It's been far too long since I posted anything here, sorry about that. I have noticed most of the traffic this blog has seen are people wondering about the drain tubes. I don't claim to know much about them but I do know that Abby has had a full recovery. Besides the fact that her rear end is shaped slightly un-naturally you can't even tell she ever had the wound or the surgeries. Doctor Zimmer did an amazing job. The guy that shot her only really got a slap on the hand, he had to pay me back for my out of pocket expenses and he was put on probation for one year, woopie doo, not much of a consequence if you ask me but she is my dog, I'd imagine if she had belonged to the Judge or the Prosecutor he would have experienced a harsher sentence, just the way of it I guess.
As far as the drain tubes are concerned, I'm not sure what questions you might have. I know they are necessary to get rid of the fluids that are a product of such wounds and the healing process. I know they need to be kept clean. I know that Abby's was removed when the drainage stopped which meant that part of the healing was complete and the next stage was beginning. The hardest part was keeping her from pulling it out and that's where the thing around her neck came in. On such a big dog that collar was a pain, she wasn't aware of the dimensions so she constantly ran into things and knocked things over but she didn't have to wear it too awfully long and we managed. For those of you that have questions, feel free to email me, not that I can actually answer whatever question you might have but I can certainly elaborate on my experience with Abby and at least try to point you in the right direction.
Abby is now 10 1/2 years old and is still doing just fine. She has an itch where her scar is, I suppose I should have antisipated this because she has an itch on her belly where her scar is from when she was spade so very many years ago, but we scratch her itches and all is well.
Thanks for reading....
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sentencing is Scheduled
I know it's been a while but I've been waiting for the courts to do their thing. Harry and I went to a "hearing" on September 20. Finally the sentencing is scheduled for October 8, 2008. Although the prosecutor originally charged the man that shot Abby with a 6 year felony, he asked us to cut a deal that dropped the charges to a misdemeanor, feeling that a trial would end up in the same manner anyway. The deal is that he would reimburse us for all our expenses and the judge would sentence him for a misdemeanor rather than the felony. The maximum sentence would be one year probation, $2000.00 fine, 300 hours community service to be served at the Humane Shelter. We accepted with the knowledge that we could either attend the final sentencing or have the victims advocate read a statement to the judge. Obviously I don't know what the outcome will be but here is the letter I have sent to the victims advocate to read during the sentencing, the shooter will have to listen to it as well as the judge. I'm blocking out his name just to avoid any legal ramifications I might have. For those of you that wonder why we aren't going to the sentencing, Harry does not want to have to deal with seeing this guy again. I guess I cannot blame him.
While some people, even many people, may think a dog is just an animal, in our family that's just plain not true. We have two dogs and two cats, all rescued from the shelter. My dog Abby, the victim in this case, has been part of my family for more than eight years. She's been a loyal friend and confidant. She lays at my feet where ever and when ever she can. She allows me to cry on her shoulder, literally. She keeps me company and would do anything she possibly can for me. She accepts me unconditionally. All she requires from me is care; food, shelter, exercise and most of all love. I do love Abby dearly, just as I love any other member of my family.
June 7th 2008 Mr. XXXXXXXX saw my dog on his land and without even taking time to consider that there was a human present he shot her. He tried to shoot both my dogs, I guess it's a good thing the man is a bad shot. But being a bad shot also endangered Harry, the human that was only about 40 yards away from Abby. Not only did Abby (or the other dog, Wiley or Harry for that matter) do nothing to harm or antagonize Mr. XXXXXXXX, they had permission to be there by one of his sons.
Abby's injuries were severe, more than 10 pounds of flesh had been blown away. Her wound was 12 inches in width, eight inches in height and four inches in depth, although no bones or organs had been affected it was critical to get her immediate medical attention. Abby went through three surgeries and months of recovery. It is no easy task to care for an animal that has absolutely no understanding of what is happening to them. Harry experienced severe depression from this incident. He has still not recovered from it. Wiley runs and hides every time he hears a loud noise. I lost time at work, sleep and plenty of money during the entire ordeal. All because a man with a gun didn't take time to think before he shot.
It appears that this man has no regard for the life of innocent animals. It is my opinion that he should be taught a few lessons. First and foremost, a gun is a dangerous weapon, it should not be carried or used without careful consideration of the outcome and consequences of it's use. Second, ask questions first, take action after you get the answers. If Mr. XXXXXXXX had just driven further into his quarry he would have seen Harry and could have asked him what he was doing there, or simply told him to leave. Third, just because a dog doesn't belong to you doesn't mean it's a bad animal. There are officials responsible for catching stray dogs. Report the animal, don't shoot it.
I hope Mr. XXXXXXXX gets the maximum sentence allowed, I realize that the charges were dropped from a felony to a misdemeanor but I still think this man's crime should not be taken lightly. He should have to pay for his lack of regard, and his bad judgement. Not only should he have to reimburse me for all my expenses and emotional distress, spend the maximum number of hours doing community service at the Branch County Humane Shelter, pay court costs and all that, he should also have to donate money to the Abby Fund set up at Pokagon Veterinary Hospital, Angola, IN to help pay medical expenses for injured animals who's families cannot afford their care.
