Getting Back to Normal

Life is getting back to normal around here. It was tough for the first few days, but it's getting easier.

We had the same routine for the past 5 months and now everything seems backwards.

We've cleaned up all of the blankets and bed and packed up the extra medicine and food.

It is nice to get back to how it was before. I didn't mind all the cleaning and care, but I did miss some things, like walking barefoot in the kitchen at night, having a clean smelling house, and clean bathtub.

Barb and Dean have been great, they know we are upset and have sat with us at night.

Christmas is fast approaching, maybe i should take out the reindeer antlers we have for the two of them and snap a few pictures ...

Sad Day

Saturday was a sad day for us.

After 5 months of fostering Chance the decision was made to put him to sleep.

He injured his back leg last night and he couldn't walk. He was still loosing weight, wasn't eating or even getting up for us any more. It was his way of saying it was time.

We were able to sit with him during his last moments and comfort him. It was all very peaceful and dignified.

He wont hurt any more.


Good night my sweet boy.

Birthdays

Yesterday was Dean's birthday, he is now the ripe old age of 7 (or 49 ... however you choose to look at it)

Yes ... that is a squeek toy :)

Happy Birthday Dean!

Hobbles

Chance's swelling started to go down, but he was still limping a little bit. The decision was made to bring him back to Townsend vet hospital for some x-rays and further testing.

Turns out that he did not break his leg, however walking on it unprotected (which what was originally recommended) causes tendon damage and weakness in his leg. For his leg to heal correctly they needed to cast it. Once they got his left front leg into a cast they noticed that he kept whacking his right front leg with it, so they put a small cast on his right front leg to prevent any damage... he now hobbles about the house.

On the plus side ... he ain't running away any time soon :)

He has surprising mobility, he is able to get up and down the stairs with little difficulty, and even jumped up on the couch after eating this morning.

I have an appointment after work to go to the shelter and get some of his test results back. A more aggressive plan of attack is in order. We found out that he lost another pound as well ...

We are also going to start something new with him tonight. We are setting up his very own apartment in the house. We are cordoning off the back hallway, bathroom and office for Chance only. That way he can have a constant supply of food out without the horses trying to eat it all on him. It will also contain his accidents to one area of the house. I don't really want to keep them separated, but there is no way we can leave food for him out the way it is now. We're going to try it when we go to work and maybe at night as well, once we are home we will be letting him back up with the rest of the pack.

Oh, and of course the first thing we did when he got home last nigh was sign his casts :)

Maybe I'll grab a pic tonight.

A step backwards ...

Chance had a little accident this weekend. He was sleeping on the couch with his coat on and he managed to wiggle his body through the neck opening and got stuck. He flipped out and started rocking back and forth try to get out. Liz tried to cut the coat off but he was squirming around too much.

We managed to hold him down for long enough to get it cut off of him, but he managed to fall off the couch before we could free him. He twisted his front paw pretty bad and was a little unsteady walking.

Well it only got worse. He started lifting up the paw when he was standing still and eventually couldn't put any pressure on it. The swelling was so bad that at first we couldn't tell if it was a sprain or a break.

Liz took him to Townsend vet hospital yesterday for a consult. Turns out that it was a sprain, however he does have severe arthritis :(

On top of that he has LOST 4 lbs ... down to 49. ugh

On the plus side we got some medication for his arthritis, antibiotics to help any swelling and some more rx food to hopefully pack on some weight.

He is eating a good amount of food, he just isn't gaining any weight ...

Clothing Defiance

As we all know, it is starting to get chilly outside. Chance is especially affected since he has no body fat to keep him warm (something the other two don't have to worry about...) and he comes in shivering.

Liz decided to get one of the polar fleece liners we use during the winter, and put it on Chance before he went out last night. He was still a little chilly when he went to bed so she decided to leave the coat on to keep him warm.

Maybe it was the color (baby blue) or he just didn't like the style, but he made his distaste very apparent this morning.

I came down to clean up any messes and I found his coat at the bottom of the stairs ... covered in pee.

I think we need to find a better coat for him :)

Fall Update

After getting through a rough few days, it appears Chance has turned a corner and is starting to eat more.

Just after Dean had surgery Chance started getting sick again (it never ends). This time everything would go right through him and we would have a lot of messes to clean up each morning. We spoke with Dr. O'Neil and she suggested a strict diet and some meds to help harden everything up.

We picked up our prescription food for him and a bunch of meds from our local vet. After being on so much medication after his surgeries, we decided to try just the food first, holding off giving any meds unless he really needed them.

Within two days he was starting to feel better and eat more. Now he is eating almost 3 cans with at least 10 handfuls of dry a day. The weight is slowly starting to pack on, I can see it near his ribs and in his chest.

