Selfie Sunday – Walter’s Tale of Woe

Hi everyone! It’s Walter here. My tale of woe started on Thursday morning when mom took me straight outside to do my business when we woke up and then stuffed me in the car without getting any breakfast! She whisked me off to the vets and left me there! Later they made me very sleepy, and I woke up with the cone of shame on my head!

The cone of shame!

Don’t worry, I had a small lump taken off my left eye using cryosurgery so there are no sutures. I had a small growth and then a bigger bump that the vet thought was just clogged up from a blocked tear duct. She was sure that after taking off the little lump the bigger bulge would drain away and be gone, but that isn’t what happened. The bigger bump is still there although it is a bit smaller. We aren’t sure if the bigger lump will go away or not…only time will tell.

I’m blowing a raspberry for having to wear this silly cone.

I’ve done much better than mom and dad expected with wearing the dreaded cone. Originally, they had purchased a “Comfy Cone” and had been training me to accept wearing it. Since the vet put the plastic one on me and I was doing well with it they decided to just use that one. I like it better because I can see through the plastic, so my vision isn’t blocked like with the “Comfy Cone”. It took me a while to figure out how to drink water by myself and so far, my parents have been holding my food bowl for the few seconds it takes me to eat my meals. I’ve even been doing well with not smacking my parents in the head with it at night when we are all sleeping. Millie on the other had doesn’t like it much when I ram her behind with it like I’m trying to herd her. BOL!

Today I’ve even gotten some time off without the cone, but I hear I will be wearing it at night when we are all sleeping for a couple more days.

I’m joining The Cat on My Head for their Selfie Sunday blog hop. You should check out the hop to see some of the other selfies. Thanks for stopping by.

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Wordy Wednesday – Millie’s Vet Visit

Hi everyone! It’s Millie here. For the past couple of weeks I’ve had to endure twice daily squirts of medicine in my right ear. It seems that all that rolling in the snow caused me to get a yeast and bacteria mess in that ear. On Monday I had a follow up appointment with the vet.

At first I tried to escape but I don’t know how to work those doors.

Eventually I resigned myself to having to wait for the vet to see me and settled down.

First the tech came in and stuck huge q-tips in my ears. Then she took my vital signs and asked my mom how I was doing. Unfortunately I was still shaking my head because of an itchy ear.

The good news is that according to the vet I still have some icky stuff in my ear but it is much less than two weeks ago. The bad news is I have to continue with the ear drops for another week.

This is what I have to say about another week of drops.

I’m also banned from playing in the yard if there is snow so I don’t re-infect my ear. Here’s hoping you all have healthy, non-itchy ears.

We’re joining Comedy Plus for their Wordless Wednesday blog hop.

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Thankful Thursday From Walter

Hi everyone! It’s Walter here. Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the USA. I sure do have a lot to be thankful for today. First of all I’m thankful to all my friends for all the Power of the Paw and prayers everyone sent me during my big day at the vet yesterday. Let me tell you about it.

This is not my regular vet.

It all started when my mom’s alarm went off earlier than it ever has. By 6 am we were on the road. It was a long drive and I mostly slept until the sun came up. When we stopped we were at Animal Dental Specialists of Upstate New York.

While we were in the waiting room a couple of the vet techs came out to meet me. They were all very nice.

Don’t I look great in this special bandana?

Once we were in the exam room Laura the vet tech gave mom a bandana to put on me that was sprayed with Adaptil. It’s supposed to help dogs feel “calm and relaxed in stressful situations”. I’m not sure how well it worked because I was still a bit nervous about being there.

Next the vet, Dr. Davis, came in and he got right on the floor and greeted me. I gave him lots of kisses and he thought I was very nice and soft.

These are not the kind of pictures mom and dad take.

After getting to know Dr. Davis he put a glove on one of his hands and then he put some peanut butter on the glove. I didn’t mind too much that he was sticking his fingers in my mouth to look at my teeth because that peanut butter tasted good.

The peanut butter fingers tasted good.

