Our Olivia--2007-2010

Thanks to so many of the QG readers who left their sympathy and kind words to me on Facebook today after our precious little dachshund Olivia passed away at age 3. I'm posting this to provide closure to the previous posts from Beatrice earlier in the week.

Olivia became suddenly ill Saturday afternoon and was diagnosed with acute liver failure Sunday night. The vets don't know the exact cause. Possibilities include ingestion of a toxin, bacterial or fungal infection, accumulation of copper due to genetic deficiency or all or part or none of the above. 

Everything was tried to help her but to no avail, so finally treatment had to be discontinued and her suffering ended. Portia, DK and I were with her to say goodbye and grieve.

She was a unique and winsome little personality and we will dearly miss her. Beatrice had a couple of accidents in the house today for the first time in more than a year--she surely feels our distress and also misses her daily visit from Olivia. It breaks our hearts to see her hang around the back door where Olivia came to stay with her on weekdays while our kids were at work.

Again, thanks for the care and concern.

Here's a link to more photos and a beautiful post from Averill about Olivia on her blog Odi et Amo.

Beatrice Blogs: Olivia Responding

Woof! Beatrice here to say many thanks for the prayers and encouraging words for Olivia. 

This evening the vet says she is responding well to the antibiotic and the blood transfusion. She's not out of the woods yet but I'm hopeful she'll keep getting better. Poor thing will have more tests tomorrow, but I hope they tell her to put up with it so she can come home soon.

All for now,
Beatrice

Beatrice Blogs: Pray for Olivia

Woof! Beatrice here.

I'm very worried about my BFF Olivia. Portia and DK had to take her to the emergency vet hospital yesterday afternoon because she wasn't keeping her food down. And then she wouldn't eat. Imagine Olivia refusing a piece of cheese! She has to be really sick.

This morning QG rushed over to their house because they got word Olivia is in liver failure. The vet is doing an ultrasound this morning and the good news is that a lot of the possible causes are treatable. However, we are all very worried about her.

It's all so sudden! She was fine Friday when she spent the day with me as usual. They won't let me visit her, either.

I'll keep you posted.

Despondently yours,
Beatrice

Beatrice Blogs: Les Lapins 0, Moi 3

Woof!

Olivia and I have banished the Suburban Rabbit Huntin' Blues Chez QG.

This weekend I bagged my third (count 'em!) rabbit and gave it up to El Jefe. I don't like eating rabbit--I much prefer pork--but it's all about the thrill of the hunt.

Olivia spotted a rabbit earlier this week in the front yard and dashed through the front gate after it. She's just getting started in the rabbit-hunting game, though, and lost her prey. Whilst the rabbit skittered across the street to safety she was still in the front flower beds howling and searching for it. I'm going to give her a lesson in following the scent later this afternoon. When QG isn't watching....

Meanwhile El Jefe put chicken wire on the front gate to keep Olivia from getting out onto the street. There's construction on both sides of the house right now and those big trucks are a real hazard to little dachsies.

Yours for a Rabbit Free Zone,
Beatrice

Olivia Blogs: Fun With Fences

WOOF!

Olivia here.

QG may have mentioned the fact that there is a new house being built on the lot next door.

That means that field mice, bunnies and frogs are trying to move into her back yard.

HAH! Not while I'm on duty over there!!

This morning I chased a mouse through QG's fence and into the construction next door. QG was NOT amused, tho' I don't know why because I KNOW she is not a fan of mice.

There I was, in hot pursuit of said rodent, leaping merrily through the high grass, nails, broken glass, mud and construction debris. And there was QG trying vainly to get me out of there, almost falling in the muck.

I felt sorry for her so I let her catch me, but we had a hard time getting around all the c*&p in the yard and home again.

Then for some reason she wouldn't let me go outside again unless I was on a leash. HMPH. Some gratitude, that's what I say.

Time for a nap now.

Yours for a rodent-free yard,
Olivia

(NOTE from QG: When Olivia returns tomorrow she will find chicken wire affixed to the aforementioned iron fence so that she can't get through the posts anymore.)

Beatrice Blogs: Happy With a Real Dog's Life

Woof! Beatrice, your Canine Correspondent here.

QG left the front section of the Wall Street Journal on the floor this weekend and I got to reading this article about how American Parents Go to the Dogs After the Kids Leave.

