Unwell Rotties

[cavNrott]

So so happy to read that Sophie is still coping. I really dread coming in here but then get annoyed when you do not post. I am breathing a sigh of relief and please give Sophie a hug from us. Well done Anne with her treatment.

Thanks Kiash. Your post made me laugh about being annoyed when I don't post an update. I would post every day but I don't want to drive people nuts and make them think 'not her again'.

Though I don't think those people come to this section of the forum, thank the Gods.

I do feel Sophie is not as well as she was a couple of weeks ago. Under the circumstances and considering how highly malignant and very aggressive her cancer is she's doing well. Her cancer has been graded as a 5 and that's as bad as it gets. She's fighting this disease and I'm trying to help in every way I know how. The oncologist calls her the miracle girl because she's still here and still fighting.

I'm fairly sure she is pain free. I try to prevent her having pain before it starts so she can be pain free. I think eliminating the pain once it's established is a much harder thing to do. So far it seems to be working, she never shows signs of pain but I know how stoic she is. The oncolgist has given me the ok to give her strong pain meds whenever I think she needs them so I don't need to stick to a schedule. She's about to have some organic yoghurt with goats milk and hefty dose of pain relief to see her through the night.

So all in all things are ok and I will go now and give her a hug from you.

[Staffyluv]

How is the Sophie the wonderdog going?

The stafford who catches everything is doing really well

So happy to hear that Ollie's doing well. Brilliant that he didn't need the ligament surgery.

Sophie's had a couple of very quiet days and this morning I took her out for a ride in the car. On the way home we stopped at a small park where I've not seen any dogs. It's basically a little walk through park into a court. She had a great time rolling and piddling. She needed to get out of the house for a change of scenery.

She's on a strong dose of antibiotics daily so I think we have any bacterial infection covered. I hope she didn't pick up a virus. She was sooo happy to be out.

Her tumour is still growing and looks awful but she's her usual happy self. She's always up for a short game of fetch but she tires very quickly.

Hugs to you and Ollie and thanks for thinking of Sophie.

So glad to hear she enjoyed her play at the park - being outside really brightens them up (Ollie is at his best when we are at the park and he can sniff and pee on everything).

I think, under the circumstances that she is doing amazingly well.

Cheers

J

[Allerzeit]

Just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you and Sophie, Anne

[kiahzen]

cavNrott, Thinking of you and Sophie..

I hope that all is well and she is still doing as good as can be, lets hope for some more positive results at her oncology appt next week...

[wednesday]

So glad that Sophie is doing well Anne. I haven't come in to read the updates for a little while, and news that she's still going strong is great. As you said, considering they didn't give her past January, you are definitely doing something right.

As for pills, my mum had a very fussy toy poodle who managed to sniff tablets out of everything - except liverwurst. I don't know the ingredients, so I don't know if there is anything in it that you would prefer not to give Sophie - but it's great for hiding pills from fussy dogs. Mum's toy poodle lived until she was 18, so it definitely didn't hurt her....

To give Tigger pills, I used to lift her jowel - put the tablet between a gap in the teeth on the side of the mouth, she'd open her mouth a little to investigate the foreign object I'd inserted - and I'd just poke my finger in after the tablet and it was gone before she knew it.... I had to trust her not to chomp down on my finger....

[cavNrott]

Thanks for thinking of Sophie. She was depressed yesterday and really nauseous. The double dose of Maxolon kicked in eventually. She was tired but comfortable last night.

I took her for a short walk today, she loved being out. She won't go into remission so we're now going on daily walks. For whatever time she has left we'll do the things she likes as well as keep her feeling ok. I think it's worth the risk so can have enjoyment of life. Her decline over the last couple of weeks is obvious and the best I can do for her is keep her pain free and give her what she needs to make life as good as it can be.

Wed: The liverwurst was the second thing I hid her tablets in but she woke up to it in quick time. She's ok with the meds now. I think it's nausea that puts her off when she doesn't want to take them. She takes at least 20 tablets a day so I don't blame her. They all have the side effect of nausea. She'll happily take them in mashed sweet potato. I'm also upping the pain meds again. I don't see signs of pain in her and I'd rather prevent it than have to deal with it. As her cancer progresses so will the pain so I'd rather over medicate her for pain.

