# Worried about Max...



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Puppy*



admiral_john said:


> I have a 14-week old Golden Retriever puppy and, this past Wednesday, my dog Miya (a Lab/Husky) bit him across the head. His right eye and cheek are very swollen (at first I thought it was protruded from its socket) and I had him at the vet within 20 minutes of the bite. The vet said the damage had been done at that point and isn't sure if he's going to lose the eye. We took him back for a followup on Saturday and she doesn't sound very optimistic about sight in the eye or him keeping it. She pulled some blood out of his cheek to check it for infection (none, thankfully) and the vet wants me to call this morning so we can discuss having his eye sutured shut. She also said it's possible that he could have a small break in his cheekbone but she didn't x-ray for it because there's nothing to be done for it if there is a break.
> 
> In the meantime we're giving him antibiotics and the vet gave me an antibiotic/hydrocortisone ointment we're putting on his eye to try to keep it moist and not infected. But in the meantime he's been sleeping more than what I remember as usual and when he's up and around he's not really getting into stuff like he used to... he'll get up, get a drink, eat, I'll take him out so he can go the bathroom and when he comes back in he lays right back down. If I instigate it he'll play but not with the same rampant enthusiasm that you'd think a pup of his age should.
> 
> ...


I am so sorry this happened to your puppy! I WOULD CALL and ask the vet about his sleeping and not being as playful, to make sure this isn't a sign of infection, or something else. If he loses his eye, I am pretty confident he would bounce back, but I'm not a vet. I would not have toys around the two of them, again, to be on the safe side.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Karen519 said:


> I am so sorry this happened to your puppy! I WOULD CALL and ask the vet about his sleeping and not being as playful, to make sure this isn't a sign of infection, or something else. If he loses his eye, I am pretty confident he would bounce back, but I'm not a vet. I would not have toys around the two of them, again, to be on the safe side.


I'm going to talk to them this morning and that's the first thing I'm mentioning to them... all of the toys are picked up and, like I mentioned, only handed out one at a time. 

I would think he'd bounce back fairly fast, but that's another vet question... I'm just the kind of person who constantly stresses and worries about thinks and I have to remember that if this was me it had happened to I'd imagine I wouldn't feel much like doing anything as I healed.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Vet*



admiral_john said:


> I'm going to talk to them this morning and that's the first thing I'm mentioning to them... all of the toys are picked up and, like I mentioned, only handed out one at a time.
> 
> I would think he'd bounce back fairly fast, but that's another vet question... I'm just the kind of person who constantly stresses and worries about thinks and I have to remember that if this was me it had happened to I'd imagine I wouldn't feel much like doing anything as I healed.


I'm like you, I worry, too. The vet would be the only one to answer your questions. I would also put the pup in a crate, when you can't watch them both every minute, just to be safe.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

I just heard from the vet... she said the sleeping and lethargy is probably because his eye and head hurt. He goes in tonight and tomorrow he's having surgery to suture his eye closed for a couple of weeks. 

Thanks for listening to me being a fretful Doggy Dad.


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## Melakat (Oct 9, 2010)

Praying for healing for Max and that the suturing will help save his eye. I know it is hard for you to wait to find out what will happen. I do not have any experience with this but I will be sending healing thoughts to Max that his eye will be okay.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Admiral*



admiral_john said:


> I just heard from the vet... she said the sleeping and lethargy is probably because his eye and head hurt. He goes in tonight and tomorrow he's having surgery to suture his eye closed for a couple of weeks.
> 
> Thanks for listening to me being a fretful Doggy Dad.


So glad you heard from vet. Please keep us all posted!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm so sorry this happened to your little Max.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your little one.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Max is at the vet now... tomorrow he gets his eye stitched shut for two weeks. 

He was obviously feeling better when I got home from work today... he played non-stop from the moment I got home at 2:30 until I left to take him to the vet at 3:45. His procedure is planned for 9:45 tomorrow morning and I should know by 11 how he is. 

I'll post updates, and thanks again for listening, everyone.


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## Melakat (Oct 9, 2010)

Will be sending healing thoughts your way little Max and we look forward to the updates.


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## pb2b (Nov 8, 2013)

Thinking of you and poor little Max.


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## bemyangell (Mar 4, 2007)

Good luck to max tomorrow. Poor Lil guy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Admiral_john*

Admiral_john

I will be praying for you and little Max!


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

I just talked to the vet... his procedure went fine and he's in his cage right now banging around and hating his Cone Of Shame.  

She said that she took an x-ray and found what appears to be a crack in the bone under his eye but said there's nothing to be done about that. She said the eye doesn't look good but we won't know more until he goes back in a couple of weeks to get the stitches out. 

So we get to pick him up at four and bring him home.


