A Sheep In Wools' Clothing

Samson Update

Samson is my Spanish mastiff, who is now close to three years old. He was born with birth defects in his leg, which has caused twisting and wrinkling of his long bones in a rear leg.  That has caused his kneecap to sublux to the side, and made him limp.

Over the past two years, Sam has had five surgeries on his leg to correct the issue.  His orthopedic specialist vet has worked hard to avoid having to do a hip replacement as the last resort to fix the leg, and with his fourth surgery, we were finally successful.  In December, he had to have some of the more recent hardware removed, as it was causing too much tissue reaction and swelling.

Each time he's had surgery, Sam gets off his feed.  As in he lost 15 lbs in a week after his fourth surgery, and it takes 2-3 months to get him back to eating well again.  He's been looking like a starving child from Biafra (shows how old I am), and I am surprised I haven't been questioned about neglect on him.  With the hardware removal, I asked the vet and her vet tech if they would change how they did his anesthesia to a method we use on humans who get bad post-operative nausea and vomiting.  They listened, I taught them how to do it, and Sam actually came home and ate TWO CANS of dog food that night.  Still a small helping compared to the 5-6 cups twice a day he normally eats, but a significant improvement over what he's done before after surgery.

Sam is back to running full speed, playing with the other dogs and his toys, and in general being a goofy puppy, and he now outweighs me.

Samson Is (Still) Growing

OK.  I've been remiss in my dog owner duties of posting puppy pics here.  But, then I've generally been remiss about my blog this year.  (I've had a lot on my plate, and don't want to bore you about them, or whine about these things).  Samson is growing.  I mean REALLY REALLY growing.

We carefully measure out his food, and have been very careful to not allow him to become fat (hard on these giant breeds' bones).  He's off the charts on the dog food bags for how much to feed, even for the foods designed for giant breeds.  He eats ten cups of food/day.  Yep, that wasn't a typo.  He gets GOOD food, too, also so his bones grow well and properly, and so we can try to prevent some giant breed issues through proper nutrition (these concepts have changed a lot in the ten years since I got my first giant dog).  He is 15 months old now, weighs in at 140-150 and is about 3/4 of the way to his adult size.  At the shoulder, he is 32+ inches tall, and from nose to rump is 53" long.  (Which means only one manufacturer makes a crate large enough for him).

In June, Sam had a prophylactic laparoscopic gastropexy done.  Translation:  giant breeds are prone to "bloat" with is a twisting of the stomach/intestine which leads to obstruction and rapid death in these creatures.  To prevent that from happening, Sam had a laparoscopic surgery to tack his stomach up so it can't do that.  Hopefully, it will prevent him from dying that ugly sort of premature death.  While there, his vet found that one of his patellas (kneecap) is off to the side, and won't return to where it is supposed to be.  About 4-6 weeks after the gastropexy, he started limping. 

So, we went to the fancy board certified surgical specialist vet in Portland, ME (about a 2 1/2 hr drive south of here) for a consult.  Indeed, his patellar tendon needs some surgical encouragement to stay where it is supposed to be, but the limping is felt to be due to unusual strain on his ACL (cruciate ligament) because of the patella not staying where it is supposed to be.  SO, this means Sam needs to have a tibial plateau lateral osteotomy to keep his femur (long leg bone) from slipping off the tibia (lower leg bone) AND have the patellar tendon groove enhanced to fix all this.  The issue is his age.  Giants grow for two years. 

In early September, he is going back to the referral vet, getting an anesthetic, and they will do x-rays while he is asleep to check and see if his growth plates are closed.  If they are, then she will proceed with the corrective surgery.  If not fused, they'll wake him up and we will wait as long as we can to fix his leg.

Poor Samson!  He will have plates and screws in his tibia (the lower leg weight bearing bone).  He will have to be kept quiet (his temperament helps us there) for 8-10 weeks for this to heal so he doesn't fracture the bone above or below the plates.  That means walking him on a lead, with a sling for his back end mostly (or so I am told) for control.  I'm ordering the giant (translation - expensive) crate so we have a safe place to put him if we have to leave him alone, where we can keep him quiet and prevent injury to the leg after surgery.

