Bath Time!

Leo's Medical Mystery

Leo had been having skin issues since spring. I assumed it was typical Bulldog allergies. With our holistic vet's blessing, I put him on a hypoallergenic diet and started the medicated baths. His coat was not looking too bad except for his feet. They were yeasty. His skin was black on his underside. His chin and jaw area was always broken out with postules that would burst and drip bloody gunk. He started itching and broke out further and in a matter of a day or so started having puss ooze from new sores on his ankles and chin. I knew he had an infection. The bloody gunk turned to puss and the new sores had appeared very fast. He became very lethargic. I took him right in to the traditional vet (closest to our house) who agreed he had not one but 3 infections!!! He was put on antibiotics as well as an anti itch medicine with a bit of steroid in it to give him some relief. It helped him immediately.
During this time he had develpoed warts. They were small at first so I left them alone and separated him from the other dogs. He was on the medicine for the infections for about a week and a whole new set of bloody postules arose, he also started breaking out on the back of his neck. That was enough! I went straight to the Dermatologist.
With labels from everything he eats in hand I showed up ready to do a full allergy screen and have a serum made for him. As we waited for the doctor I looked down at my sweet boy. He was sitting on my feet and taking the whole new environment in. He was just happy to be somewhere with his Mom. I appreciate and am amazed by what a trooper Leo has been through all of this. He never seemed fazed, but I was. I was bound and determined to end the discomfort I knew this had to be causing him. The Dermatologist arrived. He did skin scapes and interviewed us. He left to process the information. When he returned I got a pretty big shock! Leo had MANGE!!!!!
The only experience I had with mange was that my dogs and I caught it from a foster puppy we had many years ago. It was a long, awful process. I was sick at the thought that we were about to go through that again! As I was probably turning white in front of him, the doctor said it was not contagious. Whew!
Leo had Demedex mange. He explained to me that every dog has these mites and that they usually take over and present a problem in dogs who have a weak immune system. I have always suspected there is a link in dogs born with birth defects having a weak or compromised immune system. This news reinforced that as had the warts.
We went home with Ivermectin to treat the Demedex and with some Interferon injections for the warts.
Treating mange is a long process. It entails further medicated baths to attack mites superficially as well as oral doses of the Ivermectin. The oral meds taste strong so it is advised you give the dog cola to wash it down and leave a better taste in their mouth.
These two new meds add to the array of meds and supplements Leo is already on. I will share his daily protocol in an upcoming entry, so I can demonstrate what it takes daily, to give Leo a quality existance. The reason it is important for people to know this is so they are prepared as to what the possibilites are when adopting a special needs animal. As I have said on this blog, and to anyone who has questioned my sanity for adopting Leo-Everything I do is a LABOR of LOVE. He is worth every poopy or pee soaked blanket I wash and every dollar I spend, and all the time it takes. He is a BUNDLE of LOVE in its purest form. That being said, owning a SB Bullie is not for the faint of heart. I admire and hold great respect for those who have taken on one or (bless them) more of these delightful dogs.

Leo's Summer

Leo has had a full summer. He has seen many of his friends and played hard. He has splashed in the pools and climbed the logs. He has sunned himself on the deck and rolled around in the doggy dig area. He has dealt with some skin issues and some infections which I will save for another post. Other than those medical issues, he is a happy, well adjusted Bulldog with a huge circle of friends human and canine who love him. Here is a glimpse of his fun summer..........................

The Shawns

Two of my dearest friends, Shawn and Shawn, decided to kick the summer off with a BBQ. These two gentlemen do not ever have ordinary gatherings. The decor was elegant, but inviting. The food was a fantastic array of comfort food served on beautiful china. The crowd was friendly and fun. It was the second outing for Leo and I to a festive gathering. I put a summery boy band on him along with his new "bling" a light blue leather collar with rhinestones! He looks so handsome in Light Blue that I have decided it is his "signature color." I was so excited for my friends to meet Leo. They have three dogs of their own, Chloe, Bunny and Sebastian. They are animal lovers. My heart dog Sting just adored them. Now it was Leo's turn to charm them :) Leo was on his best behavior, sitting with our friend, Connie and I as we ate and visited. He was really good about NOT jumping on people's laps for food, even though I know he was thinking about it. He quietly took his place by a door way so he could get attention from each guest as they passed through. It was too funny! He is a bit of an attention monger for sure! Once things were winding down and my two handsome hosts sat down with us to visit, Leo worked his magic and was in both of their laps. (The pics I took were on my cell phone so please excuse their focus.)

