Yesterday we took the puppy to the vet for his stitches removal appointment. The good news is he is healing well. The bad news is he may have to have another surgery. He is struggling in elimination. The prescription is a teaspoon of Metamucil with every meal and soft foods for two weeks. Apparently, this little one had some internal issues and the vet told me his interior portion of his anus was not complete when he did the surgery so he had to pull it together and stitch it up. So, this may be an issue of learning to use the muscles or there maybe something wrong inside in which case there will be more surgery in his future.At this point it is a wait and see game plan. Poor little baby has had a time.He spent 45 minutes this morning prior to the first dose of Metamucil trying to get it all out. Hope you were not eating while reading this blog! If so, sorry! He is a trooper and is doing well with what all has been handed to him.
This week has been fun for him. He has chased the chickens around the yard. He has chased the cats around the yard. He has carried off two pairs of shoes and teethed on them- amazingly he did not destroy them - just got them wet from all his drool! He has slept every night with one of the cats perched upon the ottoman which has a comforter and a towel on top so it is nice and comfy! He has learned to chase the laser dot around the house. This is our method to wear him out when he is too hyper for us and it works like a charm. Playing with the laser pointer also promotes his socialization with the inside cats, this is the one time he is not biting at their heels and they are playing in unison, therefore there is no puppy slapping going on! He has decided that no matter what size the dog he meets- he is scared and he is going to bark at them! It happened here at home and it happened at the vet- this little 22 lb puppy raising all sorts of cane at a rottweiler at the vet office- it was so funny- the rottweiler just looked at him like...what... your barking at me! I had to shield his eyes to make it to the car with him - it was the only way to keep him from sounding like he was going to rip up the other doggie!
He has met his first friend, one of our doggies got to come in and play with him twice this past weekend. They were not too sure about each other at first but within fifteen minutes they were playing. Now he barks when he hears his friend bark outside... how sweet! All in all... he is part of the family now... still no name... because nothing fits yet... but when you name every single animal in your farm... you are eventually going to have this problem!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Life with the Pup
We have had puppies before. They are nothing new to us. Life with this puppy is very different. He does the normal puppy actions such as chasing the cats by pouncing around the house with a full body wiggle and a giggle. He licks and bites at people in a playful way when he is excited. He, however, has a unique set of challenges because of is medical issues that we are not use to. The main difference with this puppy and all the others we have had before is this one does things he can not help.
First of all, he can not control his bladder all the time and leaks. He seemed to be better about it after the surgery but now I am beginning to believe that maybe he was swelling and that is what was helping him keep the contents of his bladder restrained. He actually slept through the night last night and didn't have an accident in the house... which thrilled me this morning! I got up and walked him and brought him in to feed him and noticed the towel he slept on was damp. Poor thing had leaked while he slept. There have been other incidents of this this past week.
Yesterday he walked through the kitchen leaking a bit and kept stopping and licking himself and whining. He doesn't seem to understand it. In fact Saturday seemed to be the first time he noticed it - I honestly think he blamed me! It was just two days after his surgery and he leaked a little on my jeans and shirt. I put him in the floor and he then sniffed the spot above the knee of my jeans and tilted his head almost to say, "why did you do that"? His reactions to things are comical, one can almost read his thoughts because of the way he jesters.
So, training him is a bit different. We encourage him to lay on towels or puppy approved blankets in the living room. We discourage him from going anywhere in the house that has carpet instead of hard surfaces for flooring. We do not get on to him for having any sort of leakage issues, he can not help it and it actually seems to bother him. Leakage is definitely challenge number one with him.
The second challenge with this puppy that is that he had surgery. Life with an animal that has had major surgery is always a little difficult. Of course you have to make sure they do not injure themselves or remove the stitches. The surgery gave him a good many stitches but he doesn't seem to notice them 90% of the time. Then after surgery you have to medicate them. He is on antibiotics for weeks because of the surgery and the infection he had prior to surgery. These are standard challenges and I do not squabble with them... they are what they are.
My main discouragement from the surgery is that he seemed to be house trained in two days by us prior to surgery, now we are having to retrain him. We are making sure the only things we yell in this house are "NO" and "Down"! We do not get upset when he has any sort of accident, instead we escort him outside promptly and praise him when it completes the elimination act outside! Right now I have plenty of paper towels and Lysol on hand to clean the floors! I have never had to train a puppy twice and it seems to be harder this time.
