Volos and his recovery

 Dec 17 2020.

Volos update.

This dog.......   
IF you remember back in Jan/Feb we took him to the vet for the "7 day return policy".....  Back then he had 2 lumps removed. One was just fatty tissue and the other was a Mast Cell Tumor.  (MCT from here on out).     MCT's are essentially a form of cancer.    Statistics indicate 60%-70% dogs that develop an MCT only develop one.

One thing to note about Bernese Mountain Dogs is a large reason their life spans average 8 years is a number of them develop cancer. 

Volos had 3 removed recently.  We only elected to send 2 off to pathology.  Those 2 were MCTs.   So at this point in time, anytime Volos has a growth on him, we have to monitor and have the vet evaluate.   Fun times ahead.

Surgery went well. Clear margins on all the removals.   However, our issue has been with Volos afterwards.    His one site, next to his eye, has had zero issues. 

He caused the one on his back right leg to leak and weep blood after coming home, but essentially was fine.   

The one on his left front leg has been the biggest PITA.   He blew the stitches and then the wound opened more.    The vet chose not to re-stitch as the location is not conducive for stitches and recovery...especially as much as Volos moves about. 

It looks REALLY nasty, but it's healing on course.   

He had his stitches taken out and I don't know if his movements did something , but the back hind wound is bleeding. Essentially it looks like it tore open. I didn't really look at it when he came out of the vet, but I know going in it was fine.   GRRRR

Thing is, he's REALLY REALLY DIFFICULT to hold down to look at. I have no issues with him letting me wrap his front leg, but trying to let me look at his back wound....yeah.  Rich is going to have to do that. I was able to throw on a bandage. So frustrating. Let me tell you! Looks like another wound we have to let close

However in spite of all the blood and guts, he's had zero issues with it.   He is too active.  He paces & runs when the other 2 are home.

Definitely my problem child.   

 

The dogs are doing well otherwise.  Hyper and crazy, but they gel well together...mostly.  Volos and Peryn are a very odd pair.  Peryn does EVERYTHING he can to try to entice VOLOS to play with him.  

And here we have a Christmas gem for you..

1 year-Duchess

 

What?! Two posts in one week?

 Your eyes aren't deceiving you. We've posted twice this week.  The Daddyman is otherwise occupied, leaving time for Momma to play around. That doesn't happen often--so enjoy it. 

Regular visitors may notice a slight change in layout & design.  Having had time, found the settings to make some long wanted modifications.    Once upon a time all I did was update and work on webpages and graphics.   That young lil lady eventually got a job, moved back to her home town and got lots and lots of dogs...  Bye bye free time. 

So yes, I made some updates to the layout and colors.   Hope it makes reading easier.

Secondly, I'm writing to tell you about Volos.    

Truthfully, I forget what I do write about. Throughout the week I often compose blog subjects in my head.  What actually gets posted is often a far cry from what I originally thought about. That being said-- Volos had a biopsy done on one of his growths. It was another mast cell tumor.   We decided to remove it being that it was the 3rd growth since we adopted him.

After the initial appointment we found another spot and another fast growing "growth" next to his eye. Thanks to Galen & Duchess, we recognized the eye one as a fatty tumor.

He had his removal surgery yesterday.  The other 2 are being sent for pathology to make sure we got them all and to find out if the 2nd one is a MCT.  

Poor dude.  Picked him up and he was still drugged out and in the cone.  Cone FREAKED him out. Every time it made a sound or moved, he freaked and tried to escape...causing it to move and freak him out more.

His freaking out caused one of the wounds to seep.  I made a quick online purchase and went to pick up an inflatable collar.   Five minutes later, Dude is acting normal.

What didn't help during this time of being drugged and in a cone that freaked him out, my smoke alarm went off.   THAT WAS FUN.

He can't go to daycare for 2 weeks until his stitches are removed.  He stayed home and slept.  Part of it is because he's recovering and the other is he missed his siblings.    He came to life when they got home.

It will be a long 2 weeks I can tell you that. 

The dogs were away from day care for 6 full days. Longest week of my life.   Wednesday I took them to the farm where snow was EVERYWHERE.   Lada was disappointed because she couldn't play fetch because the ball kept disappearing in the snow and neither she nor I could find it. 

They did end up playing with the tug.    

Volos LOVED IT. Snow and this dude....  He really came alive and wish I had been more ready with the camera.   Here are some pics & Vids from the visit..including 3 way tug!

   

  

Holy Heck! It's DECEMBER!

  Wow!  I can't believe we're here already. I've spent more time in my house than I ever have.  

IF you're still here with us, awesome! Thanks for following us. We really do appreciate it.   

So for the past 6 days my dogs have been home. Between the holiday, snow storm, & other issues daycare has not been open.   

During this time I am still expected to work and they have no concept of the word.  So let's just say it's been CRAZY.   It is really beginning to show too.

Between Volos starting to pee in parts of the house to his stealing a ornament to his stealing a bag of dog toys meant for someone else. 

Peryn & him have their never ending battle of stealing toys.   We also have a broken ornament (that cannot be replaced) due to the tail wagging and just other insanity.    

I need to find alternate plans because this is insane.

Dogs, Dogs, and more Dogs....

 November 15 2020

Yesterday morning we headed out to Rocky River to meet up with a group of Berner owners. It was so awesome seeing so many of these big bears.   Peryn & Lada came along and had a blast running around with the others. 
Volos...not so much. He was curious about the dogs, but preferred human company.  

We didn't stay long (45 mins). Afterwards we decided to head to the ALDP to let the ACDs play with their herding ball. 

THAT was a treat. When we arrived there were 3 other heelers.  We were in heaven. They ranged in ages from 9 months to 13+ years.   

And there was also a Frenchie trying to be like a cattle dog.....

It was an PAWESOME MORNING

 

At AVON LAKE