It's been a litle while since the last Mojo update, and I know she's everyone's favorite three-legged mutt puppy, so sorry to keep you waiting!

Last weekend I was up at the cabin again on a 2-day software retreat (thanks for letting us use it Steve and Karen!). On Saturday, the weather was hot, but the cabin stayed nice and cool (it's very shaded) - still, I thought a hike with Mojo would be nice, so we hiked a trail along the Salmon Creek.

We've never really attempted to see what her endurance is, so I was fully prepared to carry her back if I had to. We brought plenty of water and snacks, and she did pretty well for the first half-mile. The next half-mile she slowed down considerably, and needed a few breaks. The third half mile was really pushing it... we had to stop every 100 yards or so to take a break, she'd lay down in the shade and recover.

But then... the river! When we got there, she flopped down in the sand along the bank, totally exhausted, and the sand (a little wet and shaded) was nice and cool. Then I tried to get her interested in the water... at first she was nervous and skeptical, but then suddenly she remembered (from the treadmill at Back on Track, I think) that she LOVES water, and she FREAKED OUT. I've never seen her go so completely crazy, it was insanity. She was snapping at the water, jumping in then out, then sprinting away from it, then sprinting back at it. She would stop at the shore, dig into the sand with her paw, and when the water started to fill up the hole she'd smash her paw down on it and bite it. At one point she was running on the sand and she sort of flipped over on her side, but like a bug her legs just kept cranking in the air like she was still running.

When she finally calmed down, I found a good spot with some shallow water she could stand in, with a sharp drop-off. I waded out into the deep part (brrr that stuff was SNOW just a few hours earlier) and held onto her harness to pull her out towards me, and she started swimming! Even with just the one front paw (going double-time) and her lean build, she was keeping her head up. Okay I was giving her a *little* bit of lift occasionally, but not much!

Next time we're headed out, we'll have some flotation for her (a little doggy PFD!) to help keep her front end up higher, and I think she'll REALLY love the water.

Unfortunately, I had my hands full, so between her, the water, and the sand, I couldn't really get the camera out for any "crazy dog" shots. Maybe next time.

Oh, and the sad pathetic puppy coming down the trail needing a rest, was magically transformed into a ball of energy on the way back. She was going so fast I was jogging with her, uphill, for about half a mile!
 

I recently wrote the story of Mojo (our 3-legged puppy) for the Animal Rescue and Care Fund Newsletter. I seemed to keep mentioning how much everybody loves Mojo. People stop on the street to pet her. They smile at her while she licks their toes. There is something so resilient and amazing in her demeanor but it turns out she isn't the only one with an amazing story of triumph! A few weeks ago I met Dottie when she came into the clinic with her kitty brother, Pullo for wellness care. She is such a sweet dog - a pit bull no less - and so very happy. She, like Mojo, brings out the best in people as they find this great desire to help her. It's no wonder she wags her tail so much - check out this story written by her mom, Amie:

Dottie

According to the 'Must Love Dogs NW', the rescue group Dottie came from, she had a pretty rough start in life. Apparently she was on her way to the Vancouver H.S. after her family became homeless. For some reason, the family stopped at a used tire yard, where the owner offered to take Dottie to avoid going to the H.S. ( A much worse fate!). For the next 2 and a half years, the owner of the tire lot chained her to a tire with no shelter and very little food. The only shelter Dottie had was to crawl amongst (and in) the tires. In the summer time, she would burn the pads of her paws due to the heat and in the winter time, she would make a bed out of rat carcasses. (I assume she was hunting them)

Dottie in the Tire Yard - what a fierce watch dog!

Eventually, an elderly gentleman took a liking to her and made it his mission to be her caretaker. (It is unclear exactly how he came to know her).  Everyday, the man would take Dottie off of her chain and walk her around the neighborhood and to the local elementary school. Before long he had the entire community rallying around her. People chipped in to buy her a harness, the pizza parlor nearby would give her pizza scraps and the elderly man would scrap together enough money to buy her dog food. (I've been told that she was eating 'Ol Roy'. Yuck!)  Eventually the elderly man, who apparently had beginning alzheimers or dementia, was forced to go into assisted living and could no longer care for Dottie. That is when 'Must Love Dogs NW' became involved and talked the tire lot owner into letting them take Dottie.

