Surgery

*(Written by Brandon's Raiser)*
Brandon seems to be quite popular with vet visits recently, every time we get something "dealt with" another issue comes up.
Brandon had just finished his antibiotics (for the UTI issue) last Friday, and started vomiting quite often throughout the following days, on Tuesday it was decided to take him to the vet - which is when it was determined that Brandon must of swallowed a "foreign object", so it had nothing to do with his UTI issue.
He stayed the night at the vet's office on Tuesday, and Wednesday afternoon it was decided to go ahead and do surgery, since Brandon hadn't stopped vomiting.
The vet discovered a small "stuffed polar bear" in Brandon, which of course wasn't his (since he's been eating "everything" insight recently - all "stuffed toys" have been off limits for him), but he still managed to get ahold of a stuffed toy...
Brandon is doing much better now, but is now NEVER let out of sight.  Ever since he got back from his 9 day stay at the specialist (for his UTI issues) he has decided he needs to get into EVERYTHING, his house manners went back to zero - though his "public manners" stayed "mostly" the same (thank goodness!). Brandon is now on leash most of the time while inside the house, which he's not enjoying much at the moment!
Hopefully he's done with vet emergencies for the time being, but I can tell you right now that his UTI issues are not gone...

-Brandon's Raiser

Picture of Brandon in a down-stay during class 

Work Time!

Hey guys, I'm finally back to blogging! (fur now anyways...)
My raiser just wanted to make sure I was feeling my best, before I got back into the "blogging world" and she has finally given me the go ahead!
A quick update on my medical situation:
Most of my readers have seen the previous posts, keeping you updated on what's been going on with me (I spent 9 days at at Specialist - due to urinary issues I've been having - and all the tests/etc they did on me, including the results of all).
I've now been on these super duper antibiotics for 1 week & 3 days now for my UTI, each day is quite different. Some days I'll be doing great and can "hold it" for around 2 hours, but other days I have to go out every 15 minutes (my raiser is just very thankful that it's not the "every 5 min" as it was before I went to the Specialist). 
My raiser did talk with the school, and they agree (along with my raiser) that I should continue my daily dose of antibiotics, in hopes that I'll show drastic improvement over the course of the next week or so. But fur now, we are just hoping & praying that I'll stop having the issues all together :)
Back to the post now...

Our guide dog group's Area Coordinator (AC) told my raiser too try & keep my outings to a minimum for a little while, due to the fact that I'd been in a kennel for the past 9 days, I may have brought some bad habits home with me (nah...), and we wouldn't want to stress the cute puppy too much, while I'm trying to recover.
So my raiser has been very careful on how many outings she takes me on and tries not to over do it.
She's still been having me attend college classes/church with her, but is slowly building me up to more "regular" outings/etc (like shopping).
My raiser has been taking me out with her to quite a few places recently and has been very impressed with how well I'm doing (under the circumstances...). My raiser's sister tagged along to one of our last shopping trips, to not only grab some pictures of me working... but also to give me the chance to work with another person.

I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've posted, and I know my raiser did a horrible job at keeping you guys updated... and visiting all of you :)
Please continue to hope, cross paws/fingers & pray that I keep on the recovery path and enjoy the shopping pictures below!

-Brandon

Picture of Brandon & I doing a slow forward in "Mary Joe's" (fabric store), Brandon is doing a great job at keeping a loose leash!

 

Picture of Brandon in a down-stay inside Mary Joe's, with me standing beside him

Picture of Brandon & I, again doing a forward walk inside Mary Joe's - Brandon is still maintaining a loose leash!

Picture of Brandon in a down-stay beside my sister at Best Buy; they did a great job working together... with me there to distract him!

