How does your dog do at the vet?

All the dogs are good at the vet except Chance.  Even though the other 3 are a little nervous, our vet is able to perform any exam or x-ray needed with good cooperation from the dogs.

And then there is Chance...

Siberians are known for being hyper, anxious dogs, but Chance takes it to a new height.  He screams when the vet just starts to come close.  Hubby, Mark and I always have to take him together to hold him down for blood work and shots.  Forget any kind of physical exam, it's fight or flight for this boy!  He has to wear a muzzle, because he'll nip.  He just doesn't like being touched or messed with in general, so a vet visit pushes his limits.

I avoid taking him to the vet until it is absolutely necessary.  This last visit had been one of those occasions.  He had been limping on what seemed to be his left front leg, holding it in the air even and I couldn't tell if there was also a problem with his back leg as well.  It had been going on for a while and seemed to be on and off thing.  So I broke down and made an appointment.

Well, we lost Chance's muzzle over the summer so Mark picked up one the day before the appointment.  It was called a "Comfort Fit" muzzle which meant the mouth opening was bigger than the narrow one I'd had before.  Chance needed a refresher course for the muzzle while I fitted it to him and for the most part he was fine with everything.

The whole appointment was our vet massaging up and down Chance's back and legs, searching for the point of pain.  Chance was doing fantastic.  He was so relaxed and actually enjoying this visit!

She located the source of pain, in his toe and his super long nails.  I knew they were bad.  I've never had to trim them before with walks and dog sledding, his nails stayed manicured.  The thought of me clipping his nails was intimidating to say the least, but for the vet to do it right then and there with no problem was another OMG moment for me and Chance!  bol

I was so blown away by how cooperative Chance was, how relaxed and easy he was, it was encouraging. Not to mention the fact that we didn't have to pin him down to do the exam was a HUGE bonus and made a big difference on Chance.

Now I don't know if this was a one time thing, or just the fact there were no needles being stuck in him, but it was the happiest I'd ever seen Chance at the vet's office in 11 years.

And that made for a very happy mommy and daddy!!

How was your dog's last exam??

A muzzle, a Mouth, and an Appointment (and an update!)

It was a slow going morning.  The action didn't break until about mid-afternoon.  Hard telling how cold it actually was outside, which is why I was procrastinating.  The thermometer said 41°F, there was a bit of a breeze and in Northern Michigan that can mean anything.  So I bundled up and headed out the door with the Front Dogs, Chance and Blaze.  It was mild, no north wind so the dogs and I stayed out for a while.

When we came in I realized Chance has a vet appointment tomorrow.  I'd put off all week reacquainting him with his muzzle and now it was crunch time.  Chance can be a bit nippy at the vet's, as the case for the muzzle.  He doesn't like to be touched or messed with in any way and my husband, Mark and I must hold him down to have any procedures done.  Tomorrow's vet appointment he will be sedated for x-rays, blood drawn for heartworm check and an overall wellness check.  The x-rays are just for a cancer check and see how the insides are doing, (something we've done with all the dogs at least once.) and the wellness exam is something we can't do struggling with him in the vet's office.  I think that Mark and I are both kind-of nervous about Chance's appointment.  Not exactly sure how well he can be sedated as our vet gave us a sedation pill to give him before his last appointment that didn't do a thing for him.  The boy has Brut's strong will.  Maybe even more having part of Silver's stubbornness as well.

So back to the muzzle...

I get it out and he is already touching it with his nose.  This is always my first step.  So that was a good sign.  Chance let me put it on with no problem.  I went  back and forth with putting it on and taking it off, which he did willingly.  Then I left it on and played stay and come with Blaze and him.  He pawed at it but left it alone when I told him to 'leave it.'  At least he remembered it, that cut my battle in half.  So it was a good session.

Meanwhile in the Back Room...

