Presley's complete blood count (CBC) was normal today and she weighs 80 pounds. Scott and I took her to OVRS to have her white blood cell count tested and thankfully she is absolutely normal. This is great news because (if I understand all of this correctly) the chemo weakens the immune system and the white blood cells are crucial to fighting off bacteria, infection, etc.
A normal CBC means she does not have to take antibiotics or any other medication, which is great because I can't get her take her pills anyway. However, she really should take her supplements, but I'm not going to force her at this point. Short of shoving the pills down her throat, I'm out of ideas. She's onto the trick of hiding the pills in peanut butter, Cheez Whiz, cottage cheese, and yogurt. And she's figured out the pill pockets.
One of the vet techs recommended covering the pills in cream cheese and Scott suggested hiding them in American cheese slices, but this is getting out of hand. One of the supplements is about the size of four quarters stacked up. Another supplement is a horse pill (i.e. quite large). And another supplement is a powder. So I'm really at a loss right now on how to give these to her.
Anyway, to celebrate the good CBC report, when we got home we went outside and dug up the yard. Actually, I tried to fill in the holes but the girls were digging them as fast as I could fill them. Presley took a few nosedives into the dirt, but it didn't stop her from doing her "work". And she really gave the shovel the "what for". She kept barking at the shovel and trying to bite it. Her nose, tongue, body and paws were covered with dirt, and she couldn't have been happier.
Later in the afternoon, I took Diesel for a nice walk. Then I took Presley down the street for a little walk. She only wants to walk toward 9 Mile. When I try to go the other way, she just sits down in protest. At the end of the block, she rested for a few minutes as I stroked her fur and hugged her. I am so proud of her. She is such a fighter.
About an hour ago, I was cuddling with the girls on the living room floor. At one point, while I was giving Presley a light hug and whispering in her ear, she started making little noises with every breath. Scott heard the noises and said she was purring. I think he's right because when I stopped hugging her, she would tap, which means that she doesn't want me to stop. So I'd hug her some more and she'd start purring again. It almost sounds like a growl but it's really light. She is so amazing.
We have to get Presley's CBC tested again next Wednesday. Then the following week she has her second round of chemo. Overall she's doing very well, which makes me feel a bit more relieved about having her leg amputated. At times I still struggle with her amputation, especially at times when she isn't feeling well. Luckily, those days are becoming fewer and farther between.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Still recovering
Presley has been very tired the last couple days. I took the girls for a car ride yesterday, which she seemed to like but wasn't overly excited. After hanging out in the backyard for a few hours and sitting in the sun, when she came into the house I noticed that her gray-ish fur was really hot where she was shaved. The black part of her fur was warm, but not hot. That seemed really weird. Scott thought maybe she got sun burnt. Could be.
I haven't heard the girls cough in the last couple days. So today the girls played with Harley (the neighbor's dog) and Presley was jumping all over him and growling at him, just like the old days. She even chased him into his yard. I'm shocked at how fast she can run.
After I took Diesel for a long walk, I took Presley for a short walk to the corner. Someone had dropped some bread in the street and Presley scooped up a piece for herself. She dropped it as soon as I told her to.
She had been a little picky for her last few meals, but she gobbled down tonight's dinner. I didn't give her any supplements or meds. I haven't seen what her poop looks like, so I don't want to over-medicate if she doesn't really need anything.
Besides I'm not sure how to give her the meds. This morning, I hid a small pill in one of the treats that Scott had drilled out. The pill is really small anyway, but I thought I'd outsmart her by making it even smaller. So I cut it in two. Well, that was useless because after she took the treat in her mouth, she lightly bit it in two and spit it out. Then she ate the treat and left the pill on the ground.
Tomorrow morning we have to take Presley to OVRS for her blood tests to check her white blood cell counts. We could take her to Nine-Tel (her regular vet) but I don't have a warm fuzzy feeling about Dr. Georgiev. I'm mad that she misdiagnosed Presley in June and we wasted so much time treating her for arthritis. Presley was in pain all summer and it makes me angry.
I can't totally fault Dr. G because she was partially relying on us to tell her what the problem was. Granted, Presley did have a swollen wrist back in June, but after more than month of not responding to the meds, I had to ask Dr. G to take x-rays to find out if something was broken or if something else was going on. That's when she found the arthritis in Presley's wrist and toes, but she really didn't have a good way to treat it, other than painkillers and Glucosamine and Chondroitin.
Thanks to my friend and co-worker Scott Vacek, we found Dr. Bannink. After trying a couple acupuncture treatments with no results in two weeks, Dr. B discovered the Osteosarcoma right away.
Anyway, it's very frustrating that Presley just can't tell me what's wrong. Or maybe she has been telling me but I haven't been listening.
I haven't heard the girls cough in the last couple days. So today the girls played with Harley (the neighbor's dog) and Presley was jumping all over him and growling at him, just like the old days. She even chased him into his yard. I'm shocked at how fast she can run.
After I took Diesel for a long walk, I took Presley for a short walk to the corner. Someone had dropped some bread in the street and Presley scooped up a piece for herself. She dropped it as soon as I told her to.
She had been a little picky for her last few meals, but she gobbled down tonight's dinner. I didn't give her any supplements or meds. I haven't seen what her poop looks like, so I don't want to over-medicate if she doesn't really need anything.
Besides I'm not sure how to give her the meds. This morning, I hid a small pill in one of the treats that Scott had drilled out. The pill is really small anyway, but I thought I'd outsmart her by making it even smaller. So I cut it in two. Well, that was useless because after she took the treat in her mouth, she lightly bit it in two and spit it out. Then she ate the treat and left the pill on the ground.
Tomorrow morning we have to take Presley to OVRS for her blood tests to check her white blood cell counts. We could take her to Nine-Tel (her regular vet) but I don't have a warm fuzzy feeling about Dr. Georgiev. I'm mad that she misdiagnosed Presley in June and we wasted so much time treating her for arthritis. Presley was in pain all summer and it makes me angry.
I can't totally fault Dr. G because she was partially relying on us to tell her what the problem was. Granted, Presley did have a swollen wrist back in June, but after more than month of not responding to the meds, I had to ask Dr. G to take x-rays to find out if something was broken or if something else was going on. That's when she found the arthritis in Presley's wrist and toes, but she really didn't have a good way to treat it, other than painkillers and Glucosamine and Chondroitin.
Thanks to my friend and co-worker Scott Vacek, we found Dr. Bannink. After trying a couple acupuncture treatments with no results in two weeks, Dr. B discovered the Osteosarcoma right away.
Anyway, it's very frustrating that Presley just can't tell me what's wrong. Or maybe she has been telling me but I haven't been listening.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
New photos online
To view photos of Presley & Diesel taken earlier today, go to...mspranger.shutterfly.com
(You may have copy and paste this link into your web browser.)
Couch Potato
Presley has been feeling pretty good the last couple days. Friday night she threw up a couple times, which almost made me throw up. The smell was so nasty, probably from the chemo. It was like a pot roast that had gone bad. Hot, chunky, sour. Blah!
On Saturday, she ate well and took her meds. So I thought she was up for a little walk with her sister. Well, they almost pulled me over! Our neighbor John came out to say hello and the girls tried to take off to greet him. Somehow I got turned around and was running backyards so I had to let Diesel go. Presley was still pulling so hard, I almost ended up on my ass. Guess I won't be walking them together anymore.
It's a gorgeous Sunday afternoon today. Crisp fall day. I tried to rake the backyard but it was very difficult because Presley kept trying to bite the rake. I instructed her to "stay" in one spot at the opposite end of the yard so I could keep raking, but she would race (not hop, but run) across the yard to bark at the rake. Finally, she got pooped out and had to rest.
After a few minutes, she went to the back of the yard and did some digging. She figured that out in no time.
We then head back into the house so I could take a shower. When I got out of the bathroom, there was Presley curled up on the couch in the spare bedroom. I sternly told her to "get down" and she took her sweet old time getting off the couch.
She was mad at me for making her move and she went into our bedroom behind the bed to pout. Too bad. She really shouldn't be up on anything that she has to jump down from because it puts so much pressure on her good front leg.
No way! I just looked into the spare bedroom and there she is -- on the couch again! She is so stubborn.
On Saturday, she ate well and took her meds. So I thought she was up for a little walk with her sister. Well, they almost pulled me over! Our neighbor John came out to say hello and the girls tried to take off to greet him. Somehow I got turned around and was running backyards so I had to let Diesel go. Presley was still pulling so hard, I almost ended up on my ass. Guess I won't be walking them together anymore.
It's a gorgeous Sunday afternoon today. Crisp fall day. I tried to rake the backyard but it was very difficult because Presley kept trying to bite the rake. I instructed her to "stay" in one spot at the opposite end of the yard so I could keep raking, but she would race (not hop, but run) across the yard to bark at the rake. Finally, she got pooped out and had to rest.
