Sayonara! Cone of Shame.

Scruffy wore the cone for two weeks, just to make sure he will not lick the area and delay the healing process.  It has been difficult for him to move around with the cone on his head.  I sometimes found him pulling the cone off his head out of frustration, especially if he is trying to hold the bone with his front legs.  

Finally, Scruffy's long wait is over!  Last weekend, I brought Scruffy to the vet for post operation check up and suture removal.

Scruffy's Pre and Post-Operative (Neutering) Care

For first time dog owners, neutering is a great learning experience towards becoming a more responsible dog owner.  I did not know that dogs (or cats), need to have proper care after neutering.  Somehow, I had the idea that unlike humans, dogs/cats can easily heal or recover naturally because of their unique physiology.    

Here are some things we did before and after Scruffy's surgery.  These are only a reference based on my personal experiences with taking care of Scruffy.  Always consult your veterinarian. 

Post-Operation Surprise!

I mentioned on my previous post, "Scruffy's Big Step," we took Scruffy to the vet for neutering.  As soon as we arrived at the clinic on Thursday morning, the assistants immediately prepared him for surgery.  After a few hours, we received a phone call from the clinic informing us that the surgery was over.

Scruffy spent the night at the clinic to rest and recover from the surgery.  We cannot help not to wonder how Scruffy will be when we pick him up the next morning.  We thought that maybe he will be less energetic and playful, and probably sleeping a lot.  But to our surprise, coming out of the treatment room, he was pulling the leash, eagerly trying to sniff and lick our toes.  He was jumping up and down with excitement, and happily wagging his tail, as if nothing happened.

Scruffy's Big Step

Scruffy's "hotel room."

For Scruffy, today is just an ordinary day.  But for us, today marks the day that Scruffy becomes an "adult."  LOL!

We brought him at the Orange Pet Care for neutering.  Scruffy has always been excited to go out of the house, especially riding a car.  When we arrived at the vet clinic, Scruffy was very reluctant to go inside.  I was dragging him in.  Once we got inside, I can tell he was nervous.  He kept whining and jumping, wanting to be carried.  He was uneasy, he kept sniffing and peeing.  I think every time we bring him to the clinic, he only remembers getting painful injections.  

First Vet Visit

Poor Scruffy...After getting the shots

We decided to bring Scruffy to the vet when he was two months old.  We went to Orange Pet Care, since it was close to the area we live in.  They provide excellent customer service, both the staffs and Dr. Felix Lapuz are very friendly.  They helped us understand the proper way of taking care of your pets.

Scruffy was just around 2 pounds when we went there to get his first set of shots.  My aunt decided to get an HMO plan which includes all the vaccines and other medicine Scruffy needs.

He was shaking a lot, especially when we put him on the table.  The doctor gave Scruffy anti-histamine before giving the first two shots.  I can still remember how loud Scruffy cried when the doctor stuck the needle in.  I saw his claws dug deep in the assistant's arms.  But the doctor thought me how to alleviate the pain, and good thing we brought his comfort hat.  He was tired and sleeping the entire day.