It was a beautiful afternoon well spent.

Leo's Pals Murphy and Stitch

Leo was very excited when his pal Murphy returned and brought along his pal Stitch or a few days of play. Leo first met Murphy when he and his Mom, Tina brought us our foster dog, Monique. She was not interested in playing with eith er of the young upstarts. So they took off on their own romp. Leo had always wished his pal Murphy would visit again, but this was really cool that he had Stitch with him. The three boys were very busy and stuffed a weeks worth of play in a couple of days. Here are Murphy nd Stitch in calmer moments, when they are not a blur across the camera :)

Keeping Cool

Elvis shared with Leo his LOVE of pools. Leo thinks if Elvis says its cool then it is! LOL!

Leo and His Big "Brother"

Leo met Elvis who is a regular visitor to our place. He has stayed here since he was quite young. He has grown up with my Bloodhound, Gracie-their birthdays are just a few days apart. Gracie, Elvis and Leo are an awesome trio. Elvis and Leo chase Gracie all over and she taunts them with various toys and objects she prances around the yard with. Eventually, she plops down rolls over and lets them win. After their conquest the Bulldog boys hang out under the shade tree sometimes napping.

Napping the day away.................

Leo loves to play. He runs and jumps and stomps through the kiddie pools. He romps and rolls through the grass with his friends. He has a favorite spot on the deck. He will retire there and ponder his world or supervise the play in the yard. Sometimes those thinking sessions are tiring and he decides to think lying down. He will snooze in the sun like this until I decide he has had enough sun.............

Leo the cookie monster......

It has been a challenge finding food that does not upset Leo's tummy. He is on a perscription diet which is high in fiber. He gets a little scoop of pumpkin and some steamed chicken breast on top. I consulted a wonderful holistic vet who gave me a supplement with a binding agent in it. Now we have firm poop that comes out pretty much, all at once. This is a HUGE improvement from the smeary residule poops which slipped out randomly and created so much mess. He still is on the strict diet to avoid "poop explosions." His most favorite treats are his cookies. They are heart shaped (of course) and they come in peanut butter or cheddar. He is doing well with these cookies. They make him so happy! I thought it only fitting for him to have a t shirt that defines him :)

Leo at home....................

Leo's First Swim!

The day after Leo’s first birthday was quite amazing! I had slept very well after finalizing that life changing decision for both of us. The fact that he was my boy now had me ELATED! I guess everyone who knew us intimately figured it would happen, but I was doing my best to be absolutely sure it was the best option for Leo.
That afternoon I had been invited to a "Celebration of Life" for one of my special needs boarding clients. His name was Jazzy. He was the most handsome Springer Spaniel I had ever met. He was paralyzed from the waist down. Warm water therapy allowed him to be whole again, so it was a K9 pool party. Jazzy passed away a few weeks ago and the party in his honor was held on what would have been his 16th birthday. Teri Sahm, who owns the dog pool told me I should bring Leo. I thought about it and decided it was time Leo had an outing where no one had a pre disposed idea of him or his condition. So we went. He wore his blue plaid boy band and his new blue striped birthday collar. He was stylin’! Leo was the hit of the party. There were all types of dogs there. Some were quite handicapped, being pulled around in wagons or on stretchers. Others romped in a group outside the pool house. Leo ran up to the side of the pool and I thought he was going to jump in! I offered him a drink from the water bowl incase he was thirsty, but that was not it. Leo wanted to swim! I have taught each of my Mastiffs and my Bloodhound to swim at this pool. I was excited at the fact that I might have a dog who was even more enthusiastic than my past dogs. But alas, I declined when the water therapist, Claire offered to take him in. I feared a "poop explosion" in the pool. We had a successful poop on the lawn when we arrived but still, I was cautious. Sometimes excitement can cause some residual poops to slip out. Teri arrived poolside with a swim diaper and solved the dilemma. Leo went right in with Claire as if he had always been a swimmer. I was just about in tears! He was such a natural! Claire put a life vest on him and he paddled around like a darling little duck! Thankfully, Claire’s husband, Mark got a bunch of pictures. I was so happy. Now I can bring Leo and my Bloodhound, Gracie (his best friend) to the pool and we can all swim together! How cool is that?!?! Leo met everyone at the party. No one knew he was different. When I explained what he had been through to Claire she was shocked and said she never would have known. He was so happy to be there. I was so proud of him. What a wonderful afternoon! Here are a few pictures of Leo’s first swim…..

