dogbesotted

Pampa, I am sorry that the blood results have not improved. bugger!!!!! Immune mediated disease is sometimes also treated with Azathioprine/Imuran here is some info: 1.Prednisone or prednisolone (1-2mg/kg PO q12h for at least 2 weeks or until marked improvement in the platelet count is seen). Once the platelet count is within the normal reference range, the dosage should be gradually tapered over weeks to months. 2. Dexamethasone can be used initially (0.1-0.2 mg/kg IV q12h). If the patient is unresponsive to corticosteroid, vincristine can be added (0.02-0.03 mg/kg or 0.5-0.75 mg/m2 IV once a week). 3In addition to the vincristine or alternatively to the vincristine, cyclophosphamide can be added (2.2 mg/kg or 50 mg/m2 PO q24h 3-4 days per week). Blood transfusions if the anemia is severe and causing clinical signs Platelet-rich plasma may be given if available. the vincristine, cyclophosphamide( cylclosporin) are chemo drugs. hugs. Helen

the cost for trestment for hypothyroidism ( ie thyroxine tabs twice a day) costs next to nothing. My maremma casper was on thyroxine for the last 4 years of his life. it cost less than $20.00 per month.( he weighed 49kgs) the T4 test should cost less than $200.00 however IF the thyroid problem is cushings then the treatment can get expensive. A young dog is unlikely to have cushing i would think. but if she has had several litters she is most likely older than what you were told.

kangaroo is very low in fats and dogs require a good %of fat in their diet( around 30% plus). Maybe add some satin balls to his meals. usually work well in putting condition of thin dogs.

Erny, what you are saying is great - encapsulated is VERY positive. I do not want to appear overly negative, in fact I am not...if your vet has this attitude and the knowledge that Kal will be in the hands of a specialist then you havewhat sounds like a good team. With major surgery it is worthwhile having as much info at your hands before speaking with the vets so you can ask the right questions. Most of the failures I know about have been from surgery by "gung ho" vets who have felt that they could manage this challenging surgery and who had no real experience - so I felt it necessary to emphasise the importance of a specialist. Fiddling with the adrenals is always tricky but a successful outcome is usually very good. sounds like all the i's are being dotted and the t's crossed.... many positive thoughts will be flooding the airways for Kal and for you, surgery is always scary but at times it is definitely the best option. hugs Helen

jeez erny now i am getting nervous! adrenalectomy is a very complicated operation. You must make sure that the surgeon is a Specialist in this area. It is not to be fooled around with. I cannot emphasise enough the need for a specilist suregon in this complicated field. ask guy how many successful adrenectomies he has done ( ie how many survived for some time after the operation) I am not trying to sound anti the surgery but have know of some successes more failures...the dog survived the surgery then died of complications. Forewarned is fore armed. read a lot and write down your questions. 24 hour close post operative monitoring and medicating is vital. 1. http://www.ava.com.au/avj/0302/03020034.pdf 2. http://www.newmanveterinary.com/CushingSx.html 3. http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diseases/hy...nocorticism.htm quote from this paper: Adrenal-dependent hyperadrenocorticism Adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice for unilateral adrenal tumours provided there is no evidence of metastatic spread to vital organs such as the lungs. The affected gland is usually much larger than the other (which has atrophied), and the affected gland may appear to be calcified on radiographs. Post-operatively both mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids must be given until the atrophied gland has returned to normal function. Wound healing is poor in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism 4. Surgical - Adrenalectomy "Adrenal Tumor - Surgical removal is the treatment of choice for adrenal tumors. Each dog must be assessed preoperatively for metastases or invasion of the tumor into surrounding tissues. Adrenalectomy is technically challenging and should be performed by a skilled surgeon. Approximately 50% of dogs develop severe postoperative complications, including pancreatitis, pneumonia, pulmonary thromboembolism, acute renal failure, sepsis, and hypoadrenocorticism due to insufficient steroid levels. The reported death rate after adrenalectomy varies greatly; in two large studies the rate was 27% and 34%. It is not known whether dogs with an FAT [Functional Adrenal Tumor] that undergo long-term medical treatment before adrenalectomy have fewer post-operative and higher survival rates. In dogs in which tumor removal was incomplete, clinical signs persist, or hyperadrenocorticism recurs weeks to months after surgery. Autonomous cortisol secretion results in atrophy of the zona fasciculata and zona reticularis and, in a few dogs, of the aldosterone-producing cells of the zona glomerulosa. Thus glucocorticoid substitution intraoperatively and postoperatively is necessary. Mineralocorticoid treatment is instituted when required." Source: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Sixth Edition, Stephen J. Ettinger, Edward C. Feldman; Elsevier Inc. 2005 sending Kal many prayers for a successful outcome. You will both be tucked deep into my heart. Helen

