Welcome to this week’s edition of Follow-up Friday, where I highlight reader’s comments, answer questions and generally just wrap up my week.
You Make Me Smile – April 6, 2014
They’re here for me, right?
Sampson’s Seroma went down quickly. Initially the surgeon told me it will get worse before it gets better, but I don’t really think it did. I think the worst of it was Thursday or Friday. I did as he said and warm/hot compressed it between 4 to 6 times per day and by the time he had his staples removed, it was looking REALLY good.
Roxy the Traveling Dog asked, “I hope he’s feeling better. Poor guy. And how are you holding up?”
I am hanging in there. Much better since he’s off the cone, but he’s not using his leg properly and I’m so worried that I’m doing things wrong and hurting him. Like Wednesday when I put him in the car I’m pretty sure I did it wrong and I’m afraid I hurt him.
Jenna, Mark “HuskyCrazed” Drady said, “Its funny because when I walk down the street, so many people always want to pet my huskies, so when a person walks by and pays no attention to them, they just sort of state at the person like “um what are you waiting for?”
Sampson is exactly the same way! He thinks every person he sees is there only for him.
SlimDoggy said, “It’s so hard to manage different activity levels…I know exactly how you feel when I have to leave one of them behind.”
It sucks. Each one of them barks when the other one leaves the yard, but it’s unfair to take them both with me because they currently walk at different paces.
Genevieve said, “Playing dodge dog with off-leash dogs scares me. I have done it, but I don’t like it.”
It stinks and then there are the moments when you think you’ve succeeded and BAM you walk right into an off-leash pup.
They can fix it? Really? I can’t wait to feel better.
First of all, I’m so, so sorry for giving so many of you a start. I really, really suck at blog post titles!! Originally it was going to be called, “You can’t prepare yourself” but at last minute I change my mind and went with A Mama’s Heartache. Poor choice on my part.
Emma said, “Usually we keep our collar and Mom takes the leash. Even at day care where there are over fifty dogs coming and going all day, they keep even Bailie’s leash.”
Exactly, if a daycare can keep track of all those leashes, I don’t see how a vet’s office can’t manage it.
Jackie Bouchard shared a memory of her pup Abby’s amputation and then said, “Sorry for the novella. Not great memories. Prefer to remember her post-recovery, when she was awesome and amazing and an inspiration.”
Don’t ever apologize for sharing on this blog, I’m here to listen and support, just like you all do for me. I’m so glad that Abby became your inspiration.
Beth said, “I was worried I would forget to bring the collar and leash with me when I came to pick her up.”
And Jan K said, “I might drop the dog off and have my hubby pick them up on his way home from work (he goes right by there).”
Exactly!! I actually left the collar and leash in the car, but that would be my worry too. I’d drive all the way out to get him and realize, shit I forgot his collar and leash!
Saved by Dogs said, “Devil’s advocate – there are rare dogs who can hurt themselves when left in a kennel with a collar.”
You are absolutely right. I certainly don’t want him wearing the collar in a kennel, but feel like they could put the leash on a hook behind the kennel of find another way to manage it.
Blueberry’s Human said, “It’s sad enough walking back to the car and driving home without your fuzzy buddy than to have them hand you the leash and collar like that!”
Thank you. That is exactly my point. It felt very final.
Really, the staples are coming out? And I can stop wearing the cone? Can Delilah eat it?
2 Brown Dawgs said, “I wonder if Delilah is nervous because she can’t see exactly what you are doing when you clip her back nails.”
I suppose it’s possible, I’ll have to see about positioning myself better the next time I clip them.
Two French Bulldogs said, “Mom is laughing cause we are going to be the death of her.”
Yeah, I think we have to laugh.
Saved by Dogs said, “Sure people can get things backwards but to not want a Lab – why their thinking must be pure broken!”
I know, I know. As much as she vexes me, she also brings a lot of joy and laughter, she’s just frustrating sometimes. 🙂
That’s it for me, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!
Jodi – I’m so happy to hear that Sampson got his staples out and no longer has to wear the cone of shame (squirrel). One of my Sheltie girls had a large lipoma removed and because of the size of it after removal a seroma developed, she really got into the warm compresses that I had to apply to the area and the snuggles afterward – but that’s a Sheltie for ya lol lol lol.
