Pug with Pricey Vet Bills

Pug with Problems

Sigmund may only be 8 months old - but wow! He's expensive. Here's a quick recap of his lengthy health history! (not all of it is his fault!)
1. Allergic to Penicillin - We found this out the hard way. The first week we had Sigmund, he got a sinus infection. So the vet gave him a shot of antibiotics. I raced him home and raced back to work. A short time later, Patrick called and said Sigmund was red and his face was a swollen as a cantelope! (picture doggy botox - he had no wrinkles!) So Patrick threw him on his bike and raced him back to the vet. On the way there, the poor guy fell out of his bike bag on to a main street... then barfed around a tight curve. Fortunately Patrick saved the day - and Sigmund - by getting him back to the vet before he died!
2. Swallowed a Tac - NOT REALLY! - The night before I'm headed to Las Vegas with friends, Sigmund gives me another scare. (Mind you - this is just 2 weeks after the first ordeal) He's playing in my closet and chewing on something. I go to grab it, and he swallows! I look in the closet and this giant tac is missing from my peg board! So I freak out - thinking - how's that going to come out. So we race to the vet - again! And wait hours to get an x-ray. They have to put the poor guy on Vallium because he won't settle down. They do x-rays... only to find out... he didn't swallow anything but a rock! $200 piece of mind.
3. Broken jaw - This one is not his fault. Patrick and I went to Maine for 8 days this fall. Sigmund got to stay with our trainer! Everything was great - until his last day. We had just landed in Portland and get this message, saying Sigmund's at the vet. (freak out) He got bit by a GERMAN SHEPARD on the face and it snapped his jaw. Poor guy was so scared he wouldn't come out of his kennel. Wouldn't you know it - no oral surgeons were in town that week!!!!! Fortunately our trainer knows people, and gets some strings pulled to get him in with the best guy in town. Long story, sightly shorter.... he gets his jaw wired shut. No hard food, no toys, and no chewing for a month! 3 weeks later we learn the wire is messing up his teeth and his jaw is not healing. So he gets that off - and they put on a cast across his bottom teeth. Working great - until he breaks it! So we have to go back again and get it fixed. Great - until he BREAKS IT AGAIN! 2 months later - it's all finally healed and he can chew again!!!!! (don't ask how much this one all cost! YIKES - I went in to the wrong business.

Pug in the Snow

Sigmund's First Day in the NW Snow!

BRRRRR!!!!!! A suprise snow storm caught this pug by surprise. (and his owners!) Does he look cold? He's got a sweater and rain coat on... but his toes were freezing!!!! Sigmund's hilarious when it comes to "weather." He has a moisture sensor deep inside that can detect any drop of water. If he senses rain, he refuses to go out. It's funny - he goes flat on the ground and you have to drag him out. Once he's done with the "biz"... he runs home faster than I can keep up. Poor guy - he lives in the northwest. He better get used to it!
Stay tuned - next posting... Sigmund's long list of health issues! He's eight months and has a vet bill over $3000!!!!