Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Happy Birthday Zippy!



Happy Birthday Small Dog! Zippy is 18 today. Wow. I never thought when I adopted him at 11 years old that we'd have at least seven years together. What a ride it's been, too. So much joy and laughter... and frustration too. But mostly the good stuff. Happy Birthday wee man.

Now for an update (which I know we've all been waiting for). I took Zippy in yesterday for his teeth to be rechecked, and to ask about his pecker situation. With regards to the teeth, they look great but the smell is returning. The vet thinks that it could have to do with the sutures, and we're going to give him another three weeks and look again.

With regards to the pecker... it turns out that his pecker pucker string is broken, more or less. The opening to the prepuce is not drawing shut tightly enough, and his penis is basically falling out. It collects debris and bacteria, and then gets all infecty and swollen, and either gets erect or just sort of pokes out some.

Realistically speaking if I was 126 years old I'm guessing some of my puckering abilities would be a bit compromised too.

The vet has decided to try (instead of ten days) a 21 day course of antibiotics. He says that we *could* possibly do some surgery to tighten the prepuce back up, but so far Zippy seems to cruise along fine and not have issues but about every six months, so if that's the case we'll leave it alone and just hit him with ABX on an as needed basis.

As I was getting ready to leave the vet's office I asked if I should put some antibiotic ointment "in there". They asked the vet and he said I should just... wash it. I said, "Um... I've never just washed a dog penis before. I don't even know how. What do I do?"

Needless to say the three vet techs and I all got tickled. I still don't know for sure how I'm supposed to wash his penis, but we're sort of figuring it out. A cold bath I can do. But wash it? I mean, do I need to make it poke out (not that it's not already poking out) or do I just wash what's already exposed? Am I just washing outside? Am I washing inside? What do I wash it with? Who washes dog penises anyhow?

No way was I sending them back in there to ask him all of that. We're just going to wing it.

11 comments:

Kelly said...

HA HA HA on a sad day you have me laughing about Zippy's pecker problem. And I have this imagine of you hunched over a tub, talking to Zippy and trying to wash "it".

Laura Carson said...

Well, add him bucking like a bronco and grumbling to that image and you have it about right.

Robin French said...

LOL! Happy Birthday Zippy! 18 wow.

Jean said...

Happy, happy birthday Zippy! If a pecker pucker string is all that's broken and a pecker the only thing that's swingin' downward, you're in a lot better shape than I am!

Laura Carson said...

You and me both, Jean. LOL!

And just in the interest of full disclosure, I decided to just do him in the kitchen, which involved chasing him down and then trying to make him stand still while I did my thing to his thing.

Even at 18 years old he can outrun me... and he can out-endure me. I'm constantly amazed. Even more amazing is how a dog who cannot see much and cannot hear much KNOWS I'm coming to DO something to him (and thus he runs away).

Karissa said...

Happy Birthday, Zippy! Eighteen years, that is just fantastic!

They make a product for horses intended for the purpose of sheath cleaning (ie: washing their willy). It's called Excalibur.

http://www.horse.com/item/farnam-excalibur-sheath-cleaner/SLT170179/

I don't know if you actually NEED that for Zippy's "issue," but there is a product out there just for this purpose. :o)

Kelly said...

I think I'd stay away from excaliber, though someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Horses have "dry things" that tend to have little lubrication therefore collect smegma that needs to be softened and removed.

Dogs have "wet things" and I would think that exacaliber would be a bad idea...

And I seem to remember once having a cut on my hand while using excaliber on a horse once and it buring FWIW

And believe me I could be wrong :)

Doniene said...

Happy B-day Zippy!! We need a video of the cleaning!! LOL I've done a horse, but a dog... well let's just say... I'm thinkin of ya!!

Mara said...

Wow - 18 is an incredible milestone! Happy Birthday Zippy :-)

Steffi said...

Hope Zippy had an excellent birthday! That's incredible that at 18 he's still outrunning you :)

Laura Carson said...

Steffi, in interest of full disclosure I don't exactly have blazing speed of power to begin with. lol