Believe it or not, we still couldn't spay Bailey yesterday. Her "false pregnancy" has subsided considerably, but there's still some evidence of lactation. "It's almost gone," the vet said. She proposed that we wait one more week.
Apparently this really is a big deal, because dogs that are spayed in the midst of a false pregnancy can basically stay that way -- and that means not only that they're permanently awash in unnecessary hormones and wasting physical energy to make milk for puppies that don't exist, but that they're more cranky and aggressive. Lord knows we don't need a more aggressive Bailey. (In fact, some of her aggressiveness may be explained by this condition, I think -- perhaps this is why she's been calming down as the false pregnancy is subsiding.)
Anyway, if you're really interested, here's an article about it. I've Googled and read and it appears the vets are not making this up. (Not that I believed they were, but...well, being an ex-reporter, I like to verify.)
For those of you keeping count, this was actually the fourth time we tried to spay her. Next Monday, which God willing will be the final spaying appointment, will be the fifth.
After that little adventure we took a walk, since I gave her dog-walker Josh the day off. We walked up the Black Path beside the railroad tracks, where I found this curious sticker stuck to a lamppost. Another random face and apparently not a famous one, according to Google. I suspect people make little stickers like this of their friends' faces and slap them up around town for their birthday or some other celebration.
This is not a very encouraging sign, posted beneath a scaffold where building work is taking place! I've never seen a warning like this before. Seems to me if anything falls from that scaffold it's due to someone's negligence. It's probably a lawyer thing -- this way, if anything does fall and hit someone, the construction company can say in court, "Well, we warned them!"
Anyway, I spent the rest of the morning at home, mostly reading, and then in the afternoon took Bailey to the cemetery for her long walk of the day.
The butterfly area, which is full of tall wildflowers (mostly thistles) during the summer, has been shorn to the ground.
This morning I'm off to the dermatologist to have that spot on my lower lip evaluated. Hopefully I won't require a lip-ectomy.
Bailey is certainly keeping you on your toes.
ReplyDeleteWe never know what to expect with this dog!
DeleteI have a feeling a lipectomy would put an end to pictures of your smiling mug on this blog!
ReplyDeleteOh, you never know. I might post myself lipless!
DeleteAre you sure Bailey isn’t faking it (like holding a thermometer against the bedside lamp)? Keeping my fingers crossed for next week... And for you. Stiff upper lip!
ReplyDeleteHa! I wouldn't put it past her.
DeleteYour spaying saga bring an old number by The Hollies to mind:-
ReplyDeleteOh, won't you spay just a little bit longer?
Now please, please, please
Now hello, where are you going to?
Well, your mama don't mind
And your papa don't mind
If we have another dance, oh yeah
Just one more time
Oh, won't you spay?
Oh, won't you spay?
Oh, won't you spay?
Oh, won't you spay?
"Spay" is an odd word. Apparently, it comes from the Middle English verb spaien, which translates to "cut with a sword".
I didn't know the Hollies recorded that song. I always think of it as a Four Seasons song, but apparently it was originally penned (and recorded by) Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs.
DeleteI've been hit twice by falling debris under street scaffolding with protective boarding above. I should have complained to the local councils both were a number of years ago and maybe more care is now taken. If a sign saying 'Danger, falling debris' is posted as a warning, then I think the footpath should be closed, no matter how annoying it may be to pedestrians on the the footpaths.
ReplyDeleteRather disappointing about Bailley, but hopefully next time. You have to trust the vet's advice.
You've been hit twice?! I wonder if there's something about this job that increases the likelihood of falling stuff (lots of small pieces or something like that).
DeleteAndrew, in Adelaide footpaths do get closed and a fenced pathway along a section of road is made for pedestrians.
DeleteWell, fifth time lucky or something. This is quite a saga. Yes, now I wonder if her calm is all hormone related. That means she'll be happier once the spay is finally done.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the hormones are playing a part.
DeleteI think if your employees have a hard time holding onto their equipment perhaps they shouldn't work above the ground floor.
ReplyDeleteLOL -- exactly!
DeleteHaving been in the homebuilding business before going to law school, I assure you the lawyers or insurance companies required that sign. I learned to pause, look up, and wait if needed before walking under ongoing works. It is safer that way.
ReplyDeleteIt's so strange because that is NOT a commonly required sign. I've never seen it before that I can recall. This is on an unusually busy stretch of sidewalk, though.
DeleteHopefully one more week will do the trick for Bailey.
