January 31, 2012:

Treatment 16:  Only 2 more after today.  HAPPY, HAPPY 13^TH BIRTHDAY ARRI!!!!   He will have to suffer the indignity of wearing a party hat to treatment. 

It is a fabulous spring day.  It will be in the 50’s today.  The sunrise is beautiful.  It is far too early for spring fever.  It will be a real bummer when winter actually arrives.

I just have to vent my frustration.  Tim got up and fed Arri at 4:30.  I acknowledged that, and gratefully went back to sleep.  I failed to confirm what medications to give.  Arri is on pain meds 3 times a day and an anti-inflammatory once a day.  For the morning feeding, Arri only gets a pain pill.  I get up and see a note telling me how much and what bottle was given.  I have to sigh.  There are two bottles sitting out.  He gave the right dosage but from two meds.  Not just the pain.  A little later I put the bottles away and notice something was not right.  I look closer.  Arri had been given the correct pain med and dosage but the other bottle was not the anti-inflammatory.  It was a different pain med from his previous surgery.  It was the same dosage – ½ a tablet –  as the anti-inflammatory and the tablets look similar.  I am certain that the prescription label was not read.  He just looked at the tablet and thought it was right.  I should know better.  This is not the first time in the history of our dogs that this has happened.   I am glad he left a note with the bottles right there.   It certainly explains why Arri is so mellow.

Arri arrived at treatment wearing his party hat.  Everyone loved it.  He even posed for pictures with the squeaky lamb in his mouth. 

Today they did not give Arri an extra sedative.  The Dr. said it wasn’t really making a difference and there was no point to keep him sedated for that long.  Apparently, when he comes out of sedation, he is a wild man.  He is so spaced out that he vocalizes.  I asked if it was pain or excitement.  Kathy said he is so out of it, he just doesn’t know what is going on so he cries.  It would be very interesting to witness what happens.  As many times as he has been sedated in the last 6 months, this is the first I am hearing of the cries.  They always tell me he comes out very easy and is ready to go.  Because he was not double dosed, he walked out of the clinic much better.  He hopped in the car and did his scavenging for food or paper or anything really.

I did get a bit of a scolding today.  Some of the damage to Arri’s leg is from lick sores.  As soon as the collar comes off, he goes for his leg.  The only time he can have his e-collar off is if we are standing right next to him, watching.  I am allowed to do a soak on the area.  Using a clean, very wet cloth, I can ‘soak’ the wound.  No rubbing allowed.  Only lightly pat it dry.  That helps to get some of the old Aquaphor residue off.  Arri will be the only dog not in a kennel for the night.  We need to make sure no one else is cleaning his leg.  I am sure no one does it during the day but who knows what happens at night.

It was so nice to ride home with the ‘old’ Arri.  His eyes were bright and clear and he was a happy boy.  He did figure out how to relax by propping the e-collar on the dash board and then relaxing his head inside. 

We stopped at Iskape to exchange books again today.  Arri was invited in again (with the cone).  I think he only knocked 2 or 3 books down.  Mr. Steve hid some birthday biscuits on a variety of low shelves for Arri to hunt down.  Arri thought that was awesome.  From now on, I know Arri will be inspecting those shelves first, probably before greeting anyone.  Thanks Steve!