Somewhere after 34+ inches of snow...
You know your priorities have changed when the first thing you plow out is the pooping parlor. Ken is still working on the driveway today and by tomorrow afternoon we should be able to get to the main road.
From where Gigi stands, the driveway looks clear enough and there's no reason not to take a walk. It was interesting to see her mind at work when she looked down the driveway, realized the gate to the upper pasture was buried in the snowbanks, and opted to create a whole new routine. Frankly, I was thrilled, because I just couldn't see us taking the Chinese Dragon up the mountain. Not even for medicinal purposes. Not even when it is her "mostest favorite-ist" walk in the world.
Inside, we have new rules. All Gigis are to be tether at all times. She knows this new rule. And she knows why. So she hasn't bothered to get excited about anything all day, not even when the tractor comes home for "refills". I was watching a documentary on TV that featured a hooting owl - that was of great interest to Gigi, but not worth getting up for. She just barked from her boudoir. It would be reasonable to think she has learned her lesson, and that she wouldn't need restraining. Reasonable. But very wrong. Underneath that currently compliant fur coat is an opportunistic renegade.
Odd, that before the surgery, Gigi always walked at heel better without a leash than on. She was very reliable in a down/stay and being told she was "big dog in charge" was good for hours of quiet resting. Not no more, babycakes.
Hugs to all those delightful, contrarian bouvs.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Look Ma! No DOG! - Saturday 2-6-10
uh. Did someone mention snow?
Friday
8 pm - The last time we went out for a potty run, the snow was already too deep to walk a tall dog and the wind smelled peculiar - apparently there is a major thunderstorm and we are smelling the ozone. Kinda fun. Even the dog's are sniffing the wind. Then again, with the winds coming up this could be air smells from middle Ohio... great farm smells and such.
midnight - The winds started howling and the log house is shifting - and we're on the the lee side of the mountain so we don't usually feel the wind at all. I'm hoping it blows the gnats out of the county for the next several summers...
3 am - Gigi is whining and there is NO way I'm going to entertain any outdoor action. So I offered her water - that seemed to appease her. We're weaning her off the anti-inflammatory stuff and today was her "on" day, so I'm guessing it makes her very thirsty. She was equally thirsty when we brought her home from surgery.
Saturday
6 am - The cat wants out. And in. And out. And in. The snow is packed against the windows - it looks lacey and not too high. Then again, it is a second floor window. It is too dark to see much more. Probably would be lighter if I opened my eyes, but I'm no fool.
Gigi is resting comfortably and I'm relieved. Friday afternoon she got a bit wild while we were out shoveling snow (the first 5 inches). I heard her barking and came in, expecting to see her sequestered in her "quiet space". She had expanded her quiet space a bit. The chairs, the barricades - all moved out of her way. Fortunately, the floor was under carpeting, so if she bounced at least she didn't slip. Nonetheless, I'm watching her for any sign of damage. And wondering what we could possibly do given that we cannot get out to get to the vet's, and the vet can't even get to the vet's.
8 am - People in the city don't have a clue what people in the country do for fun. Well, let me clue you in...first on the agenda is digging out the sheep.
The snow is deeper than the sheep are high. The snow is actually up to the llamas' bellies. Now one would think that given a choice, everyone would stay under shelter, which happens to mean under the deck since we didn't have a flat enough place to put a barn. But BooBoo, the antique sheep, was not content under the deck and apparently made her way to the sheep shed sometime during the night. It makes some sense - it's not as tall a space so it probably feels more snug, and the hay bedding that we didn't clear out this summer is probably composting - a heating pad for antique hips.
However, she is now trapped in the shed and the llamas are humming with anxiety. So this makes for the first shoveling excursion of the day...Two shovels wide and 5 shovels deep to make a path so she can navigate from the shed to the deck, where breakfast is served... It takes me about 30 minutes to create the 40 foot channel. BooBoo waits patiently until I break through that last little bit of snow and clear the channel of all vestiges of loose snow. Not that these sheep are spoiled or anything like that.
