I took that photo of Alayne with Tanner this afternoon, about an hour after I returned from Burlington with him. Our surgeon, Dr. Kurt Schulz, removed the remaining stump of Tanner's right leg yesterday. We think, but don't know for sure, that he lost the lower half of the leg to a trap. Kurt also neutered Tanner for us; one of the testicles was shrunken from an unknown cause, so our internist, Dr. Marielle Goossens, is sending tissue samples to a pathologist to make sure there isn't something weird going on.
The surgery went very well, and this morning at the clinic Tanner came bounding out on a leash, tugging Kurt along behind him. Tanner is in great spirits, and it's amazing to see how happy and energetic he is the day after having major surgery.
Tanner does not like having his photo taken, however, which is why he is looking away from the camera in that shot. Although with just the right high-pitched goofy sound, I was able to get this expression:
[Please note the perfect color match between Alayne's turtleneck and the plastic pot on the table behind her. I did not arrange that, though wish I could take credit for it.]
Since being with us, Tanner's weight has increased from about 27 pounds when he first arrived to 37 pounds yesterday. No more bones sticking out! But as a three-legger, we'll need to keep him on the trim and lean side from this point on.
After the photos, we put a soft cone on his head to keep him from licking and chewing at the staples closing up the incision site. He didn't appreciate our concern, needless to say.
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2014 Shelter Challenge Underway
The first round of the Shelter Challenge for 2014 is underway and runs until March 30th. You can vote every day here. To search for us, type in our name, Rolling Dog Farm, and Lancaster, NH 03584. We've won thousands of dollars in the previous contests, so your daily votes do bring in serious money for our disabled animals!
Please note that I cannot help with technical or voting problems. I also do not have an "inside track" to anyone at the Shelter Challenge, and I don't know any more about the contest than anyone else does. So if you find yourself having issues, please consult their FAQ page here and their Rules page, which is a pop-up you can find linked on this page.
Thanks for your votes!
Rolling Dog Farm Blog 
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