Follow me on Twitter Here’s my little friend Cheyenne, 5 weeks after she was hit by the truck. My little friend Cheyenne is looking an awful lot better! I can see that she’s feeling better too, although she probably doesn’t know it. Why do I say that? Little puppy is thinking about now and she wants to be free. She wants to be free of her splint and she wants to be free of the wire in her jaw. She wants to be free to jump up and down.
She is not thinking about when she was hit by the truck: She wants to be free now and she wishes there weren’t so many limits on her freedom or new rules in the home now. This is the way we dogs are.
She may never understand why she has her leg in a splint, why she can’t do whatever she wants, why there are so many new rules, why she can’t go wherever she wants. But one day she’ll be happy with the results of this new life of hers. Take me, for example. After I was hit by a car, I didn’t like all the new rules I had to obey, the splint, the collar, the lead, the confinement, everything. But the rules made me a happier dog, even happier than very very happy me that I usually am. In fact, I am now “under voice control”, which, apparently I wasn’t before, so my parents can now take me to a dog park or any other off-leash area and let me go free, which I love, and which they couldn’t do before.
Getting back to Cheyenne, last week Cheyenne was vomiting a lot. Her injured leg has been draining a lot and making things messy. Her moma and nana talk to Cheyenne’s doctor and the doctor says that everything is okay, that it’s just going a little more slowly than they all hoped. Cheyenne’s moma and nana are busy busy busy taking care of Cheyenne, cleaning cleaning cleaning. They are still taking Cheyenne to the veterinarian for checkups. They are being her best friends. Now, when she needs them.
I’m glad to be Cheyenne’s friend! And I’m glad that my friend Cheyenne has such a wonderful family who have been there for her every step of the way.
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We still have not gotten the wire taken out. Our vet explained that Cheyenne is not mending as fast as we thought she should be…
We go back next Thursday for more x-rays, to see if things are progressing. We woke this morning to find a hole in her upper thigh, a little smaller than a pea… we can see into her leg. We knew it was there because it has been where the vet has drained her leg, but it never stayed open like it is now and not this big. So we are off to the Vet again today.
The vet gave us some medication for vomiting and it has helped. The vet said it was to be expected because Cheyenne has been through a lot.
If I would of known what I know now…
Cheyenne and Crystal,
We think that by now Cheyenne should have had the wire taken out of her jaw and she should be feeling much better.
Please update us on that.
Also, please update us on what the vomiting was due to, if you know. Anxiety? Side effects of medication?
Please feel free to send us at any point a photo of Cheyenne as she feels better and better.
Jane
Our vet made it sound as if it was all normal about her vomiting… she was not dehydrated or anything, so it was not much to worry about. Cheyenne’s back leg swells with fluid everyday… when it gets to a certain size we take her back to the vet to drain (a few times I was able to drain it because the hole was still open)… it swells because of the pin in her leg… that is what the vet said. Now the hole is not closing at all… we are worried that this is not a good thing.
You asked would I have done things differently … I would love to say no… but between the cost and the whole turning our whole lives upside down… and we still have months and months to go. When they take the pin out we will have to do this all over again!?!? How do people do this? I know this makes me sound like an awful person…
Crystal
Cheyenne’s vet trip last Thursday had its good and bad news. They were able to take the wire out of her jaw… we are thankful because now it won’t get hung on blankets, floor, or on us. They were unable to take the bar and pins out of her leg. Her Vet told us that it was STILL not completely where it needs to be. If everything goes well, we might get the bar and pins out in 2 weeks ((cross our fingers)). Cheyenne’s leg is still draining and we have to wash bedding ever day. We purchased another bed for her so while one is washing she has one to lay on. Cheyenne has started eating like normal and drinking (even from the kitty’s bowl). She has stopped throwing up also.
We feel things are looking up.
FYI… Cheyenne HATES trick or treaters… but she looked so cute in her spider web costume and candy corn sock. She did get mad that we would not share our chocolate with her but she did get a small treat every time we had visitors.
Cheyenne and Crystal,
Hello! Good to hear from you!