Thank you for your careful consideration.
Elizabeth French
Abby's care giver
Well, there you have it. I'll be back after the 8th of October to let you know what happened. In the mean time, Abby is doing really well, her hair has all grown back, she's back to being herself with the exception of loud noises scaring her much more than they used to and her butt is shaped considerably different than before all of this happened.
While some people, even many people, may think a dog is just an animal, in our family that's just plain not true. We have two dogs and two cats, all rescued from the shelter. My dog Abby, the victim in this case, has been part of my family for more than eight years. She's been a loyal friend and confidant. She lays at my feet where ever and when ever she can. She allows me to cry on her shoulder, literally. She keeps me company and would do anything she possibly can for me. She accepts me unconditionally. All she requires from me is care; food, shelter, exercise and most of all love. I do love Abby dearly, just as I love any other member of my family.
June 7th 2008 Mr. XXXXXXXX saw my dog on his land and without even taking time to consider that there was a human present he shot her. He tried to shoot both my dogs, I guess it's a good thing the man is a bad shot. But being a bad shot also endangered Harry, the human that was only about 40 yards away from Abby. Not only did Abby (or the other dog, Wiley or Harry for that matter) do nothing to harm or antagonize Mr. XXXXXXXX, they had permission to be there by one of his sons.
Abby's injuries were severe, more than 10 pounds of flesh had been blown away. Her wound was 12 inches in width, eight inches in height and four inches in depth, although no bones or organs had been affected it was critical to get her immediate medical attention. Abby went through three surgeries and months of recovery. It is no easy task to care for an animal that has absolutely no understanding of what is happening to them. Harry experienced severe depression from this incident. He has still not recovered from it. Wiley runs and hides every time he hears a loud noise. I lost time at work, sleep and plenty of money during the entire ordeal. All because a man with a gun didn't take time to think before he shot.
It appears that this man has no regard for the life of innocent animals. It is my opinion that he should be taught a few lessons. First and foremost, a gun is a dangerous weapon, it should not be carried or used without careful consideration of the outcome and consequences of it's use. Second, ask questions first, take action after you get the answers. If Mr. XXXXXXXX had just driven further into his quarry he would have seen Harry and could have asked him what he was doing there, or simply told him to leave. Third, just because a dog doesn't belong to you doesn't mean it's a bad animal. There are officials responsible for catching stray dogs. Report the animal, don't shoot it.
I hope Mr. XXXXXXXX gets the maximum sentence allowed, I realize that the charges were dropped from a felony to a misdemeanor but I still think this man's crime should not be taken lightly. He should have to pay for his lack of regard, and his bad judgement. Not only should he have to reimburse me for all my expenses and emotional distress, spend the maximum number of hours doing community service at the Branch County Humane Shelter, pay court costs and all that, he should also have to donate money to the Abby Fund set up at Pokagon Veterinary Hospital, Angola, IN to help pay medical expenses for injured animals who's families cannot afford their care.
Thank you for your careful consideration.
Elizabeth French
Abby's care giver
Well, there you have it. I'll be back after the 8th of October to let you know what happened. In the mean time, Abby is doing really well, her hair has all grown back, she's back to being herself with the exception of loud noises scaring her much more than they used to and her butt is shaped considerably different than before all of this happened.
Friday, July 25, 2008
#10 - NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH
I'm warning you right off the bat, if you don't want to see the horror of Abby's wound when Dr. Zimmer first started her care DON'T READ THIS PAGE OF OUR BLOG. It is really awful. I hadn't any pictures of the first few days without the plastic cover thing that the Ft. Wayne Veterinary Hospital put over it to protect it and keep the dirt etc. from getting in the open wound. I had seen Abby the day she had been shot and the day we transported her from Ft. Wayne to Pokagon but I hadn't seen the wound that day without the cover. Trust me this is nasty. However, it also delivers quite the impact when you see this picture and then see her now. I cannot say this enough times, I am completely amazed that Dr. Zimmer was able to do what he did. I'll show the comparison now.
BEFORE Dr. Zimmer:
AFTER:
Abby had her stitches removed on July 17, 2008. She can do everything a dog her size and age should be able to do. Please, help save someone else's injured pet, donate to the Abby Fund c/o Pokagon Veterinary Hospital, 2520 HWY 20, Angola, IN 46703
There is a preliminary hearing set for August 20, 2008. I spoke with the victim advocate of the court, she said more than one time "if we win" my question to you is How can we not win? Isn't this an obvious case of cruelty to an animal? If we don't win I need the support of my readers to help me convince the court that what happened to Abby should never have happened and the man that did it needs to be punished. He should be forced to help injured pets. He should have his guns taken away. He should know that what he did was wrong and uncalled for! Email me with your opinions, I'll make sure the prosecutor sees them. Thanks again for reading. I'll be back with more stories of our furry family and will let you know how things turn out in court.