Before we got Dottie she spent 3 months in a fabulous foster home with 4 other dogs. The first time we met her at an outreach event, we knelt down and she was so sweet, she just melted right into us. Even though we had another dog to see that day, we pretty much knew that Dottie was our girl right then.

Dottie relaxing with her dad

 

 

Dottie now lives in a loving home with Amie and Mark (who are getting married next week!) and her kitty brother, Pullo. She loves to snuggle under the covers when it's cold and eagerly awaits her regular run with her mom. She loves cats, kids and most dogs. Dottie's favorite things include running long distances or curling up and watching t.v., as long as it includes hanging out with her people.

  

Mojo had her 4th physical therapy appointment at Back on Track yesterday. She has definitely gotten used to the idea of going there and looks for new friends to meet (both human and dog) and loves Dr. Shaw. Dr. Shaw works with Mojo, giving her treats and teaching her new "tricks" (they are really new exercises). She also works on limb and spine manipulation which Mojo believes is her massage time. Sometimes Mojo gets fussy with the range of motion palpation that Dr. Shaw does, but with some petting distraction from one of the techs she settles right down. This time Alicia helped out and did a great job keeping Mojo focused.

We learned some new exercises that Mojo, of course, is picking up quickly. We are now working on strengthening and providing flexibility to her hocks (ankles). She has to do a complicated sit pretty to stand (balanced - no cheating) and then down to a sit. The Cheez Whiz works great at home! She is also learning to back up, stepping one leg at a time. This often times turns into a couple of sits but she is getting it. She's got her ramp exercises down and even the uphill sit is good with minimal spotting from us. Michael does the best with her with her obstacle course. We are using the frame from our bed (did I tell you we took it out so she could get up on her own?) and it's the perfect height for her. I usually just have her walk through, which she does quite well, but Michael has her turning and going over one foot at a time. She's a star and will be ready for agility any day now!

The last part of physical therapy is the underwater treadmill. The first time she did it she really didn't get it (or like it) and by the last time she was having fun playing in the water. She'll walk on the treadmill (without cheating) as long as there are treats in front of her. The funniest thing is that she'll walk, take the treat and ride the treadmill while she chews and then walk forward again (double time) to get the next treat. During breaktime it was attack the water playtime again and she was having a blast. Michael was there to document the event and Mojo was glad to show off. We even got pictures of her playing with a squeaky fish which was pretty funny. She did get some exercise and found some time to workout a little. If only we could have so much fun at the gym!

Next appointment August 18th.

   

Mojo had her 3rd physical therapy appointment with Dr. Shaw last week at Back on Track. She really is improving well and we've given up the funny orange band for her legs and are now focusing on her core strength. She had her third round in the underwater treadmill which is always an adventure. This time she was not terrified. In fact, in her I-love-life kind of way, she decided it was actually really fun (but she was not really into the walking part). You see, we discovered on our trip to Northern California that Mojo loves tiny movements. In fact they make her crazy! On the beach she would watch the little rocks (sand) move when she jumped forward and she would try to "get" it. And then she'd jump again and more sand would move and again and again until she was running like a crazy dog! The water wasn't much different. One splash and water droplets and bubbles would appear and she would try to "get" them. Then she would splash more and there would be more to get until soon she is living it up in the water completely ignoring the fact that she is supposed to be walking. Well, at least she wasn't bored and trying to ride the treadmill backwards instead.

sitting pretty, to develop her back legs

sitting downhill on her ramp

Her new exercises are more of a challenge for her. We have an obstacle course and she plays "bull in the china shop" and knocks stuff over but she tries. If things are spaced out far enough she does better. She also has to do inclined sit-stands which she is more than happy to do facing downhill but uphill she has trouble. All of the sit commands in the world just can't convince her that she's supposed to really sit! She does better with some spotting and I think we are getting somewhere on that front.

Walking to work has been a bit of a challenge as well. It's a little embarrassing to be seen "dragging" my poor 3-legged puppy down the street. (Yeah, these people didn't see her running crazy on the beach!) We live on a busy street and starting off is tough for her. I think she may be really worried about the cars judging by her injuries and her being found running down 82nd Avenue. So it goes like this. We get down the driveway and she sees the first car. She sits and watches it go by. She gets praise and asked to walk again which she does and then the next car comes (after a few steps) which she has to stop and watch. Sigh...it can take awhile to walk a block. Once we get into the neighborhood things are good and she moves more freely as long as there are no people. Even if she sees people on the opposite side of the street she is convinced that they want to come see her so we must wait and watch them until they pass!