Meanwhile, since Sam's vet recommends giant breed food for the specialized nutrition these giants need, and Sam's digestive system only tolerates the most expensive food, I called the manufacturer of this expensive (but excellent nutrition) food to see what sort of deals I could get from them.  They have a program where if one orders 250 lbs of dog food at a time, they will give a good discount.  Beyond that, however, they have "short dated" foods which are still good, but will reach their expiration dates soon.  Shipping, regardless of how many pounds, is $5.  So, I ordered 858 lbs of food in one order, expires in October, and saved 43% on the food.  Not bad.  My basement storage area has shelves of dog food now.  The manufacturer even figured out how many cups of food/bag so I could estimate how much food I needed through the end of October.

What we go through for our special pets!  But I can't imagine my life without this guy letting me know he cares I am home, and he loves me.

Samson Still Growing and Saying "Happy New Year's"

For those of you who want puppy updates, I'll refer you to the early photos of him at Amy's Spunky Eclectic back in August, here.  Amy was all the way on the floor, bending over the wigged out puppy at all the strange things coming his way on that first day in Maine.

Well, for Christmas I asked DD for a photo of all four kids, since they were all going to be here at that time.  One never knows how many of that sort of opportunity one will have, so I grabbed it.  Here is the photo she gave me, which of course included Sam.  This is the best photo we have of relative size right now on Sam.

  Left to right, they are KB Gamma (17 yo), KB Alpha (sitting, 27 yo), KB Beta (24 yo) and Kille (otherwise known as KB Alpha's sister), 19 yo.  They range in height from 5' (Kille) to 6'1" (KB Beta) with KB Gamma closing the gap.

The framed oil painting in the background is one of KB Alpha's, in a cubist style (ala Picasso), depicting my actual Great Room at the time).  The art work on the window is his traditional creative addition to our holiday decor.  Even the clerestory windows got painted this year.

Samson is Here!

Samson arrived this morning on the 0700 redeye direct flight from LAX from his breeder, Tierra Alta Kennels.  He was shaking all over, but had kept the shipping crate clean.  We coaxed him out of the shipping crate while still in the Air Cargo office, and took him outside.  He was too terrified to be very interested in doing any business initially, so we drove him over to a marshland reserve for a walk.  He learned how to walk on a collar and lead (did very well, the proud mother says, puffing out her chest), did his business, got to know us, drank water, ate breakfast, and even met four other dogs (and did pretty well with that for a little guy) who were also there.  He loved the reeds by the marsh water - wasn't pleased that we didn't want to follow him into the stagnant water.

On the way back home to Maine, we just HAD to drop in at Spunky Eclectic and let her meet Samson - I needed to introduce him to the luscious fibers, and spinning wheels.  He toured the shop, met Baby Boogie and 7-going-on-20, as well as Boogie Mom.  He did very well with the girls, and it appeared they were happy with him as well.

We drove the rest of the way home (a total of four hour drive), and introduced him to our older dogs (that went well), and gave him a guided tour of the fenced portion of the backyard (approxiamtely 1/2 acre).  He seems pleased with the digs, and in the course of all of that, has learned very quickly how to handle stairs.  After more food and a nap with mom on her bed, he got to meet his sister while we were moving her into her permanent dorm at school.

DD joined the marching band for the University of Maine, playing the tuba.  Their tubas are all brass, and are named after the seven deadly sins - hers is "Envy."  She is developing tuba shoulder, and is getting in plenty of exercise.  Their band camp is this week (classes start next week), and they work at this from 0800 to 2100 (9 pm) daily.  She seems happy.  Her horse is happy in the new barn near school.  She'll meet her roommate Friday when the rest of the kids officially move in...

More puppy updates frequently - need to document his growth, okay?

New Pupppy Coming!

For awhile after Hero died, I wanted to just enjoy the two dogs still remaining.  We lost our Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian mastiff, rare breed with a natural aversion to strangers) last October, and I lost Hero in May.  That left us with Bagira, an 8 1/2 yo female German shepherd, and my daughter's dog, Chase, a rough coat Collie.  (My vet says I have the most amazing collection of fluffy animals she's ever seen).

Well, Chase will go with DD to school after she's finished with dorm life.  Bagira has attached herself to my DS#3.  Apparently, he is her person, and that leaves me with no companion upstairs (the kids hide out in the TV room in the basement with the dogs).  SO this past weekend, I decided I was ready for a new dog.  One that is MINE, all mine.

Prior to Hero's death, when I knew I would not have him much longer, I started researching breeds.  While I love my GSDs and their intuition, their bond with their owner, I also realize that with my cardiac issues, I cannot do justice to their need for working, and activity.  So, I went searching for a guardian dog who is content to be a sloth indoors.  One that is without an insatiable drive to be working.

