The good, the bad and the ugly.

Boy wonder in action at the lake.

Side A.

Side B. Yes, it was very badly infected.


So, did you ever wonder what $$165.00 dollars looks like??? Check out the pictures of Murphy attached. It looks gross, and it was gross. And smelly.
Poor Murph. He finally got to go to his "happy place" at the lake in June, after a long and hard winter, and ended up at the vet's office.
Now Murphy likes to swim at the lake, and he jumps off the dock with such gusto that he submurges his entire head. His ears are wet, his face is wet, and if they dont dry properly, his skin doesnt dry and gets infected, with what is known in the golden retreiver world as "hot spots". His retreiver neck hair is so thick and heavy, that it doesnt let the air at the skin very well. We thought we had solved the problem ahead of time by getting our groomer Charlotte to cut down his fur a bit, but no such luck. Even my "all natural" hot spot medicine did not work this time. Off to the vet we went. It took three of us to hold him down while the vet shaved off the fur on his face. Antibiotics, pain pills, and ear infection medicine later, he is on the mend. Just in time for summer swimming season to begin.
Murphy we love you, but this was a bad one this time. My wallet still hurts.