She is a lot of fun and even DeeDee is starting to like playing with her sometimes. DeeDee certainly does enjoy it when Mojo has to do exercises because she also participates in the cookie handouts. Mojo is also an Olympic snuggler. Her favorite thing to do is sleep and she is even starting to respect personal space just a little bit and keep her nose out of my eye but lounging across my body is still fair game. Her latest schedule is: Wake up. Go outside to potty. Do exercises. Eat breakfast. Go potty and then it's back to bed for a snuggle with Michael until he gets up. She does have it rough.

EDIT (MJS 7/7/08) I wrote this early *last* week, but never got around to publishing or announcing it. So, it's a week out of date. We've just returned from the trip mentioned at the bottom of the article, so I'll post about that in a couple days.

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Last weekend some friends let us use their cabin up near Rhododendron for the weekend. I left early, Thursday night, and brought all my computer gear - the whole system! Two monitors, keyboard, surge protector, etc. I've found that I can really produce a staggering amount of work if I'm alone with no distractions.

Kristin didn't get up there until Saturday evening, so for the first couple days it was just me and Mojo. It was her first time experiencing nature!

We hiked to the Salmon river, chased squirrels, chewed up a lot of douglas fir cones, and split firewood. Overall, I'd say I was better at splitting firewood, but she beat me at chewing up douglas fir cones. But I gave it my best effort!

As you might expect, she did a couple of faceplants trying to navigate the irregularity of the natural world, but she's unstoppable! She can plow face-first into the dirt and shake it off while she's moving, like nothing ever happened. The excercises and therapy we've been doing under the direction of Dr. Shaw from Back on Track seem to be helping a lot - Mojo's looking a little more surefooted, and a little less bent and bowed. It looks like at the very least we've avoided the need for an immediate surgery (hooray!) although someday as she ages she still may end up needing surgery for her hips. But, we'll take it as it comes - and for now, she's one happy puppy!

I also managed to complete the first (alpha) release of our clinic's custom software , which we'll use for client and patient tracking, appointment scheduling, exams, invoicing, reports, etc. (for those of you who don't know, my "real job" is developing and integrating computer systems) Kristin and I both have been pretty unimpressed with vet software we've seen in the past, so we're making our own. More on that next week.

This weekend we'll be travelling with the dogs, so we'll keep you posted on Mojo's outdoor adventures.  Since I take a lot of pictures, I decided to post a bunch from last weekend on my flickr account, so feel free to browse them there.

Last night I heard, off in the distance, the unmistakable sound of firecrackers being set off in some kind of 10:32pm celebration. My first urge was to yell out the word "cookieworks"! You see, our old dog Seso (who passed away at 15 in October) had noise phobia and this time of year was difficult for her (until she started to lose her hearing). We tried various medications throughout the years but what seemed to work the best for her (and her cookie motivation) was treats whenever fireworks were let off. We would be out in the yard and firecrackers would boom - we'd yell "cookieworks" and hand her a tasty treat. It got to the point where she'd flinch at the noise, and then immediately look at one of us with her tail wagging - suddenly not so worried and definitely looking for her reward.

Fireworks - fun for people, scary for dogs

Noise phobia makes the 4th of July and the surrounding weekends (or weeks in our neighborhood) difficult for pets and pet owners alike. The panting, shaking, hiding, trying to climb on top of your head or hiding under the toilet makes us feel terrible for our best friends. And with hearing more acute than ours, they usually detect the issue long before we notice. The very best treatment for noise phobia is behavioral training. We're a little late in the year with the 4th only a few days away but we can consider this for next year. Please email me or comment if you'd like more information.

This year it is important to do what works best for your pet. If you can take a trip and camp or travel with your dog during the 4th of July weekend to somewhere quiet and fireworks free we can practice avoidance. If you and your dog will be staying in town there are some mild interventions to consider. DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheramone) collars and plug ins are a nice mild way to calm nervous dogs. This pheramone is the same one the nursing mother dog releases and it serves to give comfort. The collars are nice because your dog can wear it wherever they go - you never know when mid day firecrackers are going to go off. These collars and plug ins should be started now (or ideally 2 weeks before) for the best effects. Daily exercise can also help, tired dogs often times have less energy to be worried. For those loud and bright nights your pet should be placed in an interior room with no windows. Turn on the radio, but instead of soothing music, try some dance or rap music with a heavy baseline. This will cover the sound of the fireworks.