No matter how different he and this situation are there is always a smile on our faces. He is such a sweet puppy. He seems to really like it here and seems to be flourishing in this environment. We have given up all hope of him being adopted out. I don't think anyone would take on his challenges of incontence- to whatever degree he has and his predisposition to ut infections. We are planning to heal him in the house then move him to the yard when he is older and more capable of playing with the other dogs. At this point there are not any regrets! My husband told me something the other night that fit, "We now know the price of a concionce ... what was it $752.00? Because if you had left him on the road then you would not of slept well that night knowing you left him, so with your conciounce you stopped and dealt with him and it cost you... which is fine because I would of done the same thing"! I have an amazing family, an amazing life and I am blessed with every ounce of my soul and if I share it with a farm of rejects (what I call all the dumped animals) then so be it.
First of all, he can not control his bladder all the time and leaks. He seemed to be better about it after the surgery but now I am beginning to believe that maybe he was swelling and that is what was helping him keep the contents of his bladder restrained. He actually slept through the night last night and didn't have an accident in the house... which thrilled me this morning! I got up and walked him and brought him in to feed him and noticed the towel he slept on was damp. Poor thing had leaked while he slept. There have been other incidents of this this past week.
Yesterday he walked through the kitchen leaking a bit and kept stopping and licking himself and whining. He doesn't seem to understand it. In fact Saturday seemed to be the first time he noticed it - I honestly think he blamed me! It was just two days after his surgery and he leaked a little on my jeans and shirt. I put him in the floor and he then sniffed the spot above the knee of my jeans and tilted his head almost to say, "why did you do that"? His reactions to things are comical, one can almost read his thoughts because of the way he jesters.
So, training him is a bit different. We encourage him to lay on towels or puppy approved blankets in the living room. We discourage him from going anywhere in the house that has carpet instead of hard surfaces for flooring. We do not get on to him for having any sort of leakage issues, he can not help it and it actually seems to bother him. Leakage is definitely challenge number one with him.
The second challenge with this puppy that is that he had surgery. Life with an animal that has had major surgery is always a little difficult. Of course you have to make sure they do not injure themselves or remove the stitches. The surgery gave him a good many stitches but he doesn't seem to notice them 90% of the time. Then after surgery you have to medicate them. He is on antibiotics for weeks because of the surgery and the infection he had prior to surgery. These are standard challenges and I do not squabble with them... they are what they are.
My main discouragement from the surgery is that he seemed to be house trained in two days by us prior to surgery, now we are having to retrain him. We are making sure the only things we yell in this house are "NO" and "Down"! We do not get upset when he has any sort of accident, instead we escort him outside promptly and praise him when it completes the elimination act outside! Right now I have plenty of paper towels and Lysol on hand to clean the floors! I have never had to train a puppy twice and it seems to be harder this time.
No matter how different he and this situation are there is always a smile on our faces. He is such a sweet puppy. He seems to really like it here and seems to be flourishing in this environment. We have given up all hope of him being adopted out. I don't think anyone would take on his challenges of incontence- to whatever degree he has and his predisposition to ut infections. We are planning to heal him in the house then move him to the yard when he is older and more capable of playing with the other dogs. At this point there are not any regrets! My husband told me something the other night that fit, "We now know the price of a concionce ... what was it $752.00? Because if you had left him on the road then you would not of slept well that night knowing you left him, so with your conciounce you stopped and dealt with him and it cost you... which is fine because I would of done the same thing"! I have an amazing family, an amazing life and I am blessed with every ounce of my soul and if I share it with a farm of rejects (what I call all the dumped animals) then so be it.
Friday, January 22, 2010
The Puppy is Home!
We picked up the puppy today just before noon. When the doctor brought him in to the exam room he started whining at the top of his lungs and tried to jump out of his arms to get to us :) It was adorable! He whined and whimpered the entire time the doctor spoke to us... I asked the doctor if he had been that vocal while he was there and he said, "no, he is just happy to see you two". It was sweet!
