Maggie has not adjusted well. The boarding kennels here are about as much like our beloved "Happy Valley Kennels" as the Super 8 is like the Marriott. Resulting in only a couple of stays for her - I don't think she is mistreated in any way but there was something comforting in knowing that Ella was only 100 feet away. (OK, that she was invited in for chips and movies was nice too, says Maggie)
She doesn't settle here - except to sleep. She gets into the garbage - she never used to do this. We bought a kennel - she knocked the door out of it. For the time being, I have given up of leaving her home alone unless she has had a big walk immediately before us leaving. This is hard because I think what she really wants is to run - but there is nowhere to let her off-lead. And even with a big walk, I wouldn't leave her more than an hour, now, an off-lead run, that would be a different story. She eats like never before - tonight she ate her dinner in about 3 minutes, I think she mostly inhaled it - right over her dish, hardly any mess. Most days she starts looking for dinner around 3:30 or 4:00, I try to distract her until at least 4:30.
The last couple of summers Maggie has had a reaction to sun, heat, allergies resulting in ugly looking nose - this year was no different. No problem, I just headed up the street to the vet - told him about the previous years and listened to him completely ignore me and the records from her old vets. He ended up doing bloodwork, giving her an antibiotic shot and ointment for her nose and giving me a bill equal to Isabelle's first doctor's appointment. Things looked up for a few days. Then, we went away for one night - leaving her at a kennel, and it was worse than ever.
I couldn't bring myself to even call the vet I was so mad. It took three weeks - I called to tell them what happened and asked what they were going to do about it. It is now a month and a half later and I still haven't heard from them. So, I cold called another vet, gave my sob story in full detail and made an appointment to meet this new vet. Between the call and the appointment, a lump the size of a portobello mushroom cap appeared under Maggie's shoulder blade. Turns out, the new vet has been to NS, she loves it and wants to move there. She understands my concerns and is very patient. She asks me more questions about the treatment from the other vet, drains the lump and prescribes the same meds as we have had before for the nose.
The lump was a result of the antibiotic shot she got from the first vet. Since it hasn't completely disappeared yet and since it could be pre-cancerous, Maggie is booked for surgery next week. She also is on meds for low thyroid, is eating senior dog food to try to get control of her appetite and is taking other supplements to try to help with all of the above.
After this dust settles, I will go back to trying to get her to stay home by herself, preferably in the kennel. If she doesn't settle down, next summer could be almost impossible.
Oh, and the other vet, he is definitely getting a copy of the bill for the surgery, not that I am expecting him to pay for it (although it would be nice) but he should know.
At SkyTop Orchard in NC last weekend, this felt a lot like home and Maggie wasn't sure why she didn't have that run of the orchard. Hard to explain to a dog that we weren't at Mona and Graham's.
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2 comments:
Oh, Maggie :(
Sounds like there was a better connection with the new vet....Macy is ready to go down there herself and give him a piece of her mind for you. Remind Jane to keep an eye on the mailbox, because there is something for you in the package too (providing it makes it through customs.....)!
Tell Mags I'll see her next week :)
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