Heathers Foster Dogs Senior Dog Care Program

Foster boy Carl's first time in a harness. Well, second time, but the first time he didn't fight & bite when it was put over his head.

Who is this? It's Carl minus a year's worth of matted hair. Ever distrustful of strangers, unsurprisingly Carl had to be sedated to be shaved.

Foster boy Carl does not (understatement) like hands or objects to go over his head & WILL NOT enter a crate, but has decided the place to escape the pressures of everyday life & to sleep overnight is under the old man's bed. Normally Carl is completely hidden under the bed, but here chooses to expose his head.

Geordi of Heather's Foster Dogs is still grumpy after earlier having paper strips placed in his eyes by the opthalmologist to see how his medications are working on his severe dry eye syndrome. FANTASTIC RESULTS. Schirmer Test showed 12's for each eye up from 7 & 4 last time. Before the tacrolimus strength was increased by 50 times (from 0.02% to 1%), the test results were ZERO for each eye. For general reference, 1 - 5 is considered "severe", 5 - 10 "moderately" & 10 - 15 "possible" dry eyes.

Somebody is still grumpy after earlier having paper strips placed in his eyes by the opthalmologist to see how his medications are working on his severe dry eye syndrome. FANTASTIC RESULTS. Schirmer Test showed 12's for each eye up from 7 & 4 last time. Before the tacrolimus strength was increased by 50 times (from 0.02% to 1%), the test results were ZERO for each eye. For general reference, 1 - 5 is considered "severe", 5 - 10 "moderately" & 10 - 15 "possible" dry eyes.

With his ball, Carl is happy.

Geordi of Heather's Foster Dogs had a chip on his shoulder. but no more. Look at the dark, almost football shaped area under the R on last week's x-ray. That's just a bunch of air stuck under Geordi's skin. The puffy area was discovered after Geordi was groomed last Thursday. The trapped air wasn't a problem. How it got there might have been. Likely sources were a cut in Geordi's trachea or to a lung. X-rays showed no signs of either. The air "pocket" dissipated somewhat over the weekend; Geordi no longer had a chip on his shoulder as much of the air moved mid-way down his abdomen. Again, no sign of injury to the trachea. No broken rib which might have punctured a lung. Best guess is that a couple of weeks ago as a result of a stumble or fall that the long standing (no pun intended) arthritic, dislocated shoulder made a small tear to his trachea which has healed on its own. The vet aspirated the area (even let Geordi's foster grandpa help pull on the syringe), so very little of the air is still trapped inside Geordi. Had she not done that, the vet said the air would have been absorbed by surrounding soft tissue & disappeared over time

Geordi had a chip on his shoulder. but no more. Look at the dark, almost football shaped area under the R on last week's x-ray. That's just a bunch of air stuck under Geordi's skin. The puffy area was discovered after Geordi was groomed last Thursday. The trapped air wasn't a problem. How it got there might have been. Likely sources were a cut in Geordi's trachea or to a lung. X-rays showed no signs of either. The air "pocket" dissipated somewhat over the weekend; Geordi no longer had a chip on his shoulder as much of the air moved mid-way down his abdomen. Again, no sign of injury to the trachea. No broken rib which might have punctured a lung. Best guess is that a couple of weeks ago as a result of a stumble or fall that the long standing (no pun intended) arthritic, dislocated shoulder made a small tear to his trachea which has healed on its own. The vet aspirated the area (even let Geordi's foster grandpa help pull on the syringe), so very little of the air is still trapped inside Geordi. Had she not done that, the vet said the air would have been absorbed by surrounding soft tissue & disappeared over time

Geordi of Heather's Foster Dogs tells fellow floster Carl, GET OUT OF MY WAY.

Geordi of Heather's Foster Dogs knows where to spend a rainy afternoon.

Where to spend a rainy afternoon.

Foster old man Paul back home from grooming day.

Back home from grooming day.

Foster old man Paul taking it easy on the way home from a long grooming session.

Grooming accomplished for foster old man Paul. Matted hair removed.

Grooming accomplished, matted hair removed.

Foster old man Paul being groomed at We're Nuts About Mutts, Tinley Park, IL.

12+ y.o. Paul headed for his foster home from Joliet Township Animal Control.

16 days after surgery, Geordi of Heather's Foster Dogs is Cone Free.

16 days after surgery ,,, Cone Free.

Geordi successfully begs for something to chew on after his first checkup after entropian surgery & collagen injection into his eyelids. Stitches removed today. Cone should come off tomorrow or the next day.

Geordi must be starting to recover from the surgery 2 days ago. He heard the knife hit the cutting board & climbed out bed to claim his share of the broccoli.

Starting to recover from the surgery 2 days ago. I heard the knife hit the cutting board to claim my share of the broccoli. Can't let Phil & Ringo have it all.

Geordi is ready for the post-surgery ride home.

Ready for the post-surgery ride home.

Geordi of Heather's Foster Dogs got in a walk before his fancy entropion surgery today. The ophthalmologist will make lateral incisions to his eyelids, insert some collagen & then suture them closed. The collagen should tighten the lids. Geordi's first entropion surgery didn’t keep the lashes out of his eyes because the lids were too slack.

Getting a walk in before my fancy entropion surgery today. The ophthalmologist will make lateral incisions to my eyelids, insert some collagen & then suture them closed. The collagen should tighten the lids. My first entropion surgery didn’t keep the lashes out of my eyes because the lids were too slack.