After a few minutes, she went to the back of the yard and did some digging. She figured that out in no time.
We then head back into the house so I could take a shower. When I got out of the bathroom, there was Presley curled up on the couch in the spare bedroom. I sternly told her to "get down" and she took her sweet old time getting off the couch.
She was mad at me for making her move and she went into our bedroom behind the bed to pout. Too bad. She really shouldn't be up on anything that she has to jump down from because it puts so much pressure on her good front leg.
No way! I just looked into the spare bedroom and there she is -- on the couch again! She is so stubborn.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Tired today
Presley has been very tired today. She may have done too much yesterday and I think her tummy is still bugging her. She barely ate any breakfast and I wasn't able to give her any meds this morning.
In the afternoon, I gave her a new pill (to help ease nausea) by hiding it in the pill pocket but I had to alternate a pill pocket with a regular treat. At first she turned her nose up at the treat and put her head down. So I put the treat right in front of her nose and she couldn't resist.
At dinnertime, she ate all of her kibble (half from the bowl, half I had to hand feed) and I've had to get very creative giving her the meds. When Scott makes pill pockets, he drills holes into the soft treats and keeps the leftover "dust". I used this dust to coat a few of the pills and Presley gulped them down. After she eats the treats and pills, I always cheer her on and give her praise. Of course, Diesel is right there waiting for her treats and praise.
Presley is still coughing a little bit but it seems to be getting better. Diesel has barely coughed today. Scott and I are pretty angry that the girls got kennel cough from OVRS. Dr. S mentioned that a few of the staffers at OVRS said their dogs also got kennel cough from being at the clinic. The staff is allowed to bring their pets to work, which is cool, except when they pass colds on to each other.
In the afternoon, I gave her a new pill (to help ease nausea) by hiding it in the pill pocket but I had to alternate a pill pocket with a regular treat. At first she turned her nose up at the treat and put her head down. So I put the treat right in front of her nose and she couldn't resist.
At dinnertime, she ate all of her kibble (half from the bowl, half I had to hand feed) and I've had to get very creative giving her the meds. When Scott makes pill pockets, he drills holes into the soft treats and keeps the leftover "dust". I used this dust to coat a few of the pills and Presley gulped them down. After she eats the treats and pills, I always cheer her on and give her praise. Of course, Diesel is right there waiting for her treats and praise.
Presley is still coughing a little bit but it seems to be getting better. Diesel has barely coughed today. Scott and I are pretty angry that the girls got kennel cough from OVRS. Dr. S mentioned that a few of the staffers at OVRS said their dogs also got kennel cough from being at the clinic. The staff is allowed to bring their pets to work, which is cool, except when they pass colds on to each other.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Life as a tripod - Great day!
Presley had a great day today. This morning she tested her digging skills in the backyard and actually did very well. She took a nosedive into the dirt a couple times, but just snorted the dirt out of her nostrils, then kept on digging. After stopping to inspect the little hole she made, she looked really proud of herself.
I tried to fill in some of the dirt that Diesel had dug out because her hole was so huge, and Presley barked and tried to take a bite out of the metal shovel. Just like the old days.
Presley also said "hello" to our neighbor's dog Harley through the fence. Presley likes to bark her hellos to Harley.
She may have a bit of an upset stomach. She was eating some grass while we were outside and had a little trouble with her poops because after she took a big dump, she was squatting all over the yard, but very little else was coming out. I have some meds I can try to give her if she has diarrhea or vomiting. (More on that below.)
Just before dinner, I was going to take Diesel for a quick walk around the neighborhood. Presley had been hanging out in her dog house for most of the afternoon, but when she heard us at the gate, she came out. I asked her if she wanted to go for a walk and she looked at me as if to say, "Of course I do, mama!" So I got her leash and the three of us walked four houses down the street.
Before heading back, we rested for a bit so Presley could catch her breath because she was coughing quite a bit. I was afraid she wouldn't want to turn around to go home, but when I told her it was time to head back, she did. She "walks" very fast. It's actually more of a gallop.
When we got home, she hopped up the back steps (forgoing the ramp) and retreated to her bed in the living room. As she groomed herself, Diesel and I slipped out the back door to finish our walk.
When we got back, I prepped dinner for the girls. I thought since Presley liked the cottage cheese so much that I could mix it with her meds and kibble. My bad. She would not eat any of the cottage cheese, so I couldn't get her to take her meds. She would only eat after I gave her a fresh bowl of kibble and if I hand fed her. Her tummy must be a little upset if she won't eat cottage cheese.
I tried to hide the pills in the homemade pill pockets, but she would bite into the treat and drop all of the pieces out onto the floor. Then she'd eat just the treat, only if it didn't have any residue from her pills. She's too damn smart!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Stitches out, chemo
Presley did so good today! We went to OVRS for blood work, suture removal and the first round of chemo. First, she weights 80.9 pounds. She's lost more than 10 pounds since going in for surgery. I don't know how she's losing all this weight because she is eating really well and not exercising. Her leg and the tumor couldn't have weighed that much?!?!
While we were in the lobby, she was really social, visiting with another dog (Kelsey, who has lymphoma), some of the parents and staff, including Dr. Bannink. Her tail was wagging the whole time, she kissed one of the vet techs, and she even let Scott and me pet Kelsey without growling at her. She got pretty tired while we were waiting, but she was a very good girl.
Dr. Sauerbrey confirmed that Presley has kennel cough and prescribed the antibiotic Cephalexin for 7 days to ward off any secondary bacterial infections, since the chemo will suppress her immune system. Dr. S also prescribed Robitussin DM, as needed. She recommended we try to keep her away from Diesel until the coughing stops because they can keep passing kennel cough back and forth. I'm not sure if we're going to be able to do that.
The doctor said Presley no longer needs to take pain meds, unless we see that she is uncomfortable, which she doesn't seem to be. Just tired.
Dr. S recommends we give Presley several supplements:
After getting her 35 staples removed and the chemo, Presley was ready to go. As soon as we got outside, she pooped and peeped. Then she jumped up in to the van all by herself. (Papa still helped her out of the van when we got home.)
She slept all afternoon. At dinnertime she ate all of her dinner, meds and supplements. I put peanut butter on the pills, but she rejected that. In fact, she put one tablet in her mouth, sucked off the peanut butter and spit out the pill! I mixed the pills with cottage cheese, which she loved, loved, loved. Phew!
She is really wiped out after her big day. I'm so proud of her. She has been so brave and strong. What a good girl!
While we were in the lobby, she was really social, visiting with another dog (Kelsey, who has lymphoma), some of the parents and staff, including Dr. Bannink. Her tail was wagging the whole time, she kissed one of the vet techs, and she even let Scott and me pet Kelsey without growling at her. She got pretty tired while we were waiting, but she was a very good girl.
Dr. Sauerbrey confirmed that Presley has kennel cough and prescribed the antibiotic Cephalexin for 7 days to ward off any secondary bacterial infections, since the chemo will suppress her immune system. Dr. S also prescribed Robitussin DM, as needed. She recommended we try to keep her away from Diesel until the coughing stops because they can keep passing kennel cough back and forth. I'm not sure if we're going to be able to do that.
The doctor said Presley no longer needs to take pain meds, unless we see that she is uncomfortable, which she doesn't seem to be. Just tired.
Dr. S recommends we give Presley several supplements:
- CAS Options (for cancer patients)
- Super EPA (rich in Omega-3 fatty acids)
- L-Glutamine Powder (for her stomach lining)
- Glucosamine/Chondroitin (for joints)
After getting her 35 staples removed and the chemo, Presley was ready to go. As soon as we got outside, she pooped and peeped. Then she jumped up in to the van all by herself. (Papa still helped her out of the van when we got home.)
She slept all afternoon. At dinnertime she ate all of her dinner, meds and supplements. I put peanut butter on the pills, but she rejected that. In fact, she put one tablet in her mouth, sucked off the peanut butter and spit out the pill! I mixed the pills with cottage cheese, which she loved, loved, loved. Phew!
She is really wiped out after her big day. I'm so proud of her. She has been so brave and strong. What a good girl!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Fur growing back
This photo was taken yesterday afternoon. Right after I snapped the photo, Presley retreated to her dog house and wouldn't come out until Papa came home.
I noticed today that Presley's fur is visibly growing back. It looks mostly gray, but I'm sure it will be black once it all comes in.
She's been pretty sleepy that last couple days, spending a lot of time in bed or in her dog house. One more day of laying low, then she can do whatever she wants (within reason!).
She's been eating very well and taking her meds like a good girl. She hasn't been coughing too much, although poor Diesel is still coughing a bit. She's been very alert, when she's awake. This morning, she came into the living room and watched Animal Precinct on TV with me. She's been watching a lot of TV lately. So cute ;-)
Sunday, October 21, 2007
In the dog house
We had a rough night last night. Diesel kept everyone up most of the night from her coughing. Presley woke me up twice crying. Needless to say, we have been pretty tired all day today.
