After the last time we wrote we took the stitches off from Pancho. We were prepared that to be a fight with him but he surprised us. We set up lots of light, sterilized all the equipment and cut some chicken meat to small pieces. Then we put Pancho on his back and sterilized our hands. I was feeding Pancho chicken and Pauli was taking the stitches away. Pancho didn’t even notice Pauli taking those stitches. He was actually looking like he would have been enjoying. I think the wound was itching because it was healing and he couldn’t scratch it himself. He was laying there with his eyes closed really relaxed. Good boy Pancho! After we took those stitches off the wound has healed pretty well. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Then we had another health issue with Pancho.. I noticed a gray dot in Panchos right eye. I thought that he has some injury in his eye from playing with Chili or something. We took him to a vet who is specialized to eyes. They sedated him so that he would be calm when they are checking his eye. She colored his eye but there was no injury; which is good of course. But what it was is not that good. Vet said that he has “Corneal dystrophy”. According to Wikipedia Corneal dystrophy is characterized by a non inflammatory, inherited, bilateral opacity of the transparent front part of the eye called the cornea. So basically he has that gray spot in his eye and he can’t see through it. It doesn’t cause him any pain or anything else except that he can’t see trough it. It might grow and it might come to his other eye also. If it grows big they can remove it, but they are not removing this small ones since it doesn’t bother the dog that much. I still hope it will not grow or come to the other eye! I feel like our Pancholito has gone trough so much!

We also started his desensitization (siedätyshoito in finnish). We have to give him shots once and awhile. Now in the beginning we had to give them every second day. Now every fifth day and then later more rarely; until we are giving it to him once in a month. Then we most likely have to continue giving them rest of his life once a month. He is letting us give the shot so nicely. He doesn’t like it but he stands there totally still. I feel so sorry for him but we try to act like its totally normal and nothing is wrong. He can see when Pauli takes that syringe from the cabin. His ears go down and he goes all flabby. But then after the shot we praise him and he is so happy and exited himself. Like he would think “yey, I was such a good boy”. But I just have to remember that this is for his own good.

Ok, I think that’s all heath updates that we have :) Chili is doing well, except that he has started to scratch himself a bit. He has there red spots in his neck and face from the scratching. We have to wash him again today maybe that would help. I really hope he does not have some allergy also! But it’s weird that all those red spots are in his face and neck and nowhere else.

Well, now I really think that's all about the health things :)  -Johanna