Blossom Update

Blossom had about half of his teeth removed on Friday. Many of the removed teeth were already loose. The remaining teeth were cleaned very nicely and are now pretty! The upper and lower canines were not removed. These teeth look extra big, but I thought that was because I was used to Bloom's small, worn down teeth, and these full teeth just looked large by comparison. However, the vet said otherwise and said they are extra big because the gums have receded so far that a lot of the roots are showing. Someone called them sabre tooth teeth.

I have to administer pain medication and an anti-biotic and he will not take it in food or a pill-pocket and I have trouble opening his mouth because I can't come in through the side since his gums are so sore. So I bought a "pill popper" also called a medication dispenser. It is a long tube thingy that you put the pill in then put it in the animals mouth and push the plunger and the meds pop out. It is useful because you can put it way down their throats so they can't push the pill back out. Which is good since Blossom is now missing all his side teeth. Even though I held his mouth closed, he just pushed the pill out the gaps in the side. Little sinker. The pill popper has made it a little easier.

Since Blossom wasn't eating the vet is having me give him fluids at home. But I realized I was squeamish about pushing a needle all the way through his skin into the place between his skin and muscles. Plus, I can't hold him and poke him. Luckily Kate is helping me. She is doing the poking and I am doing the holding. He shouts just like Bloom. It really does sound like a shout more than anything. "Arrr, aaar, AARGH!" The fluids give him a big hunch back that quickly falls off to one side of his shoulders or the other. The fluids also make him have to go "tinkle" quite a bit. Apparently he couldn't make it all the way through the day and his crate got quite wet. The vet is having him get 200 cc's a day, so I suppose it is understandable he can't hold that much all day while I am at work. Maybe the diapers need to make a comeback. I have all these random hooks screwed in the beams in the ceiling, so I made use of one. Good thing the cord (if that is the proper term) is so long.

Blossom is eating better than before, but still not good enough. It seems he is not a morning dog and does not want to eat at all in the morning. I feed him as much as he'll eat when I come home from work, and again at night when I feed the other two. Since he gets fed more often, and also all kinds of different tasty wet food, I'm sure Pie and Fancy are sad they are left out of the feeding feasts. Especially since I hand feed him to encourage him to eat it really makes it seem as if I am feeding him treat after treat while they get nothing. Very sad.

I think his eating habits will continue to improve as his mouth gets less and less sore. At least I really hope so. He was frisky (for him) this afternoon. I tried to walk him around the block last night but it seemed to be too far. I'm not sure how he made it all the way to Janell's house and back last weekend.

He seems to like laying under the computer while I am typing, which has made Fancy mopey, because that is HER spot. The other day he joined her when she was already under there and she wasn't thrilled. Today he made it under there first, and now she is laying close the the desk, but not under it.