Vince Update
He's been home for over a week now, and we're still hanging in there, although I am slightly losing it (see below). The fake grass has so far failed to materialize, and he ate the original harness I paid $50 for when Plant Man left it within his reach and then got distracted by a flower arrangement. Under the circumstances I felt I couldn't complain so I sucked it up and bought another. On the downhill, I hang on tight and take all his weight (50 lbs) and he is able to navigate back up the stairs (50 steps, how symmetrical) fairly well, using his hind legs for leverage and the bad front as a sort of rudder. And, bless his heart, he has a huge bladder and is able to go out only 3x per day. The hardest part is that I have to put a plastic bag on his leg to prevent any moisture from contaminating the bandage. The New York Times sleeve is perfect (personal to
frivolity: just one Sunday paper will take care of all your birdcage needs -- I still like a paper Sunday paper, call me old-fashioned) and one of those thick rubber bands from fresh produce (my new veggie habit paying off) -- my latest says ORGANIC which I find funny. But he can shake it off amazingly fast and he made one completely disappear between the top step and the bottom; I am still trying to figure out how he did that. If the bandage gets damp I just dry it off with a hair dryer.
Then there are the meds. He takes three different meds, six times a day. I actually have to make a chart to sort them out. Fortunately he's a silly puppy who'll eat anything so I don't have to go to too much trouble to get him to take them. If by chance he should spit out the day-glo green honking big capsule of antibiotic that he takes 3x a day I either wrap it in a Kraft American cheese slice (good for something besides pet kids' grilled cheese after all) or make him a peanut butter and pill sandwich.
So that just leaves the long days. He tries to chew the inside of his cone. He can negotiate a chew stick but it's uphill work. I just have him spend a lot of time sitting on the couch with me and a lot of time in his crate. He is confined to a 12 x 12 area and I have to restrict his movements as much as possible. He loves to have visitors come over and pet him (thanks,
x_h00ine) just for the stimulation.
On Tuesday we're back to the hospital to have his stitches out, his wound examined and re-bandaged, and I hope a new cone because he is dangerously close to chewing out the seam of the present one. The following Wednesday I'm off to NYC for 6 days (stand by,
brooklynite) and then into the home stretch. Physical therapy may be in the future and I don't know yet just when I'll be able to pronounce him fully cured. At this point I'd say we're a third of the way home. Based on his first vet's exam, I am guesstimating that June 15th will be his first birthday, so that's the date I'm focusing on right now. By the way, I find it easier to load photos on Facebook so there's a bunch of them there, and I will also try to put up a Picasa album soon,
frivolity: just one Sunday paper will take care of all your birdcage needs -- I still like a paper Sunday paper, call me old-fashioned) and one of those thick rubber bands from fresh produce (my new veggie habit paying off) -- my latest says ORGANIC which I find funny. But he can shake it off amazingly fast and he made one completely disappear between the top step and the bottom; I am still trying to figure out how he did that. If the bandage gets damp I just dry it off with a hair dryer.
Then there are the meds. He takes three different meds, six times a day. I actually have to make a chart to sort them out. Fortunately he's a silly puppy who'll eat anything so I don't have to go to too much trouble to get him to take them. If by chance he should spit out the day-glo green honking big capsule of antibiotic that he takes 3x a day I either wrap it in a Kraft American cheese slice (good for something besides pet kids' grilled cheese after all) or make him a peanut butter and pill sandwich.
So that just leaves the long days. He tries to chew the inside of his cone. He can negotiate a chew stick but it's uphill work. I just have him spend a lot of time sitting on the couch with me and a lot of time in his crate. He is confined to a 12 x 12 area and I have to restrict his movements as much as possible. He loves to have visitors come over and pet him (thanks,
x_h00ine) just for the stimulation.
On Tuesday we're back to the hospital to have his stitches out, his wound examined and re-bandaged, and I hope a new cone because he is dangerously close to chewing out the seam of the present one. The following Wednesday I'm off to NYC for 6 days (stand by,
brooklynite) and then into the home stretch. Physical therapy may be in the future and I don't know yet just when I'll be able to pronounce him fully cured. At this point I'd say we're a third of the way home. Based on his first vet's exam, I am guesstimating that June 15th will be his first birthday, so that's the date I'm focusing on right now. By the way, I find it easier to load photos on Facebook so there's a bunch of them there, and I will also try to put up a Picasa album soon,