Meanwhile, Ken is shoveling out the kitchen door. Literally. Forget fancy, the goal is to create enough space for the ramp down and a turnaround space once Gigi gets to the end of the ramp. We're on an austerity program today. If you have to go, go there. In fact, she can't go anywhere else because the snow is now higher than her back.
Gigi makes her way down the ramp with enthusiasm and then comes to the reality that there isn't anywhere to go. The pleading eyes - "Could you just shovel a teensy bit in that direction?" Nope. Get over it.
It will take us a day to get the tractor dug out. The carsophagus will take another day to clear. And then we'll tackle the other 1/3 mile of driveway down the mountain.
Meanwhile, I'll redesign the "quiet area" to include tie-down straps.
Friday
8 pm - The last time we went out for a potty run, the snow was already too deep to walk a tall dog and the wind smelled peculiar - apparently there is a major thunderstorm and we are smelling the ozone. Kinda fun. Even the dog's are sniffing the wind. Then again, with the winds coming up this could be air smells from middle Ohio... great farm smells and such.
midnight - The winds started howling and the log house is shifting - and we're on the the lee side of the mountain so we don't usually feel the wind at all. I'm hoping it blows the gnats out of the county for the next several summers...
3 am - Gigi is whining and there is NO way I'm going to entertain any outdoor action. So I offered her water - that seemed to appease her. We're weaning her off the anti-inflammatory stuff and today was her "on" day, so I'm guessing it makes her very thirsty. She was equally thirsty when we brought her home from surgery.
Saturday
6 am - The cat wants out. And in. And out. And in. The snow is packed against the windows - it looks lacey and not too high. Then again, it is a second floor window. It is too dark to see much more. Probably would be lighter if I opened my eyes, but I'm no fool.
Gigi is resting comfortably and I'm relieved. Friday afternoon she got a bit wild while we were out shoveling snow (the first 5 inches). I heard her barking and came in, expecting to see her sequestered in her "quiet space". She had expanded her quiet space a bit. The chairs, the barricades - all moved out of her way. Fortunately, the floor was under carpeting, so if she bounced at least she didn't slip. Nonetheless, I'm watching her for any sign of damage. And wondering what we could possibly do given that we cannot get out to get to the vet's, and the vet can't even get to the vet's.
8 am - People in the city don't have a clue what people in the country do for fun. Well, let me clue you in...first on the agenda is digging out the sheep.
The snow is deeper than the sheep are high. The snow is actually up to the llamas' bellies. Now one would think that given a choice, everyone would stay under shelter, which happens to mean under the deck since we didn't have a flat enough place to put a barn. But BooBoo, the antique sheep, was not content under the deck and apparently made her way to the sheep shed sometime during the night. It makes some sense - it's not as tall a space so it probably feels more snug, and the hay bedding that we didn't clear out this summer is probably composting - a heating pad for antique hips.
However, she is now trapped in the shed and the llamas are humming with anxiety. So this makes for the first shoveling excursion of the day...Two shovels wide and 5 shovels deep to make a path so she can navigate from the shed to the deck, where breakfast is served... It takes me about 30 minutes to create the 40 foot channel. BooBoo waits patiently until I break through that last little bit of snow and clear the channel of all vestiges of loose snow. Not that these sheep are spoiled or anything like that.
Meanwhile, Ken is shoveling out the kitchen door. Literally. Forget fancy, the goal is to create enough space for the ramp down and a turnaround space once Gigi gets to the end of the ramp. We're on an austerity program today. If you have to go, go there. In fact, she can't go anywhere else because the snow is now higher than her back.
Gigi makes her way down the ramp with enthusiasm and then comes to the reality that there isn't anywhere to go. The pleading eyes - "Could you just shovel a teensy bit in that direction?" Nope. Get over it.
It will take us a day to get the tractor dug out. The carsophagus will take another day to clear. And then we'll tackle the other 1/3 mile of driveway down the mountain.
