Stitches Out! Lollypop Farm Telethon

Katie had her stitches out today! She was not thrilled about making another visit to the Vet's office. She got very upset when Aunt Pat took the leashes out, so Aunt Pat took Chloe with them to help keep Katie calm. Chloe is very good at it, giving Katie nuzzles and sniffs when she needs them. They had to wait for a while because there were a couple of sick patients ahead of them. But, they did get to meet a couple of new dogs and smell the new smells in the entry way. The Vet said Katie's incision was healing well and he took her stitches out. Thankfully, she doesn't have to go back unless there's a problem.

On the way home, there was a guy standing on a corner in front of a row of shops, dressed up as the Statue of Liberty. Aunt Pat said it was to promote a tax preparation service in the plaza. He waved at all the cars, especially when they stopped at the red light, just like they were. Katie growled at him. I don't know if she growled because she doesn't like taxes, or if she doesn't like weird looking guys exploiting a national monument representing what this country stands for to promote their business.

Tomorrow, Saturday, is the Lollypop Farm telethon. Daddy and Mommy adopted Chloe from them and we don't know what we'd do without her. Please consider making a donation to help a homeless animal.

Wonderful News!!!

The Vet called this morning, and Katie does not have cancer! It was a Hepatoid Gland Adenoma, which is a benign tumor. We're all very relieved and happy.

Chloe's been a wonderful nurse. She follows Katie very closely, especially while we're outside. Inside, she'll give Katie frequent nuzzles, watches the humans to be sure they're giving Katie her medicine correctly; and cuddling up to her as needed.

Katie's Coming Along...

She's eating better, and she seems to be moving around better. Her incision started to ooze again yesterday so Daddy called the Vet and took her over. Her incision was still a little puffy, and there was a stitch missing, so he gave Daddy an ointment to put on it three times a day.

Easier said than done. The Vet gave her the first dose. Aunt Pat gave Katie the second dose...after a bit of a chase. Katie is a little tender down there. But, she's also wary after Aunt Pat tried to put warm compresses on the area per the Vet's directions on Friday's visit. Katie did not like that at all! She got up, gave Aunt Pat a "How could you do this!" look, and toddled into the other room, where she promptly sat down on her backside so it wouldn't show. Aunt Pat managed to lift Katie's tail and took a quick swipe. She didn't know if she got the medication in the right spot, although it looked very close.

The fun continued this morning. Daddy chased Katie around the dining room table! She recognized the packaging and took off when he brought it out! Aunt Pat had to come downstairs and hold Katie before he could get the medicine on. This afternoon, Katie was in the dog bed in her bedroom, and Aunt Pat started to coo to her, scratch her behind the ears, give Katie a tummy rub, then went in with the medicine on the incision. She inadvertently got some of the medicine on Katie's tail in the process, but Katie allowed her to wipe it off. Thankfully, Katie is only on the medicine for 2-3 days, so tomorrow or Thursday will be the last day. Aunt Pat will take Katie to the Vet on Friday to have the rest of her stitches out.

Katie Had a Doctor's Appointment Yesterday...

...and she has some swelling around her incision which the Vet thought could be either a blood clot or an infection. She had lost a stitch, probably because she'd been scooting in the back yard.
She's stopped doing this, and will run a few steps, then sit down and lift her leg up like she's trying to lick that area. She can't reach it of course, which gets a little frustrating.

The Vet gave her a different antibiotic, and said to try some compresses if Katie would allow. Well, Aunt Pat tried it yesterday and today, but Katie didn't like it. At least Katie let Aunt Pat clean up around her tail. There was some dried blood as well as some...other stuff, back there. They told Daddy to call on Monday if things didn't change, and she might have to be seen on Monday. Katie won't like that at all. Chloe would love to go back not only to be sure Katie is okay, but she really likes to sit on the chairs in the waiting room! Katie's been laying pretty low all weekend. We've all been laying low this weekend. Daddy's getting over his bugs and now Aunt Pat seems to be getting sick. Chloe and I have our hands full!

Katie Continues to Do Well

She ate a good breakfast and dinner, and has gone outside as usual to do her business and greet the neighbors. Today she's explored a little more than she did yesterday. Yesterday, she laid pretty low once she got home from the Vet and she slept well last night.