All this while with Chance and the muzzle, is Mr. Big Mouth, Zappa, barking in loud protest at the fact that the Front Dogs were getting treats and he wasn't.  Geez, that boy has a loud booming bark!  Zappa protested about my insensitivity to the hierarchy of the two packs, as he believes he's the ultimate alpha dog.  The injustice, his rights...blah, blah, blah.  I was surprised at how well Chance and I did with so much distraction.  I just took it like we were at the vet's office and all the distractions that we will encounter there.  When I felt confident that Chance felt secure in his muzzle, I took it off and told him to, "Go get him."  Chance ran to the door and gave his two cents and Zappa slowly stopped barking.  Oh, how I wish I really knew what goes on between the dogs.  It's so entertaining!

I will be practicing with the muzzle again later with Chance outside, just to reaffirm what we're doing and then if you could send any prayers, well wishes or good vibes our way for Chance's appointment and us.  It would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and hope you have a happy day!

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UPDATE!

Chance's appointment went very smoothly. 

He is in perfect health

and looks good inside and out.

Thank you for thinking of us!

The First Sign of the Bottom Falling Out

It's the "puppies" tenth birthday.  10 years old today.

We took Fiona to the vet today.  I know, not a very nice birthday present.  We wanted to get some x-rays of her hip dysplasia and check the status of it.  The last x-rays we did were when she was diagnosed at three years old, so we were looking for any major changes.  Fiona's hip were good, at least as good as they could be.  She hasn't had any pain since fall, but it was good to check.

Then the vet and us starting talking about Chance and how we could get him in for an x-ray.  He is very scared of the vets and screams before they even touch him.  We end up having to pin him down for shots or blood draws and we use a muzzle on him because he will get snappy.    It is always a tough situation.  The poor guy is just petrified of the whole thing.

So, our vet came up with an idea, and we were talking about what kind of x-ray to get.  A cancer screening (chest and abdomen) like we've gotten with all the dogs so far.  I was also interested in checking for arthritis and finding out if Chance was well enough to continue dog sledding.  I told her I was already seeing signs of arthritis in his lower back and she concluded that it would be much to painful for him to dog sled because of the compression on the vertebrae.

Tears sprung to my eyes.  My heart sunk.  Chance has always been my main dog sledding dog.  He runs with the power and speed of stallion.  And for those moments, when we sled together, it is like riding a race horse.

It isn't like I didn't know it would end, or that the arthritis would stop him, I've known all along.  I think I just needed to hear the words from someone I trusted and make it official.  And really we have only been out sledding the last three or four years very sporadically because we didn't have hardly any snow.  I guess God was letting us down easy through those years and now it is time to let go.

And while all the dogs are still in good health, it is a sign of the times that they are getting older and that every year with them is a gift.  It breaks my heart about not dog sledding with Chance, but hopefully it will lengthen his life for the better without doing it anymore.

But I think we are both going to miss it...

I know, kind of sad story for their birthday, but that's only because we haven't had the party yet!  Birthday party pics, coming soon!

Update on Silver and calling all Cat Lovers

Just back from the vet and we are hoping we found the answers to all our questions.  

We had another confirmation from one of the vet techs who saw Silver when we first took her to have her tumor looked at and she too said it had condensed.

Awesome!

We were there for her bladder infection that hadn't gotten better only worse.  So we are trying another antibiotic and praying for good results.  Silver is so sore from straining to pee and we were given some extra pain pills to help relieve this.
After a urine sample and a blood sample, we were assured that the probability of a bladder tumor was unlikely.  Another concern we had when her infection didn't clear up right away.  Although it is more possible that we may have a resistant strain of bacteria and that is what we will find out trying this new antibiotic out.

She is still barely eating and has lost almost five pounds since the vet last saw her.  The vet thinks that this is due to the pain of her infection and the fact that I gave her two different Nsaids painkillers over the course of a week.  (one for about 5 days and another for two days)  It was the first time our vet got mad at me.  And I got a stern talking to.  Switching back and forth can screw up the lining of the stomach and there is suppose to be a five day waiting period before trying another one.  I didn't know that.  But it explains why Silver was eating even less the last couple of days.  Lesson learned.  So we were also given a stomach protector (like Pepto Bismol) to help heal Silver's tummy so she can eat again.

