How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?

Gasp! My mommy would have my tail for titling this post "How much is that doggie in the window!" Lol. After all, animal rescuers don't purchase dogs, let alone support breeders who sell dogs. But seriously, we've lived in our glorious apartment with Manhattan views for 1 1/2 years and this is the FIRST time I have ever perched myself in the window. Call me stronger. Call me crazy. I did it!

I didn't stay long though, because what you can't see is my cat-sister Bug, who's black and has long nails, moving in on me like I'm prey. But I'm not! I keep trying to tell her I'm nothing but a sissy pitbull. She doesn't listen to me though so I made like Superman and fled the ledge.

Getting up is always so much easier than getting down. Lucky for me, after a minute spent pondering my descent, mommy came to my rescue. She's the bestest!!

Running...

Life for me has certainly changed since becoming a big sister, but at least my people still find time to take me to my grandparents house where I can run, play and soak up the rays...

I'm a big sister!

I became a big sister on Monday, August 9th. His name is Mylo Taha Wood. It was the strangest night ever. Mommy was vomiting, moaning then resting. Vomiting, moaning then resting. I was sitting by her side in the wee hours of the morning when all hell broke loose in the bathroom. Next thing I know there were a lot of phone calls being made, they grabbed a bunch of bags and then flew out of here. A couple of days later, they come home with this squirmy thing that looks like a miniature version of my dad. They keep call him my brother. Ok, whatever, but if it means I have to start sharing my treats he'll have to go back to where he came from!

Beach dog in the making...

I just came back from my first vacation. No offense grandmas: Northport and Candlewood Lake are great, but it doesn't compare to a REAL vacay with my people. Now I know where they go when they drop me off to be babysat by you a couple of times a year.

Ella at Navy Beach

It was a long drive out to Montauk but I just adore road trips! Every morning they would open the door to our hotel room and I would go out and sunbathe on the lawn, do my business and then eat a delicious breakfast. Then they would take me to Navy Beach where I would lie behind their chairs and yelp at them when they ventured into that big pool-like thing to take a dip. Of course they tried to coax me in to join them but I wasn't having any of it!

Then they would take me back to our room where I would nap in the AC while they frolicked with their friends on the ocean. They'd spend some quality time with me again in the evenings on the beautiful grounds of our hotel which was adjacent to a marina. I loved watching the boats go by and that day they BBQ'd and mommy fed me vegan sausage from under the table was a memorable one!

One day at sunset they took me to Ditch Plains where they were in some photo shoot with a nice lady named Michele Anthony. I watched the surfers, sniffed the dried up seaweed and romped around with other dogs there that were off-leash.

I am still a little unsure of the whole water thing - hydrotherapy may have scarred me for life - but I think it is safe to say that I am definitely becoming a beach dog!!

Ella at Ditch Plains

All is well in Ella land...

What can I say? I am a terrible blogger. I might have my legs back, but who says I use them? Just joking, I use them. Just not for typing!

I am happy to report that my staph infection is in the past - for now. To tell you the truth, it was such a tough and long winter on all that medication that I really don't like writing about it, let alone even recalling it. So that's all I am going to say about that.

So what have I been doing? I've been learning how to be a dog! My people are convinced that because of my injuries and the way in which they labored over my care, that I am more human than I am dog. And perhaps they are right. I mean I love other dogs and dog food, but I would much rather be chilling with humans and eating people food. What's so wrong with that?

I have also been getting used to the fact that I am about to become a big sister. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I guess it was inevitable. I always knew this day would come. Lucky for me, I am not the high maintenance pooch I used to be. After all, I am not sure how mommy and daddy would cater to all my needs and that of a newborn baby's!

But hey, I'm not gonna lie -- sharing the spotlight is going to be tough. Hopefully this kid won't throw a fit when I chomp it's Joe's O's out of its hands!

The pic I posted is of me and a new friend at the new dog run at the new park at the base of Atlantic Avenue. Wow, now that's a lot of newness!! Even though it's only a few blocks away mommy and daddy drive me down there a couple of days per week and let me play (supervised of course) with my own species. It's new and nerve racking, but like anything they introduce me to that I am scared of at first, I eventually wind up conquering it!

Ella's infection...

So a whole five weeks on some God-awful medication intended for swine, and I still can't shake this infection. The great news is, though, that it's not getting me down - I am not nauseous, lethargic and there is no change in my appetite. So I am wondering, how deadly is this "deadly" infection?

There is one more route my people can go to try and rid me of this thing that they shot down the first time and opted instead, to administer the swine medication orally four times per day. (I should add that while I miss eating four times per day, I sure as hell don't miss feeling like poop and being incontinent.)

