Devo's Sniffuls Cont'd

After three months of administering antibiotics and no results and losing significant weight (10+ lbs.), we realized that something really was not right with Devo. His nasal and eye discharge would continue to come back over and over, and he wasn't eating like he normally would. So, our vet referred us to a specialty veterinarian. After she examined his teeth, she recommended us to a veterinary dentist. Finally after seeing the dentist, he concluded that it was an abscessed upper canine tooth that had been causing infection in his sinuses and discomfort when eating hard food. So, Devo would have to get his tooth pulled.

$1,200 later (not including the previous meds and vet visits), we had a drugged up cone-headed dog on our hands. We felt so bad for him, because he utterly HATED having this huge cone on his head, in which he’s never experienced before, but would have to wear for three weeks. The first couple days he'd bump into something, usually a doorway because the cone was almost as wide as the doorway itself, and he'd just get paralyzed, not knowing what to do or where to go. Then, once he got moving in a direction with success, he’d start sprinting, as if he had to move while he could, until he yet again thumped into something. I would end up directing his head, and cone, where they’re supposed to go. I have to admit it was sadly comical.

And, because of the abscess tooth affecting his sinuses, the first couple days after the surgery the bloody mucus would seep out of his nose. Yeah, it was a lot of fun, for both Devo and us. :) He’d also thrown up 2x from the heavy medication. Poor pup.

Since the surgery, we had been hand-feeding soft food with a spoon to him directly out of the can for two and a half weeks. We found that it's much less messy this way than having to clean the floor and the dog bowl afterwards. And, who needs babies when you can feed your dog like one!?

It's been four weeks now, and he's doing much better. He's off antibiotics and has some sinus discharge still (not bloody thank goodness), which is a bit concerning, but we're hoping it'll stop completely. We took him in for his three week checkup last week, and thankfully for Devo, he could take that damn cone off his head and lead a normal sophisticated doggie life again.

See previous post about Devo's health here.