Thank You!

 I appreciate all of your "weighing in" with your own experiences with regards to canine ACL ruptures.  You might remember a couple years ago, our old Sammie had torn his ACL as well.  We weighed the options and for him, being elderly and low-energy, not doing surgery was best.  With his particular personality and aversion to anything remotely medical (even clipping toenails) no surgery was the best course - and it did prove so in the end.  By the end of three months he was bearing weight on his leg once again.  I'm pretty sure that he also tore the ACL on his opposite side at a later date... and that, too, proceeded as the first.

If ever there was an opposite of Sammie, though, it would be Chester.  Chester is high energy and excessively smart.  He's a worker (even when I don't especially want his help) and takes his job of horse-herder quite seriously.  His appointment with the vet is today.  After that we should better understand the ramifications of surgery with this particular dog.  At this point, we are leaning towards surgery, but will make our final decision after having talked it over with the vet.

Either way, life is going to be hard for Chester in the coming months.  It is going to require us slowing down a bit,as well, in order to monitor and limit his activity (severely).  Whatever happens... we will get through it and all will be good in the end - I am sure.  Luckily, Hubbs and I have Orthopedic backgrounds, so dealing with these types of injuries is familiar territory (at least in humans!)

Thanks again for sharing your own personal experiences... it helps!

Yesterday was bath day for Chester (so he smells pretty for the vet)... you see, Chester isn't really happy with his own personal space unless it is fetid, ie: he has rolled in something foul and gotten himself thoroughly filthy.  He's a wretched urchin, but we love him.  Oh, and he sheds like nobody's business.  Why did we adopt Chester, you ask?  Sometimes there is no choice - and in this case we "rescued" him from our kids.  So, before he was our dog, he was our grand-dog. 

Summer is doing what some teenagers do before leaving home for college - being miserable so you won't miss them when they leave.  It's hot and humid and the gnats are vicious.  After a summer with barely any black fly woes, we are now inundated with those almost invisible nasty-wasties who aren't happy until they have feasted upon your eyes, ears, and nose!


I spent what tolerable time I could outside yesterday morning on poop patrol... practically running from pile to pile to out-run the gnats!

I feel so sorry for the animals having to deal with these tiny creatures!

  Colder weather will be a relief for them on so many levels.

No visit to the front pasture is complete without stopping for a chat with the pigs!  

They are the most enthusiastic animals that are here on the farm.  Stopping for a chat with them is always so gratifying!



As I searched for manure, with my eyes to the ground, I was amazed at how many different types of fungus are growing in the pasture. 

 The abundant rainfall has kept the ground damp for weeks... providing the perfect conditions for mushroom growth.


I am so fascinated by fungi.   After finding out how important the fungal world is to our earth - providing a neural network for communication between trees and plan life - I have a whole new respect for the fungal kingdom.  If you have not yet watched the film, Fantastic Fungi - watch it.  You will be fascinated, I promise!

Hey, I believe that's our spot you're laying in!!

I love these garden spiders... their web always looks like it has a zipper!  This zipper is the last part of her web that she weaves.  When the silk dries in this area, it helps to pull the rest of the web tighter... thus giving it more strength and stability.

Isn't nature fascinating??

Comments

Anonymous said…
Good luck for surgery today on Chester!
Bee Haven Bev said…
Chester is only having his first diagnostic consultation today. Next appt is with a surgeon. No surgery today….. just an appointment.
jaz@octoberfarm said…
please let us know what the outcome is today. i can't believe you were lucky to get to see someone so quickly. we still have over 3 weeks to wait. it will be three months by the time we get the diagnosis and i honestly think i'm seeing improvement. willie has been going on very slow walks and he is more than happy to sleep and rest his booboo!
Boni said…
Good luck to Chester tomorrow! How do you know which Fungi are poisonous? I’ve never seen such beautiful ones!
Lynne said…
Liked all your fungi pics. . .
Almost a look of “fungi flowers.”
Thinking of Chester, hoping for the best course possible . . .
Gotta keep him rolling in yuck . . . 😉
THE BEARDED ONE said…
WE HAAVE FUNGI GROWING IN ALL OF OUR FIELDS...SOME HUGE LIKE A DOME...SPIDER WEBS ARE ARE AMAZINGLY STRONG...SURE HOPE THINGS WORK OUT WELL FOR CHESTER...HAVING AN ANIMAL HURTING HURTS US ALL..KEEP SMILING AND HAVE A SUPER DAAY !!!!! I SURE ENJOY THESE POSTS !!!!! THANK YOU MUCH !!!!


EDGR C. BEARD
farm buddy said…
I call these T-Rex spiders, and they are most definitely beautiful!
Best of luck with Chester.
This N That said…
Let me be one of the first to say how happy I am that Chester won't need surgery..one less worry..
Interesting spider web.
Fungi are fun to see..There don't seem to be as many around here as usual. The pasture would be a great place to find them and the compost pile...
Gnats are awful right now..mixwd with heat and humidity...UGH!!
xxoo
Bev, Your posts are always sooooo interesting. Waiting to hear what your decision will be with Chester. I love that pic of him with Bobby? So cute. Sorry to hear about the nasty bugs bugging everybody. Hope that simmers down soon. Ugh. Love all the fungi.....you always have such interesting fungi around your place and in your woods. I'm guessing you were never able to save any of the eggs from that nest of your guinea hen. And did you ever figure out what critter was scratching up your logs at your house? So many mysteries! Your blog posts are a special treat each day. I do so look forward to them. Thank you Bev! You're a talented lady in many ways.