I did see your post this morning. In the last couple of months I have had to pay a lot of vet bills for Dolly & Desi. So, right now with a whole lot of expenses and my surgery to remove the tumor attached to my brain on Thursday, I have to wait. I can’t take any anti-inflammatory medication until after surgery and my knees are killing me. I can only stand and walk for a little time before I am ready to self-destruct. Petco and PetSmart are both quite a way for me. I probably was lucky because the vet asked me the other day if I had an e-collar, and I told him that I did. Desi, however, hasn’t had to wear one since he was neutered at 4 months. His head was already pretty big then, but I guess it is larger now because I didn’t have this problem with him trying to lick his incisions from the neuter and from having his dew claws removed. Last night when I went to pick him up after I went to Utah to the Cracker Barrel, he still had the same small e-collar on. So someone went and got one that is 15 cm (the other was 12 cm) and he is actually doing pretty well with it on. I took it off after giving him his pain meds so that he could lay on my lap without it for a while and he did his little face and arm grooming. If I put him down and he is standing up, he will turn his head around like he is going to lick. I am holding him now and I think he might be asleep in my arms. It is so strange to have Desi so calm…LOL
Perhaps I will buy one of those other collars to have on hand. I guess it is better to buy the bigger one that will fit Desi and if Dolly needs to wear it, the extra size probably won’t make a difference. The chi collar…does it have the ability to blow up larger depending on the size of the dog? Just wondering because my two are both in the 7-8 lb range and the ‘chihuahua’ collar might even be too small for Dolly’s petite head. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Peggy & The Girls Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2011 4:36 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [Chihuahuas] Desi Visits the Vet AGAIN Hi Joan, I don't know if you saw my post the other day in regards to the donut type of e-collar. So here it is again in case you missed it. I agree that it is also possible that Dolly may have licked Desi's b00-boo too, as I have heard of dogs doing that for each other. I guess if she did, then they would have to be kept separated until he heels. Poor Dolly, she is such a good sister/wife to Desi. I tried the donut type e-collar on Gigi after her spay last year, and they are well worth the extra few dollars, in my opinion. I couldn't stand to see her so miserable in that Plastic prison and made up my mind that there has to be a better way then what the Vet's sell. I have also kept it for any possible future use. You will need some type of an air device to blow it up, as it is very difficult to just blow air into it. Gigi didn't seem to mind it at all and was able to eat and drink and rest her head on it like a neck pillow, and yet could not reach her stitches. It is much easier to put on and off too. This is the one I used, and bought it at Petco. The brand-name on the collar says 'ProCollar' and the size that fits her is Petite 1 (made for chi necks). If you look closely to the inside of it you can see small black vertical straps, that's where you slip a regular collar into and then the front has the velcro strap. I tried it without using her regular collar, and she managed to get her leg caught inside of it, so I added the regular collar and tightened it a little more and had no more problems. Error! Filename not specified. Peggy -------Original Message------- From: Joan Croft <mailto:[email protected]> Date: 5/14/2011 3:42:04 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [Chihuahuas] Desi Visits the Vet AGAIN The spray that I have is an antiseptic. He is much better since he spent the day at the vet’s office and they gave him a bigger e-collar. wE are going to sleep in the recliner tonight. Hopefully tomorrow I can do both the Benadryl and Tramadol and keep him itch free and pain free. WE do not have fleas in North Las Vegas…way too dry and hot. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Crystal Thirion Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 8:01 PM To: [email protected] Cc: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Desi Visits the Vet AGAIN My chi Taco has a flea allergy and he also has really dry skin. His dry skin will get itchy and he will chew and scratch until he bleeds. I got a moisturizing spray from petsmart and massage it into his skin and he stops chewing. Desi probably has different issues, but the spray might relieve his itching. `’•.¸*♫♪(✿◠‿◠)♫♪*¸.•’´ (♥) Crystal (♥) ¸.•’´*♫♪(✿◠‿◠)♫♪*`’•.