Your Pet A Day.... (post up!)

Unregistered User · 02-14-2019, 05:46 AM

Why don't "designer dogs" turn out right? In my case, I've got a "Pitfox Bullhound" - actually, the sign at the SPCA said, "mixed terrier" (because they don't like the phrase, "pit bull"). I figure she's half foxhound and half pit bull, so the "design" must have been accidental. Anyway, the problem, as I observed earlier in Ruger, the (English bullmastiff / boxer) + black lab. mix, is that genetic characteristics of the parent breeds don't necessarily match up very well.

So the problem here is that Peaches (formerly a trained service dog known locally as "Peaches, the Wonderdog") has foxhound bones & ligaments and the pit bull musculature. Her muscles were apparently too strong for her knees (or "stifles" for the dog-anatomists among us). So she blew out the anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL, an injury normally reserved for football players) on the right and had to have surgery. She was pretty much all better from that, then the left one went out. She'd actually injured both when she jumped into a hole hidden in the tall grass. Came out limping in both legs. But the vets judged that the left wasn't badly injured, so surgery was "not indicated at this time". Well, now she's just had the same surgery on the left knee. So the pictures below show one drugged-up dog, with a large hematoma in the left leg (must have cut an arteriole in surgery and didn't check the bleeding sufficiently before closing it up - same thing happened to me, once).

She's pitiful, but getting nursing, medications and physical therapy from her usual serving staff (me and my wife) during her convalescence. I reckon my back will be stronger after this - second round of having to pick up the sixty pound dog to take her outside for her doggy-business. Good thing my own knees are better (improved drug regimen and diet) so I don't actually need a service dog now to pull me up out of chairs and up hills and stairwells.

My view generally of domestic animals is that their purpose in life (as in the famous "outer limits" episode) is "to serve man". So I don't think much of having to alter their life status significantly when it's time to eat them or put them down for health deficiencies. But this dog is only four, the problem's remediable, and she's the sweetest dog in the world (the pit bull in her, you know). So now I call her, echoing the title of an old TV series, "the six thousand dollar dog" - it was actually closer to seven, but we figure she's still got a lot of life left in her, and she's worth it. But she's now "the bionic dog", both knees containing titanium lateral supports on both sides. "We can rebuild her. We have the technology. We can make her better than she was... Better???...stronger...faster." Well, we'll have to see about that, I reckon.

**WPRESTO** · 02-14-2019, 06:11 AM

Poor thing! No way for her to know who is responsible for her problems, nor could she do anything about it if she did. BTW: I've always been interested that two of the breeds with the longest average life expectancy and the lowest breed-specific list of potential health issues (not surprising that those characteristics are linked) are papillon and bichon frise, both lap-sized French-bred companion dogs. Of the two, I would take a papillon as they are very smart and responsive, cooperative quick learners (on the average, there are always exceptions). Bichon frise, on the other hand, have a reputation for being stubborn and independent, with admonitions to train them early and be persistent doing it.

**mattb123** · 02-14-2019, 10:36 AM - **6 Likes**

I hope poor Peaches makes a full recovery!

---------- Post added 02-14-19 at 10:37 AM ----------

Frida the snow cat out shoveling with me this morning.
K-3 & 18-135

gifthorse · 02-14-2019, 04:17 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by mattb123

I hope poor Peaches makes a full recovery!

---------- Post added 02-14-19 at 10:37 AM ----------

Frida the snow cat out shoveling with me this morning.
K-3 & 18-135

A cat with a snowball.... that's a terrifying notion. Nice shots too!

eddie1960 · 02-14-2019, 04:46 PM - **6 Likes**

. Lu posing like he is smartest one in room

Unregistered User · 02-15-2019, 05:09 AM

Originally posted by eddie1960

. Lu posing like he is smartest one in room

How do you know he's not? Sometimes I wonder. We have a dog and two cats, and they've got us trained to care for them, meet their needs, give them entertainment... neither Charlemagne nor Solomon had it so good. These animals have figured out how to acquire and train human servants. They ain't so dumb.

**WPRESTO** · 02-15-2019, 05:38 AM - **2 Likes**

Some cats go out and play in the snow, but not Annabelle, She calls it "maturity."

