Prince

[tlspiegel]

Need your good wishes. Prince, my dear blonde poodle has 2 loose teeth. I'm hoping the vet can take him in tomorrow. He'll need a cleaning along with the extractions. The last time I had his teeth cleaned was about 3 years ago (they have to give them a general anaesthetic) and when they were being cleaned they found a loose tooth and extracted it. After the expense and having to put him under I decided I'd do the plaque removal and cleanings myself. Which I did.

He's not been eating a lot in the past few days. Last night he slept in the dog room (which is something he never did before - they sleep on the bed covered up with me, heads on pillows.) So I took a good look in his mouth, got one side cleaned up and then he resisted in a huge way letting me look or touch the other side. Wiggled one tooth. Loose. Wiggled next tooth. Loose.

It's very hot here - we're breaking all records. Yeah, what else is new.

I'm planning on calling first thing in the AM.

Hopefully I can walk him up there before it gets too hot and then take a bus back. It's about 1.75 mi. Then I'll walk up later in the day and walk him home. I'll have to carry him home because the pavement will be too hot for his pads.

So, please send good doggie wishes to whoever you send good wishes and prayers too. TIA.

[3tbear]

Hope your doggie is OK.

[tlspiegel]

Thanks 3t. I called around (even though it's Sunday) several vets are open. This isn't going to be cheap - because in he'll need a cleaning also - prevents infection during the extraction procedure.

I called around and remembered a friend of mine used a Mobile vet who I met once. I wasn't able to locate the same one, but did find one who gave me a reduced price for a sr. discount on his quote. I'll call my regular vet in the morning and see what they quote me. It might not be worth it to cart him back and forth and just let the mobile vet pick him up, take him to the hospital and then bring him back to me.

It's up in the air, but by tomorrow I'll know more on what I'll do.

[mayfly]

awww I am sorry. Hope Prince feels better and hope it all goes smoothly.

[freesurfer]

Keep us posted Toby Lee. Can you link a picture of Prince on here, I think I remember which one he is.

[tlspiegel]

Yesterday:

Vetman came at exactly 6pm (not Phoenix time which those of you who live here know can lead to hours of waiting) and he's delightful. I fell in love! What a nice man. He complimented the dogs several times, he is obviously a lover of animals to the nth degree. Oh, I am sooo soo relieved. He told me the dogs were so well behaved.

He explained everything to me as he showed me the consent forms to sign (same as my vet would have done) and asked me several times if I had any questions. He was so polite and kind. Oy, I'm so relieved!

He was here about a half hour and told me he'll do a complete checkup and all the normal bloodwork, an antibio will be administered in the iv, etc. He told me to call anytime tomorrow and to call as much as I needed to (ha) and that Prince would be finished by 10:30am. He told me he would feed Prince but if I'd prefer to give some of his reg Innova Sr that would be great too. I gave him a baggie.

He asked for the regular vets name and phone number and will call them tomorrow and have them fax over to his hospital all records on Prince.

Prince willingly went into his car! I couldn't believe it. He'll return him tomorrow at 6pm. And I'm going to decide sometime tomorrow (we talked about this) on having him do a vet check on Jack and give him his 5 in 1 and a rabies tomorrow. He gave me a special price. Sure beats carting him back and forth.

I'm very happy.


Today:....


OK... here's an update. I slept in because of my sinus infection. First, he didn't have a van he had a car. The groomer comes in a van though.

He called at 9am to let me know the good news and the bad news.

First, he sat on his lap during the ride to the hospital. He was fine. This morning was his surgery and he's fine. He had 9 teeth pulled. All of the 9 were loose and 1 was just this close to being infected. I'm thinking he said they were in the back molars? Don't remember. Not important. Some people have all their dog's teeth pulled and the dog does fine.

Anyway, during the 45 min surgery Prince's heart rate dropped from a normal 110 to 85, and was that way for about 5 min until the medicine administered brought it back up. The heart rate drop could be caused by:

1- his age (he is 42 in people years)
2- the anaesthetic or surgery
3- something a lot more serious such as a heart, lung, kidney problem

There is no way to know unless some extensive blood work is done, which the vetman said I should look into in the future. He might never have any problems though, so it's a wait and see.

He's fine and will be given chow tonight after he brings him to me.

He bled very little and needed no stitches.

UPdate on Jack. Last night Jack didn't seem to care one way or the other about Prince being gone. He seems to be a bit down today though. I'm keeping him informed of eta and that seems to perk his ears up.


Jack will be getting his checkup and vaccines when Prince is brought home, by vetman at the house.

I'm a bit stressed over the heart rate drop. But it's a wait and see thing. I know Prince's entire bloodline from his great-great grandparents on. But I don't know the health line.

The breeder I got him from doesn't live in AZ anymore - her husband passed away and she sort of disappeared off the scene.

I know Jack's same bloodline and I was friends with the breeder. There were no known problems. But every dog is different, just like humans.

I thank you for your concerns and good wishes. Whew...

Later today:

I called and Prince is doing fine, anxious to come home. He peed outside and he didn't bleed much, and he didn't need stitches and he will be eating his chow after he comes home.

Waiting... Jack's looking for him.

6PM...

What a nice vetman. I'm so pleased... totally broke and in debt though. I called 2 times today just to see how he was doing. He was fine and I could hear him in the background.

Vetman came exactly on time (gotta love him for that) and Prince was freaking out happy. Vetman said Prince is a good rider, but he tends to pant and get excited.

- He gave me a set of anti-bios for Prince 2Xday until completed.
- He offered me a baggie with a gauze inside which contained all 9 teeth! (He said some parents want them)
- He gave an exam and vaccinated Jack (said his teeth are in much better condition, but some day I should think about getting his front tooth pulled.) -

Story: the day Julie brought him over to me when he was 6 mos old he immediately banged his head on the glass patio arcadia door trying to get outside and then realized there was a doggy door he could go through. Went through the door, peed and ate a rock. Broke off his beautiful front tooth in half. He was neutered 3 days later and the vetlady told me his tooth was fine but in time it might need pulled.

Said Jack was healthy as could be, Prince most likely has no serious health problems, but just keep an eye on him. Sometimes they have kidney problems.

I love my kids. Out here that's what most people refer to your dogs as: your kids.

He gave the vaccine to Jack in the upper rear thigh area. Said if he had a reaction to the shot most vets now give the vaccine there instead of behind the neck, and it's a lot easier to treat the hind leg area than the neck. Cats especially might have a reaction.

Both dogs are very happy, Prince is licking his leg where they shaved the hair off for the IV line.

So, if any of you feel like sending money to the "Help Toby Lee Get Out of Debt Fund, please do so and I'll be forever grateful. j/k.

I take no money and I take no prisoners. Muahahha.

[tlspiegel]

[freesurfer]

I loved reading this Toby Lee!! That was awesome! You really love your "kids"!! Thanks for posting the pic!!

BTW: what is eta?

[tlspiegel]

Hi FS... thanks for enjoying the long read. ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival.

[freesurfer]

Oh yeah, forgot to leave ya some $$$

[tlspiegel]

HA! HA!

[tlspiegel]

Thanks everyone. He's acting like nothing ever happened. He ate a huge meal, peed and pooed, took his anti-bio w/o blinking. He has proceeded to kiss/lick every visible part of my body, giving me a proper cleaning so I might not need a shower tonight. hahaha.

He's so good. Here's another when he was a very very little pup. Yes, he was licking his crate.