My parents just recently lost their girl who was a yellow lab/golden mix her name was Honey and she was the sweetest girl I have ever met… she even would say hello when they came home ( I kid you not) if I hadn’t heard it myself I wouldn’t have believed it myself. Give you furbabies a kiss on the nose for me please !!!!!!!!!
Great round up Jodi and we are ready for Sunday. We hope you are finding a little time for yourself in between all the looking after Sampson and Delilah’s antics. Thinking of you. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly
See…it’s a matter of personal choice. “You Can’t Prepare Yourself” would have given me a start too. LOL! 🙂
Glad to hear that Sampson’s seroma went down too. 🙂
My goodness woman! You ARE the living, breathing definition of a “worrywart”, aren’t you? Bless your heart! As for putting Sampson in the car “wrong”? Unless he winced or cried out in pain, you didn’t hurt him. Our dogs are much more resilient than we are.
I can’t lift either Callie or Shadow by myself. I asked Callie’s surgeon last year, “How am I going to get her out of the car when I get home? I can’t even lift a 50-lb. bag of mulch.” He smiled and asked me if I could park the car in the grass long enough to get her out of the car and into the house. “Yes.” I said. Then he said “Okay, then park in the grass. When you’re ready to get her out of the car, let her help you help her…she won’t want to jump, but she can put her front legs out in front of her and slide forward enough for you to get the blanket under her and use it as a sling to support her back end as she slides the rest of the way. (He had already suggested getting a baby’s crib blanket to use as a sling when he brought her in for the surgery.) I actually had a small blanket from the ASPCA that fit the purpose perfectly. Now it’s in Ducky’s crate to keep her warm at night. But I used that blanket as a sling every time I had to take her outside to potty those first 2 weeks. It was a godsend! And certainly softer to the touch than those canvas-type slings they sell on orvis.com.
I agree with Callie’s Mom above–he would have let you know if you’d hurt him, and you (wonderful dog mom that you are) would have noticed it. Also, he’s a forgiving guy and I’m sure, somehow, he knows that you’re doing what’s best.
ANOTHER grrrrreat Friday Follow Up…
Great follow up. Thanks for answering my question and you have yourselves a good weekend!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Glad you guys are doing good and no more cone or staples, now on to the walks and recovery. Have a great weekend. Love that last photo. So happy.
It seems as if things are settling in somewhat at your place. I hope the recovery keeps moving in the right direction. Have an awesome weekend.
Great FUF post. Thanks for the shout-out. I’m glad to hear the seroma went down. (Actually thought you were supposed to do ice treatments on those… not heat. Huh.) Hope his recovery continues to go well.
Your best is all you can do and I am sure he knows you are doing your best and never mean to hurt him. It is so hard to leave one dog at home and take others. We have that issue constantly at our house with Bailie going and leaving Katie and I home, some times Bailie and I go and Katie stays home, Katie goes and we stay home. Mom is hoping that if that mix up continues it will become normal and won’t bother us. It really doesn’t bother us too much anyway, I think it bothers Mom more.
I’m with Donna – either title would have been too much. But it was nice to read along and find that it wasn’t what we thought. 🙂 Glad to hear Sampson is truly on the mend! And no, you’re not going to break your dog. 🙂
With an odd number of dogs, I normally walk one at a time, and the ones left behind are never happy. But I’m not up to taking all 3 yet, and I’m not going to take 2 and leave one alone. I can hear them yelping and carrying on as I go down the street, but they do eventually stop.
I am a worrier like you and I know I would worry I was hurting him too, or doing everything wrong. Heck, I worry I’m doing everything wrong even when they’re NOT injured. But I am sure you are doing fine, and all you can do is the best you can anyway. He is going to be fine!
I have heard that sometimes it takes time for them to use the leg properly. I think the water therapy will help. Hang in there and have a great weekend. We are going to have nice weather today. 🙂
PS don’t take too much nail clipping advice from me. We still struggle with Freighter…lol. He doesn’t care for nail clipping front or back.