His surgery went well and he doesn't seem to be hurting any. He wiggled all the way home... and whined all the way home... and licked my daughter's face... all the way home! We were expecting to get this calm little puppy back but guess what? He is so hyper now! He pounced around the living room and kitchen chasing the cat, he got into the pet bed and rolled around with his mini build a bear stuffed animal, he growled and whined all afternoon. We finally realized that if we stopped talking to him or petting on him that he would act out... so we had to adjust the way we, as humans, were acting and ignored him for awhile. It was hard not to talk to him in baby talk and love on him... but it worked out... he calmed down. I guess he had so much energy from being in a cage at the vet that he had to release it somehow!
He is doing remarkably well and this was a big surgery but extremely less than first anticipated. He has a shaved arm from the iv. He has stitches from his belly all the way to the end under the tail but doesn't seem to be hurting. He wants to lick it so we have to put Vaseline on his stitches to discourage it and to help protect his incision. Now he just has to heal... which shouldn't be a problem!
The vet bill went down a good bit to from almost $1200 to $752.00 which in itself is wonderful! The vet took off some of the basic charges such as the office visit and gave us a few freebies like free dog food while in the hospital and a free frontline treatment. The vet staff was wonderful and they all loved the puppy. One vet tech told me they didn't know what to call him because we never named him and they started calling him "shim" which was funny to hear.
That leads us to the next decision for this little monster... what do we name him? We have toyed around with ideas... like "seven" because he would make dog number seven for us. My husband suggested "magic jack", "shorty", and "slick". My daughter has begged us to name him "Lola". But, I guess it will have to come in time. Any good suggestions? Send them my way.
I will take pics of him over the next few days and upload them... today I was only able to get a few pictures of him because he would not stay still!
His surgery went well and he doesn't seem to be hurting any. He wiggled all the way home... and whined all the way home... and licked my daughter's face... all the way home! We were expecting to get this calm little puppy back but guess what? He is so hyper now! He pounced around the living room and kitchen chasing the cat, he got into the pet bed and rolled around with his mini build a bear stuffed animal, he growled and whined all afternoon. We finally realized that if we stopped talking to him or petting on him that he would act out... so we had to adjust the way we, as humans, were acting and ignored him for awhile. It was hard not to talk to him in baby talk and love on him... but it worked out... he calmed down. I guess he had so much energy from being in a cage at the vet that he had to release it somehow!
He is doing remarkably well and this was a big surgery but extremely less than first anticipated. He has a shaved arm from the iv. He has stitches from his belly all the way to the end under the tail but doesn't seem to be hurting. He wants to lick it so we have to put Vaseline on his stitches to discourage it and to help protect his incision. Now he just has to heal... which shouldn't be a problem!
The vet bill went down a good bit to from almost $1200 to $752.00 which in itself is wonderful! The vet took off some of the basic charges such as the office visit and gave us a few freebies like free dog food while in the hospital and a free frontline treatment. The vet staff was wonderful and they all loved the puppy. One vet tech told me they didn't know what to call him because we never named him and they started calling him "shim" which was funny to hear.
That leads us to the next decision for this little monster... what do we name him? We have toyed around with ideas... like "seven" because he would make dog number seven for us. My husband suggested "magic jack", "shorty", and "slick". My daughter has begged us to name him "Lola". But, I guess it will have to come in time. Any good suggestions? Send them my way.
I will take pics of him over the next few days and upload them... today I was only able to get a few pictures of him because he would not stay still!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Update on Surgery- Unexpected diagnosis
Thursday, January 21, 2010, 12pm
I just got a call from the vet office. He pulled through surgery and all went well! But I was just told something that made my jaw drop... this puppy was not butchered like we (including the vet) had thought... instead he is a hermaphrodite! He did not develop properly and had multiple parts. It was born this way. Which as the doctor said, "restores my faith in humanity". It makes me feel so much better about this world and I feel a lot safer living on my street!
Because of these medical issues he basically had a sex change operation and had changes made to his urinary system. The vet told me that he may never have full bladder control and yes, he will still be predisposed to urinary track infections so continual treatment will be necessary! The charges will be decreased about $300 off the total bill of almost $1200... so we are still looking at a $900 give or take bill. The good news is it was less invasive surgery than anticipated!
