Jan 3 Road Trip

Yesterday, Arri just wasn't co-operating.  Doc said he did well but could not remove enough fluid to get a clear x-ray.  From this we had 2 options.  We can go with 2 days of diuretics while waiting for results from the tests.  The fluids drained from his chest can be tested to see what the source is.  After 2 days, we would do more x-rays and hope they are clear enough to see something.  Depending on those results, we either make a plan of action or we need to go to a specialist to try different test methods.  Option 2 was just to go straight to the specialist.  We chose option 2.  I had already delayed treatment over the holiday, I wasn't waiting any longer.

On the road again....

 There wasn't much point to delaying the trip until today.  So at 4:00, Tim and I gathered up Arri, Oregon, tubes of fluids, dvd of x-rays, maps and reading materials and started the road trip. We could not get an actual appointment but they have a 24 hour ER so that was where we went.  It is 2+ hours to get to the MSU Vet School hospital.  Arri traveled comfortably and based on his pee - the diuretics were working.

We arrived around 6:30 and I was pretty pleased from the start.  Within two minutes, two Senior Vet students were out meeting us and Arri.   They took our information, history etc and then took Arri to the back for an exam.  At this point Arri seemed a bit perkier just from having the fluid drained.  Once they took him to the back we didn't see him again.  We were asked more questions and then the 'real' doctor came in after having reviewed what the students learned and made sure they had all the information.  We were there about an hour.  Checking out, Oregon had to make sure everyone knew just how cute he was.  He did an 'UP' on the counter and then laid his head down to show just how cute he could be.  Yep - it got him two biscuits.  Sadly, no discount on the bill but I guess a free dessert.

I am so grateful for my Smartphone and Google maps.  We did not have reverse directions to get home and I managed to get us turned in the wrong direction.  It was only a slight detour through Lansing before we got back on the right road.  We were home by 10.

At 11:30 pm, we got a call just letting us know Arri was doing well, resting comfortably and that more fluids were drained and everything was being tested.

8:30 am, a student vet calls to introduce herself and let us know she has checked on Arri and he is doing well.  She said Arri is a sweet dog and very silly.  He must be feeling a little better as he is up to his old tricks.  She said he pretends he can't walk and they need to help the poor tripod (my wording).  He tried but they are on to his scam.  The Dr is on rounds so I don't get any information at this point but they will call later.

1:00 p.m.  Dr Lisa calls.  They have some results but at the same time, no results.  The cystology came back with 'probable' cancer cells in the fluid.  The x-rays showed small nodules in his lungs and a mass in his chest cavity.  Nothing definite on what it is.  They are going to do a belly ultrasound to check for other masses and do some aspirating to see what they learn.  Arri has so many fatty tumors (lipomas) that (wishful thinking) it could be benign.  There is also the RARE chance that it is fungal in nature.  Pathetic as it is, I bit on that piece of hope.  Arri was exposed to a fungus.  Back in October, the second mass we had removed from Summer - turned out to be a fungal infection.  I suggested that she contact Dr. Mike about that possibility.  I know it is a long shot but i have to keep trying.  I read two devotionals yesterday and they both were about not giving up.  It wasn't a coincidence.

So, Arri will not be coming home tonight - or not likely.  They will call again later to let me know about the ultrasounds.

Oregon's making faces again.

2:30 Jan 2...waiting

I have one report back from the vet and it was not good.  There was so much fluid in Arri's chest that the x-ray was white.  He couldn't even find his heart.  The next step was to do a chest tap and try to drain some fluid via needles.  Still waiting to hear how that went.

I keep getting freaked out thinking my boy is here.  Sitting at the desk, he always has my back.  Today, there is a stupid white polar bear toy in the middle of the room and each time I see it out of the corner of my eye, I think it is Arri.

Arri's got my back.

Jan 2, 2013 (Not so) Happy New Year

Happy New Year from Arri!!

It has been awhile since our last post.  So little has been happening and that was a good thing.  Unfortunately, we start the new year off with uncertain news.

