tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350356792787817902024-02-20T20:38:02.096-08:00Dos Chances - One Dog's Rescue StoryAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-5059872981612944402014-02-20T19:48:00.001-08:002014-02-20T19:48:27.208-08:00Dos passed away today<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">I do not know what to do.
I loved Dos more than I have ever loved anything in my life. I know she
was happy to have gotten a second chance, and I am glad to have shared
her story with everyone. I wish I was able to articulate right now but I
am in shock and devastated and my heart has never felt this heavy in my
life.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"> I cannot find the words right now to describe the sadness in my heart.</span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">rest in peace. 2/20/2014</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-20528318549973589392013-12-03T07:28:00.002-08:002013-12-03T07:28:43.781-08:00HEARTWORM TREATMENTS-DAY ONE!Today was Dos' first day of the long awaited heartworm treatments.<br />
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I woke up early, at 6 am to take Dos to work with me, because we needed to go directly from there to the APA! clinic to get the heartworm treatment.<br />
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She could sense my apprehension, I think, because when I tried to get her out of her bed, she was grumbly and turned herself into dead weight. I had to pull the bed out of the crate with her on it and sweet talk her into standing up. Once she stood up, she didn't want to leave her bed at all, so I had to carry her to the car, where, as usual, she rode with her front paws on my lap.(Maybe she doesn't like my driving).<br />
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She hung out with me at work, under the desk or following me around to clean. She was very good, and didn't bark or growl at any of the other dogs, which I was expecting. She wasn't afraid at all.<br />
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I administered Dos' pain meds, and we left for the clinic.<br />
We got to the clinic a bit early, and Dos waited patiently, laying on the floor.<br />
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When they called her back, she wasn't apprehensive about the vet's office at all, even though she has been poked and prodded so many times.<br />
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They shaved the teeny bit of fur on her back and prepared the injection site. They asked me to pet her head/face and speak loudly to her, to distract her.<br />
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She didn't notice the injection (a large needle going very deep) at all. She took it like a champ.<br />
They told me what to look for (labored breathing, blue gums, collapse) and what I should be worried about, and we were on our way! The process itself was easy-what was to come later was difficult.<br />
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Dos screamed in the car. She whined and whined and whined. She actually sat in the back seat (well...rolled around on the seat). Once we got home, I got her situated in her favorite spot on the couch with a soft blanket and petted her until she stopped whining enough to fall asleep-but the second she would almost fall asleep, she would start to panic and scoot her body to the edge of the couch, roll off, and drag herself to every corner of the room to lay down to get comfortable.<br />
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I tried putting her in her crate, as it is important to keep a dog undergoing heartworm treatments calm, as the worms die and break apart, you don't want to put any undue strain on their heart/lungs.<br />
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In her crate, she was restless, and trying to dig her way out, which was making things worse-so I took her back onto the couch and just cuddled with her, to keep her still.<br />
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She didn't like her back or tail being pet, or anywhere near it. She got a bit growly with me when I was too near the back of her, so I just sat with her and petted her little ears until she finally fell asleep.<br />
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She slept through the night, and I finally got her into her crate so I could sleep, too. She slept soundly, snoring away all night, as per usual-and this morning, she was thumping her tail against the side of her crate, happy to see me.<br />
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I think our girl is going to be alright.<br />
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Today, is the second round of the treatment. I'm less nervous about the process..but it's so much poison, and still runs a risk...so I'm just trying to stay positive.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-18468849332794335072013-12-01T17:42:00.001-08:002013-12-01T17:42:27.324-08:00First Heartworm Treatments Tomorrow..My sweet girl gets her first heartworm treatment tomorrow, and then the second one 24 hours later.<div><br></div><div>I know it's practically a routine procedure. I know it's going to be fine. I know that she will be in good hands..but I can't help but be worried sick.</div><div><br></div><div>It's going to probably be more stressful to keep her contained while she is undergoing treatments-and to keep her relaxed. . . I'm going to have to keep all paper towels out of sight...if she sees those, she may just lose her mind trying to get to them...(still, after all the delicious dog food she gets, she wants paper towels and she wants them bad).</div><div><br></div><div>Right now, Dos is laying in the yard, happy, and farting up a storm. </div><div><br></div><div>Tonight I will be giving her extra cuddles. . She has a long day ahead of her..</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-58953968838108002422013-11-12T10:10:00.001-08:002013-11-12T10:10:27.714-08:00The Daily Dos Has Returned!Miss Dos has been prospering as a dog since the past update. She has been growing in so much fur in her bald patches, and where she already had fur she is growing in thicker and thicker.<br />
