Nothing momentous to report, but I noticed my last update was over 10 days ago, so I thought I should fix that.
Elvis made it through the days following his dental work just fine. The facial swelling is completely gone, so it looks like the infection issue was addressed even if the tooth wasn't pulled. So this is good. A tooth infection is never fun, so I'm glad we were able to address the problem. Kudos to Dr. Walthall, Melody and Carol for doing such a great job. It's never fun to put a dog with a dicky heart under anesthesia, but they did it and he came out of it with no problem.
Since I was in the kitchen baking for much of the last 10 days, he's relished his role as the "committed foodie." Matter of fact, since I wasn't in the kitchen really at all today, he's been quite unsettled. He'll come into the room and sit behind my chair...wheezing and staring. He REALLY wants the Foodlady to go do Foodlady things. Sadly, he's going to be disappointed for a couple of days since I don't plan on any cooking until Thursday, and all my baking is pretty much over.
Christmas was uneventful for him, except he got to snack on some really good food. The company and decorations were pretty much just accepted. He was even in on the chair in the living room sitting behind me while we all unwrapped presents. Didn't bother him. When he got down on the floor to go outside, he even walked past the mounds of paper, bags and ribbons without so much as a sideways glance.
And in a few days, we'll hit 2011. Randall and I are hoping that this next year is a good for him as 2010 has been. At least we know his teeth are in good shape, the dry skin problem he's had is being addressed by the fish oil supplement, and all his drugs are addressing his medical problems nicely.
I'll try to get a couple of new pictures of him, though it's getting tougher to do since he's gotten where he really hates the camera. I'll try though.
Meanwhile, everyone have a safe and Happy New Year, and we'll see you around in 2011!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
New addition to the diet
Provided I can remember to add it...
Fish oil.
Poor little Stumpy Fella has itchy skin this year, so he's getting some fish oil to help with that. It's in gel cap form, so yesterday I punctured a bunch of them and drained the oil out. He doesn't get much, so I didn't open many capsules, but I'm hoping the 1/4 tsp a day will do him good. It's an Omega 3-6-9, so it should.
Fish oil.
Poor little Stumpy Fella has itchy skin this year, so he's getting some fish oil to help with that. It's in gel cap form, so yesterday I punctured a bunch of them and drained the oil out. He doesn't get much, so I didn't open many capsules, but I'm hoping the 1/4 tsp a day will do him good. It's an Omega 3-6-9, so it should.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Things you just don't expect to see...
I was in here at the computer (in our master bedroom) where Haley had been crated this morning with a chew flip while Randall vacuumed and mopped.
I kept hearing this funny sound...sort of like someone dropping a plastic coat hanger. I looked over and didn't see anything. Heard it again and looked over just in time to see Elvis trying to figure out how to pick up the chew flip. Apparently he'd gotten it out of Haley's crate, but kept dropping it.
When he finally got it picked up, he wandered in and out of the room with it in his mouth trying to find a place to work on it.
Finally he settled on the blanket next to my chair where he spent the next couple of minutes trying to figure out his best line of attack. The chew was a bit too long and his legs were a bit to long, never mind he only has a couple of teeth. He finally got it worked out, though...as you can see:
Never let it be said that Elvis doesn't find a work around for having no teeth if there's something he really wants. :)
I kept hearing this funny sound...sort of like someone dropping a plastic coat hanger. I looked over and didn't see anything. Heard it again and looked over just in time to see Elvis trying to figure out how to pick up the chew flip. Apparently he'd gotten it out of Haley's crate, but kept dropping it.
When he finally got it picked up, he wandered in and out of the room with it in his mouth trying to find a place to work on it.
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| MINE!! |
Finally he settled on the blanket next to my chair where he spent the next couple of minutes trying to figure out his best line of attack. The chew was a bit too long and his legs were a bit to long, never mind he only has a couple of teeth. He finally got it worked out, though...as you can see:
Never let it be said that Elvis doesn't find a work around for having no teeth if there's something he really wants. :)
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Elvis update
Looks like yesterday's dental work hasn't caused any trouble for Elvis.
He's been acting find. He's definitely been eating fine. It also looks like the swelling he's had right above the tooth and under the eye is shrinking some. That will take some time since it's a reabsorbance situation.
