Rocky update

I took Rocky to the vet today. Everyone agreed that the woman who owned him should die. We got a load of new drugs, but mostly got a surgery appointment for Friday. They will put him under anesthesia, clean out those ears, as well as clean up and close up all the lacerations on his face and elsewhere. The vet also suspected scabies, and I had too, so I had already treated him with Revolution after his bath on the day I brought him home. Now I may treat the other household dogs as well, and maybe myself because I seem to be itchy.

Rocky continues to be sweet and affectionate, but his head and face are so nasty (and sore) that I am not giving him a lot of hands-on loving. He's been just great in a crate in my office and he goes up and down stairs and out to do his business like he's been here a long time. I expect he's just very happy to finally be someplace cool and fly-free. He's not scratching himself so much anymore, so hopefully he's beginning to feel a little better. The ears will take a lot of work however, and the vet said that he must be miserable with them. He does not seem to hear very much, but he does react to loud noises, so he may not be entirely deaf.

Whenever I've had a profoundly sick dog in the house our own 6 household dogs instinctively know he's sick and pretty much leave him alone. That is proving to be the case with Rocky as well. Gypsy would probably still prefer that I take up scrapbooking as a hobby, but I hope she knows that these dogs need her dad's help.

Thanks to everyone who has shared my outrage and expressed their concern. If it's at all possible we will get him over this, he will be a completely new dog in 3-4 months, and I'll make damn sure that he does live happily ever after.