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## Holly's Mum (Oct 4, 2014)

I'm so sorry to hear what you and little Max have been put through. I'm a fretful Mamma so I can imagine what you've been going through. I'm sure he'll bounce back as he feels better.

As for losing an eye; my sister's Cocker Spaniel lost both his eyes to glaucoma when he was 11 abc then 12 years old and he adapted remarkably. After an initial timid period, until he worked out a new navigation system, he was quiet and nervous but after a couple of days you'd never have known he couldn't see. I'm sure your little pup will adjust as well too.

Good luck with the recovery and give little Max a cuddle from me & Holly!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Admiral_john*



admiral_john said:


> I just talked to the vet... his procedure went fine and he's in his cage right now banging around and hating his Cone Of Shame.
> 
> She said that she took an x-ray and found what appears to be a crack in the bone under his eye but said there's nothing to be done about that. She said the eye doesn't look good but we won't know more until he goes back in a couple of weeks to get the stitches out.
> 
> So we get to pick him up at four and bring him home.


Glad that Max is coming home. All of our dogs hated the cone, but it is NECESSARY so they don't hurt and scratch their incisions, etc. They eventually give in and get used to it. My Golden Retriever girl, Smooch, used to run into the backs of my legs with it, when we first put it on her. Keep us posted on little Max-praying for him.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

My son was home with Max today and at one point, when I asked him how Max was doing, he said "He's full of piss and vinegar." 

And when I get home, sure enough, he is. He's been rambunctious since I got home, even roughhousing a bit with me when I got down on the floor with him. I rolled a ball outside a few times for him and am just kinda letting him lead the way as far as activity, but he's doing great. This is the puppy I brought home 3 1/2 weeks ago.  

More updates to come.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*



admiral_john said:


> My son was home with Max today and at one point, when I asked him how Max was doing, he said "He's full of piss and vinegar."
> 
> And when I get home, sure enough, he is. He's been rambunctious since I got home, even roughhousing a bit with me when I got down on the floor with him. I rolled a ball outside a few times for him and am just kinda letting him lead the way as far as activity, but he's doing great. This is the puppy I brought home 3 1/2 weeks ago.
> 
> More updates to come.


Glad to hear this good update!!


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Yesterday my Dad called me to check on Max... during the ten minute conversation I had with him, I had to: 

1) Take six socks away from Max he pulled out of the dirty clothes. 
2) Take away a washcloth Max pulled out of the bathroom.
3) Take away a plastic water bottle Max was playing with (he LOVES the noise they make).

And yesterday when I got home I went upstairs to talk to my wife, leaving Max downstairs with my son behind the child gate blocking the stairs. When I went into the bedroom, I heard Max bark a couple of times, then a crash, then the unmistakeable sound of him coming up the stairs. Sure enough, when I opened the door he was outside. 

So I think he's feeling all sorts of better. Still no idea about his eye and won't know about that until a week from Tuesday but all signs are pointing to a puppy that is feeling like himself.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great to hear Max is feeling good and doing so well.
Thinking of you all.


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## Holly's Mum (Oct 4, 2014)

That's lovely news! Looking forward to further updates from your little one!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*



admiral_john said:


> Yesterday my Dad called me to check on Max... during the ten minute conversation I had with him, I had to:
> 
> 1) Take six socks away from Max he pulled out of the dirty clothes.
> 2) Take away a washcloth Max pulled out of the bathroom.
> ...


So glad that Max is feeling like himself-Be careful with the clothes and washcloth so he doesn't swallow them!


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Not letting him keep any clothes I catch him with.  

Yesterday he went upstairs with me and while I was lying in bed reading he started first lying next to me, then at the foot of the bed across my feet, then back up next to me. I started scratching his ears and whenever I stopped he'd bark at me.  

As I mentioned to my Dad, I think I'm at the beginning of the end of this ordeal. He's behaving just like the pup I brought home and even should he lose his eye the way he's getting around and playing with it sutured shut helped me realize that it's not going to be as big a deal for him as I thought if he loses it. 

And since the bite Miya has growled at him once (she was eating and he got a bit close to her but I corrected her and pulled him back before she did anything else) and corrected him once for something I missed but all he did was yelp and stop whatever he was doing, which I'm okay with; I know he has to learn his place and the other dogs correcting him is a big part of that. 

Max and I both thank everyone for their concern and kind words during this whole mess. 

And that's not an open socket; the vet reinforced the sutures with pieces of surgical rubber that are red.


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

My thoughts are with you and Max! I really hope that it all works out and that Max will be back to normal as soon as possible.

Everytime Kora is out playing with other dogs who are being rough I worry about damage to the face and especially the eye's. 

You are both troopers for getting through this as I am sure it has been very stressful!!

Take care and stay positive!