BEFORE Dr. Zimmer:
AFTER:
Abby had her stitches removed on July 17, 2008. She can do everything a dog her size and age should be able to do. Please, help save someone else's injured pet, donate to the Abby Fund c/o Pokagon Veterinary Hospital, 2520 HWY 20, Angola, IN 46703
There is a preliminary hearing set for August 20, 2008. I spoke with the victim advocate of the court, she said more than one time "if we win" my question to you is How can we not win? Isn't this an obvious case of cruelty to an animal? If we don't win I need the support of my readers to help me convince the court that what happened to Abby should never have happened and the man that did it needs to be punished. He should be forced to help injured pets. He should have his guns taken away. He should know that what he did was wrong and uncalled for! Email me with your opinions, I'll make sure the prosecutor sees them. Thanks again for reading. I'll be back with more stories of our furry family and will let you know how things turn out in court.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
#9 Healing Nicely
The next two weeks saw life for our furry family getting back to the way it was before the shooting. Although both dogs shook and shivered over the 4th, hiding anywhere they could that provided them extra shelter. Both of them like the bathroom, kind of reminded me of a tornado drill with both dogs hiding in our small bathroom, there's barely enough room in there for one person to turn around let alone two 100 pound dogs. Besides their reactions to the loud noises and the smell of gun power for that few days when every one and their brother was letting off fire crackers and other mini explosives, things were starting to get back to our form of normal. Wiley and Topaz were no longer skirting their way around Abby. Seems they understood that she was healing, her wound no longer posed a threat to them or her. Wiley was actually sniffing her incision and letting it be known that his cookie is his cookie when Abby would try to steal it. Topaz was no long hissing and hiding, he just went back to ignoring her. Jasper, who had been the only one sympathetic to Abby during all her surgeries, no longer stayed close to her. The routine of Jasper sneaking across the room and Abby, pretending she doesn't see him, laying in wait was returning. Just as Jasper goes by at the closest proximity, Abby jumps up and scares the living day lights out of him. Although still not moving as quickly as she did before at least the desire to scare the cat was back where it should be. Wiley was even joining in the fun. (Don't worry neither dog chases to catch our cats they just like to see them jump). Abby was able to walk well, wag her tail, sit, lie down and poop. The last one on that list still presents a small stance problem but she's just going to have to adjust to her new shape. The only thing she hasn't been able to do is jump up on the bed, which is ok because I really don't want the dogs on my bed anyway, they have their own beds and I don't jump up on those. Jumping up on the bed was difficult for her before because of the weight ratio, the height of the bed and the fact that her legs could be just a bit longer for the amount of weight she was caring around. (Uh yeah, that means she was probably a bit over weight, did I say probably?) I think that it's just the fact that what's left of her rear end is pulled a bit tighter than it used to be so jumping up may take some practice.
We went back as scheduled on July 14. Dr. Zimmer took a look and satisfied that everything was healing well asked Susie to clean some of the scabs off with a saline solution. It only took a few minutes and a Abby was ready to go home again. I still can't believe what Dr. Zimmer was able to accomplish with the mess he had to fix. I think back to the day she got shot and my awe is magnified. There is a God and He gave Dr. Zimmer the talent to sew a big hole on a dogs butt into a functioning, and not too hard to look at rear, wagging tail and all.
Harry calls Abby our miracle dog. We also have a miracle cat. Jasper. We decided to get the kittys a few months after my fat cat Romine had died. Romine had been the fat cat of the litter born into my house when my kids were still home and we had taken in one of my daughter's friend's pregnant cat. We had a huge kitchen in that house and the kitchen table was a horseshoe shaped booth complete with a horseshoe shaped bench with storage compartments under the seats. Momma kitty had made her nest under the seat, unknown to us, until one day we heard her mewing. I lifted the bench seat and Romine was in the process of being born, he was the last of the litter and rather than being the smallest he was twice the size of any of the other kittens. Well, to make an eleven year story short (I'll tell it another time) Romine lived those eleven years a very happy very fat cat.
Back to Jasper. We decided one day that we wanted another cat in the house. We had Abby and Wiley, but I missed having a purring cat so we went to the Steuben County Humane Shelter, same place we'd found Abby and then Wiley, to adopt a kitty. There were, I think three or more rooms full of cats. Old cats, kittens, some in separate cages and a some loose in the room, all sizes and colors and fur types. We felt it was probably best to get a kitten, it would be easier for a kitten to adjust to our dogs and a kitten was less likely to try to cover Romine's lingering scent with it's own. One of the cages had two little kittens in it, a multicolor albeit predominantly gray tiger kitten and a sickly looking little orange kitten. We picked the tiger. With our new kitten in a carrier kennel we introduced him to Abby and Wiley. We put the kennel in the middle of the living room and just let it sit there for a while. The dogs sniffed the kitten through the cage and he sniffed back. After the dogs curiosity waned a bit we opened the door to the carrier. Just opened it and left it that way. Abby stuck her head in and sniffed. Then Wiley did the same thing, when Wiley sniffed the kitten, the kitten rubbed his head on Wiley's nose, the beginning of a very strong bond between cat and dog began at that very moment. Slowly the kitten emerged from the carrier, he started following Wiley around and stuck very close. He pretty much ignored Abby even when she shoved him around a bit with her nose.
