Monday, October 27, 2014

"BOO"


Does your pet get the hiccups?  Callie does-- a lot. They are violent, rib shaking jolts. Don't know about her, but I know my own hics can drive me batty. I so feel for those poor souls who hic for 40 years. I would have never made it past a full day before turning violent. Luckily for my sanity and other's safety, mine are rare and brief.

My cure for the serious hics is to drink water through a paper towel held tightly over a glass. That is for those of us too unskilled to drink from the back of a glass or while upside down. Can people really do that??

Drinking pickle juice worked well for a while but it really tastes nasty and as rarely as I eat pickles, I would eventually end up with dried up gherkins lying in a glass jar. Now days if the hics are minor, a sip of Twist Up that stays open in the refrigerator usually does the trick and tastes better.

I am not a big soda drinker.  One can usually lasts me 4 or 5 days so there is always one on tap sitting open in the fridge. No, I don't mind when it goes flat.  It is just there for a quick sip for thirst relief when I don't have time to chug a bottle of water or for random hiccups.

Scaring is supposed to work but when there isn't another person handy, "booing" your self is not very effective. It is hard to sneak up on oneself and I find it just impossible to not know when it is coming. Morning mirror viewing are really scary and would be effective but I have yet to wake up with the hics.

All my regular tricks are not useful at all for poor Callie. So I tried the one that doesn't work for me-- BOO.  She usually gets the hics while lying on the couch beside me. I have no idea how she handles those she might get while outside. She is on her own out there.

I ignore her for just a moment then suddenly turn on her and yell "BOO."  Boy do her eyes fly wide and she looks at me like the "bend" has finally arrived and I have just slid violently around it. She always gives me the look imploring, "What is WRONG with you?"  But it works. The hics are gone.



Wanting her to have the hiccups in order to film her was quite effective in keeping them away so I borrowed this video from YouTube.   While the hiccups, are less pronounced in this small dog-- the cure, the wild eyes and owner remorse are identical.

Does your pet get the hiccups? I hear even hamsters get them. How about your own hic cures?

31 comments :

  1. I haven't had them in years. I guess it really DOES work to get scared out of them. Poor Callie! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have been assuming that Slim is dreaming but maybe it is the hiccups. That never dawned on me.

    My single cure that has worked for my hiccups for years is to take a deep breath and hold it while swallowing ten sips of water. It works every time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm a tablespoon of sugar guy for the hiccup cure. But a quick glass of water sometimes works as well. And yes they are annoying...:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. My Saint Bernard bestie, Willow, used to get "hicker ups" as Ry called them when he was small, a lot. Scaring never worked with her. But giving her a teaspoon of sugar always did.
    Callie looks like she was none too pleased with the scare tactic but it worked. So cute.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Drink from the back of the glass always works for me, never tried the strainer thing.

    Scaring never worked either, glad it works for your pup cause as you say, I don't see a dog drinking out the back side of a bowl.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jeepers, that scare worked. I've never seen any of the pets (critters) have hiccups and actually I have rarely had them and if I did, it was so long ago, I can't remember. Whatch, now that I talk about it, I'll probably get the. Ha

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm between pets right now, but breathing into as bag seems to help when I get them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The solution might be to quit drinking...

    ReplyDelete
  9. I don't remember our kitty cat Bonsai ever getting the hiccups. I'm glad that you found a way to scare those away from poor Callie. When I have the hiccups, I drink a glass of water very slowly while holding my breath. It works for me, and I am always so grateful when they stop.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've never heard of this... I had a dog for about 15 years and don't remember her EVER getting the hiccups... AND--I seldom (all through the years) get them also... SO---I didn't know all of the possible remedies --for both humans and animals... NEAT!!!! Glad you found a 'cure' for Callie...

    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  11. Holding my breath seems to work best, for me....Sometimes I have to do it more than once, but it does work, ultimately.

    Poor Callie---I never had a pet that had hiccups for more then a few 'hics'....and then they just seemed to go away by themselves.
    I do think scaring someone works, too.....Someone did that to me once and it got rid of the Hiccups right away.
    Have never understood the idea of drinking backwards out of a glass....Like, HOW????

    ReplyDelete
  12. Djan,
    Not sure she likes the cure but it does work. Lucky you not getting them. They are rare for me also thank goodness.

    Grannie Annie,
    I am almost convinced that the cures that work make us concentrate on something else--or we get the hiccups scared out of us.

    TB,
    Yes they are. Haven't tried sugar. May give it a shot next time.

    Linda W.
    St. Bernard hiccups must have been impressive. Didn't know dogs would eat sugar but why not? Bet Callie would like that better than getting the pee scared out of her.

    Cranky,
    You're definitely are more coordinated than I am. I tried it a couple of times but ended up wearing most of it.

    Manzi,
    Dang, I hope I didn't give your diaphragm any ideas. Lots of cures here if I did.

    Stephen,
    I saw that work on a friend who hyperventilated so I can see why it would work on hics.

    Brighid,
    Ha, not here, I haven't had a drink in 35 years and I've had Callie on the wagon from the get go.

    robin,
    I don't think cats get them but I could be wrong. They are such dainty eaters that it is unlikely.
    They really annoy don't they?

