SheepOfBlue
Premium Member
How is the Blue Menace treating him? I imagine Finnie is 'my buddy is back time to dog pile'
Piper update
- Thread starter Piper's mom
- Start date
Piper's mom
Moderator
Finnie is always DOG PILE!!!!
He’d lay on Piper’s head if he could…that boy has ZERO sense of giving space!
Blueberry I’ve been keeping an eye on …Piper is always her target. So I’ve been proactively keeping her away and out of the room if necessary. Especially when we have supper! Although I’m thinking of keeping all the dogs out of the room. Yesterday I left the room for 1 minute (only Piper was in there) and came back to find a huge wad of dog hair in his mouth. I guess he tried to pick something up off the carpet and got the dog hair instead (clearly I need to vacuum
). Very appetizing (not) when your about to eat supper and you have to extract this slimy mess from your dogs mouth!He thinks he can pick things up like before but he can’t.
Finnie is always DOG PILE!!!!
He’d lay on Piper’s head if he could…that boy has ZERO sense of giving space!
Blueberry I’ve been keeping an eye on …Piper is always her target. So I’ve been proactively keeping her away and out of the room if necessary. Especially when we have supper! Although I’m thinking of keeping all the dogs out of the room. Yesterday I left the room for 1 minute (only Piper was in there) and came back to find a huge wad of dog hair in his mouth. I guess he tried to pick something up off the carpet and got the dog hair instead (clearly I need to vacuum
He thinks he can pick things up like before but he can’t.
Ours seem to want to clean up fur balls too and we have to dig them out of their mouth-- tis the season and almost impossible to keep up-- we need one of those automatic self propelled vacuums running 24/7- except I know they would get jammed up...
Piper's mom
Moderator
Today is a week post surgery and every day Piper is more and more himself. Of course we still have challenges that goes with his loss of the jaw but even those have improved somewhat. The biggest thing of course is feeding him, we’ve switched to me sitting in a chair (away from the other two) and him standing. I use a spoon and drop the food in his mouth…it works out great. He absolutely LOVES the concoction I make for him (medicinal mushrooms, veggies, herbs, Curcumin, Seal oil, green lipped mussels and a few supplements we’re alternating), even doing a little hop every time he gets a spoonful!
We’ve figured out giving treats (a soft meatball, almond butter and almond flour balls, green banana, cucumber slices) since there’s no longer a risk of being bitten by him anymore (I used to call him a shark lol) and I need to get closer to his mouth (under his upper jaw) so he can grab it. I do need to get quite close so he can grab it and get it beyond the front of his tongue.
Sunday evening was the first day that he began drinking water on his own, prior to that I’d had to use bone broth (and occasionally a bit of cream) to entice him to drink. I have been adding 1/2 cup of water to his meals plus the moisture in the raw veggies but he still hadn’t been drinking unless I put it in front of him (I’m thinking discomfort in his jaw).
Today (this evening) Piper is coming to bingo with me (it’s a small community hall) because I’m not comfortable leaving him at home with my mom and the other dogs. My mom (at 96) is not ready to give Piper treats and then there’s the issue of Blueberry and food…Piper can’t defend himself (he never tried) and prior to all this I’d notice Piper hanging back if he saw Blueberry in a room…he’s much more vulnerable now, emotionally as well.
Friday I have a football game to go to (we have season tickets) and it’s the first time I have had to get a babysitter for a dog lol! I’ve arranged for my brother in law’s sister to watch Piper at her apartment. She’s had dogs previously and while she’s older (79) I think she’ll do fine with Piper (she’s met him before) and he’ll be well spoiled for a few hours. We’ll go for a visit tomorrow so I can instruct her on his needs (he’s back to 8 hours between pain meds so she won’t have to do that at least).
Piper does make more of a mess of himself now (his tongue does tend to hang out a bit) both with eating and drinking so he needs to wear a bandanna or a bib to keep clean but he’s ok with it.
All in all Piper is a happy boy…he spins many times during meal time while I’m getting his next spoonful ready. THIS is what fills my heart with happiness…seeing him so happy. My mom looks at his limitations with sadness, I look at what he can do and the fact that he doesn’t feel any sadness or like he’s different.
