Oh my - yesterday when I wrote I totally forgot to mention that not only was Wednesday September 8th the day of Dingle's dental cleaning, but it was also his 5th birthday (yeah, vet schedules made it unavoidable - I tried to book a different day)
HAPPY (NOW BELATED) FIFTH BIRTHDAY DINGLEHOPPER!
There were times when Dingle was dealing with so many challenges that I sometimes doubted that Dingle would make it to his 5th birthday - but he did!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
All Dingle wants for Christmas is his two front teeth?
If so... it's not happening.
Poor Dingle - this past Wednesday Dingle had his annual dental.
Yes, annual.
Dingle has had a dental cleaning every September for the past 3 years as despite dental food, dental treats, dental toys, teeth brushing, dental stuff for his water, $90 Leeba spray etc. Dingle's teeth are disgusting and his breath smells like he's got road kill trapped in his throat.
Every year it's been routine - just a cleaning and he's finished - no teeth extractions or anything like that.
Well, not this year.
When I called the vet to ask how Dingle was they told me that they needed to pull his two front incisors - the bottom ones. The vet said that the x-ray they showed that they detached from the bone, were loose and a pocket had formed under the gums.
That's not all I was told...
I was also told that when they ran the pre-anesthetic blood panel his ALT liver enzymes were high - 250 (normal is around 50). The vet said that while this could be related to those teeth that were pulled (the pockets forming under the gums could have been a breeding ground for infection), but it most often incidates that a dog has 'gotten into something' toxic.
Dingle has not eating anything he shouldn't have - at least that I have seen - and he had not shown any signs of having gotten into anything - no nausea, vomiting, etc.... absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. She said that perhaps Dingle had walked through something, licked his paws and ingested it that way.
I asked if perhaps it could be related to Dingle eating Orijin, a food very high in protein, but she didn't think it would be - said that would affect kidneys as well? At least that is what I think she said.
It's a mystery as to why his kidney enzymes are elevated.
I was told not to worry too much now - that all of the other liver levls are fine.
So the plan is for him to be on liver detoxifyer (Zentonil Advanced 200) for the next few weeks and then we'll check his levels then. Hopefully they have returned to normal.
Dingle is doing alright now. When I first brought him home he was high as a kite though and could barely stand. I guess that was from the hydromorphone pain injection more so than the anesthesia because he's been under anesthesia... ugh... at least 8 times now... and has recovered quickly.
Up until last night Dingle was getting Codeine gel rubbed into his ear for pain - but he's now finished that.
He is still on antibiotics (Antirobe aquadrops) and will be on them for a total of 10 days. They taste like crap and Dingle's face is pricess when I give them to him... but he takes them well.
So since Wednesday I've been busy with meds... which isn't all that uncommon as there's always something up with Dingle.
After his walk and feeding at 6:30am (on days I work nights) he'd get his Tears Natural II eye drops, the Cyclosporine eye gel, the antibiotics and for those 3 days the codeine.
Then later I'd sleep for a few hours and get up and give him the liver pills, which have to be given on an empty stomach.
The pamphlet in the pills said that they are 'palatable' - meaning they should taste good. But Dingle spit today's pill out 9 times - even when after I covered in peanut butter. This I found very, very strange. Dingle has been on pills so often that I could shake a pill bottle and he'd come running with excitement. So for him to not want one it must be repulsive.
After the liver pill I'd go back to bed for a few more hours and before work we'd start the morning routine again - eye drops, codeine and antibiotics.
The morning after the dental he was feeling well enough to eat. I think it was mainly because I allowed him to have Little Cesar wet food - he doesn't get wet food and so he scarfs it when he sees it... that and he hadn't eaten for such a long time since he couldn't eat after midnight the night before his surgery.
The night after the dental I was adding water to his kibble so that by the time my boyfriend fed him the food would be mush but Dingle spun in circles indicating he wanted the food right then and there - and he ate the hard kibbles fine.
He seems to be himself again - my usual Dingle... now with a gap in his front teeth.
In addition to being worried about his liver levels I'm (for some reason) absolutely devestated that Dingle had to have his teeth removed.
I once met a pom owner before I had Dingle and she made a point of saying "my dog has only 4 teeth left" (like that's something to brag about) and I said "oh, how old is your dog?". I expected her to say he was really old, but her response: "4". Holy shit lady - he's only 4 and only had 4 teeth left? Ugh.
