Trouble in Toby Land, The Beagle Chronicles
Isn't Toby cute?
Last friday afternoon I noticed that Toby was staying in his dog house when he would have normally been totally underfoot. I counted my blessings and decided to cover up the latest hole he had dug in a flower bed next to the carport. Having heard that you could stop a dog from digging if you put some of their poop in the hole and then covered it up, I went looking.
After I only found one specimen, I became suspicious and called Toby. He wouldn’t come and when I got him out of his house he was walking funny and shaking all over. I knew he was sick and decided he might be constipated. The vet was closed so I warmed him some milk and held him for about an hour while he trembled. I felt like an awful dog owner because I had not noticed earlier.
Saturday morning we took off to the vet. I told the “nurse” what I suspected and she examined him briefly, took his temperature and then drew some blood to test for heartworms.
“Hold his head,” she said as she shoved an eight inch piece of plastic up his behind.
“What in the world did you just do?” I asked.
“Stool sample,” she replied as she inspected it much closer than I would have. “I can tell you one thing, he is not constipated.”
Then the vet came in and I went through it all again. He decided that Toby had just hurt his back. He prescribed a couple of medicines that for a dog cost a small fortune and that a person has in his medicine cabinet. Then he said he would check him for constipation if I wanted him to. I did not realize this was going to cost extra but I should have.
“Hold his head,” he said donning a rubber glove. Afterwards he told me Toby was not constipated.
I took Toby, his two medications and some heart worm medicine out to the car. I then retuned to the front desk where two ladies were working.
“How much do I owe you?” I asked.
“Hold his head,” One of them said to the other.
So after seven days of medications, Toby seems fine. Really he seemed fine after about two days except if I said the words “hold” or “head” he tried to bite me.
The vet said that Toby may have hurt his back running, digging or jumping. Today was a nice sunny day here and I went down to my shop to get the mower. I think I figured out what he jumped off of.
Poulan customized by Toby.
Toby's Rules
1. If it is mine, I will chew it.
2. If it is yours, I will chew it.
3. If I can get my mouth on it, I will chew it.
I called the Dog Whisperer and asked him to come and help me with Toby's troubles. He cancelled his show and moved back to Mexico.
Toby Story and Video from Youtube
- Toby Protects the Tomato Patch, Sort Of
I captured this video Monday about three in the afternoon. Watch that mean dog terrorize poor little Bambi. I live inside the city limits of Lancaster, SC which is a town of less than ten thousand people....
Comments
AUTHORAppreciate the comments, Kathy. Thanks!
I feel sorry for you and Toby. Cute telling of the tale. We can identify after 3 back/neck surgeries on our dachsunds and a chihuaua that chews furniture, stairs, ALL the molding she can get to. She's lucky we love her! She has no idea how lucky she was to come into our family. Her (our) guardian angel should tell her to show some respect!
- AUTHOR
I think Beagles may be prone to hip problems. I had an inside Beagle for a while but they really love it outside! Thanks for reading this old one, Storytellersrus.
resspenser, this is so odd! My sister in law has a beagle named Toby and he had a more serious episode, yet similar to what you describe. He remained hunched over for weeks and even now, he cannot straighten his back or run as he used to. This little guy is not even eight. I wonder if it is a characteristic of the breed?
Your Toby is adorable. I am still trying to decide what kind of dog to get for Finnegan- he needs a friend. If beagles did not shed, I would add this Snoopy breed to my list. But I have a shedding cat... Sweet story and ending, you silly man.
- AUTHOR
I ran into the same thing a while back. Somehow something on my profile got changed and I had to go back and set it to be notified when people I was following published a new hub.
Thanks for reading about Toby. He drank a swallow of beer this evening! Who knew beagles like Michelob Ultra?
hey...what's the deal I am so not getting any notice that you have published... Thanks for the laugh...I have two dogs with totally different personalities one hyper and one docile. One under foot and one who would rather lay on the couch until someone mentions cookie or bath (the bath warrants a hide under the bed). Thanks for sharing your funny story.
- AUTHOR
Pam, thanks. I was going for humor!
Immartin, I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Toby is fun to watch and play with but he drives me NUTS!
Its Angel, thanks for dropping by and Toby is fine now.
Great hub! Poor Toby..
Fun article. Our dogs do provide us with much entertainment, and it is only fair we pay their vet bills (and yes, they can mount up.)
I'm watching a five pound chihuahua take over our household and put fear into the heart of Dick, the mastiff weighing 250 pounds. Even funnier is watching him pose in manly fashion for Didi, a 180 pound bitch (or how he tries to find some kind of humping position) -- five pounds of lust and desire.
yep, we may have to shell out now and then, but still the cheapest entertainment for the dollar available.
Interesting hub. No matter what our pets are a part of the family.
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