Leo's Birthday Gift from Me

For Leo's very first birthday I am giving him the gift of a forever home-My home.

This is the place he has unpacked his bags at.

The place he has healed at.

The place he is adored.

This is Leo's home.

I LOVE LEO!

But I am sure many of you know that :)

At first I decided to help Leo when I was mourning my heart dog Sting. Sting was lost to cancer last Christmas. Once the holidays were over, I started crying and could not stop. Its what I spent the little free time I had doing. When Tegan asked me to rehab Leo I had to think about it but decided it would be better to put the energy I was spending crying on helping this puppy.
Along this journey with Leo I have learned so much. One thing I have learned thanks to Sting and Leo both, is to never accept terrible things like terminal diagnosis or believing a dog will be handicapped or uber dependent forever etc. Even though these things may be correct, I have refused them. I put my heart and energy and strength into Sting's journey and we were fortunate to have him nearly two years after his diagnosis. We were origionally given 4-6 months. No one knew what Leo would be able to accomplish after surgery. I went into action mode with Leo, just as I had with Sting-I know no other way to react to things I find insurmountable.
In the first two weeks, Leo had reached rehab goals the surgeon's assistant said would not happen for months. After having that taste of success, I started to realize the possibility that he could truly lead the life of a normal dog thanks to the surgeon and the people who moved the earth to make it happen. I believe in Leo. I am inspired by his joyful attitude and the fact that he never gets discouraged. I am protective of his innocence. I am excited to experience his future victories by supporting him when he needs it, while leading him to a better place. We are a team.
That being said, I will admit my struggle with the dilemma of making Leo a permanent part of my family. I have agonized over this for the past months. Whether I loved him was never a question. I fell in love with him the moment I saw him. My concern was doing the absolute best thing for Leo. He is thriving here. He is happy every day. He has friends He gets to play and splash and stomp and run every day with them. He goes on car rides that are NOT to vet appiontments, or to be rehomed. He has a high quality diet and supplement protocol that is followed explicitly for his comfort. He has toys, boy bands, a custom knit sweater from a dear friend's Mom and collars galore. He has many human friends who love and support us and our journey. Soon we will start obedience, to further stimulate his brain and swimming to build up his rear end muscles.
The thought of placing Leo with anyone brings me to tears. To me, he is perfection already.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY LEO!

Leo is sure growing up fast. Tomorrow is his first birthday. He sure has been through a lot for such a young dog. He never sems to have a bad day or worry about anything. His hematoma at the surgical site has finally started to recede. This will allow his band to fit better when he is loose in the house and his pee needs to be controlled. He has good and bad poop days. I had my holistic vet give me a binding agent to try so that his poops might come out all at once rather than one nice poop outside and many small poops inside everywhere he is. He is doing well on his special food along with pumpkin, steamed chicken breast and pro biotics powder to keep his intestine in order. He has many friends here and looks forward to playtime with them. He and Gracie the Bloodhound play a fast and rowdy game of chase where she jumps over him and he darts under her. Trudi the Bullmastiff likes to groom his ears. He is the only dog who will sit still for her domineering behavior. He loves the attention.

