The Deed is Done... Finally!

As of last Wednesday, Milton is officially neutered, and what an ordeal it was.  After our poor experience with the SPCA (who never returned my phone call!), we decided to go to our routine veterinarian who we know and trust.  This is probably what we should have done in the first place instead of trying to cut costs.  Oh well, you live and you learn!  We won't make the same mistake with our next pup.

Milton was dropped off bright and early, to welcoming arms, at the vet's office, and his operation took about one hour to complete.  Three incisions were made, and the search for the missing testicle was on!  It took a while, but it was finally located next to his bladder, which is very unusual.  For good measure, Milton spent the night at the vet, and he was placed on liquid pain medication for that evening and five nights subsequent.  After his little sleepover, Milt was pretty happy to see his Daddy when he picked him up, especially because he thought Jeff might remove that dreadful cone!  We know the cone is necessary, but it sure makes our goldendoodle look silly, and he crashes into everything.

In case you are curious, the grand neuter total rang in at $455, including the actual operation, anesthesia, pain medication, cone, overnight stay, etc.  It was pricey, but this amount bought a great deal of relief for us knowing that Milt's wayward body part was discovered and could no longer develop into cancer.  Now the recovery for this operation is a bit longer because Milton had the three incisions rather than the normal one.  Our vet is encouraging us to leave the cone on for 10 - 14 days, no full inclusion daycare during this time, and no bath!  We will see how long that lasts.

We are just thrilled to have our happy, healthy boy...

Zonked out

Milton is still the Milton doing Milton like things.  The cone, and the neutering, have not changed much!

Puppy Photo of the Week

Milton and I recently made a grand discovery of a small local dog park only 1/2 mile walk, 10 minutes away from our apartment.  The "park" is actually a unique situation because it is a vacant corner lot that is owned by the house next door, and to prevent development, the home owners have generously allowed four-legged pals to run free there.  The park has a wonderful community feel as tennis balls, chairs, and water dishes are left outside, visitors drag the trash to the curb, and the apartment complex across the street allows dog owners to fill up water jugs at their outdoor spigot.  The park is low-key and convenient, especially on a weeknight after our goldendoodle has been home alone all day.

One frequent visitor of the dog park is this charming fellow below.  He is a massive Great Dane, who is speckled just like a Holstein cow.  Still a young pup, only 1.5 years old, he is a bundle of gangly, long limb energy.  Of course heads turn, our Milt's included, when a dog of such gigantic proportions enters the dog park.  Milton immediately seeks him out for a romping.

Action Shot

I thought our Milt was tall, but dogs can easily scurry under and around this "horse," and when he needs to use the bathroom, watch out!  It is either like a water fountain, or his owner is rushing to catch it with a plastic grocery bag because it is easier clean-up that way.  All and all, at the dog park, he is quite the character to watch.  The world of dog parks is a fascinating one, and I almost enjoy going as much as the Milt does! 

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

When I graduated from college and moved to my very first apartment in Boston, I decided that I should represent my foray into adulthood by sending sophisticated Christmas cards (homemade resplendent with stickers) to all my family and friends announcing that I was out on my own.  Five years later, I am still on that kick.  If you are a member of my immediate family, newly acquired immediate family, or one of a select group of friends, you know that I mail cards for almost every holiday - Valentine's Day, Easter, and then my busy season starts - Halloween, Thanksgiving, and my big push - Christmas!  It is meaningful to me that I am spreading good cheer and happiness card by card through the U.S. Postal Service.

So after a fruitful trip of photo shooting to Louisiana, we came away with this doozie of a card!

Milton the Reindeer

My husband was none too happy that we were not represented in the card, but quite frankly, I do not need anyone commenting on my current dress size or hair color tinge.  Milt always seems to look pretty darn good, so I thought we should lead with our best!

Jeff and I are particularly excited this holiday season because we signed up, via the Doodle Kisses website, for a doodle holiday card exchange.  The way the mailing process works is whoever wants to can submit their address to be added into a group of about 50 people to receive a magical doodle Christmas card just in time for the holidays.  So this year, Jeff and I, or rather Mr. Milton, will be mailing cards to 49 other doodlers across the United States.  All of the other doodle moms attest that this is their favorite part of the holiday season.  So far, we have not received any because it is still somewhat early, but I can share with you the one that my friend, Thuy, hand delivered to me:

What a handsome family!

All I know is during the entire month of December, I am going to be running out to our mailbox to see what adorable doodle cards have arrived for our Milt!  This should add a little excitement, and joy, into our lives!  If you rarely mail letters, consider it because happiness can arrive in the form of a simple letter or card.

