Friday, October 30, 2009

Drugs and Dolls

Farm Town has gotten in the way of life.  I have discovered I have a raging case of OCD.  Who knew.  I find myself arranging my crops in patchwork quilt patterns, then challenge myself with finding the right combination so the entire field will be ready to harvest at once.  It is like a giant puzzle and I am finally SICK OF IT!

But isn't my farm pretty? 


My butt is growing wider in my computer chair, my arms hurt, my hand hurts from all the stinking clicking and I seem to have a perpetual head ache.

So, I am calling for a ban of all things Farm Town for now..at least this very moment in time.

Good thing too, because last night Bonnie and Brynn decided to poison themselves. Just like little kids, when mom is distracted they do everything they can possibly think of to maim themselves. 

I was playing Farm Town last night  (imagine that?) and heard a weird crunching sound.  I shouted for John to look and see what it was (since he was closer).  He darted into the living room quickly and then back to his computer where he messaged me on Face Book (40 feet away mind you) from his office (because he is now addicted to Farm Town too) that he took a chewed up pill bottle away from Brynn.

I freaked out...and started yelling "WHAT PILL BOTTLE"

His response was to dart into my office and toss the mangled bottle onto my desk only to fly back to his office to complete harvesting someone's field.

I looked at the pill bottle and freaked some more.




As a nurse I have been trained to handle emergent situations by remaining calm, in control and  gifted with an ability to remove my self personally from a crisis situation.  It is a skill that has come in handy over the years raising too many children.  Like when my son was standing on the roof of the garage with a bed sheet tied under his shoulders - ready to jump off and parachute to the ground like daddy.  Or the time when I pulled into the drive way to watch my son leap out of the second story window - fearing the imminent crash onto the hard ground beneath I was suprised to see him suddenly bounce 20 feet into the air.  The kids had moved the trampoline under the window.

I made it through years of trauma brought on by raising children.  Only unhinge over a chewed up pill bottle...pathetic.

"WHERE DID THIS BOTTLE COME FROM?" I shrieked.  Then sent John racing around the house searching for the site of the crime, hoping to find pills on the floor (meaning they had not eaten them).

He found nothing.  Where ever they took it from (we suspect my daughters room).  They ate every last pill (if there were any left).

The bottle holds 90 count 10 mg Loratadine/Antihistamine (generic for Claritin).  Who knows how many were in the bottle because everyone in the house suddenly were struck with a acute case of amnesia.  

I immediately called the vet.  They told me to call the poison control line - because that is what they would do if I brought her in.   

Did you know the WA State Poison Control has had budget cuts?  If you are calling for information pertaining to a pet, you have to pay $30.00.  The nurses on the phone only have information about people...not pets or how human drugs will metabolize in a canine.  I waited on hold forever and found out nothing more than I already found searching the  internet while on hold.

The internet can be a very dangerous thing, when you are on the verge of panic.  I read this and freaked even more.

Loratadine is a tricyclic long-acting antihistamine with selective peripheral histamine H1-receptor antagonist activity. In humans, loratadine is well absorbed orally and extensively metabolized to an active metabolite. Most of the parent drug is excreted unchanged in the urine. The mean elimination half-life in humans is 8.4 hr. Loratadine appears to have a large margin of safety in laboratory animals. No deaths were reported at oral doses up to 5 g/kg in rats and mice. In rats, mice, and monkeys, no clinical signs were observed at 10 times the maximum recommended human daily oral dose.

Treatment 
Treatment of antihistamine toxicosis is primarily symptomatic and supportive. Emesis should only be considered in asymptomatic patients. Activated charcoal may be useful for recent ingestion. Cardiovascular function and body temperature should be closely monitored. Diazepam can be used to control seizures or seizure-type activity. Physostigmine is recommended to counteract the CNS anticholinergic effects of antihistamine overdoses in people, although the risk of seizures associated with this drug may limit its use. IV fluids should be given as needed.
Mind you, if the pill bottle had been even half or 3/4 full Brynn or Bonnie could have gotten up to 500-750 mg of Loratadine.

Our friend Cindy (who was a vet tech prior to becoming an RN) suggested we try and get the dogs to vomit.  Which we did.  I grabbed a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide and a syringe.  Then we tried to force the hydrogen peroxide down their throats.  After loading Brynn up with approx 20cc of Hydrogen Peroxide.  She never barfed.

Bonnie was another story.  She inhaled it, she spewed it, she began frothing at the mouth.  She looked like Cujo.  She also bit me.  Although gravely insulted at the man handling, she didn't vomit either. 