Verrry interesting, I say. Portia and Babs are gone but I don't notice QG and El Jefe chauffeuring me and Olivia around to compete in dog sports, take agility classes, and make play dates with their friends' dogs. Sounds like a hectic life to me. Don't think we would like that. It might interrupt Olivia's power naps and the time I need to spend barking at the birds in the backyard.

~nudge from Olivia~

Okay, so Olivia reminds me that one time they took us to the new dog park in the neighborhood. No other dogs were there and I had fun running up and down a ramp. But Olivia didn't like it. She sniffed all around the perimeter and then whined to be picked up. She must have some Yankee genes in her somewhere 'cause she doesn't seem to like wide open spaces.

Olivia and I chewed up that article real good so QG wouldn't get any ideas. We're happy with a walk or two a day.

Yours for a Real Dog's Life,

Beatrice

Olivia Blogs: My Portrait

Woof! Olivia here. QG decided to try painting my portrait. after doing some of the drawing exercises in her painting course. I didn't have to pose because she took my picture first and used it for her go-by.

SHHHH. Don't tell Beatrice, she'll be jealous. Don't know why, it's hardly great art.

But I'm thinking that maybe I have a career as a model, dah-lings. Ta-ta for now.

Woof!
Olivia

Beatrice Blogs: St. Patrick Inspires Our New Business

WOOF!

Beatrice here.

Olivia and I have decided to start a new business--snake sniffing out. We're announcing it today in honor of St. Patrick who drove all the snakes out of Ireland.

Sunday evening we made our cornered a snake for QG and El Jefe. The viper had the affrontery to be lolling around in the flowerbeds.

We snarled and barked and snarled and growled and barked until El Jefe came out to investigate.

"Its no mere garden snake!" he exclaimed and picked it up with a broomhandle and tossed it over the back fence.

The snake in question was about a foot long and a couple of inches thick with lots of grayish markings. QG wondered if it was a young rattlesnake, it being springtime and all. But we don't know.

We're very proud of ourselves.

And we're cheap. We'll sniff out your snakes for a peanut butter flavored dog treat. Call us at 1-800-SNAKEAWAY and ask for the 2 Dachsies. Don't call the house. QG doesn't approve.

Just remember:

Saint Patrick was a gentleman
Who through strategy and stealth
Drove all the snakes from Ireland
Here's a drinkee to his health!
But not too many drinkees
Lest we lose ourselves and then...
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see them snakes again!
~Author unknown

Looking forward to helping you NOT see the snakes again,

Beatrice

Olivia Blogs: Beatrice, Scourge of Kitties

Woof! Olivia here.

I'm checking in because it is my duty to give a report on Beatrice's deportment while El Jefe and QG were on vacation. And it wasn't quite as stellar as the pet sitter reported. Oh no.

All the pet sitter saw was Beatrice on best behavior. But at the end of the day when we were at Portia's house for the night, Beatrice turned into the Scourge of Kitties. (Portia and DK have two cats.)

WOOF! WOOF! Beatrice here--move over Olivia! I'm not the only one who likes to chase kitties.

~SHOVE ~

Olivia back again. Sorry Bea, this is my post. Get your own.

Well, the fracas escalated on Thursday to the point that Subi (a/k/a the Fraidy Cat) got so freaked that she lost all control of her...ahem...bodily functions all over Portia. That did it. Now Portia thinks it is a bad idea for Beatrice to sleep over more than a couple of nights.

Phooey. Anybody got any tips for training Beatrice to be sweet to Subi and Cleo? Anybody want to bet this can be done?

Your practically perfect in every way pet correspondent,

Olivia
Don't hate me cause I'm gorgeous

Olivia Blogs: My New Diet

WOOF!

Olivia here.

So yesterday QG took me for my annual checkup with the vet. I was very proud to see I hadn't gained any weight since the last visit.

But that wasn't enough for the doctor! Oh, no! She told QG I really need to lose a pound or two.

Not fair! I only weigh 12 pounds. That's the same as Beatrice. Okay, well, so what if she is a lot bigger than I am. I have a lovely curvaceous figure and she is a stick. HMMMPH!

So now QG can't give me my fat-free cottage cheese (hey, doc, its FAT FREE!) and has to cut me back to 1/4 cup of food a day. No more delicious cheese snacks from El Jefe. No more mouth-watering peanut butter treats for doing my "bidness" when asked.

I tell you SOMEONE is going to be sorry!!!

Your despondent friend,
Olivia