woooohoooo! this is delightful news. The beautiful Lucinda is very well at the moment ...amazingly so. so i will have a glass of champers for both tonight Helen

Thinking of you and Ollie.....hopefully no news is good news. Hugs Helen and the feisty Lucinda

To us it may be a crate/cage etc but to the pup it can be a nice safe place to call his own. It can be made a pleasant experience for the pup, filled with a special treats/ toys that are not available elsewhere. I have maremma sheepdogs and one of my girls, Lucinda, has been ill for over three years --- we started penning her at the beginning to make sure she would rest and recuperate. Now she knows that pen time is rest time and will happily trot in and sleep soundly -- if she is left un penned she will patrol the house yard through the night. Sounding very tired but determined. so for her the pen is a good place, as it is for poor dear Lucky the anxious one. In fact Lucky will stay in his pen all night even if the door is left open, and will not come out until I go get him in the mornings.

aaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhh! My heart aches with yours Karen! I do know exactly the turmoil that you find yourself in. It is like a living nightmare 24 hours a day. Have you thought of a consult with a good holistic vet? It is well worth the try in my opinion Both Ollie and Lucinda are being treated holistically ( Ollie as a support, Lucinda totally holistically). It sounds a bit like you are thinking of hemangiosarcoma, hemangiopericytoma. Do a search and read heaps. Join one of the canine cancer groups and get info from ppl who have and are travelling the same road. Arm yourself with information. . I know that this is easy for me to say but try to keep calm...Wags needs you calm and focused. also as to the "how long", I personally know of MANY dogs who have lived happy full lives for much longer than the estimated time suggested by their vets. With Lucinda I was advised to "Take her home for a few days to say goodby" way back in September 2002....These time frames are averages only. keep in mind that cancer is a WORD not a sentance! Sending you many positive thoughts. Hugs Helen and Lucinda ( who has once again bounced back)

oh damnation! Pampa. I can see where you are coming from. I too would be worried under the same circumstances. Stress is obviously going to be a factor, not just the flight itself but also the quarantine time. Have a good talk with your vet and specialist as to what they feel. I am still keeping your girl in my thoughts and prayers hugs Helen

Ok this is from far left field: has Godzy had problems with his teeth? small breeds can develop an oronasal fistula: ""Sneezing and nasal discharge may be due to an infection of the upper canine tooth. The infection may lead to an opening between the mouth and the nasal cavity. This is called an oronasal fistula""

Jodie, Sounds like Ollie is having a wonderful time..which is as it should be. Sometimes I think that the lesson that we all need to learn is to do these things more often. In a weird roundabout way, we are the lucky ones. We get a heavy burden when we learn our beloved fur kid has been diagnosed with an awful disease that is going to steal them away from us..but we also get the advantage of being able to make a special effort to spend extra special time with them, tell them how much we love them show them how much they mean to us, spoil them a bit more, and so on. the things that when our dog is suddenly taken we regret so much not having done. So there is good that can be wrenched from such bad news. That is what I try to focus on and it does help. I did not get this with my beloved Jake. I though he was getting old ( about 12) and that was why he was sleeping more and getting a little porky looking - but it was dilated cardiomyopathy which mean that his last four weeks were filled with a desperate effort to get his meds right and he had no energy to do anything but snooze. I will always regret that. with Lucinda we have a great time. BTW her problem over the past few days have been due to an infected haematoma! she is now on antibiotics and matacam and doing well. HUgs to both you and Ollie. Helen