Several years ago, I'd seen a show on Animal Planet about the Pyrenean mastiff.  A flock guardian dog from Spain in the mountains (hence the name), they are bred to protect sheep and flocks from predators.  I contacted the breeder in the show, Karin Graefe from De La Terra Alta Kennels in California.  She also breeds Great Pyrennes, and Spanish mastiffs.  Possibly St. Bernards as well.  She is very knowledgeable about the mastine breeds or giants.  When I wrote to her describing why I need protection dogs (my stalker is still in the picture), but also needing a dog who is open to my kids bringing beaus home, and eventually perhaps grandchildren (the Fila would not be a good dog for that), she educated me that the Pyrenean mastiff when it was bred back from almost extinction, had lost some of its protective instinct.  She felt the Spanish mastiff would be a better protector, and still be a flock guardian animal content to be pretty inactive indoors.  

And so, this guy is coming home to me, hopefully arriving August 27.  He has his vet check with chipping next Thursday where he will get his flying papers.  Shipping crate will be picked up this week.  He'll catch a red eye flight (easier to meet the heat restrictions on animals in the hold) from LAX to Boston where I will pick him up.  If I am figuring out airlines correctly, he should land at 0625 am.  I have a 4+ hour south and west to Boston, so I may use my bonus points at a hotel for a free night at the airport hotel so I can pick him up well rested....

His dam is Fortuna who weighs 156-158 lbs.  His sire is  Columbus  who weighs 210 lbs.  Of note, neither of these dogs appears overweight.  My guy is from the "E" litter for this dam, and so his pedigree name needs to begin with "E".  We are having a hard time finding an "E" name that seems suitable, so if anyone has suggestions, I am open!  Might even have a hank of yarn to award a winning name!

He weighed over 25 lbs at ten weeks.  He will be a BIG boy!  He's already enrolled for puppy classes.  I've already found the dog food he's used to here locally.  The crate Hero loved will come back out into my bedroom.  I just need to be sure I have a Gentle Leader of the right size, raised feeders and an assortment of puppy chew toys.  I imagine this guy's teeth are sharp and large.  Probably need some Bitter Apple to keep him from mouthing on us, too.  I love that he appears to already be scanning activity behind the photographer!

In Hero's Memory - Seth & Ruby

On Sunday, we held a spaghetti dinner benefit to help raise funds to buy a service dog for Seth Reardon, an engaging young man bound to a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy.  Seth's mother is a nurse with whom I work. 

When Ruby, the dog designated for Seth, arrived, you should have seen the smile on Seth's face!  This was a first public outing for the two of them, and the first time Seth had the responsibility to tell us all that we could not pet her, because she was working.  Ruby has already bonded firmly enough with Seth that she warns others off from Seth at times.

The spaghetti dinner raised an even $400 towards the $5,000 they still need to raise for Ruby.  An anonymous donor gave an additional $500, and the 50:50 raffle we held netted yet another $87.  And my blog friends have so far donated $30 more dollars.  Every donations helps!

I cannot think of a better way to honor the memory of my personal protection dog, Hero, who passed away this May.  As soon as I heard about Seth training for a dog, I knew Hero would want me to honor him this way!  Service dogs rock!

Seeing Seth's face when Ruby arrived with her trainer was wonderful. 

Service Dog Fundraiser In Hero's Memory

I have decided there would be no better way to honor Hero, who died in May, than to participate in fundraising for a service dog.� One of the nurses who work admitting patients for surgery in my hospital has a wheelchair bound son, Seth, with CP. He is training with a chocolate lab service dog named Ruby.  They are, however, in need of assistance in raising the funds to pay for Ruby and her training.  Ruby's total cost is $7,000, and they are receiving a grant that covers $2,000 of that.  They need help with the remaining $5,000.

In that arena, another co-worker is organizing a fundraiser spaghetti dinner at her snowmobile club this Sunday, with all the proceeds going towards Ruby's costs. I have decided to throw it out there for blogland and fiber friends who are so inclined to donate in Hero's memory for this worthy cause. Ruby has been trained to pick up water or whatever he's dropped, fetch things for this young man, pull him in his wheelchair, open doors for him, you name it. Ruby and the relationship between the young man and Ruby will make the world of difference in his life and that of his family. If you can see your way clear, any donations would be appreciated.

For those of you in the Bangor, ME region, the spaghetti supper is from 4-6 pm Sunday August 10 at the Eastern Maine Snowmobile Club on Levensetter Rd in Holden. A $5 donation is being accepted towards Ruby's price, though a more generous donation would be gladly accepted.