We couldn't forget about the poor little orange kitty back at that shelter. We wondered if it was this one's sibling. We talked about it and figured if we have two dogs, why not two cats so the following day we went back to get the other kitten. The folks at the shelter said he was sick but they gave us medicine to give him, seemed he had a cold. They gave me instructions on how much and when to give him his medicine and off we went. I made a mistake this time and instead of leaving the kitty in the carrier for a long enough time to let everyone sniff everyone I just took him out of the carrier to give him some medicine. I mixed it with a small amount of yogurt and fed it to him from a spoon, but because I hadn't let everyone introduce themselves there was some jealousy from Abby and fear on the new little kitty's part. The kittens' seemed to recognize each other and Wiley didn't really care but the beginning for Abby and this scrawny little orange piece of fluff didn't really go all that well. I was babying the kitten as well and that certainly didn't sit right with Abby, she, after all, was suppose to be my baby.
I had recently started making jewelry with natural stones and Harry is (as you already know) a collector of rocks, so it was decided that we would name the kittens after stones, the tiger became Topaz for his many colors and the orange kitty became Jasper. We nursed Jasper to health and had a happy furry family. Wiley and Topaz were a pair, that cat would love on that dog until the dog had to walk away. Topaz would clean Wiley's face, feet, ears, where ever he could lick him. Wiley was patient and let him do it but every dog has his limit. The cats acted like brothers even if they probably weren't. They played together well and would venture together discovering their world. A couple years went by and they would go separate ways. Topaz was the hunter of the two, always bringing in trophies that we would have rather he'd let live. Jasper was a more whimsical sort. He enjoyed chasing butterflies and maple keys. His own shadow would startle him where Topaz would sleep through just about anything. One day they both went out but only Topaz came home.
It wasn't unusual for one or the other of the cats to be gone for a number of hours but you could almost count on Jasper like clock work to meow at the bedroom window to be let in at about 3:30 am. If I wanted to get a full night's sleep, I'd make sure Jasper was already in when I went to bed other wise he'd be waking me up. He didn't wake me up that night, nor the next or the next. I prayed every night that my little kitty would come home. I missed him, he was my little cuddler and it was only me he would cuddle with. It had been the weekend before a holiday when he disappeared, I asked all the neighbors if they had seen him, everyone had been doing yard work that weekend. No one had seen him. I called the shelter, he hadn't been brought in. I looked along the road side, thank God I didn't find him there. I went for walks and called for him. No answer. Three weeks went by, every night as I went to bed I'd ask God to bring by little furry buddy back to me. Three weeks to the day, I was in the kitchen and I heard a faith meow. It was Jasper, I'd recognize his meow anywhere. I went out side and there he was. Poor thing was nothing but skin and bones, he could barely walk. It was very apparent he hadn't had any food. He'd been living off bugs and water. We figured he must have been shut in someone's yard barn or garage, the weather had been very dry so no one had done any yard work for three weeks! Now every night when I go to bed I thank God for my little reminder that He loves me, my lovable cuddler, Jasper.
So Harry and I have our miracle reminders. Abby and Jasper. Help someone provide medical care to their little miracle, donate to The Abby Fund, c/o Pokagon Veterinary Hospital. 2520 Hwy 20, Angola, IN 46703
We went back as scheduled on July 14. Dr. Zimmer took a look and satisfied that everything was healing well asked Susie to clean some of the scabs off with a saline solution. It only took a few minutes and a Abby was ready to go home again. I still can't believe what Dr. Zimmer was able to accomplish with the mess he had to fix. I think back to the day she got shot and my awe is magnified. There is a God and He gave Dr. Zimmer the talent to sew a big hole on a dogs butt into a functioning, and not too hard to look at rear, wagging tail and all.
Harry calls Abby our miracle dog. We also have a miracle cat. Jasper. We decided to get the kittys a few months after my fat cat Romine had died. Romine had been the fat cat of the litter born into my house when my kids were still home and we had taken in one of my daughter's friend's pregnant cat. We had a huge kitchen in that house and the kitchen table was a horseshoe shaped booth complete with a horseshoe shaped bench with storage compartments under the seats. Momma kitty had made her nest under the seat, unknown to us, until one day we heard her mewing. I lifted the bench seat and Romine was in the process of being born, he was the last of the litter and rather than being the smallest he was twice the size of any of the other kittens. Well, to make an eleven year story short (I'll tell it another time) Romine lived those eleven years a very happy very fat cat.
