Update

It´s almost two weeks since my surgery and let me tell you - life without metal around your leg is pretty good!! Just sucks that I´m still supposed to "rest" and to "take it easy" because my leg is still very fragile. I want to be good so that I´m fully healed soon but it´s soooo hard for a hyperactive puppy like me!

My humans smell my leg every day, several times. I don´t get it. When I lick at it, they yell no but they keep smelling it. Strange creatures, those two-leggers. Last week mom and dad worried because my leg was smelling badly.Because that could mean an infection, we went to the vet that evening. Luckily it was just because of fluids still coming out of the wounds. No infection or anything bad. Matter of fact, the vet said it all looks very good :)

I still have to take medication every day. Now one tastes pretty good but the other one is just disgusting!!! It takes my parents ages to get me to swollow it. I struggle, try to run away, keep my mouth shut tide. So far, they always won but I promise, I´ll keep trying!

My leg is metal free!!

Monday I had surgery again, hopefully the last for a long time! Dad brought me to the hospital. We had to wait a little bit, so I settled down under the chair. Then the door to one of the rooms opened, and my vet came out. I always get excited when I see him. This time I forgot that I was under a chair – and I banged by head pretty hard. But I just kept running towards the vet to greet him.

I wasn’t feeling too well over the weekend and had a little bit of a fever that morning. But the vet said it wasn’t much and that it wouldn’t risk the surgery. He said he’ll call mom and dad between 3 and 4 pm. Mom had taken half a day off so she could be there to pick me up. Later she told me, they were waiting impatiently for the vet to call. But after 4 pm still nothing. Mom got a little bit worried. Dad says she worries too much, then mom tells him to zip it and let her worry about her baby. Sometimes, they are so weird :D

So dad called and was told, that I’m still in surgery and they are just wrapping up my leg. At 5:30 pm still nothing, so dad called again and got to speak to the vet. He said that I’m already calling them, so they can come and pick me up. Hehe, I always make a lot of noise, when left alone there.

Then mom and dad were there – I was soooo happy!!! Well, I wanted to be soooo happy but I was still feeling funny, so I was just giving them a little kiss. Then finally we went home. Mom had gotten a new stuff animal for me and a new little blanket. But I was too tired to pay much attention to it at that time. I just lay down and rested.

Oh, and I ate – a lot! I was very, very hungry!!!

But then my humans saw that my left eye looked very strange, as if it’ll fall out or something. Dad called the clinic and then remembered my bumping my head that morning. It must have been a hard hit because the whole left side of my head was swollen. The assistant had seen it as well but thought it was a reaction to the narcotics. Mom brought me an icepack, the cold felt really good on my head! I actually fell asleep on it! Luckily, it’s all back to normal now.

My leg is now fully bandaged, I had to figure out again how to sleep with that the best way. But I’m managing and - if they would just let me! – would even run and run and run with my leg.

So that stupid metal thing is now gone. Mom said, now I won’t get all those nasty wounds anymore from the metal cutting into my flesh. She also said the wounds I have can now finally heal. I’m so glad to hear that because the itching is driving me nuts!

Yesterday (on New Years day), we went to the vet to get the bandage changed. They said it all looks good so far, no infections and strange looking wounds. Pfff, what a relief!! Mom and dad also got to see the X-rays from after the surgery and now have a better picture of what it actually looks like inside of my leg. They will ask the vet for the photos, then mom will post some here.

Now I just need to get over the next weeks, and I just know that mom and dad will tell me many, many times “Don’t do this, don’t do that”… *sign* They say it’s because otherwise it will do harm to my leg. Well, I don’t want that so I guess I just have to sleep most of the time for now. I’m still getting painkillers and meds that make me sleepy and calm, so I really don’t mind taking long, long naps.

Matter of fact, I think I’m going to take another one now.

Happy New Year!!

Surgery Date

On December 29th I will have surgery. Not looking forward to it but I´m glad when I finally get that metal off my leg.

