Yesterday it rained all day long – just a light drizzle really but a persistent one.
The plonkers loved it. Rain means mud and easy digging. And it was not cold.
Geraldine wears the rain with much more elegance.
Can you see the raindrops on her feathers?
Boo went to the vet and evidently his hips are in bad shape (the Vets words) she said that the hips will get worse over time. She also said that he has torn the ACL in his right knee. If we are not careful the ACL (and I have read it called the CCL or is that something different?) can deteriorate and eventually snap. They are like two ropes that wrap around the joint. So he is now on anti- inflammatories and a carbohydrate free diet. (Carbohydrates increase inflammation) and bed rest. Boo is already on a joint supplement so the vet said that he should be on that for the rest of his life. He and Tane are already taking Turmeric but the Vet sees no harm in it so we will continue that anyway.
I am still researching this and not quite conversant with it yet so forgive me if my veterinary vernacular is not quite correct, yet.
Because I have not let him run or jump since he started limping he is also putting on weight. He has to lose this weight.
So – ongoing – no more jumping. No more running through the long grass or along the ditches, ever. No more playing fetch. He can work the cows in a few weeks but only at ground level. No more jumping on or off the back of the truck ever. If his limp is gone in a week or so he can start little walks but if the limp does not alleviate with this regimen he has to go back in for sedation and an xray. And possibly an operation.
However with luck and a lot of bed rest the joint will strengthen and repair with new tissue growing around the tear. So we are hoping for the non surgery option. But he has to be very careful. The threat will always be there. And he is Boo – he does not want to be careful. So I have to be careful. And without the x ray we still don’t know the extent of the injury.
So I will start putting money in a jar for Boo – it looks like there will be expenses ahead for him and we need to save for that. And he hates the Vet so much he literally quivers with terror. Ton came to the vet with us to have his shots and he wandered all over the place getting pats and showing people his paws. He loves the vet clinic. But poor old Boo just hates the place.
The good thing is that I train my dogs from pups to take pills so we have no trouble with the medication.
Here is an interesting and simply written article on this condition. (It is an advertisement as well which I have ignored but the information matched what my own vet said).
The Vet who treats Tane was not there yesterday so I will call him today.
And look at this. Here is Tane’s cat yesterday evening already in bed and awaiting the arrival of her pig. A nice addition to yesterdays images. The light was low so Tane was out of focus but he is that big black out of focus blob in the corner. The moment he sees me he moves.
Poppy’s piglets have been weaned. Though really it is the other way round – I always take the mother away not the piglets away. The piglets need to stay in the familiar space. We don’t want to frighten them. So in a way Poppy was weaned from her piglets. Before I wean the babies I increase the cows milk and feed that the piglets eat, so they are taking more food from me and less food from their mother. This helps the piglets and the mothers udder.
Poppy went to the West Barn. She left her piglets and without hesitation jumped into the stock trailer and rode over to the west side, when I went to get her out she was standing with her feet on top of the back gate of the stock trailer, excited, down she got, I opened the gate, she jumped out and trotted into the West barn and around to her big back pen. “Where’s my treat?” She has done this before!
Manu and Molly were interested but Poppy will not join them for a while.
After last nights chores I took the farrowing pen side gate down and now the piglet’s area is three times as big and they had a marvellous time running through all that deep straw. I don’t let them have deep straw when the mother is present – they hide themselves in the straw and go to sleep and when they are little the mama can stand on them. (I have seen this happen with my first sow Charlotte and never want to see it again) So this pile of deep deep straw is a new toy!
I hope you have a lovely day and I wish all the American members of the fellowship a Happy Thanksgiving.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
68 responses to “Bedrest for Boo”
Poor Boo, I hope his leg heals with no surgery required. My dog, a little west highland terrier, had same issue years ago and he healed. Also trembles as he starts en route to vet. He has arthritis now and has to take pain meds everyday now and we still have to try and control him if he sees a squirrel, a challenge he is a hunter to the core. He is now 13 and a feisty wild old boy that loves being warm and still plays like a puppy. Good luck keeping Boo quietly resting!
That is very comforting – thank you Snow. I hated to see Boo on the chain this morning while I fed out but he always chases Ton and leaps all over him at feed time..It will be a bit of a haul I think. c
We all wish the best for the Beautiful Boo. What a terrible thing for a dog such as he to deal with. How do you feed the turmeric? In a pill? And Poppy is a stitch… she knew when it was time to be gone from those babies! It’s always satisfying when a weaning goes well.
The turmeric is in a pill yes, I take them too. Well you know Poppy, If I had not evacuated her immediately to the other barn she would be taking out fences as we speak! c
Celi, My 16 yr. old Luc, a German Shepherd lookalike-mix, had 2 ACLs (I think his were called) showing on his x-rays about 11 yrs. ago. He didn’t have surgery but took novox & tramadol for anti-inflamation & pain for about nine yrs. & then I took him off everything but his glucosamine condroitin which he still takes. His initial limp went away long ago & never returned. He quit jumping up of his own accord but he never gave up chasing passing dogs up & down our fenceline & running the occasional wild hair circles around the back yard. He has to get up steps (me too) to our front & back porch but has always done it in quick bounds. He has had a long fun life even with these long ago tears, & is still perky & getting along fine so far in his advanced yrs. My son has to lift him into the car to go to the vet which he hates like Boo, with tremors & cowering & sometimes even muzzling for his threatening grrrrrring. So I say do as you are doing & plan to do, but if he is determined to be a busy dog like Luc I think he will run again when his tear heels. Luc & I send him our best wishes for his hips to hold up & repair too. Judith
That is a comforting story – thank you – Boo never walks, ever – he runs everywhere – however the weather is in our favour – inside by the fire is something he enjoys in the winter.. c
Poor Boo. I feel for him. It is sad to not be able to follow your nature, to jump when you want to jump. I hope he finds joy in less strenuous tasks. Baby sitting perhaps? He can be Nanny Boo without being jumpy Boo, I suppose. And as for the plonkers…I am laughing out loud. That pig with dirt on its nose looks like a dessert crumble. Sort of. Lots of love to my favorite farm.
