Polly's Plog

NEW STUFF IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE - Click on photos below to enlarge


My background:	I had been a puppy-sitter for CCI for about 4-5 years prior to making my decision to become a puppy-raiser (PR). Before that I spent about 7 years as a Dog Mentor Volunteer for the Humane Society, where I would help train the new volunteers that would be working with the dogs.
Making the decision to raise a puppy:	For the longest time I had wondered if I could raise a CCI puppy. Well, it wasn't about raising the puppy, it was whether I could handle giving up the puppy after I had raised her that was the question for me. Could I do it? The answer came to me during the first graduation ceremony of 2005. The last part of the graduation ceremony is when a full-trained CCI dog gets paired with their companion whom they will spend their working "career" with - about 7-9 years or so. It is an amazing ceremony, full of emotion, full of hope, and full of tears. Much to my surprise I realize I actually know one of the families getting a CCI companion dog. Hyson is the dog's name and he is going to be paired with the daughter of friends of mine. I worked with her mom and have known her father for about 25 years! Fellow martial artists. Their adopted daughter has had a series of brain operations over the years and is in a wheelchair. She is still very affectionate but her vision, speech, and hearing have deteriorated over the years and at the age of 18 she is vocal but her speech is usually unrecognizable. It was relayed to us that during team training the father heard his daughter say "I love you" to their new companion dog. It had been a really long time since he had heard that from her. At that point the question was no longer "could I raise a CCI puppy?" but rather "how could I not?"
Polly's Parents:	Polly's parents are Leya (raised by Bellann Raile from Colorado), and Perry III, a Golden (co-raised by Claudia Peters and Terri Smith in WA). See pictures below (Leya is on the left; Perry is on the right) - such beautiful dogs!

7/16/05	Puppy Raiser Orientation - A great session where you get to learn the do's and don'ts of being a puppy raiser. Helpful tips to make the first part of the experience as positive as possible for you and the puppy. Thanks Sondra!
7/27/05	Just got a call from my Puppy Coordinator - my pup's name is POLLY! That is pretty cute. CCI can come up with some interesting names, so I'm really happy with Polly. I can't wait for August 5th when I finally pick her up. Just got these photos of Leya (Polly's mom) and her litter from a fellow "P" Puppy Raiser.

8/4/05	Polly IV arrives! I went up to CCI-SW today to pick up the little girl. While going over the paperwork, Willie (who picked her up at the airport) brought her in her for our first look. She was so adorable, such a sweet face and she has those dark soulful eyes that just go straight to your heart. I helped with her first bath and ear cleaning. CCI tattoos her ID # on the inside of her right ear with green ink and takes a lot to get it off - the little girl has already had some "ink done" and is too cool. She was really mellow until we started to drive home and I learned that she has a healthy pair of lungs! Thanks so much to everyone for the wonderful gifts to get me started on this wonderful journey!

8/5/05	Day 2 - Well I got a little sleep last night - Polly was up about every 2 hours for her potty break - it was what I expected. She is pretty darn adorable - all fluffy and soft. Everything goes in her mouth - everything. It's funny how she would rather chew on 2 cent piece of ribbon than the $5 toys I bought her... (Click to see the movie "Polly Playing with the Sun" - it's 12MB)

8/6/05	Well little Polly has a bit of diarrhea :-( After a few calls to my "experts" I decided to stop feeding her any treats, stay with just kibble and rice - also tried some pumpkin (1 tsp / 10 lbs. 2 or 3 times per day - the fiber helps absorb water) and I think she is doing a bit better this morning. Didn't know CCI was giving me a car - I've nicknamed her my "mini-pooper."
8/10/05	Big day today - Polly made it all the way up AND all the way down the set of stairs in my place!! The way up was easier for her - she was a bit tentative on the way down and was so excited to get all the way down she jumped off the last step and ended face first into the carpet. She is learning quickly. She loves to put everything in her mouth. It only takes either 3 or 13 distractions to get her to chew the things she should - toys, etc. She is settling in and feeling much better - she can be feisty at times - she doesn't like to be held too much, isn't real submissive, but can amuse herself with a toy at times. She loves to play and is real sweet, especially when she first wakes up. She doesn't seem to be chow-hound as she doesn't eat all her food at a meal. I know she loves hotdogs though, but can use those right now as they are a rich treat and can cause problems for her tummy. I have had such wonderful help and support from fellow CCI puppy-raisers - They have all helped to make this first week much easier for us. My heartfelt thanks to Celeste, Willie, Gretchen, LeAnn, Linda, Cath, Sondra, Pete, and Davi - your generosity, experience, and patience are superb!
8/12/05	Well Polly is feeling better now. She still doesn't eat much, but I think she has already grown since I got her. Polly got to play all afternoon yesterday at her cousin Marjorie's house. It was great for me as I got to run a bunch of errands and Polly got to play all afternoon. She was totally exhausted when we got home and slept the rest of evening - yea!! I installed a baby-gate to keep her in the kitchen with me. I thought I had puppy-proofed my place before Polly arrived. I discovered that the best way to really puppy-proof a place is to have a puppy and see all the things she can get into - and I mean everything.

