Lennon has been spending the nights in a transport box in the Bunkhouse.  It’s warm in there and quiet, and has fewer distractions than sleeping in the people house.  It’s a good place for doggos to start sleeping indoors.

But when Lucy left, it meant that Lennon would be all alone.  So I brought his crate to the house.  I left him in his transport box to provide some continuity in the change.  The people house can be exciting, and confusing.  Having “his room” would help him transition. Besides, the transport boxes are sturdy: offering effective containment.  They are more closed in, offering a sense of security to their occupant.  And any “accidents” are better contained than with a wire crate where a male dog can lift a leg and pee right through the crate onto the floor outside.

Lennon has settled in well and been a good house guest, so today I traded his transport box in on a regular wire crate.  These offer better visibility, better air flow, more interaction with other dogs.  He seems to enjoy it.  But that’s not the only upgrade Lennon got this week.

I was going through communications between our vet and Dr. Crouch as they discussed Lennon’s hip injury and I saw that Dr. Crouch said, “If the dog is very lame, he would be a candidate for FHO (femoral reconstruction)”  And it occurred to me that I would NOT count Lennon as being lame, much less very lame:

There was a time when Lennon would run for a couple of minutes, then slow to a walk and limp just a little as he walked.  But no more.  And I have been giving him a daily Glucosamine Chondroitan / MSM / Turmeric supplement that is supposed to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and promote healing.  I wondered if it was necessary to put Lennon through surgery and rehabilitation.  I wondered if he even QUALIFIED for the surgery anymore.  So I asked Dr. Crouch for his opinion and showed him the video above.

His response was that Lennon was not a candidate for hip reconstruction at this time.  He’d be happy to help if Lennon needed it in the future, but now, he’s looking GREAT!

So it looks like Lennon has been upgraded in this area as well.  We (Steele Away Home) do want to get another x-ray done to see if some healing has occurred.  If so, keeping him on this supplement may be his long-term answer.  If so: he’s ready to seek a forever home.  As long as he’s here I’ll continue working at house breaking him, but other than that he’s good to go.

Yay Lennon!