Nobu

We belong together!
Sept 2013 after a haircut :)Looking more beautiful with each day :)Princess Nobu <3Beautiful Nobu <3Looking so pretty after her leg surgery!Smiley girl with her teeth all fixed :)At the vet for an ear check :)Nobu after her bath :)Before bath!Before and After :)Dental surgery

Quick Bio

Age: Adult (3-8 years old)
Gender: Female
Breed: Mix
Size: Small (under 7kg)
Colour: White
  • Up-to-date with vaccinations
  • Good with dogs
  • Good with cats
  • House trained
Adoption Status: Adopted
Description: 

UPDATE 29 Oct 2013:
Two weeks ago I thought to myself, "If I sit on the floor and Nobu climbs on my lap, I'm adopting her". She had never, ever climbed on my lap before. Guess which little fluffy white dog then climbed onto my lap? Yup! Nobu! :)

That could only mean one thing. She's mine! I'd been getting quotes to fly her home along with her brother, Noodle, and it turns out it mightn't be as expensive as I'd previously thought to fly both home (compared to just the one). I've known for a long time that she belongs with me. She has taken well over a year to get comfortable and confident with me...there is no way I'm giving her to anyone else. This little lady is my princess. I can't wait to take her and Noodle home with me to RSA.

As for a health update, she still needs to be spayed (which I will be doing in the next month, hopefully) and she also needs to have her cataract operated on. Other than that, she is super healthy and her hind legs are in great condition after the surgeries she had on those. Thank you for all the support over the last year and a half. I am so happy to be able to say she is mine!!

Here is her Facebook album:
https://www.facebook.com/clare.mills.902/media_set?set=a.101519474992004...

I will also try to upload more photos of her on here. <3 Loooove <3 !!!

UPDATE 18 Sept 2013:
NOBU BARKED!!! Since I've had her (one year and 3 months?) she has not uttered a single bark but today she barked, twice, in happiness and excitement!! (I was preparing the doggies dinner). My heart nearly exploded and I couldn't help laughing! She looked as shocked as I was, and hastily reversed into her bed. Since then, she barked once more when I came down the stairs in the morning two mornings later. This little girl has blossomed like nothing on this earth. It's safe to say there is nothing more rewarding than fostering a dog like this.

UPDATE 11 Sept 2013:
Nobu is extremely happy these days. She has had a haircut and looks very beautiful! She wasn't a fan of the puppies I fostered who enjoyed jumping on her and tugging on her beard, tail and ears, but she was never mean to them. Poor little love just tried to warn them off with a little growl or two. Nobu likes peace and quiet like all seniors do. She enjoys lounging on her bed and getting some loves. After her recent haircut I've realised she has two beautiful pure white patches on her shoulders which look like angel wings could bud out at any second. That makes complete sense because she IS a little angel!

UPDATE 21 July 2013:
Nobu still gets braver every day. She often comes up to me with her tail wagging and nudges me with her little nose. She is such a princess! Her left front leg is a little sore due to the angle between her "wrist", "elbow" & "shoulder" not being quite right. This is due to her poor muscle tone, because she won't walk outside... :( Ideally she needs to swim to build up muscle tone...but where and how? Otherwise, her hind legs are really good after having both knees done. Her appetite is great and she is a very happy little girl!

UPDATE 27 May 2013:
MAJOR milestone people!! I was sitting on the couch and Nobu put both her front paws up next to me! Standing on her back legs! Oh my goodness!!! :D Clever, clever girl!!

UPDATE 15 May 2013:
Nobu is all fuzzy and adorable. What a special little lady she is. She puts a smile on my dial every day, without fail! My sister is visiting from overseas and Nobu has proven to be so much more confident than before. She still likes to retreat to her bed in the corner sometimes but she will come out to ask for some cuddles, which is a huge achievement for her. She is also completely chilled with other dogs AND cats.

UPDATE 29 March 2013:
Nobu is doing so well after her leg op. I can see that she walks with less difficulty than before, but other than that not much has changed. She is such a tough, happy cookie! She welcomed 2 new dogs into my house over the past few weeks with very little interest. She doesn't mind who comes and goes as long as I am a constant. She loves to curl up on her bed while I sit next to her and work on my computer or something. She still hasn't worked up the courage to climb onto my lap and I think she might never do so, but that's ok! A sweeter dog you will never find.

UPDATE 17 March 2013:
It's only been 10 days since her surgery and already this girl is scooting around the house. It's incredible! She's such a sweetie and never protests when I put the cone back on her head. (She has been licking her stitches when it's off so I've had to keep it on her when she's not eating her meals.)

Her stitches came out 2 days ago her medicine was finished this morning. Now she just needs to take it easy and slowly heal that leg. Luckily for me, she is far from being a hooligan, so I don't need to worry about her hurting herself. Right now she is snoozing in her bed with the cone on her head, looking adorable!

Thank you all once again for your donations which enabled her to have these surgeries!

UPDATE 7 March 2013:
Nobu had her surgery and is recovering well in the hospital. She is eating well, so that makes me happy. The doc said the leg had worsened to a "severe Grade 4" and showed me the photos of the surgery. Even my untrained eye could see where the bone-on-bone rubbing had caused a roughening on one side and an ulceration/inflammation around the area. She must have been in such pain, but she never showed it other than the occasional limp. What a strong girl! (Oh, and the doctor also removed the pin from her other leg where she had been operated on before.)

UPDATE 4 March 2013:
Princess Nobu is going into hospital tonight and is to have her second luxating patella surgery tomorrow morning. Please send positive thoughts and prayers in her direction. I hate sending this sweetie to the hospital :(

UPDATE 13 Feb 2013:
Nobu started a little while ago to come up to me for cuddles. She also bumps my hand with her sweet little nose to get my attention. She gladly accepts kisses and sits as good as gold while I clean her eyes and trim the fur on her face. She has the tendency to always look down... :( sweet baby. I often lift her chin and tell her how much I love her and what a special princess she is. She is nearly finished her antibiotics and when she is, she will go for another lung x-ray. Really hoping the infection is gone! She is peepad trained and will do her best to hold her bladder until I've gone out of the room. Little girl likes her privacy! :)

UPDATE 31 Jan 2013:
Poor Nobes, while I was away she was due to have her second luxating patella surgery. In the pre-op tests they discovered (via x-ray) that she has pneumonia. :(( I feel absolutely awful but the vet says that there are little to no physical symptoms. They only knew because her lungs showed white patches of infection. :( Luckily we discovered that and she is now on her 2nd week of antibiotics. A follow-up x-ray showed that the medicine is working and the "white patches" have clearly decreased in size. In another 2 weeks I will take her for another check up and x-ray. Once all that is done, she should be ready to go with her surgery.

Honestly, this poor darling is the joy of my life and she just deserves to be healthy! I should also add that I will more than likely be leaving Korea at the end of April and she needs to be in her forever home by then. I would do anything to adopt her myself, but I simply cannot afford to fly her to South Africa. :(

Please consider Nobu! She will light up your life and she is such low maintenance!

UPDATE 19 Dec 2012:
Nobu had her 2nd Caniflu injection today. She was, as always, a very good girl in the vet's. She also had her anal glands expressed, some ointment put down her ears (very mild inflammation) and is now snoring next to me on her bed. Love, love, love this little girl!

UPDATE 12 Dec 2012:
On the 5th of December Nobu went to the vet for a checkup and to receive her first dose of Caniflu. Her second injection will be on the 19th. Thereafter, I will be able to schedule for her to have her 2nd luxating patella operation. While I hate to send her back into hospital again, I know it has to be done.

Since my last update, Nobu has become even more playful with my other dog, Noodle. She also explores the house more and does a happy little dance when I come home and when I'm making her dinner or breakfast. She really is the sweetest little thing. <3

At the vet we discovered that she has now caught an annoying skin fungus from Noodle, the fungus factory >.<, so Nobu will have to have some medicine for that too. I will have to work hard to get rid of the spores I know are lurking in my house. :( (Any tips would be appreciated!!)

We also discovered a lump in her mammary gland, which the vet said is probably due to her coming into heat at the moment. (Her spay will be done after her patella.) He did an aspiration of the lump, where he stuck a needle right into it and sucked up some cells and she did not even FLINCH! Not one little bit! (I know because I was holding her head.) The cells appeared normal, but the aspiration method is only 50% accurate so I need to keep and eye on the shape and size of her lump. Let's HOLD THUMBS that the lump is just a benign little "nothing". Nobes deserves to have an easy life from now on!

I have ordered Nobu and Noodle a Rudolph outfit each for Christmas so watch this space for a head-explodingly cute photo, coming soon!

UPDATE 13 Nov 2012:
Nobu is progressing very nicely! Her personality opens up more and more each day. She still likes to sneak around when she thinks I'm not looking, it's really funny! I've caught her and Noodle "playing" a few times when they thought I couldn't see them (my bedroom is in a loft above the living area so I can peek over).
Hopefully towards the end of this month I will have her other luxating patella fixed (that would be her 3rd surgery). She is such a sweetheart. We've been having lots of snuggles lately as it gets colder. I am SO glad that she is in my warm home rather than outside at the shelter!

UPDATE 23 Oct 2012:
Yesterday I took Nobu for her post-surgery x-rays at the vet's. He is VERY happy with how her bones are looking. The surgery was a success! Yay!!!

In addition, Nobu had a fecal smear done which came back normal, an ear check (they are perfect) and everything else was good too (teeth, heart, lungs etc.). She also had her kennel cough and rabies vaccinations! In two weeks she will have the Caniflu vaccines and then she will have her next patella surgery, using the funds raised via ARK. She is one happy little camper!

UPDATE 9 Oct 2012:
Yesterday Nobu was so excited to see me that she jumped! She jumped people! That's all I have to say about that.
:)

UPDATE 25 Sept 2012:
Nobu had her stitches taken out today! She was such a good girl, as always. The vet is happy with her leg and SO AM I! It's amazing! She can walk on it already, albeit very lightly, but still, she's far more mobile than she was before. I'm so happy! She will have an x-ray in one month to check out the bones but so far, so good!

UPDATE 22 Sept 2012:
WOHOO!! Nobu came home today!! She was VERRRRY forlorn at the vet and I was worried she'd be traumatised by the experience but nope! Not this gal! She came home, made herself comfy on her special recovery bed, ate ALL her dinner, did a wee and a pooh on the peepads and greeted me with a wagging tail when I came home from dinner. All-in-all, looking good! She limps but she is using her leg again, just a little. She has a cone on and the stitches will come out soon. She's finished her medicine, now all she needs is some time for the bones, muscles etc. to recover :) Welcome back Nobu!

UPDATE 19 Sept 2012 (pm):
Damn, the doctor wants to keep her there until Saturday. He says she is doing just fine though, and only wants to keep her under observation for a little longer. I felt terrible leaving her there in her lonely cage :( See below in comments section for a photo of a very pitiful little Nobes! <3

UPDATE 19 Sept 2012 (am):
Today I should be able to bring Nobu home! I can't wait for her to be back with Noodle and I, in comfort :) A special friend has made her a very comfy and squishy "recovery" bed which I know she is going to LOVE! Updates to follow!

UPDATE 14 Sept 2012:
I have started a fundraiser to help with the costs of Nobu's luxating patella surgeries. If you would like to help out, please have a look here: http://www.animalrescuekorea.org/blog/clarebell/nobu-2-surgeries-down-3-... :)
I have also added some photos from Nobu's surgery which my vet was kind enough to give me. Please see the comments section below. (Don't look if you don't like blood!)

UPDATE 12 Sept 2012 - evening:
Nobu had her surgery today. Please check my comments below for a photo, video and update. Thank you for all the good wishes!

UPDATE 12 Sept 2012 - morning:
My sweet little Nobu is having surgery on her grade 4 luxating patella today at 12-ish. (Her left hind leg). She will need to be in hospital for a week and the recovery time is about 2 months. There is a 50% chance that it will be successful, given that it is a grade 4 (the worst). After she has recovered from this, she will have her right hind leg done, which is a grade 3 and thus has a 75% chance of being successful. PLEASE keep her in your thoughts, prayers etc. that she will come out OK. She deserves to feel good again and not in pain. I'm feeling anxious about my little princess <3 :(

UPDATE 3 Sept 2012:
Did I mention that I have not once, ever, heard Nobu make a peep?? The loudest sound I've heard come out of her was once in a dream when she made a little grunting sound. Once. I'm pretty sure she has a voice but I don't think she realises it! :( She also got a little bit of a haircut last night...um...it was my first time armed with a pair of clippers. So I shan't be posting any pics of her until I've made her beautiful again! :D

UPDATE 29 Aug 2012:
Since coming home after her stay at the hospital (while I was away) and with a brand new mouth, Nobu's progress is even more visible. Each day she surprises me with something new. Mostly this is to do with her confidence. It's wonderful to now have her come towards the door when I come home, or to the table with a very waggy tail when I'm making her meals. Lately I've had a mattress on the floor and have been trying to entice her for cuddles. It's working! I can see that she desperately wants to, but can't quite relax just yet. Now when I stand up she doesn't run for her corner and I can even step right next to her and she stays put. All in all, there's a little reward every day for me and I love it! She is a wonderful little lady!

UPDATE 22 Aug 2012:
Nobu finally had her dental surgery!! Now her mouth is wonderful and I can tell she is feeling soooo much better!! How do I know? Well, as soon as she came home from her hospital stay, she started chomping on a rawhide! I've also noticed that she now audibly crunches on her dog biscuits which she never used to do. Before the op she was a picky eater which I knew was because of her teeth. I had to mix her dry food with some wet food and a little water. If I didn't she'd eat only a few of the biscuits and leave the rest. Not anymore! Yay! See below for some photos of her and some videos.

UPDATE 6 Aug 2012:
Some wonderful news on Nobu's health status. Please read below my comments for more details :)

UPDATE 30 July 2012:
Nobu came into foster care with me a few weeks ago and every day a new hurdle is overcome. She is coming out of her shell slowly but consistently and it is SUCH a pleasure for me to watch her transition from one of the most timid dogs at the shelter, to a braver, happier, waggier-tailed doggy in my home. I know that the person(s) who adopt her will count their lucky stars that they found her. Please keep reading the updates below to check on her progress and see her new photos.
===========================================
By Michelle, initial profile author:

Please give this sweet old gal a chance!

Nobu caught my eye as she shivered in the corner of her cage. She was so scared, and would not let me pet her. I tried for many weeks, bringing her the finest treats and would just sit with her for a few minutes and try not to scare her. She was recently moved to the small dog pen where the floor is heated and the houses all have a lot of straw so all the dogs stay nice and toasty warm. She still was too scared to come out but the director, Mr. Park, was able to get her. Once out, she just cuddled calmly with anyone that wanted to hold her. She gladly ate a can of dog food, but only in seclusion and after a lot of reassuring. She is a very scared pup. She let us look her over and we found that she has some broken teeth which we are guessing is due to being pretty old. It appears as though her right eye has a cataract and she may be blind in it but her left appears just fine (and beautiful!). She looks like she has had many litters, and she also has something wrong with her left back leg. She is probably white under there and may be a maltese. She has been at the shelter for almost a year, but her extreme timidness makes her easy to overlook. Please consider Nobu-she just wants someplace warm and someone patient and gentle to spend her days with.

3/3/12: I did not get to visit individually with Nobu today. She sat back in the heated area while all the other dogs ran around shouting "Pick me! Pick me!" She really isn't asking for much- just a nice, safe, warm place with cuddles. She won't be demanding and will just give you loving back. :) Come visit her! You'll fall in love!

4/9/12: Nobu had a health check and is HW positive. She is currently undergoing HW treatment. Please send her love and consider taking her in to be in a calm, stable, low stress home! She will repay you with love!

5/9/12: Nobu should be finished with her heartworm treatment now! I will check up on her on Sunday and let you all know how she's doing! Please consider this lil old gem! She will keep you company and make you smile. I promise!

6/3/12: Nobu has been getting lots of cuddles with her BFF, Chloe! She is feeling much better as her HW treatment is about finished. YAY!!!!! She knows her forever home is out there somewhere!!! She's been waiting a long time to be loved and is ready!

6/30/12: Nobu's bestie Chloe got adopted and volunteers could not bear seeing her alone in the shelter so Clare Mills took her home with her! Please see below for her update! This poor girl has a lot of medical issues to overcome but she is a tough little sweetie and overcame the first obstacle of getting out of the shelter- she's just going to keep going up from here!

7/8/12: Please read the comments below to see how Nobu is doing in foster care! YAAAAAY!!!

Adoption Fee: ₩130,000
Location: Cheonan - 천안
Living Situation: In foster care

Comments

clare_bell's picture

She is such a sweet old girl! They all deserve homes, but this girl really, REALLY does. Please consider taking Nobu into your home and helping her to trust again!

jinyoung's picture

She's currently under HW treatment. Let's hope she can pull through..

MichelleBrook's picture

Oh my goodness! i had no idea! sending love to lovely Nobu! Stay strong sweetheart!

clare_bell's picture

So sorry to hear she is battling heartworm :( I hope someone will consider taking her in for her treatment at the very least. She needs a low-stress environment!

Sofia's picture

Nobu. May, 16th, 2012.

marlajoy's picture

Does Nobu still have a bad back leg? Has that been checked out at all?

MichelleBrook's picture

Marla- i'm so sorry- i have not been there. I just asked someone about her leg and will be going very soon so i'll check on her. She is such a special girl!

marlajoy's picture

Wow! That is a GREAT picture of Nobu!! She looks so good! Funny, I was actually going to ask if Chloe was particularly close with any dogs because it seems she is often with one dog or another in all her pictures. I'm glad they are giving each other comfort through the whole heartworm process!!

allisondyoung's picture

Shy Nobu is recovering well from her heartworm treatment. Her best friend Chloe is never too far from her side. I'm glad they have each other.

marlajoy's picture

Has anyone had a chance to check out Nobu's back leg to see if there is still a problem with it and if so, what? Also, is there someone who would be willing to take both Nobu and Chloe out for a walk together to see how they react when other dogs come up to them? I've been wanting to adopt Chloe but I don't have the heart to separate her from Nobu so I am considering taking both of them. However, I'd like to know that they will be cool with other dogs.

allisondyoung's picture

Hey Marla, we looked at her leg today and although there is nothing visibly wrong with it, it's hard to say because she doesn't want to walk. When she did take a few steps, she wasn't limping or struggling, but again --- we couldn't be sure. I'm sorry we can't be more helpful! I did get some new pictures of her today, though! Enjoy!~~

clare_bell's picture

Gosh how I love these pics. Two diamonds in the rough. They are absolutely perfect little ladies. <3

clare_bell's picture

An update on Nobu!!

Since her BFF Chloe was adopted today, I decided to bring Nobu home with me so she wouldn't feel so afraid on her own at the shelter, being the timid little thing she is. What a little angel. She literally hasn't made a peep!

A friend of mine meeting her for the first time today said this: "it's like she's been through so much and she has no hope left. She's just like: I'll just sit here and you can do whatever you like to me. I've won't even put up a fight." This really does sum her up at the moment. As I write this she lies on her bed where she hasn't moved from since I put her on it. I carried her from the vet and her little body just melded into mine like a little limpet. She is SO cute! I cannot wait to see her transition, which I'm sure will happen slowly and steadily.

Some health news. Poor Nobu is not in good shape and it's going to take a lot to get her well again. Luckily, she completed her heartworm treatment at the shelter which is fabulous! Now we can focus on the other things.

For the first week, doctor says rest and relaxation ONLY. He wants her stress levels right down. He has taken blood for a titer test, I'll get the results tomorrow. He also guesses her age at only about 6, although you'd never think it.

Poor Nobu's list of current ailments:
1. EAR MITES! Loads of the nasty little buggers crawling around in there. Lots of redness, inflammation and discharge as well.
2. Tooth decay like I've never seen before. Urgently needs treatment. One broken and loose tooth at the front (I think it's a canine) and a good few others will have to be extracted.

(1 & 2 will be the first big fix.)

3. Cataract in right eye needs special surgery. If we ignore it, potential glaucoma and rupturing of eyeball.
4. Both hind legs have luxating patella and also need surgery. Very painful and debilitating - more than likely the reason she's so hesitant to walk.

Good news is that she has no bacterial parasites in her gut and she had her anal glands expressed which were very full. I'm sure she feels better after that.

Here are some photos of Nobu on her big day!

In the taxi on my way to a strange new place called a "home".First stop: Dr Choi! Titre test to check my antibodies.Chilling on the vet's table.My teeth... :(At the vet with my foster mommy.
marlajoy's picture

You are SO awesome for taking this all on, Clare!! Nobu is a lucky girl! And, my conscience is clear knowing that both best buddies found a home and someone to love them! :)

clare_bell's picture

Thanks Marla :) Could never have left her there all alone :( Thanks for adopting Chloe, because otherwise they'd both still be at the shelter!

linhorobin's picture

Wow, how awesome is it that both Chloe and Nobu are out of the shelter! And with all of Nobu's health issues, she could not be in a better foster home! Clare, please keep us posted on this sweetie and how we can help out!

clare_bell's picture

Thanks for that Lindsay! :) We had a good day yesterday, 4 pups went to homes :) I will most definitely keep everyone updated on this little sweetheart.

clare_bell's picture

Here is sweet Nobu enjoying a snack.

clare_bell's picture

Finishing up her dinner. She has a very good appetite but she still hasn't done a pooh yet.

You can see how she ventured away from her bed to eat her dinner but reversed back as soon as she was finished. Such a scared little girl.

marlajoy's picture

Poor sweetheart! At least she is willing to come out to eat. Chloe has a good appetite too - a little too good. Both girls could stand to shed a few pounds but for Nobu, there are much more pressing matters to attend to. My prediction is that within a couple days she is going to start to feel comfortable and you will start to see a little personality emerge from that sweet girl. The real Nobu is just waiting to shine through!!! :) I can't wait to see it!!!

clare_bell's picture

Great news!! This morning I was greeted by a (hesitantly) waggy tail from our girl Nobu. AND (dun dun dun!) she did a pooh after her breakfast. Yaaaayyyy!!!! Ha ha ha :))

She also retreats less hurriedly to her bed when I move towards her... Baby steps :)

Also, titre test came back with good results for antibodies!

I think she's really starting to enjoy her R&R time in my house.

marlajoy's picture

Wonderful!!

clare_bell's picture

Nobu has a yucky dreaklock on her chin which I can't wait to cut off. I think today it will get the chop! I haven't wanted to do anything to scare the little girl.

I can't wait for this first week to be over so she can visit the vet and get treated for her ears and teeth!

Can't wait to clean this girl up! Vet says no bathing for a week until she's settled in...She will be sparkly clean and white again soon :)
marlajoy's picture

She looks SO adorable, Clare! And she looks happy! :) Wow, if Nobu smells half as bad as Chloe did when I brought her home, you must be itching to bathe her and cut out those mats! She's going to look so wonderful all groomed! And of course, she'll feel so much better when her ears and teeth have been dealt with. I'm sure you read that article on how an unhealthy mouth can really be damaging to a dog's body!

clare_bell's picture

Yesterday I went and had a long chat with Dr Choi about our girl.

Firstly, Nobu's titre tests came back at level 5 which is very good!

Secondly, I gave her some Advocate yesterday which will start to kill off those ear mites and any other nasties she may be infested with, as well as keeping the dreaded heartworm from ever getting into her system again.

Thirdly, since she is in heat, and still the early stages, the vet does not want to do her teeth scaling & extraction yet because of the elevated risk factor of being under anesthetic during early stages of heat. Poor Nobu!!

Anyway, this weekend she will begin her ear treatment to get those mites outta there, and hopefully a bath too! On the 21st she is scheduled for her teeth to be fixed up. I can't wait!! Thereafter, she will need to go to Seoul for surgery on her eye. And after THAT she will have her knees done and a spay!! WOWSERS!!

Please send lots of positive thoughts, vibes, energies, prayers etc. her way.

My own dog, Noodle, came home yesterday, since Nobu was given the all-clear with her titre, and they have been mildly disinterested in each other. I think they'll both be pleased to have some company during the day while I'm at school and I hope they will become firm friends.

marlajoy's picture

I'll definitely be thinking about her!

clare_bell's picture

Thank you!! :)

clare_bell's picture

Today another milestone was reached! Day 4 of fostering Nobu & when I got home from school she stood up, tail wagging. Then I put my hand in her pen and she tentatively walked over and licked it!! I'm sooo happy!!

marlajoy's picture

That's awesome, Clare! It's makes me SO happy to know that both Chloe and Nobu are adjusting well and starting to really show some happiness! It's a great feeling!!

clare_bell's picture

Today a big fat tick fell off of Nobu - yuck! I thought I'd given her a good going over but obviously not >.< Glad to know the Advocate is working so well, so fast.

Here is little Miss Waggy Tail herself, tick free:

marlajoy's picture

Clare you are not going to believe this but a tick fell off Chloe today too!!! I saw something on her head when I shaved her but I thought it was a pimpley growth because she has a couple other little growths too. Clearly I was wrong. It was a tick!

marlajoy's picture

Oh, and Nobu is looking great! :)

clare_bell's picture

Last night when I sat on the ground, Nobu inched towards me and eventually I had her standing right next to me getting some tender strokes on her head. Whenever I stopped stroking her she would inch closer and, ever so softly, touch my hand with her nose. Her nose, by the way, happens to be the softest little doggy nose I've ever had the pleasure of stroking :)

Speaking of her little nose, this morning she discovered there is a convenient place in her bed to keep it comfortable :)

This "bed" thing also has a comfy place to insert one's nose.
marlajoy's picture

So cute! :) What a sweetie! Wish I could see her in person! I`m sure Chloe and Nobu would LOVE a play date!

clare_bell's picture

Oh wow, me too! It would be so cute to see them reunited.

allisondyoung's picture

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! She is so cute!!!!! Keep the updates coming, Clare!

clare_bell's picture

Nobu went for an awesome and long-awaited ear clean today. She was a little angel in her sling and drew lots of attention along the way, with her mohawk hairdo and all :)

You should've seen what came out of her ears!! >.< Loads of brown gunk which the vet said was dead mites, mite eggs and mite faeces...eugh!! He also squirted some more mite-killing meds down her ears and gave her 2 injections which she took like a champ. One was antibiotics and one was anti-inflammatories. She also needs medicine for 3 days for her ears and we will go back for another clean and checkup on Monday.

I bet she feels loads better already though!!

In my sling, with my mohawk.
marlajoy's picture

Seeing pictures of her makes my heart melt! What a cutie!

clare_bell's picture

Nobu finally had a bath today! The vet wanted me to let her chill for a week before I stressed her with a bath. Little Nobu was so good and just sat still while I washed her. I didn't want it to be too traumatic so she's still not 100% clean, but you should've seen the muck that came off her. I also brushed her and cut off a few mats of fur. I think she feels better :) She certainly smells better! ;)

Some of the fur that came off after brushing!A little whiter after her bath :)
marlajoy's picture

Yay, Nobu!! Looking good, cutie! Clare, that hair looks absolutely disgusting! What are those dark chunks?!

clare_bell's picture

I know, gross hey! The dark bits were just bits of filth clumped together on her fur. Yuck.

linhorobin's picture

Unbelieveable the difference a few days with proper care can make!! She looks so much happier and more comfortable! Thank you, Clare!!

clare_bell's picture

Thanks Lindsay - you'd know from little Joey too - it's so rewarding to see! She does seem a lot happier and more comfortable. Tomorrow we go for her second bout of ear cleaning, which the vet says will be more disgusting than the first! I can't wait! o.O

clare_bell's picture

Nobu went for her second ear cleaning session last week and she is still taking some medicine to clear up the inflammation. Her ears are MUCH better but she needs to go back to the vet for a final clean and check this week. Great to know those nasty little mites are all dead!

Her appetite is good, better than before. I've noticed that she is venturing further and further out of her little corner where she likes to stay for most of the time. She also doesn't scamper to her corner as much any more. When I come home she runs to the edge of her pen and wags her tail. Then she lets me put my hand in (without running away) and she'll lick my finger ever so gently to say "hi mom" :) Aaawww I just LOVE her!

Her dental surgery is due this Saturday, the 21st of July. Please keep fingers crossed that all goes well. She will need a full scaling and some extractions, not sure how many yet. I can't wait for her to have a good, fresh, pain-free mouth again!

Watch this space! The "extreme makeover: Nobu edition" is well on its way!

eveliens's picture

Fingers crossed for the dental work. We don't need to start a small, white dog with a hard life dental club ;)

clare_bell's picture

Yes, we certainly do NOT need one of those clubs! ;)

Thanks for the good wishes, will keep everyone updated!

clare_bell's picture

Yesterday Nobu went for her 3rd ear check and clean. The vet showed me down her ears and WOW, what an improvement!! The inflammation has gone, and all that remains is a little nasty brown gunk that we are working on cleaning out. She was given another anti-inflammatory and antibiotic injection, some more liquid medicine was squirted down her ears and some more powdered medicine to take for a few more days.

Her dental surgery is scheduled for 11am this Saturday the 21st. I cannot wait for her mouth to be better. Her teeth are in a shocking state. One has the nerve exposed, another is broken, loose and wiggles in her jaw. The vet says she needs to get her weight up a little as she is at 6.08kgs, so I'm sure once her mouth is pain-free she'll be eating like a champ.

Here she is yesterday at the vet, looking perky!

At the nice doctor.Getting my ears done and being a good girl!
hakuna.matata's picture

Clare! Oh my goodness! You are doing such an amazing job with Nobu. It's truly inspiring. I will certainly be following her progress closely. Keep up the great work! ^^

clare_bell's picture

Ugh!! Disappointed.com! :(

Nobu was due to have her dental surgery this morning. However, the blood test results came back and it is not safe for her to go under anesthesia. Her liver function results came back at 4x the norm. The vet thinks it could be because of the medicine she was on for her ears. He has given me more medicine now for her liver and she is on a special veterinary hepatic food which should help too.

Other results were mostly normal and nothing to be alarmed at. She will go back to the vet in a week for another blood test to see how the meds are working.

Here are some photos from her trip to the vet today.

Waiting for my blood test results.My mom took photos of my teeth for a "before & after".My mom took photos of my teeth for a "before & after".Then the doctor said I couldn't have the surgery :'(Blood test results - ALT figures were the big problem.Take me home mom! What was the point of this useless exercise?!
marlajoy's picture

UH! That is disappointing! Those teeth are in such a nasty state! Poor girl! I hope she can have the surgery soon! I wouldn't worry too much about the liver though. Chloe's liver was the same because of her medications for her ears but it quickly normalized. And Alexis' liver was super out of wack after her bee sting but it normalized quickly as well. Neither required any medication to get the liver functioning properly again so make sure that medication is necessary for Nobu. :) I wouldn't want the poor girl to take anything she doesn't have to.

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