During surgery the vet will implement metal plates in my leg, to keep my broken bone together, so it can fully develop.

For the first 6 weeks, I won´t be allowed to do anything crazy. Vrouwtje and baasje will need to keep me calm. Now that will be no fun for me, coz I´m such an energetic dog. Well, the vet said I will get medications.

After the first 6 weeks it will take approx. another 6 weeks for me to recover. All that of course, if no complications come up (infections, rejection of the metal, material breaking). Pffff.... three long months for me. I secretly hope that means more toys for me - afterall, a sick puppy needs to be occupied somehow, right?

Well, wish me luck for a successful surgery, speedy recover and no complications!!

(This is me making confetti :D)

Merry X-mas

Vrouwtje and Baasje told me, it´s Christmas today. I´m not sure yet what it really is but it probably explains that tree standing in the corner. It has lots and lots of balls hanging on it, that is VERY interesting!! Vrouwtje is wondering, how long it will take, before I try to grab one of those balls to play with. Not sure what she means, balls are for dogs to play with, aren´t they?! But so far I stayed away from temptation, so the tree is still standing.

Hope everyone has a MERRY X-MAS!!!

Sinterklaas

Yesterday was Sinterklaas. That's when Sinter Claus is coming to every home in the Netherlands with presents. Vrouwtje says it's a little bit like Christmas but it didn't have Christmas yet so I don't know.

Vrouwtje came home earlier than normally to take care of my wounds. When baasje came home, we all got into the car. I wasn't too thrilled, I feared another trip to the vet. But we didn't go in that direction so I was a little confused and curious.

Then we arrived at Grandma's house, yippieee!!!
First the humans all ate. I had already gotten a present from vrouwtje - a cuddly little simba. So I played with it but of course I also checked a lot on the humans.

Later they all got presents, and I got the paper the presents were wrapped in. So much paper to tear apart, so much fun!! I even got to help Grandpa to unwrap his presents. He let me tear off the paper, that was soooo cool!!

When my aunt came in with a teddybear in her hands, I knew it's for me. I couldn't wait to get it! I love stuff animals and always know, they are for me. (It just makes me wonder why vrouwtje is hiding some of them from me... it's as if she doesn't want me to have them...)

Well, I had a good evening. Vrouwtje and baasje are glad that I lived up a bit because the past day I'm not feeling well. The infections from the last surgery is still there and don't use my bad leg much now. That worries my owners a bit. Today we have another appointment at the vet so wish me luck that we're not getting bad news again.

I keep trying

Remember when I wrote a while ago, that I don't like weekdays, because my owners aren't with me throughout the day then?

Well, lately I keep trying to keep them at home. I know exactly when they will leave, then I lay in front of the door so they can't open it. It doesn't work though... they keep making me go up. It makes me sad but then again, it also makes me very, very happy, when they finally come home. So I guess the good just has to come with the less good.

2,9 cm to go

Well, since my last blog I have had two more surgeries.
The first one was to replace all the upper pins. It went well but I was so happy, when baasje and vrouwtje came to take me home again.
Less than two weeks later two pins had broken so on Wednesday morning, vrouwtje took me to the clinic again. Obviously, I wasn't happy when she left and I needed to stay there.

The vet also took x-rays again. Good news is, my bone is growing and developing. We are so happy about it! Now I only need 2,9 cm more and I hopefully will be there before Christmas! Then I might finally get rid of that damn metal thing. At first it was said that after my leg is on length, the metal needs to stay for about 2 more months to support my leg so the bone can fully develop. But my vet now said, that they can put steel plates in to support my leg. That would be soooooo much better - no heavy weight on my leg, no breaking pins and surgery because of it, no more being drugged every day to clean the wounds... What a wonderful life that must be!! So you all better wish me luck because both I and my owners really can need it.

