Fantasy Football Friday! (and weekend hiatus)

Hello!

I wanted to let everyone know first of all that yesterday I got my checkup at the V-E-T-apostrophe-S and all is well with me, my stomach, and my surgery area. I have been cleared to travel, which is good, because...

I am going to Illinois with Dad and Mom to perform the auspicious office of Fantasy Football team mascot for Dad's team this year. Yes, it's kinda nerdy, and yes, it's full of testosterone (do those two even go together?), but Dad likes it, and anything that makes him happy is fine with me! He named his team PugNation, which I think is a neat little play on words acknowledgement to how I rule his life ever since I came to the house.

So, I will be gone all Labor Day weekend and will be back on Tuesday, blogging as usual! In the meantime, while I'm there I get to meet my human grandpa for the first time and hang out with my Dad's friend's bigdog Sadie. Pawesome! The only drawback: 13-15 hours in the car... one way. At least it will be broken up on the way down. Straight through on Monday on the way back? Eeek.

I promise I will pose for lots of pictures (of me-- don't worry, I won't let any pictures of beer-drinking guys sitting around a draft board creep in). Have a great weekend, everyone!

Day Four Inside the Cone

Ha! It worked! I got lots of suggestions from furiends to give the "Glummy face" and see if that got me out of the cone.

After that, it was just a matter of time until it come off.


A few licks of the hand that helps you never hurt.

I still have to put it on when I'm in the cage and when I'm sleeping, but Mom and Dad have relented and let me walk around with it on while they're home. Dad gave me some BS about not licking myself and getting infection, blah blah blah... I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention.

My NOMS furiends Samantha and Mr. Tigger got their Christmas in July package from me, and are finally able to post after sitting through some really nasty storm named Fay. I felt bad, because after some research on the feline species, I discovered that they don't like water (I sympathize). Apparently there was a lot of it down there.

I'm back to my usual self, chillin' at home, chewing on stuff I'm not supposed to:




So, when caught, I just tried that "Glummy face" tactic:


Nice tip there, guys! That one works like magic-- I got to keep the blue stick. Of course, I don't get a lot of positive modeling at home:


Mom was actually pretty happy this happened. She's been getting on Dad for a while now, saying the fact that he uses a loofa is just a bit too fluffy. Dad usually then gives her a big speech about societal expectations and reverse sexism and contradictory messages... that's when I REALLY tune out. Anyway, Mom's happy Snoufer did her a favor and killed the blue fluff-beast so she didn't have to go passive-agressive and help it "turn up missing."

I'm feeling great-- thanks for all the well-wishes! I'm taking a trip with everyone down to Illinois this weekend to visit family and help Dad out with something he calls a Fantasy Football draft. Mostly, my job is to distract the competition with my cuteness. I think I'm up to the task. We'll see if I'm up to handling something Snoufer calls "humidity." He's been to Michigan and Illinois before, and he says it's not fun. Maybe I can try the Glummy face on it...

The Curious Incident of the Pug in the Day-time

I'm back!

Whew! What an ordeal that was! First Dad takes me to this shiny place with lots of friendly people, then he leaves me there, then they give me a poke in my skin and I get all woozy and go to sleep, then I wake up and feel... really wierd, like something's missing. Can't figure out what, though... Oh, in other unrelated news, I have an odd line of funny-looking black things down by my back end. I try to reach them, but I've got this blooming cone thing on my head. It kinda freaks me out; I won't lie to you.




So that was Day One from inside the cone; Day Two was full of stomach-churning wierdness. Lots of stuff, coming out both ends. Didn't feel good, I can tell you that. But hey-- Dad seemed really upset, so I gave him lots of kisses and snuggles. In fact, I feel like snuggling a LOT lately. I just need to feel the humans next to me. Not really sure why, just do. Here's what's neat about it all, though: after not feeding me for like a day and getting me REALLY HUNGRY, Dad is now giving me this rice and meat stuff that is TO DIE FOR. I inhale it-- I never do that to food! I think there are some wierd little circular things in there that are hard, crunchy, and bitter, but I don't notice them too much. I'm too busy trying to figure out how to breathe around the food. Remember when Snoufer was sick, and I wished that I could get some of the side benefits too? Yeah... be careful what you wish for, right?

