February 26, 2012



From Jennifer, Chuck, Kessen and Brightie



Hallelujah!  Who knew the smell of wet dog would be so wonderful.  I have not been able to bathe Arri since October when this whole saga began.  With 4 surgeries, 18 radiation treatments and 3 weeks in the cone of shame, the boy smelled like a dog.  This morning he got all cleaned up.  He is so soft and snuggly.  More hair has fallen out of his leg but the skin looks nice and healthy.  The swollen node on his upper leg is still present but not as large.  

A few weeks ago, Arri received an awesome get well e-mail from some CCI puppy raisers.  I love the photo and appreciate the sentiments. 

February 15, 2012

Outside 



inside (treatment side)

 First follow-up visit.   It is cold – in the 30’s but the sun is shining.  Arri’s leg is looking really good.  He is still losing hair but the skin looks healthy.  At this point, the cone of shame is still being used since there are still some scabs that he wants to lick.   Arri had many visitors during our check up.  Lots of the girls had to say hello to the goof ball.  Even though all looks good, he does have a new lump on the upper part of his leg, deeper in, not on the surface.  One of the techs did a needle aspiration to see what might be growing.  She thought it might just be fatty.  The Dr. looked at the slide and confirmed it was nothing to be concerned about.  It is not a fatty growth but a node swelling as a result of radiation.  It is not uncommon.  I am to keep an eye on it but it should not be an issue.  Because of the swelling, Arri will continue to be on the anti-inflammatory for another few weeks.  He also is staying on the anti-biotic because he just won’t leave his leg alone.  We can remove the cone of shame when he stops obsessing over his leg.

Normally the next visit would be in two weeks.  Because we drive so far and the wound is looking good, we don’t have to come back for a month.  I am to call in after two weeks to just confirm all is well.

February 12, 2012



Summer seeking attention

Summer must be feeling neglected.  She has decided to have a bladder infection. We were not certain of her diagnosis so we were attempting to get enough urine for testing.  It is a real interesting chore to get a urine sample from a female dog with a very fluffy butt.  When we collected visible blood clots, we decided more urine was not necessary.  She did indeed have an infection but also crystals forming.  Two separate issues.  

Giving medications at the proper time and in the proper quantity was difficult enough with just Arri.  Now Summer is on antibiotics and a chewable cranberry supplement. Oy.  I have now added sticky notes to the top of each bottle with dog initial, quantity and time of day.  We are almost getting it right.  The hard one to remember is Arri gets a middle of the day antibiotic. 

There is still some scabbing but it is not nearly as red.

February 11, 2012

Today was a serious snow day.  After weeks of an incredibly mild winter, reality has returned.  I let the dogs out at 6 am.  We had received roughly 3 inches of snow during the night.  After the dogs were fed, I went out and started shoveling….and shoveling….and shoveling…..and shoveling…..At one point it was snowing at a rate of 2 inches an hour.  After an hour the driveway didn’t look any cleaner.  I woke up Tim and suggested he come out and help.  Naturally, this happens on a Saturday when I have customers and brides coming over.  So, we shoveled….and shoveled…..and shoveled…..There was always one of us out working until 12:30 pm.  In the course of 6 hours, we had received 15 inches of snow.  On the bright side, it was very light and fluffy.  For the most part, the dogs stayed inside during the whole storm.

SNOW CONE!

The snow was very deep for Arri.  Normally, he would have loved romping through it but I could tell, the cold was very painful on his leg.  The cone of shame was no help.  It kept filling with snow when Arri tried to jump through a drift.  Poor boy. 

February 9, 2012

Even at 13, Arri can do some things for the very first time.  Today was a big one.  As a young dog, Arri was a runner.  Given the opportunity, he would bolt into the ravine after any and every smell he came across, not to mention a dip in the creek.  People talk about dogs being able to find their way home…not Arri.  He has the brains, just not the attention span.  Deer, possum, raccoon, squirrel…..he just runs with the scent.

Today, Arri and I went on a walk.  Arri brought along his hedgehog.  He has never gone on an ‘unleashed’ walk before. There was no traffic or people or dogs out so I dropped the leash and said ‘let’s go’ and we went.  Arri walks faster than I do so he was a car length ahead the whole time but proudly showing his hedgehog the neighborhood.  He would pause and check on me.  Once he was sure I was doing ok, he moved on.  I think he had a very enjoyable walk today.  It’s funny, he only stopped to sniff one time.  If I had been holding the leash, he would have been sniffing every mailbox.

February 8, 2012

Arri is such a goof!  This morning, after feeding the critters, I was walking in circles.  I didn’t know where to start my day.  Arri was stalking me.  Habitually, after he eats, he chews a bone for about 10 minutes.  It is the only time he really chews.  Probably because he doesn’t chew his food, he inhales it.  I am standing by the kitchen sink and he is just staring up at me.  I realize he is asking for his pain pill.  The pill is not coated so he won’t take it, not even with his food.  I have to cover it with cheese and then he eats it right up.  I had not given it to him yet.  Once he got his cheese, he walked away.  I’m not sure what will happen when we are done with healing.  Where some people might get addicted to the pain meds, I think Arri is addicted to cheese.

I took Arri and Glamis for a walk today.  It is beautiful April weather in February.  He was a little stiff at the end but I think he was very happy to be out enjoying the day.   Of course, he had to catch up on pee-mail.  He finished one message and was leaving a response when Glamis started sniffing the same pee-mail.  Naturally, Arri baptized Glamis and I had to wash a dog when we got home

February 7, 2012

Forget about the leg looking better.  That was a one day fluke.  It all just depends on how much effort Arri makes to try and lick it.  Short of taping his leg in the bent position, he will be able to rub the wound with part of the e-collar. 

Today Arri went to see Dr. Mike – our home vet.  He only went as a guest. Teva was the patient.  Teva was due for all his shots.  Arri didn’t seem to like that Teva was getting attention so he did what he could to get pets and treats.  Dr. Mike has not seen a radiation treatment in years to I got to give him the skinny on what we have been up to. 

Teva