# It's all relative....



## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

not in the second picture :tongue:


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## spoofan (Dec 11, 2008)

What a beautiful girl Murphy is!!!!


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## tannerokeefe (Dec 14, 2008)

Whoa, that is dirty!! Murphy is very pretty(when all clean)!!


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

She's just beautiful. Those 3rd and 4th pics are exactly why I feel in love with Standard Poodle's. Thats just a beautiful breed.


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Thanks for the nice comments, everyone. We thing she's lovely - inside and out. Actually, we kind of thought she was cute all dirty and wet - it seems so out of place when you keep them so clean and well-groomed. It was great to see her running through the muck being a real dog. A real black dog would have been even better:tongue:


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## Blue Fox (Oct 22, 2008)

I love the dirty pic, she looks like she's saying "well that was fun but can you bath me now please Mum!" and afterwards she looks very please with herself. It's great to be able to let them be just dogs and them clean them up afterwards and sit on the couch for a big cuddle :biggrin: that's my idea of the best day with the dogs.


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

She's beautiful!! Being a new mom to a white standard I'm not looking forward to those days in the second picture!!! I thought she'd been pretty dirty already, but nowhere near that!


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

I am glad she had fun! I remember now why I don't have a white spoo...white toy poodles are hard enough to keep clean! LOL

She looks great, and its great she got to go out and get good and dirty (AND HAVE FUN) ...and her mommy still loves her!

I bet she slept good that night!


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## T o d d (Sep 25, 2007)

They are so darn happy no matter what they look like he


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## poodleit (Dec 10, 2008)

She is Poodley adorable 
Beautiful girl.

Olga.


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

We were just happy that we walked to the beach and back. Can you imagine putting that in your car????? And amazingly, she had just as much energy on the walk home as she did on the way there. She did, indeed sleep well last night though


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Sam I Am said:


> She's beautiful!! Being a new mom to a white standard I'm not looking forward to those days in the second picture!!! I thought she'd been pretty dirty already, but nowhere near that!


I didn't know you got a new white standard, SamIAm. Did I miss pictures??????

At first it drove me nuts when she'd get dirty, but you can't keep them dry and clean all the time, right? We did get a rain suit, though. Tried it out for the first time today and it was great. We had to get a size that she'll grow into so I have to turn the legs up, but it worked out well and I only had feet to wipe clean when we got home. No way we could let her run and play with her friends in it, though


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## Blue Fox (Oct 22, 2008)

I have just ordered a couple of snoods for the T dog so we'll see what he thinks about them when they turn up. I would love to at least be able to keep the food out of his ears as a start. Don't think he would tolerate a rain suit!


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## tannerokeefe (Dec 14, 2008)

Blue Fox said:


> I have just ordered a couple of snoods for the T dog so we'll see what he thinks about them when they turn up. I would love to at least be able to keep the food out of his ears as a start. Don't think he would tolerate a rain suit!


where did you get the snoods from? is this something that needs to be started early?


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

kathyd said:


> I didn't know you got a new white standard, SamIAm. Did I miss pictures??????
> 
> At first it drove me nuts when she'd get dirty, but you can't keep them dry and clean all the time, right? We did get a rain suit, though. Tried it out for the first time today and it was great. We had to get a size that she'll grow into so I have to turn the legs up, but it worked out well and I only had feet to wipe clean when we got home. No way we could let her run and play with her friends in it, though


Her name is Jenny. I have posted pics, here is the latest, not the best picture but I just love how much they cuddle.


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Sam I Am said:


> Her name is Jenny. I have posted pics, here is the latest, not the best picture but I just love how much they cuddle.


I LOVE that picture. It's so sweet the way they cuddle up. Off to find the other pictures......


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Ah ha - now I remember, SamIAm. I had just joined this forum when you posted about getting Jenny. Once I saw the pictures it jogged my memory. She reminded me of Murphy!


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## Blue Fox (Oct 22, 2008)

Ohh that is the more gorgeous photo. T & Locky never cuddle that much, although maybe in the winter they might. How white does she look up against the black - just beautiful.

I hope you don't need to start them early with the snoods tannerokeefe cause T is now 6 months and he's never had one! A lady on another forum I'm on is making them for me but they are available from lots of places on the internet, or dog shows if you ever get to go to any (which I don't). They need to be supervised when they have them on so it's not going to help wet ears when he drinks during the day while I'm at work but atleast it might keep meaty bones out of his ears LOL.


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## Yorkiecrazy (Jun 17, 2008)

Wow she really got dirty, turned her a different color. lol
She really must have had a blast. She cleans up very nicely.
Very beautiful!!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

LoL, I love the before and after. She looks like she probably had a great time at the beach


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## spoofan (Dec 11, 2008)

kathyd...how is Murphy doing?
She had her surgeries today,right?
Please,let us know.


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Thanks for thinking of us, Spoofan! She did have her surgeries today. I got a phone update a couple of hours ago. Both surgeries went smoothly and she was still waking up. We're off to pick her up in a few minutes. I'll be so relieved to see her. But it's going to be a looooong 2 weeks, as you know. I have no idea how we're going to keep her from leaping at the cat, etc.

I'll update again after we get her home and settled.


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Well we're home and Murphy is pretty confused about how to deal with the 'bite not' collar they loaned us. I didn't want to use a cone so they offered to have us borrow this contraption. It's a rigid tube and a sort of harness that goes behind the front legs. She didn't quite know how to move with it on at first, but she's flaked out half on and half off her big pillow now sleeping it off.

