Thursday, November 19, 2009

Doggy Boo Boo!


Gandolff is getting older, as can be recognized by the gray on his muzzle. However, it has a few bright points. He doesn't have the problems with allergies he had when he was little. He also doesn't require walked as often as he used to as a puppy (much to the pleasure of my sons). It isn't as if he is old yet, more like middle aged at 7 years old.
However, he injured the top of his foot about a month ago. It started a little bump almost like he got bit by some bug. Then he started licking it..... and licking it.... and licking is somemore. After about a month where it wasn't going away and he kept bothering it, we took him to the vet. The vet takes one look at it and says "yup, he has irritated the bite so much he has given himself and infection." He explained that dogs will get bored and just randomly lick at a sore until it becomes an obsessive complusive behaivor. I have an Obessive Complusive dog!!!! ( I think I must attract the behaivor because sometimes I swear I have an obsessive complusive husband and kids too.) Anyway, the vets remedy.... antibiodics for the infection and cast the foot to make him not lick it. I just laughed. It probably shouldn't be funny but I could just see my dog running around with a cast on his foot.
I explained to the vet if they are just trying to keep him from licking the foot we would put him in a bootie. (Gandolff has booties for when we are on the boat... don't want his nails to cut up the upholstry.) Jace went out the car got the bootie and the vet was real impressed because Gandolff just walked around like it wasn't even on. He explained that dogs usually chew off a cast so it was a great idea.
Gandolff has been in his bootie for about 2 weeks now. He doesn't appear to mind it but it is really irritating to Jay. We are accustomed to the click of the dogs nails on the tile all day long. We aren't accustomed to click, click, click, woosh. Even when he is walking on the carpet we still hear the woosh. I don't think I have slept in the same two weeks without getting woke up when the dog walks around at night.

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