Needless to say, the vet said to watch them closely.  I didn't crate them and kept them both on the bed with me all night.  At about 4 this morning Bonnie went into her crate when I was asleep and I woke to hear her vomiting.  She hasn't been right most of the day.  She didn't want all of her breakfast - and if she doesn't perk up by tomorrow we are going into the vet.

Personally I think Bonnie is in a snit.  She is mad at me for force feeding her hydrogen peroxide (have you ever tasted hydrogen peroxide?  I would be mad too!).  She may not have wanted her breakfast but she had noooooo problem eating mine when I was distracted on the phone this morning. 

That brings me to another story I will share tomorrow.  At our lesson with Scott Glen last week he had some very interesting observations about Bonnie.  (More on that later with pictures and video).  See what Farm Town has done to me?  I have these fantastic pictures, video and great stuff to share about three dog's lessons with Scott - and here it is 11 days later and I still haven't written about it.

Farm Town sucks...errr, well, the combination of Farm Town with OCD sucks. 

Our final casualty of the week...

Sarah is a large goofy 'doll' that I have had standing in the corner of my living room for 15 years.  While she is a Christmas decoration, I found if I just turn the Christmas bag around she can be displayed all year.  I loved her long flowing hair, lovely little wreath that sat on her head.  She made me smile...

Sarah was scalped by Brynn.



Her long flowing hair was spread across the living room carpet. Dress ripped, buttons missing, delicate necklace mangled, wreath half eaten. 



 Sarah's next stop...the bin.  Nothing can help her now. 

A bored border collie will make their own entertainment.  Time to kick Farm Town to the curb - or at least exercise some restraint while imbibing.

11 comments:

Raising Addie said...

We sure do hope the pups improve soon. We are very familiar with animal poison control through the ASPCA. They have a charge as well but sometimes the manufacturer of the products consumed covers the charge.

Your farm is gorgeous! I have not put that much time into mine. Not sure if you received my comment on facebook, it took me a little time to place your name with your blog...I'm a little slow sometimes, lol... anyway for some reason I am drawn to Bejeweled now and I have no idea why. :)

Keep us posted on the pups.

Staci

Kathy said...

Hope the dogs are doing better soon. I have found that when I have to give my guys H2O2, that I have to give them than I expected and that I need to leave alone for them to vomit. I think that they think that they will get in trouble if they vomit in front of me, especially in the house.

Good luck.

Kathy said...

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I too am addicted to Farmtown on Facebook. It does give me something to do during the winter. But, you're right, it does take away from other things. I try to only play at night.

Maybe we need a FTAA (Farmtown addicts anonymous). (c:

pam said...

RIP Sarah.

(note from Brynn: don't mess with me!)

Diana said...

Its never a dull moment at your house. I hope the dogs feel better soon.

Im still waiting for you to post the story of your son falling the the animal tank at the zoo. ( I cant remember which animal it was).

Diana

D.K. Wall said...

Hope everyone is ok. Have never touched Farm Town and am working hard to battle the curiosity to see what it is like. Last thing I need is another time consumer.

An English Shepherd said...

Yes hope everyone is ok.

Your farm is very pretty ;-)

Wizz :-)

Emma Rose said...

Although you have a very nice farm, we are GLAD YOU ARE BACK! We have missed you and the dogs, and we knew it was Farm Town that stole you away :)

I hope the girls are ok. Is there anything a BC won't eat? We are learning lot's of new stuff like that around here! We also have not had much time to blog. Most of our time is taken up with Mr. Higgins. He never stops. Ok, ALMOST never!

Happy Halloween!

Kisses,
Emma Rose

Echo and Bella's Fearless Leader said...

Farmtown is wicked Evil. I am on level 34, have a mansion and it's harder than ever to the progress bar to move! I have friends inviting me to Farmville, Yoville, SororityLife, ... I think I need to write a note to work stating that my job is really getting in the way of my online life.
Good luck to you, and yes your farm is very pretty!

Loretta Mueller said...

Oh poor puppers...I totally understand about Facebook...I am trying to lessen my exposure as well :)

The doll pics cracked me UP!!!!!!!!!!!

Emma Rose said...

I have been feeling guilty all day because I didn't inquire about your "bite" in my last comment. How is it? Where did she get you? Higgins accidentally bit me when we were going for the ball at the same time. It was only one puppy tooth and I never thought it would stop burning. It hurt like hell! I hope you are ok.

How are the girls today?

The Duchess