IceMan

Vinson meeting an ice cube

We tried out an ice cube to beat the heat - under close supervision with a single cube; puppies that eat too much ice (or anything!) too fast will likely vomit.

Vinson was fascinated by the cold treat that got smaller as he enjoyed it. He gently licked at it and nuzzled it around until it weakened. Finally, he quietly crushed it and finished it off; he was a little disappointed but cooled-off when it was gone.

Moving on Up at The Seeing Eye Campus

Vinson officially turned 13 weeks of age this weekend, and that meant it was time for a trip back to the vet's office for his distemper and rabies inoculations. As usual for Vinson, he didn't notice either injection at all.

The best news is, now that he has crossed this key inoculation milestone, Vinson is allowed to walk in the buildings and throughout the grounds of The Seeing Eye; and given that he weighs about 20 pounds, today is a celebration for both of us!

Photos of new campus explorations coming soon...

Bath Time!

Vinson calm, but perhaps not pleased

Bath time has been one thing we haven't been able to do with Vinson while his leg was in a cast from his hip to his toenails. This afternoon, after enjoying the Memorial Day parade, Vinson had his frist bath at our house.

Vison did very well, remained calm and looked hilarious. A little time out in the yard with a towel and he's raring to go.

Memorial Day Parade

Vinson was happy to discover that he currently lives on the town parade route. This morning he was thrilled to watch all of the firetrucks going by. He didn't frighten when the military group performed a 7-gun salute with their old muskets; but we did discover he is not fond of the marching band drummers.

As for his leg, it continues to gain muscle mass and is growing stronger. We remain careful about his activity level during the healing.

Vinson watching the firetrucks go by

"Did you see that?" Vinson enjoying the parade

Vinson said hello to the fire fighters

Strong Storms? No Problem.

Last night around 10 p.m., Sparta was hit by an intense thunderstorm with sustained winds reported above 60 m.p.h.

The storm included drenching rain, nearly constant lightening and thunder, falling branches and debris and very loud wind. The wind blew away a heavy door mat, blew two patio chairs over and up against the railing and brought down tons of leaves and limbs. This morning, I found our recycling bin under a neighbor's car!

Through it all, Vinson was content to watch the activity curiously from the safety of the living room, without so much as a whimper.

Sun Lover

Vinson absolutely loves to sit or lay in the grass and just watch the world go by. Here's a photo from our front yard last night, where Vinson and Sarah enjoyed a nice sunset together.

Vinson Loves to Lay in the Grass

Leaf Blowers and Coffee Don't Mix

This morning on our walk into the office, I had Vinson securely in my left arm (he is required to be carried on campus until he has completed his 13-week inoculations, which happens to be this weekend) and my coffee in my right arm. What I hadn't anticipated was the leaf blowers on the sidewalk, or Vinson's reaction to them since he's so unresponsive to most noises.

As we neared one of the staff members who was blowing grass cuttings off of the sidewalk, Vinson began squirming like a 20 pound worm. A quick blow from his foot to the coffee cup sent warm coffee up onto my face, neck and shirt. No harm done. We took a wider berth around the grounds crew and continued on.

In the future we'll work more on leaf blowers to ensure he is comfortable with them. For now, until he can walk on the property next week, the coffee and the dog will be on separate walks from the car!

Looking and Moving Better Already

Left Hind Leg Already Doing Much Better

Just 24 hours after having his splint removed, Vinson's leg already looks a little better and he's doing very well at putting weight on the leg on controlled leash walks. He also stopped licking the leg shortly after the splint was removed.

Vinson will occasionally lift the leg to reduce weight on it, but has already made noticeable improvements in a very short time.

Similar to a person recovering from an injury, Vinson's body seems to be telling him to get some extra rest. He has spent some extra time in the crate and seems very content to sleep. That's not to say that he doesn't have his trigger moments when that natural puppy energy wants to burst out of him, but that's where careful supervision comes in!

I took the photo in this article just a couple of minutes ago in my office. The most viewable hind leg (his left) is the one that was broken, but as you can see, it's already looking pretty normal!

Careful healing continues...

Heartworm and Flea & Tick Treatment Number Two

On top of having his splint removed, today happened to be Vinson's day for his second round of heartworm medication and FrontLine. He gave us no trouble with either treatment, just like last time.

Vinson is putting weight on his newly-splint-free hind leg but has a lot of muscle to rebuild. A very short circle in the lawn under leash control is enough work for now. Still, he seems very happy and we know he'll soon be ready for longer walks. He's doing great.

And Here's the Leg

No More Splint!

Here's the final photo from the clinic, with Vinson's leg newly free.

Special thanks to the professional staff that made Vinson's appointment a breeze this afternoon; and also to our local vet office, where nearly all of the staff has experienced at least one splint change over the past month.

