Little Puppy in a Ditch

He climbed out and was almost killed on the highway after someone threw him away in a ditch. I came upon him and took him to the Shelter but he was too young to leave there. So I took him home and fed him with a bottle and tried to reassure him everything would be okay. To give you an idea of his size, the red ball is about the size of a grapefruit or a softball. He was so tiny and so vulnerable and so precious. What else could I do but rescue the Little Puppy in a Ditch?

Today, thanks to the rescue and the wonders of modern vet medicine, Little Buddy is a happy healthy dog. I'm not sure which of us is the luckiest.

Six Months Post Op

Today was the six month check-up with Dr. Ost and the news is good! Little Buddy has passed with flying colors. When asked if she thought his progress was where it should be at this point, she said "Oh yes, and more."

He went outside and demonstrated his wiggle walk and went up and down the stairs. He submitted to the exam without much protest except for the temp taking which he does resist mightily. His floppy ears needed flushing. But all his shots are current until next May, and he won't need another review until next March when he turns two and that will be one year post op.

Dr. Ost recommends continuing the daily walks with hilly and uneven terrain to stretch and flex his hind legs. This week we have started Tandem Training with Princess so I can walk them both at the same time. Princess still has to dial it down a notch, but Buddy is able to keep up and having bodies on each side keeps him going straight down the path.

We also have succeeded in keeping his weight at 70 lbs by cutting back from two scoops twice a day to one in the morning and one in the evening.

We are pleased to report that Buddy is pain free and a happy contented pet who loves his family and Princess and Lenny and brings us all joy every day. A million thanks to Dr. Ost who gave us this great gift.

Keepin' Up With Princess

We can go together on walks now as I am able to keep up. Princess can still go faster, farther and longer, but she waits for me and we have lots of fun. Here we stopped to smell the roses. Well... daisies, whatever.

One More Milestone

Yesterday, in a spasm of excitement at the arrival of Windy and Chris, Little Buddy jumped up onto the bench on the deck. This is the first time since the surgery he has been able to leap that high. And this will open up a whole new world for him. Uncle Phil said some time back that when Buddy was able to do this we would know he was fully recovered.

The dogs spend a lot of time on the large glassed-in covered deck. It’s a safe warm/cool place to leave them when we are not home. It is out of the wind and weather and keeps passers-by at bay. The built-in benches enable Princess to see out the windows and keep track of everything that is happening on our corner. Poor Buddy has had to have an abbreviated view from the sliding glass door as the windows are too high for him to see out.

But now…oh my. He will be right up there beside Princess. His back legs continue to grow stronger every day and his hind end has filled out and balanced the front part of his body. He no longer looks so barrel-chested as the back has caught up. He has muscles in his hip area and from behind you can see how square and firm he stands now.

It is only a matter of time until he can jump into the car. The final frontier.

Five Months from Surgery

It is August already and five months since the hip dysplasia surgery that brought new life to Little Buddy. It is almost hard to remember what we went through now that recovery is more or less complete. The history has been documented here in the Blog, and I am grateful for all the reminders of the struggle he went through. It would be easy to forget.

Today I have a lively, healthy and very active dog. Very affectionate and loving and always, always giving me that “Thank You for Rescuing Me” look. A year ago, he was a crazy little puppy, mainly concerned with chewing everything I owned. He could run then with his bunny-hopping gallop, but even that early on you could see his handicap.

Now he has come into his own and developed his own personality separate from Princess. He has a mind of his own and sometimes he is very very stubborn. But for the most part he is sweet and cooperative. He is quite vocal and often sings along when Windy plays the guitar.

He sleeps through the night now and no cries of pain. He enjoys his favorite toys: his “Binky” (a larger-than-life pacifier), Puff the Magic Dragon (squeaky toy with squeaker still intact!), a piece of rope with knots in it (?), and his knobby dent-a-bone.

He has endeared himself to all the neighbors and folks along our walking route. All have watched his progress and applauded his efforts. The kids who play near-by are his favorites.

In mid-September we will return to Dr. Ost for a six-month checkup. At that time my attention will turn to Princess who has been a bit neglected through all this. She will start Animal Assisted Therapy Training and hopefully she and I will become a volunteer team to visit patients in hospitals and nursing homes. Buddy is not ready for that yet, but maybe next year.

Who's Your Daddy?

We have always suspected Buddy is not a purebred Lab. He seems to be missing two important genes, “retriever” being one and “water dog” being the other. He will chase a thrown object, but forget to bring it back. He just flops down and starts chewing. He does not care for the water and is reluctant to get in and anxious to get out. This behavior puzzles Purebred Princess who retrieves everything not permanently attached to the earth and who swims in her water dish.

Buddy also has vocalizations that are atypical of Labs and more reminiscent of a hound at bay. He does, however, look like a Lab, although he is slightly smaller than Princess. 70 pounds to her 85. Whoever he is and whatever his lineage, we love him.

Four months after the hip surgery he is a normal dog in appearance and gait. His only limitation is jumping and he still needs the ramp to get into the car. He willingly jumps out however. He runs up and down stairs with nary a care. His shaved hair has grown back. (Another sign of suspect parentage is the hair on his butt grew in curly!) He has forgotten the pain he once knew, and is lively and happy. What a wonderful transformation! We are still making payments on the bill, but it’s money well spent and we are glad we made the decision to have the surgery.

Meet My New Doggie-In-Law

This is Scout, a little wire-haired Jack Russell, that belongs to my Uncle Andy's new bride Laura. Scout's a feisty little thing but lots of fun. She knows how to do tricks like rolling over for a treat.

She has tricked her people into thinking she can't jump very high, but when they are gone she can leap several feet in the air and hang out on the bed.

She had a part in the wedding and walked with Laura when she started down the aisle. Scout had her own little corsage that she tried to eat. She's pretty sweet and we are glad to welcome Scout into the family.