Cheyenne, you do sound like you’re on the mend. The wire was taken out of your jaw – Bravo! You can eat more easily, and it’s such good news that you’ve stopped throwing up. Much healthier for you, much cleaner and easier for your nana and moma.
You know, the plate and pins in my leg are there permanently. I guess for some reason your doctor decided yours should be removed. But there is definitely a long period of time that it takes for the bones to fuse together again, so there’s no surprise there that the doctors want to keep the plate and pins in for a while longer. The doctors need to be very sure that your bones have healed. Patience is the key, I think, though it’s easy for me to say because I don’t have much of that. I’m not one to talk!
Cheyenne, the idea of a second bed is excellent. Very smart. That will take a lot of stress off of nana and moma. I even have a post on that: I ended up with three beds: One in the living room, one in the dining room, and then, when I was finally able to walk upstairs, one in my parents’ bedroom. so you’re on your way! Oh, and then there is my crate. So that makes four. Maybe you’ll get like me, too, and prefer one over another, or prefer one place to another. Choice. Isn’t that the word?
Looks like you all survived the trick or treaters and door bells ringing. Cheyenne, my dad always tells me that I’m an attention hog. Looks like you are learning to share the spotlight with others, too! Another thing that I hate to admit – learning to share the spotlight with others – that we dogs have to learn to do.
Crystal, I’ll bet there were times when you thought Cheyenne wasn’t going to heal – and I’m glad you kept hanging in there! And blogging with me! Licks and kisses!
Your pal,
Joey
Good news…
Cheyenne has gotten her splint off, and her pin removed. The hole on her upper thigh which has been swelling and draining since the beginning… has had the dead skin removed and stitched closed. Her hair is growing back as well. You have to look hard to see where her scars are now. She is not putting a lot of weight on her leg, but she will soon. The vet told us to still minimize her movement… no jumping up on couch and such, but she can now do stairs (wooohooooo). Our vet told us to gently bend and flex her leg for a few minutes a day (but be careful) because her knee began to fuse slightly because of the length of time her splint was on. The vet told us we could expect some draining from where the hole was for maybe a day or two… but things were looking GREAT. We could not be happier. We carried her to Burger King and bought her a plain cheese burger… she wanted to share it with you Joey, but decided to eat it ALL instead… she was soooooo happy… it has been a LONG and tiresome journey but we are now having a great outcome.
We go back in two weeks to remove the stitches… think we might stop again at Burger King… do you like ketchup on your burger Joey?
Crystal,
I couldn’t be happier! This is great news!
I will write more later…My mom has to go now so she’s shutting down the computer.
But to answer your question…I’m not allowed to eat hamburger and don’t know what ketchup is, but thank you for thinking of me!
Will write more in a little while, about Cheyenne and her new life! Please check back soon.
Your happy pal,
Joey
Cheyenne and Crystal,
This is a celebration! I’m so happy everything worked out. I’m happy to hear you happy and relieved.
I’m also happy that Cheyenne is getting her appetite back. She’s so tiny in the first place and she probably lost a lot of weight already. But don’t spoil her too much!
Seems like things moved quickly these last few weeks…Splint off, pin removed, stitches to close the hole in her thigh…Complete with a little bit of physical therapy, bending slightly each day. Now be a good sport, Cheyenne, my friend!
Has the vet said anything to you about glucosamin/chondroiten supplements for Cheyenne? My parents put that in my breakfast to prevent arthritis. With older dogs it’s an issue but you can speak to your vet about that in your case.
Cheyenne, you are one lucky dog! I never asked how you and the truck managed to be in the same place at the same time, but let’s hope that in the future you’ll be on lead whenever you go outside – unless you are in a dog park.
My mom found this link that write about draining and yes, it seems to be normal, more common in cats than in dogs, but common in dogs too. But glad that chapter is more or less over.
As for the burger, thanks for asking again but my parents are really strict about me and table food. They don’t want me to get spoiled. What does that mean???? Every now and then they give me some rice or potato chips or orange sections or grapefruit sections, I really like citrus, or popcorn or even a little bit of chicken after they finish eating their dinner – and I’m not complaining. But I thank you very much or thinking of me!!!
So let’s hear good things in two weeks!!!
Your pal,
Joey