Gracie Doodle Is In Surgery

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

While I am waiting for my surgery my Momma left me her iPad to type to you all on! The human grandkids and family were out here visiting from Boston. I liked having them here but then I was taken to the Dog Ranch where I stay when my parents travel. Then they all left in two cars to drive to the High Sierras (Mammoth) for 7 days. WTD...leave me behind? Well, they got home late on Tuesday night after an 8 hour drive so they couldn't come pick me up. But my Momma had called to check on me while driving home and was told I had a sore paw. I was limping and the nice people who take care of me had clipped away my hair and looked and looked for something that would be stuck in my paw. What they didn't know was that some fox tails had gone up inside my paw. They cleaned it and put goop on it and bandaged it. After my parents dropped off the "Boston Clan" at the airport they headed straight out to get me and then took me to the vet. My paw hurt so bad that it all I wanted to do to was to want to lick it instead of my Momma. Turns out it was very infected. I was a very good girl at the vet. They numbed my paw and tried to probe in to the holes left by what ever is in there but they were unsuccessful. I only gave a few whimpers but was very good with them and let them do what they needed to do. They decided they would need to do surgery to get whatever it is that is hurting me out. They were booked for today (Wednesday) and I was scheduled for tomorrow. But, they called later and said a cancellation came up and so now I am ready for surgery...TODAY! In fact.....zzzzzzz

Hi Everyone! Gracie Doodle is probably being operated on as I type. My poor baby. She is such a good girl. After picking her up at the ranch we gave her a bath and then I spent 2 hours combing and dematting her until it was time for her vet appointment. She just laid on our bed but didn't want me to touch her paw. My husband had to carry her to and from the bed, car, vet and house. She was 74.5 lbs but is currently 71.2. Wonder if he noticed the weight loss when he picked her up...ha ha. We came home from the vet and gave Gracie some dinner, little of which she ate. We put her on our bed at 6 PM and at 7:30 AM she was still there. We had given her an antibiotic and pain killer pill. She didn't move all night except to go from side to "Paws Up" and back to the other side. She was exhausted from being at the ranch (she always sleeps for two days when she comes home). Between doing laundry, unpacking and cleaning I would check on her every 15 minutes. She seemed very relaxed and comfortable. I took off the cone and put on a doggie sock and bootie so she would not lick it. I'm afraid that today when she comes home they won't want me to use the sock because they probably want it to air and not have any compression. That means back to the cone!!! Poor girl, her ears are too long and they get all bunched up in there. Since they are putting her out I am also having her teeth cleaned and "nails done". I am sooooo sad for my baby. I hope her recovery is quick and easy for her. She is such an active girl and is going to want to run after her tennis balls!

So, any suggestions on how to keep fox tails out of Velcro paws? She goes back up to the ranch in October so it should be OK by then. I don't want to give up using the ranch when we travel. It is so perfect for dogs and they are very happy there. We are going back up to Mammoth probably in early September after everyone is back in school and the village is quiet! This time she is going with us. She will love the place...dogs everywhere and the hotel allows dogs too. Imagine a 4-Star Westin with dogs everywhere and the rooms are amazing! But, how in the heck do we take our Doodles anywhere off road without the risk of stickers or fox tails getting in? My worst nightmare has been fox tails in the nose, ears or paws and it has finally happened! My poor sweet Doodle...she is being soo sweet but sad. She doesn't know what is happening to her. Her happy homecoming was ruined! I'll keep you all posted when she gets home this afternoon.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Get better real soon Gracie. Hope you are back on your feet soon (all four of them).

[Deirdre]

Oh poor Gracie! Foxtails really scare me with my dogs, I check Gus' body everytime we get back from a walk. I had a GR that must have sat flat down on a foxtail it embedded and and traveled to her uterus. The spay was included in the foxtail surgery. Hope Gracie feels better soon.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

We're so sorry to hear about poor Gracie. I'm sure you're spoiling her like crazy though....and she need all that special "lovin" right now. Hugs and Doodle Kisses from Guinness and Murph!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

That's it...up to stay with Ned and Clancy and go places in their motor home! Though they are in California also and have the same fox tail problem we have. They are only less than 2 hours away from us!!! Gracie misses them. They have been traveling all summer and we have not had a romp together!!

[Frannie & Callie]

Poor sweet Gracie Doodle! Callie, Bixby, and I all wish Gracie a speedy recovery!!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

You also need to check the ears and nose. A large number of dogs get them up their nose and that is also nasty. Ears too! So a complete ear, nose and paw check is in order. My vet said Doodle dogs are the perfect fox tail magnet. He said the only thing we could do if they were going to be around fox tails is to shave their feet....sniff, sniff...I love Gracie's big floppy mitts. She would look like a Poodle!!! I guess I could trim them down if I had to but only if she is going to the Ranch for a stay during the season. Because California is in a drought (which we always are), fox tails are a huge problem in the canyons, back country, vacant lots and even people's yards if they don't keep their weeds under control. Everything is just so darn dry here!!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I so hope that she will be ok with a very quick recovery! I'm thinking she needs to just go to Ned and Clancy's house instead of the ranch ..... I'm thinking no foxtails there! I think I also just came up with a good reason to live in Ohio (been looking for one) and that is I don't even know what a foxtail is, so I'm guessing we must not have them here.

[Leslie and Halas]

Oh, no! I hope Gracie has a quick recovery. It sounds like she was really hurting. I just found out about foxtails here on DK last year some time. They sound really nasty. We have some in the field behind our condo. I try to avoid them, but those little seeds are so small, they could get anywhere. I guess booties might work to protect Gracie's paws, but stuff could still probably get in over the top of those. But booties would be better than nothing. I don't know how big the seeds are, but if they are big enough to see, I guess you'll just have to really check her after every trip outside to see if you can find any on her.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Keep us posted!!! I have no idea how to prevent fox tails except booties??? LOL

[Camilla and Darwin]

Poor Gracie, I hope she recovers quickly. I have been very afraid of foxtails this summer. They sound like a horrible thing for a pup to go through!