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One of the best surprises from Dos Mabel Ploppers has been the heart. She has grown in a heart shaped spot on her side, which has developed as her fur has grown in. It fits her so well. She has also grown out of a lot of the wrinkles she originally had, which, as I can see now, were mostly from the swelling all over her body.<br />
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She has also grown into her personality a lot more in the past month. She is affectionate, and still very clingy. She waits at the door for me to come home, and once I do, she does not leave my side. She has decided that she must be in my lap at all times.<br />
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As sweet as she is, she is also a cranky ol' lady. She doesn't like when the other dogs run too fast past her unless she is in the mood to play (which isn't terribly often). She doesn't like when Walter whines at night. If it's bedtime and Walter wants to whine or bark at something, she growls and barks and will give Walter a little nip to quiet him down. She's definitely a mama dog, and if she were a human, she would definitely be telling kids to get off her lawn.<br />
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I've found that she's also pretty territorial, and very anxious around dogs she doesn't know. She loves her brothers (when they aren't playing ball in the house) but if a dog approaches our yard, she gets a little aggressive. A friend of mine brought her dogs over recently, and she went immediately on the defensive and got very snarly with one of them. After an hour or so, however, she settled down and she was fine, but I think the initial response is fear based.<br />
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I have taken her to work with me a few times, and at work she seems to be more interested in sniffing around -but not with any of the dogs staying here because I am concerned about what could happen. . I know from working at the kennel that dogs behave SO differently when they aren't around their people-so Im not sure if it's just because I am around-I haven't let her around strange dogs without me at all so I am not sure what her reaction would be.<br />
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Thankfully, she's grown fond(er) of the yard, and as long as Francis is out there, she is content with it. But because Francis has been sick, he hasn't spent much time out there lately and I think she is happy about that.<br />
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At the end of the month, she will finally get her heartworm treatments. She will need to take a severe painkiller before the injections, because the injections go deep in the muscle.<br />
She will also be seeing my vet soon about the lump in her neck-all signs point to a lipoma, which is just a fatty tumor, but we will see..I'm really hoping for the best. She's already gone through so much.<br />
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Now that things have settled down, the updates will be coming more frequently. (I have been doing more updates on Dos Facebook page, which is facebook.com/doschances if anyone is interested in seeing more pictures.)<br />
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I love this sweet girl so much-and she loves me more than any living creature probably ever will, ever in my life.<br />
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<img height="478" src="https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/28871_232173926944660_1811827786_n.jpg" width="640" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-46462658592833114752013-11-04T11:02:00.000-08:002013-11-04T11:02:02.424-08:00Three month progress!This is a bit behind (obviously) so I apologize for letting the updates fall by the wayside.<br />
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Between working 6 days a week and Francis falling ill, I haven't had much time to update the blog.<br />
(Dos does have a Facebook, for those interested. The address is www.facebook.com/doschances)<br />
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But-here is a progress photo of Dos from here THREE MONTH ANNIVERSARY:)<br />
And a video of her 3 month anniversary present-a giant kong, which she was SOOOO interested in.<br />
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Dos should be getting her heartworm treatments as soon as APA! gets their medicine back in stock!<br />
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But for now, Dos is doing well. She's become so attached to me, Michael and our roommate told me that she waits by the door from the time I leave until the time I get home.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-90431727977887010562013-10-31T07:49:00.002-07:002013-10-31T07:49:48.143-07:00Halloween!Tonight, Dos will be helping me pass out candy to the neighborhood kids. She will be in costume.<br />
