Thursday, April 7, 2011

Poor Charlie...

In our house when it comes to scrappy, scruffy charm and sheer entertainment, Charlie takes the cake!  There is no question that he is the 'star' of our household.  The Goldens are laid back easy going, they like routine and go with the flow. Usually if there's a little injury, or they don't feel well, they are stoic and uncomplaining--Not Charlie, he's the total opposite.  Right now he has a small place on his leg that he's been licking (and licking) that is now sore.  I shaved the hair around it, cleaned it really well, put on an antibiotic and wrapped it up and put a 'sock and shoe' on him to keep him from being able to get to it.  While I've no doubt it's a little tender, Charlie cried and whined and tried to get away from me the whole time.  Today when I've come near him his eyes are full of suspicion and doubt.  I can only hope that my treating this at home will do the trick and he won't have to go to the vet.  If he does, I may have to find a therapist for him...And for me!

All in all, a quiet day at home--The weather is finally feeling like spring, and I'm seeing more of my  perennials every day.  I've been reading about keeping guineas.  Someone told me that they will eat stink-bugs.  Does anyone know if this is true?  The news is reporting that the number of stink-bugs is expected to be 'biblical proportions' this year.  If what we're seeing already is any indication, we'll need all the help we can get!
~We saw this guinea hen while in Tennessee in March~
 

34 comments:

  1. That Charlie!!! He sure is cute dispite what ails him. Hope he is on the mend.
    Your guinea is beautiful!!
    Stink bugs of Biblical proportions?? I think we've had them that bad before. Yuck!!

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  2. What a funny dog and so good of you to take care of him. The guinea's are a pretty bird, I can't believe they could eat a stink bug..yuck! LOL

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  3. no idea on the guineas. would your dogs mess with them? i hope charlie gets better!

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  4. Kim, we have six (or seven, not sure) guineas and it's difficult to tell what they are eating.

    We get the squash bugs here (very similar) and I guess I've never paid attention if they eat them or not. We got the guineas for the ticks, which they do eat, so they say. :)

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  5. Kim, Poor Charlie...well, there always has to be one, doesn't there? Full of attention seeking behaviors :) I'm glad it's getting to be srping in your area. WE are blessed with it in full force! Hurray!

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  6. Kim,
    Guinea's do eat stink bugs along with a lot of other.
    Check out this link;
    http://guineafowl.com/board/read.php?2,22807,22870

    Hope this helps.


    Sheila & Bob

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  7. I do believe that Charlie's "got your number"! ;-)

    I only know what I've read and that always focuses on how they eat ticks. One thing you should know, (again, not from personal experience but anecdotal) they are quite noisy and in a not particularly pleasant sor of way. You might want to try googling a video or two...

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  8. Oh Charlie's sweet face melts my heart! Sending healing thoughts!
    xoxo

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  9. Every family needs a dramatic, big baby when they are ill or hurting. Charlie gets to be yours. I'd tell you who that would be at our house, but somebody would be embarresed. Excuse me while I go outside and practice my howling.

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  10. Hi Kim. It seems that Charlie not only looks like Gracie, he acts like her too. Oh Charlie, you're so adorable!!
    Gary and I were on our way home from Gettysburg last month and I almost caused him to wreck the car because a stink bug was crawling on me. I screamed, he swerved, Eek! I got it though. We are having ants right now which isn't real cool either. Give Charlie a BIG HUG for me!!

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  11. Guinea's are so beautiful.
    If you had some,, they probably would get obese- right??? from eating all those stinky bugs!
    We have stinky lady bugs out here!

    Poor little Charlie and his footie, I hope it gets better soon.
    Maybe some kissys would help
    love
    tweedles

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  12. Poor Charlie - I'm sure he'll recover from both his sore spot and the related emotional trauma!

    I don't have any personal experience with guinea fowl, but there has been a long-standing two-family feud running in our rural neighbourhood over the keeping of guinea fowl, because of the (loud) sound of their calls. A classic yuppie-moved-to-the-country-wanting-peace-and-quiet vs. farmer-trying-to-make-a-living feud. I definitely come down on the side of the farmer, but you may want to check out the noise issue before you commit to anything!

