Tara & Ivana (GA)
Member Since 2015
Last post from ages ago
Yes, we are still alive and well! It's been way too long since my last post, life has been crazy-busy lately as I've recently started studying again - postgrad Masters degree in Human Nutrition, which I'm loving but has been taking up a LOT of my time and focus.
The good news is that Ivana is still doing really well
She's been staying in the green numbers so her remission is strong, although we still check every week or so just incase.
We noticed before her last vet appointment that she was starting to change her eating (not as eager), and she did have some plaque/tartar (not sure which) build-up on her teeth. The vet got some off, and we're still brushing her teeth most nights, but her teeth are still far from wonderful. Vet said that we may need to talk about a dental in the future, but that it has risks and the risks may be too great for the benefits. I'm leaning in that direction too, but we'll see when the time comes. Anyway, Vet said that her teeth may have been the reason why she was not eating as eagerly, gave her a shot of antibiotics for gingivitis and it helped immediately so I guess that was an issue for poor Ivana. She was also a little dehydrated so we stopped the Healthy Mouth in her water incase that was making her drink less.
Her eating has changed a bit though - as some of you will remember, Miss I was diagnosed with CKD in January last year so we've been managing that along with her FD diet. She had a list of allowable foods that I would take shopping with me. BFF food was recalled and taken of the shelves maybe 6mths ago, and unfortunately she lost about half of her allowable menu, so I can't wait til it comes back so we can give her a bit more variety. She is going through stages of not liking a particular flavour - right now, she won't eat any chicken (possibly because she shares the loungechair with a pet chicken every night?). Makes it tricky when a good portion of the food we can give her is chicken-based! And you know how it is, you have to open 4 cans to find the thing they feel like eating that meal...
As it stands we are pretty much just giving her whatever food she wants, whenever she wants (within reason) because we figure that sooner or later the CKD is going to take away her appetite so we'll take advantage of her appetite now while we can.
Other than that, all is well here. We still have our lonesome chicken Shiraz who lives indoors with us from sunset til morning, and her and Ivana spend the evenings on the lounge next to each other. With a bit of a gap between them of course haha. Our foster guinea pigs Sasha & Big Ted were adopted, and we now have a new foster of Bamboo the bunny. The four ducks are still going well, although now that it's spring the boys Bill & Ted are busy trying to make ducklings much to the annoyance of the girls Thelma & Louise.
It's not an Ivana-update without a photo, so here you go! She doesn't look 19 yrs old does she?
Yes, we are still alive and well! It's been way too long since my last post, life has been crazy-busy lately as I've recently started studying again - postgrad Masters degree in Human Nutrition, which I'm loving but has been taking up a LOT of my time and focus.
The good news is that Ivana is still doing really well
She's been staying in the green numbers so her remission is strong, although we still check every week or so just incase.We noticed before her last vet appointment that she was starting to change her eating (not as eager), and she did have some plaque/tartar (not sure which) build-up on her teeth. The vet got some off, and we're still brushing her teeth most nights, but her teeth are still far from wonderful. Vet said that we may need to talk about a dental in the future, but that it has risks and the risks may be too great for the benefits. I'm leaning in that direction too, but we'll see when the time comes. Anyway, Vet said that her teeth may have been the reason why she was not eating as eagerly, gave her a shot of antibiotics for gingivitis and it helped immediately so I guess that was an issue for poor Ivana. She was also a little dehydrated so we stopped the Healthy Mouth in her water incase that was making her drink less.
Her eating has changed a bit though - as some of you will remember, Miss I was diagnosed with CKD in January last year so we've been managing that along with her FD diet. She had a list of allowable foods that I would take shopping with me. BFF food was recalled and taken of the shelves maybe 6mths ago, and unfortunately she lost about half of her allowable menu, so I can't wait til it comes back so we can give her a bit more variety. She is going through stages of not liking a particular flavour - right now, she won't eat any chicken (possibly because she shares the loungechair with a pet chicken every night?). Makes it tricky when a good portion of the food we can give her is chicken-based! And you know how it is, you have to open 4 cans to find the thing they feel like eating that meal...
As it stands we are pretty much just giving her whatever food she wants, whenever she wants (within reason) because we figure that sooner or later the CKD is going to take away her appetite so we'll take advantage of her appetite now while we can.
Other than that, all is well here. We still have our lonesome chicken Shiraz who lives indoors with us from sunset til morning, and her and Ivana spend the evenings on the lounge next to each other. With a bit of a gap between them of course haha. Our foster guinea pigs Sasha & Big Ted were adopted, and we now have a new foster of Bamboo the bunny. The four ducks are still going well, although now that it's spring the boys Bill & Ted are busy trying to make ducklings much to the annoyance of the girls Thelma & Louise.
It's not an Ivana-update without a photo, so here you go! She doesn't look 19 yrs old does she?
Best wishes with your studies - I know that is an intensive course.
Obviously I missed it the first time around. 
I'm glad you were inspired to update us. I think these pictures of Miss I are much more flattering!