Kelly and Kora


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## MyMaggieGirl (Nov 12, 2008)

Have you considered having his eye examined by an animal opthamologist? I think that would be a good idea.

My Flirty lost both of her eyes due to secondary glaucoma from Pigmentary Uveitis and she gets along just fine without vision so even if your pup loses the one eye, he will do just fine. 

I would be a nervous wreck after something like this happened!


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## Bosn'sMom (Feb 11, 2013)

So glad to hear Max is doing well! Full of energy is exactly how he should be.

I second MyMaggieGirl's suggestion about having the eye examined by an opthamologist. Might not be a bad idea to have his records sent over to one now in case they would suggest a different treatment.


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## Holly's Mum (Oct 4, 2014)

What a little trouper Max sounds, and such a beautiful little face! Give him kisses from me, and all the very best for his recovery.


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## Chritty (Aug 17, 2014)

Our hearts break for Max!!

Get better soon little dude.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Max is so adorable, really great to hear he's doing so well. 

Sending best wishes to you both.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Admiral-john*



admiral_john said:


> Not letting him keep any clothes I catch him with.
> 
> Yesterday he went upstairs with me and while I was lying in bed reading he started first lying next to me, then at the foot of the bed across my feet, then back up next to me. I started scratching his ears and whenever I stopped he'd bark at me.
> 
> ...


So glad that Max is doing well and adjusting and is playful. He is a beautiful puppy!! Thanks for the picture of him. I agree with the person that said an animal opthamologist should look at it. As far as Max picking up clothes, I bought a hamper with a lid on it, that the dogs CANNOT get into.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Poor little guy, glad he's getting his energy back up.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

boomers_dawn said:


> Poor little guy, glad he's getting his energy back up.


Just a bit.  

Yesterday he was in the computer room with me throwing around a rope bone I bought for him. I looked away for a minute and suddenly I hear him yelping like he did when Miya bit him. 

I look at him and see that, in his playing with the bone, he has tossed it under the chair at my wife's desk and, after sticking his head in to get it, managed to get a piece of the bottom of the chair snagged in the space between his Cone Of Shame and his collar so as he backed away the Big Bad Chair was chasing him. By the time I got to him he'd freed himself and by the time my wife came out to see what was going on I was sitting with him on the floor while he just kind of leaned into me. 

Last night he took his last antibiotic and next Tuesday he gets the stitches out. Depending on what the vet tells me we'll see about a veterinary ophthalmologist (which I honestly didn't know was something that existed) but we'll have to consider what a visit like that would cost, in time, stress to Max and money versus what he'd gain from it because right now you'd never know the eye was stitched closed if you didn't see it.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*



admiral_john said:


> Just a bit.
> 
> Yesterday he was in the computer room with me throwing around a rope bone I bought for him. I looked away for a minute and suddenly I hear him yelping like he did when Miya bit him.
> 
> ...


Thank heavens you saw that little Max was caught! Keep us updated.


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## Holly's Mum (Oct 4, 2014)

admiral_john said:


> because right now you'd never know the eye was stitched closed if you didn't see it.




That's just how it was with Monts, and he was 10/11 losing his first eye. I'm so pleased he's overcoming it


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

admiral_john said:


> Just a bit.
> 
> Yesterday he was in the computer room with me throwing around a rope bone I bought for him. I looked away for a minute and suddenly I hear him yelping like he did when Miya bit him.
> 
> ...


He's feeling like a puppy for sure, that's good.

I really encourage you to see eye specialist. They can do treatments that are not available to your primary vet, and a lot times primary vets are not knowledgeable about. That is not knocking your primary vet at all, just that a specialist has specialized training and knowledge in that area. But they really can do things that may save the eye.

Eyes are just too important to not take every option available to treat it.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Another update, for anyone still watching.

We took Max out of his Cone Of Shame during the day on Saturday and Sunday and he never once scratched at his eye. He ran around, tried to play with Takoda, got into stuff and was a general little turd. He also got a bath yesterday, which he was in NO way happy with, but the little guy was starting to smell like a foot. Here's a quick video I shot yesterday of him in the yard... you can see he's definitely feeling like himself. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMOXTAC62Aw

Tomorrow he gets the sutures out and we'll know more about his eye and what to expect, but a nurse friend of mine looked at a picture I had taken after the bite had happened and said that the swelling in his eye was probably due to blood in his cheek and behind his eye and thinks that it's going to be MUCH better once the stitches come out.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Fun watching Max playing in the yard.

Hope you get good news tomorrow.