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eddie1960 · 02-15-2019, 08:31 AM

Originally posted by dlh

How do you know he's not? Sometimes I wonder. We have a dog and two cats, and they've got us trained to care for them, meet their needs, give them entertainment... neither Charlemagne nor Solomon had it so good. These animals have figured out how to acquire and train human servants. They ain't so dumb.

Oh he is smart, Cattle dogs rank in top 10 (herders are usually very smart, (and are manipulative if you let them get away with it) a friend said every shot he looks like a wise old man

normhead · 02-15-2019, 03:15 PM - **3 Likes**

Originally posted by eddie1960

. Lu posing like he is smartest one in room

Do I know this dog Eddie? I think the last time we talked dog my Kenzie was still alive. She died and we snapped up her niece when we had the chance, named Tia.

She is the black, white and tan one back in the distance.

We also rescued Jessie, because we didn't have a red Border Collie and she seriously needed a home. What's with apartment dwelling city slickers buying Border Collies?

On the walk yesterday I fell in the snow, which is so deep it took me a long time to get up. Here's Tripper at the junction of two paths wondering what took me so long.

The snow is so deep, unlike the local wolves and foxes who glide on top of the snow, my dogs are pretty much confined to our snowshoe trails.

**pepperberry farm** · 02-15-2019, 03:24 PM

Finnegan

eddie1960 · 02-15-2019, 03:39 PM

Originally posted by normhead

Do I know this dog Eddie? I think the last time we talked dog my Kenzie was still alive. She died and we snapped up her niece when we had the chance, named Tia.

She is the black, white and tan one back in the distance.

We also rescued Jessie, because we didn't have a red Border Collie and she seriously needed a home. What's with apartment dwelling city slickers buying Border Collies?

On the walk yesterday I fell in the snow, which is so deep it took me a long time to get up. Here's Tripper at the junction of two paths wondering what took me so long.

The snow is so deep, unlike the local wolves and foxes who glide on top of the snow, my dogs are pretty much confined to our snowshoe trails.

you do know this one. blu. we got him june 2009 as a rescue / stray so he probably just passed his 10th birthday recently. your new pups look noce the snow looks crazy

eddie1960 · 02-15-2019, 04:52 PM

Originally posted by eddie1960

you do know this one. blu. we got him june 2009 as a rescue / stray so he probably just passed his 10th birthday recently. your new pups look nice the snow looks crazy

normhead · 02-15-2019, 06:25 PM

Originally posted by eddie1960

you do know this one. blu. we got him june 2009 as a rescue / stray so he probably just passed his 10th birthday recently. your new pups look nice the snow looks crazy

I used the snow blowers, two days ago 14-18 inches. The snow blower front is 30 inches, drifts were higher than the top of the chute. 3 to 4 inches today. The big blower broke on Wed. Today had to do the whole driveway with the little one I use to clean the edges. The snow is crazy. I fell tripped over a down tree under the snow, it took me an age to get up. Putting my arms down I couldn't find anything solid in the snow to support me getting up it was more like swimming getting out of it. This snow is as much as we've had the 10 years we've been here.

**paulh** · 02-15-2019, 06:30 PM - **3 Likes**

Originally posted by normhead

The snow is crazy. When I fell tripped over a down tree under the snow, it took me an age to get up. Putting my arms down I couldn't find anything solid in the snow to support me getting up it was more like swimming getting out of it. This snow is as much as we've had the 10 years we've been here.

Hard to imagine snow like that. Love those photos, Norm.

A couple old ones of Jeannie & my niece Hanna. Hanna is set to graduate HS in May.

normhead · 02-16-2019, 06:09 AM

Originally posted by paulh

Hard to imagine snow like that. Love those photos, Norm.

Just come up for a few days.Then you won't have to try an imagine it.

It does remind me, of a forum member from Alabama who booked a trip with us. They cam e up at the end of September, we warned them there could be frost, offered to supply them with down jackets and warm sleeping bags etc. When they came we broke heat records, as in hottest of all time heat records. Over 30 degrees. They were walking around in their shorts saying "This is just like home." As soon as they left the temp went back to normal...

