Staffyluv

Ollie's temperature was up yesterday (39) and he was a little flat... Checked again last night and it was 39.3 This morning it was 39.7 (he has anitbiotics) but the vet is not happy, so he is off to hospital at 2.15pm today... I want to bring him home but they want him to stay there, so he can be monitored... He is off his food (has been for a few days) but is still drinking his water. I think he would be better off at home where he will be with us... Instead of in the hospital where he will be alone overnight... Should I insist on him coming home with me, after he is checked out? (only if he does not need a drip or anything)... Jodie

I am sure Ollie would love to meet you - he is everybodies best friend (given half a chance).. That would be great, just let me know when you are coming to Canberra... Cheers Jodie

Oh no... Give Benny a big kiss for me, poor little guy... I hope he gets better soon... How do they treat that sort of injury? I am sure that if I offered cake to the boofer, he would eat it... But he needs to be eating only good things at the moment... It was lovely to meet you the other day. We will have to catch up again, when the opportunity comes around. Cheers Jodie

Hi Pampa, He has been quite flat this week, a fair bit of vomiting and he has been off his food for a few days now... I have been spoiling him a little with food when he will eat... He had some little bits of steak last night and this morning (only about 100g)... And I have been giving him his tablets the old fashioned way - straight down his throat.. He is not happy about that at all now (the first few days were OK, he just stood there and swallowed), he is running away from me... I hate being the one, that he hides from... It is only at medication time - the rest of the day he is with me in the office... His walks have been good, he loves to get outside and have a little romp around... We walked about 2km again this morning... On Monday we only walked about 1km... I don't mind how long he wants to walk, we just go at whatever pace he sets and for as long as he wants... We were actually late taking the youngest one to school this morning because he wanted to sniff around a bit more at the park... He loves his tummy rubs and playing with the boys, although he does not play anywhere near as rough as he used to... Thanks for thinking of him... We need all the good thoughts that we can get... Cheers Jodie and Ollie dog

Have you checked in between her toes? Are they red or even slighty pink, if so, she may have an allergy... Perhaps take her to the vet just to be sure, that all is OK... I use malaseb to bathe Ollie's paws when they use fertiliser at the park where we walk, as he get red, itchy paws and tends to chew them... Good luck Jodie

So sorry for your family's loss MM... RIP Mack Jodie and Ollie dog

So sorry for your loss... RIP Dodge Jodie and Ollie

Another staffy in heaven... RIP Max Jodie and Ollie dog

He is on Hills Science Diet UD because he gets kidney/bladder stones - poor lad... I do give him chicken and veges with the HSD to change it a few times a week... I was talking to hubby about it the other day and we think that we might start to offer him some other foods a couple of times a week... After all, it is quality of life, not quantity... And if he wants some steak, then I think he should be allowed to have it - within reason... I don't want to create kidney stones on top of the cancer... Ollie had a little left over fish this afternoon and the bottom of the cone of my drumstick ice cream - I know I shouldn't have but he did enjoy it... Sue (holistic vet) is working on a fresh food diet for him, that will be for the cancer and the kidney stones... I am looking forward to seeing it, as we had a long consult on all the foods that Ollie did and did not like, so she had something to work with... Cheers Jodie

Thanks for the links Helen - and the prayers... He is still off his food this morning so I had to give him his tablets the old fashioned way - straight down the throat... He is such a good boy, he sat there and swallowed each one... His walk was OK, but he did seem tired... He has just had a bath and a small treat, so he is a happy pooch at the moment... I read the links that you posted and it all what I expected... the only difference was that he was sick the day of the chemo, not 2-4 days after... Cheers Jodie

Hi Helen, His chemo protocol is: (3 week cycle) Week 1: Vinblastine (Intravenous) Week 2: CCNU-Lomustine (5 tablets) Week 3: nothing Then it starts again - we are up to week 14... The chemo goes for 22 weeks, so we have weeks 16, 17, 19, 20 and 22 still to go... I tried to get him to eat a little BBQ chicken (just the breast meat) but he was not interested... The youngest son was eating a scotch finger biscuit and offered him a little bit and he ate that... He does not really seem like he is hungry, so I will just let him go until dinner time... Then I will offer him a little chicken and some pureed carrot and zucchini... He is drinking OK, so I am not worried about him dehydrating... He is also taking (daily): 2 x Vit C (500mg) 1 x Omega 3 fish oil (1000mg) 1 x AntiOx Excel (Comprehensive anitoxident and free radical scavenger) 1 x Lymphodran (Quercetin plus rutin - nutritional supplement) 1 dropper of five mushroom extract 6 x Oroxine (200mg) for his thyroid And once a week he has an eye dropper of Caucinosin (herbal drops for the cancer) He just finished a course of Noroclav 200mg for a minor infection in his nose... Thanks Jodie