Brandon Update

*(Written by Brandon's Raiser)*
Hey guys! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to give ya'll an update, I know you guys are all worried about Brandon (just as much as I am) but I've been waiting to give an update about Brandon, since we still don't know what's wrong with him.
So I'm including in this post just about all I currently know about Brandon (which isn't much!).
Please know in advance that not only are we not sure what's wrong with Brandon... but I'm not great with understanding all these technical terms/tests... and may miss use/type one!
Lets start with last Wednesday:
Brandon had an appointment with a Specialist on March 7th, shortly after he had an ultra sound down, they soon decided (after getting permission from the guide dog school) that they'd like to do further tests on Brandon and wanted him to stay there for a few days. Brandon is STILL currently being boarded at the Specialist and has been there since last Wednesday. They also determined that something didn't look right on his liver, and wanted to do more tests on that too.
Thursday: We got the results back for his "BUN #" which showed he had a REALLY low BUN number and they were afraid he had a serious liver issue (thinking it might be "liver shunts") so they'd do a "Bile acids test and liver ultra sound to determine if a liver shunt/etc is his problem.
* If Brandon did have a serious issue with his liver (or "liver shunts") he would most likely have to be released from the program*
Saturday: The test results came back from his Bile acids test normal, which means Brandon doesn't have a liver issue or liver shunt, though this was quite exciting to hear (since I'd rather him not be released from the program) I also am quite worried that we now have no idea what's wrong with him. We were told we wouldn't know more until Tuesday, which his personal vet gets back in town & can determine were we'll go from here.
Tuesday: Brandon's personal vet called on Tuesday (yesterday) to explain what the next steps will be. We are now back to square one and considering all our options (thinking it could be a serious infection... that wasn't noticed on all the tests). They will be starting Brandon on a more "powerful" antibiotic, decreasing his water intake (even creating a schedule for him), and monitoring him closely. The vet got permission from the guide dog school to board/keep Brandon there till (at least) Friday, so they can see how this works.

So that's the update about Brandon and that's really all I know at the moment... We still don't have any clue what's wrong with Brandon, but I'm going to hope/pray/keep my fingers crossed that the few things they are trying now will work.
Thank you for thinking about Brandon, being concerned, praying for him, crossing paws/fingers and PLEASE continue all this :)
I seriously thought after the Thursday results, that I would soon be doing a post on here saying Brandon was released from the program... but decided to wait a few more days to make sure. Then after finding out the Saturday test results, I thought Brandon might still have a chance.
So as you may have noticed, things can change in a matter of just a few days... I'm just going to hope it keeps changing for the better!
If all goes well, Brandon should be coming back this Friday, but I'll be sure to keep you guys all updated!
-Brandon's Raiser

Good Bye Fur Now

*(Written by Brandon's Raiser)
Noooo... we are NOT leaving the blogging world... please excuse the "interesting" blog title, but the title does pertain to the post.
Wonder why Brandon isn't doing this post? We'll, he's not here...
You see, Brandon has been having some "urinary track infection" issues for the last few months(peeing quite frequently - every 7-15 minutes and would start "dribbling" on the ground if he wasn't taken outside), but no matter the antibiotics, prescription diets, or anything we tried helped for more than just he first few days.
Last week it got so severe that Brandon just stopped "asking" to go outside and by the time I finished cleaning up one accident, I had another "trail" to deal with. Even with crated him, he'll still have accidents (and then lay down and sleep on it...).
Brandon had an appointment at a Veterinary Specialist clinic this morning, after they did an ultra sound, the Doctor come back and talked with us. We still don't know much, but it sounds like it's most likely not just a "bladder issue". She did notice something about his liver, but we really don't know what. After getting permission from the guide dog school, it was decided to leave Brandon at the clinic for the next few days, so they can go ahead and get all the tests done... and hopefully get something figured out.
So for now, I really don't know much of anything. But I just wanted to update all my blogging friends on what's going on.
Please pray for Brandon, not only to get better... but for us to find out what in the world is wrong with him. If it's a serious issue, he may even get adopted out (can't really have a guide dog needing to pee every 10 minutes...).
Hoping to know more in the next few days,

-Brandon's Raiser

Picture of Brandon & I in the waiting room... the poor puppy!

Vet Visit (First post by Brandon)

Hey guys!
I know you have been looking forward to this post fur a very long time(at least... you better have!!)... and you guys are probably tired of my raiser writing on the blog fur me.
So I'm FINALLY doing my very first post; and you know what my first post is going to be about?
My first vet visit!
(first post - first vet visit, get it?)

Since I was picked up 1 week early from the guide dog school, I was still in need of a few certain shots, so once I settled into my raiser's home, we were off to the vet.
I welcomed my vet with slobbery kisses and behaved well when he weighed me (17.5 pounds!) and all the stuff they do at the vet place.
I did wonderful (as my raiser said!) during my first vet visit; and even tried to jump off the table by myself (for some odd reason, my raiser wouldn't let me).
I hope all of you guys enjoyed my very first post!

Brandon

Ouch

As you can tell from the pictures below, I'm wearing a very bright - neon pink bandage (not that I picked the color or anything), on my right front paw.

Though my raiser doesn't know how it happened, I somehow slightly cracked a toenail... and got blood everywhere. It was still attached pretty well, so my raiser was following our Area Coordinator's advice - and she was going to leave it attached. But I ended up tearing it completely off... (which made my raiser worry) so after talking with the Vet on the phone, my raiser ended up taking me in to the Vet's office, to get it looked at (just to make sure). The Vet told my raiser that I should spend the next few days resting... no running & jumping around.

But my raiser was surprised to here that (if I'm feeling up to it) I can attended the guide dog meeting this weekend.

(I hurt my "little" toenail on the far right).

The good news is... my "resting time" includes visiting all my blogging furiends!

Furry kisses!

Rudy - The dog with a blog

Vet visit, an award, and Zumba!

You read the title correct - I did go to the VET.

On Sunday I stopped eating my food and started having diarrhea - this went on 'til Monday, when I had skipped 3 feedings, my Raiser called our Area Coordinator and got permission to take me to the... VET.

The vet couldn't find anything wrong with me, but gave me a shot (which is when I fell off the table...) and sent me home with pills to take.

The following day I had my appetite back and my diarrhea gone!

We don't know what was wrong with me, but some say it might have to do with the "pollen" or maybe a stomach bug. I'm just glad I'm feeling better!

On to a happier thought - Mayzie passed along the "Beautiful Blogger Award" to me!

Thanks Mayzie!

I've seen some different rules with this award and don't know which to follow, so I'm going to just say THANKS!

I'd like to pass this award on to ALL of my followers!

On to Zumba:

Tonight was one of my last times at Zumba (a 1 hour class at the YMCA - they "exercise" to music), after Zumba my Raiser got a picture of her, the teacher, and me together. I'm sure going to miss the Y!

Toby

The dog with a blog

IWYPRSD and Vets...

(Written by Toby's Raiser)
You got that right, my day yesterday had to do with the 1 thing Toby dreads... VETS!

I was planning on writing, posting (and taking pictures) for "IWYPRSD" yesterday, (International Wear Your Puppy Raiser Shirt Day).
But instead, I woke up to find Toby sick!
He had really runny diarrhea,(in his crate too...) so we got permission from our AC to take him to the vet, and off we went!
Toby of course would rather have stayed at home, but lucky for us dogs don't make the decisions!
The vet had to check a stool sample of Toby's (which we didn't have), so we brought that up to him this morning.
For now the vet said he could be contagious to other dogs, so Toby & I had to stay home from puppy class today (which he really isn't happy about!). You may notice in the pictures below, Toby is totally "spaced out", the reason for that is a shot the vet gave him, so Toby was really out of it in the pictures!

Please note that I have started "tagging" pictures for Toby, (if you put the mouse over the picture you can then see the description), I may also put words to the sides of the picture, or I may only tag them. Really just depends on what Toby wants!

Hear are some words from Toby -
HAVE A SUPER SATURDAY!

Enjoy the pictures,

Toby's Raiser
The human that has a dog with a blog





SMILE!

The 1 thing I dread most...

(b/w picture-Toby on vet table)

The 1 thing I dread most in life...

THE VET

This time it wasn't because of eye issues, it was for a totally NEW problem.

Sunday afternoon my trainer noticed a sore on my chest, she kept a close eye on me and the following day she saw it was bleeding.

I was then taken to the vet.

Coming back home with pills I have to take twice a day!

My trainer was told it is an infection, but we don't have any idea where it came from, the vet does think it is somewhat suspicious that this just happened after all the other medical issues I have been having- but can't figure out how they could all link together.

My trainer has talked to her Area Coordinator after the vet visit, and they are now thinking I might need to get a second opinion/or visit the school if I keep having medical issues...

I think I would rather stay right here, NO MORE VETS!!

...but of course I do what my trainer tells me to.

Please pray that I start feeling better soon, and all my medical issues GO AWAY!!

Toby

The dog with a blog

(Toby sitting)

(Close up of Toby's sore)

Toby update

(picture of Toby before this medical issue -

laying head through staircase)

Thank you everyone for your concerns in comments,

Here is the email we got back from Toby's school -

"Obviously, Toby has a significant problem around his lips and muzzle. I would suggest he be seen by a vet ASAP. Unfortunately there are many things that may cause this. Sometimes we see this as an allergic reaction to plastic food or water bowls. The first thing I would do is make sure he has no contact with anything plastic, even play toys. We also sometimes see this as an allergic reaction to certain foods or other things he might be coming in contact with. If getting rid of plastic things doesn’t help, we could always try a hypoallergenic diet.

In addition to getting rid of anything plastic, I would do skin scrapings to check for mange mites (demodex) and also do cytology to see if there might be bacteria or fungi causing an infection and treat accordingly. Rarely, we see dogs with bizarre diseases like lupus or pemphigus that can only be diagnosed with skin biopsies. Hope this helps, let me know if I can do anything else."

The vet put him on antibiotics and steroids again. The scraping found no mites. He said that he doesn’t think it’s contagious. He does think that it’s awfully coincidental how this is right on the heels of the eye issue he had just recovered from.

He wasn’t too keen on the idea of the dirty bowls b.c. dogs eat all sorts of things outside and don’t get sick. So though he disregarded that we will still start washing toby’s bowl often. I changed out the 2 huge Tupperware water containers (3 indoor dogs!) for one big stainless steel spaghetti pot of water. 

Toby's trainer

There is 2 kinds of news in the world...

The good- & the bad

First off- the good news

My trainer took me to the vet yesterday to get a eye check up & a heart worm test (required by the school). The vet says my eyes look wonderfully and my trainer can slowly take me off of the eye cream!! We also found out the heart worm test was negative!! (not like my trainer was worried or anything).

And now for the bad news

Guess what my trainer is writing up on her computer??? The abbreviation for it might be "P.S.I" Those are the 3 words that describe bad news- (1) "Puppy", (2) "sitter", (3) "information"- puppy sitter information!?!

She then told me that I will be going "away" this weekend- this will be my 3rd time this year getting "puppy sat". Can she not just take me with her??

But of course I already tried that... the only reason why she can't take me with her is because she is doing "goat showing" this weekend at the state fair, though both her last dogs "Frankie" & "Brax" were able to go. It is not fair! I am told that it was way to much with Frankie & Brax- and now that she has twice as many goats to show I would have been tied up the whole time.

I will be leaving to my "new home" on Thursday night (after puppy class) and coming back sometime on Monday- the following week.

Wish me luck!!

(my trainer took some pictures of me @ the vet- I was trying to drag myself out of the room in some of them-vets are not my favorite place!)

Toby

"the dog with a blog"

Random pic & eye update

*Update: Eyes*


My eyes are looking much better, my trainer has had to go back to the vet to get me a refill of eye drops- but came back with "cream" to put in them instead! I might be going to the vet in 3-4 days or so for a check up on my eyes.

Here are some random pictures my trainer has taken of me over the course of a month or so. (you may have seen a couple of them in one of the slide shows I made)
Enjoy!

Toby

"The dog with a blog"

Eye issues...

Almost 2 weeks ago my trainer noticed a cut on my face - when it started to look swollen they took me to the vet; (Sunday-27th) the vet said the cut was infected but in a week or so it should be fine.

A couple days later she started noticing green stuff hanging out of my eyes, the following day she started seeing it on my eye ball and I started scratching at my eyes. They took me to the vet this Sunday (4th) and the vet found out that both my eyes are infected and the cut might have been from me scratching at my own eyes!

The vet has no idea were I might have gotten the infection from, but I am now taking 3 pills (one of which is for diarrhea that the others gave me) and I have to get eye drops every 3-4 hours!!

Yes it's a pain ; more for me than my trainer, please pray that I get better soon!!

I will be going back to the vet for a check up in a week or so

If my trainer takes a couple pictures of my eyes for you I will post them :)

Toby

"The dog with a blog"

Sick+Toby=...

...Vet!

Toby wasn't feeling really good Wednesday night (well 3am Thursday morning), and he had diarrhea really bad...in his crate:)

We thought it might just pass, and it did, later that day he was fine again, till 10pm that night... in his crate.

Then every couple hours after that... in his crate:)

Which of course I had to wash out every time.

He wasn't acting different or not eating his food so we didn't know what was wrong.

We took him to the vet Sunday and he got a shot, and many different pills to help. This morning he was doing a lot better and so far no diarrhea!!

I hope to get some more pictures of him , and I will be posting them soon.

But for now enjoy the couple I have!

Toby's Trainer

Tired puppy...

Updates-Liberty, & Vet...

Hey guys, I am SO sorry that I haven't been posting/updating in a while, my owner has been very busy lately. (she had 7 more baby goats just this month!!). My owner is still going to get videos of me doing commands, but first she is taking me to the vet... to get spayed... I have no clue what that is but if it is at the vet then it is probably not good. Remember guys, new puppy comes May 29th!! My owner is going to email to see if they know his name yet!


Liberty