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Considering how much Dos LOVES kids, I'm very excited for tonight!<br />
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Pics up asap!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-7598843185866430142013-10-25T07:27:00.002-07:002013-10-25T07:27:39.456-07:00Videos! Sniffing and the Pigwalrus Wiggle.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I want to apologize for the lack of updates recently-our oldest and first baby and Dos' best buddy Francis fell ill and was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and we have been tending to him. It's been a very stressful situation. Dos has been sniffing at him but not bothering him too much. I think she knows.</div>
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Anyway, here are a couple of Dos videos, the most important being the Pigwalrus Wiggle, which is is what she does when she doesn't want to do something like go in her crate or go in the house..</div>
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She uses that cute factor for sure!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-73621811929446615722013-10-09T15:42:00.001-07:002013-10-09T15:42:51.640-07:00Dos Updates!Ya'll will get your Dos fix tonight! Computer is back up and running!:-DAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-48295214584850463362013-10-02T16:39:00.000-07:002013-10-10T16:40:10.622-07:00Day 73!Took Princess Dos Mabel Ploppers to Summermoon Coffee Shop today with my friend who just came to town.<br />
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She looked like she had been there forever, and once we got to the patio waddled right to their dog water bowl, slurped a big drink, and placed herself underneath the table where we were sitting.<br />
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She watched people walk by, she sniffed the air at dogs and their people jogging past, and she wagged her tail when people came near her. She was a happy, happy pigwalrus today.<br />
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It's a big step in her emotional recovery to be around people, and a great sign that she's started to thrive.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-29340294813997990102013-10-01T16:29:00.000-07:002013-10-10T16:29:59.097-07:00Day 72-Dos meets a rescue puppyToday Dos met a little rescue puppy, who had a broken femur and hip and was skin-and-bones starving. Although he is broken, he is still a puppy and tries very hard to get around and climb into people laps. I thought she would be a bit frightened by this-but she sat down next to him when he finally managed to get his awkward little body into my lap, and put her head on my knee and sniffed into his ears, sniffed his neck, sniffed all over him and finally just put her head back on my knee and just looked at him. It was as if she was checking him out to see what was wrong with him, and then telling him everything was going to be alright.<br />
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It was a very Mother Dos thing I witnesses, and I wish I would have been able to capture it on video.<br />
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Someone was definitely cutting onions there...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-77793643263167063782013-09-30T16:21:00.000-07:002013-10-10T16:22:09.169-07:00Day 71-Dos' trip to Strange Brew.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been trying to give Dos as many relaxed outings as possible before her heartworm treatments, as she won't be able to do much of anything while she is undergoing treatments, and -i like to keep this in the back of my mind- in case something happens to her, I want her to have had the best possible life, seeing new things, and meeting new people who pet her.</div>
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I took Dos to Strange Brew tonight, and she did just that. She met lots of people, all of who she was very happy to be pet by. I went with my friend Katie, and we sat at a corner table with Dos hanging out underneath. She was content to lay at my feet-and content in general for the most part, until I went inside to get coffee, and Katie held her leash. She struggled to follow me, and when I returned to her, she acted like she does when I've been at work all day.</div>
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(As cute as it is, I do want to work on her separation anxiety)</div>
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When we got home, Dos immediately fell asleep on her couch spot. I could tell she was very happy to have been out with me, and little tuckered out girl fell right asleep.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-49631727378011456112013-09-29T15:53:00.000-07:002013-10-10T16:06:15.741-07:00Day 70-Dos goes to the pet food store..<br />
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<img alt="Photo: Field trip to callahans general store! Someone needs treats!" class="scaledImageFitWidth img" height="540" src="http://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/p480x480/1375726_222138771281509_1740120595_n.jpg" width="403" /></div>
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Today I took Dos on a field trip to get dog treats/chewies/ dog soap, and vaccinations for a friend's dog. <br />
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We ventured off to Callahan's General Store-where there would be a plethera of things for Dos to smell and look at. Unfortunately, I didn't know Callahan's wasn't open on Sundays, so we opted to head down to Tomlinson's, a petfeed store. <br />
