In Between and the Need for Simulation

So Cricket and I are in a bit of an "in between" space. I finished my first thirty day program and now I want to do something else. I'm still spending time with her each day but it's fairly low key. My hope is to create another program to continue and build upon what we started in this last thirty days. I don't think our next adventure needs to be constrained by a certain time limit (i.e. x number of days) but it does need to be measurable.

In our current down time, I'm working on Cricket's deworming program. I have been very negligent of this aspect of her care and it's time to do something about it. It is important to me to exhaust every avenue of natural deworming products. I am loathe to introduce chemicals into her system. I just got her headshaking under control and I'm determined to keep it that way.

In order to evaluate my efforts, I'm making sure I do fecal exams on her before and after each deworming product so I can see if it is having any impact on her. The first thing I tried didn't work worth a plug nickel. On the recommendation of a natural vet, I used three tubes of natural paste dewormer administered daily for three days.

To say this stuff smells disgusting would be the understatement of the year. The predominant smells are cloves and garlic. But the label says it has "apple flavor." Whatever. A total waste of additive, if you ask me.

The first day I brought Cricket into the arena with dewormer and cookies. She took the tube just fine and we continued with a really nice play session.

Day two, I was in a bit of a hurry so I decided just to deworm her at liberty in her stall. Yeah right. She came up to me but the minute she saw/smelled the tube, she turned and said, "see ya!" I haltered her up and with a little protest on her part, administered the dewormer.

Last night she wouldn't even come up to me. I had the dewormer and a second tube of molasses. Nope, nothing doing. She was quite against the idea of allowing me to slip the tube in her mouth. Of course, when I did, she was a perfect lady and accepted her medicine.

So while I try to figure out my next program, I have an "in between" program of deworming simulation. I have a container of applesauce and we'll play with getting her to accept the tube without throwing her head around.

I almost hope this crap doesn't work so I don't have to do this ever again!