Update on the Dogs

Dave and I went to pick up our dogs yesterday afternoon, after they'd had all their...um...parts removed. Doesn't quite seem right, but that's just me...

We were told to pick them up at a quarter til 5, so we got there around then, and the lady told us they'd be ready to go at 5. So, we sat in the waiting room and did what one usually does in a waiting room.

While we waited, we heard someone say that they were just finishing up the medication on the dogs. I told Dave that meant they were freaking out, trying to wake Regal up. Turns out, I wasn't that far off.

The dogs were finally ready to go, but first, the tech lady told us all about their medication, how to take care of them while they were recuperating, and that sort of thing. Then they wheeled...yes, wheeled, Regal out. He' so big, it's not like anyone could just tote him out, so they brought him out on a gurney! (Isn't that funny...the name on the gurney I linked to?!) He was still so out and sleepy, he just laid his big ol' head on the lady's arm while they wheeled him out to my car. I opened the back, they let the gurney down a bit, and then scooted and rolled him in. He was so pitiful!

Cookie, on the other hand, walked right out, and then they picked her up and put her in the car. She slept all of the way home, but Regal loves to stand up and watch while I drive. So, sleepy as he was, he tried to stand up half the way home! He kept stumbling around, and sat down a little, but for the most part, he stood. Crazy dog. By the time we got to our road, he was sticking his head out of the window.

We tied the dogs up on their chains...they're not supposed to be very active at all for something like 10 days. Regal has almost been his normal self...just more sleepy. I gave him his pain pill this morning and he slept until about lunchtime, and even now he's still just laying around. He looks fine, though, with no complications.

Cookie's slept a lot, too, but has been more active. Mom went out a little earlier to check on them, and she said Cookie tried to jump on her. Cookie's always more active than Regal, but we sorta thought she'd feel more like laying around today!

I decided that it is much better to have them sleepy rather than hyper. You know how those drugs labels are...it could make them sleepy, or it could make them hyper. Uh huh. Kinda like that calendar at the Chinese restaurant that tells you you are both stingy and generous at the same time. Loving, with a mean streak a mile wide. (In my words, of course.)

Oh...the anesthesia thing. The vet came out when they wheeled Regal out, and was telling me about the anesthesia. She gave Regal 1/10th of the normal amount she'd usually give a dog his size. (130lbs) One- tenth! AND she had to give him a shot to bring him out of it, because his heart rate was getting too low. It's scary to think of what might happen if I didn't tell them he was sensitive...Anatolians aren't that common around here, so it's not something they deal with every day. He also gets the same amount of pain medicine as Cookie, because he's sensitive to all drugs.

So, they're both doing fine right now. I am feeding Regal garlic, and I need to look up homeopathic remedes for ear infections in dogs...the vet said both dogs had ear infections, and wanted another $50 to check and treat that, so I decided to figure that out on my own. I'm feeding him garlic to help prevent any infection from his surgery, as well as help with the ear thing. And I've read that feeding garlic will help prevent ticks and fleas.

I also want to call our butcher and ask him what he does with scrap stuff. Like, the nasty stuff. A long time ago, when we butchered our steers, I kept the reall nasty stuff and ground it for the dogs. Now, I have a strong stomach..it's a must around here. We talk about all sorts of unpleasant things around the supper table, and you get used to it. (It's trying to curb that in the little guys when we eat with others that's the real problem! Last time we were in GA, we were eating chicken wings, and Philip [10] was having a discussion with his cousins, while we were eating, telling them all about how the chickens were raised, and how awful the chicken trucks were...honest!) So anyway, we typically have strong stomachs. With that said, I had a really hard time grinding all the nasty stuff...hearts, lungs, kidneys, livers, tongues, etc. That was really, really bad. But, it would be a million times better for the dogs if I could make their food, and it would help Regal's chronic skin problems. He gets these really yucky spots on his skin that I have a hard time fixing. Anyway, it's not something I look forward to doing, but it would be thrifty and healthy.

I have another post to work on, so I'll talk to y'all again in a little bit.