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We got there a bit before they opened, so we sat out front and Dos watched a Shar-Pei puppy play with his puppy mom in the grass.<br />
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Once inside, Dos' nose went into hyperdrive. She REALLY liked the smell of cat food. REALLY REALLY liked it. She even whined a little when I managed to finally pry her away from the aisle-but not to worry, there was not only an entire aisle of dog food for her to smell, but a row of dog treats, right at Dos' eye level.<br />
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Two children who were walking next to their parents stopped to stare at Dos as she went full-on pigwalrus mode and dove into the boxes of pumpkin treats, snorting and grunting as she chomped away. It took me a moment to dig the front half of her body out of the box, as she buried her front paws in there when she shoved her face in. I took off the top layer of drooled-on treats and put them into a bag. You drool on it, you buy it. The sales lady said that's the most common thing for dogs to do in the store. Their marketing tactic is brilliant.<br />
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Dos seemed content with her pumpkin-treat filled belly, and was perfectly behaved as I loaded what we needed into the cart...until the bully sticks. I've never seen Dos have much balance, or speed, but quickly and gracefully, she removed two bullysticks from the box and dropped to the floor to hover over them lovingly.<br />
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This, the sales associate said, was the second most common occurrence at the store.<br />
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So, we left, with what we came for-and $30 in excess treats. The phrase 'kid in a candy store' holds no candle to Dos in an aisle of edibles.<br />
<img alt="Photo: Field trip to callahans general store! Someone needs treats!" class="scaledImageFitWidth img" src="http://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/p480x480/1375726_222138771281509_1740120595_n.jpg" /> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-40188383587360287752013-09-28T15:52:00.000-07:002013-10-10T15:53:31.273-07:00Day 69-Dos as a Cartoon<br />
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Not much to update with Princess Dos Mabel Ploppers today, so I'll share the 'cartoon Dos' my dad sent to me, which Im going to turn into a stencil and put on a T-shirt.<br />
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My dad thought Dos was a boy dog, but no matter-I think Dos would look splendid in a top hat and monocle!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-87129902889269810922013-09-27T19:00:00.000-07:002013-10-10T15:49:18.799-07:00Day 68-Clingy little pigwalrusDos has been literally in my lap, laying with her head on my chest, my shoulder, my face, every moment that she gets the opportunity. It is as if she is begging me to please never leave her for longer than a duration of a shift at work ever, ever again.<br />
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She even took her medicine with no problems tonight-letting me open that pigwalrus jaw and down-the-hatch! She still looks like she's surprised that I'm putting things in her mouth, and she is less than pleased, but she is going along with it swimmingly, at least for today.<br />
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Dos and I have been enjoying the porch this evening, and Dos laid on the porch with the lattice as a headrest, once she was sure I wasn't going inside/down the driveway/to the car without her.<br />
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Stretched out in her fall sweater, she's having a good time.<br />
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<img alt="https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=ddd612c6a0&view=att&th=141a48d83e430565&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_LGXUpLYemMBCyAD6Hy314&sadet=1381445270285&sads=QOkoEnw44DVnD6bvedzuRLohGeE&sadssc=1" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="478" src="https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=ddd612c6a0&view=att&th=141a48d83e430565&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_LGXUpLYemMBCyAD6Hy314&sadet=1381445270285&sads=QOkoEnw44DVnD6bvedzuRLohGeE&sadssc=1" width="640" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-87874752088208090642013-09-26T20:54:00.001-07:002013-09-26T20:54:21.091-07:00Day 67-more fur!Here's a quick photo update on Dos' rapidly growing patches of fur...<div>She seems to be filling out from the corners in.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKypsNMsxS42HmVtDcupYR8bs4KVvG6kLoou9Dl_RW38COfPKvqJu62ld14Gkoz0pEDbKKgIiHoiKLWehyphenhyphenGn5SEfFYrl7_qybSrDul3obua4dWkTb_qZnD8q2XvgthxuvTlhDiCue3nzQ/s640/blogger-image-1960083718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKypsNMsxS42HmVtDcupYR8bs4KVvG6kLoou9Dl_RW38COfPKvqJu62ld14Gkoz0pEDbKKgIiHoiKLWehyphenhyphenGn5SEfFYrl7_qybSrDul3obua4dWkTb_qZnD8q2XvgthxuvTlhDiCue3nzQ/s640/blogger-image-1960083718.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Back leg!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSLq8LNlVf2fZJO7N927RuvZHaZUo8aQHyGnsbbhP_SR4BMy0zEYe8cM5OlicrfNBV_O5f_xYI1HGb6WqkqoI3IylMvL_D6lsNNa3NZr0IoDr_0dqU_CPiZ3Ad4d9VXvk-HcEkFZvpqQ/s640/blogger-image--15862332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSLq8LNlVf2fZJO7N927RuvZHaZUo8aQHyGnsbbhP_SR4BMy0zEYe8cM5OlicrfNBV_O5f_xYI1HGb6WqkqoI3IylMvL_D6lsNNa3NZr0IoDr_0dqU_CPiZ3Ad4d9VXvk-HcEkFZvpqQ/s640/blogger-image--15862332.jpg"></a></div>The fur on her front legs is starting to spread upwards! I keep forgetting she's a white dog with black patches. Look at that fuzz! It's growing more down her head and ears, too!