[pyrnet] Recovering Badger

["kdbooth" <kdbooth@mindspring.com>]

Badger went to the vet yesterday for a check-up on his ears and a bit of a
cleaning.  We had been instructed to put drops along his stitches twice a
day but under no circumstances to try and clean them.  Let me tell you, they
were nasty and smelly!  The vet, Dr. Wareham, cleaned loads of
vegemite/marmite ;-) looking stuff from around them and said they're looking
pretty good.  The results of the culture came in on Tuesday.  I wish I could
remember the name of the bacteria.  Dr. W. said it's a bacteria that mutates
and becomes impervious to anti-biotics.  He switched Badger's medication to
Cipro, something that I had to get from the pharmacy.  Boy was it expensive!
Unfortunately, the prescription was written for "Badger" Booth so I couldn't
pass it off with my health insurance ;-)  Badger goes back to the vet on
Wednesday.  We're leaving for our vacation (Niagara Falls, Canada), and
he'll be boarding at the vet's.  On Thursday, Dr. W. is going to put him
under to remove the stitches and clean internally.  I nearly canceled our
trip because I wasn't sure we should leave him while he's recovering.  (We
hadn't planned on him needing surgery when we made our reservations!) but
Dr. W. convinced me he'll be fine there and I know he's in good hands.
Also, they've got the number for Bill's cell phone.  (I refer to it as his
"security phone" because he never goes anywhere without it.  I scrutinize
his head every day for signs of malignant growths and make sure the life
insurance is current.)

Today has been a really good day for Badger.  We knew he was feeling better
when I took him outside for his morning constitutional and he threw his head
up in the air and bayed for no reason.  Badger doesn't bark; he makes a
sound like a cold engine trying to turn over.  It was just like the
pre-surgery days when the neighbors used to complain!

It's interesting how the relationship between Badger and Daisy has changed
since he had his surgery.  Before, Daisy was Queen and she reminded him of
that fact several times a day.  He was totally submissive to her.  Now she
is afraid of that big plastic "thing" around his neck and avoids him like
he's an alien.  It's pretty funny when he bangs in to her with the e-collar.
She jumps out of her skin and takes off!  A few times he has unintentionally
cornered her and she's looked to us with pleading eyes that seem to say
"Help me! Don't leave me here alone with this monster!"  She waits for an
opening and then dashes around him to safety.  He basically just ignores
her.  I'm curious to see how things go when the collar is gone, if they'll
slip back into their old roles.

Kim