The doctor had diagnosed him with what he believed to be the case on Tuesday and today during surgery the real reason for his disfigurement was found out. I did not mean to mislead anyone- this new diagnosis was a shock to us all. I will post more pics when I am able to get him!
They will call me in the next day or two to let me know how he is and when they think he can come home. I am thrilled it is over with and he is on the road to recovery.
I just got a call from the vet office. He pulled through surgery and all went well! But I was just told something that made my jaw drop... this puppy was not butchered like we (including the vet) had thought... instead he is a hermaphrodite! He did not develop properly and had multiple parts. It was born this way. Which as the doctor said, "restores my faith in humanity". It makes me feel so much better about this world and I feel a lot safer living on my street!
Because of these medical issues he basically had a sex change operation and had changes made to his urinary system. The vet told me that he may never have full bladder control and yes, he will still be predisposed to urinary track infections so continual treatment will be necessary! The charges will be decreased about $300 off the total bill of almost $1200... so we are still looking at a $900 give or take bill. The good news is it was less invasive surgery than anticipated!
The doctor had diagnosed him with what he believed to be the case on Tuesday and today during surgery the real reason for his disfigurement was found out. I did not mean to mislead anyone- this new diagnosis was a shock to us all. I will post more pics when I am able to get him!
They will call me in the next day or two to let me know how he is and when they think he can come home. I am thrilled it is over with and he is on the road to recovery.
Day Three- The Bottom Line
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Up early and off to the vet we went. I arrived just after 8 am and the vet met me at the front desk. We spoke and I explained the injuries and he agreed... surgery needed to be preformed. My heart sank even though I knew it was coming. In the exam room an estimate was prepared and I was told that they would remove his penis and the sheath- not sure what it is called but I am beyond googling it this morning. They will make him an area like a little girl dogie. He is predisposed to urinary track infections and when I described how bad his urine smelled he told me he may already have one. This is going to be a hard surgery for him. He is going to be hospitalized through the weekend at least! I cry just thinking about it.
The vet told me they didn't know if he would ever have full bladder control and with this injury we don't know if he will get more urinary track infections because of the location of his urethra. It is located just below his anus... right where he sits down. So, there is little hope of finding him a good home... that is stable... where someone can take him to the vet as needed to get medicine for urinary track infections. With no bladder control no one will want him in their house and outside might pose more danger for him in the long run... at this point I am holding out little hope for finding him a future home. The surgery has to be done first and the healing then later a home... worse case ... we keep him and figure it all out in the long run. But all of that in due time... first we have to deal with the surgery! Please pray for this little puppy- we have not named him yet but he comes to anything you call him...
The vet told me as he showed me the estimate that this might be a bit of a shock... the estimate ended up being $1168.10 and this is just the estimate! I signed the paperwork and they agreed to let me make payments on this bill. I cried as I left the vet office not because of the bill but because this precious pup has to endure all of this. The part that gets me is if someone did this to me ... I think I would hate humans forever... he loves people!
I will get a call this afternoon telling me how the surgery went and I am anxious to hear how he is and what all they ended up doing to him. I will update this blog then!
I have had a friends tell me to set up some sort of paypal donate bar and I have... it is located on this blog.
I will gladly document all payments received and payed on this puppies behalf!
Also, I am including more pics of him and his injuries and the bill~
Up early and off to the vet we went. I arrived just after 8 am and the vet met me at the front desk. We spoke and I explained the injuries and he agreed... surgery needed to be preformed. My heart sank even though I knew it was coming. In the exam room an estimate was prepared and I was told that they would remove his penis and the sheath- not sure what it is called but I am beyond googling it this morning. They will make him an area like a little girl dogie. He is predisposed to urinary track infections and when I described how bad his urine smelled he told me he may already have one. This is going to be a hard surgery for him. He is going to be hospitalized through the weekend at least! I cry just thinking about it.
The vet told me they didn't know if he would ever have full bladder control and with this injury we don't know if he will get more urinary track infections because of the location of his urethra. It is located just below his anus... right where he sits down. So, there is little hope of finding him a good home... that is stable... where someone can take him to the vet as needed to get medicine for urinary track infections. With no bladder control no one will want him in their house and outside might pose more danger for him in the long run... at this point I am holding out little hope for finding him a future home. The surgery has to be done first and the healing then later a home... worse case ... we keep him and figure it all out in the long run. But all of that in due time... first we have to deal with the surgery! Please pray for this little puppy- we have not named him yet but he comes to anything you call him...
