On Tuesday, December 8, we leave Hi Jolly BLM and head into town to The Scenic Road RV Park, where I made previous reservations. (The road is honestly not the least bit scenic here, to my way of thinking, but it’s a nice RV park.) Kerry does the same, and once again we are near-by neighbors.
My first day here I do six loads of laundry! It’s the dust. Dust seems to billow out of everything I own at a mere touch, after two weeks in the desert. The washers here are $1.50 and the dryers are .75, so it’s a pretty good deal. In Parker recently I stopped at the bank and got $100 worth of quarters. Quarters are a valuable commodity to full time RVer’s, between the laundry, car washes, and even water machines. Most places give change…except when you really need it, when they seem to be out of quarters, and machines are out of order.
On Wednesday I decide to take a ride into Parker, mostly just because. I text Kerry to see if she needs anything. The reply comes back, “WAIT!” I step outside and see her and Annabelle hurrying from the laundry area. “Annabelle just ate some rat poison!!” In seconds Kerry Googles it, and reads that she needs to give Annabelle 1 teaspoon of Hydrogen Peroxide per 10 pounds of body weight. She quickly mixes 7 teaspoons with some broth, and Annabelle readily drinks part of it, but not all. I hurry home to find a syringe so we can feed her the rest. By the time I come back Annabelle has already deposited her breakfast and the tell-tale blue poison on the ground. Good girl! Once in the trailer, just for good measure, she deposits more on the floor.
I go to Parker and Kerry goes to the vet. They tell her she did exactly the right thing. They also administer activated charcoal to absorb any left over poison, and give a vitamin K injection. Vitamin K is a blood clotting agent. Apparently one of the major things rat poison does is cause internal bleeding. Annabelle suffers no ill effects from the poison because of Kerry’s quick and correct actions.
And this, hot off the press….Kerry just found out that her next procedure is scheduled in Phoenix for this coming Monday, on an outpatient/one night stay basis. We discuss our options and then head for the office to see if we can extend our stays for a couple of days. We get the ok on that…Yay! Thank you to The Scenic Road RV Park. We can leave our little homes right where they are, and I’ll dog sit from here while Kerry goes to Phoenix. It’s all working out. 🙂
Wandering Spirit 
So glad Annabelle is fine, but how terrifying! Where did she find the poison – Is this something that RVers typically have or was it somewhere at the park? Are Joy and Shiloh at risk for this too? So glad that Kerry had the hydrogen peroxide on hand though, same questions on that!
Laura
Hi Laura,
The De-con was in the laundry area, behind a washing machine. The rules say ” no dogs are allowed in any park buildings.” That is what I usually find in RV parks. However, if a dog would get loose, or a stray cat came in, or someone’s grandchild was toddling about, this could be a disaster waiting to happen.
Annabelle is only a year old and very sweet but she can be headstrong and one thing she seems to do is eat whatever she finds on the ground, like rocks and sticks, etc, if the mood strikes her. Kerry is working with her, but not feeling well right now, so it’s even more difficult than usual.
Kerry had the Hydrogen Peroxide on hand, as do I. It’s a handy dandy thing that one just needs to have around for various purposes….though mine remains yet unopened.
During all my trips back and forth to the laundry, Joy and Shiloh have remained at the trailer. Last time I was here I tied them outside the laundry once. They have never been inside that building. (I stayed in this same park before I went out to the BLM. I’ve also arranged to stay here for most of the month of January, into February.)
Thanks for the Kerry update. Geez, that certainly was a close call for Annabelle. Did Kerry talk to the laundramat? If the poison was easy for a dog to find, you know a toddler could do the same. That’s pretty irresponsible.
My good friend had a stone blasted last month. Hers was a day surgery. It went well but she felt a bit sore for a week afterwards, like someone had punched her in the gut. She feels GREAT now. Best wishes to Kerry!
Hi Caroline,
You know, I don’t know if Kerry has talked to management here about the poison. She may want to wait till she gets past the trauma or feels better. It is really odd that they have it so easy to reach. It is out of sight behind the washer, but not out of reach, obviously. The container is up on a shelf in plain view. I saw it when I was doing all my laundry, but never noticed the container on the floor….well because I wasn’t looking behind the washers.
Thanks for mentioning about your friends stone. Good to know she is feeling better. I think that’s the same procedure Kerry will have. It helps to know what to expect.
Totally unrelated, but how have your dogs adjusted to fulltiming? Goldens are pretty laid back in general but still, their lifestyle has changed.
Really good question Caroline. there were so many changes for them!
1. The small size of our home. I feel sure they would prefer larger living quarters. Early on when I talked to my vet about it, he reminded me that dogs come from wolves who live in dens. They live in small cozy areas, very close with their family and friends. He felt size would not be an issue. However my dogs lived in a small-but-big-enough home before, with a doggie door and a fenced yard. They had more space and freedom than they do now. I try to compensate with lots of walks, dog parks, and the occasional place where they can run free. Most of the time I leave the door open so they can come in and out as they please during the day, and many times they choose to come in, so I do feel that they have adjusted to the size.
2. Changing locations. The fact that we move frequently….is it something they like, or not? Hard to tell sometimes. When we come to a new spot, sometimes Joy will get out of JR, sniff around, pee, and they get back in the truck and lie in the back seat! It seems to take her awhile to accept some places. Then when they see me getting ready to leave, they seem subdued. They LOVE their walks, meeting new dogs and people, and sniffing EVERYTHING.
3. Going bye-bye. That used to be a big, exciting adventure. Now, when I talk about going bye-bye they look at me and it’s like they are saying “What else is new?” I use a ramp to get them in and out of the back seat, and I have the back, which is a “crew cab” fixed so the whole area is level so they have a decent amount of space. They don’t get car sick and seem content as long as it’s cool inside.
Another factor here is age. Joy is 12, and doing well for 12, but still… It’s harder for her to get around than it used to be, and her vision isn’t what it once was. You wouldn’t know there were any problems when she greets you. She was born to love, and it’s love at first sight for her with 99% of the people she meets, and she has no qualms about showing affection.
Shiloh is 9 and so far has slowed down only slightly. He’s much more reserved than Joy though.
Most everything I do is all about the dogs. I really want them to enjoy this life. People often ask me ‘ isn’t it awfully crowded with the 3 of you living in that small trailer?’ My answer is ‘ Yes, it’s kind of tight, but we all love each other, so it works.’ I think that’s what makes the adjustments possible…because we all love each other.
Thank you for such a detailed response! Good info to consider..
I don’t worry so much about the size of the space; more about the constant change in location. But dogs always let you know when they’re not happy … just like little kids I guess :>)
Again, thanks for taking the time to respond with such helpful info. Cheers!
I’m glad you have a friend on the road now! I really enjoy reading your adventures. Glad everything turned out ok!
Have happy holidays – and if you can get here we may have a spare 8th row ticket for Mexico City March 14:-)
Be well! XO
Girl! Don’t tell me that! 😂😂😂. 8 th row, maybe even I could see the stage. OX to you too, Deb!