SO if you did come up, I can say you'd probably see 3 feet of snow on the ground, but I can't promise it.

02-15-2019, 06:25 PM	#9478
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by eddie1960 you do know this one. blu. we got him june 2009 as a rescue / stray so he probably just passed his 10th birthday recently. your new pups look nice the snow looks crazy I used the snow blowers, two days ago 14-18 inches. The snow blower front is 30 inches, drifts were higher than the top of the chute. 3 to 4 inches today. The big blower broke on Wed. Today had to do the whole driveway with the little one I use to clean the edges. The snow is crazy. I fell tripped over a down tree under the snow, it took me an age to get up. Putting my arms down I couldn't find anything solid in the snow to support me getting up it was more like swimming getting out of it. This snow is as much as we've had the 10 years we've been here. Last edited by normhead; 02-16-2019 at 06:01 AM.

02-15-2019, 06:30 PM - 3 Likes	#9479
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,268	Originally posted by normhead The snow is crazy. When I fell tripped over a down tree under the snow, it took me an age to get up. Putting my arms down I couldn't find anything solid in the snow to support me getting up it was more like swimming getting out of it. This snow is as much as we've had the 10 years we've been here. Hard to imagine snow like that. Love those photos, Norm. A couple old ones of Jeannie & my niece Hanna. Hanna is set to graduate HS in May. Last edited by paulh; 02-15-2019 at 06:38 PM.

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02-14-2019, 05:46 AM	#9466
Unregistered User Guest	Why don't "designer dogs" turn out right? In my case, I've got a "Pitfox Bullhound" - actually, the sign at the SPCA said, "mixed terrier" (because they don't like the phrase, "pit bull"). I figure she's half foxhound and half pit bull, so the "design" must have been accidental. Anyway, the problem, as I observed earlier in Ruger, the (English bullmastiff / boxer) + black lab. mix, is that genetic characteristics of the parent breeds don't necessarily match up very well. So the problem here is that Peaches (formerly a trained service dog known locally as "Peaches, the Wonderdog") has foxhound bones & ligaments and the pit bull musculature. Her muscles were apparently too strong for her knees (or "stifles" for the dog-anatomists among us). So she blew out the anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL, an injury normally reserved for football players) on the right and had to have surgery. She was pretty much all better from that, then the left one went out. She'd actually injured both when she jumped into a hole hidden in the tall grass. Came out limping in both legs. But the vets judged that the left wasn't badly injured, so surgery was "not indicated at this time". Well, now she's just had the same surgery on the left knee. So the pictures below show one drugged-up dog, with a large hematoma in the left leg (must have cut an arteriole in surgery and didn't check the bleeding sufficiently before closing it up - same thing happened to me, once). She's pitiful, but getting nursing, medications and physical therapy from her usual serving staff (me and my wife) during her convalescence. I reckon my back will be stronger after this - second round of having to pick up the sixty pound dog to take her outside for her doggy-business. Good thing my own knees are better (improved drug regimen and diet) so I don't actually need a service dog now to pull me up out of chairs and up hills and stairwells. My view generally of domestic animals is that their purpose in life (as in the famous "outer limits" episode) is "to serve man". So I don't think much of having to alter their life status significantly when it's time to eat them or put them down for health deficiencies. But this dog is only four, the problem's remediable, and she's the sweetest dog in the world (the pit bull in her, you know). So now I call her, echoing the title of an old TV series, "the six thousand dollar dog" - it was actually closer to seven, but we figure she's still got a lot of life left in her, and she's worth it. But she's now "the bionic dog", both knees containing titanium lateral supports on both sides. "We can rebuild her. We have the technology. We can make her better than she was... Better???...stronger...faster." Well, we'll have to see about that, I reckon.

02-14-2019, 06:11 AM	#9467
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,107	Poor thing! No way for her to know who is responsible for her problems, nor could she do anything about it if she did. BTW: I've always been interested that two of the breeds with the longest average life expectancy and the lowest breed-specific list of potential health issues (not surprising that those characteristics are linked) are papillon and bichon frise, both lap-sized French-bred companion dogs. Of the two, I would take a papillon as they are very smart and responsive, cooperative quick learners (on the average, there are always exceptions). Bichon frise, on the other hand, have a reputation for being stubborn and independent, with admonitions to train them early and be persistent doing it.