D.A.P. Collar

A few very important things to avoid with your noise phobic dog are:

1. Leaving them outside during the next few weeks - very fearful dogs can dig or climb fences and run away. 

2. Try to calm or soothe your dog while it is frightened. This actually rewards the unwanted behavior. The best thing is to talk in a quiet but confident voice and ignore the unwanted behavior.

If you know your dog is noise phobic, antianxiety medication or sedatives can be very helpful during this time of year. These need to be requested before the fearful event because prescriptions require a recent exam for dispensing. Alprazolam works great for phobic dogs and can really take away their anxiety. I have had reports from clients that it takes away some of their inhibitions as well. For example, closet counter surfers suddenly practice their craft out in the open. Acepromazine is a classic sedative used for 4th of July. Both medications need to be given an hour before desired effects and both have a pretty good dosage range. It's best to know your dog's ideal dose before the frightening event.

Seso loves her cookies

If you think your pet needs medication for the holiday, please call and schedule an appointment right away. Mt. Tabor Veterinary Care will be closing for the Independence Day Holiday. Our hours this week are: 

Monday - closed (as usual)

Tuesday - 10am - 8pm

Wednesday - 10am - 8pm

Thursday - closing EARLY 10am - 2pm

Friday (July 4th) - closed

Saturday - closed

Have a great holiday weekend! Enjoy friends, family, and fuzzy companions in celebration of this patriotic day.

 

 

 

Mojo prepares for the treadmill

Michael and I took Mojo to Back on Track this morning for her recheck with Dr. Shaw. Turns out things are going pretty well. She stands more normally on her rear legs and her exercises that we are doing appear to be working. Dr. Shaw's evaluation showed that she has more movement in her hips and more flexion in her toes than she had 2 weeks ago.  She even did a couple of really nice sits in the office - squared off instead of sitting on her left hip and sticking out her right leg (like she still does sometimes!). We learned some new exercises to help build up her gluteal muscles and her core strength - there are these cute "sit pretty" exercises that she started doing on her own anyway so those should be pretty easy to do and I think she's going to like them. We also have some new hind leg stretches that involve picking her up and putting her tippy toes on the ground for her to stretch and then square off her legs properly. She's 23 lbs now so I think Michael will be in charge of those! We'll continue with her various other exercises but Dr. Shaw says we can stop the one she really hates which are the right leg rotations - she's thrilled and so are we!

Getting into the treadmill

We also reviewed her x rays and her left hip is seated well and her right appears to be as well. This means that the JPS pelvic surgery we were considering in the next 2 weeks won't need to be done - whew! The poor thing has already had 2 surgeries in her short 4 month lifespan (her amputation and her spay surgery) that thinking about one more so soon was a little stressful. The bad news on her x rays is that her right hip is smaller than her left and it appears that the right growth plate in the proximal femur (ball joint) is damaged. We aren't sure exactly what that will mean for her but we'll continue to monitor her progress and recheck x rays in another 6 weeks. If we have to she'll have orthopedic surgery to remove the femoral head on her right side but in the mean time we are working on  building up her thigh muscles to prepare her if she's needs the surgery.

Waiting for the water

She also had another exciting underwater treadmill experience. She doesn't seem to enjoy it much and she cheats at every chance she can. For awhile she would put her front leg off the treadmill and saunter with her back legs or she'd turn around and ride the treadmill backwards - so much easier that way! She crashed out pretty good for the ride home from all of her exercise.

So the plan is to continue her exercises, slow her growth, keep her lean and recheck in 3 weeks. We will keep you posted!

P.S. Mojo and DeeDee appear to be getting along better and DeeDee is actually PLAYING with Mojo sometimes! And will even lie down next to her!

Water in, ready to start the treadmill

P.P.S. Mojo had many real play dates last week. On Monday she went and played with Champ Conrad at his house and had a ball. He is such a good boy and really got her to come out and play chase. Then, of course, they did some rough housing and he knocked her down at every turn - it was on the grass and she didn't mind. They also had a nice rest on the grass in the sun. On Saturday she had a fun time in the yard at the clinic playing with Raisin, a 5 month old Boston that is tough as nails from living with her big brother Takai the Pit Bull. The two of them were so cute together and Raisin kept rolling Mojo and standing on top of her. They are sure to be best friends and we'll look forward to more play dates in the future! (Michael will have to get some pictures!)

