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I just returned yesterday from a week of vacation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gorgeous, amazing, a city which is surprisingly European while at the same time exotic and dangerous. My mom was attending an Immunology Congress over there, so I got to see her (she lives in Bucharest while I'm in Denver) and spend a great week with her. All this time, Chris and Ouzo stayed home. When I got back home, I had a few surprises.

 

First, I found out that Thursday afternoon, Chris gave Ouzo a bone on the balcony (as usual) and when he was done, he noticed Ouzo had a couple of "bumps", one on the side of his muzzle and one on his head, above the eye. He didn't think too much of it, hoping it would deflate by morning. Well, Ouzo came and woke up Chris in the middle of the night, with his whole head swollen the size of a melon, with eyes closed shut, with lips as thick as a couple of inches (!!!).

 

 

 

In the early morning he was having trouble breathing, as if his tongue was swollen and he couldn't close his mouth. Chris said my poor dog looked like a Shar-Pei and was drooling badly. He ran with him first thing in the morning at the vet, where they said "Hmmm, I think I know what's going on. Has he been bitten by a bee or a wasp?!". Since he was on the balcony, anything's possible. Maybe he even ate one, who knows, although he hasn't eaten flies before, he just chases them.

 

Anyway, long story short, they gave him a intra-muscular shot of Benadril (or cortisone), then told Chris to give him a pill of Benadril once home, then another one in 4 hrs, and another in 6. For good measure, Chris also gave him a third one 8 hrs later. By the time they got home (15 min), Ouzo's face was already starting to get back to normal. Still, this is how he looked when they got home. I cannot even imagine how horrific he looked when he was in full allergic reaction. Poor baby!!!

 

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Look at how sad and swollen my pretty boy was..........

 

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Then, I had my second surprise: After Chris picked me up from the airport, I open the door to the house, and we let Ouzo get in first, then I let out a scream. In the middle of our coffee table there was a pigeon, and Ouzo went straight to him, to sniff him. I thought he's going to eat it!

Come to find out, Chris found the pigeon three days ago, with a wounded wing, and he's been treating him with Neosporin and powdered antibiotics! So yes, now we have a pigeon! LOL After Stew, the bunny, now we've managed to collect another animal. Guess next thing Chris will bring would be a squirrel. Can't wait to see the chases in the house

 

Their first reaction was apparently hilarious: each one ran (pigeon can't fly due to wounded wing) into a different room. Then they calmed down, until Ouzo tried to sniff it, and the pigeon flapped his wings and scared Ouzo away :rolleyes:

 

First encounters: "What's this pterodactyl doing here?!" (as you can see, he was already back to looking normal -taken Sunday)

 

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Once Neosporin was added to the bird, Ouzo decided it needs to be licked. So he's been trying to find ways to lick the pigeon for Neosporin!

 

Next thing, Ouzo decided the pigeon needs to make himself useful, so he keeps bringing him balls and even toys and placing them on or under the coffee table :D

 

 

And thirdly, while I was gone, Chris taught him some new tricks, as in numbering the three trees at the dog run "One" "Two" "Three" and asking him to go to specific ones and get on two paws and "Speak", then sending him across the park to "Go touch the fence" which he does in a flyball way :D Oh, and now he steps into the bathtub when asked, without any need to be carried and forced to stay there, so that he can have his feet rinsed off!

 

Guess there were some positive outcomes from this crazy week I left my boys home alone :D

 

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Guest WoobiesMom

OMG Poor Ouzo's gorgeous face!!! I have no doubt Ouzo will have that pigeon doing something with the ball inside of a week! What a sweet guy you have, rescuing pigeons and all! I'm sure all the creatures are glad to have you home!

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I enjoyed reading about the handsome ones adventures. I just bet he is trying ot figure out what to do with the flying rat! My old girl Sly loved hers! They were friends (well I am not sure what Perry the pidgeon thought) in her eyes anyway! :rolleyes:

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Wow! Quite the adventures Chris and Ouzo had. Poor Ouzo with his poor swollen face and eyes! I'm glad to hear that there were any other more serious repercussions. (I keep both the liquid and the tablet benedryl on hand as we seem to have swelling reactions, too.)