Dear Jodie, Cant say what I really want to say..but I am throwing a tantrum too. It is disappointing, unbelievably disappointing and frightening.and its bloody NOT FAIR!!! BUT remember Lucinda has had great quality of life for three years plus under holistic care only. She has two extra lumps but I have not had them aspirated etc..as I had decided that there would be no further surgery for her. If they were MCTs then there was no benefit in irritating them by poking needles into them. So cuddle up to the dear lad, and love him/ Know that we are all sending heaps of positive vibes his way. hugs Helen

the airwaves surely must be vibrating to chant of "come on Ollie come on, come on, Come one Ollie come on" heading towards Ollie from all four corners. sending special thoughts as well. Give him some smooches from all up here

permoxin and vaseline mixed together. It works wonders. last years i had a real battle with fly bitten dog noses and tried everything I could think of and many suggestions from others. eventually a combination of vaseline and permoxin mix plus a serious fly trapping program..bingo.

well defined is a great start....funny how our view of things changes isnt it?. It may be worthwhile getting some holistic support for wags as well. Keeping him tucked in my heart. Hugs Helen

I cannot help but feel sad for people who think "its just a dog" . These just about sum it all up - http://www.navhda.org/feature2.html Musings by Richard Biby, Contributing Editor Broken Arrow, Oklahoma From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or, “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.” They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a dog.” Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.” Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,” but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day. If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you will probably understand phases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.” “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. “Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a man.” So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog.” just smile, because they “just don’t understand.” Roca © 2006 Versatile Hunting Dog Magazine, February 2006 http://www-hsc.usc.edu/~bjmcmil/dick/mydog.html http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/257...006-628025.html and about dog owner v dog person ( for all the dog people here) http://dogs.about.com/cs/fungames/a/evolution.htm

You can make up a mix of vaseline and permoxin and smear on the areas that the flies get at. It works a treat.

Oh Jodie, my heart sank when i read your post and tears sprang to my eyes. Dont panic...its just this darned roller coaster. I know Lucinda went through a sort of healing crisis and hopefully Ollie is just doing this. Ollie will let you know when he is in pain or has had enough. I dont know the words to use to describe it but you will know, it is quite unmistakable and your heart almost stops when you see it. But it is not today. In the meantime try to keep positive ( even tho there is another lump ) and keep on doing what you are doing letting the boy know he is loved. Sending heaps of positive healing vibes Ollies way. BTW I have asked my friends on caninecancerfriends to add him to our prayer list. Hugs Helen

I'll add in here that a while ago I was at a shopping centre and noticed a medium sized dog, wandering about quite happily minus one hind leg. he was doing what male dogs do on an outing picking up messages and leaving messages for those who follow along later LOL. Imagine my surpirse when I watched him finding that perfect spot to mark, moving around etc when he calmly lifted his sole hind leg...marked then trotted happily off. Bless them no one had told him he should not be able to do that..so he just did what was necessary.

Falgall, Just popping in to wish Wags the best. My Lucinda is a 3 year + survivor of MCT grade 3, no clean margins. Lucinda is holistically treated by barbara and the team at All Natural Vet Care ( same as Ollie). Despite the dreaded C word being mentioned..alwasy keep in mind that Wags will always live his life to the fullest despite obstacles..it is one of the greatest lessons these fur kids teach us. Will put Wags on my prayer list. Hugs Helen

Jodie, A HUGE sigh of relief from up here! So pleased with the news that not only is Ollie dog enjoying his exercise but that he has now decided that eating is a good idea. Hugs

it is astonishing how picky they can get. Lucinda sometimes would turn her nose up at her usually favourite foods - looking at me as if i had put poison in it. THen when she ate the stir fired salmon and greens I thought great and went and bought more. Served it up that night. What did she do? Looked at me as if i were mad ....LOL then polished off the chicken wings belonging to Margali and Lucky.

great! a good level of energy is always a good sign. maybe try some gourmet meals of an evening. he may now have a discerning palate...bless him

How is Ollie today?