So hopefully Silver is on the mend.  And even though I may have cause a little more damage than good, it was an honest mistake and something Silver can recover from.

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement and prayers.  They mean the world to us!

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And for all of you cat owners, we are asking what kind of food you feed your cats.  We have been making some changes with the kitties food and would really like to have your input.  

Just go HERE link to 36 Claws of Attitude to read and share your answers and any thoughts you may have in the comments.  

We would really love to hear from you!

Thank you! 

Giving Brut a Chance

I've never felt so lost and relieved at the same time.  It is an odd combination.

I have not had the words to write much and that too is strange for me.

If you've noticed, hubby, Mark has been doing all the updates on Brut.

It is definetly like being caught between a rock and a hard spot.

Brut was down this past Tuesday (5-12-15) with low blood pressure and probably bleeding internally.  For the first time since all this started with his eye, he looked to be in some pain.  It was a scary night as I cried and told him everything he means to me and how much I love him.  Not knowing if this was the time he was going to bleed out for good.  I did everything to make him comfortable.  He was still eating and drinking, which was a good sign.  I stayed up all night with him.  (I couldn't sleep anyways)  And I prayed this couldn't be it.  Not yet.  He still has so much life in him God.  Please not today.

And Wednesday morning, he bounced back like nothing had happened.  Just like that.  He was my Brut again.  Maybe not 100%, but very close.  He been great Thursday and Friday as well.  Maybe a little slower at times, but still looking good.

And I'm so relieved.  And I've cried tears of joy that he's still with us and I've cried tears of sadness that this is going to happen again and again.  This roller coaster ride.

We don't know if he's a canidate for surgery.  It looks to be a good size risk.  We still have to make

more inquiries and ask more questions.  Like there would probably have to be a blood transfusion (because of internal bleeding) and not all vet clinics are equipped to do that.  And we still have to deal with his high blood pressure issues.

And every movement Brut makes is critical not to start bleeding internally again.  Plus counter acting his excitement level and hypertension.  His aggression has popped back up slightly and we have to keep that at bay.

And with our van being totalled, it makes it hard to transport him in our single cab beat up truck, except maybe to our local vet whose a couple blocks away.

And when you start adding up the odds agaisnt us, it seems hopeless.  So utterly hopeless.

That is until I saw the comments left by readers and strangers wishing us well and Brut healing.

Prayers, good thoughts, POTP, and hugs. So many hugs.  It brought my spirit back up.  And gave me hope.

I didn't know if I had any left.  Until I saw your comments and donations.

Maybe just maybe the surgery could be done and we'd have our Brut back.

Mr. Orinery himself.  

Maybe there is a chance.

Thank you for giving me that chance again.

I can't thank everyone enough.

God bless you.

To learn more about Brut's diagnosis, you can read the ER trip to explain.

Update: Brut's eye, our next step

We will be taking Brut to an eye specialist next week.  We were in luck as this doctor only makes a trip up our way once a month and we were able to get an appointment.  It will save a trip downstate which would have been a 4 hour drive and this way we will only have an hour drive (one way) to see the doc, making it convienent for everyone.  Brut doesn't like riding in the car very much, but does eventually settle down some as we drive on.   So it will be just long enough to calm him down so he won't be so hyper seeing this eye doctor.  The whole experience will be nerve racking enough.

Our vet had a look at Brut's eye this past Wednesday and did all she could do with an anxious Brut in a muzzle.  The last thing she could do was measure his eye pressure, but with the difficulty of just trying to keep Brut still so she could look in his eye with a light was about the limited of it.  And I appreciated her honesty.  Brut is not the easiest patient.  She said the eye specialist will know how to sedate him and get a good eye reading.