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## DJdogman (Apr 23, 2013)

Poor little Max! I did hear before that dogs take to these things much easier than humans do. I'm so glad he's doing well with his eye shut at the moment and you can rest easy knowing that he'd cope just as well if he ends up losing it.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*



admiral_john said:


> Another update, for anyone still watching.
> 
> We took Max out of his Cone Of Shame during the day on Saturday and Sunday and he never once scratched at his eye. He ran around, tried to play with Takoda, got into stuff and was a general little turd. He also got a bath yesterday, which he was in NO way happy with, but the little guy was starting to smell like a foot. Here's a quick video I shot yesterday of him in the yard... you can see he's definitely feeling like himself.
> 
> ...



Thank you for the update on Max. I think Mylissyk has good advice above.


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## Bosn'sMom (Feb 11, 2013)

he looks great in the video! keeping my fingers crossed for him tomorrow.. hopefully good news!!!


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## Holly's Mum (Oct 4, 2014)

Thanks for the update on sweet Max. I hope everything goes well with his Vet checkup ?


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## Chritty (Aug 17, 2014)

Hoping for some great news for you and Max tomorrow


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*

Max is so adorable. Praying for him tomorrow!


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## Bosn'sMom (Feb 11, 2013)

checking in to see how the vet was! hopefully good news!


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Sorry I didn't post yesterday... it got a bit hectic at the house. 

The stitches are out but he's not opening his eye all the way yet. The vet said it looks like there's some scarring on his inner eyelid and she said we need to see how the eye itself looks when he's able to open it, which may take a couple of days. He goes back for another followup in two weeks and hopefully we'll have a better idea then. 

So bottom line is we don't know much more about his eye than we did before the stitches came out, but the eye isn't swollen anymore and he's very happy to be out of his cone; he's sitting on the floor next to me gnawing on a bone I picked up for him at the store.


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## Melakat (Oct 9, 2010)

Max is so cute and I have been thinking about him. So good to see him so happy and playful and keeping my fingers crossed for him.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*



admiral_john said:


> Sorry I didn't post yesterday... it got a bit hectic at the house.
> 
> The stitches are out but he's not opening his eye all the way yet. The vet said it looks like there's some scarring on his inner eyelid and she said we need to see how the eye itself looks when he's able to open it, which may take a couple of days. He goes back for another followup in two weeks and hopefully we'll have a better idea then.
> 
> So bottom line is we don't know much more about his eye than we did before the stitches came out, but the eye isn't swollen anymore and he's very happy to be out of his cone; he's sitting on the floor next to me gnawing on a bone I picked up for him at the store.


Max

Sounds Good-Max is such an adorable little baby!


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

He is so cute. Hoping and praying that his eye heals totally with no vision problem. However, if he does ended up losin his eye, or his vision in that eye, he will bounced back in a hurry. They seem to recover so much faster than humans at the loss of visions, hearing, limbs, etc. Our Honey had gone almost totally deaf before cancer got her at age 13+ in Aug, but to watch her you would never know it. We had taughter her some hand signals and that worked as well as voice commands.

Our one golden, Buck had nigh vision problems--couldn't see in the dark by the time he was 11. I have known a couple of dogs that had to have amputation and in no time they were running on 3 legs as tho there had never been a 4th leg.. But, hoping your cute little guy has no problems at all.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

3 goldens said:


> He is so cute. Hoping and praying that his eye heals totally with no vision problem. However, if he does ended up losin his eye, or his vision in that eye, he will bounced back in a hurry. They seem to recover so much faster than humans at the loss of visions, hearing, limbs, etc. Our Honey had gone almost totally deaf before cancer got her at age 13+ in Aug, but to watch her you would never know it. We had taughter her some hand signals and that worked as well as voice commands.
> 
> Our one golden, Buck had nigh vision problems--couldn't see in the dark by the time he was 11. I have known a couple of dogs that had to have amputation and in no time they were running on 3 legs as tho there had never been a 4th leg.. But, hoping your cute little guy has no problems at all.



Thanks.  

The eye has opened a bit more and I think he at least has some motion vision; if I move my hand towards that eye from behind his head he'll turn towards it. 

We still continue to have the occasional issue with Miya, and it's all possession related. Last night Miya was sitting on my wife on the couch and I had Max on the other end of the couch. He jumped down and before either of us realized what he was doing he walked towards my wife and Miya bit him, catching his lip. It's nowhere NEAR as bad as the eye bite (a little cut on his muzzle and a small cut on his inner-lip) but I'm getting to be at a loss as to how to deal with this behavior in her. It had been more than three weeks since she got his eye but I can't seem to get her to stop this behavior. 

Anyone have any ideas?


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Miya*



admiral_john said:


> Thanks.
> 
> The eye has opened a bit more and I think he at least has some motion vision; if I move my hand towards that eye from behind his head he'll turn towards it.
> 
> ...