Her appetite is still good though eating is difficult. Everything has to be mushy. She never vomits so maybe she has a little time left. From what I hear from people, the vomiting is a sure sign that things aren't going well and we're not at that stage yet.

I'm not looking forward to the next oncology visit because I don't think there is anything else to be done for my Sophie.

[shekhina]

You're both doing an amazing job Anne

[laneka]

Anne, please tell Sophie we are praying for her. Tell her that she has to fight longer. Tell her we want to be selfish and have her here. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes and saying come on Sophie. Sh*t, sorry. I do not know what I am saying. My emotions are telling me to say what my heart says not my head.

Anne, give her what she wants, enjoy your time with her.

[oonga]

cavNrott,

I am sorry to read that Sophie doesn't seem to be doing great :D

I am also overwhelmed by Kiash's words :D

from the heart is always a good place Kiash, no matter how foolish it may feel.

BIG HUGS to you both and of course your other puppies.

[cavNrott]

Anne, please tell Sophie we are praying for her. Tell her that she has to fight longer. Tell her we want to be selfish and have her here. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes and saying come on Sophie. Sh*t, sorry. I do not know what I am saying. My emotions are telling me to say what my heart says not my head.

Anne, give her what she wants, enjoy your time with her.

God love you Kiash for caring so much about my girl. She is still fighting but she's tired. She knows she's very much loved and wanted and that we're fighting this together. I've also told her that she calls the shots and whatever she wants or needs is ok with me. She sleeps on my bed so we spend all our time together.

I think she'll need to come off the medication she's taking when we see the onco next week. I've had a chat with her about a trial they are conducting in Japan and maybe the USA about the malaria drug Artimisinin. The onco is familiar with the trial and it seems they are having some success with it. She is happy to trial Sophie on this if her liver enzymes are high at her next test. I want to find out more about the side effects of Artimisinin first so I need to do more research. I won't agree to giving Sophie anything that will make her feel worse without any guarantee that it will work. How she feels is what's important to her and to me. Sophie is not having pain, I make very sure of that.

She pulled like a train again today on our walk but she's not strong enough now to drag me around so I don't correct her, she can do whatever she likes. The only command I give her is 'heel' when we're crossing the road so she doesn't muck around if there's a car approaching. She had fun today and did plenty of rolling in the grass and piddling.

The oncologist is coming from a medical viewpoint of not walking Sophie because of low immunity. There's more to Sophie than than her cancer. She needs a morale boost and getting out and about gives her that. The sadness can be overwhelming and her having fun does us both good.

Thanks for your prayers and please keep praying for her.

[harper]

Cheeky Sophie must have been paying special attention to you when you told her that she calls the shots and has obviously applied that to your walks.

I am sorry to hear that she has not been doing too well the last couple of days though, and am praying that it was just a bad day and that she has already or will soon pick up again.

Sending positive wishes for Thursday and every day.

[oonga]

cavNrott,

How is your treasure Sophie today?

hope you are both coping with this odd weather we are having, it is muggy and that can have not very nice effects.

i am pleased you are listening to your gut feeling and taking her for walks,

you are quite right, a positive morale will take her further than anything else

Good Luck with the oncologist appointment tomorrow!!!

as soon as you get a chance and feel up to it please let us know how she goes tomorrow.

[cavNrott]

Again, thanks for thinking of us. I appreciate it so much.

Oonga, her oncology appointment is on the 16th, next Wednesday (not tomorrow). I've had the feeling over the last couple of days that she wouldn't make the distance, she was totally miserable this morning and so was I but since this afternoon I'm fairly sure she will make it and hopefully have a little more time.

I'm no longer concerned about her immune system. The oncologist understands I need to do what I think is right for Sophie. Keeping her confined will not extend her life now and she needs to have fun to feel well. Since her osteo isn't in her limbs she has no problem running around and is not in danger of limb fracture.

We went to a new place today, a soccer oval she's never been to and she loved it. It gave her a much needed boost. She was so happy, running and rolling around in the grass. She was on the long lunge lead so she could run wherever she liked. My job was keeping up with her ;)

To see her happily running around no one would think there is a thing wrong with her and she has no sign of pain. This drug regime she is on is so good, I hope she can stay on it. Sophie doesn't have pain and it's a pretty mean feat to keep an osteosarcoma dog pain free. Kudos to the oncologist for her priority of keeping Sophie pain free. Her cancer is taking it's toll on her body though, she needs a lot of sleep.