¸ On May 13, 2011, at 2:42 AM, Joan Croft <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: I was holding him and took the e-collar off. The minute that I turned the other way, he started to chew. I just put the spray on him. The base of his tail is a little pink but it is actually his anus that is really red; and not to be too graphic, when I sprayed it the anus was having muscle spasms. My friend said that it is an antiseptic, and so I imagine it burned. I just gave him the antibiotics, will finish reading emails and then me and my babies are going to fall asleep in the recliner chair where I can make Desi more comfy than being in bed. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Peggy & The Girls Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 8:01 PM To: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Desi Visits the Vet AGAIN Joan, the soft donut type of e-collar is so much better for them. It looks like a life preserver on them and cushions their neck and head so they can sleep and eat and drink better. It closes with velcro, and their collar, and is so much easier to put on and off too. I bought the Chi size at Petco, the kid that works there blew it up using his bike pump, They are difficult to blow air into, so the bike pump or any device like that will work. Gigi really didn't mind it at all, as it felt like a neck pillow to her. <image001.gif> -------Original Message------- From: Joan Croft <mailto:[email protected]> Date: 5/12/2011 9:03:42 PM To: Joan Croft <mailto:[email protected]> Subject: [Chihuahuas] Desi Visits the Vet AGAIN Hi all, This morning Desi was chewing on the base of his tail…so I thought. This would not have struck me odd because he is a habitual groomer. Always licking his paws to clean his eyes and face and licking everywhere else too. However, every time that I looked at him, he was chewing the base of his tail and he would even walk funny and then be trying to turn his head while standing and walking to try to get his tail. I took him in the bedroom and put him on the bed. He wouldn’t let me look (probably thinking ‘Mommy, you are embarrassing me!’) I did manage to pry his tail from under his legs and I could see that he was wet from all the biting and licking on the fur…but I also tried to see if there was something else wrong in his rectal area, but I have to admit that I don’t think that I have ever inspected him there…I guess I thought he would like to keep his private parts private. I gave him some Benadryl and two hours later he was still chewing. I had to think long and hard because I don’t want to be too protective and take him to the vet for nothing. So, I called Judy to ask her what she thought and she confirmed that I should take him to the vet. So, because Dolly & Desi will not go anywhere without the other, I had to get them both leashed up and in the car. We got to the vet’s office and Desi usually wants me to hold him, but he didn’t today (probably afraid I was going to look at his private part again!). We waited for Dr. Bullard and he took him to the back to check what was wrong. They expressed his anal glands and then he examined him…he has some sort of rash (and the vet didn’t know what may have caused it) and I don’t know if Desi is rubbing across bushes or weeds or what. I have a pretty good idea of where he is in the house, but he doesn’t stay out long enough to do too much harm. However, he has been going to the planters and watching birds lately. Maybe he might be allergic to lantana. He may have brushed against one of the taller weeds…I really don’t know. So, just being off antibiotics for 4 days, Desi has to take them for another 10 days and I have some Gentocin topical spray to spray on the area every 12 hours. And…the part that Desi hates more than people looking at his rear end, he has to wear the e-collar. I have a few here because I don’t throw them away (thank goodness) and I took a bandana that is white with red and blue stars to thread through the spaces so he looks better than when they use that stuff that looks like old pantyhose. The vet wants to see him in a week. I will be in the hospital but Desi will be boarding there at the Animal Hospital so they can just take him to Dr Bullard so he can see how he is doing. This is the third thing in a little more than a month with him…first the eye infection; then the mouth all scratched up; and now the butt rash. I just fed him piece by piece because he can’t play with his food toys with that e-collar on. It is a good thing because he is not remembering to chew…after all that work. But, one piece at a time is better than when he ate the whole ¼ cup in 5 seconds.. So, I am going to go and buy some Activia and give it to both of mine…I will go back and read how much Scott said to give them. I really don’t need him getting intestinal issues because he has no more good bacteria in there. I really hope that he gets better soon. I hope that when I am ready to bring him and Dolly home, that Desi won’t have to be wearing that e-collar…not sure it is a good idea for him to be around my skull after surgery when he is wearing that thing. Good night to all…off to the store and then maybe a minute’s rest for the wicked. Joan
