Smattering Sunday

CharlesCamp1 from Mary Martin on Vimeo (which it looks like I'm going to have to upgrade to improve the picture).

Dr. Newest Vet sent this to me from yesterday's day at "camp" for Charles. His gait has improved dramatically from only two sessions of cool laser-physical therapy-underwater treadmill. I was told that 10 sessions will probably get him to as good as he's going to get, which at this rate might be close to back to normal. I asked if this is one of those therapies where the effects wear off between each session and the short-term improvements never turn into long-term ones and he said no. He also said he can achieve healing. That was the word I was looking for.

We'll see.

Also, an update on Emily's 50% vegan (Ami) diet. When I bought it she hadn't had kibble in a very long time and she'd devour it only to vomit it back up five minutes later. I tried soaking it (I soak the dogs' kibble) but she wouldn't eat it. To determine whether it was the Ami or kibble in general I snatched some samples of Wellness and she had the same issue. So for her Ami meal she can have about 10 kibble at a time, over a couple of hours. She devours them, too, but there's no vomiting involved.

There's no change in her condition. She's still overweight and prickly. I bought a new laser light and my husband and I have committed to using it every day and getting her to sprint around the house (away from the dogs-don't worry) for at least 15 minutes/day. And if anyone has any ideas about how to get a couple of pounds off of her I welcome them. She doesn't eat a lot, so decreasing her calories doesn't seem like a great idea. The problem is lack of activity.

Anyone have any luck walking a cat with a leash and harness? I'll try anything.

Next, to today's New York Times and Gary Steiner's fantastic Op-ed called "Animal, Vegetable, Miserable,"which begins with:

"LATELY more people have begun to express an interest in where the meat they eat comes from and how it was raised."

(Try not to think about the "meat" being "raised" and the "it." And the "strict ethical vegan" to come.)

And then it proceeds to:

"None of these questions, however, make any consideration of whether it is wrong to kill animals for human consumption."

Finally! And great timing: between Jonathan Safran Foer and Thanksgiving.

I'm going to give thanks to The Times by e-mail.