But life in the cone isn't all that bad. I get LOTS of cuddles and wrinkle-scratches and fussing, which is pawesome. Snoufer treats me a little better now; at least, he's not growling at me all the time. He does sniff my butt a lot, which is bizarre-- I've been here for almost 6 months, dude. You know who I am and what I smell like. Dad takes the cone off of me for a little bit during the day, especially when I'm outside. I can't got to the bathroom with that thing on. I don't know, it just freaks me out to do my business without seeing all around me. But, I get it put back on at night and during the day when Mom and Dad are at work. When it comes off, though, I get to play!

More news (of a sort): I'm starting to warm up to this whole water thing. I still don't think I like baths, but I will at least voluntarily get in the dreaded white coffin-- especially if Snoufer joins me.


And in other news, as of Day Three inside the cone (today), I have kept down all my food and antibiotics and have reduced swelling around the wierd black line, so things seem to be doing better! At least, Dad's mood is improved, and he's stopped looking at me like it's the last time he'll ever see me. Silly humans...

I'm so glad to be back, and I look forward to catching up with everyone!

Puddy Updates

Hello everyone!

First of all, let me say that Puddy is doing fine. Having said that, things could have gone better. When he was released, he had SERIOUS swelling on his surgery area. In fact, when he came out I asked the nurse if his hoo-has were actually gone! She assured me that the swelling was normal and would go down with antibiotics and other meds he was given.

All went well last night: he slept through the night, and was able to eat some food. That morning, we started the antibiotics (Clavamox) and other meds. However, he was unable to keep any food down all day and also experienced diarrhea. After that, I took him to the doggie emergency room. He didn't appear to have any ill effects from the surgery (i.e., no soreness, normal appetite, normal energy), so we thought it might have been unrelated. He was two pounds lighter on Saturday when we took him in than he was on Friday when he got snipped.

The good news is that he didn't have to stay the night. The bad news is that the vet thinks the antibiotic was causing him some upset stomach, so we have to keep him off of food (for 24 hours) and water (for 12 hours) to let his stomach settle, and then get him back on the antibiotics with a bland diet. If he throws up again, we have to switch meds. Regarding his swelling, the vet was actually more concerned with that than the vomiting. He thinks that during the surgery they missed a vein and now he has a slight hematoma "down there". This makes the antibiotic situation CRUCIAL, since he has to keep those down (and have the right kind) in order to avoid a more serious problem from infection.

It's not as bad as I'm making it sound, but I'll admit that with my reservations going into the surgery, this is doing nothing to ease my mind. I'll keep everyone updated on what happens.

Have a happy day!

Dates and updates

Hello everyone!

I promised I would update more. So take that, procrastination! Grrr.... I'll chew you to a mushy pulp if you come near me again. And then I'll swallow you when Mom and Dad aren't looking. And then you'll come out my butt in one long string. Because that's what I do.

So yesterday Mommy and Daddy went on a date and saw "Wall-E", which is about this robot who cleans up trash. Which is silly, really-- the best part about trash is rolling around in it and seeing the carnage you have caused. Dad really liked it, but Mom was so-so. They both REALLY like animated movies, especially Pixar stuff. They're OK. I just like seeing the pug in "Pocahontas". Someday the humans will treat me to that kind of luxury. Aaaahh...

Speaking of luxury, Dad was pretty psyched that he saw a pug in the trailer for "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," which up to this point he had no desire to see. He's such a sap and a sucker. Which means I've done my job.

Snoufer continues to do much better. He's back to his usual self, playing with his rubber ball:



Acting like a vicious watchdog:



And generally indulging his terrier instincts:

I like rodent toys, too:


Speaking of pests, Snoufer and I have been on the hunt for spiders lately. Several have crawled into the basement, which is a source of no end of frustration for Dad (since he finished the basement) and terror for Mom (since she hates spiders). We'll keep her safe, though.

That will do as an update for now, especially since Dad is about to sit down to watch one of my favorite shows: "Firefly"! I'll put up more pictures next time. Thank you so much to everyone who has commented and kept up with my blog! Suggestions are always welcome, so bring 'em on!