Week 15: Play date, pool party, ER visit, surgery for rock obstructing his GI system

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This post is part of our weekly series on raising our Vizsla puppy, Zooka. You can use our posts as a guide to help raise your own puppy, regardless of breed. Keep in mind that different breeds might develop at different rates, so while you can do these things with any breed, your breed might need certain things at slightly different stages or ages. Click here to see our list of all updates.

Notes from week 15:

Continue with housetraining
Continue training for meals
- Progressing with everything from prior weeks
- Started muzzle training
  - acclimate to wearing a basket muzzle in case it's needed for vet visits or other things
  - this is a wise investment for ALL dogs – good to start sooner rather than later so you are prepared IF you do need it!
Play dates
- Play date at home with a 12 week old Goldendoodle
  - female Goldendoodle had not had the chance to play with other puppies since leaving her litter
  - she was shy at first, so we gave her time to acclimate before letting Zooka play with her
  - they played great together once she had time to acclimate!
  - loved wrestling in the dirt, chasing around and playing in the holes in the back yard
- Play date away from home with an adolescent Golden Retriever
  - at his house, on the deck and in the house
  - lots of wrestling and bitey face!
  - they both had a BLAST!
Field trips
- Pool party again
  - at same place we had last time
  - used a life vest for him just in case
  - he loves getting on the first shallow step of the pool
  - hesitant about taking that step off into the deep water
  - swam 4 or 5 times across shallow end of pool and back to steps
  - I provide support and am there if he needs me, but he does the actual swimming
  - he is still unsure about the swimming but does not avoid the water – he wants to go in but needs encouragement at this stage
  - he loves lounging by the poolside!
ER visit – something we hope you NEVER have to do with your own puppies!
- Saturday morning Zooka was up early and uncomfortable
- Vomited Saturday morning
- Could not get comfortable all morning
- Took to ER since we could not get in to regular vet
- X-rays showed a rock lodged in his small intestines that was unlikely to pass through
Surgery for rock obstruction
- Surgery went well
- Were able to take him home the next day
- Had nearly 30 staples closing up his incision
- Two weeks of “no running jumping or playing” – for a 15 week old puppy!
- Taking his meds well
- Eating several smaller meals a day for now
- Wears a cone to prevent him from biting at staples/incision when we are not CLOSELY supervising
  - most of the time during the day he is not wearing a cone because we are supervising
  - wears a thundershirt or other old shirt to help prevent him from getting to his stitches and to protect the stitches if he is doing any rolling around
  - he is tolerating the cone very well so far for sleeping at night
  - we try to supervise as much as we can during the day so he only has to wear the cone at night for now
Burning puppy energy post-surgery
- Lots of training session throughout the day
- Puzzle toys
- Chew items – but nothing digestible that could upset his digestive system while he recuperates
- Play must be very low key
- Out on leash only for now
- Will be able to start short walks later in the week