8/18/05	Well, unfortunately Polly got diarrhea again - uuggh. I feel so bad for her and just want to figure out what is causing it. I hear it is not unusual in young puppies and I will be working with my vet to see if it is giardia (or some bug) or her food. It is rather distressing to have this sweet young pup sick and not feeling well. Both these first two weeks have been a bit trying, but should be better soon.
8/24/05	Polly seems to be doing better now that I am in the process of switching her food to Natural Balance. Whew. She had her second round of shots today and did great. She now weighs 16 lbs. I think her feet grew over-night! She got to play with more pals yesterday and was totally exhausted. I have finally been able to settle in to a routine with her. I can now look down at that sweet little 16 pound bundle of blonde fur and marvel at how much she is going to grow, how much she will learn, and how much she will contribute to her unknown companion's life. That is still a long way off. If I have learned anything, it is that I should enjoy each day with her, because I know the time will pass quickly and before I know it I will have to face that dreaded "walk across the stage."

9/6/05	Polly turned 3 months old last Sunday! Which means she has been with me for just over a month now, and what a month it has been. She/we have settled in quite a bit and now have a great routine. I am amazed at how quickly she grows - almost overnight. She is learning her commands and does really well in her kindergarten classes (she is the youngest in her class). She is practicing "sit" and "stay" and "wait" and "let's go" and of course "hurry." She has also learned how to "speak" already - which can be a bit tricky to teach the pups. I started off the adventure wondering "what have I got myself into!?" Meaning that this puppy-raising gig is a lot of work, much more than I expected, wondering when I will be able to sleep through the night, and will she ever learn anything to make our lives easier. Now it has become "what have I got myself into!?" Meaning this little girl is adorable, a lot of work but a real sweetheart, learns quickly, is a wonderful addition to my life, has bonded with me, and how will I ever be able to give her up. I already get sad thinking about the day I will have to let her go. I try to tell myself each time "this in not your dog," but that only works for a bit. I'll learn to enjoy each day with her, knowing that it will end at some point. That time is still far away and I know it will go quickly. I guess there are some things in life we do purely for the experience, regardless of how difficult the end of the journey may be. I know it's all for a greater cause, and that is my only salvation.

9/19/05	Polly is doing really well and we have settled in and she is just wonderful. She had another round of shots last week and weighed in at a solid 25 pounds. She is going to be a good-sized girl that is for sure. She is doing well in classes and we are working on sit, stay, down, speak, shake, and walking on a loose leash. She is really good in the cradle position and actually fell asleep in it last night - how precious. She loves meeting new people and gets really excited when someone comes over. We won't worry about that too much as she is still a puppy, but we will need to work on more and more. She has stopped napping as much during the day and has a healthy energy level! She loves to play with other dogs and it is a welcome time for me to see her get some good exercise and she will nap for a while. She is really developing her personality and I have three nicknames to match her personalities: "Pollywood" - when she is overly dramatic. She gets this nickname when she has had her halti head collar on for all of 90 seconds and I take it off and then she drops to the floor rubbing her face in the carpet and pawing at her face - "Oh that was so brutal having that thing on me for so long - whew so glad you took that off of me, that was really tough. "Pollyakala" - named after the Hawaiian Volcano Haleakala. She gets this nickname when she does that wild and crazy full-on running around the house, all around the furniture and up and down the stairs. You know the kind, where she tucks her rear-end underneath her and just goes nuts. "PollyAnna" - she gets this one she is all sweet and affectionate and mellow and just a real sweetheart. In case you want to know the names of all her littermates - here you go: Parley II, Penny IV, Petulia II (aka Patti), Placer II, Polly IV, Prado II, Prairie III, and Pueblo III. Some more photos of her, and some of her littermates so you can see how they all look similar:


9/28/05	Polly is doing well and growing so quickly as you can see by these most recent pictures. I would guess she is around 27-30 pounds now. She will be 4 months old on Sunday. She gets her final shot on Monday and I will then be able to walk her all over the place with no worries. I noticed she recently lost one of her front puppy teeth, which means her adult teeth will be coming in soon and she will need to do a lot of chewing to help with her teething. She already loves to chew her toys, especially the nylabones. She is learning quickly and spent her first weekend away from home at her Auntie Gretchen's this last weekend - woohoo, party!

10/18/05	This little girl is 4 1/2 months old now and weighs about 31-32 pounds. She is losing her puppy teeth and now has 4 adult teeth coming in - right in front - two on top, and two on the bottom. She has all her shots now, and I'm just waiting for the 5 month mark so I can start introducing her to public places. She is doing well learning her commands - but I'm quick to note that I might be the limiting factor sometimes :-) She walks well on leash and we typically go for at least two walks a day around my neighborhood. She gets very excited when she sees children and women - she holds her head high, with ears back, tail waging, and does a little dance as we get closer. While this may be really cute, it's not appropriate for a service dog so we will work on this and see if I can get her to be calmer when greeting. She went for her first swim recently and seemed to be OK with it - another pool party is coming up...

10/31/05	20 weeks old - but technically not 5 months old until 11/12/05 (5 months from her birthday). She is doing well and growing quickly - about 37 pounds now! She is a very happy girl and loves meeting new people (she is tired of me by now). Everybody loves her and comments on what a good looking dog she is - I don't really know what to say to that - other than agree with them. She does well in class even though she is at least a month younger than her classmates. Last week she went to a puppy birthday pool party - she had a blast. She slipped in again and then pretty much stayed away from going in for the rest of the day. Pool party photos are from Ken Sergi

12/12/05	Happy 6 month birthday to Polly and her siblings! Polly is doing well and growing quickly - she has lost all her baby teeth and she has all her adult teeth. She passed KPT class and will be moving on to basic training classes - such a good student. One thing that is different as a puppy-raiser vs. a puppy-sitter is that you really get to see the development of your puppy. It's so fun to see how she learns and how her personality develops. She has become the Inspector General of the household. She feels she must check out everything I bring into the house (groceries, laundry, etc.). I was cleaning out a cabinet and she had to inspect everything I removed from the cabinet. To make sure she didn't miss anything she decided to lie down right in front of the cabinet, and in my way, so she could examine everything as I put it back into the cabinet. We have been "working" in public and Polly really enjoys it - a little too much sometime as she gets very excited when greeting others, so we are working on this. Here is her weight chart so you can see how quickly she is growing: 2 months = 12 lbs 5 months = 40 lbs 8 months = 54 lbs 11 months = 57 lbs 3 months = 24 lbs 6 months = 46 lbs 9 months = 57 lbs 12 months = 56 lbs 4 months = 29 lbs 7 months = 51.5 lbs 10 months = 58 lbs 13 months = 54 lbs (current weight)

1/8/06	Almost 7 months old. She is doing great. We spent New Year's in Palm Springs. Polly is growing so quickly - she is getting thicker and longer, but not much taller. She is so much fun, a real joy, and everyone she meets thinks she is just the greatest. While in public everyone always says she is such a gorgeous dog - I don't know what to say to that since I had nothing to do with it - so way to go Leya and Perry! I just smile at them and tell them that Polly says thank you. I just think every CCI puppy is gorgeous. I got some fantastic pictures of Leya (Polly's mother) from Leya's puppy-raiser. Thanks Bellann. Also, Polly's brother Prado was re-homed here in San Diego and they got to play together a few weeks ago. I don't think they "recognized" each other, but they did enjoy playing together. They will also be in class together.