Meanwhile, I'll redesign the "quiet area" to include tie-down straps.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Look Ma, no staples! Wednesday 2-3-10
Ms. Jones was full of herself this morning...trying hard to walk sedately as we wove our way along the snowy path to the NEW P**'n Palace...recently relocated because I ALREADY WENT THERE.
It was rather like walking a merry-go-round horse...up and down and up and down. She'd rev up with every step until she'd shake her head and do a frisky little hop at which point Mom says "settle down" and we'd try again. "But it's SNOW, mom. You just don't GET it!"
We're backing off on the pain meds now, the antibiotics are done, and apparently "we" are feeling much better as a result. Appetite continues to rev up, and Gigi has started barking and growling at my husband (back to normal!) to bring her whatever he's having in the kitchen.
This evening we got Gigi's staples removed - must have been 30 of them, and even though it has only been 13 days, the skin was starting to cover over, so it was a little bit tricky to remove them. Gigi has never in her natural life rolled over onto her back willingly, so it took 4 of us to roll and hold her. Singing sometimes calms agitated animals, and Gigi has a particular song that she likes...now picture 4 of us, on our knees, singing "The Bellyrub Song" - some of us with slightly clenched teeth...I couldn't tell if Gigi was fighting or laughing at us, but we got the staples out. Of her. I'm still finding them in my hair.
And for her celebratory dessert, she demanded one HUGE carrot, one bone, 8 bites of tapioca and 1/2 a tangerine popsicle. Good thing she is on a diet.
Hugs to all bouvs with bolts, and to the mother who sing them silly songs!
It was rather like walking a merry-go-round horse...up and down and up and down. She'd rev up with every step until she'd shake her head and do a frisky little hop at which point Mom says "settle down" and we'd try again. "But it's SNOW, mom. You just don't GET it!"
We're backing off on the pain meds now, the antibiotics are done, and apparently "we" are feeling much better as a result. Appetite continues to rev up, and Gigi has started barking and growling at my husband (back to normal!) to bring her whatever he's having in the kitchen.
This evening we got Gigi's staples removed - must have been 30 of them, and even though it has only been 13 days, the skin was starting to cover over, so it was a little bit tricky to remove them. Gigi has never in her natural life rolled over onto her back willingly, so it took 4 of us to roll and hold her. Singing sometimes calms agitated animals, and Gigi has a particular song that she likes...now picture 4 of us, on our knees, singing "The Bellyrub Song" - some of us with slightly clenched teeth...I couldn't tell if Gigi was fighting or laughing at us, but we got the staples out. Of her. I'm still finding them in my hair.
And for her celebratory dessert, she demanded one HUGE carrot, one bone, 8 bites of tapioca and 1/2 a tangerine popsicle. Good thing she is on a diet.
Hugs to all bouvs with bolts, and to the mother who sing them silly songs!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Look Ma, No Sling!!! - Monday 2/1/10
Oh brother.
Gigi is starting to feel better. MUCH better. First, her appetite is back. She's starting to compare what's in her dish with what is on our plates..."lemme smell your breath, Mom...is that cashews I smell???...I think you're holding out on me, I KNOW my RIGHTS!"
There we were, sitting at the breakfast table, minding our own business when Gigi popped up from her extra-special, princess-approved, portable, therapeutic warming bed with the sheepskin topper, and bounced up to the table..."Whatch got there?". She puts her nose on my plate to clarify. Because this exuberance was only a little over the top from her normal behavior (she doesn't usually snort my vegetables) it didn't dawn on us for a moment that she was supposed to be lying down beside me. Once she had verified we were all eating the same fare, she was content to lie back down and munch out of her own dish.
We spent much of the day in my office, me plundering the treasures of the internet and Gigi snuggled down on her aforementioned bed. Eventually the woodstove needed reloading, so I wandered off and ended up across the greatroom, talking to my sister on the phone and tending the fire. Something caught my eye and I glanced up to see Gigi, positively dancing across the sea of carpets between us, a smile on her face and her stumpy tail just waving with glee..."Look Ma, no Sling!!!" She was truly proud of herself, with her little bouv bounce picking up speed as she headed for me, just the other side of the one and only patch of bare wood floor.
