(sorry for the messy pictures--Timber doesn't like it when I use the flash. I don't know why it's so shaky; I had my elbows on the floor!)
At least as far as we can tell.
He was very good at the vet's. I hustled him right out to the van and then right into the office without giving him time to pee because I figured they would want a urine sample.
He let Dr. Karen check his ears, eyes, and teeth, feel his full bladder, allowed the vet tech to hold his mouth gently closed while Karen was listening to his heart, didn't fuss at all when they took a blood sample. He's SUCH a good boy (and I work with all my animals a lot so they can be handled without a fuss--the less fuss from them, the easier it is for the vet, and the easier it is for the vet, the easier it is for the animal). And when it was time to pee, we went outside, I said "Go potty," he lifted his leg, and the tech collected her sample.
Then while they were running the tests he sat in the doorway of the examining room where he could watch everything going on in the lab, and every time someone even so much as glanced at him he gave them his "Oh PLEASE pet me I'm dying for love" look, and of course they couldn't resist him any more than I ever can.
I ran him through a few things--sit, down, sit up, touch, paw--but mostly just let him watch. And while I was sitting there watching him, I thought, you know, this is really good for him. Here we are at the vets, it's a relaxed atmosphere (people say "please" and "thank you" there!), he's getting lots of positive interaction, he's not being hurt, he's getting some treats--he's going to like going to the vet!
Test results showed urine was good, no problems; blood values all in normal range, although his kidney values were on the high side of normal. No diabetes, no UTI. He's gained back most of the weight he'd lost. We decided to just keep an eye on the kidney values and retest in 6 weeks or so to see if they want to creep up. She thought the lack of energy and appetite was probably due to its being summer, even though the temps haven't been bad the past week or so. Don't know what's up with the peeing in the middle of the night, so I guess I'll just keep crating him at night for a few weeks and see how things go. I'm thinking of getting one of those hotel desk bells and seeing if I can teach him to whack it with his paw to let me know he has to go out. I'm sure he can learn it; I'm just not sure I can teach it!
Taenzer was funny when we left. I lined her crate with fresh newspaper last night,, and when we left I left her in her crate because I wasn't quite sure what she'd do when she was left behind. So as I'm putting on Timber's collar, I hear this furious growling and rip-tear-shredding of newspaper from the bedroom. *lol* And as soon as we got home, she nailed him--body slam, shark-face, growly-snarl. Playing, but serious: "She's MY mom, you little pipsqueak!" Then she came over to me, wagging from her neck back, wanting to give kisses: "You love ME best, right?"
I don't know if she'll ever be as good at the vet's office as Timber is, because she had those bad experiences with the other vets, and she's not a very forgiving kinda dog. Maybe I'll tattoo Rescue Remedy on the back of my hand so I can remember to give it to her before we go. It certainly helps her when she's anxious about other things, even nail-clipping, so it might help at the vet, esp. if she could have a couple of experiences like Timber's today.
5 comments:
I'm soooo glad he's O.K.! I taught my dogs to ring the bell, by hanging a leather piece looking like a horse with a bell on it from the door know. The nudge it with their nose, when they have to go outside. Of course Biko realized she could get us to go outside even if she didn't have to go. We had to use common sense to see if it's pee or the other reason. ;o)
Thanks, Monika! He's been a little brighter today--I'm wondering if he needed some Mom-alone time--he may not like having to complete with Taenzer all the time, and our outing to the vet might have cheered him up (paradoxical as that sounds). I'll have to remember to make special Timber time, take him for rides and walks where it's just the two of us.
Smart Biko. And yeah, I'm sure Timber will do exactly the same thing--"Hey, the sun's shining, the day is young, let's go outside!" ding!ding!ding!
LOL, yeah, the girls are smart. Sam's a big boy. He's between 95 - 100 obs. Right now he's on the lean side, but both are always hungry. Biko's running a lot and swimming. The couch is for three people, but really comfy for one dog and me. ;o)
Wow! My first two GSDs, females, both ran around 75 pounds. Taenzer and Timber are both smaller--a friend called them "the gracile version" of GSDs :-D Taenzer runs between 62 and 64 pounds, and Timber between about 65 and 68. She's just light-boned (too light-boned for a good GSD) and lean. He had a deprived puppyhood and was neutered early, so he never got the hormones that might have bulked him up. But I don't mind--Taenzer wouldn't be so agile and fun to watch with her ball and I couldn't lift Timber onto the couch for snuggles if they were any bigger.
Wow! My first two GSDs, females, both ran around 75 pounds. Taenzer and Timber are both smaller--a friend called them "the gracile version" of GSDs :-D Taenzer runs between 62 and 64 pounds, and Timber between about 65 and 68. She's just light-boned (too light-boned for a good GSD) and lean. He had a deprived puppyhood and was neutered early, so he never got the hormones that might have bulked him up. But I don't mind--Taenzer wouldn't be so agile and fun to watch with her ball and I couldn't lift Timber onto the couch for snuggles if they were any bigger.
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