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  13. Oh dear, I hope Charlie feels better soon! Did you know that German Shepherds can be big babies too? Especially the males from what I've seen with my mom's dogs...

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  14. Hey there Kim...
    I'm sorry to hear about Charlie.
    Do you know that our Toffee does that too - and regularly. Obviously all dogs are different, but maybe I can tell you about Toff' and the way we treat his issue.
    His licking issues are most likely psychological. Our vet advised me to wash his paws thoroughly (with soap and water) when he gets into one of his compulsive licking states. Thereafter I dry them thoroughly (with a hairdryer) and leave the paws open. I keep him away from anything wet - especially the grass.
    Strangely, this routine has REALLY helped Toffee, so now when I see him licking, that's what I do - it stops the compulsion in its tracks. In Toffee's case, it's the repeated licking that causes the sore paws. You never know, maybe this simple procedure might do the trick. But you would know best. Good luck. :)
    Sending lotsaluv
    MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

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  15. More than ever I'm convinced that Cahrlie and Wilf must be distant relations.

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  16. Guineas and goldens - now that's a combo!!

    I've found there is a drama hog in ever pack - Lilly is mine. She absolutely hates any medicine that must be rubbed on her - but she'll take a pill in a heartbeat!!

    Have a great weekend.

    Lynn

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  17. Poor Charlie!!!

    I'm glad you are getting a bit of spring ~ I hate to jinx it ~ but things are looking up here too! Keeping my fingers crossed spring is here!!

    xo Catherine

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  18. Someone needs to shoot those stinking stink bugs... every last one of them! I've read that nothing will eat them and no pesticides or poisons will kill them... Scientists better get busy on this because these bugs are taking over the world!!! LOL

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  19. Poor Charlie, I hope he gets better. Soldier goes berserk at the vet -- I can't even take him. I don't know about guineas, but they have them at the rescue next door and they scared my poor Angel so. She was shaking like a leaf for the longest time. You may have to rescue the dogs from them rather than the other way around.--Inger

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  20. Poor Charlie! OH the humanity! (hee hee hee).

    Must have been something in the air yesterday. Gwen, who is usually quite stoic, was pretty upset with me for trimming her franken-nails.

    How our dogs suffer!

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  21. Charlie...I feel for you...humans can be so demanding and invasive! Hugs!

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  22. There's one in every family.

    Tess is our drama queen. The others never bat an eye over vaccinations and such, but Tess screams as if she's being tortured.
    Morgan, Tsar and the Porties

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  23. I hope Charlie is better soon. My first golden used to lick and lick his front paws raw. It was often seasonal - spring weeds set him off, and his licking (and my trying to stop him) drove us both quite mad!

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  24. I like my paws a little too much for Momma's liking. I even chew them a bit but don't tell Momma. I think I do this because of things that happened in my past.

    Tiffy

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  25. Oh no poor Charlie. I hope he feels better real soon. I have heard that guinea fowl will eat stink bugs. We have had a lot of those little stinkers already. I think I flushed at least 10 today. YIKES
    Have a wonderful weekend
    xoxox
    Mimi

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  26. Charlie is a cutie for sure! Hope his leg gets better soon.

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  27. Oh, Charlie, I hear you. When you have a problem and don't tell the humans, they complain. When you do tell them, they complain. So what's the problem? We still complain less than the humans do.

    Buddy, the vocal hound

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  28. O, poor Charlie, hope his leg gets better soon.

    Geez, I'm glad I don't have to put up with stink-bugs, they sound horrible!

    The guinea hen looks pretty ... :0)

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  29. If your Guinea Fowl ate too many 'stink bugs' (we call them 'shield bugs'), wouldn't they taste odd?

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  30. Thank goodness those stink bugs haven't made it this far North yet. I am praying that our Winters will be too cold for them.

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  31. Forgot to say that I hope that Charlie feels better soon. I'm willing to be that, by this time, he has forgiven you and all is well.

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  32. Poor Charlie and what a colorful shot of the guinea hen, I love the sound they make as they roost for the night.

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  33. How is my little friend Charlies footie?
    love
    tweedles

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  34. I read through your posts and learned that you did get Biblical proportions of stink bugs. Yuck! Hope the extermination works wonders. Poor Charlie - what a pitiful look! Enjoy spring (with no stink bugs).

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