Back to Jasper. We decided one day that we wanted another cat in the house. We had Abby and Wiley, but I missed having a purring cat so we went to the Steuben County Humane Shelter, same place we'd found Abby and then Wiley, to adopt a kitty. There were, I think three or more rooms full of cats. Old cats, kittens, some in separate cages and a some loose in the room, all sizes and colors and fur types. We felt it was probably best to get a kitten, it would be easier for a kitten to adjust to our dogs and a kitten was less likely to try to cover Romine's lingering scent with it's own. One of the cages had two little kittens in it, a multicolor albeit predominantly gray tiger kitten and a sickly looking little orange kitten. We picked the tiger. With our new kitten in a carrier kennel we introduced him to Abby and Wiley. We put the kennel in the middle of the living room and just let it sit there for a while. The dogs sniffed the kitten through the cage and he sniffed back. After the dogs curiosity waned a bit we opened the door to the carrier. Just opened it and left it that way. Abby stuck her head in and sniffed. Then Wiley did the same thing, when Wiley sniffed the kitten, the kitten rubbed his head on Wiley's nose, the beginning of a very strong bond between cat and dog began at that very moment. Slowly the kitten emerged from the carrier, he started following Wiley around and stuck very close. He pretty much ignored Abby even when she shoved him around a bit with her nose.
We couldn't forget about the poor little orange kitty back at that shelter. We wondered if it was this one's sibling. We talked about it and figured if we have two dogs, why not two cats so the following day we went back to get the other kitten. The folks at the shelter said he was sick but they gave us medicine to give him, seemed he had a cold. They gave me instructions on how much and when to give him his medicine and off we went. I made a mistake this time and instead of leaving the kitty in the carrier for a long enough time to let everyone sniff everyone I just took him out of the carrier to give him some medicine. I mixed it with a small amount of yogurt and fed it to him from a spoon, but because I hadn't let everyone introduce themselves there was some jealousy from Abby and fear on the new little kitty's part. The kittens' seemed to recognize each other and Wiley didn't really care but the beginning for Abby and this scrawny little orange piece of fluff didn't really go all that well. I was babying the kitten as well and that certainly didn't sit right with Abby, she, after all, was suppose to be my baby.
I had recently started making jewelry with natural stones and Harry is (as you already know) a collector of rocks, so it was decided that we would name the kittens after stones, the tiger became Topaz for his many colors and the orange kitty became Jasper. We nursed Jasper to health and had a happy furry family. Wiley and Topaz were a pair, that cat would love on that dog until the dog had to walk away. Topaz would clean Wiley's face, feet, ears, where ever he could lick him. Wiley was patient and let him do it but every dog has his limit. The cats acted like brothers even if they probably weren't. They played together well and would venture together discovering their world. A couple years went by and they would go separate ways. Topaz was the hunter of the two, always bringing in trophies that we would have rather he'd let live. Jasper was a more whimsical sort. He enjoyed chasing butterflies and maple keys. His own shadow would startle him where Topaz would sleep through just about anything. One day they both went out but only Topaz came home.
It wasn't unusual for one or the other of the cats to be gone for a number of hours but you could almost count on Jasper like clock work to meow at the bedroom window to be let in at about 3:30 am. If I wanted to get a full night's sleep, I'd make sure Jasper was already in when I went to bed other wise he'd be waking me up. He didn't wake me up that night, nor the next or the next. I prayed every night that my little kitty would come home. I missed him, he was my little cuddler and it was only me he would cuddle with. It had been the weekend before a holiday when he disappeared, I asked all the neighbors if they had seen him, everyone had been doing yard work that weekend. No one had seen him. I called the shelter, he hadn't been brought in. I looked along the road side, thank God I didn't find him there. I went for walks and called for him. No answer. Three weeks went by, every night as I went to bed I'd ask God to bring by little furry buddy back to me. Three weeks to the day, I was in the kitchen and I heard a faith meow. It was Jasper, I'd recognize his meow anywhere. I went out side and there he was. Poor thing was nothing but skin and bones, he could barely walk. It was very apparent he hadn't had any food. He'd been living off bugs and water. We figured he must have been shut in someone's yard barn or garage, the weather had been very dry so no one had done any yard work for three weeks! Now every night when I go to bed I thank God for my little reminder that He loves me, my lovable cuddler, Jasper.
So Harry and I have our miracle reminders. Abby and Jasper. Help someone provide medical care to their little miracle, donate to The Abby Fund, c/o Pokagon Veterinary Hospital. 2520 Hwy 20, Angola, IN 46703
Sunday, July 13, 2008
#8 The Final Surgery?
After being out at Pokagon for another week I was really ready for Abby to come home. I missed her terribly and although we could go see her whenever we wanted and take her for walks it was really hard to leave her each time. She was telling me with a high pitched "take me home" bark that she was ready to come home too. I felt guilty for leaving her and I felt guilty for taking up the space at the hospital and the time of the staff. My feelings were all my own, the staff did nothing to make me feel that way, I just felt I should be doing more myself.
The doctor had to do one more surgery to clean up the dead tissue once again and try to pull things even closer, closing up the parts of the wound that kept pullling open. He did what we hope to be the finally surgery that Friday morning and told us we could come get her Friday after I got off work.
