GreytNut

Mac sure will be missed, along with his "comments." Some people don't want another dog right away, and some people find that they heal better when they have a new friend to help them recover from their loss. It may be that he's hard at work finding you a friend. There are a lot of hounds who need one.

The lump under the skin from receiving sub-q fluids is called a bolus. My kitty Sapphy would get them when I gave her fluids, but it was always absorbed by the body within a few hours. It seems odd that it's been this long and he hasn't absorbed the bolus, so you might ask Tufts how long they think it should take for it to go away. In the meantime, it *should* gradually start to get smaller as he takes up the fluids. I agree that putting a t-shirt on him might provide some support and make him more comfortable, but just don't make it too tight. Give him time for the meds to kick in and for him to start to feel better... it's been a hard road for Soul and it probably won't happen instantaneously. It sounds like being home will do him a world of good, though. Hang in there.

You might want to have the vet test for food allergies. It sounds weird, but a lot of dogs with food allergies have problems with their feet such as you describe. It might also explain why you're having limited success with antibiotics.

It is time. It's the hardest choice in the world to make. Nothing makes it easier. But Isabella has run out of possibilities for better tomorrows, and this is the best and kindest gift you can give her. I hope that when I'm as feeble as poor Isabella has become that I will have the option such a graceful release... or a loving caregiver--such as you are to her--who can make it for me. to both of you.

Looks like maybe you have an untattooed purebred. He may be a little on the stocky side, but I've had two NGA hounds who were built just like that. Whatever the case may be, he's a looker!

I've had to put one pet down due to old age and two pets down for terminal illnesses, but each time it was a decision that was less than clear-cut. It's one thing if they're bleeding on the table or obviously mangled or in screaming agony. It's an entirely different decision when the signs are more subtle. In the case of the old dog, Chita was nearly blind, weak and toothless. One day she wouldn't get up on her own and had to be carried everywhere, and she refused to eat. It was if she had given up, but there didn't appear to be anything physically wrong. I figured she was telling us it was time to go, but if we'd been so inclined we could probably have force-fed her and kept her alive. It didn't seem to be doing her any favors. I had a 21-year-old cat that I grew up with who had kidney failure, and again it was a quality of life issue. I could've kept pumping SQ fluids into Sapphy and prolonged her life, but one morning I found her sleeping in a puddle of her own urine. When she woke up and realized she was soaked in pee, she let out a terrible wail and I knew that it would be that day. There was comfort in that decision, though, because Sapphy purred when we walked into the vet's office (unheard of) and she struggled to get out of my arms and onto the exam table. She stared that vet right in the eye when he gave her the shot. Didn't struggle, didn't require any restraint, didn't even flinch. She knew exactly what was happening and she was clearly saying, "It's about damn time!" For Argus, he had osteo and was terminal, but it was a complete judgment call on my part as to whether he was in "too much" pain. How much is "too much?" It depends on the dog. In his case, I made the choice when he whimpered in spite of the morphine and Tramadol and would no longer eat anything... even the yummiest, most savory treats. Eating was his greatest pleasure in life and it was gone. Each time, it still feels awful. There's that terrible moment when you think, "OMG, what have I done? I just killed my dog!" But it's too late to take it back. And yet I do think it's a gift. Contrary to popular belief, death is not the worst thing in the world. Unrelenting suffering--whether mental or physical--with no hope of a better tomorrow is the worst thing in the world.

Just noticed what looks like a minor inflammation/conjunctivitis in Tiny's right eye. It doesn't bother him, just a couple of eye boogies to wipe away. Most likely he got hair, dust or something in it and it got irritated. Is this something that Terramycin should fix? IIRC, Terramycin is an OTC treatment which is frequently used for minor eye stuff in both dogs and horses and is readily available in pet and ranch supply stores, though a little bit spendy. Maybe some of the kennel folks who see a lot of this can chime in here. If it doesn't improve, he will need to go to the vet because I don't want to mess around with his sight... but I think this is something that can be easily treated without hauling him off to the dreaded vet's office. The affected eye, as clear as I could get it: The good eye, for reference (what looks like black discharge is actually a scar):

Oh, no! Poor little man! Thank you for giving him a home and sticking with him through all of his issues and illnesses. He would've been hard-pressed to find a better home.

I have often found that my "paranoia" is absolutely right. When I get a bad feeling about something, it's time to go to the vet.

Oh, no! You got to spend so very little time with her! Geez, I'm sorry. Go find Oscar, baby.

