muchly!

It has been a bit since I wrote - I apologize. We battled with Hope's eating issues, mainly eating something for a couple of days and then rejecting it, but now we are on a good path. We gave in and went raw, Panacur and all. The diarrhea instantly cleared up and she had zero gastro distress. Duhhhh, I should have just followed my....gut.

She has been pretty much the same as far as behavior is concerned. She adores me and follows me around - what's not to love when a little dog looks at you like that. She is good with Chris but has her moments. The most tasty part of Dad is his thumbs, apparently.

Her hair is growing in great. Whether it was fleas, malnutrition, or sarcoptic mange we'll never know. I do know that sarcoptic mange is very contagious and nobody in my house got any of it - myself or the other animals. Hard to say but I am joyed to see her sprouting some fur, in any regard!

Hope's big day was Friday. I couldn't sleep for 2 days leading up to it, imagining how invasive and battered she would be afterward. I was imagining what a beast she would be to the staff but I was completely wrong on that - she was easy to handle and "good" for everyone as long as Mom wasn't around. Shucks - she is only a monster when I'm around? I swear I didn't teach her that!!


We had her mass removed(good-bye Meatball!), she was spayed, and her teeth were cleaned. She was under for a pretty long time - over 2 hours. She came out of it like a trooper. They had to remove one molar so she has a stitch or two in her mouth.

The care at RBVH is and was phenomenal for my little dog. Some might think that just because it is an employee's pet they would get lesser care because we've been through the drill but I did not find that at all. Dr Badamo called to update me during the procedures changes(spay first, then mass, then dental). She called to let me know a tooth had to come out so I could be a part of it. Her tech, John, was very gentle with Hope as I watched him bathe her after her dental, blow dry her hair, and trim the fur between her toes. I was really blown away by their care for this little dog.

Now - graphic! The meatball in the raw, literally.

Yuck!! Can you imagine having that giant thing hanging off you when you are a 4-5# dog? (btw we're still hanging in at 5#, 5.09 in fact)

Hope woke up very fast after her procedures were done. It seemed I said a few things to her and she perked right up so they could un-tube her. Then she started barking her head off once I left her - whoops. There's that little white monster thing again.

She was doing so well Dr Badamo "let" me take her home. I think it was either that or the staff would have to wear ear plugs and I would get no sleep. We all won in the end, I think.

The mass is gone so now we wait to find out just what sort of mass it was. It can take up to a week. Gonna be a longgggg week.