 

I hope you had a wonderful trip. By the way, what are you going to do with the pigeon???

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Deb, as soon as he can fly, he's out of here :D He's just renting with us, not buying property, that's for sure :D

 

He's been on the balcony since last night, walking around and hiding in the plants. He's surprisingly calm and docile and wants to get in the house if we don't keep the screen door closed. We bought him some bird seeds, some for doves and some for other small birds, and he seems to be eating them ok.

 

I asked Ouzo last night "Where's the pigeon?" and he ran to the balcony to find him, and I was afraid he's going to bring it to me, shake him and try to make him squeek :rolleyes:

 

As for him teaching the pigeon tricks, I duno, but he sure tries his best :D He even placed his beloved plastic apple core next to the pigeon and hoped to have him kick it or something. Same thing he tried to do with our 1 year old niece :D

 

I had heard of such alergic reactions, I recall RDM's storry about Tweed running an agility course with his face the size of a grapefruit, but I have never seen it.

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Ouzo looks like he's "wondering" what's that is doing in the house? I don't think he would chase it until it flies. At least not by this one picture. You snapped it at the right moment. You can see him thinking What the HECK is this? (Actually, he was probably cussing in dog words). Cute Cute Photo. Save that one!!!

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You know, come to think about it, my 1/2 faced and my bald faced had that once or twice. I put some neosporin on it. They just pawed it off and I think they liked the taste. LOL. In a day or two it was gone. Not even enough time to get them to the vet. I wonder if the pigment in the white part of the face has anything to do with it? Makes me wonder after all this time.

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Aww poor Ouzo. I feel bad for the poor little guy. I'm glad he's better now. Last summer our GR got bit by a hornet on the roof of her mouth. She didn't like him in the house, so she ate him. Her poor face puffed all up, almost as much as Ouzo's did.

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Awwww Anda, what a week Ouzo has had. Bless him. He did look so sad.

Yay for Chris though, i love the fact that he is helping a pigeon as well as taking such good care of Ouzo.

I am such an animal lover so i think it is really cool.

We have a cockateil with a broken wing which has never healed . He doesn't fly so if he falls off the table onto the floor we just say leave to Holly and she does. They do seem to know that they can't grab and shake. lol

 

Anyway i am glad Ouzo has recovered. Although he obviously gets great care from Chris (new tricks too!) i bet he still missed you heaps too.

 

Glad you enjoyed your trip, sounds very nice. Haven't checked yet but have we photo's in coffee break?? hint hint. lol :rolleyes:

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Oh no!! A poofy faces Ouzo! Shadow sends him some puppy kisses and hopes he's feeling better! As for the guest, hope he realizes hes just a guest hehe, my friend nursed one back to health and hes never left her, she opens the door and he flies back in.

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Quite the week your boys had! Your Chris is a keeper, that's for sure (nursing a wounded pigeon...awww!).

 

I keep Benedryl on hand, too. I woke up one morning to a fat-faced Jack, and gave him Benedryl. When I reached the vet's office, they said that was the right thing to do, and he was fine in no time. The dosage is 1-2 mg per pound for dogs, it's good to have some in the house.

 

Anyway, cute pics!

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I'm glad poor Ouzo's doing better. He looks so miserable in those first pictures. I'm sure he's glad his 'mom' is home!

 

Also glad you had a nice trip! That's a one-on-one time with your mom you'll never forget!!

 

Give your BF a hug for me. With a heart that big and kind, he deserves it. Hope the pigeon is well soon.

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I know he's actually inflated in those pictures, but the first thing he made me think of was a deflated crumply soccer ball (a very handsome one!).

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Sandra, that's because he looked like an inflated soccer ball before he got the shots and the Benadril :D So of course by the time the picture was taken, he looked like a deflated ball, with all the wrinkles and everything :rolleyes:

 

It just kills me to see how horribly sad and in pain he looks in those pictures, while I was far away from him!

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