She was still groggy from the medication and not to sure of her own footing when we picked her up. They gave us an e-collar just in case we needed it when she was back to herself again, her antibiotics and off we went.
This is what the latest result looked like. I still am in utter amazement that Dr. Zimmer could produce such great results with the damage that had been done.
Dr. Zimmer managed to close up the rest of the open parts of the wound and Abby is healing nicely. We go back on Monday, July 14th for a check up. I'll let you know what the doc says and we'll keep you posted on Abby's healing.
The victims advocate of the court that is prosecuting this has contacted me and sent me forms to fill out etc. I am including most of what I have written here in my reply and hope to have the rest of the pictures so the prosecutor and the judge can see what an ordeal this has been for Abby and the rest of us.
Thanks again for reading, keep passing it on and anyone that feels like helping a wounded animal with poor parents can send donations to Pokagon Veterinary Hospital, c/o The Abby Fund, 2520 US Hwy 20, Angola, IN 46703.
The doctor had to do one more surgery to clean up the dead tissue once again and try to pull things even closer, closing up the parts of the wound that kept pullling open. He did what we hope to be the finally surgery that Friday morning and told us we could come get her Friday after I got off work.
She was still groggy from the medication and not to sure of her own footing when we picked her up. They gave us an e-collar just in case we needed it when she was back to herself again, her antibiotics and off we went.
This is what the latest result looked like. I still am in utter amazement that Dr. Zimmer could produce such great results with the damage that had been done.
Dr. Zimmer managed to close up the rest of the open parts of the wound and Abby is healing nicely. We go back on Monday, July 14th for a check up. I'll let you know what the doc says and we'll keep you posted on Abby's healing.
The victims advocate of the court that is prosecuting this has contacted me and sent me forms to fill out etc. I am including most of what I have written here in my reply and hope to have the rest of the pictures so the prosecutor and the judge can see what an ordeal this has been for Abby and the rest of us.
Thanks again for reading, keep passing it on and anyone that feels like helping a wounded animal with poor parents can send donations to Pokagon Veterinary Hospital, c/o The Abby Fund, 2520 US Hwy 20, Angola, IN 46703.
Monday, July 7, 2008
#7 The Drain Tube is Removed
I guess I should show you a picture of how the Doc sewed Abby up in the first place before we go on to the next stage which is removing the drain tube. It's not as bad as it was but it's still pretty ugly so be ready.
Dr. Zimmer let us bring Abby home for a few days after he did the surgery. She hated the e-collar but we had to keep it on her so she wouldn't ruin the doctors good work by chewing the tube and pulling it out. Not only would it make a horrible mess but it would also really hurt her and make her even more vulnerable to infection.
We had prescription antibiotics to give her twice a day, which went down really well once I figured out that if I wrap the pill in a thin slice of turkey or ham our "food infested" (yes, I know that's Harry's saying remember) puppy dog would gulp it right down. We still had a couple doggy pain pills but she didn't need them until the next surgery so we gave those back to the doc when we took her back to have the tube removed.
Dr. Zimmer took the tube out on a Wednesday, we were able to bring her home Thursday, but by Friday noon the stitches were pulling apart so badly we were worried about keeping it clean, so we took her back to Pokagon Veterinary Hospital. I didn't get the chance to ask the Dr. but I figure the tube was probably helping to hold things together because he literally took a big hole and pulled the sides together, there was no meat left in the center so the tube, although sewn in separatly, was reinforcement and was helping to hold it all together. This is what it looked like after she'd be home for a little while.
It was worse by the time we got her back to the vet but this is the only picture I have at the moment. (The staff at the vet has more pictures but the cd I gave them to burn was defective so I still don't have those pictures, I'll have them before this is all said and done and the ones I'm showing here are mild in comparison - fair warning.)
Although Abby couldn't reach the wound, with or without the e-collar, she managed to rub it on things because of the itch. Now keep in mind this is a dog that is allergic to fleas. So itching is something she hates. Poor baby's butt was itching so much that she'd try to rub it on anything she could, the edge of the couch, the edge of the bed, the hallway wall. I wasn't so concerned about cleaning up after her (although, that's not fun with this kind of a mess) but I was really concerned she'd rip it all open again.
Dr. Zimmer had said if we became concerned we should let them know right away, so back she went that Friday to stay for another week.
The people at Pokagon Veterinary Clinic are great! We took Abby back while I was home for lunch so I could sit in the back seat with her and keep her from rubbing on the back seat. You know how most dogs really put up a fuss when it's time to go to the vet? Well, Abby walked right in that front door like she was at her second home, in my opinion that speaks volumes about the entire staff! Thank you everyone for being so caring and kind to my Abby dog.
There's more, but that's enough for the moment, please come back and as always, pass it on.
Dr. Zimmer let us bring Abby home for a few days after he did the surgery. She hated the e-collar but we had to keep it on her so she wouldn't ruin the doctors good work by chewing the tube and pulling it out. Not only would it make a horrible mess but it would also really hurt her and make her even more vulnerable to infection.