A Day in the Life of Leo

8AM~Wake up-usually slowly, he prefers to sleep in until around 9:00 :) I give him a tummy rub, and talk softly to him.
8:15~He finally gets up, and walks outside. I remove his boy band and he pees swirls across the deck. He does not seem to ever know when he is peeing, so the boy band must be on indoors at all times. As he cruises around outside I clean his crate. I change the bedding and look for any little poops that might have "escaped" during the night. I strip the wet pads from his boy band and drop them in the special trash receptacle that hangs from the side of his crate. I put the boy band in the wash, because he soaks the pads and sometimes the band during the night. Once his crate is clean I meet him at the door and wipe his underside and bottom to clean off any poop that might still be hanging around. He stands perfectly as I put his band on. He goes back into his crate to wait for breakfast as I rotate the other dogs out. 8:30~Leo barks his "I want food bark" as he hears me preparing breakfast in the dog room. He has two different pitches and I listen carefully as I make breakfast. If it sounds more desperate than demanding then he is telling me he needs to poop again. I stop what I am doing to prevent him from pooping his clean crate. If it is a poop call and I am too late, I clean it up. If not, I put him back outside to finish. As I arrive with breakfast he gets very excited. I meet him at the door, wipe his bum and he dashes into his crate to eat. His breakfast consists of RD Prescription Diet and pro biotic powder, to keep his poop consistent and his intestinal tract in order. It is now 9AM.9:30~Leo has eaten his breakfast. He has had time to let his food settle. At this point he will join his friends in the play yard. I check his crate for anything that shouldn't be there and start laundry.
10:15~I join Leo and his pals in the yard. Moose the Chocolate Lab is begging me to chuck the tennis ball for him, so the games begin. Moose chases the ball and Leo chases Moose along with Ginger the Norfolk Terrier chasing Leo. Ginger yodels as she runs and it is a sight! Once Leo gets tired of all the running, he comes and sits between my legs as I stand there chucking the ball. He seems so content to watch the world from my feet. He is a very sweet soul. Once the ball game is over and the dogs are wandering on their own I head back inside to keep my chores going. 11:30~Leo and friends come back in from outside. I meet him at the door to wipe his underside, legs, and bottom. I then put his new belly band back on-fresh with new pads. He gets a cookie and goes into his crate. I cover his crate so he is not distracted and can sleep. At this point he settles in for a 1-3 hour nap-usually. Today, he starts barking the "poop bark" after being covered for about 5 minutes. I am in the restroom and cannot get to him that moment. When I do arrive he has pooped in his crate. I let him out and he takes off running to the dog bed full of toys. He is a lot like a tired child with bursts of energy right before they pass out into a deep sleep. I look up from cleaning his crate and pulling his dirty towels and realize he is leaving a trail of poop prints because the poop is on his foot. Leo is rolling around in the middle of the toys having a big time! I grab his poopy paw and clean it off as he kicks and rolls. He is too cute for words. Once I am done with his crate he is on his side starting to fall asleep. I gently get him up and lead him to his clean bed and put him down for his nap a second time. I collect the toys he got poop on along with the cover of the dog bed and head to the washer. It is now a little past Noon.
2:30~Leo starts making grumbling noises that signal he is starting to wake up. I let him go on for a minute and then he is quiet again. False alarm, he was just getting re settled.
3:20~Leo is grumbling in a big way and there is no question he is up and needs to poop. I uncover him and he stretches while yawning the most adorable yawn I have ever seen. I lead him outside and remove his band. A burst of pee shoots out going everywhere. He walks off down the ramp to the lawn where his friends are playing, dropping little poops along the way. I grab the hose and bleach spray to clean the deck and my shoe. Outside, he poops wherever it falls out. He does not squat or act like he knows he is pooping. The only time it registers is when he is in his crate and somehow knows he will have poop in his bed if he does not speak up. Leo sees his friends Gracie and Samson. He takes off running faster than I have ever seen him run. It is glorious to watch! He is not limited mobility-wise at all. He chases them through the log area and stomps into the kiddie pools. He is smiling wildly.
4:30~Leo is at the door sitting with his back against it. He is worn out. He does not have play stamina anywhere close to the other dogs. He has a total blast, then goes to his spot. From here he watches the other dogs continue to play as he rests.
5:00~I bring Leo inside, hoping he has been outside long enough to work all of his poop out. I wipe his underside and his rear end. I put his band on, and toss a cookie into his crate. He goes in and happily munches his treat. He gets comfortable and starts chewing his bone. I start to prepare dogs that are going home for departure. As I am packing up and preparing their dinner, Leo starts the poop bark again. I let him outside with his band on and he drops a big poop on the deck. Sometimes it takes awhile for a good-sized poop to make it out. He has many small poops as he is around the yard and playing. Many times when he returns in after a lot of stimulation he gets settled and then realizes he has one poop left on deck. This may be from the puppy in him ignoring that its time to poop because he is too busy playing or it works its way out after great stimulus outside. The issue of poop coming out so sporadically may improve as he matures and we will not see the full positive effects of his surgery for a few more months. The consistency of his poop is on the softer side as well, much of the time. This may be a permanent affliction. He is on a strict high fiber diet that never varies yet his poop texture does. Only time will tell with both of these issues.
5:20~Leo is back inside. I have wiped his bottom and he is loudly barking his "food bark" because during all his playtime he has worked up an appetite. I give him his bowl. He starts gobbling his dinner and I return to what I was doing. A few minutes later as I walk into the room I see a sweet little Bulldog passed out and snoring next to his food bowl. I put his crate cover over him so he can rest.
7:15~Leo senses his friends are passing by his crate and he wakes up. I let him out, take his band off and he runs peeing after the rest of the pack. I toss the band in the laundry and prepare his bed time band for his return. The bed time band is either 3 pads instead of two or I add a thick hand towel for the best absorbency. It makes a big cushy and soft diaper for his night’s sleep. I never want him to have to feel wet against his underbelly. When he first arrived he had been scalded by urine contact on his belly. I keep him very clean to insure that never happens to either of his delicate areas.
8:00~Leo comes back inside with his friends. I put his big band on and he heads for the toy pile. As I put his friends in their places, he rolls in the toy pile and I join him on the ground. It is cuddle time and he wants his tummy rub and to be scratched behind his ears. I oblige. I also take this time to inspect his facial wrinkles and to wipe them. I check his chin and chest to make sure he is not broken out. Last week he had a reaction to a detergent I had used. He had bumps from his chin to his chest. I now buy only clear and free detergent as not to upset his system. He nibbles on my fingers and rolls around on his back on his pile of toys.
8:45~I move from the ground to my chair as Leo is playing with his Kong Wubba toy. He soon comes over and tries to climb in my lap. He can jump up on the couch which is amazing to me. But he cannot get into my chair. I give him a boost and he is pleased to lay across my chest with his head in my hair-sometimes chewing on it. LOL! He is growing sleepy. As he gets heavier and his breathing changes to a light snore, I slide him off and lead him to his bed. I kiss his face and put his pink piggy next to him. He nibbles his cookie and starts to nest. I cover him for one last time and he is asleep. Amazingly, once he is out he will sleep through just about anything. It is a little past 9pm and Leo’s day is over.
Note: Some people reading this may not understand why I do not use a diaper on Leo. I have two reasons. First, I believe his potty training connection will improve with age. Second, the idea of poop being smashed against his skin/fur would have to result in a bath /sponge bath every time he defecates in his diaper.. He is sensitive to soap and to keep him clean he would be bathed often. I think the damage done in skin flare ups like the one with the detergent would be worse for Leo than the extra work not diapering him creates for me.