WAIT! I dropped my sister on her head. Fortunately, Gigi is well trained, and she froze in place. And I was able to get her saddled up and back to the safety of carpeting and her bed.
My heart will never be the same. And my hair is a wee bit grayer.
I had to put her collar on today - the first time she's made any attempt to lick her surgical wound. The stitches are coming out soon. Maybe I'll wear the collar for a while...to keep my head from spinning around.
Gigi is starting to feel better. MUCH better. First, her appetite is back. She's starting to compare what's in her dish with what is on our plates..."lemme smell your breath, Mom...is that cashews I smell???...I think you're holding out on me, I KNOW my RIGHTS!"
There we were, sitting at the breakfast table, minding our own business when Gigi popped up from her extra-special, princess-approved, portable, therapeutic warming bed with the sheepskin topper, and bounced up to the table..."Whatch got there?". She puts her nose on my plate to clarify. Because this exuberance was only a little over the top from her normal behavior (she doesn't usually snort my vegetables) it didn't dawn on us for a moment that she was supposed to be lying down beside me. Once she had verified we were all eating the same fare, she was content to lie back down and munch out of her own dish.
We spent much of the day in my office, me plundering the treasures of the internet and Gigi snuggled down on her aforementioned bed. Eventually the woodstove needed reloading, so I wandered off and ended up across the greatroom, talking to my sister on the phone and tending the fire. Something caught my eye and I glanced up to see Gigi, positively dancing across the sea of carpets between us, a smile on her face and her stumpy tail just waving with glee..."Look Ma, no Sling!!!" She was truly proud of herself, with her little bouv bounce picking up speed as she headed for me, just the other side of the one and only patch of bare wood floor.
WAIT! I dropped my sister on her head. Fortunately, Gigi is well trained, and she froze in place. And I was able to get her saddled up and back to the safety of carpeting and her bed.
My heart will never be the same. And my hair is a wee bit grayer.
I had to put her collar on today - the first time she's made any attempt to lick her surgical wound. The stitches are coming out soon. Maybe I'll wear the collar for a while...to keep my head from spinning around.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Day 11
3 am -Lots of whining and fussing this morning - judging from her blankets, she'd been shifting position frequently. Food, water rejected, so I tried putting a blanket over her. She settled down quickly after that - apparently she was too cold. Checked the thermometer and discovered the bedroom was about 58 degrees. Great sleeping weather IF you have all your hair - Gigi had a serious haircut before surgery so I wouldn't have to bug her with grooming demands. I'll put more wood on the fire in the night to come.
10 am - She finally rolled out of bed, appetite intact! I've started her on dog vitamins after reading lots about bone regeneration...I want to make sure she's got the stuff bones are made of.
Off for a brief walk in the snow - it is about 6'' and makes for work as she pulls her leg thru instead of lifting it over. Luckily, the snow is light and still fluffy. For the first time in forever, Gigi isn't interested in eating snow. I know just how she feels...
2 pm -To the vet for #4 laser treatment - Gigi's wound is healing well, and she's putting a bit of weight on the leg. She insists on visiting the Potty Park before her appointment. I can just see it coming... the day she insists on being driven to the vets' in order to relieve herself.
Laser treatment seems to have made a huge difference in her healing and inflammation. The swelling is nearly all gone. We've been putting on moist/warm compresses 3x daily and Gigi now rolls over for her "spa treatments" when I come in holding the compress.
The next laser treatment is nearly a week off now. We'll have to bring her in to get staples removed in a few more days. I hope that means no more collar at night.
Coming home was a little trickier than somewhat - although Ken plowed the driveway, the snow was greasy going up and it took 3 tries to get home. My imagination was already in gear after the first failed attempt up that last hill...I'm trying to figure out how to get The Princess du Furz up the mountain and somehow, I cannot picture her in the bucket of the tractor. Fortunately, after backing nearly all the way down, I was able to get a better running start, and aiming for the far side (how appropriate!) was able to catch enough gravel to make it past the last crest.
