What a difference a day makes!

I was woken up by Rocky this morning. Happy he did it, but I could have slept another hour before getting up.

Took him to the vet. The people at Skyline are so great. Dr. Ryan feels Rocky is a bit older than four. Estimated 5-6 years old. His teeth are inbetween being bad and good. He has a broken tooth in the front where the root is still visible so that will need to be removed, during a cleaning if that gets board approval. 

Then came checking the male parts for his neutering on Wednesday. But wait! He was so matted underneath, that they brought in another tech and went to work on him. I've been brushing him, and his chest was shaved when his neck was shaved, so I hadn't seen him in his original state. When it came to his backside I was trying to be gentle because I knew he didn't like it, and that there were mats, but I was also assuming that could be shaved during the neuter. Dr. Ryan said they were too bad to leave until then. Rocky's been peeing into a mat and poop was getting caught up in a mat, not to mention the long continuous mats in several areas.

He did really well while they shaved his underside, but tried to bite when we got to his rear. I don't blame him! A muzzle was put on and they finished the job. He looks rather poodle-ish, but when I got home and walked him? Wow! He was actually prancing! And his head is starting to come up. It makes me want to cry to see him feeling so much better. I told Dr. Ryan my suspicions that the reason Rocky trudged along with his head down was because he's never been able to lift it because of the mats. He agreed. All the mats underneath probably had a lot to do with how he walks, too.

We discovered an umbilical hernia, too, which can be removed during the neuter, if approved. There are spots all along his underside. I asked if that was from chaffing and Dr. Ryan said yes. That some of them could be permanent discoloration, but that will get all covered up as his fur grows back. It's hard to see a collie shaved down to the skin, but I'm okay with it when it makes them feel so much better. Once this grows out, added with good food and care, he's going to be gorgeous!