My sweet Dexter

It's been forever since I blogged and I have nothing exciting to blog about...but thought I would let everyone know that Dexter is 100% healthy again. He got the all clear from the vet and is his sweet, loving old self. Here's a very close shot from last night.

Dexter Update #2

Okay...yes...my sweet Dexter is doing better, although I was skeptical there for awhile. I took him Friday to my vet (Braker Lane Animal Clinic-the best as far as I'm concerned). I was grateful to be my my vet instead of a random hospital. He did have to lance (cut) and drain it again. He let me watch and I was fascinated. There was a ton to drain and he left a large cut open that I get to clean aroun 5 times a day so that it will stay open. Anyway, the bacteria level in it was through the roof and my poor baby had a fever of 103 (101 is normal for a dog). Anyway after 2 antiobiotics and now pain pills and a very long weekend of laying around with my sick boy, last night he showed the first signs of being normal. He actually wanted to play for the first time in almost 7 days! YEAH. We go back to my vet late today to do a follow up on it and make sure it's good to go!

Dexter Update

Everyone is so sweet to be worried about my little man. I'd like to say he's doing wonderful, but we aren't there yet. He is acting more normal and less pitiful which is good. The good news is the "red" area is now more localized instead of all over which is a good thing, however, it is still just as large and full as before, so tomorrow I'll be taking him to the vet (at least it will be my vet and not a random hospital) and he will get retreated. Another cut and draining...my poor baby!

Our first trip to an Animal Hospital...

Well, last night was a rough one for both Dexter & I. You all know Dexter essentially a "kid" to me...I love him so very much and hate for him to be hurt, in pain or sick. Well yesterday I came home from work and and he was happy to see me, but much lower key then usual...then when I went to pick him up, he flinched and cowered and looked horribly pitiful. I knew something was wrong, but didn't know what it was. I slowly made my way all over his body feeling to try to get a reaction out of him and made my way to his front left leg at the very top essentially where it connects to his body and I felt a massive "knot." I wasn't sure if it was swollen or what the deal was...it was not completely hard, it felt "fluidy." It was really big and I was really worried that he'd been bitten by something (spider, snake, etc.). After calling my vet, they said I needed to take him to the nearest hospital which I wasn't thrilled with since it wasn't my vet that I know and love. Anyway...we go...the doctor's first comment was, "Wow, it's bigger then I thought it would be...based on my phone conversation w/ the tech." Anyway, he stuck a syringe in it and filled up the entire syringe with this thick pink fluid. After looking at it under the microscope, he confirmed it was abscess, which basically means at some point, something punctured his skin and it had become infected. He reassured me that it swells up fast and not to worry that I'd missed it for days. The doc said there is no way to know what punctured him...could have been spider, a stick, cactus (yes, we have cactus) or anything else. They proceeded to take him from him and took him in the back. I could hear him crying and I was crying...it was not pretty. They cut into it and hooked him up to a "sucking" machine to suck it all out. He's on antibiotics for 12 days and I'm "watching" for signs of the infection worsening. I've included 2 pics...one of the wound...one of how sad he looked. I get teary thinking of him right now. I hated to leave him today...my mom promised to stay by his side all day. Dexter's MiMi loves him very much. Thanks mom!

Not a Happy Camper

My dad just sent this picture to me...it's too funny. They are getting new living room furniture and today Keith came & picked up all the old furniture. My dad got this picture of Dexter...apparently he has trouble letting go...

The New Love of my Life...

Oh yes, that was just a tease...no I do not have a man, but maybe this is better...

Yes, this is another food post...but at least I've moved past the rattlesnakes! Anyway...love this, love this, love this...and I feel absolutely ZERO guilt while eating it! Dexter also loves these because he usually gets my last bite of ice cream! They have only 140 calories, 2g of fat, 8% calcium & 3 grams of dietary fiber! And it tastes SO very good!

A snake story from the past...

This whole snake business reminded me of one of the worst vacations we ever had...and my poor Aunt Peggy had to pay the price of us not returning to her home for at least a couple of years I believe. I'll go ahead and tell the whole story, but begin with the snake portion.

It was a Wed night, already dark, as we pull into Kilgore, Texas to my Uncle Mike & Aunt Peggy's house. All the family was coming into town. I don't remember our exact age, but Shell & I were both in elementary...probably around 3rd & 5th grades or so. Anyway, we got there before everyone was home from church, so my dad left us in the car and went around back to find the spare key. I don't remember how long he was gone, but he came back and in the calm way he says everything, he says, "I think I got bit by a snake."

Of course now, Shell & I are freaking out in the backseat. My dad then takes our Miss Piggy sleeping bag out of her plastic cover along with a shovel and goes back to the backyard to kill it and confirm if it was a poisonous snake. After what seemed like absolutely forever and us still scared to death in the backseat, he comes back with a pretty good size snake. He's pretty sure it's poisonous at this point.

My mom proceeded to pull up his pant leg in the car and sure enough somewhere around the ankle area he had 2 fang marks. So my mom proceeds to "suck the blood" from the wound and spit it out. Keep in mind, this is the 80's long before they realized that people should NO longer do this. Also keep in mind, Shell and I are sitting in the backseat watching all of this

My dad throws the now dead snake into the Miss Piggy's plastic bag and off we drive to the hospital with the snake. They confirm it's a copperhead and my dad spends the night in the hospital.

Okay, yes this story is forever long...but if you want to realize what made this weekend so horrible is that was only our 1st trip to the hospital. The next day my sister took a turn there. We'd been riding their horse all morning and Shell was the last one and said she wanted to ride by herself...well by that time Little Mister Horsie was plain sick of a million of us cousins riding him, so he proceed to run out of control toward the pasture. We sister's immediate reaction was to grab onto a fence, that turned out to be a barbed wire fence...so yes, she had stiches in her hand and laid in bed all night with her arm up in the air...First thing come morning, we bolted early...we'd had enough...we went back home!

And if you ever want to see a VERY large rattlesnake skin & rattle next time at my parent's house, just ask dad to pull it out...it's from one he killed back in his marine days! Or, of course, you are welcome to come see the live baby rattler we caught that is still living in a bucket right now....Wes thought it was very cool!