The past two weeks vrouwtje and baasje clean my wounds at home. It really goes well but sometimes I make it difficult because I bite on the infusion in my paw. Then we need to go to the clinic again for a new one. I really don't want to make it even more stressful to my owners than it already is and luckily they know I only do these things because of discomfort and frustration.

More surgery needed

My last update is a while ago so time for a recap of the past two weeks.

Last week Friday I had to have surgery again. One of the pins had broken off and needed to be replaced. The pins are the thin sticks going through my leg. Luckily, the surgery could be done by my own vet and I didn't need to go back to the clinic in Antwerpen for it. Afterwards the vet took another x-ray. He then needed to discuss with the clinic because he wanted to make sure, everything goes according to plan.

The weekend I had "off" - two days of no vet, no being drugged. I really enjoyed it!!

On Monday the injection didn't knock me out. I kept running around, being alert and awake. So they tried it with some kind of gas. It's better than the injections but still vrouwtje and baasje said, they never want to do that again. It didn't feel good and I started to kick around before I was gone. Not really good for my leg. Then that stuff made me throw up and the nurse was wondering, if she needs to intubate. Needless to say, my owners were not too thrilled.

Yesterday my vet spoke to the clinic about the x-rays. Turns out that the screws need to be tightend every day now. I also need surgery again because the upper pins all need to be replaced. Because of the tighening they are bended, which is not good. So tomorrow it's under the knife again for me. :(

Then the vet wants to try to put an infusion in my paw, which will remain there. That way baasje and vrouwtje can give me the injections themselves over the weekend and we won't need to go to the vet for the cleaning and adjusting. Baasje is already doing that and we only need to go to the vet to knock me out.

Seriously, I'm happy if I don't need to go so often anymore. Already on the way I know what is going to happen and I'm getting very nervous. By now, I'm really sick and tired of the injections and how I feel when I wake up again. So whenever they stick me with the needle, I want to get rid of that and therefore almost bite. But no one is angry at me, they say it's understandable.

So tomorrow surgery and hopefully I won't pull out the infusion again (I did that last night, ooppsss) so that I can stay home this weekend.

I'm a hero!

On Friday, Baasje and I had to stop at a stoplight on our way to the hospital.
All of a sudden there was this guy knocking on the window, claiming he’s bought the car and that baasje needs to get out. Baasje told him to get lost and that it’s our car.
At the next stoplight, that weirdo was there again and suddenly he just opened the door!! He probably wanted to steal the car but not with me!! I gave him my meanest growl, that gave baasje the chance, to pull the door close and lock them.

We then went to the hospital and as soon as we were back home, baasje drove to the police to report it. They assured him that the car is really ours and that nothing illegal was going on. One never knows. The police also said that they probably wanted to steal the car. Baasje and vrouwtje now say, that I’m a hero because I scared that guy away :D

Saturday I had to go to the vet as well but Sunday I had the day off. It was nice not getting injections. I even didn’t need to take the painkillers anymore! Now I “only” take the antibiotics and that stuff, that calms me down. I’m also taking fish oil every day, and I will have to for the rest of my life. But it doesn’t taste so bad so that’s alright.

I’m doing much better now. When I’m not drugged, I can actually run around – often on three legs. Vrouwtje then always tells me, that I can’t run a marathon just yet. I even figured out, how to jump up and down the bed and couch without problems! Vrouwtje and baasje always want me to be careful, though.

Baasje goes outside with me now more than once. But he has to carry me down and up the stairs and we never stay longer than 5 minutes. I also have to stay on the leash so when I see my friends, I can’t just run off.

Sometimes I play with my toys or have pillow fights with vrouwtje. But not so often, and never really for long because I’m not yet up to my old self and sometimes even get sad, if I can’t play the way I want to. As you know, I have a lot of energy but right now I don’t really have any way to get rid of it. I even broke my favorite ball, tore it in little pieces.
Normally I throw it in the air, catch it and run around the room with it like a maniac. But I can’t do that now, which is very frustrating. Luckily, baasje and vrouwtje understand that. I think vrouwtje even want to see, if she can find another ball just like it.

