The blind/deaf Dane Trio Puppies!
February 15th, 2019

This picture is one that I took after I got them home from their eye eneucleation surgeries.

Despite all of the comfy dog beds, they wanted to be by my feet as I prepared the other dogs’ night time snacks.

I had promised to update and while I would have liked to have done this sooner, they needed me round the clock.

As always, they have very detailed blogs for anyone that is still not familiar with their story and may think that we just decided to take out their eyes without just cause.

The day of surgery:

BHRR’s Glacier weighed: 20.9 kgs
Summit weighed: 23.2 kgs
BHRR’s Sleet weighed 19.1 kgs

I have already made an extremely detailed post re: Summit and he continues to do quite well.

BHRR’s Glacier – The specialist had the hardest time with his eyes.

They were extremely deformed and difficult to remove. BHRR’s Glacier had to have his eye sockets packed in efforts to stop the bleeding.

Dr. Philibert had felt at one point that he might wrap his face/eyes yet then decided that it may bother BHRR’s Glacier more.

BHRR’s Glacier was the only one – at that time placed on antibiotics also and all three puppies had their fashionable cones to work to prevent them getting at their own eyes, alter incisions and BHRR’s Sleet her umbilical hernia repair.

BHRR’s Glacier did not wake up from his anesthetic well. As soon as I heard the screaming, I went back, put my hand to his nose so he could scent off me and stroked his back and neck soothingly….in a matter of moments after some deep breaths, he settled, was given more pain meds and went back to sleep.

If ever there was a valid reason for scent training, this was it! I am ‘home’ to him and I mean ‘safety’ and he trusts that he will be ok.

More than one staff was in awe of how fast he picked up my scent and relaxed yet I have worked so hard preparing these puppies for this day…I had been working on them being near each other yet apart and having their Giant Stuffies for comfort and all three puppies ROCKED their very long day at the Hospital.

THEY just rocked it! They were calm and quite comfortable. VERY proud of them!

Not even 48 hours post surgery and BHRR’s Glacier bumped into the kitchen island and he, too began to throw some blood clots from his nose.

He managed to get his cone at just the right angle and pull out a couple of his sutures by rubbing…..

BHRR’s Sleet – she kept throwing big blood clots from her nose in post-op recovery and it was monitored closely.

Over the net 48 hours, the clots started to resolve.

She has been the most resourceful one and has managed to use her own cone to rub out some of her own eye sutures plus on her alter/hernia repair site.

So, Miss Sleet also went on antibiotics.

The first night, their IV ports were left in so I could administer their Buprenorphine via IV and I stayed with them all night.

The ONLY time I was away from them was to go to the bathroom and BHRR’s Sleet, the wee monkey managed to get at some of her Vet Wrap covering the PRN(IV catheter plug) off and then get the PRN out.

So, I came back a few minutes later to well….a small scene any horror movie would have been proud of.

So, a bigger cone was put on Miss Sleet and I pulled her catheter out.

AND it was ice packs all around from eyes to private parts and BHRR’s Sleet’s belly to work on getting the swelling down. 

Their sutures were to come out between Day 10-14 yet they did not come out until today as being special needs, their healing process has been slow.

We remain incredibly indebted to all that stepped up to help contribute to their mounting Vet Bills.

With their ensuing Vet Visits, additional antibiotics, pain meds etc., we still owe $900 yet will continue to host flash auctions in our efforts to cover those bills.

AND, with BHRR’s Connery, BHRR’s Volt and BHRR’s Barney’s own pressing medical bills, not to mention myself managing to track down the mother of the Dane Trio and as a result, also finding their special needs father – still working on getting them into BHRR; we continue to battle huge bills yet are taking it one breath at a time……

FOR anyone that may think we did not know what we were doing when we had their eyes removed, you would be 100% incorrect. We are the experts with special needs Danes/Dogs as are their incredible Vet Team including their excellent Specialist.

They had a large team at KAH the day of their surgeries including three Vets, one being their Specialist, Dr. Philibert. They were in the best hands possible. 

AND……

If anyone may consider donating an item to one of our upcoming flash auctions, please do email contactbhrr@gmail.com

If anyone may consider donating directly to the Vet Bills of these beautiful dogs; you can contact Kanata Animal Hospital 613-836-2848 directly as we have an account there

OR via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org(friend and family option please so we do not pay fees)

OR via email transfer to contactbhrr@gmail.com

*Please note that yes, there is a different address for email transfer over PayPal.

For all of those that have been blessed to meet the Dane Trio puppies to date, remember how happy they were? Even being in such chronic brutal pain, battling constant eye infections?

WAIT, until you meet them now…….even more happy, healthy and normal to them and to all those that love them!

Remember, they did not know life as hearing/seeing dogs to begin with, this is their normal…..now, they will know a future pain-free too!

From our home to all of our friends, families plus supporters, warmest good night wishes are being sent!