Dr. Davis took pictures of all my teeth. Then he put the pictures on the computer and showed my mom what he planned on doing to them.

We all had a laugh after they were done taking pictures.

The plan was to remove the teeth where the lump, that I had removed earlier, was but Dr. Davis was also concerned with how some of my other upper front teeth were effecting my mouth because of my underbite. He went off to work up the estimate and mom and I waited in the exam room some more.

Mom took this selfie of us sitting on the exam room bench.

Before long Laura the vet tech came back and she and mom discussed the estimate. Mom signed some papers, gave me some hugs and kisses and promised she would see me before I knew it. Laura took me in the back and mom headed out. I have to admit that I was a bit worried about being left there but Laura treated me very well.

Laura gave me lots of cuddles while she was taking my blood pressure.

It wasn’t long after the picture above was taken that I started to feel sleepy. I slept for a long time and when I woke up my mouth felt funny. The vet stole 5 teeth from me. Three where the lump was and two that were causing sores from where they hit my mouth. It took me a long time to wake all the way up and shortly after that my mom came and got me. By the time we left the vet it was dark again. I was still a bit woozy from the operation so I slept all the way home.

It was great to finally get home and see dad and Millie.

I felt better this morning.

After a good nights sleep I was feeling a bit better but I noticed a few things missing from my mouth. I think my missing upper teeth are causing me to have more of a snaggletooth look. I hope my sweetie Tuiren doesn’t mind the new look to my smile. Well as you can see I’m thankful that everything turned out well yesterday and I’m thankful for the pain medicine I’m taking too. Mom says she wants to say a few words now.

Hi everyone. I want to say how thankful I am for everyone who was thinking of Walter and I yesterday. While he was at the vet I was trying to relax in a nearby hotel.

My accommodations for the day.

I was lucky that there was a local hotel, the Craftsman Inn, just down the road from the vet. A few weeks ago when I knew what the date of Walter’s appointment was I called them and explained that I was looking for a place to stay while my dog was having surgery. The problem was that I wanted to be able to check in around 9 am instead of the usual check in time of 3 pm. After conferring with a manager they said they would be able to accommodate me. Of course I still had to pay a full nights room fee even though I actually checked out at 4:30 pm.

I was glad I had someplace to try to relax for the day. I spent some time reading blogs and doing a bit of crochet and after I knew what time I could pick Walter up I tried to rest for the ride home. That ride home was a bit nerve wracking as it was raining and the high winds that were predicted had started to whip. I can’t imagine what I would have done with myself without a place to stay for the day.

That’s about all from mom. Well as you can see mom and I are both thankful for lots of things but mostly we are thankful for our family and friends that were thinking of us and helped us get through the day. We are also thankful for the wonderful staff at the vet hospital who took such good care of me.

We are joining Brian for the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

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Telling Tuesday

Hi everyone! It’s Walter here. We enjoyed a beautiful day outside today with a high temperature around 58°F. Mom and dad were telling me that it would be the last day in a while that I could play outside.

I sure love playing in my yard

Tomorrow my mom is taking me to a special vet. Remember when we told you about it? It was supposed to happen a couple of weeks ago but we had a freak early winter storm so my mom cancelled it but it’s back on for tomorrow.

I hope I get to stand on my stump again soon.

The weather is supposed to be much better tomorrow compared to the last time we were supposed to go. We could get a little wind and rain for the trip home but no snow. My mom said she is spending the day in a nearby hotel after she convinced them to let her check in around 9 am instead of the normal 3 pm. She should be able to pick me up between 4 and 5:30 pm.

The bottom line is I could use a little POTP and my mom says she could use some too as we will be leaving here around 6 am to make our 8 am appointment. It’s going to be a long day for both of us but I probably won’t remember most of it.

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Mischief Monday

Hi everyone! It’s Walter here. Last week we had a great stretch of nice weather and we made sure to get out and enjoy it. Mom was there to catch some of the fun we were having.

I don’t know why this fly wanted to go for a ride on my head.