Gone

December 15, 1997 - May 21, 2008


My friend, companion and protector died this morning.  Last week, he became incontinent of stool again.  Yesterday, when I returned home from work, he had vomited, but was acting okay.  Around midnight, when I went downstairs, there was bloody diarrhea all over the floor, and literally dripping from him.  He was whiny and obviously uncomfortable. 

Since things have never been 100% or even close to it, since his spinal stenosis surgery in February, I knew there would not be a good result from surgery for an obviously catastrophic event in his abdomen. 

I awakened my eldest son, and he, Hero & I made that last drive.  Hero was very uncomfortable but trying to hide it.  The emergency vet in Brewer did a very nice, humane job of euthanizing Hero for us.  She allowed us time to say goodbye, gave him sedation (which almost did the job in itsel) and after we were ready, she gave the last injection.  It was quick, and humane.  We told a few Hero stories and background.  DS1 & I hugged tight in the parking lot, and made a rather soggy drive home.

Hero will be missed.  He was an awesome friend, companion and protector.  I always knew I would never again awaken to find my perpetrator in my bedroom with Hero on the job.  He did his job well.  I hope he is in a place where there is no pain, no weakness and he can once again jump, run and play with all the incredible dignity and strength of his youth.

And At Last on the Hero Front

At long last, Hero's very slow recovery seems to definitely be the right direction.  For the past two weeks, he has not required catheterization.  I've checked a couple of times, and his residuals (the amount left in his bladder after he's done his business) are at or below the requisite amount, so we no longer have that ritual in our daily lives.

We also have a new vet friend, Dr. Chris Miles in our lives, and she has found the answers that make sense to me with my medical background, and the solution to Hero's diarrhea issues.  It seems that with the neurological injury of the spinal stenosis (the bladder issue, which led to the diagnosis of spinal stenosis is a poor prognostic sign, which I was informed of at the time of the workup), also causes sluggish bowel activity.  The sluggish bowel activity in turn leads to an overgrowth of Clostridia difficile, and anaerobic bacteria found in the gut.  This overgrowth causes the diarrhea.

So, Hero now takes Flagyl consistently, but at a lower dose than one would use to treat an active process.  We have also added fiber to his diet in the form of pumpkin pie filling, and he has been able to return to his regular Eagle Pack diet which is more savory than the bland GI diets.

Hero has been able to increase his activity, and even took a 75 minute walk with DS#1 the other morning.  He seemed a bit stiff the next day, but is happy, involved and close to normal.  All is well on the dog front here in my corner of the Maine woods!  Yay!

On another note, after I sort through my Ireland photos and photoshop those which need it, I will post some of those adventures.  And there are finished objects and newly cast on objects to share as well.

May the leprechauns and other Irish fairies be king and gentle with you!

Ireland, Addendum

For those who've inquired, Hero et al (my female GSD, our collie, the cat, the two parakeets and the bunnies) are staying at home, in their familiar surroundings, with my eldest son.  Even at times when all of us leave on vacation, the critters get sat at home, in our home.  My retiree sitter comes to feed, dewater and water, and she generally even stays overnight and spends time during the day with the critters.  So, they are not being boarded or ignored.

On a good note, Hero's residuals on catheterization are starting to get below 200 ml.  If he maintains that progress, then we can stop the catheterizations.  On the gut issue, he now gets pumpkin pie mix for fiber (dogs love the stuff) to help decrease the neurological sluggishness in his gut leading to stasis and bacterial overgrowth, which causes the diarrhea.  He is also on another course of Flagyl for a week, then we'll continue the Flagyl intermittently to keep things normal for him.

Also good, all three dogs went to the doggie spa today, and got baths, nails, brushing.  They are all fluffy and fuzzy and clean.  I've never taken all three at once before, but they needed it.  Chase, the rough coat collie, is going to be put on a regular schedule since he won't let us brush him much at all - he gets nippy with us, but behaves for the groomers.  We're thinking that will more regular visits a) he won't be so tangled b) each visit won't take so long and c) he'll get used to the grooming/groomer and it will be less stressful on all.  In that light, he returns for more brushing tomorrow, and in a week.  Then we'll put him on a six-week schedule to keep things neat and tidy and comfy.  The shepherds I generally only take seasonally when they are blowing their coats.  Hero loves to be brushed!  And Furminators are wonderful brushes for double coated animals!

All the dog beds are being laundered to go with the clean dogs.  Thank goodness for front loading washers!