The Red Dog Inn

I told you all that I’d tell you a little story about my boy Butters.

Christmas of 2008 my friends at Direxxis sent me a box of chocolates. I shared the majority of it at the office and brought some home to enjoy.  On December 29, 2008, I arrived home and thought one of the dogs had had an accident. The carpet was a mess! But it wasn’t what you thought. I couldn’t figure it out.

I fed the dogs — Finley, Butters and Lula.  And that’s when I noticed Butters white socks were dusted with cocoa.  So I called the Emergency Vet and asked what I should do.

As I was talking with them, I figured out how MUCH chocolate he ingested.  He really went on a chocolate bender that would’ve inspired Willy Wonka’s Oompah Loompahs to burst into song! He ate:

• 6 chocolate covered OREO cookies
• 24 chocolates
• a BOX of Hershey’s Baking Cocoa! ( I couldn’t believe it!  He could’ve chosen the powdered sugar or graham cracker crumbs, instead, he chose nasty baking cocoa. That’s what exploded on the carpet!)

Frankly, it was a miracle he wasn’t already dead.

• When Butters started shaking, I knew I had to take him in.  I scooped up Butters, grabbed Lula and kissed good ol’ Fin’ (the best dog EVER!) on the head and dashed to to the Vet ER.

There, they took Butters into the back to evaluate him. The doctor came out and prepared me for the worst.  I didn’t want to hear that. I told the doctor to do whatever it took to make him better.  The Veterinary Assistant was a godsend. 

First, they induced vomiting to get the chocolate out of his system.  They invited me into the back to see everything they got out of him. He really went bonkers while I was out!  In addition to the chocolate, he had bits of wrappers and the finger of my brand new riding glove in his tummy.

Then they gave him meds to stop vomiting so they could give him lots of activated charcoal to absorb the remaining toxins.  All this was accompanied by 2 bags of fluids.   They even put jingle bells around his neck to alert them if he had a seizure.

I felt so bad for my boy. I didn’t want to leave, so I sat with Lula in the waiting area from 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m.  We’d tried to sit with Butters, but that made him anxious, so we left and waited in the waiting area, drinking the staff’s coffee and watching other families bring in their beloved pets.  Meanwhile, Finley was at home sleeping like 14 1/2 year old golden retrievers do.  After watching virtually every video in their video library, the veterinary assistant came out and said, “Here’s his picture. On a scale from 1-10, 10 being best, Butters came in around a 2+. Now he’s at about a 6+ and climbing. So why don’t you go home and get some rest. I promise to call you if anything happens.”

Reluctantly, I said, “I suppose you’re right.” Afterall, I hadn’t looked in on Finley since I left at 9:30 p.m.   So Lula and I went home.  I fell straight asleep and about 8 a.m. I got a call.  On the other end was another Veterinary Assistant relaying the latest: “Hi! This is the animal hospital. Butters is doing great.”

Me: “Oh, that’s wonderful. Thank you.”

Veterinary Assistant: “Yes, he’s feeling MUCH better.  Say, we were wondering WHEN do you think you can come pick up Butters?”

I got it. I’d heard that tone before.  I heard it at the beach when a little boy named Scotty was terrorizing the lifeguards in the Tower.  I couldn’t help it; I started laughing.

So, I rolled out of bed, got dressed and went to go pick him up. When I walked in, I heard him protesting being locked in a cage. When I said, “I’m here for Butters.” the staffers breathed a sigh of relief.

He BURST through the door and leapt on me as if to say, “MOMMY, YOU’RE HERE!!!!!!!” He slept the rest of the day as expected. The bright lights in the ER didn’t allow him to get sleep.

I asked if he’d ever be tempted to eat chocolate again. Doctor said, “Probably.”

About a year later, my cousin brought a Mocha Frappuccino into the house and set it on the table.  We walked down the hallway. When we came back the Frappuccino was missing and so was Butters.  We have no idea how he got the cup off the table without spilling, but we found him hiding behind the shed lapping up the frappuccino in the farthest corner of the yard!  