Naturally things have to happen over a weekend and just for good measure, lets throw in a holiday.  Arri started coughing on Saturday the 29th.  I wasn't concerned because this had happened before and goes away after a few days.  Coughing leads to gagging with an occasional fainting spell.  By Monday, he was breathing shallower and tiring easier.  The vets office was closed for the holiday and I wasn't ready to take him to the emergency vet.  It just seemed like a winter cold.

New Years day brought a bit more concern.  Arri was not first in line for food.  He has stopped telling me what time it was a few months ago.....(follow the rabbit trail).....   we have noticed more 'senior' moments.  Not hearing or seeing as well.  Seeming to forget why he went into a room or outside. It all goes with the aging process.  The hard part is to distinguish between normal and take him to the vet.  ......(back on track)   but he still would be first in line when I got up to feed them.

 Jan 2:   Arri was coughing quite a bit last night and I had to encourage him out of bed this morning.  He was ready to get up but seemed cautious about jumping off the bed.  I guess for good reason, boy did he have a wipe out.   Poor guy.  Time to start helping him off the bed as well as on.  He was last to his food bowl and walked away 1/2 way through.   Without question, something is not right.  Arri never walks away from food.  He went outside and toileted fine and finished his breakfast after he came in.

Dr Mike was able to see us this morning.  The thought has crossed my mind of cancer in the lungs or other such place but I am still holding out hope for antibiotics and go home. The concept that never crossed my mind was congestive heart failure.  After listening to his breathing, that was the first thing out of the Drs mouth.  Of course, cancer was also a prospect.  So much for antibiotics.  Arri is currently hanging out at the Dr  for x-rays, ekg, blood work etc.  We will know in a few hours what the next step is.


....

10.21.12 Summer is at it again

Arri is doing great.  He is currently on vacation in Cincinnati, visiting Grandma.  In the meantime, Summer, the drama queen, has taken over the duties of having issues requiring medical attention.



Oct 14 - first notice of blotch

On Oct 14, Summer was airing herself out - on her back, all 4 legs flopped open.  In the shaved area on her chest, I notice a red blotch.  I immediately get a closer look and take a picture.  I remember this time and so glad I did.  It looked like a bug bite but not one I have seen before.  I am familiar with the bullseye fly bites.  This one is different.

Oct 16 - the reason we visit the vet

Oct 16 - Summer and Oregon are wrestling in the yard.  Summer ends up on her back and I see the blotch.  It is HUGE - ok, not HUGE but huge.  In two days it has changed quite a bit.  Still red, now swollen and there is a weird white patch in the center.  The paranoid mother in me grabs the phone and makes an appointment with the vet.  We get in that afternoon. Summer is not nearly as excited to be in the exam room as Arri always is.   Dr. Mike enters the exam room stating (in jest) that he is never removing a lump from my dogs again.  Once they have surgery, they just keep coming back for more.  Upon inspection, he feels that Summer has an infected bug bite - probably a spider.  He gets a slide and needle biopsy anyway, just in case.  After all, she did just have a cancer growth removed.  The tests seem normal so the plan is high dose anti-biotics and see if it clears up. 

Oct 21 - I am not so sure the anti-biotics are working.  Maybe it gets worse before it gets better.  I may have to check in with the Dr. tomorrow.


10-8 Summer joined the journey

Summer sporting the shirt from my parents
50th anniversary.  It has been around awhile
as they just celebrated 62 years.
 

Arri has a guest on trhe blog today.  Today we feature Summer.  On Sept 17 or so, I was trimming toenails.  I do this on the floor with the dogs on their back, feet in the air.  They always get good belly rubs during the process.  On this night, I noticed something on Summer's chest/ribcage...between here belly and chest.  What made it interesting was that is was not really a lump.  It looked a bit like a HUGE wart only it was squishy like a blister.  I called the Doc first thing in the morning and we had an appointment for 4 days later. 