I spoke too soon... Last night we spent the whole night with the boy pacing and vomiting... I have checked his temp and it is not outside the normal range, so probably no infection... I will keep checking it today and if he is no better by lunh time, I will call our vet and let him know... ;) I have taken all food off him and he has spring water to drink (he is not even drinking at the moment)... He still wanted to go for a walk this morning but it was only a short walk - he was just too tired, from being up all night... (He is sleeping at my feet as I type)... I often wonder, if he really does want to go for a walk or does he do it because it is something we have always done... Being a stafford, he probably thinks he is taking me for my daily walk Hopefully it is just a response to the chemo yesterday afternoon.... Cheers Jodie

I am so sorry sas (I just saw this)... The decisions we have to make for our beloved pets can be so hard... Rest in peace Turbo Jodie

We have had the most excellent week The little trooper has walked about 2km everyday and loved every minute of it... He is not so hungry any more either but still drinking a lot... He is even playing with his toys... He is bringing them to every one that comes to visit - even the workmen that are here to rewire the house and put the new roof on... And for the first time in months, he tried to jump up on my bed (he did not quite make it as it is pretty high)... But at least he tried... Before he had taken to sleeping on the floor all the time as he did not have the energy to even climb up on the lounge... He has lost about 3/4 of a kg but still has a way to go, as he put on 5kg all up... His chemo was delayed again this week, but that is OK.. He seems to take a little longer than the 7 days between treatments to get his blood cell count back up... So he is off for chemo later today... Thanks for all the good wishes Cheers Jodie and Ollie dog

Ollie's new meds for the thyroid are working so well... Today, we walked 2.5km - amazing... Just last weekend, this same dog could only walk about 500m before being so exhausted that he needed to go home... It is just so great to see him wanting to play and wrestle with the boys again, after seeing him so tired for so long... Just had to share our wonderful news again Cheers Jodie

So sorry Mel... RIP Misty Jodie

Thanks all... Helen, He is only on Macrolone, apart from the holistic therapy and the chemo... Our vet is going to do blood work every fortnight for the thyroid meds to make sure that Ollie is getting what he needs... (Ollie has blood work each Tuesday for 2 weeks and then a week off, for the chemo, so the vet will use this blood test to keep an eye on the thyroid)... I have tried to find some info on the net but did not really understand it all... I will after I talk to the vet later today and he explains it all to me... Cheers Jodie

Ollie went in for chemo this morning and we got the final results of all the blood work done last week... We were waiting on the T4 (thyroid test)... His thyroid is barely functioning... Vet said this is why he has put on so much weight in the last few months and that it is probably due to the chemo for the cancer... I was thinking 'when will it end for my poor boy'... But the vet said this morning that the drugs he needs for his thyroid will make him lose all the excess weight and his energy levels should rise as well So more good news... Cheers Jodie

RIP Jess... Jodie

And some more good news - our walk this morning was twice as long and double the pace He even trotted for a couple of hundred metres... It makes my heart sing to see him this happy... Cheers Jodie

No the vet seemed to think that they were not necessary... He said he gave Ollie a good going over and had a really good feel of his tummy whilst he was under and that his tummy felt normal (nothing out of the ordinary)... He could not have his chemo today, as he has a nasal infection (due to something that he has sniffed up)... The vet checked his nose and could not see anything but decided to flush his nasal cavities to make sure... We have to book in for chemo next Tuesday now... He did meet the most adorable little red stafford girl, who was there with her mum for her second vaccination - she was so sweet... He is very sooky tonight... He does not deal well with anaesthetic, poor little fella... But I am sure he will be up with the birds tomorrow, wanting to go for a walk... Cheers Jodie

Well we finally have some great news... The new lump is just a lipoma - it is NOT a mast cell... Ollie is still a bit groggy from the surgery today to biopsy the lump... I went and got a BBQ chicken so he can have some for dinner (it is his absolute favourite food)... Once again, I would like to thank you all for your support and advice... Thanks Jodie

He looked like a wise old soul... RIP Rastus Jodie

We had some news today... Blood work is all good... So chemo goes ahead tomorrow... The needle biopsy was inconclusive for the new tumour, so we are looking at a full knock out to do a full biopsy and the vet wants to do an xray to see if there are any shadows inside (re: tumours internally)... Fingers crossed for us, that they don't find anything... Jodie

Poor fella, I hope he is doing better today... It is so hard when they are ill. I wish they could talk sometimes, so they can tell you where it hurts... Hugs to Murray Jodie