It was a gorgeous day (sunny and almost 80 degrees!) so Presley decided to spend the afternoon in the backyard, mostly in her dog house. She wouldn't even come out when my mom and Christine stopped by for a visit. "Grandma" (who has had two hip replacements) sat on the concrete in front of the dog house and gave her treats, but Presley wouldn't budge.
Then a couple hours later, Daddy came over. Presley finally emerged and went back into the house, where Steve cuddled with her in the living room. After he left, she took her meds, ate dinner and laid back down on the cushion in the living room. Hopefully tonight will be much quieter.
It was a gorgeous day (sunny and almost 80 degrees!) so Presley decided to spend the afternoon in the backyard, mostly in her dog house. She wouldn't even come out when my mom and Christine stopped by for a visit. "Grandma" (who has had two hip replacements) sat on the concrete in front of the dog house and gave her treats, but Presley wouldn't budge.
Then a couple hours later, Daddy came over. Presley finally emerged and went back into the house, where Steve cuddled with her in the living room. After he left, she took her meds, ate dinner and laid back down on the cushion in the living room. Hopefully tonight will be much quieter.
Is it worth it?
Aunt Nikki and Uncle Mike visited today. Presley was really excited to see them and even wanted Mike to scratch her butt. Presley has been pretty quiet lately and it was great to see her nub wagging again. Having visitors really lifts her spirits and she looks really happy when she gets so much attention.
Presley hasn't been coughing too much, which is great. Unfortunately, Diesel has been coughing enough for both of them.
I hope all this is worth it. I keep telling Presley that after her stitches are out, she is free to go up and down the steps, dig in the backyard, wrestle with her sister, and do whatever she feels up to doing. She just has to lie low for a few more days and then the sky's the limit.
Presley hasn't been coughing too much, which is great. Unfortunately, Diesel has been coughing enough for both of them.
I hope all this is worth it. I keep telling Presley that after her stitches are out, she is free to go up and down the steps, dig in the backyard, wrestle with her sister, and do whatever she feels up to doing. She just has to lie low for a few more days and then the sky's the limit.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Kennel Cough
From everything I've read, I think Presley and Diesel have kennel cough. All of the web sites say to let it run its course, unless the coughing is severe, which it is not at all. The sites all say to treat it like we treat a cold in humans. You can treat the symptoms but you can't cure the cough. Of course, both OVRS and Nine-Tel Animal Hospital say I should bring the girls in for evaluation and maybe antibiotics.
However, I can't take them in right now because Scott has the van today, and Diesel. I think we'll wait until Monday, or maybe even Wednesday when we go to OVRS for suture removal and chemo. I hate running to the doctor every time the girls have a sniffle.
Presley is still acting weird in the morning. She wouldn't get out of bed again. In fact, Scott carried her outside this morning to go potty, but then she ate her breakfast and took her meds. She has always been very stubborn but this is getting out of hand.
Maybe she's in pain from the surgery, or perhaps she's not feeling well from the kennel cough, or she could be depressed. It's so frustrating. I wish she could just tell me what's going on.
However, I can't take them in right now because Scott has the van today, and Diesel. I think we'll wait until Monday, or maybe even Wednesday when we go to OVRS for suture removal and chemo. I hate running to the doctor every time the girls have a sniffle.
Presley is still acting weird in the morning. She wouldn't get out of bed again. In fact, Scott carried her outside this morning to go potty, but then she ate her breakfast and took her meds. She has always been very stubborn but this is getting out of hand.
Maybe she's in pain from the surgery, or perhaps she's not feeling well from the kennel cough, or she could be depressed. It's so frustrating. I wish she could just tell me what's going on.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Is she depressed? Next steps...
This morning, Presley would not get up and it scared the hell out of me. When Diesel woke me up at around the usual time of 6:15AM for potty time and breakfast, Presley was laying halfway on Diesel's bed up against the wall, but she wouldn't budge.
I tried to coax her with treats to get her to sit up, but again she just stayed still. I petted her for a bit talking to her and she just stared straight ahead, breathing very slightly. I thought she was dying right before me. Her eyes were dull and lifeless as she stared straight ahead. She did close her eyes for a little but then she opened them slowly, still staring.
I woke Scott up and he was able to get her out of bed. She went potty and had a dry coughing fit before drinking some water, eating her breakfast and taking her meds. We all sat in the living room for a couple hours and she seemed fine as she lay on her cushion with her piggy and Furcedes.
I thought maybe she was a little depressed and just did not want to get out of bed this morning. Depression is very common in dogs who have undergone major surgery. The dry, hacking cough is a little disconcerting. And Diesel is doing it too. Presley only seems to cough after getting up. Once she is up and about, she seems fine.
Later in the day, I called OVRS to follow up on the biopsy results. Dr. Riggs is out of town so I spoke to oncologist, Dr. Sauerbrey, who confirmed that the tumor is a sarcoma, most likely osteosarcoma, just as Dr. Bannink and Dr. Riggs had diagnosed. She said we can start chemo when Presley gets her stitches out next week. I rescheduled her suture removal for Wednesday at 11:30AM so we can get the stitches out and start chemo on the same day.
On Wednesday, they will do a blood test to check her blood count, especially the white blood cells. Then, she'll be on an I/V catheter drip of Carboplatin for about 20 minutes. Possible side effects are GI upset and decrease in white blood cell count.
Then, in three weeks she will have another I/V drip of Adriamycin, which may also cause GI upset. They may also recommend supplements to offset the GI upset and perhaps an antibiotic.
This protocol will alternate for a total of six sessions (three of each) at three-week intervals. Dogs do not react to chemo like people do. They do not lose their hair and the nausea generally isn't as bad.
Later in the afternoon, we all took a car ride over to my mom's house. Presley stayed in the van but Dakota and Christine came out to say hello. Presley really seemed to enjoy the car ride. She kept wanting to stand up to look out the window.
When we got home, she took a brief nap (snoring softly -- so cute.) At dinner time, she went potty, ate her dinner, took her meds. She has seemed pretty bright and alert all evening. I think she was getting cabin fever and really needed some fresh air and a change of scenery.
I'm definitely going to monitor her cough. I hope this is not a sign of the lung mets (metastases). Her chest x-rays taken last week and four weeks earlier have all been clear, although the mets could be microscopic.
Dogs can live for a long time with tumors in their lungs but eventually the tumors will get so large that breathing is too labored. The cough could be kennel cough, allergies or maybe fluid in her lungs from laying down so much. If it continues or gets worse, we will have to take her to the vet sooner than Wednesday.
I tried to coax her with treats to get her to sit up, but again she just stayed still. I petted her for a bit talking to her and she just stared straight ahead, breathing very slightly. I thought she was dying right before me. Her eyes were dull and lifeless as she stared straight ahead. She did close her eyes for a little but then she opened them slowly, still staring.
I woke Scott up and he was able to get her out of bed. She went potty and had a dry coughing fit before drinking some water, eating her breakfast and taking her meds. We all sat in the living room for a couple hours and she seemed fine as she lay on her cushion with her piggy and Furcedes.
I thought maybe she was a little depressed and just did not want to get out of bed this morning. Depression is very common in dogs who have undergone major surgery. The dry, hacking cough is a little disconcerting. And Diesel is doing it too. Presley only seems to cough after getting up. Once she is up and about, she seems fine.
Later in the day, I called OVRS to follow up on the biopsy results. Dr. Riggs is out of town so I spoke to oncologist, Dr. Sauerbrey, who confirmed that the tumor is a sarcoma, most likely osteosarcoma, just as Dr. Bannink and Dr. Riggs had diagnosed. She said we can start chemo when Presley gets her stitches out next week. I rescheduled her suture removal for Wednesday at 11:30AM so we can get the stitches out and start chemo on the same day.
On Wednesday, they will do a blood test to check her blood count, especially the white blood cells. Then, she'll be on an I/V catheter drip of Carboplatin for about 20 minutes. Possible side effects are GI upset and decrease in white blood cell count.
Then, in three weeks she will have another I/V drip of Adriamycin, which may also cause GI upset. They may also recommend supplements to offset the GI upset and perhaps an antibiotic.
This protocol will alternate for a total of six sessions (three of each) at three-week intervals. Dogs do not react to chemo like people do. They do not lose their hair and the nausea generally isn't as bad.
Later in the afternoon, we all took a car ride over to my mom's house. Presley stayed in the van but Dakota and Christine came out to say hello. Presley really seemed to enjoy the car ride. She kept wanting to stand up to look out the window.
When we got home, she took a brief nap (snoring softly -- so cute.) At dinner time, she went potty, ate her dinner, took her meds. She has seemed pretty bright and alert all evening. I think she was getting cabin fever and really needed some fresh air and a change of scenery.
I'm definitely going to monitor her cough. I hope this is not a sign of the lung mets (metastases). Her chest x-rays taken last week and four weeks earlier have all been clear, although the mets could be microscopic.
