An English Patient! The photograph tells all! Rudi had surgery on his side to remove the strange foreign body that had developed since the middle of Granny Trek. It proved to be about the size of a thumb and the vet declared he’s never seen anything like it. It’s been dispatched to the lab for analysis, although he’s confident it isn’t sinister. Fritz seemed unconcerned that Rudi was absent for the day, but when we went to fetch the patient, it was a different story. Rudi was still suffering the effects of deep anesthesia, though his voice was squeaky from constant barking. He was completely disorientated, with the additional distress of the bucket fixed to his collar to stop him licking his wound. As far as Fritz was concerned, this strange object smelled nothing like his brother, so he was thoroughly upset as well. They leapt around the vet’s car park, growling and snapping at one another. Fritz was dispatched to the back of the car, whilst Rudi sat with me on the back seat. As soon as we got them into the house, mayhem broke out again, so Tony and I sat for a couple of hours in the lounge, each holding on to a lead, ensuring the two stayed apart. The vet was emphatic in his instruction that the wound must not be licked, or the stitches pulled at, so separate canine sleeping quarters are the order of the day. Rudi has the lounge, giving him more space to move about without bumping in to things. Fritz was very upset when shut in the kitchen on his own, but they soon settled down for the night. This morning we resolved to take them out for a walk together and with the distraction of multiple sniffs in the grass verges, we were able to remove the bucket. Both dogs now resumed their normal ‘together but apart’ lifestyle and when we returned home they seemed to have got used to the new situation. We have to be watchful that Fritz doesn’t investigate the wounds, so we take it in turns to have our afternoon nap!! In any event, we think he’s had one or two bashes with the bucket already, so is giving Rudi a wide berth – as we all are! |