the clink

I am tempted to do a search on my own blog and see how many times "Poor Riley" shows up, but quite frankly...I don't wanna know.

When Riley woke up this morning he had a limp, and by an hour later he was hopping around like a 3-legged dog.  I called the vet first thing and lined up a noon-thirty appointment. 

The little hole on his "thigh" had closed over pretty well (I had trimmed the hair away and doused him with a medicinal spray given to us for Teeny's last adventure).  But there was another little pin-prick of a hole on his "ankle", and the whole ankle was swollen.  The vet said the puncture wound was deep and it went right into the joint. If it was from a wild or feral animal (which I am sure it was), they carry crazy bacteria in their mouths.  She shave his leg and found more little holes on the other side of his ankle bone.  Where I thought it was the poke of a claw, it was more likely a bite.

Lovely.

More shaving, some drainage arrangements, and while he was out, I had them clean his teeth (might as well spare him another vet visit later...it was overdue).  The doc said they were moving his leg around while he was knocked out and his heart rate went up indicating much pain.  When I pick him up tomorrow morning, he'll come home with "a party hat"....a broad spectrum antibiotic that will be switched to a more specific antibiotic once the cultures they took show results...a few types of pain meds...and the need for hot compresses.

Do you have any idea how many times we've been through stuff like this?  Not just for Riley, but "times four" once you count how many times I've done this for the other animals that live here? I am so over it. I LOVE MY PETS. They are my family.  But this is getting a little crazy.

Anyhow.
Riley's in TheClink tonight.  I'll spring him tomorrow.

*sigh*