We'll go to new places every day. She needs the excitement and the joy of exploring. We're lucky we live in an area that has a lot of parks and sports ovals.

There is no doubt she is declining but she was also getting bored. I think once we get back into a routine of going out every day it will give her something to look forward to and should lift her spirits.

She wants to be with me all the time. When I take the other dogs out for a walk she cries as soon as I put their leads on and walk to the door. It's awful but the others need to be walked too. Sophie always goes first and she knows the routine but doesn't like it. The others are getting shorter walks these days. Faith lines up for the second walk, then the two Cavaliers go together. Sophie doesn't approve at all even though she always has at least one dog at home with her.

For today, all is well. Oooh sorry for such a long post

[laneka]

Anne, I am so pleased to read that Sophie is enjoying life. I can just picture her sniffing, rolling and piddling everywhere. Just to let you know her daddy loves rolling in green soft grass. If I know her, she would want to go on all the walks, she would think it is her right. How is she eating? Does she like egg flips and scrambled eggs? Both of those are good for you and easy to eat.

Never apologise for the length of your posts, we need to read about Sophie.

[cavNrott]

Kiash, she had scrambled eggs with cottage cheese for breakfast today. On the cancer diet they say to give one organic egg a day. This morning I scrambled two for her which she ate with a little cottage cheese. Her appetite is usually good. She got a bit sick of the quark and Flaxseed oil she was having for breakfast which is part of the cancer diet so I've stopped that for now. She never refuses dinner though. I cook for her so she's no longer on BARF. Her favourite is the night cap of yoghurt and goats milk.

Funny how some dogs are rollers. Sophie is the only dog I've ever had who will roll every time we hit a patch of soft green grass. It used to drive me nuts in the winter time when she was wearing a coat. Eventually I learnt to just brush her coats off rather than wash them every day.

I think you're right about her thinking she should go on every walk. She doesn't give the others a backward glance when she goes out the door but objects when it's their turn.

She's feeling well tonight but tired and sleeping peacefully.

[oonga]

cavNrott,

your post was a joy to read!!!! ;)

Thanks for the details and never apologize for the length of them!!!

People wouldn't ask if they didn't want to know!!!

I had a big smile on my face picturing Miss Sophie enjoying her outing ;)

oh sorry about the mix up of dates!!

i have no idea where i got tomorrow from?? how odd!

Oh well i will be expecting several more updates then before her next appointment

only if you have the time and can be bothered of course!!

Big Hugs to you all

[cavNrott]

Thanks Oonga. This Sophie girl of mine is really something. She takes everything in her stride. As long as she's well tomorrow we'll be out for another adventure. It's good with the long lunge lead, I don't get dragged around and I don't need to correct her for pulling. I don't want to correct her. At this stage I think she should be able to do as she pleases so we don't often walk around the street, we drive to an oval or park.

The last appointment we had with the onco was on a Thursday...that's probably how we got mixed up. I thought this next one was Thursday too and had to look at the appt. card so I may have led you astray.

[kiahzen]

cavNrott... I hope that Sophie is going ok..

She does sound like she is doing well, such a little fighter she is..

I think i might have to see if Diesel will eat scrambled eggs, when you wrote that i thought yummy.... Surely he would like that??

Keep up with everything that you are doing, whatever it is your definitely doing something right for her to keep her here....

OH and I think of you both every day and our prayers are with you both....

[Kaz]

Cavnrot - my heart goes out to you. This is harder for you than for Sophie as you take such good care of her.

I love to hear of her adventures day to day. and always visit this thread even if I don't post. I am so glad you are standing your ground and giving Sophie the quality of life she deserves.

[Kadbury]

Love your posts about Sophie, and get a smile too when I hear about her rolling in the grass and doing doggy things like she should.....

When you said she goes out the door without a second thought for the other dogs it made me laugh she probably comes home and whispers to the others...........LOL I know when I take Spice out the Cavs get upset too as I am sure she tells them about her adventures.

Keep up your fantastic work and I also check in here daily for updates.