Dogs can live for a long time with tumors in their lungs but eventually the tumors will get so large that breathing is too labored. The cough could be kennel cough, allergies or maybe fluid in her lungs from laying down so much. If it continues or gets worse, we will have to take her to the vet sooner than Wednesday.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Daddy's here!
Presley had a pretty good night's sleep last night. At first, she wouldn't come to bed. So I left the light on in the living room for her and she slept behind the couch. A little later, I heard her come into the bedroom and settle in next to Diesel's bed. I only heard her move around a couple more times during the night. Definitely an improvement.
It occurred to me this morning that I may need to give her the pain meds a little more often. She has been on Tramadol since before the surgery and even then it never really blocked all of the pain. Now that she's recovering from this major surgery, she probably needs to take the maximum dosage for a little while.
This afternoon while I was doing some paperwork in the office, Presley joined me and Diesel. She hasn't done that since the surgery. She must be feeling pretty good.
Presley got a present today from her Aunt Stephanie and Cousin Harley. Presley shared the treats with her sister, but she isn't too keen on sharing her Furcedes. Yes, it is a stuffed car in the shape of a Mercedes. Presley has been carrying it around with her all day and hiding it under her chin when she puts her head down. Diesel got a hold of the Furcedes a couple times, but Presley always gets it back when Diesel isn't looking.
Presley's daddy and his girlfriend visited today. When they pulled into the driveway, immediately Presley got up and went to the door to greet them. I'm not sure how she knew it was them. We've had other cars pull into the driveway and she never got up before. We let Diesel greet Steve and Carrie first while Presley watched from the door. She was so excited that her little tail just wouldn't stop.
When Steve came into the house, Diesel almost knocked Presley over. So Scott took D in the backyard to play for a bit. Presley was so happy to see Steve, especially when he cuddled with her on the floor. She gave him so many kisses and had the biggest smile on her face.
Just before dinner, Steve took Presley outside to go potty. When it came time to eat dinner, she was acting kind of stubborn and wouldn't eat. Steve tried to coax her to eat -- he even tried to hand feed her -- and she just stood in front of the feeder in defiance.
Then she sat down in front of her feeder and Steve tried to talk her into eating. Finally, she lifted up her one good paw as if to say, "Feed me, Daddy!" We all had a good laugh and were a bit in awe at her sitting up like that without her front paw on the ground. I guess she figured out a way to tap to let us know what she wants. Steve put a handful of kibble in front of her and she ate from his hand. At last, she bellied up to her bowl and ate all of her dinner like a good girl.
When Steve was getting ready to say goodbye, Diesel came back into the house and fawned all over him as he sat next to Presley on the floor. Both girls love their daddy very much. Thank goodness he has two hands because neither of the girls wanted Steve to stop petting them.
After Steve left, Presley seemed a little sad. She pinned her ears back and wouldn't look at me when I talked to her. After she put her head down on her Furcedes, I went into the kitchen to make my dinner. Then she got up and went behind the couch, where she is right now.
She's definitely better at hello than goodbye.
It occurred to me this morning that I may need to give her the pain meds a little more often. She has been on Tramadol since before the surgery and even then it never really blocked all of the pain. Now that she's recovering from this major surgery, she probably needs to take the maximum dosage for a little while.
This afternoon while I was doing some paperwork in the office, Presley joined me and Diesel. She hasn't done that since the surgery. She must be feeling pretty good.
Presley got a present today from her Aunt Stephanie and Cousin Harley. Presley shared the treats with her sister, but she isn't too keen on sharing her Furcedes. Yes, it is a stuffed car in the shape of a Mercedes. Presley has been carrying it around with her all day and hiding it under her chin when she puts her head down. Diesel got a hold of the Furcedes a couple times, but Presley always gets it back when Diesel isn't looking.
Presley's daddy and his girlfriend visited today. When they pulled into the driveway, immediately Presley got up and went to the door to greet them. I'm not sure how she knew it was them. We've had other cars pull into the driveway and she never got up before. We let Diesel greet Steve and Carrie first while Presley watched from the door. She was so excited that her little tail just wouldn't stop.
When Steve came into the house, Diesel almost knocked Presley over. So Scott took D in the backyard to play for a bit. Presley was so happy to see Steve, especially when he cuddled with her on the floor. She gave him so many kisses and had the biggest smile on her face.
Just before dinner, Steve took Presley outside to go potty. When it came time to eat dinner, she was acting kind of stubborn and wouldn't eat. Steve tried to coax her to eat -- he even tried to hand feed her -- and she just stood in front of the feeder in defiance.
Then she sat down in front of her feeder and Steve tried to talk her into eating. Finally, she lifted up her one good paw as if to say, "Feed me, Daddy!" We all had a good laugh and were a bit in awe at her sitting up like that without her front paw on the ground. I guess she figured out a way to tap to let us know what she wants. Steve put a handful of kibble in front of her and she ate from his hand. At last, she bellied up to her bowl and ate all of her dinner like a good girl.
When Steve was getting ready to say goodbye, Diesel came back into the house and fawned all over him as he sat next to Presley on the floor. Both girls love their daddy very much. Thank goodness he has two hands because neither of the girls wanted Steve to stop petting them.
After Steve left, Presley seemed a little sad. She pinned her ears back and wouldn't look at me when I talked to her. After she put her head down on her Furcedes, I went into the kitchen to make my dinner. Then she got up and went behind the couch, where she is right now.
She's definitely better at hello than goodbye.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Fidgety by night, calm by day
Presley had a fidgety night again. She hasn't wanted to sleep on her bed lately. So last night, I left her sleeping on her cushion in the living room with the light on and I went to bed -- I don't think she likes the dark because she just sits and stares off into space, or she gets up and investigates things.
Soon after I fell asleep, I heard her come into the bedroom. She settled in to sleep next to Diesel's bed (Diesel wasn't in her bed at that point; Diesel likes to start the night off on the floor next to my side of the bed). Then about an hour later, I wake up because Presley is whining to get my attention. I hop out of bed and get her settled. Then a little later, she's moving around the room. I get her settled again. Then about 15 minutes later, she yelps in pain and I find her next to our bed on Scott's side.
I coaxed her into the spare bedroom and got her settled on her cushion, while I laid on the couch. She woke me up a couple more times in the night but mostly because she was repositioning herself on the cushion. I think she sleeps better when she can keep an eye on me. I know I sleep better when I have her in my sights.
We all slept in until 7:30AM. The girls went potty, ate breakfast, Presley had her meds, then we all went back to sleep in the bedroom.
Later in the morning, Scott took Diesel to his parents for the day. Presley and I slept in until almost noon. All day Presley has been very quiet and calm. And she really does not want to go outside. Today was a gorgeous day and I couldn't even bribe herwith treats to go out. For the most part, she hung out in the bedroom or behind the couch. Not always sleeping. Just hanging out.
Scott's mom visited for a few minutes and Presley seemed to enjoy the company. But she wouldn't give any kisses.
After dinner and more meds, she retreated to the bedroom, where she is right now. The worst part about her sleeping all day is that she's up at night. So I have that to look forward to!
Soon after I fell asleep, I heard her come into the bedroom. She settled in to sleep next to Diesel's bed (Diesel wasn't in her bed at that point; Diesel likes to start the night off on the floor next to my side of the bed). Then about an hour later, I wake up because Presley is whining to get my attention. I hop out of bed and get her settled. Then a little later, she's moving around the room. I get her settled again. Then about 15 minutes later, she yelps in pain and I find her next to our bed on Scott's side.
I coaxed her into the spare bedroom and got her settled on her cushion, while I laid on the couch. She woke me up a couple more times in the night but mostly because she was repositioning herself on the cushion. I think she sleeps better when she can keep an eye on me. I know I sleep better when I have her in my sights.
We all slept in until 7:30AM. The girls went potty, ate breakfast, Presley had her meds, then we all went back to sleep in the bedroom.
Later in the morning, Scott took Diesel to his parents for the day. Presley and I slept in until almost noon. All day Presley has been very quiet and calm. And she really does not want to go outside. Today was a gorgeous day and I couldn't even bribe herwith treats to go out. For the most part, she hung out in the bedroom or behind the couch. Not always sleeping. Just hanging out.
Scott's mom visited for a few minutes and Presley seemed to enjoy the company. But she wouldn't give any kisses.
After dinner and more meds, she retreated to the bedroom, where she is right now. The worst part about her sleeping all day is that she's up at night. So I have that to look forward to!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Quiet and calm today
Not much to report today. Presley slept pretty well last night, only waking me up three or four times. A couple times, she must have been rolling over or moving in her sleep, because she yelped in pain a couple times. I think she forgets that she's recovering from surgery.
Presley was very comfortable all day. For most of the afternoon, she sat on her bed in the living room staring at me while I worked on the computer. Very quiet and still. She's more alert and has been sitting up more than she has in the past few days.
