Sorcha

My Llewellyn Setter, Maxie, is 18 years old. She had her last rabies shot at age 15 so she would be due for another this year. She gets majorly stressed out if she is made to leave home (colitis, trembling, hiding in the basement, etc.), and it takes two weeks to get her right again (at least that's how long it took the last two times, I am not sure if she could get over it now at her age). I talked it over with the vet when I was there my IG for his shots and the vet felt that at her age to discontinue shots altogether, there is no need to put her through it. She does not go anywhere but the fenced back yard, and I am always outside with her and she does not go out after dark (can't see). There are no cats at all around, and very rarely is there a rabbit or squirrel in the back yard (and when there is they quickly run away when the dogs enter). Has anyone else discontinued shots at an advanced age? I still give her monthly heartworm preventative.

My condolences on Gretta's passing, she lived a long life in your care and I am sure she knew she was loved even if she had a hard time showing it.

Very glad to hear that Albi is home and on the road to recovery. So sorry about the ordeal you have been through with his vet care. Continued positive thoughts and best wishes.

Have you tried ice cubes?

Good news that Albi is improving. Nola and I send continued gentle, healing thoughts his way.

Robin my deepest condolences on Phene's passing. My thoughts are with you.

I am glad to hear that Albi is home and recovery is going well. Continued best thoughts.

Nancy, my sincere condolences on Ramm's passing.

My heart breaks for you. Stay strong, Albi, you can fight this!

Nancy are the the biopsy results back? Continued best thoughts for something other than the dreaded cancer.

Robin I am keeping you and Phoenix in my thoughts during this sad & difficult time.

Albi, you sister Nola and I are thinking of you and sending gentle, healing thoughts your way. Nancy, please keep me posted.

Thank you for asking. Nola has definitely had enough of all this. She is the type of dog that likes to be clean, so having blood coming out of the drain and getting her all messy was making for a very unhappy Nola. (Even though I kept cleaning her up with a warm wet cloth). She's not been able to run around the yard, not been able to romp in the house and play with toys so her whole demeanor is off and she acts depressed. She is also a free-roaming dog in the house, so having to be contained to an x-pen has made her miserable. I feel bad for her and miss my happy, loving Nola. The drain came out last night so that's a good thing, but the soft-sided cone stays on because there's now a hole where the drain was and it's still dripping a bit. The stitches don't come out until next Wednesday. I have been taking 1/2 days and using vacation time to come home and be with her in the afternoon to give her a break from being "locked up". The inflatable e-collar did not work out. I came home early on Monday to find it still anchored to her neck with a regular collar, but she had managed to get the inflatable collar up over her head, resting on top of her muzzle so she could not see anything. She was freaked out (understandably so). Poor baby.

I am wondering if Nola should be as warm as she is? The shaved area of her chest is just about downright hot to the touch.

And now for some comic relief ... HELP ME! I hear you laughing but I can't really see you. Woe is me. Someone PLEASE save me! (Note: I went to Petco to try the soft cone, another $35. I also bought a collar to hold it in place to her neck, another $10. I still have the inflatable e-collar, I can't decide which she is more miserable in.)

It's the same type as the link posted on the previous page, just different manufacturer. It's all Petco had (nearest store to my house) and painfully priced at $35 so she's going to wear it, darn it! I needed something to try out on her over the weekend so that she would be used to it come Monday when I have to leave her home alone for the weekdays. There was no time to order something, had I known she might end up with a drain I would have better prepared for it!! I don't know what else to do.

Yes, there is still some blood & fluid coming from the drain. Not much, but some. I will try warm compress. Does this warrant a trip back to the vet before the drain is to be removed (Thursday night)?

Thanks for the continued support. The vet did whatever testing on it at the animal hospital and confirmed it was just a fatty lump. I have stayed home all weekend with her, except for a really quick trip to the grocery store and a stop at Petco for an inflatable e-collar (more on that in a moment). I don't feel comfortable leaving her home alone tomorrow while I am work (and the next day, and all week) and am worrying about that. I can't leave the towel e-collar on her, her neck gets too warm. The inflatable collar she has already managed to get off once and she is so miserable in it. You are supposed to use a "normal" dog collar with it which I do not have so I am using gauze to tie it to her neck. Thank goodness for my boyfriend who came over last night and blew it up! More pathetic photos: Also, something I need an opinion about. Last night I noticed a bruised & slightly swollen area, is this normal or cause for concern?

Photos Nola, morning of surgery: On the way to the animal hospital, very worried look on her face: WARNING! The following photos are after surgery and while the wound area is all nice and cleaned up, these photos are not for the squeamish! Resting: Seriously, you want me to sleep with this on overnight?: No more lump, and beautiful fur shaved off:

Yes, or a poop cup on the muzzle? Pogo is in head jail while his stapled spots heal. He's not thrilled, but it's better than going back to the vet to get re-stapled (or, in Nola's case, having to get another drain put in, etc.). I'm sitting here thinking about last year at Dewey, stroking her lovely silky fur, feeling her soft breath on my face, and that shy grace of hers. Sending you both peaceful healing thoughts! Thanks, Xan. Nola adores you! Nola has never worn a muzzle, so introducing one to her now might freak her out. I can also see her using it to scratch at her chest and thus the stitches and drain. Sending more healing thoughts to your boys. Nola is doing alright today. She is so bored, though! I know she badly wants to go running in the yard, but that will be some time. I have used a t-shirt for taking her outside, to keep the wound area clean, but it sort of presses on the drain which defeats the purpose of it so I take it off back inside. I am staying home with her all weekend and just keeping an eye on her, as soon as she starts licking I tell her to stop. When I need to go do something elsewhere in the house I have fashioned a towel e-collar (that she hates, hates, hates!). I think I will run out tomorrow and get one of those inflatable e-collars and see how that goes.

Thanks again to everyone for their support and well-wishes. Nola sends her love.

I ended up going with VCA Kirkwood Hwy and Dr. Herrman did the surgery. I was not prepared to be dealing with a drain, but these things happen. I need to go out tomorrow and buy one of those inflatable e-collars. I called around and both Petco and Petsmart are selling them for around $35 which seems a bit much but otherwise I can't see leaving her home alone when I go back to work on Monday. Unless I day board her at VCA, I suppose that's an option. Or would anyone like to borrow a Franken-Nola Monday through Thursday daytime? ha ha.

Nola has a drain in the wound that is dripping lovely amounts of blood here and there. I have put towels and hospital sheets over her dog beds and trying to keep her laying down to lessen the blood drips on the floors. I do not have an E-collar but I do have a Bite-Not collar however it was meant for a different dog and does not fit her well, she is miserable in it. I have no collar on her at the moment since I am in the same room with her but she is a licker so I will have to figure something out. The vet suggested an inflatable e-collar has anyone heard of this and can tell me how it worked for them?

I just called for an update, was told she is out of surgery and doing well recovering. The vet will be calling me soon.

I dropped her off at 7:30 am and am waiting for word from the vet. Nola was not amused about no breakfast this morning, she sat on the kitchen floor beside where her food bowl would normally be and patiently waited ... for 1/2 hour before finally accepting my command to go lay down in the other room. I made sure to feed my other dogs while she was outside. She also searched the house for a water bowl and discovered they had gone missing as well and smacked her lips with great displeasure. I am trying to prepare myself for seeing her chest shaved bare and sutured up (with staples, too? don't know). All that pretty fur will be gone.