   

We are in a flurry of excitement over our Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday and you would think in the midst of starting our new practice and preparing for this fun party that adding one more huge, life changing task to the list would be a bad idea. Well, it was the best idea ever! And so... Michael and I adopted a "special needs" puppy this week. DeeDee has a new little sister.

She likes to crawl under this table, then lay there and look cute.

On Monday I went with Ronnie, the Dog Foster Coordinator from Animal Rescue and Care Fund, for a physical therapy evaluation of our special needs puppy. I had originally met the puppy when Ronnie brought the sweet girl to a Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon clinic that I was volunteering at. She had just had her right front leg amputated and had an abnormal gait on her hind legs. That left her with 1 good leg! She had her front leg amputated after she was found running down 82nd Ave with a horrible injury to her leg and missing toes. I examined her and invited Ronnie to bring her in for x rays for Friends and Family Day. Michael met the puppy that day, fell in love and promptly noted that this was a really bad time to get a puppy. So the little girl went home with Ronnie, her foster mom. We kept in touch, receiving regular updates and the last one we got was about her physical therapy appointment coming up and Ronnie's heartfelt worries that everyone was in love with this puppy but no one was willing to take her on and it was looking like it would be very difficult to find this sweet girl a home. I was at the clinic with Michael late on a Sunday night and forwarded him the email. I was working away on my computer when I got an instant message from somewhere inside the clinic asking about going to play pool at the Backstage - our normal Sunday night ritual. The next message offered if I won 3/3 games we could keep the puppy. Game on!

Now I have to tell you that in all of the games of pool we've played since the building of this practice... I usually lose. My wins are 50/50 on legitimate wins vs. Michael scratching on the 8 ball! I do have some very wonderful wins under my belt and I am always close on Michael's heels but fact is he's better than me.  So we played our first game and I won. Yay! The second game was so close, luckily Michael took his last shot on the 8 ball and scratched. Yippee another win - I'd take it anyway I could. Wow 2 in a row - a record. Then came the 3rd game and Michael won fair and square. I think he was a little disappointed to have won. After a second beer he proposed that we find out what she's going to need and evaluate whether we could keep her. 

That brings me back to Monday's visit. Boy, she's a mess. She has bilateral bowed femurs that we need to try to align properly for her continued growth and proper knee alignment (correcting this may reveal hip dysplasia which will require further action). She has bilateral femoral nerve weakness, an arched back from walking so funny on her hind legs and abdominal muscle weakness - again from walking so funny. The visit with Dr. Shaw at Back on Track was really great. Dr. Shaw is incredibly skilled and put the puppy through a series of exercises and the little girl was so resilient. At first she would hesitate a little - especially when the assistive device was placed on her hind legs or when she was in the underwater treadmill - but then she'd look like, "ok, what do you want me to do now?". It was a little heartbreaking to watch what this puppy is going to have to do but her lively personality and sweet nature makes her the perfect candidate. I knew Ronnie would be overwhelmed with these exercises at home and her 5 other dogs to attend to as well so we made plans, if Michael gave the go ahead, we'd get her on Tuesday.

 

Mojo all drugged up for her x-rays	She swears the paper towel was already ripped up on the floor like this when she got there. I'm pretty sure she's lying, but I don't have any proof yet.

I met Michael out at Belmont Station for a beer and went over the plans. He was really concerned but being her best prospect said yes and she's been with us since Tuesday. We're working through the normal puppy things - potty training and learning what's ok to chew on but she's smart and picking it up fast. We brainstormed names on Tuesday and on Wednesday her name was Mojo. (She has had a slew of names - Marsha from the shelter, Blanche from North Porltand Animal Hospital, and Lacey from Animal Care and Rescue Fund). DeeDee does not like being the new play toy but Mojo is pretty respectful and DeeDee is even starting to play ever so slightly. She also finds refuge on the couch where Mojo can't reach her. 

Are we crazy to take on this special case? Probably but when she snuggles up at night and rests her head on your pillow it's like nothing else matters and everything is just perfect.

Come meet Mojo at the Open House - I bet she'll capture your heart too! 

This is a copy of my article I wrote for the June 2008 edition of the SE Examiner. Please post comments with questions, comments on how you keep your pets cool, and suggestions for upcoming articles! I look forward to hearing from you.

With that glimpse of summer we had I started to realize that once again we need to prepare our pets for the hot weather ahead and there are some very unique ways to help keep your pet cool this summer. 