After a ton of discussion between mom and dad, they opted to give it a try. And so on Monday I began daily injections of Amikaycin. They gave me this antibiotic once before for 12 days, but since I have to be on it for a month this time, and because it is severely tough on the kidneys, I have to have subcutaneous fluids administered as well. And let me just tell you - having needle after needle jammed in your back every morning is no picnic, but it is always accompanied by my people speaking softly to me, as well as a handful of treats, too!

Not cut out for showbiz...

Ella was part of a pit bull photo shoot for a new, start-up non-profit about, well, pit bulls. Of course the big lights, background and equipment scared the bejusus out of her but at least the photog got one good shot before the panic attack kicked in!

Ella can't catch a break...

Poor Ella can never really catch a break. Ella has an infection similar to Mersa which is highly resistant to your average antibiotic. We're not sure how she caught this thing, although we had been treating the blister-like lesion on her back right foot holistically for quite some time. After several vet visits and second opinions we were told that the only medicine that might kill the bacteria was an injectable liquid intended for swine. Lovely, right? Wrong.

Ella needs to receive the medication every six hours, four times a day. And to make matters even more complicated, I am not allowed to administer or come into contact with the medicine because I am 12 weeks pregnant. So while this is great news, it has made our lives extremely difficult. Believe it or not, this is even more difficult than any post-surgery our pup has ever had: casts, lesions, intravenous bags, needles... you name it. It just so happens that Jason is in between gigs at the moment and is around several times per week. But when he is not around, we rely heavily on the help of our lovely neighbor, Tonya.

The medicine has some funky side effects, like diarrhea and grogginess, but it is also giving her a leaky bladder which the Dr. insists is not a side effect. We know our dog best, though, and the leaky bladder began within 24 hours after being on the medicine for one full day. While the Dr. would love to dispense yet another drug to control Ella's bladder, we are going to wait it out. She has been on the medication for two weeks now and is required to be on it a few more.

On the treadmill...

I thought I was done with this hydrotherapy business but then I found myself not only back at that scary place, but on a treadmill submerged in water to boot. I thought the pool was hard enough, but this was like climbing a mountain!

After 20 hydrotherapy sessions...

Let's just say I still don't love the pool, but look how much my swimming has improved! I think it's also helped with my walking. Now if I could only get the ramp down. I'm sure I'll get there some day, I've managed to tackle everything else they've thrown my way!

A clean bill of health, sort of...

Yesterday marked seven weeks from when I got my casts off. I went back to my old stomping grounds, 5th Ave. Vet Hospital, and Dr. Pacchiana said things look good - not perfect - but good. I am still not allowed to run and jump like your average dog, but I am allowed to graduate out of this walkabout harness that I think gives me control issues when I walk. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it - after all, it allowed me to have a life when I used to be carrying around two behemoth-sized casts on my arms, but let's face it, it looks kind of silly. I am not sure that I'll ever walk more than a block or two without getting tired or achy but my people get that and that's A-ok with them.

Mom and dad also got a bit of a lecture from Dr. P - at which point I dropped my head - about my weight. Turns out they are doing me a major disservice by spoiling me with treats, steak bones (mom's a veg, go figure) and all the other junk I adore. Seems I carry 60% of my weight in my front arms, and, well, the extra weight doesn't help my walking. DAMN! I even heard them talking to grandma about cutting down on all things treats - that means all those yellow bags stuffed with Beggin' Strips aren't going to be as forthcoming as they used to be. Hopefully I can make their jobs easier by not doing as much begging as I do. Yea I know, doubtful -- well at least it's documented that I said I would "try"!

The good news is that after 14 months of weekly appointments at the hospital - all the wrapping, picking and prodding, pill-popping and injections - is over. I think it was bitter sweet for mom and dad and Dr. P but probably more sweet than bitter. I just wanted to say how lucky I am to have everyone in my life - Mayor's Alliance, mom and dad, Dr. P, Chase and all my lady friends at 5th Ave., not to mention TWO sets of grandmas and grandpas, Uncle Felix and so many more. With all my heart and all four legs, thank you.

My first hydrotherapy session...

I had my first hydrotherapy session at Water For Dogs in Manhattan yesterday. I was terrified to say the least but as the session went on it began to "sink in" that I wasn't getting out of the pool! The therapists have recommended an intense 20, half hour sessions for me, two to three times per week. Ugh! This better come with major rewards in the form of soft, juicy treats!

Doing the froggy...

Three weeks out of casts, and not walking quite like a dog yet, but at least I've got the froggy pose down!!

Ella's elbows...