On Monday the vet tried to clean my wounds without sedating me. But it didn’t work, it still hurts too much so that I really didn’t want them to be anywhere near. So now we need to go this week every day as well to the vet. I like going there but I never like how I feel, when I come back home. But the infections are much better so hopefully by the end of the week they’ll be fully healed so that on Saturday the vet can tell us, I don’t have to go every day anymore.

Getting my wounds cleaned at the vet.

One place on my leg that is infected. It used to look much worse.

The trips to the vet every day have one advantage:
I’m not afraid to drive in a car anymore and now even get in immediately (whereas just two weeks ago, I turned around and ran home, as soon as I saw we’re going to the car.)

The week so far

On Monday that balloon with fluid on my leg was so painful, I didn’t want anyone to touch me. I also have several infections on my legs, where the metal had rubbed the flesh open. My owners were worried, so Baasje decided to stay home and go to the vet with me asap.

When the vet wanted to clean everything, it took 4 people yet they still couldn’t hold me down. In the end the vet had no other choice but to give me an injection, which knocked me out. He and his assistant then started to clean the metal and the wounds. Sometimes I still felt it, so you can image how painful it was when I was fully conscious!

Baasje and vrouwtje stayed with me the whole time. At some point vrouwtje started to feel nauseous because she hated seeing me in so much pain. It took about an hour to clean everything. The vet said that this could have been avoided, if the clinic would have bandaged my leg from the beginning on. But as they didn’t, I know have to see the vet every day. This means I’m getting at least two injections every day – one to knock me out and one to wake me up again. I also have to take antibiotics, on top of all the other medication I already have to take. But at least I come back home every day with my leg properly bandaged, and it's a different color every day!
Baasje had to speak to his boss because he needs to leave work earlier every day for the appointments. That’s really not good but luckily his boss said he can make up the hours later. But of course that can’t go on for too long.
The visits to the vet every day also mean that baasje and vrouwtje have to pay a whole lot more then they would have needed to. Without the infection they would have been able to adjust and stretch my leg every day. But because it hurts me too much, they cannot do so.

Baasje called the clinic as he thinks they need to take responsibility for those unnecessary extra costs. They proposed to take care of me for 10 days, free of charge. Vrouwtje and baasje don’t feel good about that. They don’t wanna be without me for so long and they also don’t trust the clinic enough. Vrouwtje thinks they didn’t give me enough to eat because I was so hungry when I was back home. I was also not washed after the surgery. They keep wondering how they would get me back after 10 days, if the clinic already failed to take proper care of me the first time.
So now baasje wants to try to speak to the doctor there again, and maybe propose to provide the medication I will need the coming months, free of charge. I wonder if the clinic will do that.

I’m starting more and more, to get the hang out of living with that thing on my leg. I know can even sit on my butt. I’m also managing to jump on the bed! First time I did that, it scared the hell out of vrouwtje…

Yesterday I made baasje and vrouwtje very happy.
Vrouwtje played with me with a little paper airplane, that baasje had made for her the day before. After it had crashed into my water bowl and was too wet to still fly, she asked baasje, if he could make a new one. He made a big one and when vrouwtje had it fly towards me, I grabbed it and started biting the nose off. My owners were very surprised because I had not shown any interest in such things since my surgery.

They then gave me my squeaky toys and I started playing with it. Vrouwtje was so happy about that, she was jumping up and down on the sofa! So I kept “entertaining” them for a while. I wonder how long it will take until all the squeaking starts getting on their nerves. ;)

This morning vrouwtje forgot to close the living room door, when she left for work. So I killed time today by going through the garbage bag. But my owners didn’t get mad about it. They take it at another sign that I’m feeling better and they hope, I will continue to improve.