He still loves the attention. Liz or I can't walk through the living room without him coming over and nudging us for some loving.

I don't think I mentioned it in my previous post but we have added another 4 legged friend to our collection, another adopted guinea pig. Liz named this one Peanut (get it ... Peanut ... Budda ) The two of them squack up a storm in the morning :)

I am going to need an ark pretty soon

Surgery

For once a medical entry not about Chance :)

Rewind to Saturday afternoon. Liz noticed a lump on Dean's back leg. It wasn't too large, but it was red, raised and hard. He didn't seem to be in any pain when moving, and his appetite and demeanor had not changed. We spoke with a few people from the shelter and decided to book an appointment at Townsend vet hospital to get it looked at.

Yesterday I took him down to get it removed. It was a little tricky getting just Dean in the car, I though barb was about to jump through a window she was so excited.

After a quick consult it was decided that the lump should be removed. Thankfully it was small enough and in a good location that only a local anesthetic was used. 15 minutes later and Dean was wobbling out to the waiting room (his entire back leg was numb and he was walking like a drunken sailor)

It turned out to be a small mast cell tumor, apparently which is common in dogs. They were able to get deep enough to remove it all at once so he should be fine.

You would never know he had anything done to him yesterday, by the time we were home he was bouncing around like normal.

Time flies

When we go back to work and leave life to itself.

So far things are going well, but there have been a few bumps in the road.
Chance did finally go in for surgery, on the 13th of September. He successfully went under the knife again and got neutered and the rest of his teeth removed. He has his 4 canines in the front so he looks normal, but they really don't serve any purpose for eating.

Since he came home, his recovery has been slow going. No appetite, lack of motivation to move, and just general sadness in his face. We've been trying everything from Hamburger to chicken with gravy. When he does eat, we find that it's not a large enough amount, or that he gets sick from it.

Last night we'd had enough and brought him to the vet up in Townsend for some observation and diagnostics. Hopefully we can find out what's wrong the poor guy so he can get the help he needs.

Barb and Dean have been so good through all this with him. They need a good walk and some loving of their own for their good behavior. Last night when we got home empty handed without Chance they seemed confused, but then ecstatic when the realized they could come in the kitchen whenever they wanted, and get all the petting that they needed.

Marc and I also have brought yet another addition into the home, albeit small he's still needy and who could turn down the best part of all.. Free :) His name is Budda (bud-dah not Boo-dah) and he's a very pudgy neglected Guinea Pig. Budda is short for Buddaball as he's very round and orangey colored. Marc will get some pictures up here sooner or later.

We acquired him at Sunday's meet and greet at Petco. He was returned to the store, since the owners couldn't care for him anymore. Due to policy they cannot re-sell a returned animal, so they normally give the animal away and sell the cage. Well, since I work there for Greyhound Friends all the time, they just gave it all to me. Cage, water bottle, food, little hidey house, and of course Budda. Marc was a little less than thrilled, but once he saw how cute his face was, and of course heard his adorable squeals he was sold :)

Now it's time to get back to work, and hope that all is well with Chance!!

Long time no post.

There was supposed to be a surgery round 2, but that has not happened yet. Chance is still doing well, but we're not really seeing much weight gain. He eats and eats and might be gaining, but it's still not visually there. Hopefully in another month we'll see a dramatic difference. He's the new master of the couch as well. Barb now needs to make room for herself even if he's up there. He takes the couch over both the dog beds (who wouldn't?).

Barb and Dean are all messed up with me (mommy) going back to work as well. They're not eating right or acting in their normal ways. Dean decided to bark at me all night last night while we were watching TV. He was really excited about something and nothing I did helped. We played with his toys, went outside and I even gave him a treat. Still absolutely bonkers. Barb's been moody too, seeming depressed one minute and then racing around the back yard the next. That's kind of nothing new, but it's certainly interesting to watch.

Not much more to say, we'll update again after Chance becomes less of a man :)

Surgery Round 1

Chance went in for his first round of surgery on Thursday. He was too thin to do all the surgeries he needs all at once, however they successfully removed most of his teeth.

Liz took him down and spent most of the day with him at the shelter. I was able to swing by after work to pick him up and bring him home. He was a mess the first night. It took him a long time to come fully back from the anesthesia and he was drooling blood for most of the night.

However, the next day he seemed like a different dog. He is able to eat more and seems to have more energy, bounding up the stairs when I call him.

The lack of teeth makes feeding a little more involved. We’ve started getting food with more chunks of meat in it to fatten him up, but we need to chop it up in the food processor first so he can eat it all.

