We're Sending the Vet to Hawaii Again This Year...

Winston is three years old and in his short time on this earth he has been under anesthesia five times:

1. Removal of "Cherry Eye" - (eye gland problem) right eye; also neutered
2. Removal of "Cherry Eye" - left eye
3. Removal of 16 rocks from stomach (see picture below; yes, he ate all those rocks)
4. Attacked by Golden Retriever - Repair torn eye lid
5. it's coming... wait for it...

Additional emergency trips to the vet:

• Sick - dehydrated and vomiting


• Hit by a mini van (he dented it but came away miraculously unscathed)

Winston had been about 12 months "Accident Free" and was over due for some major incident. Well a few days after Harrison was born, Michael took Winston to the park for a good run. Unfortunately the park is muddy in February and Winston's leg must have gotten stuck in the mud because he came home limping. Dr. Bowerman diagnosed an ACL injury. If we did not operate on it, Winston would face a future filled with arthritic pain and we couldn't let that happen. We believe a dog should be able to run around and enjoy life, not stay locked up in the house so we quickly made the decision to operate. While we were at it, Dr. Bowerman also corrected his eye lid which had begun curling inward, causing his eye to water and squint.

Poor Winston looked like he had been mauled by a bear when he got home but 10 days later we had the sutures and collar removed and he looked (and felt) much better.

I was ready to post this write up Thursday night but didn't get around to it and perhaps this is why: Friday night we were watching TV and Michael noticed that Winston's operated leg looked swollen. When he examined it, there seems to be a large pocket of fluid jiggling under the skin. I took him into the Emergency Vet and 3 hours later (they were busy and he was least critical) he came home with some antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine. Winston is ok but I have to take him back to Dr. Bowerman on Monday for re-examination.

Thank goodness for Pet Insurance. Without it, Winston would literally be a Money Pit.


There are 13 rocks in this picture... can you find them?