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rnaDM1KOGa_CTq2UUmNvcwbq2kBpD6nQl_yRSnU5uogCOOzgISpulHXigePXM6uNWYYvyhGOPg9tjmTsa6NAoVqFK_j2jGPlE0yDPMCJOLUfhD8d5LSilKF3NgF6_Tbllf3kYzf14_c/s640/blogger-image--282726281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rnaDM1KOGa_CTq2UUmNvcwbq2kBpD6nQl_yRSnU5uogCOOzgISpulHXigePXM6uNWYYvyhGOPg9tjmTsa6NAoVqFK_j2jGPlE0yDPMCJOLUfhD8d5LSilKF3NgF6_Tbllf3kYzf14_c/s640/blogger-image--282726281.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is a slightly awkward angle, but this is a chest view, where the fur is filling in up her legs and starting to meet in the middle on her chest. She's even starting to grow a little bit of fur on the very calloused area on her elbows!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Her tail though, besides the bottom side where it has been since the beginning, is totally bare. Not even peach fuzz on the top of that thing. She may just always have an armadillo tail. If that's the case, ill be slathering sunblock on it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">She was excited to eat tonight, especially since she watched me make a fresh batch of dog food. She saw me pull ground turkey from the fridge and became elated, prancing around the kitchen, even trying to play with Walter a bit. It surprises me that when she wants to be playful, she goes for Walter as her playmate, because he's so big and clumsy, and has what I like to call "Lab Fury". Those of you with labs may be familiar with this-although I'm not sure how much lab is in Walter, he's definitely got it. Lab fury is the first three to four years of a labs life where they made of pure hyperactive energy and their bodies defy all the laws of gravity, and everything to ever exist is the most exciting thing in the world. By the very nature of Lab Fury, one would assume that Dos would avoid playtime with Walter at all costs, because she's got such little "play drive" and very little patience. But no- when Dos wants to play, she runs full pigwalrus speed at Walter and skids into him like she's sliding into home plate-straight to his legs . </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Dos is so very happy today. Now, lets see if she keeps that chipperness once I try to administer the doxycycline ...</div><br></div><br></div></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-59102386360011167662013-09-26T09:10:00.001-07:002013-09-26T09:10:40.483-07:00Day 66Michael called me this morning at work to let me know that Dos was constipated. (this blog has had a lot of talk about dog poop).<br />
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She tried to go several times throughout the day, and apparently, all of a sudden, she pooped what looked like three days worth of poop all at once.<br />
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I'm wondering if this is a side effect of the doxy, so I'll be researching this today-and making sure she drinks extra water.<br />
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This morning, she took her medicine with a bit less of a fight, although when she saw me with the syringe, she scurried back into her crate. Thankfully, Im a short person and can fit in there with her.<br />
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By the end of the day, even after her second round of meds for the day, she seemed a lot happier with it, and cuddled in bed with me like a pigwalrus teddy bear.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-11591325123660048722013-09-26T09:06:00.003-07:002013-09-26T09:06:39.579-07:00Day 65-DOWN THE HATCH, DOS!Getting the doxycycline into Dos' throat is not the easiest of tasks. She's, as you all know, the most stubborn pigwalrus ever to live. The medicine needs to be administered about 1/2 an hour after eating, so after she ate breakfast this morning...I got the medicine ready, and called her over to me. She wagged her tail and sat down, ready for pets.-which she got, and then, as quickly as possible, I opened her jaw up and squirted the medicine in the back of her throat. She made a noise like a half empty shampoo bottle makes when you squeeze it, and tried to back away as quickly as possible. I administer medicine like this all the time at work, so I was prepared for the 'backlash'. I hugged her around her body, and held her head up, rubbing her throat to get her to swallow the medicine. Once I was sure it was all down, I let her go, and petted her and petted her...she looked at me with such a baffled look on her face...I gave her something and it wasn't a treat...and I wouldn't let her go until she had it all!<br />
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I've given her medicine in so many things, but this I have to give her after she ate..<br />
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This evening though, she knew it was coming. I went for the mouth and she did her famous stop drop and roll, and moved her head around so I couldnt get it. Finally, I had to trick her into it...I cradled her head like a baby and then when she relaxed a bit...I went for the goal and got it down her throat. She stared at me, motionless for thirty seconds and then went and sulked in her crate.<br />