I just love his boy with all my heart…
We’ve figured out giving treats (a soft meatball, almond butter and almond flour balls, green banana, cucumber slices) since there’s no longer a risk of being bitten by him anymore (I used to call him a shark lol) and I need to get closer to his mouth (under his upper jaw) so he can grab it. I do need to get quite close so he can grab it and get it beyond the front of his tongue.
Sunday evening was the first day that he began drinking water on his own, prior to that I’d had to use bone broth (and occasionally a bit of cream) to entice him to drink. I have been adding 1/2 cup of water to his meals plus the moisture in the raw veggies but he still hadn’t been drinking unless I put it in front of him (I’m thinking discomfort in his jaw).
Today (this evening) Piper is coming to bingo with me (it’s a small community hall) because I’m not comfortable leaving him at home with my mom and the other dogs. My mom (at 96) is not ready to give Piper treats and then there’s the issue of Blueberry and food…Piper can’t defend himself (he never tried) and prior to all this I’d notice Piper hanging back if he saw Blueberry in a room…he’s much more vulnerable now, emotionally as well.
Friday I have a football game to go to (we have season tickets) and it’s the first time I have had to get a babysitter for a dog lol! I’ve arranged for my brother in law’s sister to watch Piper at her apartment. She’s had dogs previously and while she’s older (79) I think she’ll do fine with Piper (she’s met him before) and he’ll be well spoiled for a few hours. We’ll go for a visit tomorrow so I can instruct her on his needs (he’s back to 8 hours between pain meds so she won’t have to do that at least).
Piper does make more of a mess of himself now (his tongue does tend to hang out a bit) both with eating and drinking so he needs to wear a bandanna or a bib to keep clean but he’s ok with it.
All in all Piper is a happy boy…he spins many times during meal time while I’m getting his next spoonful ready. THIS is what fills my heart with happiness…seeing him so happy. My mom looks at his limitations with sadness, I look at what he can do and the fact that he doesn’t feel any sadness or like he’s different.
I just love his boy with all my heart…
Ron Atkinson
Premium Member
Your message of hope and love for Piper made my eyes misty. I am so happy for you both. And so glad you are seeing positive improvement every day. Please give Piper a meatball from us. 
Cindy
Premium Member
I always looked at it (gavin's mobility problems) as a different way to do what we did before.
And Piper looks great! The multi-dog situation is more challenging, but I think the dogs will all adjust.
And honestly, your Mom is probably projecting a bit.
And maybe one day she can give Piper some popcorn? It's kinda mushy once they get it all saliva-y.
I love watching a dog gently eat one piece of popcorn at a time
And Piper looks great! The multi-dog situation is more challenging, but I think the dogs will all adjust.
And honestly, your Mom is probably projecting a bit.
And maybe one day she can give Piper some popcorn? It's kinda mushy once they get it all saliva-y.
I love watching a dog gently eat one piece of popcorn at a time
Piper's mom
Moderator
I like your idea of the popcorn lol…although Piper can eat things that require chewing but I give him things that are better for him (cucumber slice instead of a crust of bread my mom would give). The mushy food just makes it easier for me to feed him.I always looked at it (gavin's mobility problems) as a different way to do what we did before.
And Piper looks great! The multi-dog situation is more challenging, but I think the dogs will all adjust.
And honestly, your Mom is probably projecting a bit.
And maybe one day she can give Piper some popcorn? It's kinda mushy once they get it all saliva-y.
I love watching a dog gently eat one piece of popcorn at a time
My mom has always looked at a chronic illness as a limitation (I had a brother and sister who had diabetes) so I guess it doesn’t surprise me. All the more reason I can’t trust her not to feed him something she shouldn’t! lol
Margi
Premium Member
Your message of hope and love for Piper made my eyes misty. I am so happy for you both. And so glad you are seeing positive improvement every day. Please give Piper a meatball from us.
Ya know, Ron, I've noticed it gets real dusty in here when I watch Piper vids since his surgery!
Ann
Moderator
Piper is a lucky boy to have you, Lisa. You've done an amazing job managing this challenge. It's true that our dogs don't know they have limitations which is the most wonderful gift, so they just go on with life. It sounds like Piper is doing great, and the best thing of all is that he's happy. Pats to him from our house.
Ron Atkinson
Premium Member
I guess it's time to show my maleness by asking a stupid question. So here goes. After Piper is 100 percent healed could they 3 D print a prosthetic piece to replace what they had to remove so he might drink and eat easier.? Or after he has relearned everything is that not really needed.