This specialist is someone our vet knows well and trust, and we trust her judgement.  I also received another confirmation from a friend who knows another vet, who also gave her stamp of approval.  Thanks Friend! ☺

So it sounds like Brut is in the best hands possible.  Now we just have to wait out this week, continue with the eye drops and hope we will find out what the problem is with Brut's eye and a solution to go with it.

Thank you so much everybody for your prayers, well wishes and good thoughts.  We can not thank you enough for being part of our doggie family.  Please keep them coming!

We will keep you up to date.

Thank you again.

Brut's First Muzzled Trip to the Vet

Well I finally did it.  Colors weren't working for me, black, my favorite color wasn't working for me, so I turned the blog white!  UGH!  LOL!  Actually I love the new look it is fresh and clean and gives me what I am looking for to show off the dogs, so I am happy with it.  (That is until I need another change, lol!)

 Don't you know who I am?

So how has your week been?  We have been learning to wear a muzzle around here.  Everyone has had a chance to try one on.  Brut has to go to the vet today and is now deemed to wear a muzzle after going after the vet last time he saw her.

The 5-1 Theory

So have you heard of the 9-1 theory?  It's when you have 9 good things happen and 1 bad, and that 1 bad blots out the 9 good.  It makes it difficult to see all the good things that have happened because of that one nagging thing that went wrong.

Well, I had the 5-1 theory happen yesterday when the vet made a "farm call" to our house for heartworm test and annual shots.  3 dogs did well, 1 did better than expected, 1 was an angel, and then there was the bad boy.  Can you guess who it was?

This was the first time our vet has come to our house for anything, The three I was worried about the most was Brut, Chance and Blaze, in that order.  Chance was my better than expected.  I've never seen him so relaxed and take so well to the procedure and the vet.  Blaze was an angel.  Just a perfect angel.  Didn't even fight when the needle went in to draw the blood.  I couldn't believe it.

So you know who that leaves...my bad boy Brut.  Everything was going so well, that I was hopeful if there was a chance and the circumstances were good, things with him would go well for him too.  Except I forgot the one main point.  The one main problem with Brut that was my greatest concern to begin with, the vet was on HIS turf.  He was OK at first but he is sneaky.  While I held his head and hugged his body, the vet held his leg to draw blood.  Then it happened quickly, Brut growled than snapped at her in the face.  He nicked her nose and got her shoulder, all while I held him.  And I've had a hard time letting go of it.  I knew better and I still tried.

We are taking him in the vet's office tomorrow to finish what never got started.  Brut has a healthy fear of the vet's office.  I've seen him run into Daddy's lap when a little dog got aggressive with him.  This is a much better atmosphere for him to be handle because he knows it.  He has to wear a muzzle though.  And I'm OK with that.  He's never tried to bite anyone before.  So this is our first time. It was all wrong time, wrong place and something I didn't even come close to expecting.

So this afternoon should be interesting to say the least.

Somebody, please tell me, I can't be alone in this...has your dog ever been a problem at the vet with you?  

Monday Memories-Would you do it?

Perfect.

Just the way they were on their first day in this world.

About 24 hours after Silver gave birth, I ran her to the vet to make sure she had given birth to all her puppies, par the vet's instructions.  Being a new “Grandma” I had some uncertainties if there were any more pups to be born.  After Silver had her x-ray and all was clear, the receptionist, out of the blue made mention that to in order to have dew claws removed and tails docked, I had a three day window to get it done.  I was shocked by the very thought.  I had never heard of removing the dew claws.  I had ten freshly born, healthy pups and I couldn’t imagine chopping off any parts of them.  The thought was a bit disturbing, to say the least. 

Brut's back dew claw

Both Brut (father) and Fiona (daughter) have a third dew claw on their back right leg, an inherited trait, that Brut must have picked up in the genetic line.  As you can see it hangs looser than a front dew claw and is more susceptible to getting caught on things, though I have never run into that problem.  Our vet mentioned when Brut was young if we wanted to have it removed we could.  It has never crossed my mind. I have always loved the uniqueness. 

