Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Friday, October 22, 2010
Recuperation
Last week I took Maddie to the vet. Seems she cut her face on something.. probably the fence, as my dogs and the neighbors dogs "have a go at it" between fences every once in a while....It's a dog thing. Anyhow it was a large gash.... probably about 3 inches long right along the side of her mouth, mostly affecting her cheek. She obviously needed stitches. My "day at home" was changed instantly and off I went with her in tow.
A visit to the vet is never cheap... but this would either be taken care of or be the demise of the dog. So, a few hundred dollars later... our dog is now recovering with a cute little cone around her head to keep her from scratching. They actually sent me home without one of these things and the first thing she did was SCRATCH. Stitches once... but not stitches twice.. you know what I mean! They were nice enough to bring one to my house though and now Maddie and her little "coney" thing are friends.
I have to tell you too, that Maddie now thinks she is a house pet, this mostly because she needed to be watched that first few days.... and the vet suggested I not leave her a lone for a day or two.
Great.
I guess, as with humans, the recovery after general anesthesia is something that takes rest... this is true even for a dog.. Not only that, but she could not be running around , chasing cats, getting jumped on by the rest of the crew... or barking up and down the fence at "Haas" or she would end up riunung the stiches. Our solution to this rest and care amounted to letting her in the house.
Maddie got to come inside, where, (probably because she grew up as a puppy in someone else' house...(though she had never been allowed in ours) she immediately made herself right at home,. Now she always insists that she is an indoor doggie, (not one of those outdoor-ish breeds at all.)
She is perfectly happy to sit and do nothing all day especially if it means she does not have to go outside.
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| Get Well Soon! |
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Dog Wisdom
Sent in an Email...
Doggie Wisdom
When loved ones come home,
always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air
and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy..
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention,
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water
and relax under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around
and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried,
dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day,
be silent, sit close by,
and nuzzle them gently.
Doggie Wisdom
When loved ones come home,
always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air
and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy..
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention,
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water
and relax under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around
and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried,
dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day,
be silent, sit close by,
and nuzzle them gently.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
And then there is Buddy...
Buddy, not a human but a companion none-the-less deserves to be mentioned as I think of individuals who are inspirational in my life. I am sure that Buddy is not the only inspirational dog that ever lived... after all dog is said to be man's best friend, but I just want to mention him in this blog because he is cool.
Buddy is patient and protective and he is really really smart! I know because I have seen him in action all these years. He is also obedient, most of the time. Less now that he is so old and hard of hearing. (I think he is about 15 or 16 now, and in dog years, it's right up there!) Besides, my young friend Jason, who studied animals and loved dogs once told me that he learned how dogs that have a large bump on their skull, like Buddy does, are the ones to look for when getting a pup, because, he said, it's indicative of the dogs intelligence. For him, Buddy was an example of what he had read.
Today Buddy was getting an inspection of his fur and it was discovered that he had some kind of mass on his neck. To get a good look at it he had to have the fur clipped and what was under that mass of clumped fur was some kind of fleshy thing that made the fur clump with blood. Kinda gross and I am glad the boys are tackling it. Definitely a "boy job" to see what is wrong with Buddy. I am amazed at Buddy's utmost cooperation with it all. It's definitely a four season kinda thing, after all, he was just getting an inspection. There was no sign of distress in the dog... he has had a cough and a runny nose, but we were really just going to give him a bath. It has become quite a project.
Did I mention, Buddy is an awesome dog?
It was several years ago that Buddy, clear out of the blue, went blind. It was so strange having a blind dog all of a sudden. He was so needy and I was not so sure I wanted to be so needed by a dog. But at the time, thinking about what a faithful friend he had always been, by my side when I was working outside, hanging around and keeping an eye on the kids... barking at strangers, I really didn't mind, but I was worried about how life would be with a blind dog. I took him to the vet.
The vet sent me to a doggie ophthalmologist. I had never heard of such a thing. (I guess that I thought vets did everything at their offices for animals.) I can tell you, I could hardly wait to see the eyechart on the wall devised for dogs.
The ophthalmologist was a really nice Christian man and that made me happy. We didn't get to use the eye chart because Buddy couldn't see anyhow... (just kidding about the eye chart) The doc had no idea why Buddy had lost his vision and said it could be a number of things.. he could have gotten into some poison or something. He didn't know if any treatment would work but he put him on prednisone for a few days and some other medication ... four times a day for a while to see if that would work.
I was officially a doggie nurse leading a blind dog around, making sure he didn;t run into things and giving meds around the clock.
Miraculously, it worked! Buddy regained his vision after a while and I was very glad. It was like having a dog again. The meds were discontinued..although the doctor told me that Buddy probably had some immune issues. He offered us to do some doggie chemotherapy, but I declined, mostly because I had just been through chemotherapy myself... and my dog was well, well, at least well enough... after all he could see again. The doctor however warned me that he probably would not live too much longer.