I vowed to take care of Dingle's teeth so that he didn't end up like that pom and I know I've done everything I could have to help his dental health and I know that little dogs can be prone to bad teeth. Despite that I feel absolutely horrible that Dingle had 2 teeth pulled. Extremely terrible.
He's still got stitches in his mouth and I know losing two teeth doesn't seem to affect him, but for the last few days whenever I've seen him with his mouth open my eyes are drawn to the gap and I feel like shit.
Perhaps it's just a matter of adjusting to the fact he had teeth pulled?
All I know is I'm more concerned that Dingle just lost two teeth than I am affected by the damage to my bank account on Wednesday.
The damage? $1,063.32.
Yup - and not covered by insurance (well the liver meds may - I need to discuss this with the vet at our follow-up).
Oh Dingle.
Poor Dingle - this past Wednesday Dingle had his annual dental.
Yes, annual.
Dingle has had a dental cleaning every September for the past 3 years as despite dental food, dental treats, dental toys, teeth brushing, dental stuff for his water, $90 Leeba spray etc. Dingle's teeth are disgusting and his breath smells like he's got road kill trapped in his throat.
Every year it's been routine - just a cleaning and he's finished - no teeth extractions or anything like that.
Well, not this year.
When I called the vet to ask how Dingle was they told me that they needed to pull his two front incisors - the bottom ones. The vet said that the x-ray they showed that they detached from the bone, were loose and a pocket had formed under the gums.
That's not all I was told...
I was also told that when they ran the pre-anesthetic blood panel his ALT liver enzymes were high - 250 (normal is around 50). The vet said that while this could be related to those teeth that were pulled (the pockets forming under the gums could have been a breeding ground for infection), but it most often incidates that a dog has 'gotten into something' toxic.
Dingle has not eating anything he shouldn't have - at least that I have seen - and he had not shown any signs of having gotten into anything - no nausea, vomiting, etc.... absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. She said that perhaps Dingle had walked through something, licked his paws and ingested it that way.
I asked if perhaps it could be related to Dingle eating Orijin, a food very high in protein, but she didn't think it would be - said that would affect kidneys as well? At least that is what I think she said.
It's a mystery as to why his kidney enzymes are elevated.
I was told not to worry too much now - that all of the other liver levls are fine.
So the plan is for him to be on liver detoxifyer (Zentonil Advanced 200) for the next few weeks and then we'll check his levels then. Hopefully they have returned to normal.
Dingle is doing alright now. When I first brought him home he was high as a kite though and could barely stand. I guess that was from the hydromorphone pain injection more so than the anesthesia because he's been under anesthesia... ugh... at least 8 times now... and has recovered quickly.
Up until last night Dingle was getting Codeine gel rubbed into his ear for pain - but he's now finished that.
He is still on antibiotics (Antirobe aquadrops) and will be on them for a total of 10 days. They taste like crap and Dingle's face is pricess when I give them to him... but he takes them well.
So since Wednesday I've been busy with meds... which isn't all that uncommon as there's always something up with Dingle.
After his walk and feeding at 6:30am (on days I work nights) he'd get his Tears Natural II eye drops, the Cyclosporine eye gel, the antibiotics and for those 3 days the codeine.
Then later I'd sleep for a few hours and get up and give him the liver pills, which have to be given on an empty stomach.
The pamphlet in the pills said that they are 'palatable' - meaning they should taste good. But Dingle spit today's pill out 9 times - even when after I covered in peanut butter. This I found very, very strange. Dingle has been on pills so often that I could shake a pill bottle and he'd come running with excitement. So for him to not want one it must be repulsive.
After the liver pill I'd go back to bed for a few more hours and before work we'd start the morning routine again - eye drops, codeine and antibiotics.
The morning after the dental he was feeling well enough to eat. I think it was mainly because I allowed him to have Little Cesar wet food - he doesn't get wet food and so he scarfs it when he sees it... that and he hadn't eaten for such a long time since he couldn't eat after midnight the night before his surgery.
The night after the dental I was adding water to his kibble so that by the time my boyfriend fed him the food would be mush but Dingle spun in circles indicating he wanted the food right then and there - and he ate the hard kibbles fine.
He seems to be himself again - my usual Dingle... now with a gap in his front teeth.
In addition to being worried about his liver levels I'm (for some reason) absolutely devestated that Dingle had to have his teeth removed.
