Notice his beautiful, fluffy tail. You'd never suspect it, but beneath that tail is a very expensive...er, um...orifice.
Just yesterday I made two flying trips to the vet in Baton Rouge and spent $213 on Butch's butt. That's the second time in less than a month he's been treated for an anal sac abscess, and he has to go back for a follow-up exam in a week or ten days.
This is supposedly a very painful condition, but Butch never showed any of the usual behavioral symptoms. And he's too large a dog to pick up easily, so I don't often come eye-to-eye with his butt. We were fortunate that the vet noticed the problem when I took the dogs in for shots. Unfortunately, the antibiotics prescribed on that occasion weren't strong enough to completely heal the abscess, and it came back.
Butch has more powerful antibiotics now and is happy to take each one disguised in a bite of ice cream. He also has tasty, chewable pain pills to take once a day. All in all, he seems to be a happy camper already, and I'll feel better once I know his problems have been resolved.
Meanwhile, I and my occasional hemorrhoid just suck it up and deal with it.
Poor Butchie has a boo boo on his booty!!! It's amazing what we pet parents do, isn't it??
ReplyDeleteHope he's feeling better soon.
Yep, you have to squeeze that gland now and again. Dog groomers usually do it for you, but I don't get my dogs groomed. Its much more fun to do it yourself. The things pet owners do for their dogs as CreekHiker said. I'm a pretty good judge of dog character, and Butch seems like a good dog to me. $213 seems like a bargain to keep his "hind quarters" happy and healthy!
ReplyDeletethe things we do for our pets! we understand completely.
ReplyDeletekeepers
No wonder the groomer costs so much! I guess Preparation H doesn't cut it for dogs.
ReplyDeleteAs caregiver for four and half (I count one as a half because he only come to eat occasionally) previously feral cats. I, too, have experienced the "unpleasant" and expensive responsibilities that go along with having pets. One of our cats had most of his teeth extracted so now we have to put his food in the food processor.
ReplyDeleteMr. Fixit built an unsightly barrier between the dining room and the rest of the house because even though the males have been neutered, they still spray. It's all worth it because of the fun they bring into our lives. The fun doesn't include the "gifts" they bring. I could really do without dead things on the deck.
I found your blog at "Times Goes By." I've read some of your oder posts and enjoyed them very much. I'll be a regular visitor.
What a beautiful dog, despite the abcess. I hope it heals quickly.
ReplyDeleteWhat we will do for our pets...
CreekHiker, there's nothing at all wrong with Butch's appetite, and what goes in is coming out just fine, so I have high hopes for a complete recovery. In the worst scenario, we'll have the sacs surgically removed. It isn't as if he needs them.
ReplyDeleteAdam, thanks for visiting. I've linked to your site several times through Inspired Work of Self Indulgence and enjoyed reading about your Golden Girls. You're right about $213 being a bargain for a dog like Butch. It cost way more than that to have both ACL's repaired, and way, WAY more than that to treat the primary glaucoma and then have his eyes removed. There's just something ironic and amusing about "spending money out the butt" on an actual @$$hole.
JM and Keepers, I think it's the unconditional love and loyalty of our pets that inspires us to pull out all the stops to take care of them.
Janet, I always thought certain body parts were supposed to be self-maintaining. Butch and Kadi are 9 and 10 now, and this is the first time we've had this sort of a problem. I'll certainly pay more attention from now on.
Lucylocket, welcome. I understand the importance of interior barriers. My son-in-law built an indoor picket fence to separate my kitchen/dining/den area from the carpeted part of the house. It's made my life much less complicated, but it wouldn't slow down cats for a minute. Thanks for visiting and for your nice words about my "third pet": this blog that needs to be fed as if it were a living creature.
Andrea, I've passed along your good wishes to Butch in the form of a big hug. Thanks for visiting and commenting, and I hope you'll come again.
Give Butch a little pat on the rump for me - and here's one for your rump too, Velvet.
ReplyDeleteNote to self: Cheyenne's bum is looking swollen. Remember to take to vet for anal sac expression. (Blech). But, yeah, necessary.
ReplyDeleteHope Butch does ok...glad you found this before it became worse.
ReplyDeleteYou have resorted to blogging about the dogs Butt....
ReplyDeleteAnnie, thank you. Those pats were just what we needed.
ReplyDeleteDuly Inspired, Cheyenne will love you for it!
Sister-Three, it's looking better to me, but it still isn't pretty. If these antibiotics don't do the job, the next step is a biopsy.
4th-Sister, does it surprise you I was willing to stoop so low? I figured blogging about it would buy me a little something extra for the $213.
Its much more fun to do it yourself. The things pet owners do for their dogs as CreekHiker said. I'm a pretty good judge of dog character, and Butch seems like a good dog to me.
ReplyDelete............
Chamika
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Hope Butch does ok...glad you found this before it became worse.
ReplyDelete............
Patum
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ReplyDelete..........
Binu
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