The vet told me as he showed me the estimate that this might be a bit of a shock... the estimate ended up being $1168.10 and this is just the estimate! I signed the paperwork and they agreed to let me make payments on this bill. I cried as I left the vet office not because of the bill but because this precious pup has to endure all of this. The part that gets me is if someone did this to me ... I think I would hate humans forever... he loves people!
I will get a call this afternoon telling me how the surgery went and I am anxious to hear how he is and what all they ended up doing to him. I will update this blog then!
I have had a friends tell me to set up some sort of paypal donate bar and I have... it is located on this blog.
I will gladly document all payments received and payed on this puppies behalf!
Also, I am including more pics of him and his injuries and the bill~
Day Two
Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010
This little puppy has really started to warm up to us. He has been trained to walk on a leash- still not too fond of the idea but he will walk if you call him. He has started pouncing around at the cats and playing with toys. He tries to chew on a rawhide bone but can't figure out how to hold it still! He is adorable. I sent out emails trying to find him a good home and not had any offers yet. We are not rich and we know this upcoming surgery will be costly. I worry for him because it is not going to be an easy surgery and the recovery is going to be painful! How in the world could someone do this to a puppy? I keep asking myself over and over but it is of no relief to me to ponder the question. Anger sets in and I feel so angry that someone could do this... what a jerk! There is no moral compass that could account for someone being so mean to an animal! All along this little puppy is inside playing in the floor! He doesn't appear to be in pain and the vet agreed with that yesterday.
Today has been a bonding day with him- my husband and daughter are super attached already. I am praying we find him a home before I too get there... which is of course happening. I know he is going to have medical problems from here on at this point and surgery is inevitable. Hoping for the best and trying to not get so upset over what has been done. But of course that is a hard road to travel when you see this puppy!
There are pet spay programs available and there are two I have used in the past here in Georgia.The programs are wonderful and cut the cost of the procedure. It is more human to do this and do it right then let them reproduce over and over and let the puppies roam the roads like this little fella.
Here is the info on them in case you too need a pet to be spayed.
The Pet Mechanics low cost spay and neuter service
1-800-978-5226
www.leftoverpets.org
The costs include a rabies shot with this program.
Female Dog $60 to 75, Male Dog $50, Female Cat $50, and male cat $30.
These prices were from last November so please check with them for current pricing.
They utilize four locations in Georgia for a mobile clinic. Drop off in the morning- pick up in the afternoon.
www.spaygeorgia.org
With this program you call and order the paperwork, fill out the paperwork, include a check and mail back in for a certificate to a vet on the list. It is a reduced fee program but you still have to pay for the rabies vaccination at the vet.
This little puppy has really started to warm up to us. He has been trained to walk on a leash- still not too fond of the idea but he will walk if you call him. He has started pouncing around at the cats and playing with toys. He tries to chew on a rawhide bone but can't figure out how to hold it still! He is adorable. I sent out emails trying to find him a good home and not had any offers yet. We are not rich and we know this upcoming surgery will be costly. I worry for him because it is not going to be an easy surgery and the recovery is going to be painful! How in the world could someone do this to a puppy? I keep asking myself over and over but it is of no relief to me to ponder the question. Anger sets in and I feel so angry that someone could do this... what a jerk! There is no moral compass that could account for someone being so mean to an animal! All along this little puppy is inside playing in the floor! He doesn't appear to be in pain and the vet agreed with that yesterday.
Today has been a bonding day with him- my husband and daughter are super attached already. I am praying we find him a home before I too get there... which is of course happening. I know he is going to have medical problems from here on at this point and surgery is inevitable. Hoping for the best and trying to not get so upset over what has been done. But of course that is a hard road to travel when you see this puppy!
There are pet spay programs available and there are two I have used in the past here in Georgia.The programs are wonderful and cut the cost of the procedure. It is more human to do this and do it right then let them reproduce over and over and let the puppies roam the roads like this little fella.