We had tried to get the driveway paved several years ago. Since most of it faces south, we figured it would make life easier, both in terms of plowing and melting. Funny, but the contractors we called to bid never called us back. Ever. Not even when work was slow.
10 am - She finally rolled out of bed, appetite intact! I've started her on dog vitamins after reading lots about bone regeneration...I want to make sure she's got the stuff bones are made of.
Off for a brief walk in the snow - it is about 6'' and makes for work as she pulls her leg thru instead of lifting it over. Luckily, the snow is light and still fluffy. For the first time in forever, Gigi isn't interested in eating snow. I know just how she feels...
2 pm -To the vet for #4 laser treatment - Gigi's wound is healing well, and she's putting a bit of weight on the leg. She insists on visiting the Potty Park before her appointment. I can just see it coming... the day she insists on being driven to the vets' in order to relieve herself.
Laser treatment seems to have made a huge difference in her healing and inflammation. The swelling is nearly all gone. We've been putting on moist/warm compresses 3x daily and Gigi now rolls over for her "spa treatments" when I come in holding the compress.
The next laser treatment is nearly a week off now. We'll have to bring her in to get staples removed in a few more days. I hope that means no more collar at night.
Coming home was a little trickier than somewhat - although Ken plowed the driveway, the snow was greasy going up and it took 3 tries to get home. My imagination was already in gear after the first failed attempt up that last hill...I'm trying to figure out how to get The Princess du Furz up the mountain and somehow, I cannot picture her in the bucket of the tractor. Fortunately, after backing nearly all the way down, I was able to get a better running start, and aiming for the far side (how appropriate!) was able to catch enough gravel to make it past the last crest.
We had tried to get the driveway paved several years ago. Since most of it faces south, we figured it would make life easier, both in terms of plowing and melting. Funny, but the contractors we called to bid never called us back. Ever. Not even when work was slow.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
TPLO + 10 days (Sat 1-30-10)
Gigi is starting to get a little frustrated with the restrictions now. Last night's response to Mom's return from work was a bit more bouncy, despite Dad's attempts to maintain "poise and decorum". Requiring her to lie down before Mom approaches is all fine and dandy, but Gigi still gets a few hops in here and there.
It is still a team effort to walk her outside - one on the lead end and one on the sling end. Gigi is trying to take over that routine as well - Dad is NOT allowed to lead and Mom MUST be in front "or the train don't roll". Gigi tried to take us all "up the mountain" for a brief walk but Mom says no. "Ok - so how about the briar patch - that was FUN!!" (Ow.)
I don't know why it took me so long to get the concept, but it dawned on me this morning that the length of healing is directly tied to the regrowth of the bone. Like a tooth implant, it takes a while for the bone to regenerate in the space created - and until that time the plate holds things in alignment. Once the bone has filled in and strengthened, then we can begin putting stress and strain on it. OHHHHHHHHHHHH. I get it now. Minimal exercise (potty walks) to keep the muscles from atrophy, but no muscle stress or building until the new bone cells are in place.
So off I went to the internet to see about the conditions which will support bone regeneration and nutrition is probably the best thing I can do as a bouvmom. Check out the article I linked in (that endeavor took me a while to figure out...probably adds another week to my brain-life) on nutrition and bones. I don't know that this is exactly the same for canines, but I would bet in mammals bones are bones.
If it wasn't snowing, I'd be off to the store for some "Missing Link" nutrition supplement but tomorrow will have to do. Meanwhile, it seems to me that now is not the time to hold back on the protein calories (in an effort to reduce Gigi's weight). We can cut out the filler stuff, and perhaps on the tapioca... and I have her new frozen bone toy in the freezer for later.
Hugs to all bubbies with bolts.
It is still a team effort to walk her outside - one on the lead end and one on the sling end. Gigi is trying to take over that routine as well - Dad is NOT allowed to lead and Mom MUST be in front "or the train don't roll". Gigi tried to take us all "up the mountain" for a brief walk but Mom says no. "Ok - so how about the briar patch - that was FUN!!" (Ow.)