Summer just turned 9 in August.  Her personality is very different from Arri.  Particularly when going to the doctor.  Summer is very happy to arrive and will UP at the counter to see the girls.  Ok, the reality is that she is she knows where the treats are and uses 'the look' to get some.  She becomes velcro dog once we enter the exam room.  To get her to relax a little, I have her assume the position and get belly rubs while we wait.  Dr. Mike takes a slide sample from the growth.  It comes back inconclusive however it did appear to have some granular cells...those are bad.  Playing the better safe then sorry game, we schedule surgery for Sept 25.

Once again, I failed to get a photo of the initial growth.  Surgery went well.  Dr. Mike was able to get clean margins in the removal and Summer was zippered up with 13 staples.  Because of the location, it was going to be hard to keep her from irritating it and keeping the incision clean so she was sporting a t-shirt for the next 2 weeks.   On trips to the park, Oregon was not accustomed to being chopped liver next to the 'dog in the t-shirt'.  The kids at the park thought this was a hoot.

We waited for the biopsy results to come back.   and waited.....and waited.   The news was good and bad.  The bad news was that it was a mass cell tumor.  The good news was that is was Grade 1 (lowest) and removed with clean margins.  This means no additional treatment is necessary.  I will have to be diligent in monitoring her for future, unrelated growths.

I now have two cancer survivors in the house.  I can not tell you how important it is to give your dog regular rub downs so you know when something is not right and catch it early. 

How much does a leg of lab weigh?

September 11, 2012

I just realized I haven’t discussed ‘the leg’.   So exactly how much does a leg of lab weigh? I know I was wondering this after surgery.  Our local vet scale weighs on the high side.  Arri had been a consistent 59 lbs.  The oncology scale favors the petite – he was usually 57 lbs.  It could be he was sucking in his gut for the cute oncology doctors.  Regardless of  scale used, it seems to be the same.  Arri’s leg of lab weighed 5 lbs.   Yesterday he weighed 52 lbs at the oncology office and 2 months ago, he was 54 in the vets office.  So now you know. 

September 10, 2012 - check up time

Summer has been too busy for me and so Arri has not had many adventures lately.  We have not been to the beach in weeks.  Partly because of schedule but also there have been many rip current warnings this year.  So Arri has been doing his duty, guarding the bakery while I work.  He has given up on the idea of going up the stairs.  He waits until someone is willing to give him a butt lift.  He has us trained so well.  He is back to many trips to the park and gets around just fine. 

Two months ago, we went to the vet for annual vaccines. He got a good report with the exception of the beginning of cataracts.   Dr. Mike must have high hopes for Arri.  He gave him the 3 yr rabies. Ok, I think I can handle 3 more years with this boy, because he is not allowed to expire before the rabies shot.

On a side note, I was excited to meet Logan in August. We were at the NCR graduation. Logan is a CCI Skilled Companion who lost a front leg to cancer. He has recuperated and continues to work. I think that is so awesome. Mom, Ann, was helpful during the whole process, giving me some heads-up on what I might expect. Having someone who has been through it and not hide the ugly parts helped me.

It has been just under 4 months since the amputation and the tri-pod look already seems like old news.  He did have his first pool accident last week.  His back leg slipped and he wiped out.  He was a bit stunned but recovered quickly.

Glamis and Arri with Oregon hiding from the camera

Today Arri returned to the oncologist for a recheck and precautionary x-rays and ultrasound. This was his first visit since surgery.  He always greeted the girls at check-in with an ‘UP’.  He wanted to do it so bad but he couldn’t.   There does not appear to be any issues, this is just to make sure nothing is going on undetected.  I have been a little concerned about his breathing.  He tends to breathe heavier more often than he used to but then, if I had to hop everywhere I went, I would breathe heavy also.  In fact, I would I would find a comfy spot and plant myself.

The Dr. came back with good news – NO ISSUES.  X-rays are clean, ultrasound is good.  They also did blood work.  His liver enzymes are high but they were high last time.  Essentially, there was no change, which is good.  Oregon went with on this visit.  He was bored silly but really enjoyed all the treats.  It’s sibling guilt.  No one can give Arri a treat without giving Oregon a treat.

We will return for more x-rays and ultrasound in January.  For now we sit back, enjoy life.