I would call a behaviorist to assess her. Your vet would most likely know one.
Has Miya been checked out at the vet lately-you also need to rule out that there is anything physically wrong with her.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Karen519 said:


> I would call a behaviorist to assess her. Your vet would most likely know one.
> Has Miya been checked out at the vet lately-you also need to rule out that there is anything physically wrong with her.


She had her yearly checkup in July and was fine but this kind of behavior isn't exactly new. When we brought Scout home in 2010 she did the same thing to her. Now that Scout is older Miya's not so bad with her but she'll still occasionally scrap with her. 

I'll definitely look into a behaviorist for her in the meantime... as long as we watch him carefully and are mindful of what Miya's doing there's no issues at all. She even came into the kitchen a little bit after she bit him last night and, with her tail wagging, sniffed and licked him. It's just when she decides something is hers it's _hers._


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

Karen519 said:


> I would call a behaviorist to assess her. Your vet would most likely know one.
> Has Miya been checked out at the vet lately-you also need to rule out that there is anything physically wrong with her.


I agree with Karen. I'd have her checked at the vet first and if she gets a clean bill of health then a behaviorist.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Max had his first training class today and the trainer spent a few minutes talking to me about the issues with Miya (the dog that bit him), and what I learned is a bit surprising. 

The problem isn't possessiveness so much as it is Miya's confusion with her place in the pack. One of the biggest causes of this is allowing her (and the other dogs) to sit with us on the couch. When a dog is on the same level as a human that tells the dog they're on the same level, pack-wise, as the human and, in Miya's case, as the alpha dog it's telling her that she's above my wife, which isn't where she wants to be, so it's causing a confusion which is manifesting itself in the aggressiveness. The trainer said a comfortable alpha-dog will never bite hard enough to injure another dog, since in the wild it's detrimental to the entire pack to have an injured member. She said that corrections and snaps are fine, as that's Miya (and the other dogs) teaching him his place, but when she's biting to injure it indicates Miya is, as the trainer put it, "an alpha with a screw loose". 

So now begins the long process of breaking all three of the dogs from lying on the couch. I brought home another dog bed and we'll just consistently tell them all to stay off the couch, which the trainer said is a major cause of the problems we've had. We were also told that  everything with the dogs has to be "Miya First"... she's the first to be greeted, the first to be treated, the first to be fed and the first to be taken out. 

I have some exercises to do with Max to work on his name, getting him to take treats properly and sitting, but if what the trainer told me about Miya yields benefits then the class will have been worth it. And as for his eye, it's not much different... it's opening more and I still think he has some vision there but time will tell. 

And thank you again, everyone, for your kind words and encouragement during what has been a stressful as hell month for me with all of this... I (and Max) very much appreciate it.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I'm a bit late to this thread. I'm sorry little Max is going though this but it sounds like he's bouncing back. 

IMO you still need to have a certified behaviorist work with you. Diagnosing a situation without having met all the dogs and humans in their environment can lead to bad things. Max's trainer may be right in some ways but sounds a bit old-school to me. Those trainers who are current on all that has been studied in dog behavior in recent years do not usually talk about alpha dogs and packs as if our dogs were wolves, which they are not.

I also think a certified behaviorist is a good idea because it does sound as though Miya can be unpredictable and dangerous to your other animals. 

I worked with one with my Bella (she is overly fearful) and it was worth every dime. Here's where to find one: CCPDT. 

Good luck! Belly tickles to Max.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

OutWest said:


> I'm a bit late to this thread. I'm sorry little Max is going though this but it sounds like he's bouncing back.
> 
> IMO you still need to have a certified behaviorist work with you. Diagnosing a situation without having met all the dogs and humans in their environment can lead to bad things. Max's trainer may be right in some ways but sounds a bit old-school to me. Those trainers who are current on all that has been studied in dog behavior in recent years do not usually talk about alpha dogs and packs as if our dogs were wolves, which they are not.
> 
> ...


The closest one on that list in three hours away.  I'll call my vet on Monday and see if she can recommend someone to me. 

And thank you.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Admiral*



admiral_john said:


> The closest one on that list in three hours away.  I'll call my vet on Monday and see if she can recommend someone to me.
> 
> And thank you.


Admiral: I think your vet should know someone or recommend someone.
Let us know. If you tell me where you live, I can try to look.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Max had his followup with the vet yesterday and the news is good.  

She said he's not going to lose the eye and that it appears that, while he doesn't have full vision in the eye he does have some, as he avoided an obstacle that she steered him towards that was on the side with the bad eye. She said it'll never be 100% but she's happy with how it's healed. He's also gone from 36 pounds to 42 pounds in two weeks.  

She seemed very pleased with the condition of his eye and was pleasantly surprised at how good it looked. She wants to take another quick look at it in a month when I take him in to get weighed for his next dose of heart-worm preventative, but she said as far as she's concerned he's pretty much done with eye followups. 

