lyndon baines

Hi all,

rare moment of cuddling between tripawd beauty and the quadrapawd beast

This is a couple of days late (technically Lyndon had surgery on November 10th), but we are celebrating his 1 month ampuversary.  I’m not sure who was the first to coin that term, but my family got a real kick out of it.  I can’t believe that it has already been a month… and then in some ways it feels like it happened a long time ago. 

We’re still having some challenges with Lyn, basic stuff like the slippery deck, his quadrapawdsiblings and the licking.  He has an obsession with the little muscle pad that the surgeon left so that he can sit more easily and comfortably.  I don’t think it hurts, but he really likes to lick it… he’s licked all the hair off of that little area! 

Incision area as seen on day #7 of recovery

Incision area as seen today

The other problem is one we’ve been combating for years, and I thought since this was a dog site that maybe someone had some insights or suggestions.  Lyndon has the driest skin of any creature I have ever seen.  He always has flakes of skin just sluffingoff of him… it’s like living witha poorly groomed snake.  The worst thing is that it makes him very itchy.  It wasn’t that big a problem before, but now that he has no scratching power on one side its becoming more irritating for him.  Poor baby… Yesterday he reached his head down to his bad side (like he used to do when he was scratching his head with his foot)but nothing happened, so he looked at his incision site all confused, like “why aren’t you scratching me, didn’t you hear me say I had an itch?”  poor little guy. 

So sleepy

Still, I’m so proud of the progress he has made and what a strong little man he is.  I’m so happy that he came into my life and that I get to keep him…Lopsided and picked on by the siblings, but happy and now healthy.

Hi all,

Well, I couldn’t figure out how to fix my new ruff-wear harness so that it wouldn’t block Lyndon’s weener (no offense to you dauchsunds).  His Little winky was always a little further forward than my other male dogs.  So, Lyndon is back to donning his old run-of-the-mill harness.  The funny thing is that he seems more comfortable in his old cloths.  He has been a little less lazy and more confident trying to go up and down the stairs himself.  The last few days the only stairs he won’t try on his own are the deck stairs.  It’s only four steps, but the wood is a bit slippery. 

I think that I will still use the ruffwear harness when we take Lyndon for a walk.  Untill then I think that Lyndon is doing great on the stairs, although Scampers is still trying to prevent him from getting to the top.

The incision area is looking really good, and he has stopped trying to lick it.  Lyn has also started laying on that side, which is a big step forward because before now he would squeal when ever he tried to lay on his bad side. 

Scamper, momentarily disracted from knocking Lyndon back down the stairs

Our last update with the doctor is that they are pretty sure Lyndon is 100% cancer free now that the leg is gone.  I feel so lucky and grateful.  I’m still waiting on the result of the biopsy.  They know it was some type of soft tissue sarcoma, but they aren’t entirely sure which kind.  Its been quite a while that I have been waiting for it, so I’m going to have to call in again. 

Well, till next time… TTFN

I feel so exposed

Well, the problem with Lyndon’s halter has not gone away.  The strap still covers his little peepee no matter how I adjust it, and he is still peeing on it when he tries to pee inside.  I’ve had to wash the back strap about four times to get the smell out.  So today I am going to save myself the hassle and let Lyndon stay naked for a while.  I’ll try again to fix it tomorrow.  Anyone have any experience with this problem that may have some ideas?

Well, I found out today that the new ruff wear harness has its disadvantages.  The rear strap goes right over Lyndon’s little peepee.  At first I didn’t think that it would be any problem, I figured that when I let him out to go potty that I would just unclip the back strap so that it didn’t interfere with his business.  Unfortunately, Lyndon has a nasty habit of leg lifting in the house when nobody is looking.  He doesn’t have to worry about lifting the leg now, but he still thinks accidents in the house aren’t that big a deal.  So when I came home today and unclipped the back strap of his harness, it was soaking wet and stunk.  I was able to wash the pee out of the strap, but I’m sure that it was uncomfortable for Lyn during the day.  I’m hoping that maybe this experience will discourage him from trying to sneak a pee in the house any more.  Sweet little brat is very smart… if only he’d use his powers for good instead of evil. 

Other than that little chink in the armor, the harness has been working really well for Lyn.  He can go down stairs by himself, but he’s not confident yet yo go up.  If you go to the top of the stairs with a treat he’ll go up them with not a moments hesitation, but without a treat he just stands at the bottom and cries.  However, if I hold the harness while he’s going up, he feels safe and will go on up the stairs.  It seems to be comfortable to him, as well.  He hasn’t objected to it the way he objected to the cone, boxer shorts, sweater and occasional Halloween costumes.  I think that it is also keeping him warmer than he would have been without it, which is good for winter, but we’ll have to see what happens in the summer.  For now though, we’re happy.