Hugs to you and Chico, allison. Soon he'll be figuring out he doesn't have to limp on that sore leg any more, and you won't be able to slow him down!

So I'll be on pins and needles today, hoping that I'll get to go get Chico and take him home. I hope he comes home today. I don't think we can endure another dog-less evening.

Of course Louie took over and slept on/next to me all night as Chico usually does. That's another reason I think that cat is part Labrador.

I'm a tad bit sore today from yoga. It's a good sore, though. I realized during one pose that my quads were really being stretched and I feel that. I also feel some in my torso. Now to figure out when I can go back. The next few weeks are going to be crazy.

Allison-- hoping that you can take Chico home soon. If not today, then he isn't ready. It was tricky when we brought Annie home because we had to help her get up to go outside and hold her up while she pottied, etc. So you don't really want to bring him home too soon. Also if you aren't home, it may be a lot for your ds to handle. Just a thought.

You should definitely return to yoga ASAP. You get more benefits the more often you go. While the poses are always the same, each instructor has their own personality, so I find each class to be different.

Saef, when I go through my occasional bouts of insomnia, wanting to eat is an issue. Usually I'm not all that hungry if I wake up in the middle of the night, but if I can't fall back asleep and get up to read I want to eat something. Very occasionally I will have a healthy, filling snack (like an apple with peanut butter) if I recognize I am genuinely hungry and didn't eat much the day before. Usually when I'm genuinely hungry I find I've skimped on (healthy) fat the day before, hence the pb. For me even one snack in this state is a slippery slope though. I could eat more and more and more...

Yoga yesterday felt so good to my tight hamstrings and hip flexors. The yoga instructor's personality is a little... abrasive sometimes. I'm trying to let it roll off my back so it doesn't ruin the class for me, since there aren't an abundance of low-cost yoga options in my area, and I generally like this class. I know one person is leaving the class because of the instructor's personality.

Allison, hugs to Chico. Glad he came through surgery alright.

Michele~I might be able to make it to a class on Saturday. We'll see. And I think that if we get Chico home by Friday he'll be fine. When we're gone and DS is home alone with him, that's his quiet time of the day anyway. He rarely goes out after 5 PM, so I doubt DS would have a problem. Besides, DS is stronger than I am! And when Buddy was having problems like that, DS was extremely helpful to the poor dog.

Funny thing about waking up feeling hungry. For me it means something good--as if I did a good thing by not overdoing it the evening before. I rarely get super hungry at night, but if I do a long guzzle of water is usually all I need to get me through the night til the next morning.

The only thing about this yoga instructor that might have come across as abrasive was the sudden CLAP-CLAP when she wanted you to move into the next pose. Perhaps it's to wake you up! But I felt her "instruction" to be more motivating than anything. So there was one floor pose--don't remember the name, but where you lay on your tummy, chin to floor, hands under hip and you raise your legs up. The guy at the front of the class was WOW! How the heck does he get his legs THAT far up! When he came into the room, he reminded me of a gymnast. Perhaps he was!

Allison, did Chico have a front leg removed or a rear leg? I thought it was a front one? That may make it a little easier for him to manage things like going to the bathroom.

Saef, yes, they do discharge animals quickly. One of the reasons is for comfort. When we got Carter back after his surgery he was in really rough shape and we wished they had kept him a couple more days, but when he was there they had to force feed him with a syringe because he wouldn't eat. At home he took food from us pretty quickly (even though it had to be meat at first to tempt him into eating). Plus at home he was able to get more attention and comfort, which was probably better for him even though it was very hard for us since he was in so much pain and was so scared.

In any case I think Chico will do better than Carter did, because while he may be missing a leg now, he will not have any nerve damage in the rest of his body.

It is his right front leg. I agree that has to be easier than a rear leg. And he pees like a girl, so I don't think he'll tip over as he never lifts his leg.

I imagined the vet calling to say Chico won't eat (which is totally unlike him), but I had a list of foods that I know he would not turn away from: cantaloupe chunks, tomato slices, baby carrots, cucumber, red pepper slices, heels of lettuce heads. If for some weird reason he refuses to eat and loses weight I have a recipe for "satin balls" which we had to feed Buddy a couple of times--dogs can't resist it.

Just checking in on Chico!! He's in my thoughts. Sweet boy.

I've been thinking about Chico today, too. I hope he starts eating and gets home soon.

The vet just called. Said Chico got up on his own at 3 AM and has been getting up and walking around on his own. He's restless and wants attention--it's all good! I get to take him home at 5 PM!!!!

That's all very good news Allison! Give Chico a big kiss from all of us when you see him this afternoon!

Give Chico a big "Atta Boy" from me and if I were closer I would have a treat for him for being such a brave boy.

Oh, what a good thing to hear, and exactly what I was hoping for when looking into this forum during a break from work. A dog who wants attention is a good thing. And I'll bet he's going to get a lot of it -- and clearly, would receive even more, if he could be transported to each of our homes. (Yes, he'd even supplant Fritz's place briefly here in Upstate NY.)

Great news, allison!!! I'm sure you're looking forward to getting him home and showering him with lots of love. :)

:yay: Chico! Labs are super strong resilient dogs - he certainly is responding in kind.

Just one point - dogs support 70% of their body weight on their front legs. So having a front leg removed is a lot harder for them than a rear. Hence my concern that the vet was releasing Chico so early. But it sounds like he is already starting his recovery. Good Boy! Extra cookies for him! :D

I wonder what my vet will say re Mudpie's bald ears tonite? Probably nothing but DH insists she go in to have them examined.

Good evening all!

Dagmar :D