2/12/06	8 months old today - can you believe it! Polly is doing fantastically. She has learned some critical domestic skills lately. She can lick a floor clean, any floor, if you let her (especially at restaurants). If you need any help cleaning up the yard Polly is your gal. She is quite good at eating small sticks, leaves, and any other organic material lying around. She will clean her paws in the water dish when she is done so you don't have to worry about dirty paws. She is developing quite a personality, and the nickname that fits her best is "Sweet-P." She is a very happy girl, loves greeting other dogs and people, and generally is very sweet and lovable at home all the time. Especially when I'm sitting on the sofa watching TV and for no reason she just comes over, sits right next to me and leans against my leg and looks up at me, just to say "hey." She does well working in public - and goes almost everywhere with me. She and her brother Prado do very well in our classes, and they enjoy hanging out and playing together.

3/20/06	Over 9 months old already! Where does the time go? Wherever it goes, it goes quickly that is for sure. She is doing great, learns her commands well and does well in her puppy classes. She really is a sweetheart and a very soft and easy dog to raise. She loves people, and loves the attention as well. I may be biased, but she is rather cute and a good looking pup. Way to go Leya and Perry! (Her parents) We were invited to do a presentation for Community Day to two third-grader classes at La Jolla Country Day School. It went over well, the kids asked great questions, and Polly was a real star. Pictures below are with the kids from the school.

4/21/06	10 months old and Polly's weight seems to have stabilized at about 57-58 lbs. She can look a little "thick" sometimes but I think that is because she is a fluffy pup. She still has her waist and a lovely girlish figure. We did a real fun CCI outing on the the Hornblower Harbor Cruise. We had about a dozen CCI pups on the boat and enjoying a cruise around San Diego's harbor. Polly is doing great. She does well in her classes and is quick to learn commands. This Sunday is the "exam" for her basic classes (the second set in the series we do as puppy raisers). The only trouble I have is teaching her things I wish she would do. I often ask her which shirt goes with a pair of pants, etc. She just sniffs them both equally and tells me they both smell the same and since she is not really good with colors, that either shirt is fine. I wish she could be more decisive. I was also hoping she could pick up all the fur she is shedding now that the weather is warmer. She claims she can't pick it up because she has no thumbs! The puppy raising experience is still amazing me to me. Polly is a wonderful companion to me, and a joy to raise. Time passes quickly with her - too quickly. Here are some recent pics - you can really see how she has grown and matured into a wonderful pup. The first one is from the Hornblower Cruise.

6/12/06	HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO POLLY AND ALL THE "P" LITTER PUPS. Wow, one year old already! Time goes by so quickly. The last several months have really been a fantastic experience. Polly has turned into a wonderful little pup, very sweet, a little excitable, but a real joy to raise. She is such a wonderful addition to my life, and my constant companion. The reactions I get while out in public are so entertaining. From the people who just walk by and smile to those who want to stop and chat, I never know what will happen. One woman stopped me to say that since she has no children she is leaving her estate to CCI and wanted to thank me for raising Polly. There are so many stories, and that is what makes raising a CCI pup so much fun. She still has not gone into heat yet. I thought it was happening about 3 weeks ago, so I packed her bags for "girl-camp." It turned out to be nothing. Which was a good thing as she would have been up at the kennels during the canine flu outbreak. No worries, I hear some pups didn't go into heat until they were 14 months old. Actually I wish she wouldn't go into heat at all as that means I will be without her for 3 weeks or so :-(

7/13/06	THE LETTER. I got "the letter" that tells you the date you are to turn in your pup to CCI. Polly's turn-in date will be November 18th or is it the 19th (hmm, maybe I might forget). Her potential dates were either August or November, so in a way November is a little better. The November turn-in is also the time of CCI-Southwest's 20th Anniversary Celebration. Not too sure if I will feel like celebrating :-( Polly is doing well - such a sweet pup. She still has not gone into heat, and I have stopped wondering about when it will happen. It's summer time and she had a blast at a recent pool party (see pics below). She was a little tentative about going in the water, but once she was in it she really had a fun time. We also walked in the Coronado 4th of July Parade with other CCI pups and people. We also worked a shift at the La Jolla Arts Festival where CCI had a booth set up. It's really a lot fun getting do some of the outings that CCI has for us - and it's great training for Polly.