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This is going to be a long three weeks.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-63205281446236002322013-09-26T08:58:00.001-07:002013-09-26T08:58:36.217-07:00PREHEARTWORM APPOINTMENT.<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I arrived back in town today, early early early in the morning. When I walked in, Dos was asleep, and it took her a few moments to realize I was back, and she lost her little pigwalrussy mind. She acted like I had been gone her whole life (and I guess, up until 2 months ago, I was). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">After our happy reunion, I had to go straight to work-and Michael had to take her to her preheartworm appointment at APA! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">He gave me the rundown: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">She weighs 65 pound, the vets are happy with how she's recovering, and she will be taking a round of doxycycline for 3 weeks, 2 times per day-and then she will get her 'official' heartworm treatments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's how the heartworm treatments work:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The doxycycline basically an antibiotic that kills a parasite called "wolbachia" that can live in the heartworms themselv<span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">es. After the doxycycline regimen is finished, she will go back to the vet to get a physical exam to clear her for the next step, and then she'll be put on a steroid for the next two days before the treatment and then throughout the first part of the heartworm treatment. The heartworm treatment is injected deep into the muscle tissue, a medicine which kills the heartworms. The dead worms exit the heart, and therefore she is going to need to be on doggy bedrest for a month-where her heartrate will have to be kept low so there won't be any complications while the dead heartworms leave her heart. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So, that will be a while of keeping her still, no walks, no excitement, and lots and lots of cuddling.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The treatments go deep into the muscle, so she will be on some painkillers-hopefully they will keep her slightly sedated, so we can be sure she is resting properly.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">It's 3 weeks away and Im nervous and excited. I can't wait for my girl to get better.</span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-47678177065193214462013-09-26T08:29:00.004-07:002013-09-26T08:29:42.870-07:00Day 63-Sam the Dog Walker lets the dogs out..Michael had to work a 12 hour shift today, and I was still out of town, meaning the dogs would be at home alone for 12 hours.<br />
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I enlisted the services of Sam the Famous Dog Walker, who is the owner-operator of <a href="http://www.atxpetservices.com/" target="_blank">ATX Pet Services</a>-. I know Sam through working at the dog kennel, and I've seen how he handles dogs, and even though I am a worried pet parent, considering I have a senile dog, a brain damaged dog, a VERY protective and territorial dog, a scared dog, and Dos, I had total faith and trust in Sam that he could handle all 5 of my babies.<br />
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I sent him about 10 text messages with information about their quirks, etc, even though he had met most of them at the kennel. I was obviously worried, but Sam assured me things would be fine, and that he would be there to let them out.<br />
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I checked the time all evening long, waiting to hear how they did, and when finally the time rolled around, he sent me a text message "Mission Accomplished," and said they did absolutely fine.<br />
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AWESOME. :) It's good to have someone who can do those kinds of services that has experience and expertise. I love Sam the Dogwalker!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-4289644893938480442013-09-26T08:22:00.002-07:002013-09-26T08:22:31.454-07:00Day 62I left super early this morning, and thankfully, Dos was asleep when I left. I did give her a kiss goodbye, but I didn't want to make a big deal of leaving, so she wouldn't be confused and upset.<br />
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I did have a little bit of a breakdown before leaving-(as I usually do before getting on an airplane) telling Michael that if I died PLEASE MAKE SURE SHE TAKES HER FISH OIL EVERY DAY AND LOVE HER FOREVER.<br />
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Michael called me later on in the day, telling me Dos was happy as a clam, hanging out with him on the porch, walking up and down the driveway.<br />
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He made sure to tell me every detail of every poop she had, just so I knew he was paying attention to every little thing.<br />
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She'll be just fine.:)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-78340564574046778542013-09-26T08:18:00.000-07:002013-09-26T08:18:17.869-07:00Day 61-leaving townTonight, I learned that I was going to need to go out of town for 2-3 days. My first worry was if Dos was going to think that I left her. I know the rest of the dogs will be fine, and she will be with 'her pack,' but she is so so soooo attached to me, I was afraid she would think I abandoned her.<br />
