Top ten things we learned at the vet today...

Oh yes, another vet visit!!! This time was only for yearly vaccinations, but now that they are really getting to know us, no topic is off limits. Dr. Mark Braunschmidt has been great with our bunch of boys.

Here are all the things we learned tonight...

10. The reason they booked us for 2 twenty minute appointments is because we sat in the waiting room for the first appointment.
9. The reason they booked the person after us for 2 appointments is because we took an hour and a half.
8. Barney does not like shots!!!! It took 4 sticks for the doctor to give him his vaccination and Barney tried to take his hand off. (I think he was just nervous)
7. Tucker is a spaz!!! (although, we kind of already knew that) That dog did not sit still the whole time. He was panting and pulling and now that we are home he is plopped out on the floor.
6. Tucker has chin acne. It's an easy fix, we just need to have non-plastic water and food bowls. We are also looking forward to this summer where we get to clean out each one of Tucker's face wrinkles to prevent bacteria from growing.
5. Barney has a fracture in his back tooth. Like he doesn't have enough problems in his mouth, now his back tooth is chipped and will need to eventually be sealed so that it doesn't die.
4. Yeast infections in the ears smell. Lucky for us, the boys both had non-smelly ears. Unlucky for us, Tucker has a lot of exudate (fancy word for ear wax). After a swab and culture, we discovered that Tucker has a coccile (fancy word for round cells) ear infection. Lucky for us, we caught it in the early stage. Unlucky for us, the antibiotics were $30. Lucky for us, we had left over ear solutions from Chief's million dollar ear infection last month.
3. How to excrete Tucker's anal glands. Yes, it sounds disgusting and yes, it is disgusting, but it is also disgusting when he licks his bottom and tries to scoot on the carpet. Jonathan wouldn't try it, but I lubed up and drained the right gland. The doctor even sent us home with some extra gloves....what a guy!!! He also showed me how to take the boy's temperatures. Chief was our first victim and it took two "inserts." But, he doesn't have a temperature!!! So be careful next time you borrow a thermometer from us.
2. Chief is not out of the woods. He is still having problems with his leg and Dr. Mark highly suggested that we come in for x-rays. And Chief's options aren't looking too great. A total hip replacement tops the list at $3000. Second place is removing the femoral head at $1200. (supposedly the muscles and tendons are so strong that they will hold everything else in place). And third is some injections weekly and then monthly. I thought we could just remove the leg and rename him Tripod (Jonathan did not find that to be humorous).
1. And the number one thing we learned at the vet today....all three boys are going on Prozac!!! The great Dr. Mark said it would help with "separation anxiety" and to "take the edge off"!!! We all know Barney has it, but Tucker's chronic sheet eating is also a sign of it, and now that Chief has a bum leg he said it couldn't hurt him. But the best part is that it is only $4 per month!!! Jonathan and I are hopeful that it will be the best $12 that we spend a month. And even better, it's the human form so in case it doesn't work for them, it could work for us.

So, all in all, another exciting trip!!!