2024 Thursday — April Showers

Regarding this photo: I’m headed north out of Morro Bay toward Cayucos; Estero Bay is the name of the big bay our community sits on the edge of. We are 25-30 miles south of the Big Sur Coast.

I’m was on my way home from the Morro Bay veterinary group when I captured this photo. Mitzi pup, a Shih Tzu, (really an old lady) has lumps, bumps, and warts all over her skin. Years ago a veterinarian told us that because her breed has been bred to not shed, they sometimes develop this condition. Years ago she had one grow between her toes on one of her front paws. It had to be removed surgically, so that vet suggested removing as many of the others as possible and explaining that they would dig deep to get the “roots” and we agreed. I think that surgery must have added to the epidemic of warts she has now.

One of those wart things is bleeding. It’s at the shoulder on the top of her left front leg. (I actually think her harness rubs on it and irritates it and she only wears her harness when we take her for walks.) I just did not want to hurt her while trying to take care of the bleeding wart. A rather large fur/dried blood/ball had developed (sorry, that’s yucky, I know). So to the veterinarian we went. The vet cleaned it up real good and treated it with silver nitrate and provided a prescription cream that needs to be applied twice a day. If the bleeding does not subside, then the vet says surgery will be necessary. Mitzi is 15 & 1/2. I don’t think surgery would be a good idea.

The vet also gave Mitzi an injection of Cytopoint to hopefully stop her from licking and itching. I had Chloe with me and it was time for her Cytopoint injection. It had been 6 weeks since her last one, which is fabulous because normally she needs one after 4 weeks because she is so itchy.

While I was at the veterinarian office I asked to make an appointment to get toenails trimmed and glands drained on both of them and the office gal/assistant said, “Hey, how about we do it now?” And I was a definite “yes.” So today’s vet bill was a sizable “ouch.” When we invited these pups into our family, we were committing to take care of them. It’s much more costly to have older dogs than younger ones. We are also much more attached to them than we have ever been. Warts and all we love Mitzi. And Chloe, she sheds pounds, it seems, of fur every day, if not every minute; we love her anyway.

And that is the story of today!
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol
and Chloe & Mitzi too!