Fiona's back dew claw

From my understanding the removal of all dew claws is a preventive measure, because they can snag and tear off.  It is can also be a selling point if the dew claws on puppies are already removed.  Tail docking is considered show standard for particular breeds.

Though I am aware of that these procedures exist and understand the theory, but I personally could not begin to fathom the idea of actually doing them to our little newborns.  Even now as I look back at that precious little bundle, so perfect just the way they were, the thought gives me chills.  I am just not to type that could do that for any reason.

 How do you feel about it?  Could you do it?       

A Million Miles of Baby Steps

Have you ever suffered through a trauma and had to almost start your life over from scratch?  And all of those baby steps you were taking seem to amount to nothing?   Take a lesson from Chance those baby steps add up.  Three years of baby steps and Chance met the receptionist at the vet.  The V-E-T!  The most petrifying place where strangers touch and poke you.  It was on his terms, outside, next to truck and he was great!!  It was a wonderful feeling when he accepted the treats from her.  A clear sign he was safe and comfortable.  

This after I'd already took him in to be weighed for a sled harness I am ordering him.  Just the event that occurred inside the vets office was amazing.  You would have thought we had planned it.  Chance pulled me full steam ahead and went straight to the scale.  Like he knew what we were there for or that it was a safe spot of some sort.  I don't know  With no command, he sat on it without as much as a flinch until it read 85.5 pounds (38.7 kg). When I gave him the OK, he pulled me straight for the door.  When I told him to 'stop" he turned and sat while three of the staff sat and talked to and about him.  Everyone at a polite distance.  He was actually relaxed.  I become so relaxed talking with the receptionist that I didn't move quick enough when someone was coming to the door, even when she had warned me.  Chance instantly went into self protective mode and snapped at the receptionist when she went to comfort him by reaching to pet his head.  She told me later she shouldn't have done that.  I should have moved when she mention the incoming person.

So after Chance and I walked around the grounds a bit and I had him back in the truck.  I wanted to leave on a better ending.  That's when I mustered up the courage and asked the receptionist if she would come outside for a better goodbye with Chance.  I was so glad I did.  Meeting people at home is so much different than meeting them out in public, for both of us.  But I was confident with Chance.  It helped me to realize when the receptionist made the comment that Chance wasn't going to let her touch him.  That made a key difference for me to find where his comfort level was.  Where his boundaries are right now.  Accepting treats out of her hand was one thing, any other form of touch was crossing a line.

It has taken many, many baby steps with Chance, from being brushed, looking at cuts, flea and ear medicine to being bandaged or touched and that is just with us. It takes both my husband and I to take him to the vet.  And he has come along way since the first time.   Touch for him is very extreme and nobody knows exactly what happened to him those months after he left our litter and our hands.  All we know is some things in life take their own time to heal.  Time that we have been so wonderfully blessed with this beautiful boy, twice.  And this my friends is our sweet moment of victory and what a million miles of baby steps can do!

We are so proud of you Chance!

For those who may be new readers, Chance is a pup from our litter who was returned to us after 8 months, ribs showing, neglected and abused.  Every step with him has been a miracle.  You can read more about Chance HERE.

Ever Thought of a Career with Animals??

All I knew when was a really young was I loved animals and that animal lovers become veterinarians.  All my best friend and I talked about were animals and becoming vets.  Well as life happened, she went to vet school, I didn't.  But I hadn't given up the dream quite yet.  When my friend graduated, she walked me through the school and into an area where the large animals were being treated for medical problems.  I came close to vomiting when I saw a cow with a hole in it's upper side as she explain the hole was there so they could reach inside the cow for some medical purpose.  That closed the book for me on even thinking of being a veterinarian!  For some reason it had never occurred to me that a vet was a doctor or the part of the medical field.  I just wanted to take care of animals, not cut them open.  And that dream died for the better.

