This is highly unusual. I’ve never seen a prickly pear cactus on my trails before with spots like this.
It’s downright suspicious if you ask me.
How did these spots get here, and what do they mean?
Could this cactus have a spot causing disease?
I certainly hope not, because that would mean these spots could spread all over my trails.
Can you imagine every cactus on my trails bearing spots?
And then what happens if those spots jump even further – if they jump onto another kind of cactus, or hop onto the bushes or trees.
This is terrible! What if, when I’m leaving a message for my friends, one of those spots jumps off a bush and lands on me?
What would I do then?
This is getting really serious. I’d better put on my Detective Dog hat and investigate.
That’s better. Now I’m seeing things a little more clearly.
Wait! What is this?
I’ve got it now.
Those spots aren’t the beginning of an infectious disease at all.
This is much worse.
This is the beginning of an invasion of a far more dangerous kind.
I’d better put together an army of dogs to combat this.
This is no cactus!
This is an alien in disguise!
bongodogblog 
Anonymous
May 24, 2013 at 10:58 am
That’s awesome! I hope it’s not dangerous..
Bongo
May 24, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Thanks Jackie. I’m still investigating, but I’m pretty concerned.
dianeskitchentable
May 24, 2013 at 10:58 am
I thought it might be an alien Bongo – I recommend taking your detective hat off & making a new one out of tin foil…works for me….Lola
Bongo
May 24, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Great idea Lola. That way those aliens can’t work their mind control on me.
marina kanavaki
May 24, 2013 at 11:34 am
Alien in disguise!!!! I love this interpretation, Bongo!!! Very probable too. It is either this or it’s got the chicken pox!
🙂
Bongo
May 24, 2013 at 1:03 pm
Marina, now I don’t know what to think. I hope I’m not going to find a lot of sick chickens running around on my trails.
marina kanavaki
May 24, 2013 at 1:30 pm
😆 😆
philosophermouseofthehedge
May 24, 2013 at 11:52 am
Oh, nooooo! Is this the origin of THE black holes NASA talks about?
(Molly says she did not eat the sky and cause black holes…she is quiet on the chunks missing from the window sill…. But she is happily waiting your alert for paws to protect!)
Bongo
May 24, 2013 at 1:06 pm
Molly, I may need your help here. I may find black holes opening up and aliens jumping out of them any minute. Oh yeah, did that window sill taste good? I haven’t tried that yet.
susank456
May 24, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Sherlock Bongo, you look positively sleuthy. I agree with you aliens are among us.
Bongo
May 24, 2013 at 1:07 pm
Susan, I hope those aliens don’t overtake my trails. I may have to find a new place to go on my walks.
susank456
May 24, 2013 at 2:33 pm
If you need help battling aliens, call and I’ll bring Orso and Charlie as reinforcements.
Bongo
May 24, 2013 at 5:00 pm
Susan, I’ll be calling. I’m putting together my dog army now.
Gizmo
May 24, 2013 at 5:20 pm
BOL! I love your alien Bongo…Those spots are really strange…I’ve never seen anything like that on our cactus…better do some serious sleuthing
Bongo
May 24, 2013 at 6:41 pm
Gizmo, this is the only cactus that I’ve ever seen spots on. I sure hope they don’t spread.
BZ Dogs
May 25, 2013 at 12:53 am
On no! Alien Prickly Pox! Ahhhhh…. Don’t get too close or you might turn into Dalmatian.
FWIW: If you want a more likely cause:
http://ag.arizona.edu/plp/plpext/diseases/native/opuntia/opuntiaphylo.html
Bongo
May 25, 2013 at 12:58 am
BZ, I need to include you in my investigative team. This looks like what that alien has. I’d better watch it though. I’d have to do a total rework of my blog if I turned into a Dalmatian.
Genevieve Petrillo
May 25, 2013 at 5:50 am
That cactus reminds me of myself! I have spots all over me – even on my gums. Sometimes, kids say I look like a chocolate chip cookie. HEY! Maybe it’s not an alien cactus at all… Maybe it’s a cookie!!
Love and licks and YUM!
Cupcake
Bongo
May 25, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Cupcake, I think I’d better go back out there and check that cactus out again. If it’s a cookie I’ll share it with you.
Jane Doiron
May 25, 2013 at 7:19 am
Sounds like a good mystery for Scooby Doo! 🙂
Bongo
May 25, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Jane, maybe I’d better get Scooby Doo on my team. That would be awesome.
kolytyi
May 25, 2013 at 9:23 am
I don’t think that that cactus is dangerous. I think it knows that you are partly a pointer (look at these pals: http://bunkblog.net/dog-breeds/german-shorthaired-pointer/german-shorthaired-pointer-temperament) and that those trails belong to you, so it thought it would be nice to express their admiration for you.
Bongo
May 25, 2013 at 1:12 pm
Kolytyi, I like the part best where it says we need treats to help us behave.
eripanwkevin
May 26, 2013 at 1:03 am
*gasps!!!* OMD! An alien!!! How scary he is! Look at his unusual big mouth as if he tried to bite something or he might be shouting!!! *grabbingmyweapons* Okay Bongo…I’ll join your army! Probably I might not be strong but I can be a little help for you!! 🙂
Bongo
May 26, 2013 at 1:36 pm
Kevin, that’s so great that you’re gonna join my army. Our strength is in our numbers. Can you imagine a whole bunch of dogs running around and patrolling my trails to keep the aliens away? How fun is that?
Bassa's Blog
May 26, 2013 at 1:59 am
It looks like rot/infection Bongo 😦
Bongo
May 26, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Bassa, one of my friends sent me a link to what it probably is. Some kind of fungus. I think it’s probably an alien fungus.
Dalton
May 28, 2013 at 1:52 am
I don’t like the idea of aliens!! *worried ears*
colliesofthemeadow
May 28, 2013 at 4:28 am
hmmmm…. wonder if we can use them in the army for world domination? Do they eat cats?
-Ginger
Bongo
May 28, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Ginger, I’m sure cats are on the top of the list in those alien’s diet. With our dog army we can capture those aliens and put them to work for our good.
angelswhisper2011
May 28, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Aliens, they pop up everywhere Bongo. Are you sure he isn’t sick, he looks sick 😀
Bongo
May 28, 2013 at 2:03 pm
Little Binky, he might be a really sick alien. Actually I think he has some kind of fungus.
Misty Shores Chesapeakes
May 29, 2013 at 3:37 pm
I think you better break out your laser gun Bongo, this alien may not be friendly.
Bongo
May 29, 2013 at 4:08 pm
Misty Shores, I’m putting together my dog army now. I’ll supply them all with laser guns.