Physically, his eye looks better... the cornea still seems a bit cloudy and the third eyelid still doesn't retract all the way but I noticed the other night it's starting to reflect a little bit of light when it catches the light just right. 

So the news was as good as I had hoped.  And for anyone wondering, here's some pictures I took of him in the snow a couple of days ago, including a closeup that gives you a good look at his eye. And in case anyone was concerned, he's only left on that dog run he's attached to when he goes to the bathroom or plays; he's never just put on it and left alone.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great pictures of Max, he's a good looking little guy.

I'm glad to hear his eye has healed up so well.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*



admiral_john said:


> Max had his followup with the vet yesterday and the news is good.
> 
> She said he's not going to lose the eye and that it appears that, while he doesn't have full vision in the eye he does have some, as he avoided an obstacle that she steered him towards that was on the side with the bad eye. She said it'll never be 100% but she's happy with how it's healed. He's also gone from 36 pounds to 42 pounds in two weeks.
> 
> ...


So glad that Max is healing-love the pictures of him!! Did you seek out a behaviorist for Miya?


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## Holly's Mum (Oct 4, 2014)

I'm so pleased for you, you must be over the moon with the result. He's such a sweet looking boy!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Yay, Max! Glad he's healing so well. He's sure a good looking pup.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

He's just darling, glad he's healing so well.

I would seriously consider getting some puppy gates and an exercise pen to keep Miya and Max separated whenever a high-value object is being enjoyed by one or the other or both. You can also open up the x-pen to block all of the dogs away from the couch while they're relearning.

I went through something similar a long time ago when adding new dogs to the family and what helped most was getting the resident dog who was unhappy with the new guy out on her own to training class. It reminded her that the basic rules and routines hadn't changed, reinforced our relationship, and gave everybody a breather.

It's really easy when a new puppy comes in for everyone to pay a bunch of attention to the new guy and the others, particularly if the puppy is past the point of having the Puppy Get Out of Jail Free card, can resent that mightily, particularly if they're sensitive and GSDs certainly can be.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Noreaster said:


> He's just darling, glad he's healing so well.
> 
> I would seriously consider getting some puppy gates and an exercise pen to keep Miya and Max separated whenever a high-value object is being enjoyed by one or the other or both. You can also open up the x-pen to block all of the dogs away from the couch while they're relearning.
> 
> ...


It's been better at the house during the past week... after the last bite Max finally learned that he needs to give Miya a wide berth and stay out of her face. He generally won't even walk past her if she's between him and somewhere he wants to be unless one of us "escorts" him past her. But even then the two of them, under my son's watchful eye, rough-housed yesterday with no ill effects or injuries, for the first time, so I think we may be getting close to the "beginning of the end" of this whole ordeal. I think part of this might have been my fault; I got puppy tunnel vision when Max came home and neglected to show Miya (and the other three dogs) as much attention as I used to. I've started spending more time with her and, as I do that, she seems to be relaxing. 

As for separating them with toys, when Max has a chew he's usually sitting with me in the computer room and Miya tends to stay in the living room so there haven't been any chew/toy confrontations lately. We also started keeping a crate downstairs and when he gets too rambunctious he gets a brief "time out" until he settles down and he's learning quickly that that behavior gets him separated from everyone, which he hates. 

His eye looks better and better each day; it's even reflecting light and I noticed I can see the clear white of his eye a bit. It looks as though the scaring on his third eyelid might be loosening up a bit and we definitely know he has vision there. He goes back for one more quick followup in January when he gets weighed for his next heartworm preventative and after that the vet thinks she'll just need to look at it during his yearly physicals.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, thank you everyone for your support and advice during this whole mess. It's very appreciated.


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## Melakat (Oct 9, 2010)

This is great news about Max! He is so cute.


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## Bosn'sMom (Feb 11, 2013)

more puppy pics when you can please! he is so handsome


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*

Max is so adorable and I'm so happy that he's doing so well!!


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Thought everyone might like another Max update....

He's doing great and he and Miya appear to have settled down with each other; it's been over two weeks since the last incident and the two of them have started playing together. She's even licked the inside of his mouth a few times which, from what I've read, is a sign of submission. 

His eye looks a bit better and it seems to me that the main issue now is the third eyelid; it has some scaring that seems to be keeping him from opening his eye fully. He has vision in it (a fair amount, we think) and since it's not causing him any discomfort or difficulties we're leaving it as it is for now; he's been through enough the past several months and I don't want to put him through the stress of another surgery that will have minimal benefits. 