We went outside for a few minutes this afternoon (between rain drops) and she sat in her spot in the yard where she likes to dig. As soon as her stitches are out and she's up for it, I'm going to encourage her to "get to work". She loves to dig and I'll bet she figures out a way to do it again.
Presley has been handling the ramp again like a pro. She still tries to go up the steps but we've been able to intercept her before she hits the first step
. Again, I think she forgets she's recovering from major surgery.
Here is a post-op photo of Presley. She's a little drugged out but she's definitely smiling. Enjoy!
Presley was very comfortable all day. For most of the afternoon, she sat on her bed in the living room staring at me while I worked on the computer. Very quiet and still. She's more alert and has been sitting up more than she has in the past few days.
We went outside for a few minutes this afternoon (between rain drops) and she sat in her spot in the yard where she likes to dig. As soon as her stitches are out and she's up for it, I'm going to encourage her to "get to work". She loves to dig and I'll bet she figures out a way to do it again.
Presley has been handling the ramp again like a pro. She still tries to go up the steps but we've been able to intercept her before she hits the first step
. Again, I think she forgets she's recovering from major surgery.Here is a post-op photo of Presley. She's a little drugged out but she's definitely smiling. Enjoy!
Monday, October 15, 2007
There's a Rottweiler in my bathtub!
Presley just jumped into the bathtub.
I'm sitting in the living room when I heard a thud and a couple yelps coming from the bathroom. I ran into the bathroom to see Presley standing in the tub. I had to call for Scott to pick her up to get her out.
Is she nuts?
I'm sitting in the living room when I heard a thud and a couple yelps coming from the bathroom. I ran into the bathroom to see Presley standing in the tub. I had to call for Scott to pick her up to get her out.
Is she nuts?
Big day
Today we took Presley to her regular vet, Dr. Georgiev at Tel-Nine Animal Hospital, to have her pain patch removed. Presley now weighs 85 pounds; five pounds less than one week ago.
Dr. Georgiev removed the bandage with a special staple remover and showed us the pain patch underneath. We chatted with Dr. G and the vet tech for a few minutes.
After the visit, Scott helped Presley up into the van and she did a face plant when she tried to stand up. We will have to keep the car rides to a minimum while she's recovering. It's very difficult to get her in and out of the van.
After the visit, I really didn't want to go home yet, so we went to get some Slurpees.. This was the first trip out of the house for me (other than taking Diesel for a walk everyday around the neighborhood) since Presley got home on Friday. I didn't realize how much I needed to get out of the house!
We drove around a little, drinking our Slurpees and enjoyed the warm afternoon sun. When we returned home, Presley was pretty wiped out after her big day out of the house. She took a little snooze while I took Diesel for a walk and then got ready to go out to dinner with some girlfriends.
In general, Presley seems to be doing well but she is also acting a little strange. At the last couple meals, she has been a little finicky at first but then will quickly gulp down her food. And she's been weird about going outside to go potty. I think she's afraid of the ramp because last night she jumped off the ramp and yelped from the pain. So now she associates the ramp with pain. That's my theory.
I had Scott remove the back screen door so it's easier to escort Presley when she has to go outside. She moves so fast and we have to try to stay ahead of her, otherwise she might forget and try to take the stairs or jump off the ramp again. She kind of gallops when she moves. It sure does take a lot of her to move around.
When I got home after dinner with my friends, Diesel of course greeted me at the back door. As I made my way to the bedroom to check on Presley, I heard her yelp from the bedroom. I think she heard me coming and tried to jump up to greet me, forgetting that she can't move that fast yet. When she came out of the bedroom, she seemed really uncomfortable. So I helped her back into the bedroom and got her settled on her bed. Of course, Diesel was nearby.
Scott gave her two Tramadol and one Pepcid AC. He had to drill holes in her soft, meaty treats to create a "pill pocket". Otherwise, she finds the pill and spits it out. And she will no longer eat treats covered in Cheez Whiz or peanut butter. She's onto that. For now the homemade pill pockets seem to be working fairly well. The smellier the treat, the better. Otherwise, she can smell the pill and won't eat the treat.
After taking her meds, she just wanted to be petted and comforted. She laid her head in my hand and stayed very still. I rested her head in my lap and pet her all over, smoothing her fur and gently scratched her shaved fur. My leg was falling asleep, so I put a pillow under her head and laid down on the floor next to her, as she dozed on and off. I told her that everyone has been asking about her and sends their best.
Dr. Georgiev removed the bandage with a special staple remover and showed us the pain patch underneath. We chatted with Dr. G and the vet tech for a few minutes.
After the visit, Scott helped Presley up into the van and she did a face plant when she tried to stand up. We will have to keep the car rides to a minimum while she's recovering. It's very difficult to get her in and out of the van.
After the visit, I really didn't want to go home yet, so we went to get some Slurpees.. This was the first trip out of the house for me (other than taking Diesel for a walk everyday around the neighborhood) since Presley got home on Friday. I didn't realize how much I needed to get out of the house!
We drove around a little, drinking our Slurpees and enjoyed the warm afternoon sun. When we returned home, Presley was pretty wiped out after her big day out of the house. She took a little snooze while I took Diesel for a walk and then got ready to go out to dinner with some girlfriends.
In general, Presley seems to be doing well but she is also acting a little strange. At the last couple meals, she has been a little finicky at first but then will quickly gulp down her food. And she's been weird about going outside to go potty. I think she's afraid of the ramp because last night she jumped off the ramp and yelped from the pain. So now she associates the ramp with pain. That's my theory.
I had Scott remove the back screen door so it's easier to escort Presley when she has to go outside. She moves so fast and we have to try to stay ahead of her, otherwise she might forget and try to take the stairs or jump off the ramp again. She kind of gallops when she moves. It sure does take a lot of her to move around.
When I got home after dinner with my friends, Diesel of course greeted me at the back door. As I made my way to the bedroom to check on Presley, I heard her yelp from the bedroom. I think she heard me coming and tried to jump up to greet me, forgetting that she can't move that fast yet. When she came out of the bedroom, she seemed really uncomfortable. So I helped her back into the bedroom and got her settled on her bed. Of course, Diesel was nearby.
Scott gave her two Tramadol and one Pepcid AC. He had to drill holes in her soft, meaty treats to create a "pill pocket". Otherwise, she finds the pill and spits it out. And she will no longer eat treats covered in Cheez Whiz or peanut butter. She's onto that. For now the homemade pill pockets seem to be working fairly well. The smellier the treat, the better. Otherwise, she can smell the pill and won't eat the treat.
After taking her meds, she just wanted to be petted and comforted. She laid her head in my hand and stayed very still. I rested her head in my lap and pet her all over, smoothing her fur and gently scratched her shaved fur. My leg was falling asleep, so I put a pillow under her head and laid down on the floor next to her, as she dozed on and off. I told her that everyone has been asking about her and sends their best.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Better each day
I'm not sure if Presley is just milking the attention or if she is really uncomfortable, but she had me up all night again last night. It's strange because she slept almost all day into the early evening. Then when I go to bed, she's fidgety.
This time, we went into the spare bedroom at around 1AM; I slept on the couch and she slept on the cushion next to the couch. I had to keep my hand on her the whole night. If I moved my hand away, she would sit up or stand up and fidget. I'm sure her right side is now sore from laying on that side all the time and her left side definitely must be sore from the surgery.
Diesel joined Presley on the cushion; it's the same length as the couch so there was plenty of room for both of them. It's so cute how Diesel wants to stay close to her sister and Presley is actually letting her stay close. Usually Presley will growl or move away.
As I tried to sleep on the couch with my hand hanging off the side, I kept thinking that it really doesn't matter if she's playing me for the attention. I'm just glad she's still around for me to pet and love.
The morning was pretty uneventful. After breakfast at 7:30AM, we went back into the bedroom and slept until noon. She's definitely mama's girl.
In the afternoon, we went in the backyard and Presley went right into her dog house. I had grabbed the camera on the way outside and I think she thought it was something else, like the nail clippers.
Scott joined us outside and she came out of her house to say hello. Then she sat in her spot in the sun for a bit. Diesel sat nearby. I snapped a couple photos. Then she got up, pooped and sat in the dirt in the back of the yard where she and Diesel like to dig. At first I thought she was going to start digging, but she just walked around the dirt, then plopped down. Diesel sat nearby and I snapped a couple more photos. I was a little worried that she would get dirt in her stitches, but she looked so content that I didn't want to disturb her. She LOVES to dig. I can imagine her figuring out a way to "go to work" after she's feeling a little better.
I think the pain patch is wearing off. Presley yelped a few times today when she was getting up or turning around. We're going to take her to the vet tomorrow to get the patch removed. It's actually stapled to her back and it is supposed to be disposed of properly. It looks like a piece of muslin. Maybe it is covering something underneath. Hard to tell.