That was in 2004. Now it's five years later and Buddy has some weird growth on the side of his head that the boys removed today while I wrote this story. I really couldn't bear to watch because I thought for sure the dog would bite them as they cut it off, or bleed to death. Neither happened. He was a perfect patient.
That's Buddy for ya, not to mention a great "vet."
We decided not to send the specimen to the lab. Buddy seems really happy and is doing quite well for an old dog. He's a little like my friend Irma who has a great attitude about life and just keeps going, dispite the circumstances or the odds.
There are some good lessons we can learn from our dogs.
This is perhaps a perfect time to post this email I once received:
THINGS I LEARNED FROM MY DOG
.1. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
.2. Allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
.3. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
.4. Especially when it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
.5. Let others know when they have invaded your territory.
.6. Take naps and stretch before rising.
.7. Run, romp and play daily.
.8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
.9. Be loyal.
10. Never pretend to be something you are not.
11. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
12. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close and nuzzle them gently.
13. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
14. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
15. On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shade tree.
16. When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
17. No matter how often you are scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout, run right back and make friends.
18. Bond with your pack.
19. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
20. And, make happy memories.
I think it is anonymously written, I do not know, but I know it was not me. However, they must have had a dog, like Buddy.
Buddy is patient and protective and he is really really smart! I know because I have seen him in action all these years. He is also obedient, most of the time. Less now that he is so old and hard of hearing. (I think he is about 15 or 16 now, and in dog years, it's right up there!) Besides, my young friend Jason, who studied animals and loved dogs once told me that he learned how dogs that have a large bump on their skull, like Buddy does, are the ones to look for when getting a pup, because, he said, it's indicative of the dogs intelligence. For him, Buddy was an example of what he had read.
Today Buddy was getting an inspection of his fur and it was discovered that he had some kind of mass on his neck. To get a good look at it he had to have the fur clipped and what was under that mass of clumped fur was some kind of fleshy thing that made the fur clump with blood. Kinda gross and I am glad the boys are tackling it. Definitely a "boy job" to see what is wrong with Buddy. I am amazed at Buddy's utmost cooperation with it all. It's definitely a four season kinda thing, after all, he was just getting an inspection. There was no sign of distress in the dog... he has had a cough and a runny nose, but we were really just going to give him a bath. It has become quite a project.
Did I mention, Buddy is an awesome dog?
It was several years ago that Buddy, clear out of the blue, went blind. It was so strange having a blind dog all of a sudden. He was so needy and I was not so sure I wanted to be so needed by a dog. But at the time, thinking about what a faithful friend he had always been, by my side when I was working outside, hanging around and keeping an eye on the kids... barking at strangers, I really didn't mind, but I was worried about how life would be with a blind dog. I took him to the vet.
The vet sent me to a doggie ophthalmologist. I had never heard of such a thing. (I guess that I thought vets did everything at their offices for animals.) I can tell you, I could hardly wait to see the eyechart on the wall devised for dogs.
The ophthalmologist was a really nice Christian man and that made me happy. We didn't get to use the eye chart because Buddy couldn't see anyhow... (just kidding about the eye chart) The doc had no idea why Buddy had lost his vision and said it could be a number of things.. he could have gotten into some poison or something. He didn't know if any treatment would work but he put him on prednisone for a few days and some other medication ... four times a day for a while to see if that would work.
I was officially a doggie nurse leading a blind dog around, making sure he didn;t run into things and giving meds around the clock.
Miraculously, it worked! Buddy regained his vision after a while and I was very glad. It was like having a dog again. The meds were discontinued..although the doctor told me that Buddy probably had some immune issues. He offered us to do some doggie chemotherapy, but I declined, mostly because I had just been through chemotherapy myself... and my dog was well, well, at least well enough... after all he could see again. The doctor however warned me that he probably would not live too much longer.
That was in 2004. Now it's five years later and Buddy has some weird growth on the side of his head that the boys removed today while I wrote this story. I really couldn't bear to watch because I thought for sure the dog would bite them as they cut it off, or bleed to death. Neither happened. He was a perfect patient.
That's Buddy for ya, not to mention a great "vet."
We decided not to send the specimen to the lab. Buddy seems really happy and is doing quite well for an old dog. He's a little like my friend Irma who has a great attitude about life and just keeps going, dispite the circumstances or the odds.
There are some good lessons we can learn from our dogs.
This is perhaps a perfect time to post this email I once received:
THINGS I LEARNED FROM MY DOG
.1. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
.2. Allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
.3. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
.4. Especially when it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
.5. Let others know when they have invaded your territory.
.6. Take naps and stretch before rising.
.7. Run, romp and play daily.
.8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
.9. Be loyal.
10. Never pretend to be something you are not.
11. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
12. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close and nuzzle them gently.
13. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
14. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
15. On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shade tree.
16. When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
17. No matter how often you are scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout, run right back and make friends.
18. Bond with your pack.
19. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
20. And, make happy memories.
I think it is anonymously written, I do not know, but I know it was not me. However, they must have had a dog, like Buddy.
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