We had prescription antibiotics to give her twice a day, which went down really well once I figured out that if I wrap the pill in a thin slice of turkey or ham our "food infested" (yes, I know that's Harry's saying remember) puppy dog would gulp it right down. We still had a couple doggy pain pills but she didn't need them until the next surgery so we gave those back to the doc when we took her back to have the tube removed.
Dr. Zimmer took the tube out on a Wednesday, we were able to bring her home Thursday, but by Friday noon the stitches were pulling apart so badly we were worried about keeping it clean, so we took her back to Pokagon Veterinary Hospital. I didn't get the chance to ask the Dr. but I figure the tube was probably helping to hold things together because he literally took a big hole and pulled the sides together, there was no meat left in the center so the tube, although sewn in separatly, was reinforcement and was helping to hold it all together. This is what it looked like after she'd be home for a little while.
It was worse by the time we got her back to the vet but this is the only picture I have at the moment. (The staff at the vet has more pictures but the cd I gave them to burn was defective so I still don't have those pictures, I'll have them before this is all said and done and the ones I'm showing here are mild in comparison - fair warning.)
Although Abby couldn't reach the wound, with or without the e-collar, she managed to rub it on things because of the itch. Now keep in mind this is a dog that is allergic to fleas. So itching is something she hates. Poor baby's butt was itching so much that she'd try to rub it on anything she could, the edge of the couch, the edge of the bed, the hallway wall. I wasn't so concerned about cleaning up after her (although, that's not fun with this kind of a mess) but I was really concerned she'd rip it all open again.
Dr. Zimmer had said if we became concerned we should let them know right away, so back she went that Friday to stay for another week.
The people at Pokagon Veterinary Clinic are great! We took Abby back while I was home for lunch so I could sit in the back seat with her and keep her from rubbing on the back seat. You know how most dogs really put up a fuss when it's time to go to the vet? Well, Abby walked right in that front door like she was at her second home, in my opinion that speaks volumes about the entire staff! Thank you everyone for being so caring and kind to my Abby dog.
There's more, but that's enough for the moment, please come back and as always, pass it on.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
#6 I Am Amazed!!
We waited a few days, we went out a couple times to see Abby but she got so excited it was best to not go. They were letting her be e-collar free while there because she was leaving her wound alone. I'm pretty sure that Dr. Zimmer did her surgery on the following Monday (you'll have to forgive me now because the days have pretty much run together and I really can't be sure) I know he did an amazing job. I have no idea how he was able to take such a gaping hole and close it up as well as he did, but he did it. I'll show you picture again and be ready because they are really gross, but you know you just have to see this to understand what this poor dog went through. The E-collar had to go back on because the doc had stitched in a drain tube to keep the fluids from building up inside the handy work he had done. All along Abby has been wagging her tail and acting just like the food obsessed (Harry says food infested, too funny when he says that) happy dog she's always been. The folks at Pokagon Veterinary told Harry what a smart dog she is. (I agree, I've always said she understands everything we say, now that may be an exaggeration and I'm sure when I say that people think I'm nuts, probably rightly so, but this dog understands English very well
So, surgery done, a few more days at the hospital for Abby and finally we get to bring her home. We're to bring her back in a few days to have the tube removed and make sure everything is healing the way it is suppose
to. My dog again has a butt. Sure it's still ugly and it's got the drain tube hanging out on either side and she still has that e-collar on which she uses like a bulldozer (she literally pushed me through the house with that thing) but it's no longer a gaping hole and it will eventually heal. She walks normally, albeit a bit stiffly at the moment but she's doing great
Harry also received a call from the Sergeant. The guy that shot our dog could be looking at up to six years. Although, that is not my wish to have him spend a bunch of time in jail I hope the prosecutor makes it very clear to him that what he did is wrong, very wrong. I don't know what they will end up doing to him, I'm not even sure when it's going to court but I'll keep you posted
In the mean time would you like to hear the story about my flying lesson? Last summer, my friend and neighbor, Debi were walking both Abby and Wiley. They are too much for me to walk by myself so Deb would go with me. We were using the kind of leashes that extend, we had walked five or six blocks around the neighborhood and were walking them through a field at the end of a cul de sac, the field is between two nursing homes. Part of the field is mowed like a regular lawn, part of it is open field and in a small corner the one of the nursing homes had planted a small vegetable garden
Well, gardens and summer and fields equal what? You got it rabbits! Oh what fun it is to be a dog and chase a rabbit, however, if the person on the other end of the leash isn't paying attention and the leash is on extend, well guess what happens when the rabbit runs and the dog runs after it and the stupid human on the other end doesn't let go! Yeap, I was airborne. Deb said I actually got parallel with the ground. Ok, go ahead and laugh, a 50+ year old woman hanging onto the end of a leash that has a 120 lb dog running full bore after a cute little bunny rabbit, sure it was a site, I'd imagine if we'd had a video camera we would have won on FHV or something of that nature, might have even big a big money winner and I wouldn't have to beg for donations to the Abby fund. All that set aside, you should have seen the landing! Uh, yeah, I was holding the leash with both hands so I landed face first on my nose! OWCH! Now that hurt. Course as soon as I hit the ground Abby became aware that something was seriously wrong with mom and she forgot the rabbit, came over to me and started checking me out. Deb took both dogs and took off running for home, she took a short cut through a couple yards and went right into her house with both dogs to get an ice pack.