It's been a very long time coming, but my elbows are finally out of casts! After one week of graduating from hard casts to soft casts, the Dr. decided to remove them both, yesterday.

It's an exciting time for me and for my mom and dad, but unfortunately I still need to take it slow. I'm not 100% there quite yet, in fact, I may never be. I will always walk with a limp and there is already arthritis in my left arm. That said, I've always been a happy dog, and now I'm even happier.

We will be checking in with Dr. P in one week to see what the rehab course should look like and then we'll do x-rays in six to eight weeks. More updates to come...

Close but no cigar...

I had x-rays yesterday, about six weeks since the surgery was done to remove the hardware from my elbows. Dr. P was hesitant to have me go from having a ton of support (with the splints) to no support at all - I was bummed, but I get it. And he's the boss. So rather than remove the casts all together he downsized me to soft bandages without any splints.

It's not easy without all the splint support - I'm walking kind of gingerly, but I hear it will get better.
And if I do well over the next couple of weeks, the casts will come off for good, BUT, my activity will still have to be limited.

A walk in the park...

Ok, I was sitting... but still.

This was my Sunday: Reedu, Jason, sun, bone, Prospect Park = Happiness!

Injections...

Ella's long bout with an infection that won't seem to go away (as a result of the plates and screws that were in her arms for a year), has had her on antibiotics since last June.

Even though the plates, screws and pins are out now, it seems the infection is not 100% cleared up. According to her Dr., the infection is resistant to just about every single antibiotic in the pill form. That leaves us with only one antibiotic the infection is NOT resistant to which happens to be given by injection only. Yikes!

We could either bring her in to the vet once a day for 10 days and pay $80 per visit, or we can administer the shots ourselves once a day for 10 days and have it cost a fraction of the overall price. Bringing her in to the vet once a week to have her bandages changed is difficult enough, so of course we chose the latter.

And what a pin-and-needles comedy it has been each morning! Let's just say I have a new-found respect for nurses and vet techs, I really do.

Jason has been administering the shots and I have gladly taken a back seat as his assistant. I prepare the syringe then hold her head and speak lovingly to her as Jason injects and shoots her up. Then when it is all-said-and-done I reward her with a piece of bacon.

Three down, seven more to go and hopefully good riddance to this God forsaken infection!

Home and resting...

Ella's home and resting -- we were actually able to bring her home last night, a day earlier than we thought. We've been through three other post-surgeries with her, but each time never fails to feel like the first.

She's in two casts with splints for added support and she's still sort of coming off the anesthesia. She's also on a pain medication that makes her very out of it. The good news is that her appetite is strong and she's even determined to walk, which we try to curtail when we catch her doing it.

The only thing different this time is that there's a tube running out of her right leg which is then stitched to her skin with a small plastic balloon dangling down. In short, its a drainage system to get rid of any excess blood, and most importantly, the infection she had in that leg. It's a bit of a pain in the butt to manage, but at least it comes out Tuesday when we take her in for a follow-up.

She also got spayed so the stitches in her elbow and belly will come out in about 10 more days. Because the spay got done, this should be the very last surgery our little girl ever has to have.

I will likely not update this blog again for another four to six weeks when she gets xrays done. I hope to report good news and share some photos then.

Surgery update...

It's been a long day. Jason dropped Ella off at around 8:15 this morning and we just received word from the Dr. at 7:45 tonight that the surgery is over and that everything went well. The plates and screws are out of her elbows and she's all stitched up and bandaged up. They even had enough time to spay her!

We won't really know more until we visit with her tomorrow night during the hospital's visiting hours. Most of all though, we look forward to Friday when we can pick her up. I will have more to write about then - for now, we are just happy that the most difficult part is behind us. Hopefully, this will be the last time Ella will ever have to go through this.

Moving forward...

There's some good news to report! Ella had x-rays yesterday - it had been about two months since her last set. We were told that things look good enough to move forward. While this is great news, the bad news is that it's not 100% completely healed. Still, we've never been given a date to look forward to, so the light that's now shining at the end of this long tunnel is a nice, and much welcomed change.

The important news is that Ella goes in for surgery - to have the metal plates and screws removed that are holding her elbows together - Wednesday morning. If all goes well and her bones don't fall apart upon removal, they'll also spay her. I should note that there may be some complications along the way but I feel it is only worth delving into if they arise.

When Ella gets out of surgery some might be startled to see her in two casts again. Ella's casts will both have splints in them which will give her some stability, support and confidence when she walks. The only downside is that it could take up to eight weeks before she reaches the point of walking without them.

Feeling anxious and hopeful right now. I will be sure to post again Wednesday night when we learn how the surgery went.