Diesel had a pain patch that looked like a clear piece of plastic that was actually stuck to her skin like a big self-adhesive band aid. When it wore off, we just peeled it off and threw it away.
Right now Presley is laying under my feet as I sit on the couch in the living room. She is a little fidgety. She just tried to scratch her neck on the part where her fur is shaved away, a little too close to her stitches. Actually, I think Scott counted 35 staples. I imagine that her skin is a little itchy where the staples are and as the fur grows back. I gently scratched her skin and she looked up at me with a thankful smile.
She looks very alert today. That's another reason why I think the pain patch is wearing off. She doesn't have that drugged out look.
Now Presley moved into the spare bedroom on her cushion. She has positioned herself so she can see me from where she is laying. Maybe the TV is too loud or she just wants to be alone. But she also wants to keep an eye on mama and papa.
This time, we went into the spare bedroom at around 1AM; I slept on the couch and she slept on the cushion next to the couch. I had to keep my hand on her the whole night. If I moved my hand away, she would sit up or stand up and fidget. I'm sure her right side is now sore from laying on that side all the time and her left side definitely must be sore from the surgery.
Diesel joined Presley on the cushion; it's the same length as the couch so there was plenty of room for both of them. It's so cute how Diesel wants to stay close to her sister and Presley is actually letting her stay close. Usually Presley will growl or move away.
As I tried to sleep on the couch with my hand hanging off the side, I kept thinking that it really doesn't matter if she's playing me for the attention. I'm just glad she's still around for me to pet and love.
The morning was pretty uneventful. After breakfast at 7:30AM, we went back into the bedroom and slept until noon. She's definitely mama's girl.
In the afternoon, we went in the backyard and Presley went right into her dog house. I had grabbed the camera on the way outside and I think she thought it was something else, like the nail clippers.
Scott joined us outside and she came out of her house to say hello. Then she sat in her spot in the sun for a bit. Diesel sat nearby. I snapped a couple photos. Then she got up, pooped and sat in the dirt in the back of the yard where she and Diesel like to dig. At first I thought she was going to start digging, but she just walked around the dirt, then plopped down. Diesel sat nearby and I snapped a couple more photos. I was a little worried that she would get dirt in her stitches, but she looked so content that I didn't want to disturb her. She LOVES to dig. I can imagine her figuring out a way to "go to work" after she's feeling a little better.
I think the pain patch is wearing off. Presley yelped a few times today when she was getting up or turning around. We're going to take her to the vet tomorrow to get the patch removed. It's actually stapled to her back and it is supposed to be disposed of properly. It looks like a piece of muslin. Maybe it is covering something underneath. Hard to tell.
Diesel had a pain patch that looked like a clear piece of plastic that was actually stuck to her skin like a big self-adhesive band aid. When it wore off, we just peeled it off and threw it away.
Right now Presley is laying under my feet as I sit on the couch in the living room. She is a little fidgety. She just tried to scratch her neck on the part where her fur is shaved away, a little too close to her stitches. Actually, I think Scott counted 35 staples. I imagine that her skin is a little itchy where the staples are and as the fur grows back. I gently scratched her skin and she looked up at me with a thankful smile.
She looks very alert today. That's another reason why I think the pain patch is wearing off. She doesn't have that drugged out look.
Now Presley moved into the spare bedroom on her cushion. She has positioned herself so she can see me from where she is laying. Maybe the TV is too loud or she just wants to be alone. But she also wants to keep an eye on mama and papa.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Rough 1st Night at Home
Presley's first night at home was a little rough. She woke up at around 1AM moaning and very uncomfortable. I pet her until she settled in her bed again, but 15 minutes later she was up walking around the room. I asked her if she had to go potty, but she sat down, which means "no".
This went on until about 2:30AM when I moved her into the living room. I thought maybe a change of scenery would do her good. I was very tired and a little cranky over the situation but I also amazed at how well she was getting around.
While we were in the living room, she was up and down a little until I gave her two Tramadol at 4AM. I think she was hallucinating from the pain patch. Diesel experienced the same thing last year when she was recovering from ACL surgery and had a pain patch.
Presley kept standing up and staring at the chair, or the window, or a spot on the floor. After she took her meds, she finally slept for a couple hours as I slept on the couch. Diesel came in a couple times to check on us but retreated to the bedroom each time.
At 6AM, the girls went potty then ate their breakfast. That's a good sign that Presley is feeling good when she eats all of her breakfast.
(SIDE NOTE: Just before her original surgery date (10/3/07), Presley stopped eating. No food, no treats, no Cheez Whiz, no peanut butter. Nothing. That's when I knew she wasn't feeling well because she has always been a good eater, especially treats. She also developed diarrhea that looked like it had blood in it. I woke up at 1:30AM and just felt like something wasn't right. So I woke up Scott and we took her to emergency in the middle of the night before her surgery to see what was going on. Turns out that the pain meds she was on (Deramaxx) was upsetting her stomach and wreaking havoc on her GI. We took her off the Deramaxx, put her on antibiotics and a couple pills to ease her stomach, including Pepcid AC. The surgeon called me and said he wanted to postpone the surgery for one week until she was feeling better. He was concerned that the bacteria from her GI could infect the surgery site. We picked her up later in the morning and after a couple days, she perked up. Then the surgeon gave her the thumbs up for surgery a week later.)
After the girls ate breakfast, we went back into the bedroom and slept for a few hours. The rough night must have wiped her out because she's been sleeping almost the whole day.
At one point in the afternoon at about 1PM, we went into the backyard and she found her favorite spot in the grass. It took her a couple tries to get comfortable but she seemed to enjoy the sun. Diesel tried to entertain us by playing with her ball and digging in the back, but then she also joined Presley by sitting right next to her.
I've never seen Diesel stick so close to Presley as she has the past 24 hours. Diesel keeps checking on her big sister by sniffing and licking her, and sometimes laying really close to her. Diesel knows somethings up and knows that Presley isn't feeling 100%. Diesel has been very gentle around Presley, except when I gave them some treats when we came back into the house after sitting outside. Diesel almost knocked her big sister over twice trying to get to the living room for treats time.
Presley is sitting on her bed in the living room just staring at me as I type this. She's curled up and it looks like her leg might be tucked under her. Sometimes it's still a bit of a shock to see her. Like last night, at one point she was standing in the doorway and I could only see her silhouette. It was like a punch in the gut to see her leg missing. It's gonna take some getting used to, for all of us.
This went on until about 2:30AM when I moved her into the living room. I thought maybe a change of scenery would do her good. I was very tired and a little cranky over the situation but I also amazed at how well she was getting around.
While we were in the living room, she was up and down a little until I gave her two Tramadol at 4AM. I think she was hallucinating from the pain patch. Diesel experienced the same thing last year when she was recovering from ACL surgery and had a pain patch.
Presley kept standing up and staring at the chair, or the window, or a spot on the floor. After she took her meds, she finally slept for a couple hours as I slept on the couch. Diesel came in a couple times to check on us but retreated to the bedroom each time.
At 6AM, the girls went potty then ate their breakfast. That's a good sign that Presley is feeling good when she eats all of her breakfast.
(SIDE NOTE: Just before her original surgery date (10/3/07), Presley stopped eating. No food, no treats, no Cheez Whiz, no peanut butter. Nothing. That's when I knew she wasn't feeling well because she has always been a good eater, especially treats. She also developed diarrhea that looked like it had blood in it. I woke up at 1:30AM and just felt like something wasn't right. So I woke up Scott and we took her to emergency in the middle of the night before her surgery to see what was going on. Turns out that the pain meds she was on (Deramaxx) was upsetting her stomach and wreaking havoc on her GI. We took her off the Deramaxx, put her on antibiotics and a couple pills to ease her stomach, including Pepcid AC. The surgeon called me and said he wanted to postpone the surgery for one week until she was feeling better. He was concerned that the bacteria from her GI could infect the surgery site. We picked her up later in the morning and after a couple days, she perked up. Then the surgeon gave her the thumbs up for surgery a week later.)
After the girls ate breakfast, we went back into the bedroom and slept for a few hours. The rough night must have wiped her out because she's been sleeping almost the whole day.
At one point in the afternoon at about 1PM, we went into the backyard and she found her favorite spot in the grass. It took her a couple tries to get comfortable but she seemed to enjoy the sun. Diesel tried to entertain us by playing with her ball and digging in the back, but then she also joined Presley by sitting right next to her.
I've never seen Diesel stick so close to Presley as she has the past 24 hours. Diesel keeps checking on her big sister by sniffing and licking her, and sometimes laying really close to her. Diesel knows somethings up and knows that Presley isn't feeling 100%. Diesel has been very gentle around Presley, except when I gave them some treats when we came back into the house after sitting outside. Diesel almost knocked her big sister over twice trying to get to the living room for treats time.