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I went to pack my overnight bag-and similar to what she does when I get ready to go in the mornings, she crawled into my lap, she put her head on my knee, she dropped on her back and begged for bellyrubs, and she followed me at every step, sitting, sitting sitting, like "Look!!! I'm a good girl!! I'm even sitting!! DONT LEAVE!"<br />
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Although she will be fine, I just worry for her...Michael is going to have a new shadow for the weekend.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-45342384686400473012013-09-26T08:13:00.001-07:002013-09-26T08:13:58.172-07:00TWO MONTH MILESTONE!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-zP25CrnbVZJRDAzErElwq4olp0R-wue9IJkY4qIXEIuk89ngcd8wyFpdaHaarjabjV0xjObjOdMNT-PlMTokG1hokSpAz9Kwa5U6Uesj1t10nVE519jNAjC1wx2kRkjlCkl3Rcjpc8/s1600/2months.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-zP25CrnbVZJRDAzErElwq4olp0R-wue9IJkY4qIXEIuk89ngcd8wyFpdaHaarjabjV0xjObjOdMNT-PlMTokG1hokSpAz9Kwa5U6Uesj1t10nVE519jNAjC1wx2kRkjlCkl3Rcjpc8/s1600/2months.bmp" height="260" width="640" /></a></div>
Happy 2 month anniversary of your new life, my sweet, sweet pigwalrus! I love this girl so so so much.<br />
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We've made it 60 days into recovery. She's still got a long way to go-but she's made so much progress mentally, physically, and behaviorally, I'm so proud of her. This pigwalrus definitely has a huge piece of my heart.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-67944430643714707842013-09-26T07:55:00.002-07:002013-09-26T07:55:58.724-07:00Day 59-Sitting...sitting sitting sitting..Since Dos has picked up 'sit' and the fact that not only does sitting get her treats and lots of praise, Dos has become OBSESSED with sitting. When she wants attention, she sits. When she smells something I have that she wants, she sits. She goes to the door and sits.<br />
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I wanted to give it a week or so before declaring it official that she knows how to 'sit', and now, she will sit on command-ALMOST every time. She still is the most stubborn little pigwalrus ever.<br />
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And of course, with that stubbornness, she still drops to the ground and rolls on her back and wiggles for belly rubs when she doesn't want to do something like go inside, or walk, or move out of the way.<br />
End of the driveway? You want me to move? NOPE! *stop drop and roll*. She knows how to use that cute pigwalrus-ness, but at least now she knows how to sit, too:)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-12800850243998014942013-09-26T07:51:00.000-07:002013-09-26T07:51:35.937-07:00Day 58-She loooooves me:)I've been working some really long shifts at the kennel this week. I get up at 6am, take Dos out for a short walk and a feeding, and then leave for work and don't come home until 7pm. She has spent a lot of time with Michael and the other dogs this past week or so. Today, however, I think it dawned on her that I've been gone a lot.<br />
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I walked into the house at 7pm, and was greeted by my furry herd, as per usual. Dos typically trots over to me too, waiting for pettings and her evening walk. Today, as I opened the door, Dos bolted from the kitchen like a zebra chasing an antelope, skidded halfway across the living room floor, and slid into my legs, rolled on her back and wiggled maniacally, then pulling herself up and actually jumping up onto her back legs putting her paws on my stomach, stretching up to sniff my face.<br />
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Dos has NEVER tried to jump up on me, the entire time she's been here-she's so bumbly and awkward, I wasnt sure she was even capable of doing so! (and, it's something I'm still trying to break Walter of, so I don't want to encourage any of them to jump-but it was SO adorable.) She then glued herself to my side for the remainder of the evening.<br />
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I can't believe we're only 2 days away from TWO MONTH MILESTONE!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35035679278781790.post-90131097456071782842013-09-26T07:11:00.001-07:002013-09-26T07:11:37.246-07:00Day 57-Dos Marks Her TerritoryA fun discovery about my favorite little pigwalrus today was that Dos marks her territory, like a boy dog.<br />
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On her walk today, she and Francis trotted along happily with one another, and I noticed Dos was peeing-a lot.<br />
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Peeing is not something Dos does often, or everytime she goes outside, like most dogs. So, I let her do her thing and observed, in case there was something wrong.<br />
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I then realized that she would pee everytime Francis would pee. He'd stop to mark a pole, a bush, a hydrant. Dos would then waddle her pigwalrus self to the same area and mark as well.<br />
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This went on for the duration of the walk.<br />
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I have never known a female dog to mark! I've heard this happens, but I have never seen it...and it is funny, especially when Dos gets her mind set to where she is going to mark and looking very dignified, following Francis and his marking patterns.<br />
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Funny little pigwalrus.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306047028222842434noreply@blogger.com0