Keegan's number is up.
 

More specifically, his testicles have a date with destiny that is overdue. We should not have waited until he was a year and a half old to decide...Here's why:
[Warning: Lengthy]

[Also, these pics will be familiar to some but not everyone.]
Attachment 399239
We've loved watching our two Yorkies and our new rescue pup building their "pack" relationship while we get to know "the new guy." Finn looks like an over-sized Yorkie who might have some poodle genes lurking about the curly hair on his haunches. Unfortunately, we were told nothing about his background at the shelter so there are a lot of things that make us scratch our heads, but it's been great fun to watch him coming out of his shell. He healed well from neutering and has adjusted to his new diet, initially gaining two pounds but now trending downward with a half pound loss already. His joy at being "home" is contagious--he is so happy, so accommodating to humans and especially his Yorkie baby sister, I'm just head-over-heels for this guy.
Attachment 399238


But...

We knew there would be adjustments and some "scuffles" as the shelter staff described them. We were given tips to help the dogs re-align themselves with the new dynamic, and with a couple of exceptions (Finn's new obsession with the cat being one), adjustments have been pretty easily managed. Something we didn't see coming, though, happened over the weekend when I turned on the garden hose and Finn (the rescue) lost his mind. I didn't have time to determine if he was fearful and attacking the water or excitedly playing with it because my male Yorkie (who is a muscular twelve pounds with incredibly strong jaws) immediately attacked Finn. With two adults, three dogs, a running water-hose, a host of neighbors, and a lot of noise, it took seemingly forever to get everyone's teeth out of pack-mates' bodies and reluctantly tucked away.

The emergency vet (holiday weekend here in the States) was very kind and everyone was understanding about Finn's possibly difficult past--the vet even thanked us, genuinely, for adopting him from a shelter. He was forgiven for screaming wildly in the waiting area when Mom tried to let Dad hold him for a few minutes while her arm rested. He normally doesn't like to be held much at all, but was insisting on being cradled, all four feet aloft. I was conscious of the fact that none of the other "pet parents" were holding their "furkids" this way, although one was a turtle and another weighed somewhere around 150 lbs., so that would make sense. The staff explained to me that some of their patients are "just like toddlers" when they hurt and must be treated as such. So, Mommy continued to hold Finn and the staff prepared for him a strong sedative. In order for vet staff to do anything, they later informed me, he had to again be cradled in feminine arms. (He's not actually an aggressive dog--his "crime" is being very happy and high-energy which unnerves Keegan, who has always been a fearful fellow.) They also reported that Finn "looooves hydromorphone."

The injuries to his foreleg and his chest have been healing well. We didn't have the heart to use the cone of shame but bought it anyway just in case. He's tolerating the antibiotics well, also, and I've stopped giving pain meds to see how he does without them. We're keeping the boys separated, and--although Keegan completed a training course last year--we are going back to basics re: obedience training. Due to Finn's injuries, we can't do much walking to drain energy, but reinforcing our basic training seems like a good start to taking charge of any dissension among the ranks.
Attachment 399236


And Keegan's appointment to have his dangle-y bits altered has been moved up by two weeks. Less than 36 hrs. to go. I feel somewhat guilty that I worried so much about Piper prior to her surgery, worried only slightly about Finn before his, and am mostly anxious to get started with regard to Keegan's surgery. It's important that it go well for ALL our health and safety. And I want it done two weeks ago!

Attachment 399237

I hate to hear about the scuffle, but hopefully the neuter will help with some aggression issues. I was scared to read this post because when you titled it "Keegans number is up" and it was in the sick and injured posts, I was scared I was going to read about a dying dog, and those posts upset me terribly. So, while I am sorry the furbabies got ferocious with each other, I am thrilled to know they are ok and the only loss is the planned one of the "dangly bits"...whew...

The thread is in Sick and Injured because of the combined medical issues involved, but I certainly can see how the thread title is confusing. I am sorry for worrying you--I should've named it something else! All I keep thinking about is this countdown because the stress of living with these two in "post-attack"/"pre-next-attack" mode is really wearing on me...my nerves and brain are somewhere out in the yard in a frazzled heap, I'm pretty sure.

Thanks for your kind words.

(If mods want to modify the thread title so it doesn't suggest a more serious medical issue than we have here, I'm amenable to that...Didn't mean to cause any undue concern.)

Actually, if mods/admin would delete this thread, it would be appreciated. Thank you.

Keegan's surgery is over. So far, so good. He's just gotten home and is sleeping. I've had to move the others' kennels so he has his quiet place (he was already growling when he got here)...Fingers crossed that, over time, his aggression issues will fade with his hormones. :nursing::dogzzz:

Sidenote: Keegan's girlfriend Summerlin (not even kidding--these two have been love-struck with each other since puppyhood) was spayed today at the same location. We had, once, wistfully thought about what adorable pups these two would have had together, but we're not BYB, Keegan is an off-standard Yorkie, and we don't wish to contribute to pet overpopulation (hence the rescue pup, instead). So, we're looking forward to them being able to visit each other more safely now.

I'm glad the surgery well. My parents rescue was fearful of water hoses. I know they sprayed down the kennels in the shelter and it was a pretty strong spray. Maybe something like that happened in the past. I hope everybody gets along now.
Sumerlin is such a pretty name Buster's best fur friend is Lola.

Holy cow--I bet that's it! The water hose must have triggered Finn because of the trauma he went through at the shelter (he was ill for weeks there). I just today received his Thundershirt in the mail and he's not bothered by it so maybe that will help.

That's really cool that Buster's best friend is a girl, also. Lola and Buster are really cute names. :)
Thanks for you input and good wishes.