Where my new lens went; or why not to take your dog to "Wings and Things"

[snydersnapshots]

What a night. Night before last I was happily editing pictures when I heard my daughter shriek "Kaydee's got a chicken bone" from the livingroom. Robin had a chicken wing bone on a plate on the couch; the dog jumped up and grabbed it before she could be stopped and hauled as...er "butt" out the dog door into the back yard. When I got to her, I found part of the wing, but there were some missing pieces.

After a couple of minutes of debate, it was off to the Veterinary Emergency Room, where x-rays revealed the missing pieces. Two options: put her on IV and see if they would work themselves through ($600) or operate ($2000). A third option would have only cost me fifty cents (+ or - depending on which round I used) but I couldn't bring myself to do that. Then the Doc came in with a fourth option--take her to the Small Animal Clinic at Texas A&M where they might be able to remove the bones endoscopically--around $1500. So off we go on a midnight roadtrip to Aggieland. Got up there and the quote they gave me was $2000 for the endoscope and $3500 if they had to operate. Fifty cents was looking better now--but I still couldn't do it. I gritted my teeth and signed the papers and hoped for the best. They called me about 9am and said they were able to get the bones out endoscopically and everything was fine. When I got up to get her, the bill was "only" $1,013! I could've bought an SB-900 and a couple of flash triggers for that. Or maybe I could've grabbed a used D80 and nice kit lens for my wedding biz and some iStock wedding photos for my website...

I think my daughter will understand now why I'm such a butt when it comes to eating dinner on the couch. I don't care how good the tv show is!

Here are the bones (looking at the longer one, I don't think option 1 would have worked), along with the queen of the house (shaved leg was for an IV):

[L Stegall]

Having spent over $1000 once for a "nosebleed of undetermined origin" on our favorite canine companion, I can relate. But, you do what you gotta do and it sounds like you made the right decision, looking at the bones. An expensive decision, but definitely the right one.

[dmora]

We feed our dogs all sorts of bones. But it knows to chew and eats slowly. Glad your's is ok. :)

[snydersnapshots]

Originally Posted by L Stegall

An expensive decision, but definitely the right one.

I agree. All the complaining about what I could have done with the money aside, she's my buddy and I couldn't let anything happen to her. I was doubly worried because if something had happened to her, our daughter would have never forgiven herself since she was the one who had the chicken bones beside her on a plate on the couch.

[dixonduke]

Originally Posted by snydersnapshots

Or maybe I could've grabbed a used D80 and nice kit lens for my wedding biz and some iStock wedding photos for my website...

I bet we could put you in touch with a professional in the DFW area who could give you some pointers....


Glad it all worked out!

[snydersnapshots]

Originally Posted by dixonduke

I bet we could put you in touch with a professional in the DFW area who could give you some pointers....


Glad it all worked out!

Yeah, I could use some pointers in advertising and I know you guys don't know a thing about it...

[Redneck]

Originally Posted by dmora

We feed our dogs all sorts of bones. But it knows to chew and eats slowly. Glad your's is ok. :)

Same here. Our dogs love chicken and other poultry bones, but they've learned to eat them at very young age. I fed all my dogs chicken bones and they never ever had a single problem with'em.

[Rson]

We feed the Mastiffs full chickens, no problem.

[S-Man]

I've read/heard it's ok to feed them raw bones, but not cooked bones. Supposedly cooked bones splinter and shard.

[snydersnapshots]

Originally Posted by Redneck

Same here. Our dogs love chicken and other poultry bones, but they've learned to eat them at very young age. I fed all my dogs chicken bones and they never ever had a single problem with'em.

The vet that did the procedure said some dogs are smart enough to chew them up small enough that they don't cause problems. The implication here is that mine is not--and I have to agree. I've seen her chew a potato chip like she was counting to thirty before swallowing. Then she'll take meat, give it a couple of chomps and down it goes. I think the chicken bones fit into the latter category...

[Rson]

Originally Posted by S-Man

I've read/heard it's ok to feed them raw bones, but not cooked bones. Supposedly cooked bones splinter and shard.

Bird bones are hollow and will splinter after cooking, Beef Bones are pretty solid and can be chewed on. Raw bows will give and are great.

Look at the Barf diet for animals, a lot of Mastiffs are on it.

BARF Diet - Healthy & Natural Raw Food For Dogs & Cats, Pet Health Care Food & Nutrition Products Supply Online

[janetg]

i'm guessing the 50 cent option was peroxide to make them vomit? i had to do that after my dog ate a packet of rat poison, that i inadvertently blew underneath the garage door with the yard blower. which btw...if you dog ever eats anything toxic like that - use peroxide immediately. 3-4 ounces should do the trick - if not - repeat and they should vomit anything up that is in there. it pretty much saved her life, if i had waited to get her to the vet, it would have already been absorbed into her bloodstream.

we have spent so much money at the vet on our 3 its really insane..

[snydersnapshots]

Originally Posted by janetg

i'm guessing the 50 cent option was peroxide to make them vomit?

No, the 50 cent option was the .40 caliber kind to put her out of her misery when the bones tore up her insides and was meant with tongue firmly in cheek. I couldn't do that to my dog. (I don't know that that long bone would have come up with vomiting.)

Thanks for the peroxide info though--I'll store that one in my memory banks for future use.

[Rson]

Originally Posted by S-Man

I've read/heard it's ok to feed them raw bones, but not cooked bones. Supposedly cooked bones splinter and shard.

Bird bones are hollow and will splinter after cooking, Beef Bones are pretty solid and can be chewed on. Raw bows will give and are great.

Look at the Barf diet for animals, a lot of Mastiffs are on it.

Raw feeding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[richardsfault]

With all the Vets around, I'm surprised that they can get away with prices like that.