02-14-2019, 10:36 AM - 6 Likes	#9468
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	I hope poor Peaches makes a full recovery! ---------- Post added 02-14-19 at 10:37 AM ---------- Frida the snow cat out shoveling with me this morning. K-3 & 18-135

02-14-2019, 04:17 PM - 2 Likes	#9469
gifthorse Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Nevada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,945	Originally posted by mattb123 I hope poor Peaches makes a full recovery! ---------- Post added 02-14-19 at 10:37 AM ---------- Frida the snow cat out shoveling with me this morning. K-3 & 18-135 A cat with a snowball.... that's a terrifying notion. Nice shots too!

02-14-2019, 04:46 PM - 6 Likes	#9470
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	. Lu posing like he is smartest one in room

02-15-2019, 05:09 AM	#9471
Unregistered User Guest	Originally posted by eddie1960 . Lu posing like he is smartest one in room How do you know he's not? Sometimes I wonder. We have a dog and two cats, and they've got us trained to care for them, meet their needs, give them entertainment... neither Charlemagne nor Solomon had it so good. These animals have figured out how to acquire and train human servants. They ain't so dumb.

02-15-2019, 08:31 AM	#9473
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by dlh How do you know he's not? Sometimes I wonder. We have a dog and two cats, and they've got us trained to care for them, meet their needs, give them entertainment... neither Charlemagne nor Solomon had it so good. These animals have figured out how to acquire and train human servants. They ain't so dumb. Oh he is smart, Cattle dogs rank in top 10 (herders are usually very smart, (and are manipulative if you let them get away with it) a friend said every shot he looks like a wise old man

02-15-2019, 03:15 PM - 3 Likes	#9474
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by eddie1960 . Lu posing like he is smartest one in room Do I know this dog Eddie? I think the last time we talked dog my Kenzie was still alive. She died and we snapped up her niece when we had the chance, named Tia. She is the black, white and tan one back in the distance. We also rescued Jessie, because we didn't have a red Border Collie and she seriously needed a home. What's with apartment dwelling city slickers buying Border Collies? On the walk yesterday I fell in the snow, which is so deep it took me a long time to get up. Here's Tripper at the junction of two paths wondering what took me so long. The snow is so deep, unlike the local wolves and foxes who glide on top of the snow, my dogs are pretty much confined to our snowshoe trails.

02-15-2019, 03:24 PM	#9475
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,678	Finnegan

02-15-2019, 03:39 PM	#9476
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by normhead Do I know this dog Eddie? I think the last time we talked dog my Kenzie was still alive. She died and we snapped up her niece when we had the chance, named Tia. She is the black, white and tan one back in the distance. We also rescued Jessie, because we didn't have a red Border Collie and she seriously needed a home. What's with apartment dwelling city slickers buying Border Collies? On the walk yesterday I fell in the snow, which is so deep it took me a long time to get up. Here's Tripper at the junction of two paths wondering what took me so long. The snow is so deep, unlike the local wolves and foxes who glide on top of the snow, my dogs are pretty much confined to our snowshoe trails. you do know this one. blu. we got him june 2009 as a rescue / stray so he probably just passed his 10th birthday recently. your new pups look noce the snow looks crazy

02-15-2019, 04:52 PM	#9477
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by eddie1960 you do know this one. blu. we got him june 2009 as a rescue / stray so he probably just passed his 10th birthday recently. your new pups look nice the snow looks crazy

02-16-2019, 06:09 AM	#9480
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by paulh Hard to imagine snow like that. Love those photos, Norm. Just come up for a few days.Then you won't have to try an imagine it. It does remind me, of a forum member from Alabama who booked a trip with us. They cam e up at the end of September, we warned them there could be frost, offered to supply them with down jackets and warm sleeping bags etc. When they came we broke heat records, as in hottest of all time heat records. Over 30 degrees. They were walking around in their shorts saying "This is just like home." As soon as they left the temp went back to normal... SO if you did come up, I can say you'd probably see 3 feet of snow on the ground, but I can't promise it.