Riding Along in my Automobile

I don't own a fancy car.  I'm rocking a Toyota Corolla, although it is a sleek jet black.  You have all seen the lovely doodle sticker that I display on the back, so people basically can figure out what I'm all about when I motor past.

It really doesn't add a "cool" factor to my car.

The thing with my Corolla is it gets outstanding gas mileage.  This is why Jeff insists that we drive it everywhere, and I mean everywhere - from the great plains of Texas, across to swampy Louisiana, and all the way up to woodsy New York.  As he puts it, we are going to, "Drive it into the ground."  That's a pleasant thought, I know...

Due to the amount of time I spend in the car, and the fact that I eat breakfast (think crumbly muffins and rolls) every morning within its confines, as well as haul the dirty Milt home from daycare, it has become quite filthy.  So, our latest car addition is this lovely backseat cover bought at Bed, Bath, and Beyond on Black Friday ($10, 20% off):

No more grime.

Here is the link, touted "As Seen On TV":

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=18362899

Now that I just read the reviews, some people lament about the smell.  Well, we shall see.  I need to clean my backseat first before I can lay it down, so it could be a little while.

Likewise, in an effort to upkeep our car and everyone in it, we have purchased the Milt a very sturdy seat belt.  For our other long road trips, we borrowed a belt, but we thought it was about time the Milt had his own.  Jeff purchased this one on Amazon, his go to shopping venue, for $18.50.

Safe and secure

The seat belt actually reminds me of a bulletproof vest.  It straps around Milt, and then it hooks to the actual seat belt, so he is not incredibly mobile while we are driving.  In case of a crash, he shouldn't fly out of the car either!  Here's the link in case you need one too:   

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MD3NOK/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00 

Milt seemed pretty tolerant/content while wearing it, despite preferring his usual loosey goosey fashion.

Getting cozy on a break

Checking out the action in the front while on a pit stop

Sometimes Momma likes to join the Milt in the back of the bus.

Our recent Tennessee road trip locked us in the car for 11 hours on the way there and 13 glorious hours on the way back due to traffic and our frequent food, potty, and Dairy Queen stops.  I thought it was about time to invest a little more into our reliable vehicle of choice and make the ride more pleasant and safe for the Milt and us.  Happy Travels during the holiday season, everyone!                                                                                                           

Puppy Photo of the Week

Thanksgiving in Tennessee was an absolute ball.  Milton, of course, had the most fun out of the three of us.  Our doodle loves to socialize with anyone who will give him a little pat on the head or a good belly rub.  Everyday Milton made the rounds of the multitudes at our celebration:  adults (15), other dogs (8!), and especially little children (7) who are just on eye level with him.  The Milt gave out quite a few licks to kids, inducing some tears, but, on the whole, he received a warm reception from everyone! 

The Milt always tries to make himself at home wherever he goes.

The hospitality we received from Jeff's family was wonderful.  It is always a shock returning home because the three of us in our apartment just can't reach the same level of excitement as a houseful.  Milton certainly tries his best, though, to keep us always entertained!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving is a rather unusual one for us.  Rather than celebrating today, like most families, we are embarking on an 11-hour road trip to celebrate tomorrow in Tennessee with Jeff's brother's family.  I am not one for change in routine, but sometimes it is just necessary, and the end result is equally as good.  We are looking forward to the festivities, and I still plan to eat a turkey sandwich for lunch to keep in the spirit of the holiday! 

Yesterday, the Milt and I stayed home babysitting our little buddy, Leo, while his Momma was at work.  As I baked the morning away, Milt and Leo co-existed and played a little.  I learned that Leo likes to hide his treats, and I further learned that Milton likes to take them away.  I noticed that Milton craves attention, and I also noticed that Milton craves this attention whenever I start to pet Leo.  Someday we might just have to get a little brother for our boy, so he can learn to share!

Two cranberry breads, two pumpkin rolls, and three bags of rolls!

Leo refused to abide by my sofa rules, so I was forced to accommodate him.

Milton napped unless Leo started chewing one of his toys, I petted Leo, or Leo did something else that Milton found offensive..

To update all of you, on the neutering situation, the Milt is still not fixed, which is disappointing to both Jeff and me.  We really wanted to get everything taken care of over the holiday week, so we could spend time with the Milt while he is recuperating.  This  experience has brought up a whole slew of grievances with our local branch of the SPCA where we began our endeavor.  Do let me enumerate them for you:

1.  All three Dallas SPCA branches only have one phone line, so during your workday when you want to contact the veterinarian, who is supposedly operating on your dog, you have to wait at least 15 minutes on hold before reaching anyone.  By this point, the vet might have gone home, and you are left speaking to the vet tech, who probably knows an awful lot, but sometimes you do want to reach that doctor.