Presley is sitting on her bed in the living room just staring at me as I type this. She's curled up and it looks like her leg might be tucked under her. Sometimes it's still a bit of a shock to see her. Like last night, at one point she was standing in the doorway and I could only see her silhouette. It was like a punch in the gut to see her leg missing. It's gonna take some getting used to, for all of us.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Presley is home...baby steps.
Scott and I picked Presley up from OVRS at 2PM. We were there on the dot. After paying the bill and getting her discharge papers, the tech brought her out. Wow! She was walk/hopping really well. We cooed over her for a minute in the waiting room but she seemed really anxious to get the hell out of there. She practically ran as she hopped to the van. First, she had to tinkle because she hadn't gone all day.
Diesel was so happy to see her big sister. Presley was her usually self, growling at Diesel to calm down. Presley had a huge smile on her face the whole ride home. She was a little sleepy at times but seemed very relieved to be with the family again. She stared at me practically the whole ride home.
When we got home, Scott lifted her out of the van, she walked right up the ramp, through the back door and straight to her bed in the living room. I sat on the floor with her and fussed a little too much over something stuck on her paw. She jumped up and hid behind the couch, until I said I apologized and promised not to fuss over her.
She came out from behind the couch and plopped down in front of the couch again, not on the bed. Instead, Diesel curled up on the bed, I curled up on the couch, Scott curled up on the chair. As I pet Presley, I kept watching her to make sure she was comfortable and that I didn't accidentally touch her stitches.
Those of you who know Presley probably know that she will tap the floor, the door jam, or your arm if she wants something. So when I stopped petting her, I swear it looked like her muscles contracted where her leg once was, as if to tap and say, "Don't stop."
When I look at Presley, the shaved area reminds me of a gray sling holding up her leg. She looks so normal in some ways. Same bright smile, same little nub wiggling, same growl at Diesel. She is so strong and brave. Definitely a fighter.
After we all took a little snooze, I got up to prepare dinner (yes, I'm cooking pot roast tonight) and Scott took Presley out to go potty. She finally pooped! Man, is it good to have her back home.
Maybe Presley's recovery will be measured by the small wins as she tackles each hurdle one by one. Baby steps.
Diesel was so happy to see her big sister. Presley was her usually self, growling at Diesel to calm down. Presley had a huge smile on her face the whole ride home. She was a little sleepy at times but seemed very relieved to be with the family again. She stared at me practically the whole ride home.
When we got home, Scott lifted her out of the van, she walked right up the ramp, through the back door and straight to her bed in the living room. I sat on the floor with her and fussed a little too much over something stuck on her paw. She jumped up and hid behind the couch, until I said I apologized and promised not to fuss over her.
She came out from behind the couch and plopped down in front of the couch again, not on the bed. Instead, Diesel curled up on the bed, I curled up on the couch, Scott curled up on the chair. As I pet Presley, I kept watching her to make sure she was comfortable and that I didn't accidentally touch her stitches.
Those of you who know Presley probably know that she will tap the floor, the door jam, or your arm if she wants something. So when I stopped petting her, I swear it looked like her muscles contracted where her leg once was, as if to tap and say, "Don't stop."
When I look at Presley, the shaved area reminds me of a gray sling holding up her leg. She looks so normal in some ways. Same bright smile, same little nub wiggling, same growl at Diesel. She is so strong and brave. Definitely a fighter.
After we all took a little snooze, I got up to prepare dinner (yes, I'm cooking pot roast tonight) and Scott took Presley out to go potty. She finally pooped! Man, is it good to have her back home.
Maybe Presley's recovery will be measured by the small wins as she tackles each hurdle one by one. Baby steps.
She's coming home today! - October 12, 2007
11:04AM
I called OVRS and they said Presley is doing great and is ready to go home. I can pick her up any time after 2PM. Yippee! We're going to leave at 1:30PM to get our girl.
I called OVRS and they said Presley is doing great and is ready to go home. I can pick her up any time after 2PM. Yippee! We're going to leave at 1:30PM to get our girl.
Presley's Recovery - October 10-11, 2007
As Presley recovers in the hospital, here is the update...
10:52PM - The night after her surgery
I called OVRS before going to bed and spoke to a tech, who seemed very rushed. Presley's temp came back up to normal. She ate at 6PM, which is strange because when I called at 7PM-ish, she hadn't eaten yet. Presley has been outside but has not gone potty yet. The techs help Presley outside with a sling to support her. When I asked if Presley has been sleeping all night, she said she has been alert and is "looking right at me." She said to call back tomorrow morning for an update.
11:08AM - The morning after surgery
I spoke to Chante. Presley has not tinkled yet, so they cannot discharge her from the hospital. She said to call again after 3PM to see if Presley has gone potty. She said Presley is comfortable, awake, calm. Just chillin'. Sounds about right. The techs have gotten her up with support. (Sidebar: Later in the day, my sister Jennifer called and said she had a similar situation when she had surgery last month. They wouldn't let her go home until she tinkled. That made me feel better to hear that this is not unusual.)
3:55PM
I spoke to Carly who said that Presley went potty. She wanted to talk to Dr. Riggs to confirm whether Presley would be allowed to go home or not.
4:04PM
Carly called me back and said that Dr. Riggs wanted to keep Presley for one more night to keep an eye on her. They want to keep an eye on her for one more night and make sure she is well enough. She said to call tomorrow after 10AM to see when she can come home. She said I can call anytime tonight for an update. Or if I wanted to visit tonight, just give a call first to let them know I'm coming. I'm not sure if I should visit. I'm very nervous about how Presley is going to look and I don't want her to feel sad when I have to leave. I also don't want to feel sad when I leave her again. Hmmmm. Not sure what to do.
10:00PM
Scott called OVRS and they said Presley is comfortable. She has tinkled but no bowel movement yet, which isn't unusual. We decided not to go visit her. I think it would be too sad to see her and then leave without her. Sad for me and sad for her.
10:52PM - The night after her surgery
I called OVRS before going to bed and spoke to a tech, who seemed very rushed. Presley's temp came back up to normal. She ate at 6PM, which is strange because when I called at 7PM-ish, she hadn't eaten yet. Presley has been outside but has not gone potty yet. The techs help Presley outside with a sling to support her. When I asked if Presley has been sleeping all night, she said she has been alert and is "looking right at me." She said to call back tomorrow morning for an update.
11:08AM - The morning after surgery
I spoke to Chante. Presley has not tinkled yet, so they cannot discharge her from the hospital. She said to call again after 3PM to see if Presley has gone potty. She said Presley is comfortable, awake, calm. Just chillin'. Sounds about right. The techs have gotten her up with support. (Sidebar: Later in the day, my sister Jennifer called and said she had a similar situation when she had surgery last month. They wouldn't let her go home until she tinkled. That made me feel better to hear that this is not unusual.)
3:55PM
I spoke to Carly who said that Presley went potty. She wanted to talk to Dr. Riggs to confirm whether Presley would be allowed to go home or not.
4:04PM
Carly called me back and said that Dr. Riggs wanted to keep Presley for one more night to keep an eye on her. They want to keep an eye on her for one more night and make sure she is well enough. She said to call tomorrow after 10AM to see when she can come home. She said I can call anytime tonight for an update. Or if I wanted to visit tonight, just give a call first to let them know I'm coming. I'm not sure if I should visit. I'm very nervous about how Presley is going to look and I don't want her to feel sad when I have to leave. I also don't want to feel sad when I leave her again. Hmmmm. Not sure what to do.
10:00PM
Scott called OVRS and they said Presley is comfortable. She has tinkled but no bowel movement yet, which isn't unusual. We decided not to go visit her. I think it would be too sad to see her and then leave without her. Sad for me and sad for her.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Presley's Surgery - October 10, 2007
Our 9-year-old Rottie, Presley, had her surgery this morning to amputate her front left leg to remove a cancerous tumor in her shoulder. Her surgeon is Dr. Riggs and her Oncologist is Dr. Bannink at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services.
Short version: She is recovering well. She should be coming home tomorrow. Recovery should take about two weeks. There's a 90% chance that they did NOT get all of the cancer when they removed the tumor. However, the doctors expect her to be more comfortable without the painful tumor.
Long version...
5:40AM
Presley, Diesel and I got up with Scott, who had to get up early for work. After going potty, Presley went back to bed (no food or water after 8PM the previous night) and Diesel ate breakfast. I couldn't go back to sleep. So I got up and gave Presley a little massage while she laid in bed. Well, half her body was on her bed and her head was on the floor. This has been her favorite position lately. Body on, head off. Instead of boo-hoo'ing, I decided to rile the girls up with a game of fetch. Diesel ran after the ball, while Presley gave her favorite toy snake the what for. We had a fun morning. All smiles and wagging tails.