Harry was sitting in a chair in the front yard because he had decided he was going to paint the front of the house to look like a log cabin so he was drawing that out when I came behind him.... "Haiwy, Haiwy, I tink I bwoke by dose" I was holding my face with my hands and sounded somewhat like Elmer Fudd. You just have to laugh now because it really is funny but man it hurt at the time. Harry didn't know what to think when he saw me holding my face with blood filled hands and no dogs, he jumped up from his chair slid down on his knees in front of me and said "what happened, what happened, oh God, are you ok? Where are the dogs? Did you get hit by a car? WHAT HAPPENED?"
Well, just about that time Deb showed up with both dogs and an ice pack for my face. She got Harry all calmed down and told him what had happened. Everyone wanted me to go to the doctor but ya know, there's not much they can do for a broken nose, so I just kept ice on it for a while and took some ibruprophen. I looked somewhat like a raccoon for a few days and was a bit sore and not sure I wanted to walk my dog on leash anymore. And that, my friends, is the flying lesson that Abby gave me
Well, till next time. Thanks for reading, pass it on.
So, surgery done, a few more days at the hospital for Abby and finally we get to bring her home. We're to bring her back in a few days to have the tube removed and make sure everything is healing the way it is suppose
to. My dog again has a butt. Sure it's still ugly and it's got the drain tube hanging out on either side and she still has that e-collar on which she uses like a bulldozer (she literally pushed me through the house with that thing) but it's no longer a gaping hole and it will eventually heal. She walks normally, albeit a bit stiffly at the moment but she's doing great
Harry also received a call from the Sergeant. The guy that shot our dog could be looking at up to six years. Although, that is not my wish to have him spend a bunch of time in jail I hope the prosecutor makes it very clear to him that what he did is wrong, very wrong. I don't know what they will end up doing to him, I'm not even sure when it's going to court but I'll keep you posted
In the mean time would you like to hear the story about my flying lesson? Last summer, my friend and neighbor, Debi were walking both Abby and Wiley. They are too much for me to walk by myself so Deb would go with me. We were using the kind of leashes that extend, we had walked five or six blocks around the neighborhood and were walking them through a field at the end of a cul de sac, the field is between two nursing homes. Part of the field is mowed like a regular lawn, part of it is open field and in a small corner the one of the nursing homes had planted a small vegetable garden
Well, gardens and summer and fields equal what? You got it rabbits! Oh what fun it is to be a dog and chase a rabbit, however, if the person on the other end of the leash isn't paying attention and the leash is on extend, well guess what happens when the rabbit runs and the dog runs after it and the stupid human on the other end doesn't let go! Yeap, I was airborne. Deb said I actually got parallel with the ground. Ok, go ahead and laugh, a 50+ year old woman hanging onto the end of a leash that has a 120 lb dog running full bore after a cute little bunny rabbit, sure it was a site, I'd imagine if we'd had a video camera we would have won on FHV or something of that nature, might have even big a big money winner and I wouldn't have to beg for donations to the Abby fund. All that set aside, you should have seen the landing! Uh, yeah, I was holding the leash with both hands so I landed face first on my nose! OWCH! Now that hurt. Course as soon as I hit the ground Abby became aware that something was seriously wrong with mom and she forgot the rabbit, came over to me and started checking me out. Deb took both dogs and took off running for home, she took a short cut through a couple yards and went right into her house with both dogs to get an ice pack.
Harry was sitting in a chair in the front yard because he had decided he was going to paint the front of the house to look like a log cabin so he was drawing that out when I came behind him.... "Haiwy, Haiwy, I tink I bwoke by dose" I was holding my face with my hands and sounded somewhat like Elmer Fudd. You just have to laugh now because it really is funny but man it hurt at the time. Harry didn't know what to think when he saw me holding my face with blood filled hands and no dogs, he jumped up from his chair slid down on his knees in front of me and said "what happened, what happened, oh God, are you ok? Where are the dogs? Did you get hit by a car? WHAT HAPPENED?"
Well, just about that time Deb showed up with both dogs and an ice pack for my face. She got Harry all calmed down and told him what had happened. Everyone wanted me to go to the doctor but ya know, there's not much they can do for a broken nose, so I just kept ice on it for a while and took some ibruprophen. I looked somewhat like a raccoon for a few days and was a bit sore and not sure I wanted to walk my dog on leash anymore. And that, my friends, is the flying lesson that Abby gave me
Well, till next time. Thanks for reading, pass it on.
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