Here's a couple of pictures I took of him last Friday and one showing how big he's gotten since I met him... again, thank you everyone for your support and advice. It's very appreciated.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*

Max is such an adorable, lovable, baby! Thanks for the pictures and so glad to hear he is doing well. Did a behaviorist look at Miya? I am so glad she is being good.


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## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Just my two cents but I would get him into a Veterinary Ophthalmologist. It is worth a consult to see if there is anything they can do before it becomes permanent. JMHO..


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## Melakat (Oct 9, 2010)

Good to see him doing so much better. Such a handsome boy.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

I have been following this with interest. Max is a good looking guy, and I understand what you have been through. My wife and I have had 2 or sometimes 3 Goldens since 1999. Before that we only kept one! Our first male, also named Max (Maximillion) was our first field bred Golden. He was a great hunting dog and we loved him at home also, but he had an unusual aggressive streak. It showed up a bit as a puppy, but as he grew older it got worse. We did take him to a Behaviorist and he too determined he had a form of aggression. Our female Golden at the time learned very quickly to be subservient to him, but I did not. 

Therefore over his life time he bit me twice, both times on my right hand. Our Behaviorist said he was not a safe dog to have around other people, so we kept him but never allowed him access to anyone buy me and my wife. He only showed this aggression when someone touched his chest, strange but true. I think one of the trainers must have abused him at some point, but regardless, he could be dangerous. He died very young do to cancer, but for the time we had him, we had to be careful.

I share this only to let you know in our case the dogs worked it out, but also that a dog can get worse with age and can actually become dangerous. Looks like you guys are doing everything that can be done to protect your new pup, but be extra careful...

Good Luck


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

*We may have found out something...*

We think we may have found out why Miya been so touchy around Max.

She's developed some swelling on the side of her face, right below her eye socket, like she had a bug bite or a bee sting. It's been there for a couple of weeks and didn't seem to be causing her much discomfort but recently we noticed when she eats she eats slowly and carefully and seems to avoid chewing on the right side of her mouth. 

She goes to the vet Friday to get the swelling checked but, after some Googling, I found that swelling there can be causes by a bad tooth. I sat down with Miya and, with my son holding her head, opened her mouth and sure enough, one of her back molars (the one the arrow is pointing at) looks like it's abscessed, to the point I'm thinking it's going to have to come out. I made a mistake when I drew the arrow on this picture and it's pointing to the wrong side of her mouth... the bad tooth is on the right side of her head, which would also explain why, when she tags Max, she gets him on the left side of his face; that's the side that would be facing her when he hurts her. 










But this sheds a BUNCH of light on Miya and her behavior. Thinking back to the bites she's given Max he's usually been around her face; she got him several days ago (not bad at all and the first in a month, but it was still a bite) while he was trying to get her to play and mouthing her neck. He probably got too close to her mouth near that tooth and hurt her. Other times have been when he even moves towards her face and she'll snarl or snap to keep him away, probably because she's hurting.

We'll know more Friday (I tried to see if the vet could see her today but they don't have any appointments) but I'm expecting antibiotics and surgery in the future for her. I hate to see her hurting but I'm kind of relieved that we seem to have a reason for her behavior. 

EDIT:


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I hope Miya is OK. Pulling the tooth may completely resolve her problem. And if she's hurting, it's a good bet she's going to snap at anything/one that gets near her mouth. Hope all is well after your visit to the doctor.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Miya*

PLEASE try to get her appt. moved up. We were told by our vet that a tooth infection/abcess, can be deadly. The infection can spread to the brain.
Praying for Miya.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

My wife is on her way home now to take Miya to an 11am appointment. 

Thank you for your concern, everyone, even though she's not a Golden.


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## Bosn'sMom (Feb 11, 2013)

all dogs deserve the best attention  

let us know how it goes!! how is max's eye doing? any more improvement?


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Admiral*



admiral_john said:


> My wife is on her way home now to take Miya to an 11am appointment.
> 
> Thank you for your concern, everyone, even though she's not a Golden.


We LOVE all dogs!!! Let us know what vet says-so glad she's going to Doctor today.


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Bosn'sMom said:


> all dogs deserve the best attention
> 
> let us know how it goes!! how is max's eye doing? any more improvement?


It's reflecting light now and doesn't seem to be bothering him... the inner eyelid looks like it took most of the damage and has a tear in it and I think when it healed it's restricting him a bit from opening his eye as fully as his good eye. 

But it's not slowing him down at all... he plays, rough-houses, fetches and just graduated from his "Puppy One" class at Petco this past Saturday.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Hope Miya will be feeling better soon, poor girl. 

Max is such a good looking boy, he's really grown. 
Great picture, congrats to you both.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max*

What a beautiful picture of you and Max!!
I love Huskies and Malamutes and Samoyeds, too!