She's not interested in food or water. I'll feel a bit better when she perks up a bit. For now, we're just staying close and keeping her comfortable.


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## spoofan (Dec 11, 2008)

Poor sweetie.
By tomorrow she will be much better.
Did your vet advise you to start feeding small portions more frequently...because of the gastropexy?
I am glad to hear,that Murphy is at home and everything went fine.
Now she can begin her recovery...you'll see how fast it will be.


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

Aaaawww, poor baby! Give her lots of hugs and cuddles!


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## Blue Fox (Oct 22, 2008)

Glad it all went well, they are a worry even when things have gone to plan. I'm sure she will be back to her normal self tomorrow.


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

spoofan said:


> Poor sweetie.
> By tomorrow she will be much better.
> Did your vet advise you to start feeding small portions more frequently...because of the gastropexy?
> I am glad to hear,that Murphy is at home and everything went fine.
> Now she can begin her recovery...you'll see how fast it will be.


Yes, they did tell us to give her smaller, more frequent meals and to make sure that she doesn't gulp large quantities of water because of the gastropexy. Not an issue, I'm afraid. I can't get her to eat or drink anything. I'm especially worried about her not drinkling. I raised her bowls a bit so that she doesn't have to lower her head so far with that collar on, but she's still showing no interest.

She definitely seemed more alert this morning, but it will take her some time to get used to that collar. If she hasn't accepted it by this afternoon, we'll call the vet again. The technician had some other suggestions - just fastening a sheet around her middle or using the towel like you did, spoofan.

I have to go back to work today - not sure how focused I'll be, though. DH will be checking on her periodically throughout the day and I'm sure he'll call me with updates.

I know we just have to get through a couple of rough days, but they're going to feel like very long days.

Thanks everyone for your good thoughts.


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## spoofan (Dec 11, 2008)

Gunther did not drink until the evening of the day after the surgery.
They keep them well hydrated at the hospital,so I would not worry just yet.
You can add a little bit of chicken broth to her water or boil a few pieces of liver and add the liquid....to make it more appealing.
Maybe get some Evo canned food and give her that until she gets her appetite back.


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## Sam I Am (Jul 6, 2008)

Maybe you can take her collar off while you are watching her so she can be a little more comfortable, then put it back on when you aren't with her. Its just to keep her from the stitches right? How much more care and recovery does adding gastropexy to the spaying compare to spaying alone?


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## IPP (Nov 29, 2008)

Awww poor girl! Glad to hear she is perking up a bit though! Hopefully she will be feeling better by this evening and you can feel a bit better, too!


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Well it was canned EVO I was trying to tempt her with last night and this morning. She didn't eat or drink all day. DH came home a few times to check on her.

When I got home from work I took that collar of and she was like a new dog! Had a little drink and a little bit to eat. She did start to show interest in her incision, though, so I've put a towel around her neck. She got that off pretty quickly so now it's tighter. She's having another nap now. I think I might have to put the Bite Not collar back on overnight or when we can't supervise her closely for a few more days, but the towel seems to be more comfortable for now.

2 of her sisters were spayed yesterday, too. I just spoke with their mom and they weren't even given cones or anything. They're not bothering with their incisions, which is very lucky for her. It's going to be extra hard to keep them quiet once the drugs wear off. They're used to playing together constantly.


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Sam I Am said:


> Maybe you can take her collar off while you are watching her so she can be a little more comfortable, then put it back on when you aren't with her. Its just to keep her from the stitches right? How much more care and recovery does adding gastropexy to the spaying compare to spaying alone?


That's what we're trying, SamIAm. The vet says there's no added recovery time really. Everything will basically heal at the same rate. The only extra precaution is to make sure meals and water intake are smaller so that the stomach isn't stretching too much and pulling on the gastropexy site while the scar tissue is forming. Her incision is quite a bit longer than a spay alone, but they heal side to side and not end to end, apparently.


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## spoofan (Dec 11, 2008)

How is Murphy doing?
Can you,please,give us an update?


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## kathyd (Nov 8, 2008)

Thanks for thinking of us, spoofan. I'm happy to report that Murphy seems to be her old self. Up until yesterday she was uncomfortable sitting but that seems to be better now. She's eating, drinking and enjoying her shorter leash walks. She's still wearing the bite not collar. She didn't keep the towel on very long! In fact, if we don't put the Bite Not on tight enough, she can get that off, too, even with the strap that's supposed to prevent that. She managed that at 3:30 Sunday morning. Good thing I heard her before she chewed it all up (it's a loaner!)

We tried leaving her with the collar off for a while today but I think the incision is itchy and she did bother it a bit, so the collar went back on. We'll all be very happy in a few days when it can come off!

Amazingly, we're not having too much trouble keeping her quiet. She has several new interesting things to chew and play with and we're even managing to keep her from chasing the cat. I think that collar has something to do with it - she's not as agile when her head and neck are restricted like that. She wants to jump and play but settles pretty quickly when she's told to. Now that I've said that, she'll probably make a liar of me, though :tongue:


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## spoofan (Dec 11, 2008)

I am glad,that she is coming along.
Have you tried to put an old shirt on her?
I did that when my Gaby had her gastropexy years ago.
It covers the incision,so they cannot get at it and allows them to be more comfortable.
However...the worst is behind you now and within a week she'll be good to go.


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