Well, I still wanted to take care of animals, what better place to work than at a boarding establishment?  I worked for two different places, one was a boarding and training facility and the other was for a vet who also boarded.  Well, neither of these panned out for me.  Giving food, water and a short potty break, wasn't exactly what I had in mind.  It was also rather difficult for me not being able to spend more time with these dogs that were in their crates for hours on end, with only the 10-15 minutes I was allowed to take care of them.  I kept looking for a more personal relationship with the dog and time just wouldn't allow it.  I also discovered that I really didn't enjoy taking care of other people's dogs and that I only wanted to spend my time focusing on my dog and so the boarding experience came to a halt.

Time passes...

I still wanted to work with animals in some way, so later on down the road, I tried my hand at grooming.  I worked for a mobile company that was fairly innovative at the time.  In this huge van we drove to people's homes, plugged into their power, and groomed and bathed dogs and cats.  Since I didn't have a clue what I was doing, I was there to help and watch.  The whole experience was pretty interesting.  I didn't get to find out if I liked it or not, as I ended up having to move. So after I had settled in, I tried again with at another grooming place. I found that the whole "puff and fluff" thing was not for me.  I personally thought the dogs looked better when they came in all shaggy then when they left looking prim and proper.  Not exactly the best doggie stylist motto!  This is where I discovered I preferred low maintenance dogs when it came to all things fur.  I mean, WHEN the dogs do get a bath, I let them run around the house and roll in the dirt afterwards.  Wash-n-go, my kind of style!  So needless to say, I cut my losses with my professional grooming ideas.

Then I had one last plight.  I was going to college and thinking of going into wildlife biology, particularly the study of behavior.  I have always had a dream of studying tigers, until I couldn't afford to go to school anymore.  Enter husband.  Then, Alex, Silver, Brut, the Power of Ten litter, Zappa, Fiona, Blaze and Chance and somehow I've been able to do everything I wanted.  A part-time vet, caretaker, relaxed groomer, and behaviorist while devoting all my time to them.  Not only do I get to fulfill all my doggie dreams, but I get to do what I love most, write about all of them.  What better "career" could there be?

And to all of those that do work in the field of animals, thank you for your effortless love and dedication with our loved ones.

Our paws are off to you! 

Monday Memories-Silver's Chocolate Scare

That doughnut was t-h-i-s big!!

Like many we had heard that chocolate was fatal for dogs.  Silver was about 12-16 weeks old and was traveling with us.  My husband and I were on our way home and had bought a box of chocolate glazed donuts.  Neither of us thinking we ran into the gas station for our last potty break while leaving our box of goodies with a scrounging puppy before we were to head onto the highway. 

As we got back in the car, I caught Silver gulping down the remains of one of the donuts.  She was our first puppy and I panic.  All I knew at that time was chocolate=death.  So we ran her to the nearest vet office, where the wonderful vet calmed our fears, while giving Silver a shot to help with any nausea and diarrhea, as we had a four hour ride ahead of us.  The vet informed us that for Silver's weight, (about 25 lbs) she would have to eat a full chocolate bar in order to be fatal.  My husband and I both breathed a sigh of relief and Silver slept all the way home with no ill effects from the chocolate or sugar buzz she could have incurred.

The whole experience was quite a scare, but it was nice to know that our mishap didn't turn into a serious matter.  I don't know what we would have done if something were to happen to Silver because of our negligence.  As a result we are always careful about any chocolate around the house and have a special drawer just for it, along with other no-dog goodies. 

Here are a couple of websites that give a little better sketch about the different levels of toxicity of chocolates and what symptoms to watch for if you think your dog has ingested any.  While it depends on the weight of your dog and the type of chocolate and amount, all chocolate is toxic to dogs.

Notes on Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs

Dogs and Chocolate Toxicity

While these are only guidelines, if your dog has eaten chocolate or exhibits any of these symptoms, please do not hesitate to call your vet, who can help you determine what treatment your dog may need. 

 Let's keep all our puppies safe!