Here is the info on them in case you too need a pet to be spayed.
The Pet Mechanics low cost spay and neuter service
1-800-978-5226
www.leftoverpets.org
The costs include a rabies shot with this program.
Female Dog $60 to 75, Male Dog $50, Female Cat $50, and male cat $30.
These prices were from last November so please check with them for current pricing.
They utilize four locations in Georgia for a mobile clinic. Drop off in the morning- pick up in the afternoon.
www.spaygeorgia.org
With this program you call and order the paperwork, fill out the paperwork, include a check and mail back in for a certificate to a vet on the list. It is a reduced fee program but you still have to pay for the rabies vaccination at the vet.
Day one- we found an injured puppy
I have never had a blog before. Before this I was just a college grad out of work and a stay home mom. I found my blogging spirit when I found a this adorable puppy. I want to share his story with you.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010- Day one.
I pulled in my driveway and saw a puppy walking up next to the road on the grass. He was too small to be out roaming by himself. I remember thinking... he is adorable! I got out of the car and walked over to the grass and kneaded down. I called for him and he wouldn't come. He dropped to the ground and went as flat as he could against it. He wagged his tail when I spoke to him and finally with a little encouragement he got up and came to me. I pulled out my cell phone and called my husband to tell him that I had found a puppy and while I was talking to him on the cell phone I noticed something was wrong with him. I rolled him over while petting him and noticed his private parts were injured. So, off to the vet we went.
We took him to the Commerce Veterinary Hospital and he told us he believed that someone had tried to castrate this puppy at home. The injuries were unknown at that point but looked like it would just be cosmetic surgery for him. His testicles had been removed and his penis sheath had been cut and his penis was dropped down and exposed almost as if someone had tried to circumcise the puppy too. We were told we could do surgery but the earliest for the surgery would be Thursday. The more we spoke to the vet the more it made sense to maybe wait and see if he could relieve himself on his own and if his penis was functional in this capacity then we could probably wait and do cosmetic surgery when he was older if we opted to. We were told what to look for and go from there, so, we went home with our nervous little friend.
When we got home he drank and drank water. He ate a bowl of dog food. He watched our inside cats nervously and laid flat on the the floor inside. He was friendly when spoken to but still unsure of what was going on. He finally went to the bathroom and my husband discovered that he was not utilizing his penis. His urine was coming out just below his anus in the back as a cow would relieve itself. So, we knew we would have to go back to the vet. Later that night my husband discovered a puddle behind the puppy as he slept, it appears he has bladder control issues as well.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010- Day one.
I pulled in my driveway and saw a puppy walking up next to the road on the grass. He was too small to be out roaming by himself. I remember thinking... he is adorable! I got out of the car and walked over to the grass and kneaded down. I called for him and he wouldn't come. He dropped to the ground and went as flat as he could against it. He wagged his tail when I spoke to him and finally with a little encouragement he got up and came to me. I pulled out my cell phone and called my husband to tell him that I had found a puppy and while I was talking to him on the cell phone I noticed something was wrong with him. I rolled him over while petting him and noticed his private parts were injured. So, off to the vet we went.
We took him to the Commerce Veterinary Hospital and he told us he believed that someone had tried to castrate this puppy at home. The injuries were unknown at that point but looked like it would just be cosmetic surgery for him. His testicles had been removed and his penis sheath had been cut and his penis was dropped down and exposed almost as if someone had tried to circumcise the puppy too. We were told we could do surgery but the earliest for the surgery would be Thursday. The more we spoke to the vet the more it made sense to maybe wait and see if he could relieve himself on his own and if his penis was functional in this capacity then we could probably wait and do cosmetic surgery when he was older if we opted to. We were told what to look for and go from there, so, we went home with our nervous little friend.
When we got home he drank and drank water. He ate a bowl of dog food. He watched our inside cats nervously and laid flat on the the floor inside. He was friendly when spoken to but still unsure of what was going on. He finally went to the bathroom and my husband discovered that he was not utilizing his penis. His urine was coming out just below his anus in the back as a cow would relieve itself. So, we knew we would have to go back to the vet. Later that night my husband discovered a puddle behind the puppy as he slept, it appears he has bladder control issues as well.
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