There are still a few teeth in the back they want to get out, and he still needs to be neutered.

All in all he is taking this very well, and I am sure he is feeling much better.

Fattening Up Time!

We are finally getting settled back into a routine after vacation. Everyone's schedules were a little messed up.

Chance is starting to come out of his shell more and more. You can see in his eyes that he is feeling better. He is following us around more, not just hiding in the kitchen like he was. He loves the dog beds and is a fan of the couch.

After doing a little research on some tricks to help pack on some weight, Liz came across a recipe for a fattening treat.

A quick trip to Trader Joe's and we were ready to make a big mess. This lovely treat consisted of:

1 lb hamburger
2 cups crushed dog food
1 jar peanut butter
2 blocks cream cheese
1/2 cup veggie oil.

I was up to my arms in the lovely smelling dough. After rolling it up and putting it in the fridge we decided to give it a test drive. Barb and Dean thought it was the greatest thing ever ... Chance didn't seemed to thrilled

Great.

Well it turns out he doesn't like the texture too much and it might be a lot for him to chew, so we add some to his breakfast and mashed up some with chicken broth and he inhaled it :)

Not too much longer and he is going to get his weight and energy back.

Woohoo!

Mess Free Morning!!!

No accidents in the middle of the night!

He is starting to come out of his shell more and more. We are really starting to see his wonderful personality show. I can see it in his eyes that he wants to be active and play, but he is not strong enough yet. He will be soon thought :)

Relaxing

Seems Champ is getting used to his surroundings nicely...

Fostering

A while back Liz and I decided to give fostering a greyhound a try. We wanted to get more involved with the shelter and this seemed to be a good fit.

We worked out an arrangement with the kennel manager, Sandy. She said she had a boy who was in dire need of some attention and fattening up.

From what we know (which may not be 100% complete) his name is Chant and he was an Irish greyhound that somehow made his way over here as a stray. After an unknown amount of time alone in the woods he was found and delivered to a greyhound racing track. We estimate that he was there for a year.

We were warned that his appearance may be a bit ... startling. Last night we set up a time for Sandy to bring him over. He jumped out of her car and both I and Liz were a little shocked. He was barely anything more than skin and bones. He is a good 20 - 30 lbs underweight, which could have been a death sentence for him if he wasn't taken out of his previous shelter.

He is an absolute love though. A good ear scratching and he is leaning up against you wanting more. He isn't too skittish and fairly relaxed around us. Barb and Dean are already getting to know him and are relaxed around him. I think Chant wants to play but he is so emaciated that he just doesn't have the energy to do much of anything yet.

We decided to change his name slightly from Chant to Champ. It seems more fitting.

Here are a few pictures from last night. Hopefully in a few weeks we can post some "after" photos to show his recovery.

As a side note, this is what Dean looked like when he was getting fostered.

Party Animals

So friday we had a large party to celebrate my birthday :) This was the first time the dogs were able to be in the fenced in back yard with a large group of people. They did great. Barb was especially happy with all the attention. I don't think there was any point the entire evening that someone wasn't petting her or giving her attention.

Dean was a little scavenger at points, all the plates were his level and he could help himself :)

Foam

Dogs + energy + boredom + foam bed liner =

Bath Trick

Today was bath day, both of them really needed one. We started calling Barb stinkarella ...

Liz heard of a great trick to help calm them down in the bath. we smeared peanut butter on the side of the tub and barb LOVED it. She didn't even care that she was getting a bath. Dean was still to scared to eat any of it, but he was still good in the tub.

So now we have two very clean puppies, one with a tummy full of peanut butter :)

Back Yard Fun

Last weekend we installed a gate so the puppies can run free. Both of them love it! They both seem so much more energetic and playful.

Here is a quick little video of Barb playing in the yard.

Trip in the Sun

A few weeks ago Liz and I took the puppies to visit my brother Steve and his family. He has a nice backyard with plenty of room for the puppies to stretch their legs. In addition to the yard they also have a miniature schnauzer named Molly. We decided to see how they would interact.

After a little introductions they were off and playing. Dean was a little apprehensive at first, but after a few minutes on the leach he was good to goMolly is the apprehensive looking dog hiding behind the chair :)

My brothers daughters, Celia and Norah LOVE the puppies. Both Barb and Dean are so gentile and patient with them.

Celia wanted to "Ride the Boy Doggie" and kept asking Liz to help her.
Dean was very good.

Hopefully soon we will be able to gate in the back yard and let them run free at home.

Quick Update

Isn't she cute...

Also, I change some settings and now you can post without having a Google account.

More to come later, including our visit to a large fenced-in yard :)

New Home

A little shift in hosting and we are back. Sorry for the delay