Chloe keeps sniffing Katie...back there. She's making sure that Katie's incision heals properly. Chloe heard Aunt Pat tell Daddy the post operative instructions she was given by our neighbor D, who's a Vet Tech in our Vet's office. Katie's incision is partially covered by her tail, and let's face it, Katie isn't a dog to let it all hang out. Today she's been sitting down after walking a few feet when she knows one of the humans is following her.

So far, Katie's incision looks good. There's no drainage or bleeding. She's eating well, tolerating her medications and has been resting frequently. This morning she was able to lift her right leg up enough to scratch herself with, which is something she had trouble with yesterday. She's tried to lick back there, but thankfully her incision is in a spot she can't reach. She has done some butt scooting in the backyard, but, like D at the Vet's office predicted, she stopped it once she learned that it hurt.

Katie's Surgery Went Very Well

and she's resting comfortably at home. She was not at all happy about missing breakfast this morning. She wasn't supposed to eat anything after 9pm last night, and have nothing to drink this morning. She was told this many times, but Katie's a stubborn little dog. She tried to lick some of the water off of the holder the bowls rest in, but there wasn't any. Katie got excited when Daddy washed the bowls and put them on the kitchen counter as usual. But, instead of putting more dry food and then adding our canned food, he went out to start the car!


When he came back in, he put the leashes on Chloe and Katie and they went to the Vet. Aunt Pat fed me, thankfully, and got Chloe's bowl ready for when she and Daddy returned. Katie was upset, of course, since the Vet is NOT her favorite place to go. Chloe nuzzled her and kept her calm. However, Daddy was afraid that Katie was mad at him, since she didn't give him a kiss goodbye.

Even though the operation was a minor one, the humans were still nervous. Chloe and I stayed close, and tried to distract them with some fetch, some cuddling, and just being cute in general.
Aunt Pat called at 2pm to see how Katie was doing, per the Vet's instructions. They said that the surgery went very well, and that Katie would be ready to come home between 4 and 5pm.


When Aunt Pat walked into the Vet's office, she heard Katie telling the staff that she really wanted to go home! Our neighbor D, who works there, told Aunt Pat that Katie's surgery went well, and they got the anal gland out and all of the nodule. They're sending it off to a pathology lab to check it out. Katie shouldn't eat too much tonight, but can go ahead tomorrow. She's to start an antibiotic tomorrow after having a dose today during her operation. Katie has to go back Friday for a check up, and will have her stitches out a week from Friday. They shaved the area on her butt, and D said that it's normal to have a little oozing from her incision.

We all gave her a very thorough sniffing when Katie got home, especially Chloe. Katie headed straight for the water bowl after we greeted her. She drank so much so quickly Aunt Pat thought Katie might throw up. She didn't. We went outside and she did her business, and even ate a little deli turkey when Aunt Pat fed us. Chloe has been very attentive to her, watching her outside and giving her some nuzzles and reassuring sniffs. Later, Katie ate some canned dog food and has kept that down just fine. She's been resting, and getting lots of tummy rubs and behind the ear rubs from the humans.

Aunt Pat Put a Biskee on Her Head...

instead of giving it to me! Yes, she was trying to get a nice happy photo of me, but I got a little worried there for a minute. Aunt Pat gave me the biskee after I pointed out how ridiculous she looked. I know, she was just trying to make things fun for me while Katie and Chloe were at the Groomer. We went outside a few times. Last night we had some snow so I was able to roll around the snow and make a snow dog. Aunt Pat also spent some time brushing me out, which I enjoyed.

Aunt Pat picked up the girls a little after noon. When she walked into the Groomer's, she was greeted by a very friendly dog that looked to be a similar breed to Chloe, only she/he had black patches. The people at the Groomer's said that they would keep Katie in their thoughts and prayers during her surgery Tuesday, which was very touching to Daddy and Aunt Pat.
.
This is Chloe before.

This is Chloe afterwards.

This is Katie before.

Katie afterwards. They both smell lovely. Not that they stunk before, mind you. But they smell very fresh and, well, like Spring. I think they feel better too. They seem to be in a much more playful mood.