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Miya's back from the vet; her root is abscessed and she's on two weeks of antibiotics to clear it up. The vet said if the abscess comes back she'll probably have to have the tooth pulled but that's a bit down the road. She also mentioned the two appears to have a fracture but didn't say if the fracture caused the infection. 


So she's going to be okay and who knows? Maybe she'll stop trying to eat Max's face.  

And for anyone wondering, here's a picture of Miya, doing what she loves. 










And my other two furbabies... this is Scout: 










... and this is Takoda, Miya's littermate:


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Glad Miya will be feeling better soon. You have quite a fur-pack there. Nice looking dogs!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Miya*

So glad Miya is on antibiotics-she is a beauty! I just love the pictures.
They had to pull our Snobear's tooth and Tonka (our 5 year old Samoyed) just had an infected tooth that they pulled.

Is Miya a husky?

Scout and Takoda are beauties, too!!


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Karen519 said:


> So glad Miya is on antibiotics-she is a beauty! Love the pictures.
> They had to pull our Snobear's tooth and Tonka (our 5 year old Samoyed) just had an infected tooth that they pulled.
> 
> Is Miya a husky?
> ...


Miya and Takoda are both Lab/Huskies, and there's a bit of a story as to how we got Miya.

Someone where I worked had an unwanted litter of Lab/Huskie puppies they were trying to find homes for. They were only about 4 weeks old when she brought them into work one day and I chose Takoda out of the 4 or 5 she had, so our dog Winston (who has since died) would have a playmate. 

The day that we were supposed to meet the woman to get Takoda she called me to confirm where we were meeting and said, jokingly, "I only have one other puppy left, I don't suppose you want her too, do you?" I laughed and said "Do we want the other one?" and my wife yells out "Yes, we want the other one!"

And that's how we got Miya.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Miya*



admiral_john said:


> Miya and Takoda are both Lab/Huskies, and there's a bit of a story as to how we got Miya.
> 
> Someone where I worked had an unwanted litter of Lab/Huskie puppies they were trying to find homes for. They were only about 4 weeks old when she brought them into work one day and I chose Takoda out of the 4 or 5 she had, so our dog Winston (who has since died) would have a playmate.
> 
> ...


What a beautiful story!!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Miya and Max*

How are Miya and Max doing!!??


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Karen519 said:


> How are Miya and Max doing!!??


Very, very well. 

There haven't been any incidents between Miya and Max in awhile. There have been, however, a couple between Miya and Takoda but ever since we've had them they'll occasionally get into a scuffle with each other so that's nothing too unusual. 

The swelling on Miya's face is almost gone and since she's been on the antibiotics she's behaving more like herself. My wife said it best when she said "Miya has a light back in her eyes we'd been missing." 

Max, to be blunt, is a turd.  We're getting into that "teenage" period I've read so much about and he's getting a bit defiant and obnoxious about some things... for example, he's constantly putting his feet up on the counter and our desks, even after you tell him down. He also is VERY mouthy... if you pet him, he'll try to mouth your hand and arm, which is something else we're having a bit of an issue breaking him of. 

But even with those issues you can see his Golden personality starting to peek through... he follows me everywhere I go in the house and, when he's calm, will sit quietly while you pet him and if you hold your hand to him he'll gently lick it. As I told my wife, he has the potential to be a great dog once this puppy BS is finally past.  

Here's a picture I took yesterday of him. His eye is as healed, I think, as it's going to get.


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## Coco's Mom (Jun 2, 2014)

So glad to hear Max and Miya are doing well.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Max and Miya*



admiral_john said:


> Very, very well.
> 
> There haven't been any incidents between Miya and Max in awhile. There have been, however, a couple between Miya and Takoda but ever since we've had them they'll occasionally get into a scuffle with each other so that's nothing too unusual.
> 
> ...


So glad to hear Miya is doing better-keep an eye on the swelling and the tooth. Our Gizmo and Snobear had to have theirs pulled. Max sounds like a typical Golden. All of your dogs are beautiful. What kind of scuffles have Miya and Takoda had?


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## admiral_john (Oct 27, 2014)

Karen519 said:


> So glad to hear Miya is doing better-keep an eye on the swelling and the tooth. Our Gizmo and Snobear had to have theirs pulled. Max sounds like a typical Golden. All of your dogs are beautiful. What kind of scuffles have Miya and Takoda had?


They get into the occasional fight over a toy or a bone, or sometimes they just _look_ at each other in an odd way. It's not very frequent but it's happened since they were puppies. 

Miya appears to be doing fine; the swelling hasn't recurred and she's behaving like she always has. A big chunk of Max's rambunctiousness is he's cooped up in the house because of the weather (I live in the Northeast) so yesterday he went on two 25 minute walks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and that did WONDERS for calming him down.


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