Seso cooling off at Lake Takhlakh summer 2006

The obvious ways, of course, are to keep your house cool while your pet stays at home. Closing blinds and running fans, or, if you have it, keeping your air conditioning set to 74 degrees F are some good ways to keep your home cooled for your pets. Leave plenty of cool open floor space for your dog to lay on, or if your basement is safe, you could put your pets down there for the day as it’s often times much cooler down there. Or consider these great Canine Cooler beds that you can be special ordered from your local pet store or purchased on line. The unique water cooled system keeps your pet cool while giving a nice cushion to lay on rather than the hard floor. Be sure to fill the bed in the place you want to leave it – they get heavy when filled. I bet cats would even enjoy them (don’t tell them what they’re called). 

Kitty drinking from a Drinkwell fountain

Cats and dogs cool themselves by panting and less productively through their footpads. Leaving cold water to drink, with ice cubes in it can give pets the opportunity to drink cold water to help keep cool. Cats are more tricky than dogs and have very individual preferences on how they like their water. Some cats love water out of the tap if your cat fits this category, let the water get cold and offer your cat a drink. If your cat only likes her water in a full cup at the bathroom sink then be sure to fill it often with cold water (use the excess to water indoor plants) and you can even try adding an ice cube or two.

Yummy Peanut Butter Frosty Paws

Keeping pets hydrated and cool at the same time is important in hot weather. If your pet is doesn’t like to drink a lot of water, try flavoring it. Use low sodium chicken broth, clam juice, tuna water or your pet’s favorite flavor. You can even freeze the flavored water into ice cubes for a crunchy popsicle treat to help them cool down. If your pet doesn’t like the popsicles, there are other ways to add moisture to diets to keep them hydrated – you can water down the dry kibble food and this works well for dogs that meal feed or you can offer canned food which always has a higher moisture content. You could even add a little water to the canned food but be careful with cats, they are highly particular on the mouth feel of their food and may not eat a watered down version. If you want to get really gourmet, why not add the flavored water to the dry or canned food? One last idea about canned food is to fill a Kong toy with canned food and put it in the freezer to make a tasty cool treat that can also occupy your dog for awhile to take his mind off of the heat. For cats you can freeze canned food into small ice cube trays and try those as a treat. There are other commercially available “ice cream” treats available for dogs (but I bet cats would enjoy them too) called Frosty Paws. They come in small containers like the sundaes that we used to get as kids. You pull off of the top and give it to your dog, maybe take a small scoop out for the cat first, and let them lick it out of the container. If your dog is the type that would EAT the container, you may want to scoop it into a bowl first. My dog loves these and they are available right in our neighborhood at Zupans and New Seasons.  

Carpet gives the room a warm feel

When I was first talking to people about my vision for the practice whenever I mentioned that I was using carpet as my flooring, I got a lot of "you'll be sorries", rolled eyes and just plain crazy looks. I had never seen a clinic with carpet before but then again, I wasn't going for anything that I had seen before. I wanted a comfortable space for pets and people and carpet adds an extra layer of comfort. Dogs are so much more stable on carpet and it really gives a warmer feeling to the rooms. The carpet I picked is a beautiful leaf pattern in brown called "All About Me" by Mannington carpets. They are carpet tiles and are really durable. You can even bleach them! Josh over at Floor Solutions helped us pick out the right carpet, got me samples in all of the colors I wanted to check out and finally helped with my order. He's been great!

Sam feeling much better

Once we put the carpet tiles in the rooms looked amazing. These tiles go on with an adhesive that holds the tiles in place but allows you to remove individual tiles for cleaning - a feauture I figured would come in handy and well, it did! This past week we saw a sick puppy named Sam. Sam had been having diarrhea and not feeling well. Turns out his diagnosis was Giardia which can cause some pretty yucky diarrhea. Sam had some diarrhea on the way in out at the curb and we were making arrangements to go collect the sample when all of a sudden poor Sam just had to go! He picked a centrally located carpet tile and deficated. It was soft and stinky and there was even blood in it. Well, we got our fresh sample and I proceeded to pull up the carpet tile, replace it with a clean one and rinse off the dirty one. It worked like a charm and Sam was nice enough to keep it isolated to one square.

Me cleaning the carpet tile - it's so easy!

Thank you Sam for testing out our carpet and we are so happy to hear that you are feeling better!