Somebody Was Bad...

and I'm certainly not going to tell who did it. Chloe and I both like to go into the garbage cans when the humans aren't around, which they know. Aunt Pat closed her bedroom door, and made sure the bathroom doors were closed, and the mudroom door was closed before she left for her doctor's appointment. Daddy put his garbage can out of reach and made sure everything was closed up before he went to work. Aunt Pat thought the closed garbage bag she had in her den wouldn't tempt anyone since it was closed, and she thought out of reach. This is what she came home to.

As you can see, someone chewed, then ripped a hole in the side of the bag and had fun with the contents. The garbage bag had been sitting on top of the brown box that's on the floor next to the mess. The box remained unopened on the floor during this episode.

I greeted Aunt Pat when she came home. Chloe didn't. She stayed on the sofa with a guilty look on her face. She was a little more subdued this afternoon and evening too. I'm not saying she's responsible for the mess, but actions speak louder than barks, err, words, and her actions are saying a lot!

It was very warm yesterday and all of our snow is melting. The humans like the warmer weather, and they've been picking up some...deposits that were buried by the snowstorms. As much as I like warmer weather, I miss my snow! It feels so good when I roll around in it, and I love to lick it and eat some of the ice chunks that I can break off. We've been roaming around the back yard smelling everything, checking out what may have been buried.


Tomorrow is Friday the 13th. Many people feel this day is bad luck, but I don't. Katie and Chloe are going to the Groomer. They're getting a little shaggy.

Katie and Chloe Went to The Vet Again...

for Katie's follow up appointment for last week. She'd had her anal glands cleaned out, and the doctor felt a nodule in one of them. He said if the nodule was still there this week, the anal gland should be removed because of the possibility that it could be cancer. The girls went today, and the nodule was still there. So, next Tuesday the 16th, Katie will have it removed. After everything Katie went through last year, the doctor doesn't want to take any chances. She should be home the same day, unless there's an emergency and her surgery has to be postponed until later in the day. She'll have her tush shaved, and some stitches in her behind where they take the gland out, but I wonder if she'll have one of those collar thingies like these dogs have?

There was a little...incident before they left. Aunt Pat had told me before they left that I was going to stay home and "hold down the fort" in her words. She promised to give me a nice brushing when they returned, which I enjoyed immensely. So, I was pretty mellow when the leashes came out. Chloe, however, was very excited. So excited, that she jumped up and hit Aunt Pat in the nose with her head! Aunt Pat held her nose and grabbed a paper napkin from the counter. Thankfully, she didn't have the nosebleed she thought she'd gotten. She just felt like she had one.

Chloe's enthusiasm carried over to the car ride, and into the Vet's office. She tried to get Aunt Pat to let her drive, but Aunt Pat wouldn't hear of it. No surprise there. Aunt Pat wouldn't let me drive either when I've offered to. I can at least reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel when I'm in the driver' seat. Chloe's too short. Chloe also tried to catch the attention of a couple of dogs who were walking with their human near a stop sign. She wanted to compliment one of the dogs on the nice coat they were wearing. Chloe and Katie tried to make friends with a little dachshund they met on the way in, but Aunt Pat thinks Chloe's friendliness scared him. He tried to hide behind his daddy's legs when Chloe tried to do a friendly sniff. The same thing happened on the way out when another puppy came in with its humans. The poor dog was there to have its ears checked and the way it dragged it's tush on the walkway showed it wasn't happy at all about the prospect. It's humans thought Katie and Chloe were very cute, despite Chloe's exuberance. They also met an older beagle on the way out, but it seemed as happy to meet Chloe as Chloe was to meet it.

Chloe was very thoughtful, though. Once the initial excitement was over, Chloe settled in to keep Katie calm. She jumped onto the chair and sat for a few minutes, then jumped off to give Katie a reassuring sniff and nuzzle. During the exam, she played a little "Hide Behind Aunt Pat" Chloe moved from side to side behind Aunt Pat, while Aunt Pat looked to the side Chloe had been at in order to find Chloe. It helped distract Katie, and I think Katie appreciated it. After the exam, the Vet Tech, our friend D, gave Katie and Chloe soft treats. Katie didn't feel much like eating, so Chloe didn't eat hers either. Chloe knows it's not polite to eat in front of others. Aunt Pat put the treats in her pocket and offered again when they got home. I sniffed them out right away, but I didn't get pushy. Katie still didn't want one of the soft treats. She got a cheese cracker instead. I didn't want the soft treat to get stale, so I ate it for her. Chloe ate hers then, too. We all had a nice nap once things settled down.

