Jodhpurs is in Da Hooouuuse!

Jodhpurs has entered the building.

Juno’s home! When she came into the private room at the hospital yesterday, she acted almost normal. She jumped on me, licked me at least 87 times and play bowed about 16 times. She cried happy cries. She knew she was coming home. Nurses at VMS continue to rave on about her wonderful behavior, sweet disposition and happy personality. Nurses I never met, came into the room to say good bye. They all know Juno. It’s a good thing I was picking her up. I get the feeling she was on the verge of being pup-napped.

She’s not out of the woods yet. Her temp is holding normal and when she left the hospital it was 101.9. She’s on Clindamycin and Baytril for antibiotics and Tramadol (narcotic) for pain. They’re still reluctant to give steroids because it’s seeming to show bacterial but we still don’t have cultures back.

The spinal tap showed negative on “growth” cultures, so no bacteria in her spine or head (though she thinks we should test Loki’s head to see if we find anything in it at all). We’re still waiting on blood cultures and cultures from the second round of joint taps done on Sunday on her right back knee, which will take about 7 days. They tapped her left knee but it wasn’t nearly as bad so they won’t culture it.  The doctor is truly hoping to see something grow in them because then we can name it and really knock this out. She’s leaning away from it being autoimmune arthritis (thank dogs) because it doesn’t act like this. She also x-rayed her back legs and they did not show degenerative arthritis (praise cheeses).  So we’re hunting for the name of the bacterial infection. How she got this septic infection, we’ll never know. Septic arthritis is usually from an open infected wound, which she did not have.

Though Juno’s temperature responded within a day to the clindamycin, an antimicrobial. The infection and inflamation in her joints showed up on Saturday & Sunday, three days after hospitalization, after being on the antibiotic and after her first joint tap. The doctor informed me that it can take a while for antibiotics to reach the joint.

Her temp leaving the hospital was 101.9 and holding. She seemed to walk better, but now that’s she’s home, she’s in a lot of pain and limping a lot. Her appetitie is great. She ate an entire chicken (meat only) and later on some tri-tip.  I’ll be taking her temperature twice daily and in contact with the doctor. Let’s hope we find out what bacteria this is so we can really nail it!

Loki’s happy to have her home, and acting like a gentleman. He’s not being overly pushy or needy and seems to know to behave around her.

“I’m in the hospital for 5 whole days and HOW many times did you come? Only twice. And did you bring me any flowers or bones? No. You’ve got a lot of ‘splainin’ to do, buddy!”
“But… I don’t drive… and besides, Mom’s mini was in the shop. By the way did you know she dropped her cell-phone in the toilet while you were gone? That’s pretty funny, huh? You had to be there I guess.”

“Ah cupcake, I miss your smell so much, i just need to bury my nose here for just a second…”

“Wow, they sure did a major makeover to your coat. Is this patchwork shaving the new Northern Breed Living in CA trend?”
“Watch it buster. You’re walkin’ on thin ice. And since  you’re not a husky, you wouldn’t know the first thing about surviving on thin ice.”

“Let me just check to see if your jodhpurs are sill in place. It’s very disturbing that they can just give you this make over so quickly.”

“Yup, jodhpurs were spared. Thank dog!”

 “I swear! I tried to visit you every day! But Mom wouldn’t let me!”
“Don’t you jive talk me Formosan boy. I know a line when I hear it.”

Patchwork Juno doesn’t look too pleased. She feels a bit like a hobo.

“Oh my dog! I’m so happy the jodhpurs were not taken!”

Though her temperature is still down, Juno does a lot of this above. While it may appear normal, believe me, it takes a mack truck to get her up because the  pain is still quite bad in her back legs.

Juno Belle Jodhpurs remains an unsolved mystery and a puzzle for every Vet on her case. I just hope we can find the bacteria so we can get her better faster and possibly give her anti-inflamatory, rather than a narcotic, so she can walk without pain soon.