toys to keep growing pups busy.

The dewormer led to even grosser stuff, not for the faint of heart (or stomach) ....but the upside is that most of the pups are now full of piss and vinegar** instead of worms and mucus. (While I don't ever plan to foster pups again, this past twenty-four hours is certainly something to remember if I am ever even slightly tempted to do so!!!)

And so, now that most are feeling better, they have discovered TOYS...and paper and tarp and wire and clothes and anything else they can get their teeth on to shred, whip, chew, shake, tug, or simply take a nap on.

Here's a few of my favourite pics from this morning:

Is there a way out?

Pup meets rope toy

Boys can too like pink !

A nummy ball

Paper fun

Shake it!!!

Duz you like mah paper hat?

Dog with ball

Footnotes:

* Ninety-five percent of puppies are born with a roundworm infestation. Eggs lie dormant in most healthy adult dogs, but are passed on to the pups in utero and/or through nursing, where they grow in the immature immune system of the newborn pup. Personally, I would recommend deworming at week two or three, before they have a chance to create a serious health risk. Deworming is then repeated every couple of weeks until twelve weeks, then monthly until six months, and annually after that.

**Piss and vinegar: an expression which likely arose in the 1920s or 30s (as it is found in Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath, 1938) and which means rowdiness, exuberance or enthusiasm, youthful energy. I remember my dad using it when I was sassy and boistrous.

***And a final footnote: One of my appointments was with my doctor, regular follow up on a chronic medical condition. I mentioned to her the stress I was feeling with the foster pups to care for. We both had a good laugh when we discovered that my blood pressure had dropped from 143/90 (high) just before the pups arrived, to 117/70 (very good) - the lowest it has been in over a year! I guess animals really do reduce blood pressure....even ten monster pups and their very needy mama. Sigh.... and I was so hoping the doctor would say, "Whoa, danger, danger, danger....you'll have to send the pups back!!!"