Raven is a spook (more of a borderline spook these days... she's gotten better). The vet said she had a hard time going under anesthesia for her hematoma removal/dental because she struggled and fought. He didn't mention her having any particular difficulties coming back up. I wonder if there's something to this.

They're in real trouble, then. We're in the middle of a drought. The Big D seems to have resolved. Other than both of them shooting the occasional hopeful glances at the shelf (maybe more fish food will appear?) that seems to be the end of it. Thanks!

A certain ironically-named brindle dog who is taller than I am when he stands up on his hind legs got it into his head to raid the supposedly way-out-of-reach fish supply shelf today. A certain petite black dog helped him devour the spoils of his hunt... ergo, three jars of assorted betta food in their entirety and a jar of bloodworms. They also nabbed a bottle of Stress Coat, but it must have tasted/smelled horrible because it was still full despite having a puncture toward the top of the bottle, so they didn't ingest much if any of that. Aside from the messy diarrhea now decorating the back yard, what will the orgy of betta food and treats do to them? Anything? I'm inclined to think that Big D will be the extent of it. The fish are going hungry tonight. Tomorrow night the new fish food will be stored inside a child-locked cabinet, which just to be safe will also require a step stool to reach. There is no display of determination quite as impressive as Tiny's when he is on the prowl for forbidden fruit. Thank goodness he doesn't have opposable thumbs.

So glad he's doing better! Go Bones!

That sounds an awful lot like a corn. They can be quite painful to walk on. I'd be more concerned if she had pain in other parts of her foot, joints, etc. But what you describe sounds... corny. The vet will obviously be able to tell, but I don't think you need to climb the walls if you have to wait for a Monday appointment.

Raven's pathology report came back negative for cancer. They got all of the mass and it is unlikely to return. Woo hoo! Her incision healed up very well--no thanks to her. Raven was intent on destroying her bandage and yanking her stitches out, so I resorted to keeping her dressed in jammies for two weeks until it was no longer itchy/tempting for her. She thought I really sucked for keeping her in jammies in the summertime, but it paid off. She has a nice clean, smooth, barely-noticeable scar with no infection and her hair is growing back in. Her mouth is STILL sore. She winces when I try to look at it and I don't dare give her any chewies. The vet said it'll probably be sore for another two weeks. She had a canine pulled which had about the longest root he'd ever seen. It left a hole so big it had to be stitched. Thus, no need to panic that she hasn't fully healed there yet. No sign of infection, which is great.

What an awful blow. I'm sorry.

Wow, that house has gone from Hillbilly Bob's Redneck Roach Motel to something out of an LL Bean catalog. Awesome! ETA: If it wasn't for the town of Kodiak, Kodiak would be a beautiful place to live. Those pics are amazing. Although... is that a riding lawnmower chassis that's washed ashore?

Canidae All Life Stages kibble No canned food--mix in lukewarm water and various add-ins to make a stew out of the kibble instead Pig ears, CET chew strips, bully sticks and Newman's Own chicken biscuits, Zuke's soft treats and the occasional Greenie for goodies Hot dogs or cream cheese for pill disguises

Yup, something is wrong. Is your vet open on weekends or do you have an e-vet you can take her to? With pain so bad it's making her shake days later, I'd suspect a bad infection, which could be immediately life-threatening.

Perhaps she has a problem with a salivary gland?

Oh, no! Best wishes for lots of good quality time with Wally. Enjoy every minute of it while you can.

She's feeling quite a bit better. Still not herself yet, but she's stopped drooling and is bright-eyed. She doesn't want to budge from her bed, but if I bring her meals she eats them with gusto, and she has fun snuggling with/nudging around her stuffed sheep. She'll get up if something really interesting is going on and she just has to be part of it. She was licking at her incision so I had to put her lightweight jammies on to keep her from it. And... she learned how to destuff her bandage. It looked like a blizzard in here this morning.

Orajel sealant is applied during the dental. After that you maintain at home with weekly applications rubbed onto the teeth, IIRC. She'll get her first at-home treatment in a couple of weeks.

Raven came out of surgery just fine. Apparently she fought the anesthesia and had a hard time going to sleep, but she woke up like a champ. She lost seven teeth (!) and a good chunk out of her chest. We'll have the pathology results on her hematoma in about a week. They applied a sealant called Orajel in hopes of keeping her teeth in good shape, which along with CET chews and brushing with Denta Treat may do the trick. She is still loopy from the drugs and very sore. She's drooling blood and curled up on her bed, stoned out of her gourd. When she is a bit more aware, she will get her guilt presents--a very soft sheep pillow/toy to rest that sore head on and some squishy treats.