I know! Isn’t that pig hilarous – he had mud stacked up on his nose that looks like a rhinoceros horn – and there is even more mud today. c
Long live Rhinocepiggy!
Poor old Boo. I make an anti-inflammatory ointment using extra virgin olive oil and infusions of comfrey (for bone healing), Yarrow (for soft tissue healing), and cayenne pepper (to bring up increased circulation and also anti-inflam), and essential oil arnica for anti-inflammation (about 20 drops per ounce of oils), with some bees wax to make it thick enough to stick to the body. I don’t believe any of these are harmful for dogs. It works nicely for people. And it can be rubbed on joints and painful areas. If you don’t have these ingredients, they can be purchased on-line. It can also help with pain. Calendula flowers can also be added for pain and skin soothing, and aloe vera for healing. Works great for people too – arthritis pain and swelling, muscle aches and pains, pulled muscles and such as well. Hope this helps.
Thank you Di, sounds like quite a recipe !.. c
That’s interesting, I make a salve out of olive oil. coconut oil and beeswax. I use it for everything from moisturizing to cuts and scrapes. It’s worked wonders on my little goat’s flaky skin on her ears and on whatever was making my little dog chew the hair off the front of his legs. I will have to try the additives as I just had six xrays of my neck only to be told the disc is still bulgy and there’s lots of arthritis – in other words ‘deal with it’ – ha.
Poor Nanny Boo.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you 🙂
I will pass it on! c
Oh Boo. Get well, buddy. xx
I will give him a pat from you – Have a good day Misky darling
Thank you, and you, too, c.
Poor Boo. If someone told me I had to be still, not jump, not fetch things or lift I’d be bored and fat as a tick! I’m already in my winter size bigger jeans due to not doing my usual summer work for the last month or more. The ongoing photo series of Tane and his cat delights me. Kind of makes a person feel warm and fuzzy! 🙂
And when I went out to get them up this morning the cat was still sleeping deep in her straw cuddled up next to Tane and Tima. They will have a good winter all together/c
Really hope Boo’s bits and pieces sort themselves out…he’s a lovely dog and clearly you mean a lot to him. God knows how you do all this work….have a good Thanksgiving even though you will see my opinion of pumpkin pie in my blog:)
I have a very strong opinion of American pumpkin pie too – I call it cinnamon, sugar pie and cannot eat it. I am not a fan of cinnamon and nutmeg together . I will pop over!
Spice mooshy gourd!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Extra hugs for Boo. Wondered how old he was not that it makes much difference other than in the quickness to heal. Loved the raindrops on Geraldine’s feathers. i know where the the phrase “happy as a pig” came from. Yours all look happy all the time. Lulu is such a good friend to Tane waiting patiently for him to cuddle. Starts my day out perfect. Thank you. Marlene Herself
Boo is in his fourth year – i think – his arrival is somewhere here on the blog. It was an April. Have a lovely day Miss Herself! Such a rebel you are.. c
Only 4! I’ll go look. I am a rebel these days. One day, I’ll write a post about the name. 🙂
Poor boo. I know you will do your best for him. It’s horrid having to try and keep an active dog quiet when they want to carry on as usual. All my dogs have hated the vets.
The poor Vet. I was sitting on my chair and Boo sitting next to me when she walked in the door, in a flash Boo jumped into the gap on the seat, right BEHIND me, and peered trembling from behind my back. She looked crest-fallen but Ton made up for it by rushing her wagging his tail. c
Are you able to purchase CBD Oil? It’s refined hemp oil especially for animals. When I’m in front of computer later this morning, Oregon time, I will leave another comment with the link to the company: PetReleaf.
Reason I ask is that our Pharaoh, a GSD, has bad rear hips and the CBD Oil is certainly making a positive difference. Pharaoh will be 14 next June. (His picture is on the home page of Learning From Dogs.)
Pet Releaf’s home page: https://www.petreleaf.com/
that will lead one to Hemp oil for dogs: https://www.petreleaf.com/product-category/dogs/hemp-oil-dogs
Poor Boo, wishing him a speedy recovery. I was going to suggest Boo and Tane spend time together, but I guess LuLu would not be best pleased 🙂 Laura
The light in your pictures is beautiful and I think the raindrops on Geraldine’s feathers are glorious. I hope the joint pain is manageable for your two boys. My frisky dog had a gimpy walk for a few weeks from overuse and jumping, but did improve with rest and medication. She’s fine now but if she gets into rowdy play, starts hitching up her leg. It’s tough to fight their nature, but it will improve. The remedies discussed sound interesting. Best of luck.