There is more mischief going on around here too. As you all know I had a lump removed from my mouth a couple of weeks ago. I’m all healed and feeling great now. We got the report from the pathologist this weekend and it isn’t all bad news but it isn’t great news either.

Mom says my portrait might change a little in about a month.

The good news is that the lump isn’t any type of aggressive or metastasizing cancer. What I do have is an Ameloblastic fibroma. These typically are locally invasive and often regrow in the same area. Because of that I’m being referred to an Animal Dental Specialist. The closest one to us is about an hour and a half drive away near Syracuse, NY.

According to my mom I already have an appointment for November 12th where it is expected that I will see the doctor in the morning and then have surgery that same day. The good news is that I only have to make one trip to that doctor. They will probably remove the two teeth that were closest to the lump and a small part of palate next to those teeth. I will be able to go home later that day. It’s going to be a long day for my mom who will have to hang out somewhere to wait until I’m ready to go home.

The bottom line is that I still need your crossed paws and pawrayers so keep the POTP coming.

I’m blowing raspberries at the pathology report.

Millie wanted to get in on the mischief today and has an opinion on my upcoming surgery as you can see above. I’m sure she is just glad it isn’t her.

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Tuesday Telling – Millie Gives an Update on Walter

Hi everyone. It’s Millie here. First off mom wanted me to thank all of for your kind words and crossed paws for Walter.

The weather was nice, although a little hot today.

Well today has been a weird day. Before we went downstairs this morning mom changed into regular clothes (as opposed to just going downstairs and having breakfast in her jammies). We always know something is up when the pawrents change into “going out” clothes. Then she and Walter went outside before he had any breakfast (usually we get breakfast and then go out). Before I knew it I heard the car starting up and after a while mom came in without Walter.

I looked all over the yard for Walter.

A little while later I asked to go out to the yard and looked around for him.

First I looked to my left and then to my right.

He wasn’t outside so I was stumped.

I waited to see if he was hiding somewhere.

The weather was nice so I hung out for a while to see if he came back.

Mom tells me that Walter has been at our vet all day getting that lump thing taken out of his mouth and getting his teeth cleaned. (Maybe his breath won’t be so bad now. BOL!) According to the vet they successfully removed the lump and we have to wait a week or two for the pathology report on it.

He is home now and was happy to get some food in his belly. The vet said that Walter’s x-rays all looked good and he didn’t need any teeth taken out. Also there was no indication that the mass affected his jaw or teeth. If we are lucky this lump will be a benign epulis and need no further action. Even if it is one of those things another one might grow back in the same place or he could get another one somewhere else in his mouth but we will deal with that when and if it happens.

Thanks again to all our friends and some new friends for all your support. We will keep you informed when we know more about his lump. Now Walter would like us all to gather in the big bed for a long snuggle session.

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Selfie Sunday – A Request From Walter

Hi everyone. It’s Walter here.

The leaves are starting to fall around here.

We’ve been enjoying some great fall weather around here lately. Some days it feels like summer and the next it is more fall like.

I need a little help from my friends

That’s right everyone I need a little help. You see about a week ago dad discovered that I have a growth in my mouth right behind my upper right canine. Last week I took a trip (or two) to the vet and it was determined that it must come out.

Today I’m taking it easy

On Tuesday I’ll be going in to have the lump removed and while they are in there they will give my teeth a good cleaning.

I hope they don’t mess up my smile

The best case scenario is they only have to remove the lump and maybe a couple of teeth and nothing else will have to be done. The worst case scenario might happen after they take a closer look at what is removed and I don’t really want to talk about what might happen after that. Unfortunately these types of growths are common in boxers and I’m half boxer. The good news is that the vet doing my surgery is a long time boxer owner and has done this type of surgery many times.

The bottom line is I could use all the Power of the Paw you could offer this coming Tuesday. I’ll make sure to have Millie give you an update after she hears from the vet.

I’m joining The Cat on My Head for their Selfie Sunday blog hop.

You should check out the hop to see some of the other selfies. Thanks for stopping by.

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