Chloe 1 Lamp 0

I'm happy to report that Daddy's starting to feel better since his bought with the flu bug. I'm also happy to report that D, our Groomer, is progressing well after her recent surgery. Best wishes and many "Happy Tails" wags go out to you!


Chloe loves to lay on the table in front of the window in the living room. She likes to watch the neighbors and see who's coming and going, like the Mail Carrier, or the UPS guy. She'll jump onto the chair to the left of the table, then onto the table itself. There's a lamp on the table that Daddy and Aunt Pat's mother put there when she put the room together many years ago.
Usually, Chloe avoids it. It may get knocked aside a little, but it's never been a problem. Until recently.


The humans came home and found that the lamp on the floor and the shade was broken on the inside. So, Aunt Pat took the shade off and put it in the trunk of her car. She put the lamp back on the table, figuring the broken shade was a fluke, and it would be safe.

She was wrong. One day, she came home and found the lamp on the floor, on its side. It looked like this.

Daddy and Aunt Pat were relieved that nobody was hurt when the lamp fell. Aunt Pat took it to the lamp repair shop and got it back yesterday. She hasn't put it back on the table yet. It's standing on the table behind the love seat. Chloe has been sprawled across the table since the lamp has been gone, and Aunt Pat isn't sure she wants to risk having the lamp break again if she puts it back on Chloe's table.


Chloe feels bad about breaking the lamp. She's been trying to make up for it by being more helpful around the house. Yesterday, Chloe helped Aunt Pat fold laundry. She also volunteered to go to the Vet with Katie last week, and will want to go Monday when Katie goes back for her check up. Chloe was the first of us to try out the new dog bed Aunt Pat bought today to put in her bedroom. Since Daddy's been sick, we've been sleeping in Aunt Pat's room every night. I'll go back and forth between her room and Daddy's, but Chloe sleeps in the bed with Aunt Pat, and Katie will sleep on the rug.

It's a very comfortable bed. It's just like the ones in Daddy's room and in the front bedroom office/den.

Happy Groundhog Day!!

We're sending lots of love and sloppy kisses to Daddy. He's got the flu and is feeling pretty lousy. Today, the humans celebrated Groundhog Day. Honestly, I don't see how whether or not some groundhog named Phil saw his shadow on a certain day can predict the length of a season! Anyone whose ever lived here knows there will be at least six more weeks of winter. Heck, I could prognosticate with my shadow too! I'm much better looking and more personable than a ground hog! I wouldn't bite the mayor like a groundhog did in New York City. I'd drop the ball in front of him and ask him to play fetch, or roll on my side to get a tummy rub. Hmmm. Grounddog Day sounds much nicer than Groundhog day. And yes, I saw my shadow this morning.



Daddy noticed Katie butt scooting yesterday, so Aunt Pat took her to the Vet today to have her anal glands checked out. Chloe went with her for moral support-actually she jumped all over Aunt Pat so she had to take her. I would've liked to go and I barked in Aunt Pat's ear to tell her. But, she needed someone to stay home and watch the house. I got the door to Daddy's bedroom open and chewed some paper in his garbage can.


The girls met the nicest terrier puppy in the waiting room. Chloe had a few nice sniffs and really wanted to play. The puppy did too, but Chloe's enthusiasm may have scared her a little. The puppy hid for a minute or two under her mommy's chair, but was ready to play again in a minute or two. They went in ahead of so, so Chloe calmed down and jumped onto the chair and sat pretty until big puppy came out of an exam room. They had a good sniff of each other, too.

Chloe helped keep Katie calm in the exam room. When the Vet put her up on the exam table, Chloe raised up on her hind legs, like she wanted to get up on the table with Katie! She just tried to give a comforting nose nuzzle and kiss, and stood behind Aunt Pat. Chloe watched everything closely, and when Katie was done, she gave Katie a reassuring sniff and nose nuzzle.

Katie has to go back next week to have them re-checked. One of the anal glands had a little nodule in it, and the Vet wants to check it to see if it will go away since he's expressed the gland.