Thursday 26 April 2012

The answer is? Lots and lots of bandage

Remember the question? How to bandage the bottom third of a nearly 3 foot long tail.
Like this:


First cut your dressing to size and in pieces so it will flex with the tail, next tape it in place with several metres of microtape. then cover it all with multiple layers of vetwrap.  As you can see it's Hebe's favourite colour - PINK!  It was the threat when the tail licking was going on, "if you don't stop, I'll wrap in in a pink bandage!"  Well the threats didn't work but so far the bandage is.  I'm amazed that it's not been wagged off or ripped off or battered off against cupboards, tails or people. Although some of the tape is coming off, but that's easy enough to replace.
The addition of the dressing has made an already painful weapon into an offensive one!  Everyone has bruises of varying degrees and differing locations  - all except Finnegan who is oblivious to it all.  It's wound check and redress tomorrow morning; fingers crossed it's healing well under there but regardless of the mendedness it's staying covered until it's skinned over again.  Remembering the hock injury this could take a while.  The spare bandage is violent cat sick green, not sure if that's preferable to day-glo pink.  I'm sure we'll find out soon enough.  But not too soon please Finn.

Tuesday 24 April 2012

And Custard cried for a nice safe cage

Whilst all Hebe wanted was to get out.

Last week Finnegan clobbered his tail on a table causing a small fissure.  Unfortunately as he's in the middle of his 'spring rash' pyoderma phase it became very itchy and he nibbled it from a small nick to larger wound.  On Thursday red splashes were seen in the hall prompting investigation and the raw patch was discovered, cleaned up and treated with fuciderm gel.  He carried on nibbling, under cover of paw and out of sight, increasing the raw patch. Cries of "Finnegan, leave", and "Finn, no" were heard for days on end and the tail began to dry up. But then mysteriously the patch began getting bigger and red again, the girls sniffed it and Hebe thought about having a lick, Finn didn't seem in the least bit bothered, but then he's not as green as he's Irish looking. Monday morning and it's red raw dripping blood and looking like fresh steak.  The suspicion fell on Hebe.  So the puppy cage (wolfhound sized puppy I hasten to add) was hauled out of storage and erected in the dog house.  Hebe was very happy to hop in and out having slept in it for months as a puppy and then again when Finnegan was too big for it but not big enough to share the dog house sensibly without wreaking havoc.  Bedtime came and Hebe hoped in, she looked a little worried when Maia didn't join her and then more than a little worried when the door was closed but her bedtime bonio distracted her.  Tuesday morning and Hebe was a liberated prisoner having been in solitary confinement all night what joy unconfined (at last).  Finnegan's tail? Red raw again.  Hebe has been exonerated and now we have to find a way to bandage the bottom third of a nearly 3 foot long tail.  Elizabethan collars don't work on long nosed, long tailed wolfhounds.

Friday 20 April 2012

Finnegan's revenge

OK, if you've stolen my birthday triangle, I'm having your Christmas penguin.






I guess that's fair so Hebe don't look so mournful. And anyway, I'm sure you'll filtch it back again soon enough.