ReplyDeleteHopefully!
DeleteGlad your vet knows what's best!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's better that they're not rushing, for sure.
DeleteI'm in the market for new dermatologist. I'm not very happy with the one I've been going to for the past 18 months. Sometimes I think they dismiss you because of age. Good luck with yours.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the false pregnancy thing. Hopefully next week it will be A-Okay.
It's hard to find a good dermatologist and then to be able to get in to see them!
DeleteI guess the vet knows best. Interesting that the false pregnancy might be responsible for Bailey's aggressiveness with other dogs.
ReplyDeleteIf I saw that sign, I'd walk in the street. At least in the street you can see what's coming at you.
Yeah -- cars! :)
DeleteInteresting article. Bailey is lucky to have responsible dog dads.
ReplyDeleteWe're doing our best but she's not making it easy. LOL
DeleteBailey! That poor girl was born to be a mother. Obviously. Or something. I wonder if they couldn't give her some sort of hormones to counteract the pregnancy hormones. Of course I know NOTHING about this.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the dermatologist.
She really WAS born to have puppies -- and apparently she has done so at least once. I wonder if she's been spiked with hormones artificially as part of being a breeding dog. I'm not sure that's a technique but I wouldn't be surprised.
DeleteThat is interesting about Bailey and the importance of timing the spay procedure. Hormones can cause havoc. Once spayed she'll be calmer, happier and more at ease. Good for all.
ReplyDeleteYes, I so look forward to a calmer and more at ease Bailey!
DeleteYeah I would NOT want to be frozen in a state of lactation! Oof. Hope your lip requires minimal fixing!
ReplyDeleteI hope they do something to it, though, so I don't feel that rough spot all the time. It's really bothersome.
DeleteI hope that the 5th time is the charm! My family had a mix of gender dogs, but my late husband (for some reason) only wanted male ones. Perhaps he knew the fixing issue would be less complicated?
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how some people develop a preference one way or another. Dave always wants females -- he says they're smarter.
DeleteI was just going to write that hopefully the fifth time would be the charm, and I just saw that Margaret wrote the same thing! Luckily for us, both Shirley and Murray were spayed/neutered before we got them.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wish the charity took care of this before adopting out the dogs, but I guess it's easier for them to have us manage it. (They do pay for it, at least, though we gave them an adoption fee that more than covers the cost.)
DeleteThese are things I didn't know about dogs. I wonder how long this condition has been known.
ReplyDeleteApparently it's increasingly common, and no one is sure why. I suspect that illicit breeders tamper with the dogs' hormone levels, dosing them with injections, but that's just my suspicion.
DeleteSweet Bailey. Thanks for providing the link. I hope the fifth time will be the charm. I had a place frozen on my lip at the dermatologist yesterday right before I went to vote. I'm sure folks looked at me and thought, "gross"! (it really didn't look that bad)
ReplyDeleteOK, I'm glad to know that's how they treated it. I've been wondering what they'll do with this! If it's a keratosis hopefully they'll go that same route.
DeleteOh, Bailey! That was an interesting article. You definitely don't want Bailey in "persistent phantom pregnancy!". Though this particular bout of false pregnancy sure seems to be persistent...May her hormone levels allow surgery next week.
ReplyDeleteHope your lip spot is a minor problem.
Chris from Boise
I suspect her hormone levels have been artificially amplified, but who knows.
DeleteI'm imagining Bailey talking to other dogs over a fence: Oi! I'm so hormonal. Where are those kids I was supposed to have? My boobs ache with milk and one minute I'm overheated and the next I'm freezing. I'm so frustrated I'm ready to bite the whole world.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
That pretty much sums it up! She once heard puppies on the television and practically dove through the screen.
DeleteMaybe all those visits to the vet not resulting in any pain or discomfort for Bailey make sure that she'll always be fine when it comes to going in for something to be actually done.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a sign like that, either!
Yeah, that's possible -- she's not learning to be afraid of the vet, that's for sure!
DeleteI shall keep my fingers crossed for Bailey for next Monday 🤞🤞🤞🤞
ReplyDeleteAs will we all!
DeleteOh gosh that's a lot of to-ing and froing to the vets with Bailey, I suppose on the bright side at least she's getting used to going there and nothing bad happening to her.
ReplyDeleteAnd she sometimes gets a treat, so she'll actually have a positive association with the vet. (Olga was the same -- she always WANTED to go to the vet!)
Delete