Here’s the thing: Butters suffered from Chocolate Toxicity. Chocolate contains theobromine that is toxic to dogs in sufficient quantities.  Learn more here: http://www.talktothevet.com/ARTICLES/DOGS/chocolatetoxic.HTM

It’s Springtime, and for some of us that means getting into the garden. Pet owners should take extra caution when choosing plants for their garden because some plants are toxic to dogs, cats and horses.  The ASPCA has a list of plants to avoid if you have pets.  Check it out before you head over to the home center or nursery.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/

White chocolate and carob dipped dog biscuits. (Remember: Chocolate is toxic to dogs. Butters' got into chocolate one Christmas and had to have his tummy pumped. Not cheap!)

I love:

• Dave and Marilyn, the great couple who live on the edge of the park, because they don’t mind when their border collie brings home a few friends and runs them through their freshly remodeled home.  
• The Dogfather (not a typo) who knows all the dogs and their people and helps damsels in distress.
• Auntie Tracy, who spoils my dogs silly.  Case in point: She’s sent Butters white chocolate dipped milkbones for Valentine’s day and overnighted a box of canine chicken jerky.
• Dawn, who rescues basset hounds regardless of their circumstances and finds them forever homes.
• Friends Sonia & Kim who bring their dogs to the park and make me walk with them
• Great neighbors who enjoy my dogs as much as I do and help me when I need it
• Great neighbors who think a basset hound howl is music.
• A great vet
• A compassionate chiropractor who gave me another 12 months with Mr. Finley and rescued a lovely pitbull who thinks she’s my lapdog
• Good friends who force you to bust out a dog in need
• The folks who help find homes for Baghdad Pups
• People who help us understand our dogs better
• Great groomers
• Dog-friendly businesses

I love :: people who love our canine companions.

Happy Dog. Photo by Steve Carragher

How would you like to write off up to $3,500 annually for taking proper care of your pet? You might be able to, but we need to get busy before we can GET HAPPY!  

I received an advocacy alert from the ASCPA telling me about the HAPPY Act (H.R. 3501) proposed by Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI). The ASPCA supports this act, and so do the inhabitants of The Red Dog Inn! 

If passed, HAPPY will amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (specifically, Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1, add a  new section 224 and renumber accordingly.)  The new section 224 will read:

SEC. 224. PET CARE EXPENSES.

`(a) Allowance of Deduction- In the case of an individual, there shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year an amount equal to the qualified pet care expenses of the taxpayer during the taxable year for any qualified pet of the taxpayer.

`(b) Maximum Deduction- The amount allowable as a deduction under subsection (a) to the taxpayer for any taxable year shall not exceed $3,500.

`(c) Qualified Pet Care Expenses- For purposes of this section, the term `qualified pet care expenses’ means amounts paid in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet other than any expense in connection with the acquisition of the qualified pet.

`(d) Qualified Pet- For purposes of this section–

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  `(1) QUALIFIED PET- The term `qualified pet’ means a legally owned, domesticated, live animal.

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  `(2) EXCEPTIONS- Such term does not include any animal–

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  •  
    `(A) used for research or owned or utilized in conjunction with a trade or business, or

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    `(B) with respect to which the taxpayer has claimed a deduction under section 162 or 213 in any of the preceding 3 taxable years.’.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by striking the last item and inserting the following new items:

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  `Sec. 224. Pet care expenses.

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  `Sec. 225. Cross reference.’.

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009.

What YOU can do!

The proposed legislation is so easy to read, even a member of Congress can understand it! I encourage you to visit the link below and read it for yourself.

After reading it, I hope that you’ll contact your Representative and Senators and encourage them to SUPPORT the HAPPY ACT! Then, tell your pet loving friends about HAPPY and encourage them to contact their representatives, too!

If you get a response, let us know about it!

What the HAPPY ACT does:

If passed, HAPPY will allow pet owners to deduct up to $3,500 annually from their taxes for “qualified pet care expenses” starting in the 2010 tax year.  

Links:

ASPCA: https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2605 

H.R. 3501 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501: