Gracie Doodle Has Another Mishap!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Well, this week started out really great.  We went for Gracie's almost 4 year old check up and boosters and she got a clean bill of health.  The vet loved her weight and figure...said she has an athletic body with the heart beat of an athlete!  I came home with MY tail wagging.  So then off to get a refresher course for Rattle Snake Avoidance (3rd year) and she remembered even before they took her through the paces and she was not a happy girl...actually foaming at the mouth!  I think she remembers!  Also, there were fox tails everywhere in the back country and of course they took her into the fields for the training.  We then took her to a local lake to swim and give dock diving a try.  She would hang way over the edge of the dock wanting her tennis ball we threw in but wouldn't quite make that jump!  My DH gave her a nudge for three jumps.  The boat ramp that she had to walk up was horrible.  It was jagged pyramid shaped grating and very hard to walk.  So we are walking back to the car (off leash) and she sights a bunny rabbit...the game was afoot!  Into the bushes, out of the bushes, back into the bushes.  And while this was going on we saw the bunny rabbit come out in another direction and was long gone.  We finally found out that something wins out over the tennis ball...a bunny.  We had a bit of trouble getting her to come back to us.  She just wanted to hang out in the bush!  So, a tired girl sleeps all the way home.  I clean her up and decide to groom her and take her really short to get her ready for her visit to the Dog Ranch next week for 8 days.  I guess I should say the Fox Tail Ranch!  So you all saw the blog I did on her new skinny mini hair cut. So on Thursday the vet calls and says she has bacteria in her urine and has to send it to the lab to be cultured.  He needs to know specifically what bacteria so he knows which antibiotic to prescribe.  If we don't get an answer by Monday morning then she goes on a broad spectrum antibiotic until we get back.   Okay, so last night while eating she has 8 huge blowing sneezes and again this morning when eating.  Nothing all night but we are nervous because we are going out of town and don't want her to have a problem.  Meanwhile I see some watered down blood spots on our bed cover use for her to sleep on.  Can't find anything bleeding.  The vet says I should bring her in because she could have a fox tail in her nose and it is irritated and bleeding.  So off we go to the vet.  He can't find anything and of course she isn't sneezing.  But, we found the source of the bleeding.  Her front paw pad in front under one of the nails has a piece missing and it is bright red!  Right where the fur and pad meet.  Our guess is maybe the boat ramp on Tuesday, cut her pad in the bushes chasing the bunny or else chasing her ball yesterday and she possibly scuffed her foot on a wall (she jumps walls chasing her ball...sort of like steeple chasing...ha ha).  So, because we are leaving her for 8 days the vet says the only way to know for sure if something is in her nose is to put her out and go up and check.  So I go home Gracie-less.  The vet calls later and said that there was a plant matter up her nose but not a fox tail.  He is describing it to us and instantly I knew what it was...Mexican Feather Grass!  We planted $300 worth in our back yard last summer to replace a hedge that went around the grass.  If her ball or monster goes in there she dives in to get it sometimes coming out with a mouthful of feather grass.  So my DH says now what?  He says that is $300 worth of plants and I told him that today was $400 plus of vet bills ($500 deductible for insurance).  So, when we get back from our trip we may be pulling them out and starting over.  Now we need to come up with something to replace it that is attractive.  So a goofy stumbling Doodle came home tonight at 6:00.  Poor baby fell out of the car.  The front legs came out OK but the back ones collapsed.   And she has that darn shaved front leg where the IV went.  Right down to the skin too!   She ate her dinner and went to bed.  I thought this would be a good time to Dremel her toe nails...NOT.  She managed to rally enough to jump off the bed and leave!!!  Well, tomorrow is another day but for this Doodle there is no running other than on grass this weekend so when I send her to the ranch on Monday her pad might be healed a bit.  Why is it always down to the wire just when you are getting ready to travel?  I have just got to find someone who will come into our home or a home she can go stay in when we travel.  It is only a few times a year!  So SPRING HAS SPRUNG for sure here in sunny San Diego!!

[Lynda Kamrath]

Poor Gracie!  If it is not one thing, it is another.  Mexican hair grass.  We have lots of it below our house, but the dogs never go down there.  Who woulda thot?  Hope Gracie is feeling better.  Gosh, injuries at both ends.

[Clifford, Cloud, Jake..and Kim]

Gracie - Clifford and Cloud send huge hugs and sloppy doodle kisses to you so you feel better really soon.  You don't want to be under the weather when you go to the doodle ranch, do you?  Besides, your mommy would worry about you the whole time and then she won't have any fun either.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Oh Nancie, Gracie sure has had a bad time of it. If you are driving and coming towards Arizona, bring her and I will be her private duty nurse and make it all better for her.  Murphy and Bella will play nice. Wish you were closer.

It was always the same with kids too, odds were they would get sick on fridays and 6 pm!

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh, so sorry to hear about Gracie. I know how you feel about leaving. Monday I am taking a two hour round trip to where the dogs will stay when I'm away. Luca knows the woman who will care for the, she was the assistant trainer for his classes when he was a pup. But Calla may have only met her once or twice and neither dog has been to her house. So I thought I'd feel better if I familiarized them . All this aside from a small fortune but what can one do? I wish I had someone more local.

[Jennifer and Jack]

If only we can let them live in bubble wrap and still have them have happy balanced lives, Sigh...... I am glad she is going to be okay....

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Awww - Gracie, you gotta stop making your mom worry so much.  Try to lay low for a bit ya know?  My kids would always do this to me - dh would be outta town and someones appendix would decide to crap out.  Stuff never happened when he was around.  I guess they wouldn't be called an emergency if we could plan though. 

[Camilla and Darwin]

I hope that Gracie feels better, poor dood

[Pam & Trixie]

Ouch on the foot!  and all the rest too.  Hope she feels better very soon.

Enjoy your trip.

[Susan and Sasha]

Hi Nancie...

So sorry to hear that poor Gracie had to go through all of this...and you too!

I'm glad that it was nothing more serious...

I hope she heal well...and fast...and that you enjoy your time away!

 

[Dori & Rua]

Oh poor Gracie.  I sure wish we were closer so Gracie could come and stay with us while you go off for your visit.  Licks and kisses from Rua!