I once met a pom owner before I had Dingle and she made a point of saying "my dog has only 4 teeth left" (like that's something to brag about) and I said "oh, how old is your dog?". I expected her to say he was really old, but her response: "4". Holy shit lady - he's only 4 and only had 4 teeth left? Ugh.
I vowed to take care of Dingle's teeth so that he didn't end up like that pom and I know I've done everything I could have to help his dental health and I know that little dogs can be prone to bad teeth. Despite that I feel absolutely horrible that Dingle had 2 teeth pulled. Extremely terrible.
He's still got stitches in his mouth and I know losing two teeth doesn't seem to affect him, but for the last few days whenever I've seen him with his mouth open my eyes are drawn to the gap and I feel like shit.
Perhaps it's just a matter of adjusting to the fact he had teeth pulled?
All I know is I'm more concerned that Dingle just lost two teeth than I am affected by the damage to my bank account on Wednesday.
The damage? $1,063.32.
Yup - and not covered by insurance (well the liver meds may - I need to discuss this with the vet at our follow-up).
Oh Dingle.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Swimming Dingle? Nope.
If there's one thing I miss about living in the small town I grew up in it's the beach. My mom moved away when I went to University, but is still in the same general area, right on the lake.
Though it's never really nice beach weather when I come up to my mom's. Dingle and I did manage to get to the beach briefly yesterday night.
He surprised me by running right up to the water - and in slightly:
But then he decided he was in too far and left:
So I "helped" him:
Poor little ratty:
There were other families with dogs down there and they were going crazy swimming - swimming far out into the beach for sticks, toys, etc. Then there was me trying to get Dingle into the water... I think they thought he was pathetic.
One thing that did irritate me is that when we first got down there Dingle (on a leash) was heading over to another dog and she was like "oh, keep him away, my dog has kennel cough". Cool lady, excellent idea to bring your sick dog to the dog area.
Though it's never really nice beach weather when I come up to my mom's. Dingle and I did manage to get to the beach briefly yesterday night.
He surprised me by running right up to the water - and in slightly:
But then he decided he was in too far and left:
So I "helped" him:
Poor little ratty:
There were other families with dogs down there and they were going crazy swimming - swimming far out into the beach for sticks, toys, etc. Then there was me trying to get Dingle into the water... I think they thought he was pathetic.
One thing that did irritate me is that when we first got down there Dingle (on a leash) was heading over to another dog and she was like "oh, keep him away, my dog has kennel cough". Cool lady, excellent idea to bring your sick dog to the dog area.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Dingle is on vacation!
Really, when is he not on vacation? He's a dog.
That said, a freshly groomed Dingle and I are on a vacation from the city.
We are up at my mom's house - in a small town in Huron County.
We got here last night and will be staying for 8 days.
We have come up every year for the last 3 years I believe.
I'm hoping the weather will be nice (today it is not and every other year it's been somewhat crappy weather) so that Dingle can go swimming at the beach.
Though we haven't done much of anything today aside from going for a fairly long walk Dingle is exhausted.
He's taken upon himself to patrol my mom's house - going room to room checking on her Conure and Love Birds (really looking for dropped seeds) and watching the door for intruders.
Yesterday on the way up we stopped at my dad's place in the country and Dingle was exploring the wide open fields... running around like crazy until I heard/saw an eagle (or was it a hawk... I don't remember) and got all paranoid it was going to fly down and snatch him up and ended his free roaming time.
He was really tired when we finally got here - sitting in a car is exhausting, apparently.
That said, a freshly groomed Dingle and I are on a vacation from the city.
We are up at my mom's house - in a small town in Huron County.
We got here last night and will be staying for 8 days.
We have come up every year for the last 3 years I believe.
I'm hoping the weather will be nice (today it is not and every other year it's been somewhat crappy weather) so that Dingle can go swimming at the beach.
Though we haven't done much of anything today aside from going for a fairly long walk Dingle is exhausted.
He's taken upon himself to patrol my mom's house - going room to room checking on her Conure and Love Birds (really looking for dropped seeds) and watching the door for intruders.
Yesterday on the way up we stopped at my dad's place in the country and Dingle was exploring the wide open fields... running around like crazy until I heard/saw an eagle (or was it a hawk... I don't remember) and got all paranoid it was going to fly down and snatch him up and ended his free roaming time.
He was really tired when we finally got here - sitting in a car is exhausting, apparently.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Corneal Ulcer is GONE!
Yay - Dingle had his 3rd vet appointent in an 8 day span and although we got a bill for $111.42 we also got the good news that his corneal ulcer is gone!