I don't know why it took me so long to get the concept, but it dawned on me this morning that the length of healing is directly tied to the regrowth of the bone. Like a tooth implant, it takes a while for the bone to regenerate in the space created - and until that time the plate holds things in alignment. Once the bone has filled in and strengthened, then we can begin putting stress and strain on it. OHHHHHHHHHHHH. I get it now. Minimal exercise (potty walks) to keep the muscles from atrophy, but no muscle stress or building until the new bone cells are in place.
So off I went to the internet to see about the conditions which will support bone regeneration and nutrition is probably the best thing I can do as a bouvmom. Check out the article I linked in (that endeavor took me a while to figure out...probably adds another week to my brain-life) on nutrition and bones. I don't know that this is exactly the same for canines, but I would bet in mammals bones are bones.
If it wasn't snowing, I'd be off to the store for some "Missing Link" nutrition supplement but tomorrow will have to do. Meanwhile, it seems to me that now is not the time to hold back on the protein calories (in an effort to reduce Gigi's weight). We can cut out the filler stuff, and perhaps on the tapioca... and I have her new frozen bone toy in the freezer for later.
Hugs to all bubbies with bolts.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thursday 1-28-10
One week. Good progress. Good adjustment (by all of us) to the new routines. And we have a new routine as well...the 2 pm "milk and cookies" as Gigi gets her pain medications from Dad.
Gigi is getting more sparky by the day - and this will become a major issue as she heals. Tonight, on her way out to potty, she considered jumping off the top step onto the ramp. Only the extraordinary mind-reading skills of Mom preempted a disaster. (Remind me to turn off the ski jumping coverage...no doubt that is where Gigi got the idea).
Mom's return from work today was not so calm as yesterday. It is only a matter of time before Gigi begins to associate the 2 "warning" rings of the phone with Mom's arrival. Tonight was a compromise - "I promise not to drag Dad to the front door but I'm not gonna lie down". Oh brother.
We're going to break up the evening with two outside walks instead of one long one. Since we live on a mountainside, there is precious little "flat land" - so two walks on the flat may prevent attempts to climb the mountain on one longer walk.
It is time to bring out the bouv board games. I've been puzzling over this for a while. Perhaps I can teach her how to play "the shell game" with treats. Then, when she's ready for "the big time" we can hustle the hustlers in Manhattan...
One more week before we take out the staples. No signs of horrible atrophy. Remind me to weigh her at the next visit to the vet - Gigi has been on a reduction diet. While she wasn't obese, any extra weight puts her good knee at risk. I didn't realize how much extra she was eating until I took my lunch to work. Without her help, lunch now lasts for 2 days. Oops.
Gigi is getting more sparky by the day - and this will become a major issue as she heals. Tonight, on her way out to potty, she considered jumping off the top step onto the ramp. Only the extraordinary mind-reading skills of Mom preempted a disaster. (Remind me to turn off the ski jumping coverage...no doubt that is where Gigi got the idea).
Mom's return from work today was not so calm as yesterday. It is only a matter of time before Gigi begins to associate the 2 "warning" rings of the phone with Mom's arrival. Tonight was a compromise - "I promise not to drag Dad to the front door but I'm not gonna lie down". Oh brother.
We're going to break up the evening with two outside walks instead of one long one. Since we live on a mountainside, there is precious little "flat land" - so two walks on the flat may prevent attempts to climb the mountain on one longer walk.
It is time to bring out the bouv board games. I've been puzzling over this for a while. Perhaps I can teach her how to play "the shell game" with treats. Then, when she's ready for "the big time" we can hustle the hustlers in Manhattan...
One more week before we take out the staples. No signs of horrible atrophy. Remind me to weigh her at the next visit to the vet - Gigi has been on a reduction diet. While she wasn't obese, any extra weight puts her good knee at risk. I didn't realize how much extra she was eating until I took my lunch to work. Without her help, lunch now lasts for 2 days. Oops.
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