Tikva was due today but Michal changed hours so will be calling in on her way to the surgery tomorrow morning - I hope I am up and dressed when she calls as I have been going back to bed after Tikki has her morning poo. Oh well, it will be "grab a fleece robe" and find my way to the door if I am still asleep when she comes! I have a nice long list of things - staples and clip claws [which they forgot to do when she was spayed] but I have various things for Michal, starting with the baby crate in the salon that Tikki went into if necessary during the day... some harnesses and collars that were already too small by the time they arrived... and some bangles for her daughter [ordered by someone for their grand-daughter who said she did not "wear bling" - rather a tomboy that one]. I think that is all... apart from paying, of course!
Tikva and Michal adore each other, so unless Tikki has a mad rush around she should just lay on her back on Michal's lap and in two seconds the staples will be out. I know when I took the staples out of Pereg's shoulder after she was attacked by a stray dog, it only took me a couple of seconds, and I was not using the proper instrument, just a pair of very small curved embroidery scissors. They are actually easier to remove than stitches as you just hook under the staples and open the scissors - a one-handed job. Mind you, Pereg just stood there while I took them out. When Michal came to clip Tikva's claws the first time, I warned her that Tikki bites so she had better bring a soft muzzle. Did she need it? Did she bite? Nope - she just let her get on with it. Anyhow, I should be able to take Tikki out again assuming the tiny wound is given the OK, so her claws should wear down naturally. She has not even been out in the front yard since she was spayed as we have had rather a lot of rain - again [the forecast was wrong] and I did not want her getting a muddy tummy, and there was no way of keeping her just on the concrete patio or ramp. The problem will arise if Tikki does what she did to my neighbour on Tuesday, which was jump all over her as she was so excited to see her. Because I had to work out which part of the electricity bill was mine so I could add it to my rent, my neighbour sat on the couch and Tikki literally jumped all over her. And the more my neighbour giggled, the more excited the little Devil got. But Michal knows how to cope with Tikva so all should - note should - be OK. I hope...
I haven't been reading closely, was she just fixed or something more serious? If it's just spaying I remember my Stumpy. A bobtail manx, so manic playful no other cat would approach her. When she was fixed there was the standard rules...she might be woozy from meds. Keep her from activity...within hours of coming home she was on top of a door frame...doing very well. Everything thealed fine and the other cats and dogs as well fear "The Stump". Perfect lap cat really.
I had staples when I had my hysterectomy. There was a removal tool in the op. pack, but I never thought to ask to keep it - as I had not seen staples used on dogs. I hope all has gone well, and the little wriggler has been good for Michal.
Staples out, claws clipped, lots of cuddles from Michal - who thinks Tikva is beautiful and just about the healthiest dog she has seen [proof of raw feeding - Michal is a vegan!] - and a run outside on her tether so Michal could see what she is like on her tether, ie mad! Did she wriggle? Well, it took both of us to hold her down on her back for the two seconds of staple removal, but the claw clipping [just front ones needed doing] was not so "traumatic"! But for a small puppy she is 6 kilos of rock solid muscle and very very strong. She is heavy for her size but that is because muscle is heavier than fat and there is no fat on her at all. Anyhow, I must wait a couple of days before letting Tikki out or even take her out for walks as there are teeny holes where the staples were and the wound is a bit puffy.now the staples are out and needs to settle before she goes out. But - it is over now - she is spayed, has a healthy looking wound, and has had a good check-up. Michal said that she was fine coming round from the GA even though it was a strange place and I was not there - good thing that Tikva knew her from when she came round to give her her puppy shots, and to clip her claws, so as long as Michal was there she was not the slightest bit distressed. Having home visits has certainly paid off.
Tikva [and I] thank you both for your good luck wishes. For some unknown reason I had typed my above post but forgotten to hit Post Reply. Not the first time I have typed something and forgotten to hit Post either!
Thanks Leslie! Well it did need one of us at each end keeping her still! Michal really laughed when Tikki did her "dance" - including a twirl in mid-air - on her hind legs, especially as Tikki's legs look almost spindly, and it was obvious from the fact that the claws on her hind legs did not need clipping that she does enough "walking" on them. She [Michal] said she wished that all her patients were as happy and welcoming - and as good with her as Tikva is. She is to Tikva what Ram was to Pereg. Not just their primary vet but just as Ram and Pereg were so close, so are Michal and Tikva. I do not know how much I am charged for the home visit as Michal just makes a note of my card number and puts it through once she is at the surgery. But I know it is not much more than a taxi to the surgery and then home, plus it is oh so much more convenient for me. And much less stress all round. In fact no stress whatsoever, so why should I care how much it is? Made me laugh - once Tikva had been sorted I got the things to give to Michal and before I did I gave Tikki her breakfast. A frozen chicken neck. What they do at the stall is cut the thinner ends off the necks and cut them in half, so I pack and freeze them in twos. Got one pack out of Pereg's freezer, unwrapped it and gave it to Tikki, who promptly started chombling. OK, so Michal knows Tikki is raw fed but she looked at me quizzically and said "is that still frozen? - no wonder that puppy has such strong healthy-looking teeth!" Incidentally, Tikva's fan club came over today with their grandpa when he brought Shulamit's Friday offering. It is incredible how good she is with two very young children - I am not sure of their ages but the little boy is still at pre-school kindergarten and the little girl at the pre-kindergarten, if that makes sense! Both children get very excited with Tikki but she is so good - lets them squeal and pat her and although Rafi watches over them very closely there is no way I would let her loose with them as I do and let them stroke her etc if I had the slightest worry. I know that and Rafi knows that, but how many other 6-month old lunatic puppies would be so good? And this is the puppy who has only just stopped biting me [and she is not 100% over that yet]. She goes bonkers with my neighbour and went bonkers with Michal when she saw her this morning, but with those two young, and they are young little children she is just magical - just magical.