That meant that Dinglehopper was free of the e-collar. He seemed so happy to be able to scratch his neck and face (luckily not his eyes).
We're keeping up with the corneal ulcer solution for a few more days just for good measure, though.
Dingle will be back at the vet on Saturday morning, but this time it's for a grooming appointment before Dingle and I go on vacation (well, up to my mom's) for a week.
That meant that Dinglehopper was free of the e-collar. He seemed so happy to be able to scratch his neck and face (luckily not his eyes).
We're keeping up with the corneal ulcer solution for a few more days just for good measure, though.
Dingle will be back at the vet on Saturday morning, but this time it's for a grooming appointment before Dingle and I go on vacation (well, up to my mom's) for a week.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
$406.44 later and we're still not free of the ulcer...
... I should clarify that $87.76 of that is not related to the corneal ulcer treatment... but the rest is.
We had our follow-up on Tuesday. Dingle got the anesthetic and florescein eye stain and the vet confirmed that his ulcer is still there.
She confirmed that it is superficial and that it had gotten smaller since Saturday. I could even see that it was smaller as Saturday when they brought him back downstairs after staining his eye I could see the big yellow spot where the dye had stuck. On Tuesday that dye was barely visable - if I hadn't know where the spot was (from Saturday), I likely wouldn't have noticed it.
Dingle continues to get the eye ulcer solution every 4-5 hours.
We've stopped the Tobrex so we're down to 3 different drops.
He's supposed to get the ulcer drops for the next 10 days and continue to wear the e-collar.
We have another re-check on Sunday... and those instructions may change... hopefully it has healed enough to stop the drops that night.
Dingle really needs to be groomed and I was hoping to do it early this week... but I guess we will have to hold off for now.
The $87.76 plus taxes was for Leeba III dental spray.
When I went in on Saturday when he first hurt his eye the vet commented that he needed a dental. She seemed shocked that I had said he had one last September... and every September before that for quite a few years. She recommended I try the Leeba dental spray. She said that a lot of people had success with it... and though it is expensive it is cheaper than a dental every year. So I'm going to try it and will post an entry about it with our 'review'. I hope it works... so I can save $500-ish this September.
We had our follow-up on Tuesday. Dingle got the anesthetic and florescein eye stain and the vet confirmed that his ulcer is still there.
She confirmed that it is superficial and that it had gotten smaller since Saturday. I could even see that it was smaller as Saturday when they brought him back downstairs after staining his eye I could see the big yellow spot where the dye had stuck. On Tuesday that dye was barely visable - if I hadn't know where the spot was (from Saturday), I likely wouldn't have noticed it.
Dingle continues to get the eye ulcer solution every 4-5 hours.
We've stopped the Tobrex so we're down to 3 different drops.
He's supposed to get the ulcer drops for the next 10 days and continue to wear the e-collar.
We have another re-check on Sunday... and those instructions may change... hopefully it has healed enough to stop the drops that night.
Dingle really needs to be groomed and I was hoping to do it early this week... but I guess we will have to hold off for now.
The $87.76 plus taxes was for Leeba III dental spray.
When I went in on Saturday when he first hurt his eye the vet commented that he needed a dental. She seemed shocked that I had said he had one last September... and every September before that for quite a few years. She recommended I try the Leeba dental spray. She said that a lot of people had success with it... and though it is expensive it is cheaper than a dental every year. So I'm going to try it and will post an entry about it with our 'review'. I hope it works... so I can save $500-ish this September.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Drops, drops and more drops!
Today was our first full day of corneal ulcer eye drops. He got them every 4 hours or so.
I kind of felt trapped in my house today - as I couldn't really venture far from home because I needed to be able to do his meds. The ulcer meds are every 4 hours and 4 hours is a fair amount of time to run errands, etc... but I had the Cyclosporine, Tobrex and Tears Natural II also - and those were spread out throughout the day.
Despie the constant drops Dingle remains in good spirits.
Our re-check is tomorrow (Tuesday).
*Fingers crossed for good news*
I kind of felt trapped in my house today - as I couldn't really venture far from home because I needed to be able to do his meds. The ulcer meds are every 4 hours and 4 hours is a fair amount of time to run errands, etc... but I had the Cyclosporine, Tobrex and Tears Natural II also - and those were spread out throughout the day.
Despie the constant drops Dingle remains in good spirits.
Our re-check is tomorrow (Tuesday).
*Fingers crossed for good news*
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