And It's Off!

Vinson stands calmly as the technicians begin the removal

Just got back from the Vincent A. Stabile Canine Health Center here at The Seeing Eye. Vinson's splint is officially removed.

In typical Vinson fashion, he was very calm during the quick procedure.

His leg does look predictably atrophied, his nails are long and he does have a few pressure spots from wearing the splint for so long.

Underneath the wrap, the splint is visible

Now the new challenge begins: keeping Vinson from running or performing any movement that could risk reinjuring the leg while the muscle recovers; and also keeping him from any incessant licking which could create "hot spots" on the leg.

We'll be continuing the use of the e-collar as necessary.

"Breaking" News! Bone is Healed!

Maybe Vinson was telling us something we he squirmed out of his splint on Friday.

After reviewing his latest radiographs, the veterinarians have determined that Vinson's fracture is healed! His splint will officially be removed at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, exactly four weeks from the date when he broke the leg.

Vinson will be allowed limited activity for the first seven days - continued crate rest with some leash walking but no running - to allow the muscle to regain strength to support his newly-healed bone. After that, he's ready to be a normal puppy again!

More photos and videos to follow.

Cone Head: The Return

Vinson wearing the cone at the office

Vinson took a renewed interest in his latest wrap over the weekend, attempting to pull padding out from the top of the splint.

To prevent him from ingesting any bits of material and to protect the splint, Vinson is currently back wearing the cone.

Here he is this morning at the office.

From Five to Six in Less than 24 Hours!

Apparently, the purple camouflage wrap didn't suit Vinson's tastes - during our rainy day routine of placing Vinson on my lap and covering his wrap with a plastic bag and rubber band before heading outside to park, the splint and wrap we had put on just last night slipped right off onto the floor!

I immediately immobilized the leg as best as possible, and used my one free hand to call one of my two area coordinators, who happens to work on campus. She relayed the information the clinic on site and I quickly but cautiously brought the little guy to the clinic.

Staff veterinarians immediately took him in, performed the radiographs they were going to do next week, and gave him splint/wrap number six - now a darker, solid purple. Vinson was back in the crate in my office in less than an hour, and seems no worse for wear.

Just goes to show you can never predict daily life with your young pup! Photos coming soon.

Vinson Meets S.E.S.Y. Students

Vinson just did a meet and greet with the May S.E.S.Y. (Seeing Eye^® Seminar for Youth) class here on campus. I described Vinson's appearance for the students who are blind, gave them a brief history of his leg incident, and then held him while each student got a chance to pet him, feeling his fur and his cast.

As usual, Vinson was a big hit; and he and I both had a wonderful time meeting the group.

If you aren't familiar with the S.E.S.Y. program, you can learn more about it on The Seeing Eye's YouTube channel.

Crocodile Phase Winding Down

In the last two days we've noticed a big decline in Vinson's urge to chew and nip. It's not completely over, but just like our area coordinator said there would be, there is a noticeable decline after about two weeks of severe nipping action. Great news!

Back from the Vet

Fifth splint and wrap complete - this time, purple camouflage and a longer splint now that his legs are getting longer. Official weight - 17 pounds!

Vinson was a bit squirmy during the splint change, which is to be expected as an 11.5 week-old puppy. He was worn out when we got home and is now snoozing in his crate.

The next checkup will be at The Seeing Eye on Tuesday, when his radiographs will be done to see how the bone is healing.

Barking Resistance that Fades to a Grunt

Having recently mastered his bark (which is much louder than you might expect for an 11.5 week old puppy), Vinson has begun using his bark to assert that he would rather be out of the crate than in it (at work, until he has his 13 week inoculations, he must be crated in the office).

After a correction, Vinson will continue to bark for a little bit - typically less than 30 seconds. Once he realizes that he is not winning the situation, the bark begins to get lower and weaker, until it is nothing but a slow groan. Quite comical to listen to the fade-out; and just another part of growing, learning and training!

Splint Number 5 Thursday Afternoon

Vinson will be getting his fifth splint tomorrow afternoon at the vet's office - a bit of a milestone in that the next splint change will be next Tuesday, when his radiographs are redone at The Seeing Eye, which should tell us how long he'll need the splint. Keep your fingers crossed!

Plastic-Wrapped Rainy Day Blues

wrapped in plastic during this nasty weather

Vinson's splint wrap is made of cloth and tape and can not get wet. This week has been incredibly rainy here in New Jersey, so every time we go out to park, the splint has to be wrapped in plastic.

I've been using a simple bag and rubber band, which seems to work well. The bag holds up for a few trips to the grass, after which I use it for it's (ahemm) intended purpose and swap it out for a new baggie.