A very doggie day

This morning started off early, taking care of the dogs (14 total here now if I count correctly), and getting some work in before taking the two new shepherds, Sugar and Kane, to the vet for their speuter surgeries.  I also stopped to pick up a weedeater part, drop off recycling, and to buy groceries before returning home.  I was greeted with two phone messages from the vet, never a good sign.  Seems that Kane tested positive for heartworms and Sugar needed part of her tail amputated.  I knew that Sugar's tail was injured so I wasn't surprised about that.  At least she will still have most of it.  We xrayed Kane's hips, only mild dysplasia in one, and so decided to proceed with the surgery, to be followed by heartworm treatment in a couple weeks.  He is also extremely thin so we may have a digestion issue to deal with down the road unless he starts to put on some pounds.

I got some more work in before loading up Daphne and Boomer for another trip.  Daphne went to a prospective home out in Crozet.  She has another rottie from me and the two dogs had met at my house one day last week.  The two dogs are similar in size but very different in personality. Rottweilers have very strong and very definite personalities and no two are alike.  Daphne is very calm, quiet, maybe a little lazy even for her age.  Stoney is older, but very animated and vocal.  They could each been a good influence on the other if this works out.  Daphne couldn't ask for a better home, so I really hope it does.

Boomer had an appointment with the vet to talk about his lack of weight gain.  Recent blood work done by the prior owner's vet had been unremarkable.  I left with a big bag of limited ingredient (duck and potato) dog food, in an effort to rule out a food allergy.  He's a big dog but weighed only 68 pounds today.  The former owner called this evening to check on him and I learned that the weight loss is a relatively recent occurence; he had weighed about 90 pounds at one time, which would be about right for this dog.  His legs and hips seemed fine when the vet manipulated them, which is always a relief.  Although it's not a scientific approach, I think I'll start the pancreatic enzyme supplement as well as the new food and see if we can put some weight on him. 

I left the vet's office with Boomer, Kane, and Sugar as well as the dog food, a skin/coat food supplement, meds for both shepherds, a new bottle of tramadol for our Gypsy, and copies of the paperwork for all three of the shepherds seen there today.  Kane and Sugar came up to crates in my office, displacing Trooper to the outdoor kennel with Boomer, Buster, and Teddy.  Greta should be going home tomorrow, which will open up an office space again for Trooper. 

As if I didn't already have enough dogs, I stopped at the Fluvanna SPCA on the way home.  There is a nice female shepherd/lab mix that I'd like to pull from there as soon as I can.  They are full and need the space.  I'm transporting two on Friday and bringing home one new shepherd with the unfortunate name of Bubba. 

I decided that everyone should fast this evening, I'll feed in the morning.  I still have more work to do.