I'm so tired

I was very excited to go for my first walk after my zipper came off. What I didn't realize was how very tired I would be. For some reason it is really really hard to walk for five whole minutes. In my mind, I am ready to go for a long walk, but my body says no way after sniffing just a few things. Then, when we get home, I need to take a long nap.

The foster people say I have to learn how to use my new leg and I have to build my muscles up. All I know is I am tired. I wish they would just carry me everywhere so I could see everything without having to use my legs.

Kisses,
Daisy

My Zipper's Gone!

I went to see my nice doctor and vet techs and they were very happy to see me of course and they took the itchy metal staples out of my leg.  They took my zipper off!  Now I am not nearly as itchy and I don't have to wear the donut.  Getting rid of the donut is really a huge relief.  I have to be careful though because if I lick the scar too much I will have to get the donut back on.

I can finally start going for short walks.  When we got home from getting the zipper off, I got to walk to the corner in the rain before we went inside to show Uba and Lulu my new leg.  Then today, I got to walk all the way around the block.  A lot has happened in the neighborhood since I got my new knee.  There were a lot of things to smell!

I got a new collar, too.  It must be specially made for me because it matches my harness and leash and has daisy flowers on it.  I am a lucky dog - a new knee and a new special Daisy collar!  Finally I am being treated like the queen I am.

Kisses,
Daisy

My First Day in the Big City

I am still on restriction, which is getting kind of boring, but I am enjoying the attention and love I get from everyone. I thought it might be nice to tell you about my first day in my foster home.  I came to California in something called an airplane.  It was really noisy, but also kind of exciting.  I knew my life was only going to get better.  After staying with Mr. Tim and Ms. Donna and all the cool dogs at their house for a few days, I met the nice foster lady.  She said hello and put me in her car and said we were going to her house where I would stay until my forever people found me.  That sounded pretty good to me.  She watched me closely and smiled when she saw I was looking out of the window to see the world.  She took some pictures of me with her phone.

When we got to her house she took me inside and put me in a crate.  This furry guy called William the Cat came and sat on top of the crate and we said hello to each other.  After a little while two dogs came in and sniffed me through the crate, and I sniffed them, and I learned that they were Lulu and Uba.  I learned that Lulu is a really nice dog who understands lots of things and Uba is wild and bouncy and smart.  

After I relaxed for a while, the foster lady put my collar and leash on me and took me out for a walk.  She kept giving me treats and telling me I was a good girl.  I guess she thought I might be nervous about all the new things I was seeing in this place called San Francisco.  No way! Not me!  I was really interested in the weird plants and the things called sprinkler heads and man-hole covers and the sounds and smells all around me.   Our first walk was just a few blocks, but it was so great!  I had no idea there were so many exciting things in this world.  I took a really long time to sniff everything and learn as much as possible.  When we eventually got back to the house the foster lady told me I was a very brave and courageous girl and she was very proud of me. 

I gave her some kisses to let her know I was glad to be in the big city and I was ready for this new adventure.

Daisy

Time to Think

Since my surgery and this awful donut thing has been around my neck I am on total exercise restriction. This means  I get carried everywhere.  This restriction is OK by me because my leg hurts and these stupid metal staple things are SOOOOOO ITCHY and they won’t let me lick them and pick them out like I want to.

 All this rest is giving me time to think about where I come from.  As you know, not too long ago I belonged to a dog fighter.  My job was to have puppies, and I had lots and lots of puppies.  I was a very good mama and I took good care of all my puppies.  It made me sad and scared when the people came and took them away from me. I explained this to my foster people when I moved in with them.  There were toys here that looked a bit like puppies, so I gathered them all together and made sure they were safe.  When the people took them away from me, I looked and looked until I found them again.  The foster people said that they would keep the toys safe in the high up cabinet so I can learn that I don’t have to worry about being a mama any more.  

I am proud that I was a good mama to my puppies, but it is a relief not to have to worry about keeping puppies safe.  I feel younger and happier than I can remember, even with this ouchy leg.  When I was staying with the nice people at the shelter in Claremore Oklahoma they put a tattoo on my belly that means I won’t have any more puppies.  Now instead of being a mama, my job is to remember to pee outside and to be cute and sweet.  When she lets me out of my crate, the foster lady says to me “come on lil’ mama, lets go outside”, and I wag my tail and let her carry me outside.  Then she tells me I’m a good girl and gives me a treat.  I really like this new job!  

kisses,

Daisy

Oh, ow! Zzzzzzzzzzzz....

ow, ow, leg urgh....zzzzzzzzzzzz... cone off now...zzzzzzzzz

The foster mom writing today while Daisy enjoys her pain meds:


Sweet little Daisy had surgery yesterday to repair her left knee.  The very wonderful Dr. Schwach of Avenues Pet Hospital performed a tibial tuberosity transposition that will help her left knee cap stay in place.  This is a very complex surgery requiring multiple steps to reposition the knee and create improved knee and joint movement.  Dr. Schwach describes this surgery as more complex and difficult than the more common TPLO surgery that our last foster dog Lolo had.  Although Daisy will never be an athlete, she should no longer experience pain living a normal dog's life.  


Daisy is a very happy dog with a wonderfully positive attitude.   Even when her leg has been hurting she always has a wagging tail and is eager to be busily involved in whatever is going on.  Today she is wagging her tail as she staggers around finding a way to manage walking on three legs with a cone and now a donut on her head.

Poor Daisy.  Good thing she has a sweet nurse watching over her.

Thanks for all the healing thoughts for Miss Daisy as she recuperates.

My Friend Lulu

When I moved in with my foster family the first dog I met was Lulu.  She is a pit bull too but is much bigger than me and red brindle.  Lulu has been really nice about showing me how things work here in the city.  She helped me understand about going outside to pee (even in the rain!), not stealing other people's food even when it smells yummy, being nice to the cats even when they sneak up on you, and how to convince the people to let you sit on the couch.

Lulu and I go on nice relaxed walks together in the evening before the foster lady takes wild crazy Uba for his super long fast walk.  She has shown me the good places to sniff in the neighborhood and explained amazing things like busses, stores, and the places that only people can go into that smell like food.














Lulu is also fun to play with because even though she is much bigger than me she gets down to my level and makes sure she doesn't crush me.  She is a really good friend and mentor and we share common interests - eating and comfortable beds.  Thank you Lulu for being my friend.

Kisses,
Daisy

I Feel Funny

Today I went to see a nice man called Dr. Schwach.  He looked at me all over and told my foster lady how very special and unique I am.  Then he shaved a spot on my leg and I felt really really sleepy.  While I was sleeping he took pictures of the insides of my legs.  When we got home I was cold and still kind of sleepy, so the foster lady wrapped me up in a blanket and I took a long nap.

My foster people say I will be going to see him again soon and he will make the leg that hurts stop hurting. I'm looking forward to that, although I am not looking forward to this funny sleepy feeling.

Kisses,

Daisy