I am back on my Blog!!

I know!!! It's been quite a while since I last blogged: a month to be exact!!! Let me tell you, it wasn't a planned absence. In fact, it was a rather circumstantial one and you will see 'why' as you read along.

I will be combining two articles in this post just to make it easy for me and my readers. Please note that the first blog-post has no relevance or significance with the second one. Like I said, I am merely combining two posts to make the writing and reading easier.

Read along below-


To Neuter or Not: that was the BIG question!!!

It was a really tough call to make. I was debating in my mind for several months if I should or shouldn't neuter Walley. The "ifs" and "buts" were so overwhelming that I just couldn't come to a firm decision easily. Elwyn said he trusted any decision I would make with regards to this matter and left it completely up to me to make the final call!!

After much perplexity, Cesar Milan came to my mental rescue. Yes, Cesar Milan- the famous "Dog Whisperer". It was after reading this particular article written by him that I was able to come to a firm decision without any regrets ever after. Here is the link to Cesar's article which I really urge everyone to read:

http://www.cesarsway.com/tips/basics/spay-and-neuter-myths

So, you can now very well guess what I must have finally decided. Yes, we got Walley neutered on the 8th of November. It was a 'day' surgery. Walley went in to the clinic at 9 am for the surgery and came back home at 6 pm that same evening. Dr. Tufaro conducted the 'neuter' surgery on Walley. Both Elwyn and I are so grateful to God that we have Dr. Tufaro as Walley's Vet. He's the best animal doctor I've ever met. Walley adores him and loves to see him and his assistants every single time we go the clinic!! Can you even imagine that? Most dogs hate going to a Vet but our munchkin loves Dr. Tufaro's clinic. The people there are so warm and friendly!!

The stitches from the surgery were removed exactly 10 days later. Walley wore the Elizabethian Collar only for two or three days after the surgery. The surgical wound healed very nicely before the stitches were removed. And, Walley did perfectly fine after the stitches were removed as well.

One piece of advice I'd like to give people who are confused about neutering their dogs. If you are hesitating to neuter your dog just because you have heard that dogs become inactive or less playful after neutering; you will surprise yourselves that it's only a myth. Walley is just as playful after the "neuter" surgery as he was before it. Of course, on the day of surgery he was groggy and lethargic but that was the very obvious effect of the anesthesia and some of the routine vaccines which he had received that day. The very next day of the surgery, Walley was so cheerful and playful like he was never neutered at all.

Elwyn and I are so relieved that we overcame our fears and myths about neutering and did just the right thing for our munchkin.

Thank you Cesar Milan and Dr. Tufaro!!



Hot Spots: I didn't even know such a thing existed!!

Last Sunday, only a few hours after we brought Walley home from a 5-day stay at the New York Dog Hotel which he thoroughly enjoyed, we noticed our munchkin was bleeding slightly from the left side of his face. I tried to clean the area with some water but Walley felt a lot of pain just to mild touch. Because the hair on his face was covering the actual site of the bleeding, I wasn't able to see what was going on there.


Elwyn and I immediately took Walley to the Animal Medical Center ( the Emergency Hospital where Walley was treated for Seizure in January). The attending emergency doctor told us that Walley has a Hot Spot. A Hot Spot? I didn't even know what that was until the doctor explained it to us. 'Hot Spot' is a term used for moist dermatitis and the causes for it are many including 'idiopathic'. In Walley's case, the hot spot was an idiopathic one which means the reason for it is not known. Golden Retrievers are, however, naturally very susceptible to skin infections owing to their type of skin coat. The doctor at the Emergency Center shaved and scrubed the affected area on Walley's face ( which is part of the treatment for Hot Spots).


We brought Walley home from the hospital the same night and put him on Antibiotics ( to treat the secondary infection) and Bendaryl ( to prevent itching) as prescribed by the doctor at the Emergency Center. Two days later, I could see that the lesion on Walley's face was healing but there was still some pus oozing out. So, I decided to take him to Dr. Tufaro ( Walley's regular Vet). Dr. Tufaro cleaned the affected area on Walley's face more thoroughly and also gave me a cleaning solution ( Chlorhexadine) to use at home for Walley. Dr. Tufaro said that this type of skin infection is very common in Golden Retrievers and that there is nothing to worry about. He said the wound will heal very well and Walley may never even get a Hot Spot again! That's a relief!!


Here are a few pictures of Walley's healing Hot Spot:

Here are a two pictures of Walley getting cozy while taking a nap on the couch. The Elizabethian collar he is wearing is just to prevent him from scratching his face.

Well, Walley is doing much better now and he is still on the antibiotic Clavamox 375 mg which he will need to take for another week. Walley's face is definitely healing very well. We are certain that in two weeks time, Walley will look and feel just great and he will be ready for a wonderful Christmas celebration with us! Oh and just so you know, he is still very cheerful and playful (as always) despite the Hot Spot!


That's all from us for now. I am glad I finally blogged despite being very busy taking caring of my munchkin. Please look forward to some really cute videos of Walley that I will be posting shortly. These videos were taken when Walley was 2-3 months old. I am sure you will enjoy watching them.


Have a lovely weekend!!