7:30AM
Presley, Diesel and I hopped into the Jeep and drove to OVRS. (Yes, Presley jumped into the Jeep by herself. Usually, she wants me to help her get in, but not today.) The sun was shining and it was a beautiful morning. I was trying to listen to some upbeat music, but the damn lyrics kept making me cry. I couldn't find the tissues I usually keep in my purse, so I used a hand towel Scott keeps in the Jeep under the driver seat. As I dabbed my eyes, I just kept singing out loud because I didn't want the girls to get upset.
7:50AM
We pulled into the OVRS parking lot. With tears stinging my eyes, I took a deep breath and let the girls out of the back of the Jeep. They were very antsy in the waiting room and barked at everyone who came in. Presley weighed in at 90 pounds (down a few pounds since all this started) and Diesel was about 69. I declined to step on the scale. After filling out some paperwork and paying "half of the low end" of the estimate, a surgical tech brought us into an exam room and answered all my questions. When will I hear from someone today on Presley's status? What meds will Presley be on? What should I expect when I come to pick her up and take her home? Can they clean her teeth today while she's under?... and on, and on. As we were wrapping up our conversation, I spotted a box of tissues on the counter and walked over to grab some. Presley followed me and hid under the counter. She is too damn smart. When I walked back to the other side of the room, she followed me and tried to hide in the corner. I tried to say something reassuring to her but the lump in my throat made it too hard to talk. So I led Diesel out into the hallway and Presley followed with the technician. They went left and I went right. Presley never looked back at me, but she looked nervous as the door to the surgical area closed behind them.
8:20AM
I loaded Diesel into the Jeep and as soon as I sat in the driver's seat, I bawled my eyes out. Not just little tears, but major boo-hooing. I felt bad for Diesel because she looked upset. I turned on some tunes (hard, angry rock this time) and we drove off. I drove around a bit because it was such a beautiful crisp morning. The sun was so bright and I really didn't want to go home yet. I ended up going grocery shopping at Meijers, while Diesel slept in the Jeep. Finally after about 90 minutes in Meijers, Diesel and I headed home.
11:57AM
I missed Dr. Riggs' phone call when I went into the bathroom to put a band-aid on my heel. I was going to take Diesel for a walk, but now I tried to return the call and got his voicemail. I decided to wait until he calls back. So I curled up on the couch with Diesel at my feet, and we took a little snooze.
1:00PM
Dr. Riggs called and said the surgery went very well. Presley had no problems with the anesthesia. According to protocol, he sent part of the bone and lymph node to be processed (kind of a formality because he was 95% sure this was bone cancer) but we should receive the results in 5-7 days to confirm the Osteosarcoma. Dr. Riggs took aspirates of the tissue and found no infection, which is a good thing. At noon, she had received her pain meds (morphine for dogs) via I/V. He said to call back later for an update. If all goes well over night and she is not in a lot of pain tomorrow, she should be able to come home in the late afternoon. He said to call tomorrow between 10AM-11AM to see if she can be released. I asked what meds she will be on, because Presley has been so stubborn with taking her pills. He said probably just Tramadol and Pepcid AC. She'll have a pain patch on for 3-4 days. She'll have to come back in about 10 days to have the skin staples removed. In the next week or so, I can follow up with Dr. Bannink (the oncologist) to discuss next steps, including chemotherapy.
6:50PM
I spoke to Chante, an emergency technician, to get an update. Presley has been sleeping all day. Her temp is slowly coming back up to normal (hers is 98.2, normal is 100). She is on I/V fluids and electrolytes. She is scheduled to receive antibiotics via I/V at 8PM and 4AM. She has not gone potty all day, so they are going to put a sling around her and help her outside. They want her up and walking today and they will support her with the sling. After she goes outside, they will try to give her some food. It's hard to say if Presley will eat or not. I've never seen her reject food until last week when she had a bad reaction to one of her pain meds, Deramaxx. She's been eating like a champ ever since we got her off those meds, so we'll have to see. Chante said I can call any time tonight for an update. Techs are available 24 hours/day.
That's the latest and greatest. Much thanks to everyone for sending good vibes our way. Keep 'em coming.
Love,
Michelle, Scott, Presley & Diesel
Short version: She is recovering well. She should be coming home tomorrow. Recovery should take about two weeks. There's a 90% chance that they did NOT get all of the cancer when they removed the tumor. However, the doctors expect her to be more comfortable without the painful tumor.
Long version...
5:40AM
Presley, Diesel and I got up with Scott, who had to get up early for work. After going potty, Presley went back to bed (no food or water after 8PM the previous night) and Diesel ate breakfast. I couldn't go back to sleep. So I got up and gave Presley a little massage while she laid in bed. Well, half her body was on her bed and her head was on the floor. This has been her favorite position lately. Body on, head off. Instead of boo-hoo'ing, I decided to rile the girls up with a game of fetch. Diesel ran after the ball, while Presley gave her favorite toy snake the what for. We had a fun morning. All smiles and wagging tails.
7:30AM
Presley, Diesel and I hopped into the Jeep and drove to OVRS. (Yes, Presley jumped into the Jeep by herself. Usually, she wants me to help her get in, but not today.) The sun was shining and it was a beautiful morning. I was trying to listen to some upbeat music, but the damn lyrics kept making me cry. I couldn't find the tissues I usually keep in my purse, so I used a hand towel Scott keeps in the Jeep under the driver seat. As I dabbed my eyes, I just kept singing out loud because I didn't want the girls to get upset.
7:50AM
We pulled into the OVRS parking lot. With tears stinging my eyes, I took a deep breath and let the girls out of the back of the Jeep. They were very antsy in the waiting room and barked at everyone who came in. Presley weighed in at 90 pounds (down a few pounds since all this started) and Diesel was about 69. I declined to step on the scale. After filling out some paperwork and paying "half of the low end" of the estimate, a surgical tech brought us into an exam room and answered all my questions. When will I hear from someone today on Presley's status? What meds will Presley be on? What should I expect when I come to pick her up and take her home? Can they clean her teeth today while she's under?... and on, and on. As we were wrapping up our conversation, I spotted a box of tissues on the counter and walked over to grab some. Presley followed me and hid under the counter. She is too damn smart. When I walked back to the other side of the room, she followed me and tried to hide in the corner. I tried to say something reassuring to her but the lump in my throat made it too hard to talk. So I led Diesel out into the hallway and Presley followed with the technician. They went left and I went right. Presley never looked back at me, but she looked nervous as the door to the surgical area closed behind them.
8:20AM
I loaded Diesel into the Jeep and as soon as I sat in the driver's seat, I bawled my eyes out. Not just little tears, but major boo-hooing. I felt bad for Diesel because she looked upset. I turned on some tunes (hard, angry rock this time) and we drove off. I drove around a bit because it was such a beautiful crisp morning. The sun was so bright and I really didn't want to go home yet. I ended up going grocery shopping at Meijers, while Diesel slept in the Jeep. Finally after about 90 minutes in Meijers, Diesel and I headed home.
11:57AM
I missed Dr. Riggs' phone call when I went into the bathroom to put a band-aid on my heel. I was going to take Diesel for a walk, but now I tried to return the call and got his voicemail. I decided to wait until he calls back. So I curled up on the couch with Diesel at my feet, and we took a little snooze.
1:00PM
Dr. Riggs called and said the surgery went very well. Presley had no problems with the anesthesia. According to protocol, he sent part of the bone and lymph node to be processed (kind of a formality because he was 95% sure this was bone cancer) but we should receive the results in 5-7 days to confirm the Osteosarcoma. Dr. Riggs took aspirates of the tissue and found no infection, which is a good thing. At noon, she had received her pain meds (morphine for dogs) via I/V. He said to call back later for an update. If all goes well over night and she is not in a lot of pain tomorrow, she should be able to come home in the late afternoon. He said to call tomorrow between 10AM-11AM to see if she can be released. I asked what meds she will be on, because Presley has been so stubborn with taking her pills. He said probably just Tramadol and Pepcid AC. She'll have a pain patch on for 3-4 days. She'll have to come back in about 10 days to have the skin staples removed. In the next week or so, I can follow up with Dr. Bannink (the oncologist) to discuss next steps, including chemotherapy.
6:50PM
I spoke to Chante, an emergency technician, to get an update. Presley has been sleeping all day. Her temp is slowly coming back up to normal (hers is 98.2, normal is 100). She is on I/V fluids and electrolytes. She is scheduled to receive antibiotics via I/V at 8PM and 4AM. She has not gone potty all day, so they are going to put a sling around her and help her outside. They want her up and walking today and they will support her with the sling. After she goes outside, they will try to give her some food. It's hard to say if Presley will eat or not. I've never seen her reject food until last week when she had a bad reaction to one of her pain meds, Deramaxx. She's been eating like a champ ever since we got her off those meds, so we'll have to see. Chante said I can call any time tonight for an update. Techs are available 24 hours/day.
That's the latest and greatest. Much thanks to everyone for sending good vibes our way. Keep 'em coming.
Love,
Michelle, Scott, Presley & Diesel
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