Vet trip

Jake was nervous at the vet, but he was fine.

Good looking dog.

I had a 4:00 p.m. vet appointment for Gypsy Jr. (stool check) and Jake (vaccines).  However, when I went to the Gypsy/Sparky kennel to collect a nasty stool sample I didn't find one; all the poop looked good.  So I took Hank along with Jake, figuring I'll just continue to monitor the poop coming out of Gypsy for right now.  Hank's vaccines were all due at the end of April so it was a chance to get him into "good to go" status if the right home comes along. 

Jake was a rather typical scared shepherd in a strange environment but he did fine, got his shots, and tested negative for everything.  The vet thought he looked to be about three years old, which was about what I had been guessing as well.  He weighed just 71 pounds and he is thin.  Although the stool samples were negative, I'm giving both him and Hank three days of Panacure anyway, just for the hell of it. 

"We'll take what's behind door #1, please."

Hank is always ready for anything.

At 14 months, he still looks and acts like a pup.

Hank is anything but shy.  He's 14 months old and he acts it.  He's still very puppy-like, but he was fine and he also tested negative for everything.  He spent last night in a crate in my office with Lana and Jake rather than a crate in the shed with Dixie.  He paced around for a little bit, but he had had such a big day outdoors that it wasn't long before he crashed. 

When I  got home from the vet, I gave Hank and Jake each half a can of canned food along with their Panacure and the rest of their evening meal.  Cabell, Bremo, and Zachary went out to the pasture for a romp after I brought Nero in.  I had just put him and his tennis ball out to the pasture this morning and I do believe that's the best way to keep him when weather allows.  After our boys came back in I put Lana, Hank, Jake, and Trooper back out in the dog yard for the evening.

Nero didn't go to the vet but he was much discussed.  They had gotten back the results of the skin culture taken a week ago.  Much to our dismay, it still showed two strains of MRSA, plus e-coli.  The only antibiotics that the test showed to be effective against what he had are daily injectible medications that cause kidney damage.  Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place, this poor guy is.  The vet is going to consult with a dematologist to see what they recommend.  I hope something can be done, but right now it doesn't look good, even though Nero is now looking the best he ever has. 

Bremo, dancing around me as I head out to open the gate to the pasture.