| 6/22/01 |
| No swimming for Magnum today. Erica discovered a hotspot or sore under his chin about halfway down his neck, right where his collar hits. I forgot to take his flat collar off yesterday after his swim and am thinking it caused a hotspot. The Golden we raised for Leader Dogs had that problem. He couldn't be wearing *anything* when he got wet or he got a hotspot. I have some Derma Cool I had gotten for Shadow, (the Golden we raised) and put some on Magnum. Usually it works very quickly and well. I'll watch him over the next couple of days and if it doesn't get better by Monday, I'll probably have to take him in to the vet. I didn't want him in the lake with an open sore so he's had today off. Erica tried to take him for an extended pottywalk but he was pretty naughty. I had wrapped a towel around his neck and then put the leash around his neck and hooked it back on itself to form a loop. He didn't mind very well with that on. I didn't want the collar rubbing the sore. I think tonight for his pottywalk, I'll pin a towel around his next and put his choke collar on in front of the towel. That way he still has his collar on and, hopefully, will behave better. He missed his swim today but he'll survive. It was pretty cool out today anyway not even getting into the 70s. Usually that spray works pretty quick so he can get back to his rehab. He still doesn't put a lot of weight on the leg when standing still and I'm beginning to think it will always be that way. We'll continue to swim him as soon as he's better to try to get some muscle back in that leg. I was planning on borrowing a harness to use on him anyway in an effort to get more control when going to the lake. Looks like it will come in handy now. |