I know it looks like Alayne and I are choking the daylights out of this poor dog, but honest, we're not! This is Twist, the other half of the Oliver and Twist Dachshund duo who arrived just before last Christmas. I was in the isolation cottage about 8 a.m. this morning, giving deaf Snowball his heart and stomatitis medications, when Alayne walked up to the window and said, "We've got a problem with Twist."
She was in Kelly's Cottage, letting the dogs out, and Twist would not come out of his crate. Usually he bolts right out and skitters across the floor to the door, lifting up his bad leg so it doesn't slow him down. But not today ... he wasn't budging. Alayne reached in to pull him out, and that's when she noticed his face was swollen.
My first thought at seeing the swelling was an abscess, but then I noticed his eye on the other side of his face was also puffy -- and that would suggest more of an insect bite of some sort, or a reaction to something. We brought Twist into the house and I took several photos of his face -- including the one above -- to email to our vets in Helena, Brenda and Britt Culver. I wanted to see what they thought and whether this was something we could begin treating here, or whether he needed to go in for an exam. I called the clinic and asked the staff to alert them that the photos were on the way.
When you live 70 miles from your vet, you learn to appreciate the benefits of telemedicine! I take very high-resolution photos (we use lower-res versions for the blog) so Brenda and Britt can zoom in and see a lot of detail.
About 30 minutes later, Britt called after reviewing the photos. He, too, suspected an insect bite. He said a tooth root abscess would typically present with swelling farther up his face, and wouldn't result in swelling around the other eye. So he asked what we had in stock, and I ran through our Rolling Dog Ranch Pharmacy inventory of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and steroids.
Britt had me start Twist on a twice-daily regimen of amoxicillin, prednisone, and injections of baytril. He said that if we were right about the cause, the swelling should start coming down pretty fast. And indeed it did ... by noon Twist's face was already looking better, and by this evening, it was almost normal.
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I just got back from the airport in Missoula tonight after picking up a little old blind-and-deaf girl from California. More on her tomorrow!
I was in the isolation cottage about 8 a.m. this morning, giving deaf Snowball his heart and stomatitis medications, when Alayne walked up to the window and said, "We've got a problem with Twist."
Posted by: Picking up Women | March 30, 2011 at 02:03 AM
Poor little Twist looks so uncomfortable! Thank goodness you had some medication on hand. Glad to hear he's feeling better. Our doxies Toby, Annie and Lucy all send him their best wishes!
Posted by: Julie | March 07, 2008 at 07:45 AM
Wow! Glad your ranch pharmacy has an inventory of necessary meds for relief....but an insect bite during the cold winter in Montana?! Hope Twist is feeling fine today.
Posted by: Nina | March 06, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Poor Twist! My first thought was a spider bite. Baytril's good for this kind of thing. Twist was lucky she could get your excellent home care right away. Feel all better, girl!
Posted by: Moon Rani | March 06, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Dachshunds get things all the time. I had one(Hailey)she got into something when i was walking her, by the time we got back to the car her whole face was swollen, I was on my way to Dallas, where she was going to be adopted(I did not want her to be) and we stop and got her Benadrly, within the hour it was down some, she did not get adopted(thank God), so I adoted her. Our CEO of dachshund rescue teased me about carry a bee in a bottle and let it string her so she would not get adopted, I really wanted Hailey. Well anyway by the next day she was ok, but took her to the vet and she said it was most likly a bite from a bee or something. So DaCHSHUNDS ARE FUNNY ABOUT THAT, GLAD HE IS IN GOOD HANDS. tHANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFULL WORK YOU DO.
Posted by: Vicky Humbarger | March 06, 2008 at 02:19 PM
Poor Twist!! He is making my face hurt!! A few months ago my papillion had a reaction to her annual shots about 30 minutes after we got home from the vet, her snout was so swollen, her eyes were almost shut, we rushed her back to the vet, and thanks God for benedryl and predisone!! Within hours she was back to her cute little self!! Her name is Kayla June, but we call her Princess Poopsalot!! Good Luck with Twist!
Debbie
Posted by: Debbie | March 06, 2008 at 12:36 PM
It never ceases to amaze me, the huge hearts you and Alayne have. Despite the sorrow at loosing Dillon, Pepper, and Oscar so recently, you're off to the airport to pick up a new charge! Bless you again for all you do, and for loving these wonderful animals no matter what. We can't be with you physically, but we're certainly here in cyberspace cheering you on.
Glad to hear that poor Mr. Twist is already recovering. Spider bite you think? Ouch.
Posted by: Linda | March 06, 2008 at 11:00 AM
oh that poor little fellow! glad to hear he's feeling better!
Posted by: Kate and Luke! | March 06, 2008 at 10:55 AM
He is so sweet. Still can't stop thinking of little Oscar.
Posted by: gayle | March 06, 2008 at 10:09 AM
Poor Twist! Hope he's feeling lots better by now!!
Posted by: Shannon | March 06, 2008 at 09:27 AM
What brave biting insects are there in Montana in the winter?
I can't wait to hear about your latest family member.
Posted by: Janet in Cambridge | March 06, 2008 at 09:25 AM
A bug bite in the cold of winter?
Montana has some hearty bugs!!
Twist certainly looks unhappy; I'm glad the swelling has gone down.
Once again, the fast acting, dynamic duo at RDR save the day.
Posted by: Boundforglory | March 06, 2008 at 09:13 AM
poor Twist!! I hope he's feeling better now :) Did you ever figure out what bit him? What insects are dumb enough to brave that cold? ;-)
I had a dachshund once bitten by a snake (copperhead) right on the end of her nose. She was so swollen (nose and neck) that she looked like a bloodhound. She lived! and carried the bite scars on the end of her nose for the rest of her life.
Posted by: Jenn | March 06, 2008 at 08:38 AM
I'm so glad Twist is looking (and presumably feeling) much better already!
A very warm welcome to the new girl from California. I can't wait to read more about her!
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | March 06, 2008 at 04:01 AM