8/22/06	THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN. We attended the CCI-SW Graduation this last weekend. As usual, it was an amazing event. It also means that the next Graduation is when I turn in Polly :-( This last Graduation was particularly special as Leann (my mentor) had Torin (Polly's half-sister, they share the same dad) graduate to go with a young boy from Trabuca Canyon. Also, Tiffani and Katie (who are currently raising Prado, Polly's brother) had Rudy graduate after three semesters in advanced training. So, at least I am in the company of excellent puppy-raisers! Here are two nice articles about the Graduation: 1. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20060820-9999-1mi20canine.html (This one features Tiffani and Katie) 2. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/08/20/news/coastal/oceanside/21_49_058_19_06.txt Polly is doing great - she is such a sweetheart and a joy to raise, and has earned the nickname "Sweet P." When she is exceptionally wonderful I call her "Saint Polly Girl." Still no heat, and she is over 14 months old. Which is fine with me. I just hope she doesn't go into heat just before Graduation. Pictures below are Polly with her new friend Greta. Polly with Pluto and myself at Graduation.

10/9/06	THE PACKET - HOW TO RUIN YOUR DAY. I received Polly's packet last week. It's the one that has all the information and details about turning in your CCI pup. I knew it was coming, and hoping it might get lost didn't work. I even tried to get Polly to chew it up, but she wouldn't comply (it's not one of her commands). It just reminds one how close "THE DAY" is and how fast time flies when your raising a CCI pup. So, November 18th is her turn-in day and we will be heading to Mexico on the 17th. If we are not there in time, please start without us :-) Hasta la vista, puppy Pablo and Pollita ---------- (Some pics attached - one with her friend Kailee - a released CCI dog. The other is Polly on her "perch" which allows her to see out over her domain, and mostly in to the kitchen where the good stuff is located - see how funny she sits...)

11/14/06	4 DAYS TO TURN-IN, AND COUNTING :-( Checklist for escape plan: Roadmap for Mexico - Check. List of dog-friendly hotels in Mexico - Check. Disguises for Mexico - Check. Mexican Car Insurance - Check. Plenty of water for both of us - Check. Make sure you don't tell anywhere where we are going - oops! Yes, Turn-in/Graduation is Saturday. Part of me is ready to get this over with and learn what is next for Polly. Part of me can't imagine what it will be like without her. As I look back on the experience, I want this entry to acknowledge all those who have helped me with raising Sweet Polly. From the CCI Staff, Trainers & Volunteers, to my mentor, to other puppy-raisers, and puppy sitters, and all the friends who participated in her raising. Thank you so much for all your support!!! We all know 'it takes a village to raise a miracle." I wrote a piece titled 'A Year of Loving Dangerously' to capture the experience as best I could. It was written for a specific audience, and if you would like to read it, click the link below for the pdf. Feel free to send it to others who might enjoy it: A Year of Loving Dangerously (I've been told to issue a tissue warning...) Hasta la vista mi amigos Pablo & Pollita

01/05/07	It's hard to believe it's only been 6 weeks since Polly's turn-in. It feels like 6 months! I miss her so much. As many veteran PR's told me - it's a real roller-coaster ride of emotions waiting to hear about your pup. It's been hard to go this long without any real feedback on how she is doing. But that wait is over. I got her first report yesterday and she seems to be doing well. She has developed a couple of new habits that I didn't see before - prey drive and rough play with dogs. I wouldn't have expected to see prey drive as there is not a lot of prey running around the condos of La Jolla. The rough play with dogs consists of ankle biting. Since she is small, that's probably the only part of the other dogs she can get a hold of. She still has excitable greetings, but she has had that all along. She is also still being considered as a breeder. Overall I think it is a good report. If you want to see the full report just email me and ask to see it. I have heard that one of her littermates who raised in NE was released a few weeks ago. That's all I know for now. The reports should start to come on monthly basis. Here are some pictures from her Graduation (thanks Tiffani!) - the other dog is her brother Prado who is also in AT with her:


Advanced Training Reports	In this section I'll post the comments that are included in each report I get about Polly while she is in Advanced Training (AT). Reports usually come to me in email around the first of the month. While I try to "interpret" each report, veteran puppy raisers have told me it is really difficult to do so with any accuracy. So to avoid the emotional roller-coaster ride that happens while your pup is in AT my new attitude is that "she is there, until she isn't.": December '06 Report: For the first few weeks of advanced training, we focused on temperament and medical evaluations. The dogs were walked through a standardized temperament test on campus, as well as two off-campus evaluations at Petco. Both tests allowed us to evaluate the dogs’ responses to environmental stimuli such as prey, other dogs, people, toys, sounds and novel items. We have also been evaluating the dogs during grooming procedures, and acclimating them to the bathtub and dryer. Heart and eye exams have been completed, as well as hip and elbow x-rays. A lot of time outside of training has been spent on developing appropriate kennel and play-yard manners. In skill training, a significant amount of time was spent working on the Let’s Go to sharpen positioning and focus on the handler. We are also now working on additional floor commands, as well as the dumbbell hold. Polly plays rough with the other dogs when out in the play yard by biting at their ankles. During her initial evaluations, she showed signs of prey drive. Polly can be easily excitable with difficulty controlling some impulses such as greetings with people. Polly appears to have sufficient confidence and looks to me for direction. January '07 Report: Polly was spayed and is in good health (so she will no longer be a breeder). After being given the opportunity to toilet, Polly defecated inappropriately while in a Let's Go. When working in the training room, Polly becomes distracted by other dogs and toys, however during her recent field trips she has remained focused. Polly has shown poor impulse control in response to the training room environment. She whines when I am working other dogs while she waits her turn. February '07 Report: Polly continues to show poor impulse control in response to the training room environment. During field trip outings Polly has become distracted by other dogs and toys. In training, she has shown signs of stress by excessive panting and whining from her crate. Polly has had one instance of alert barking at a staff member from her kennel, and would not stop until the person reached her kennel door and greeted her. We are continuing to monitor this behavior. She displays excitable greetings by jumping on me when I enter her kennel, and we are working on this behavior. In the yard, Polly is intense around tennis balls and will scramble to get them and dart away from other dogs that approach her while she has one. I will continue to monitor and work with her on this behavior. Overall, Polly is a willing worker. So long as they keep saying she is a willing worker - things are good...

03/13/07	"POLLY - RELEASE(D)" At about 3:00 pm today Polly received her last official "release" command from CCI. After almost 4 months of Advanced Training for Polly, I got "the call" yesterday in the afternoon. It turns out that Miss Polly just didn't have what it takes for her to be a service dog. She is being released for 1. fear-based aggression (barking at strangers, statues, other dogs), 2. anxiety (in the training room consisting of panting, whining, barking, etc.), 3. poor impulse control (just like her puppy-raiser :-), and 4. ball drive. It's a strange experience getting the call and letting it sink in - a mixed bag. As time passed post turn-in I began to accept and hope that she might make it as a service dog, and really make a huge difference in the life of her potential companion. However, in the back of my mind and from deep in my heart I knew I missed her and would welcome her back if that should be her fate. If she had made it all the way I couldn't have been more proud of her and the time and energy that everyone would have put into her. If she didn't make it, I couldn't be happier to have her come back to me. I guess it's the end of one journey for Polly, and the beginning of another for both of us. To be able to meet the needs of those with disabilities, CCI sets high standards for the service dogs it places, and they should! I know they have made the right decision for the program and for Polly. So many people were part of this journey for Polly, and I would like to thank you all for your contributions and support during this most amazing experience. PS - Her nose turned all "pinkish" while away!

04/27/07	Well Miss Polly has been back home for about 6 weeks now. It is so wonderful to have her as my companion. She is such a sweet girl. I can see now that it just wasn't her fate to be a service dog - she just loves saying hello to people with too much exuberance. Hey, that's just who she is. Since she has been back we have been trying to figure out the cause of her diarrhea. First, it seemed like stress as the fecal test was negative. She has had two courses of meds to help, but what may seem to be helping the most is apple sauce. When she was younger and had diarrhea I would give her organic apple sauce because the pectin was to help bind/firm up her stools. It worked then, and it seems to be working now (keeping fingers and paws crossed that it does). So it means I just may need to switch her to a higher fiber dog food. Time will tell with this one. Last week I noticed that Polly's left eye was tearing excessively. It actually looked like she was crying! So another trip to the vet - who said "you two, again!" (BTW, my new vet is fantastic!) Turns out Polly has what is called distichiasis. They noted it on her chart while in AT, but it wasn't necessary to treat it then. We just got back from our consult with the vet eye surgeon and he confirmed she has distichiasis and ectopic cilia. This is where the eyelashes grow abnormally and actually into the eye. If left untreated it can cause ulcerated corneas. The surgery requires general anesthesia and they cut the eyelids open to remove the ectopic hair and freeze (cryosurgery) the other hairs that are causing problems. She needs to have both upper eyelids done. They said she will be really swollen (like she was in a bar fight), and her eyelids will turn pink, but should return to normal color after several months. She has to wear that dreaded cone collar. I wonder if I can get her one in pink - she looks best in that color, and it will match her eyelids. Even though this is micro-surgery, it seems pretty MACRO to me. I feel "nervous" for her and really hope that this surgery I'm subjecting her to will be the best thing for her in the long run. Poor Miss Polly... So her surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday. I'll let you know how it goes. Keep your fingers and toes, and paws and claws crossed that this will be the only surgery she needs...