Sportin' his "NSYNC" (boy band)

Leo's Friends

Welcome Back Leo

I apologize for the absence of entries in Leo's Blog.

After completing his adoption to a family that wanted to be his forever home, he was returned to me. It was a very short time, only four days, since I delivered him. I had done everything I could think of to explain to them and teach them about Leo's needs. They visited and saw his care firsthand. Leo's protocol is a very strict one, as with most SB bullies if you are to have any control over their poop consistency and number of accidents in your home. Thankfully, upon realizing this was more than they were comfortable with, they called me.
When I arrived to pick Leo up, he came running. He was so happy to see me and went right into the van for his short ride home. Upon returning to my house he ran up to Gracie, my 2 year old, Bloodhound and jumped all over her-the chase was on! He went and stomped in the kiddie pool and then spotted Bruiser, a Havanese, who is a regular guest here and they were off romping around the yard. After dinner, we had our usual cuddle time on the big dog bed full of toys in the middle of the living room floor. He could barely stay awake for his massage. I tucked him in his crate, and he fell asleep surrounded by his sherpa monkey and bear. He snored loudly. As I watched him sleep, I breathed a sigh of relief that he seemed completely unfazed by his little adventure.

A very HAPPY Day!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, Leo and I went through our morning routine for the last time. It was bittersweet. I have become attached to his aura of sweet, baby like innocence. I have poured my heart into his healing journey. We have seen milestones that should have been months away. I am so proud of him. I am thankful he will be close. I could not be more elated with his adopters. I will miss him. We spent a lot of quality time together. He is a puppy so many people care about. I cannot express enough how incredibly "worth it" that this journey has been. He is a precious one. Leo will always remain in my heart. I will always be there for him.
For the past 10 days he has been bonding with his new Sister, Phoebe the Boxer as they awaited the return of their parents from holiday. Leo was perfect for his bath and very good during the short ride to his new home. He definately recognized his new Mom, Raqual as Phoebe led him into her house. He explored the house and yard with the happy enthusiasm he always displays. He devoured his lunch and started to fuss. It was nap time! He went into his crate, we covered him and he was out. Snoozing happily into dreamland. His comfort level was incredible. I received an email later in the day from Raqual saying what a sweet boy he was being. They are so thrilled to have Leo as a new addition to their family. Leo is very fortunate to have a whole family so dedicated to his complete happiness. Today was a really great day! ~Jewlz

2/15/08 Leo is past his surgery :)

Yesterday, Leo had his neuter operation. Everything went perfectly. He was pretty active when we arrived home. He wanted to roll in his toys and have cuddle time so we did. He was wiped out today. He went out to walk the yard with Gracie and then sat by the door. He slept most of the day. His appetite is right on point and he seems no worse for wear-just tired.

