(Caution: This Post Is Meant For The Hard Core Dog Lover. Everyone else with any taste should proceed with a bit of caution.)
I think you haven’t really lived until you have pulled a 10 inch string of floss out of the butt of a Boston Terrier dancing on ice at the tail end of a major snowstorm in upstate New York when the temperature is 8 degrees, snow and ice are swirling through the air, and human and dog are both slipping and skidding on ice.
This was my happy fate this morning when I took Gus out in the dark, he was sleeping on our bed and curled up against Maria and he seemed restless to me, so, taking no chances with the King of Vomit, I went outside with him.
Honestly, I am okay with winter, but some February nights are just hellish, a high wind was driving ice pellets right into my face, and Gus was not happy to go out either, but I was right, he did have to eliminate, he peed like a racehorse and then squatted and squirmed.
Gus is a business- like eliminator and usually there are no troubles or delays.
But my heart sank when he started straining and I saw something come out, but hang in the air. This is a familiar and dread sight to dog lovers everywhere, by now, you veterans of the Butt Pull know where this going.
My fingers and toes were turning purple, I’d come out into the storm in a think nightshirt and slippers, Gus usually does his business quickly and efficiently and runs back to the house. Not this morning, He simply squatted and strained, nothing was going anywhere.
I waited a minute or two and cursed the Gods, and then took my gloves off and leaned down in the snow. I had to get down on my knees on the ice, and I will only say it was an enervating experience. Gus was nervous as I reached down there, but he is an affable and accepting dog, I got hold of what I thought was a thread and pulled. And pulled. And pulled.
If it wasn’t so gross, it could have been a clown act in the circus. About ten inches later, it came out, along with all of the things attached to it. Gus is a megaesophagus dog, and this was not something that should have been in his stomach.
Further investigation revealed it was a string of floss, Gus goes into the bathroom periodically and looks in the wastebasket and we caught him eating tooth floss before. He was startled when I first reached down there and pulled, but relieved when it was over.
I maneuvered back on my feet, holding one hand up in the air, picking up the glove and scooper with the other. I dropped the gloves, of course, and the scooper and then fell on both of them. I got into the kitchen and cleaned everything off.
Dog and human are humbled, but well. I got into bed, freezing and shivering, and my very beloved wife said, “don’t you dare touch me with those hands!” If only she knew, she probably wouldn’t have let me into bed at all.
The true dog lover is familiar with this ritual, especially with Labs and Boston Terriers they will eat anything. No border would lower himself to eating floss, it doesn’t even look like food. I took a photo of the floss but even I didn’t have the heart to post it.
This is just something you have to when your dog needs you. Only you can jelp.
The true dog lover will understand. The novice and the summer soldier will be grossed out.
I have to say, I am a true dog lover and would have done the same thing in your shoes but it is still gross
This made my day. Bless your heart.
Yep. I have pulled peds and nylon knee high socks out of my Husky and a plastic hot dog bag out of my Lab. The plastic closure passed on its own, but not before some blood and expensive X-rays. Living the life!
True CAT lover here, and yes – been there, done that. 😉 Floss, ribbon, string, and an assortment of other things.
I’m so happy for you all that you seem to be getting a handle on Gus’ ME. Always wishing you the very best.
OY.
Sounds like my friend’s cat who ate tinsel from the Christmas tree.
Jon, this didn’t gross me out at all- I’ve been there and done that many times. My Boston has this happen once in a while with my hair- he’s a kisser and gets it honestly. The floss and knotted dog toys make me nervous. It’s kind of like ingesting tinsel for them. I have read that these things can get twisted in their guts, and worst case scenario, kill them. But dogs are opportunistic and will eat just about anything, and we certainly can’t witness everything they eat. I have both a partial in my mouth and hearing aids, and have read that dogs will eat them if they get the chance! Haha. Must be that our smell is on the stuff, or they are just curious as well as ornery. I’m a long-time reader of your blog and love your stories of your life as well as the animal tales. When you signed one of your books for me a few years back, I told you that your blog was the first thing I read every morning. It still is. Keep up your good work.
Mary Pierce (from Ohio)
My Lab Hannah likes to eat Kleenex from the wastebasket. When it comes out the other end, I can only think that it’s serving a dual purpose. 🙂
I grew up with a dachshund that would eat anything. He even had to have surgery from eating rocks. One time mom had put wrapped cheeses on the coffee table and he ate every one of them when we weren’t home. My dad picked plastic wrappers out of his butt for a week.
I have a miniature Schnauzer. She is an eater of many things, including Kleenex and TP, which she pulls off the roll. I have to take her outside on a leash so I can make sure she doesn’t eat anything she shouldn’t.
laughed out loud at Marias ‘ comment !!’ about your cold hands.
I’m not as nice. if it was my hubby i would have made him stay on the far side of his side of the beds. extra bankets would be given to him but don’t even think of getting close to me. lol
never had a problem with our dog but have to be very careful with thin pieces of plastic with one of our cats. we think she is attracted to the crinkling sound. pulling a long thin piece out of her mouth is always abit scary.
A friend of mine went to visit her sister. The sister had just come back from the farmer’s market with a bag of fresh corn. So the two sisters are sitting at the picnic table in the back yard pulling the silk off the earns of corn. My friend’s dog, a border collie mix, was under the picnic table. During their regular walk the next day, my friend had to tie her dog to a tree so she could have both hands free to maneuver several gobs of corn silk out of her dog’s rear end. Actually, corn silk mixed with God knows what. The dog yelped during the procedure but given what she was being forced to do, my friend didn’t waste a lot of energy feeling sorry for her dog. And in case you were wondering – yes, my friend still eats corn. 🙂
Hmmmm…been there – done that with our Labs……wonder what the string was wrapped around?