    Betsy,
    Lucky you and trust me, you aren't missing a thing.
    Pretty sure Callie would choose another way however.

    Naomi,
    That is something I will try for sometimes, I am no where near a glass and a paper towel. Hope it works for me also.
    Proper scaring really is a quick cure.

    ReplyDelete
  13. OH no, I think she hurt her dogs feelings. He looked so stunned by her "betrayal".

    ReplyDelete
  14. Never had an animal who got hiccups, but our daughter used to get them when she was a baby. So funny to see that startled look on her face. And then she would laugh a little after each one. Obviously we never tried to scare them out of her.

    ReplyDelete
  15. You know I've never seen any of my cats have hiccups. Maybe they just scare each other!

    I tend to try to hold my breath while drinking water. Never could manage the drinking upside down or from the back of the glass.

    ReplyDelete
  16. That is pretty funny. I hate getting the hiccups but fortunately I don't get them often.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I rarely get the hiccups, but I hate it when I do. I don't do anything in particular to get rid of them as they usually don't last very long.
    My kitties haven't yet had the hiccups that I'm aware of. We had a dog once that would get them every now and then.
    Now, I'm off to figure out how to drink from the back of a glass. Maybe it's because it's getting late and I've got one eye on the ballgame, but that one puzzles me!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Poor Callie (and I don't mean because she gets the hiccups!). I rarely get them, thank goodness. I think breathing into a paper bag works and I've heard holding your breath works. I agree that morning mirror would be a good cure if the timing was right.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sue,
    I know. Callie gives me a similar look but her hics stop immediately. Hopefully she forgives me.

    NCmountainwoman,
    Callie just acts annoyed with them as they are quite violent. Sometimes she reaches around and looks as her side jerks.

    Eileen,
    Pretty sure cats eating habits prevent them. They are much more dainty eaters.

    Olga,
    Me too. Thank goodness they aren't regular. They drive me nuts.

    Cheryl,
    If you succeed let me know. I have tried and so far haven't gotten close to succeeding. Don't think I am limber enough.

    Barb,
    Yes, she is unhappy with me at the time but it is short lived as I beg forgiveness. Thank goodness her short term memory is weak.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Dear Arkansas Patti, I hesitate to admit that I seldom get the hiccups. So I have no ready remedies. I do hope that Callie and you both grow out of them. Peace.

    ReplyDelete
  21. As long as it works and there are no ill effects from scaring sweet Callie then I would say you have found a quick and easy solution to her hiccups. Hope she gets a treat or some extra hugs after you scare the bee-jeebies out of her. lol Chancy has never had hiccups and I have them so rarely and they pass so quickly when I do have them I have never done anything but hic 3 to 5 times and they are gone. Hugs for you and nose kisses for those sweeties!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I don't really get them, and if I do it's only a few.
    Harry used to get them which is common in puppies up to a certain age (I forget what is at the moment). From 8 weeks to that age he had them regularly. We called him "Hiccup" for the longest time. He or the other two rarely have them now.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have never had an animal that got hiccups! I used to get them all the time. But I would draw the line at pickle juice LOL

    ReplyDelete
  24. I haven't had hiccups for a very long time. Poor Callie, don't know what's worse, hiccuping or your scaring the dickens out of her!!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your remedy works on humans too!

    www.volatilespirits.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I've never had a pet with hiccups, but it looks like a fun excuse to scare the beejeezus out of them!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Dee
    Lucky you. Pretty sure it is because you probably have moderate eating habits. I hear wolfing down food is a main cause.

    Maggie,
    Oh yes, she gets lots of hugs and petting after wards. Luckily she has a short memory. Mine are really quite rare but annoying when they do visit.

    Barry,
    It is common in puppies and they usually grow out of them. Callie has to have really soupy food to make sure she gets enough water. I am sure all that slurping is a cause.

    Keith,
    It is my last ditch effort also. Nasty stuff and Callie won't touch it.

    Muffy,
    Wish I had gotten a video of her hiccuping. Her's are really violent and the scaring stops them immediately.

    Anupama,
    Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. It does work doesn't it?

    RMW,
    I don't use the tactics of the lady in the video and just resort to a loud BOO. Still it startles the heck out of her and is perfectly effective. Fortunately she is quick to forgive.

    ReplyDelete
  28. The only thing that works for me is gasping- taking deep breaths quickly. But I rarely get the hiccups anymore. I feel for Callie- it must hurt.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Terri,
    Me to anymore but poor Callie gets them a lot partly because I have to make sure her water intake is sufficient so I make her food soupy and she has to lick it up. Not sure if they hurt her but they are violent.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Poor Callie with her hiccups. I feel guilty for laughing as I read about you "scaring" the hiccups out of her.

    Thank goodness I don't get them very often, since I haven't found any remedy to stop them except time.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh my gosh! The video is so cute. I do always drink from the back of the cup and it always does the trick, but... ummmm... that would be rather difficult for a dog to do. Poor Callie.

    ReplyDelete

Comments moderated. No spam will be published nor comments with links