Thank you to everyone who thought of him yesterday. He has been through so much in his short life everyone's support has helped him through. ~Jewlz

Update~ 2/13/08~Leo finds LOVE

I have been fostering rescued dogs for over a decade now. Most of them have been Mastiff breeds. Last year, I started assisting with Cascade Bulldog Rescue/Rehome to try and help another breed I love. All of the dogs I have helped thus far have been dogs who were not overly difficult to place, they just needed a little time spent on them. When I agreed to foster/rehabilitate Leo, I was sure this was a process that would consume months of my life. I was ready for this and entered it willingly. (Have you seen that face???) I have a small boarding business where many of my clients are varying levels of special needs. One of my clients who has a lovely senior dog that his family nursed through brain surgery two years ago took a real interest in Leo. He was here to drop his dog off and when he returned to pick her up he brought his whole family. I had hoped to find a person or family with a serious level of commitment for their dogs to place Leo with. I had hoped this family was truly interested after hearing the details of their long journey with their dog. My biggest wish for Leo was to have an adopter who understands his current condition as well as, has the knowledge and ability to meet his future needs. In this family I not only found the level of dedication I was seeking but the genuine enthusiasm towards adding him as a member of their family and loving the stuffing out of him :) They have done their homework. They have had a ton of questions, all directly pertaining to Leo's health and well being. They truly plan on setting Leo up for success. After getting to know these people in many long conversations and visits I know in my heart, Leo's future will be very bright.

This evening, his new family was here visiting him again. They wanted to see him and cuddle with him before his big surgery tomorrow. They will be back on Saturday to see him afterwards. Before they left they took a picture with him so they could keep him with them :))))He totally adores them! He did not want them to go. Too cute!

Please keep Leo in your happiest thoughts tomorrow:) Many thanks ~Jewlz

UPDATE 02.11.08

My apologies for this taking so long...................

Leo is way ahead of the rehabilitation curve. I was told by the surgeon's assistant to not hope for progress in weeks but in months. Leo was obviously not listening when we were told this because he has surpassed my hopes for progress at this point. He is interacting beautifully with the other dogs here. He is a tireless girl chaser ;)

He has a little less energy than the other Bulldogs I have known. He trotting all around the yard and playing with his pals. He gets winded pretty easy and does rest. I am thankful for this so I do not have to be his "fun police" at playtime. He is barking to tell me when he has to go potty. He has not pooped in his crate for at least 6-7 days! He wears his boy band, aka his Insync with pride. LOL! He has three bands made of different fabrics and designs. He is great about keeping his band on and telling me when it is wet.

His world should improve even further after his neuter on the 14th. He has such a sunny outlook. He is happy and healthy and always ready to play. Please send him warm thoughts on Thurday for his surgery. I will update everyone when he is home and safe.

~Jewlz

Leo is making VAST improvements

On Wednesday I took him back to the surgery center for the evaluation of his penis which was not going back into the sheath at all, and had started a little bleeding. They examined him and lubed him up which I have been continuing. They said he should be neutered ASAP to help in his whole journey because being intact was making all of it harder on him. Lubing him and diapering him was the plan until I could get the surgeon to give me a neuter date. They do not do neuters at the surgery center so I will take him to my vet.

He does not love his Disney Cars diapers and usually squirms out of them. His poop is FINALLY firming up. He has dribbled pee at the post where every boy dog pees and I take that as a serious victory! He poops outside about 80% of the time now. Tonight I am going to bathe him, change out his whole bed and start with the belly band. He is walking beautifully with no failed steps or falling.

He is frisky and playful but I am adhering to the strict 2 weeks of no rowdiness :l His two week check will be on Thursday. His neuter is scheduled for Valentine's Day. The vet will use a laser and there will be no chance of swelling after-so this will help him with very little recovery time.

Leo demonstrates infantile antics by suckling everything from my fingers, my watch, his piggy toy and any girl dog who gets close enough ;) His constant humping has declined.

He loves laying on his side for his massage. He has been an outstanding patient. I do not know too many 9 month olds who would be this good in a crate with this little physical activity. He is lovable and affectionate. You cannot help but love him!

~Jewlz


Blowing Bubbles



Me & my tree



Me & my tree, again


I'm still handsome, shaved butt & all


YUM... SNOW! (you can still see my shaved arm from surgery)

LEO is out of the hospital!!

Leo did FANTASTIC!

Thank you supporters, Leo lovers, & SVS (http://www.svsvet.com)

We were all very surprised to see him up and around so well today!