One thing that is really, really interesting is that Elvis seems a whole lot braver yesterday and today. Now I know that sounds sort of weird, but never, in the year and a half that he's lived here has he ever hung out in the kitchen waiting for a handout. Until yesterday.
He came into the kitchen and sat behind me while I was using the stand mixer. He also stood around and watched me load stuff in the dishwasher. That is VERY unusual. Before yesterday, the most he would do was peek around the corner of the cabinet to see what I was doing. Never would he come in and sit with Haley and Skeeter in the hopes of a handout.
Also, instead of bolting when something edible was tossed his way, he ran up and snatched it.
Like I said...very unusual. Whether it's because I was there when he went under and then woke up, I don't know. Whether this continues beyond another day or so, I don't know. I'll just have to take this one day at a time.
I will say it's a very nice, positive behavior change.
He's been acting find. He's definitely been eating fine. It also looks like the swelling he's had right above the tooth and under the eye is shrinking some. That will take some time since it's a reabsorbance situation.
One thing that is really, really interesting is that Elvis seems a whole lot braver yesterday and today. Now I know that sounds sort of weird, but never, in the year and a half that he's lived here has he ever hung out in the kitchen waiting for a handout. Until yesterday.
He came into the kitchen and sat behind me while I was using the stand mixer. He also stood around and watched me load stuff in the dishwasher. That is VERY unusual. Before yesterday, the most he would do was peek around the corner of the cabinet to see what I was doing. Never would he come in and sit with Haley and Skeeter in the hopes of a handout.
Also, instead of bolting when something edible was tossed his way, he ran up and snatched it.
Like I said...very unusual. Whether it's because I was there when he went under and then woke up, I don't know. Whether this continues beyond another day or so, I don't know. I'll just have to take this one day at a time.
I will say it's a very nice, positive behavior change.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Flying colors
Elvis came through his dentistry with flying colors.
I'm glad I'd made plans to be there when he went under and when he woke up. The vet tech and I had our hands full getting the mask on him since it bumped up on his eyes and he didn't care for that at ALL.
Wake up was a bit easier since it was mainly just a case of steadying him and letting him know I was there. He was really groggy and disoriented for about 20 minutes, but he really shook the effects off faster than I was expecting.
Start to finish was about 1 1/2 hours, and the cleaning was really needed. Apparently some of the tartar that came off was the size of the tooth itself. Also, the roots are exposed on the one trouble spot, but because that tooth is in so solid, the decision was made not to extract it. That's cool. It just means we'll keep a eye on it, and he'll probably get another cleaning in a year or so.
His toenails also got cut WAY back. I hated to have to ask them to do that, but he literally panics to the point I'm afraid he's going to have a heart attack, so I only tackle them three or four times a year. As much as I hate long nails, I just don't care to put him through the trauma more often.
So all in all he did really well. He's got clean teeth for the holidays and, more importantly, he shouldn't have another tooth infection for a while.
I'm glad I'd made plans to be there when he went under and when he woke up. The vet tech and I had our hands full getting the mask on him since it bumped up on his eyes and he didn't care for that at ALL.
Wake up was a bit easier since it was mainly just a case of steadying him and letting him know I was there. He was really groggy and disoriented for about 20 minutes, but he really shook the effects off faster than I was expecting.
Start to finish was about 1 1/2 hours, and the cleaning was really needed. Apparently some of the tartar that came off was the size of the tooth itself. Also, the roots are exposed on the one trouble spot, but because that tooth is in so solid, the decision was made not to extract it. That's cool. It just means we'll keep a eye on it, and he'll probably get another cleaning in a year or so.
His toenails also got cut WAY back. I hated to have to ask them to do that, but he literally panics to the point I'm afraid he's going to have a heart attack, so I only tackle them three or four times a year. As much as I hate long nails, I just don't care to put him through the trauma more often.
So all in all he did really well. He's got clean teeth for the holidays and, more importantly, he shouldn't have another tooth infection for a while.
Dancing for his dinner
It's been awhile since I posted a dinner dance video of Elvis. This is his latest effort. :)
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Elvis pictures
Got a couple of Elvis pictures here. I should have a new dinner video posted tomorrow.
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| I HATE cameras! |
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| Sticking his tongue out at the world. |
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