06/12/07	HAPPY BIRTHDAY POLLY or HEY, I'M A BIG GIRL NOW! Today is Polly and all the rest of the P litter's second birthday. My how time flies when you don't know what you're doing. Polly has been back home for about 3 months now. She has fully healed from her eye surgery (see pic down below to see how swollen she got). We think we have the diarrhea problem fixed - she is now on organic dog food and doing well. Howevery, I think I have become a real paranoid pet owner because of all the things going on with Polly. When I switched her to her new food I thought she might have allergies because she seemed to be itching and her fur was coming out in chunks. So I took her into to see our vet. He looked at her, seemed very concerned and said "I can see what the problem is with her." Then he smiled and said "she is SHEDDING, stop worrying!" I still get a kick every time I stop and realize she is my dog and my companion now. I am so lucky to have her, and she reminds of that every day. Even though she is now two years old people still think she is a puppy. That's because she is small and still has that puppy energy when she greets people. So while she requested a hunk of medium-rare prime rib for her birthday, she got a whole frosty paw to herself, a couple of new chew toys, and a can of doggie tennis balls with the squeaker inside. I'm not sure she realized it was her birthday but she was still pretty excited. Some recent pictures down below. First one, she is my trusted assistant while doing home repairs for a friend. She still can't tell the difference between a flat-head and phillips-head screwdriver though. Second is the day after her surgery, see how swollen her left eye is - poor Polly :-( and the last one is from today, her birthday!

07/24/07	POST EYE SURGERY UPDATE: We saw the eye surgeon yesterday for her second follow-up appointment following her eye surgery at the beginning of May. While she has healed well from the surgery, it appears that she will have to have the surgery again. :-( There are more hairs growing on both eyelids that will probably be a problem for her as they grow in. We have another appointment in November, and the surgeon felt we might need to do the surgery before the end of the year. In the meantime I just need to watch her and if the problem gets worse then I am to bring her in. I just hate the idea of subjecting her to another surgery. Even with another one, there is no guarantee it will be the last. I know it is in her best interest long-term. She handles it well, but I have never been a fan of surgery/general anesthesia. I wish there was something else that could work for her, but this is it. Otherwise she is doing well. She seems to have matured a bit in the last couple of months and is sweeter than ever. I'm so lucky to have her in my life...

12/14/07	SECOND EYE SURGERY UPDATE: As predicted, Polly needed to have a second procedure for her distichia. She had several (6-8) lashes on both upper eye lids that were growing in the wrong way. The good thing is that she did not have an ectopic ones, so the procedure on Wednesday was easier on her this time. It's never easy dropping of your pup for surgery. I was still nervous for her this time, but not as bad as the first time. It was still strange to not have her at home for the day, especially knowing what she was going through. The surgeon was pleased with the outcome, and Polly didn't have as much swelling as she did the first time. She has been recovering really well, and that makes me happy! I hated to see her suffer on the first one. So the big question is, how many more times will she need this done? Well, hard to say. This condition typically happens in dogs less than 3 years of age, and she is now 2.5 years old. No one can say for sure because you have to wait and see what grows. The surgeon was hopeful that this or one more should be it for her, and any other treatments would be less invasive. So keep your fingers and toes, and paws and claws crossed that this will be the last ... Here are a couple pictures, and you can see the swelling is not bad at all - the left is a bit worse than the right.