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Blogs by Vena McGrath
The Dilemma of Shaye 12/2/2006 2:07:30 AM
An improvement The first day Shaye was left alone was the worst. He was a changed dog when I came home. Withdrawn and just very different. On stroking his head I found he had scratched huge sores on both sides of his head behind his ears and another one on top of his head. He must have fretted all day and hurt himself. I was so sad and sorry for him. I managed to put some baby oil on the areas hoping to stop any itch or soreness. He looked a mess then with his beautiful blonde coat matted with oil.
I worried all day about him on Tuesday not knowing what I would come home to. Bryan arrives home over an hour before I do so he greets Shaye each day. I was surprised and much happier on Tuesday night as he was more himself again. His sores bothered me though, they were red and angry. I brushed his coat and cut out some of the knots of hair around the areas he had made sore and put on lanolin. He was looked fairly bedraggled by this time so I decided that on the weekend I would give him a good shampoo and try to get a better look at his sores.
Outside today, a much milder day after 38 celcius yesterday that left us bushed, with little sleep in our hot bedrooms. On with the hose, which Shaye loves, and into the shampoo. I managed to rub the shampoo all over him while he was relatively quiet, no doubt enjoying the massage. Trying to get the soap off wasn't so easy and he decided if he was having a hose down, then so was I. By the time I had him soap free my jeans were soaked through up to my knickers and I was wet almost all over. I left him outside while I changed clothes and then I rubbed him down with towels enough that he could come inside.
I brushed him for a long time and managed to sneak the scissors behind his ears enough times to cut the chunks of hair off that were on top of the sores. Now I could see them and where the areas were. More lanolin and more brushing and he looks sweet again. His sores aren't red and angry, they have begun to heal and hopefully, with a couple of cooler days and more lanolin, he will be fine soon.
His mood has changed and did change throughout the week, which was a blessing. It's awful to have to go to work and leave anyone, even a pet, alone and lonely. I left the pool gate open each day for him so that at least he could go and sit in the water on the step. Perhaps that was part of why he wasn't like he was on Monday for the remainder of the week.
Unfortunately Golden Retrievers are very sensitive and suffer from separation anxiety. I saw that very clearly on Monday with the way he ravaged his body and tore hunks out of himself. I never want to see that again; it's a sure way to bring out the guilt feelings. I didn't know much about the breed when I decided I wanted Shaye and I would never not want to have him, but they are definitely a breed that need to be with their family.
When I went overseas for a month this year, Bryan told me, after I came home, that Shaye wouldn't eat for days after I left. He had to find something to give him to eat so he bought GoodO's and hand fed them to him until he started to eat again. Just as well I didn't know or I would have been very upset. He is a most adorable fellow, but I would say to anyone contemplating buying a Golden Retriever, perhaps consider buying 2 so that they are mates for each other if you have to go to work.