2.  Milton came home reeking of urine.  At first I assumed that he just wet himself a little on his belly when I picked him up, but no, he absolutely stunk, and I was forced to bathe him.

3.  Later that night, we discovered a massive tick engorged in Milt's head which required tweezers to yank out (the bug was still alive) and a late night run to our local Wal-Mart to buy Peroxide to clean the wound.

4.  After the operation did not occur, we fasted the Milt again, and Jeff took him bright and early the next morning to the other SPCA branch that does, indeed, perform this type of surgery.  Upon arrival, Jeff was informed that since Milton was given anesthesia yesterday, that we would need to wait a couple of weeks until he could be put under again.  The main point here is that when I picked the Milt up, the vet tech never told me that Milt was put under.  You would think the owners would want to know this little fact, so that we could monitor him that evening, instead of trying to take him on an hour long walk because I was convinced that he was cooped up all day in a kennel.

To say it pointblank, I am not a fan of how the SPCA operates.  At this point, I would actually say that I am a vocal critic of their operation, especially since I left a message with their manager yesterday, and I still have not heard anything back.  I have been told that the SPCA's clinic is more like an "assembly," servicing (neutering and spaying) upwards of 100 dogs/cats per day and does not focus on patient relationships and customer service.  Despite the $82 price tag, the Milt and I have moved on.  We will be paying a few $100 more when we finally select our vet, but it will be well worth it knowing that the Milt is in good hands.

This post might seem a bit dreary, especially on Thanksgiving, but Jeff and I are so very thankful that the Milt is still happy and healthy after coming out of his "surgery."  For that, we give an awful lot of thanks.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone; enjoy this special time with your family and friends! 

A Slight Hiccup...

Recently, I received the inevitable phone call from Jeff.

         "Heidi, I just picked Milton up from daycare, and they say he needs to be neutered by the end of the month or else he cannot return."

        <Radio Silence> on my end.    

I don't think my husband realized it, but I had been dreading that day for quite sometime.  I suppose my main opposition to neutering comes from the fact that we never neutered our chocolate Lab, Brutus, when I was growing up.  Of course, he mounted many a leg and humped quite a few small children into submission (my friends can attest to that), but this just seemed normal.

As a dog mom, I feel like I am giving our doodle an "unnecessary" operation that results in mutilation and the need for painkillers.  Recently, I voiced this opinion on my doodle connection website, Doodle Kisses, and the post received 1,348 page views total along with 88 comments on how it is "irresponsible" not to neuter your dog.  I did not realize this was such a hot button issue.  The multitude of reasons for the practice, include to control the pet population, prevent unwanted cancers, and to quell dog lust to procreate which can often lead to aggressive behavior.  Jeff and I decided neutering was a necessity and a worthy cause at that.

So yesterday I sent Milton and Jeff bright and early to a 7:30A.M. appointment at the SPCA.  We chose to have the operation at their clinic because they perform a day procedure, rather than an overnight, it is significantly cheaper ($82 including anesthesia, surgery, and painkillers) than visiting a vet's office, and as we all know, the SPCA performs an interminable number of these operations every year, so they must have expertise in their practice.  At about noon, we received a phone call that since one of Milton's testicles had still not yet descended, the surgery could not be performed.  The vet suggested that we wait until the Milt was 8 or 9 months old to see if the remaining testicle would descend naturally.  Now Milt is almost 7 and a half months old, and Jeff and I have read a few articles on the topic as well as spoken to multiple vets, and they have convinced us that any natural resolution is not likely.

Note the lone ball.  It wasn't this clear before Milt was shaved.

Almost all male testicles have dropped by 6 - 8 weeks of age but not our boy's.  This condition is known as cryptorchidism - "hidden flower."  In normal development, the testicles form in the abdomen and then travel down a canal to their final resting place in the scrotum.  Our boys' pair did not follow that routine path.  Instead, Milton's other testicle could be floating around anywhere along that route.  Who knows?  The main worry is a condition like this can easily develop into testicular cancer or torsion, so the testicle must certainly be found and removed.

For Jeff and me, it makes us nervous (seriously distressed really) that Milton will need the one normal incision plus another incision in the stomach which will require an elevated bout of anesthesia and an elongated recovery period.  

Today we plan to try again with the Milt at a different SPCA that is more comfortable with performing this procedure.  Hopefully it will be quick, almost painless, and we can put all this behind us for the Thanksgiving holiday and the rest of Milt's life.  It is not the most pleasant condition to be stuck with.

On an up note, Queen Goob, one of my very best fans, is the winner of the Lotsa Doodles Calendar Contest!  Yay, Goob!  I will drop that little gem in the mail for you very, very soon.