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3) Westie Rules For Christmas: - Lorraine

1. Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans.
2. They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.
3. Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.
4. They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know:
a) Don't pee on the tree
b) Don't drink water in the container that holds the tree
c) Mind your tail when you are near the tree
d) If there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesting or that have your name on them, don't rip them open
e) Don't chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree
5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part:
a) Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans
b) Don't eat off the buffet table
c) Beg for goodies subtly
d) Be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa
e) Don't drink out of glasses that are left within your reach
6. Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important: - Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people's houses. (4a is particularly important) - Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house - Tolerate children - Turn on your charm big time
7. A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night. DON'T BITE HIM!!

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4)   Christmas In Mexico - from Dolores

We want to share with you the Mexican Xmas Tradition with you. Enjoy!

Posadas is a nine-day holiday beginning December 16 and ending December 24 "Noche Buena" (Holy Night).

It represents the difficulties that Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus, faced in finding a room when traveling to Bethlehem. In it, groups of children (or sometimes adults) go from house to house singing a traditional song requesting lodging (posada). In each house, the owner responds with refusal (also in song), until they reach the designated site for the party, where the owner recognizes Mary and Joseph and allows them to come in.

Typically, each family in a neighborhood will schedule a night for the Posada to be held at their home, starting on the 16th of December and finishing on the 24th.

Every home will have a Nativity scene, and the hosts of the Posada act as the innkeepers. The neighborhood children and adults are the "pilgrims" (Peregrinos), who have to request lodging by singing a traditional song about the pilgrims.

The "Pilgrims" will symbolically ask for lodging at three different houses, but only the third one will allow them in. That will be the house where the Posada will be held for that evening. Once the "innkeepers" let them in, the group of guests comes into the home and kneels around the Nativity. This is followed by the singing of traditional Christmas songs and a party for the children, including a piñata.

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5) Members Question - Furunculosis  from David

A worrying development: the boys needed haircuts so off we all went on Friday morning. When we collected them 2 hours later Deborah - their groomer - pointed out that Archie had a bit of a rough patch on the top of his nose. We looked and Sue saw what looked like a couple of puncture marks and a bit of rough skin.

As we pass the vets on the way home we called in and were lucky enough to find Esther in and available. She examined Archie, gave him an antibiotic shot, washed the area with a treatment and gave us some tablets and some more of the wash.

She advised us that it was Furunculosis and was a fungal infection of the hair follicles. Within 24 hours the whole top of his muzzle was sore and suppurating and bleeding. We have arranged to see Esther again tomorrow. Naturally I Googled the ailment and am pretty alarmed. Has anyone else any experience of this ailment?

Worried of County Mayo,


David

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Oh dear, Max has this a lot but it isn't like that

He gets the swellings at the base of the hair follicles and the scabbiness. The patches last for quite a while but they don't bleed or ooze.

I bathe them with Hibiscrub and put antibacterial powder on them.

He gets them mostly on the side of his face, where his whiskers are and under his chin.
 

Alison

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I can't say I have heard of this before and will keep a check on Meg. I do hope Archie is better soon and that Finnegan doesn't suffer too. Thank you David for alerting us to this.

Elaine

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Daisy once had a fungal infection on the leathery black bit of her nose, and just around it. It sounds a bit like what Archie is suffering from, and the treatment from the vet was identical, but he didn't mention that name. Does anyone remember - I posted a photo of it to see if anyone could identify it, but it was a long time ago.

Jean

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The full list of the great replies are in the Crazy about Westies forum

6) Members  Photos

7) Inspirational  Christmas Quote:

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Again take care of yourselves in this sometimes crazy world. As I keep saying in my newsletter.

Try to be kind to those that you meet, because most of them will be fighting a bloody hard battle of life.

Jeff

Jeff Cuckson
Editor
Westie News
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Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating
to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies
or other animals and their treatments is for informational
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advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not
use the information contained herein for diagnosing the
health of any animal. You should always consult and check
with your own vet or veterinarian.
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