Category: Stories

Facebook said this pic was taken a year ago, apparently right after the groomers. It was always hard leaving Sophie anywhere and one of the few times I had no choice, was the groomers. I tried to eyeball the employees, watch their behavior with other dogs and look at online reviews and check with friends, but I was still always leery. They just don’t know her like I do. As I did eventually allow them to take her, I spewed reminders as gently yet firmly as I could. She has two bad front feet, especially the right one- they turn out, and are weak. She has bad hips too so don’t let her jump up or down. Her skin is sensitive so please use the medicated shampoo and watch her ears- she gets ear infections easy – put some cotton in them before her bath. She was, I suppose like all dogs, extremely happy when I  picked her up. Ready to run to the car right out of the gate. But when she got home she was very subdued, almost like she held it against me, and you see a bit of that look in her eyes here. I did tell them she’s not prissy so no more ribbons in her ears and stick with  the bandana for this Tom girl!

for so long, there was so much to remember and now I am starting to forget… I don’t want to forget, so I am writing it down…

Sophie Golden Doodle, approx. 65 lbs
canned pumpkin (keep stool firm)
dry Purina Pro Plan
wet Purina Pro Plan
DVM Resources SynoviG3 Soft Chews as pill-pockets
1 prednisolone 20mg every 12 hrs
1/4 pill, Plavix 75mg anti-blood-clotter 1x day
1 to 2 to 3 Tramadol 50mg every 8 hours, over the course of 2 months

to 9/11/2016 – final schedule
6am:
morning pee break

2 oz canned pumpkin
2 oz dry Purina Pro Plan
4 oz wet Purina Pro Plan
2 DVM Resources SynoviG3 Soft Chews as pill-pockets
1 prednisolone 20mg
1/4 pill, Plavix 75mg anti-blood-clotter
3 Tramadol 50mg
1/2 large milk bone “chaser”
1/2 dentastick dessert
get fresh water in kitchen bowl

after-breakfast potties, outside for a small walk, drop a deuce or 2, pee again
hang out on patio with me for my breakfast
come in, get a 1/2 milk bone

back outside a few more times, back yard pees
come in, get a 1/2 milk bone or dentastick

2pm:
1 oz canned pumpkin
2 oz wet Purina Pro Plan
1 DVM Resources SynoviG3 Soft Chews as pill-pocket
3 Tramadol 50mg
1/2 large milk bone “chaser”
1/2 dentastick dessert

help me get the mail
late afternoon potties, outside for a small walk, drop a deuce or 2, pee
come in, get a 1/2 milk bone or dentastick

6pm:
2 oz canned pumpkin
2 oz dry Purina Pro Plan
4 oz wet Purina Pro Plan
2 DVM Resources SynoviG3 Soft Chews as pill-pockets
1 prednisolone 20mg
1/2 large milk bone “chaser”
1/2 dentastick dessert
get fresh water in kitchen bowl

after-dinner potties, back yard, maybe small walk, pee, maybe a deuce
come in, get a 1/2 milk bone or dentastick

10pm:
1 oz canned pumpkin
2 oz wet Purina Pro Plan
1 DVM Resources SynoviG3 Soft Chews as pill-pocket
3 Tramadol 50mg
1/2 large milk bone “chaser”

go outside again, back yard, maybe small walk, pee, maybe a deuce
come in, get a bedtime bone
head to bedroom for bedtime
get fresh water in bathroom bowl
off with collar
play with bear
get brushed, top of head, ears, under chin, coat, tail, feet, face (likes the least so saved for last)
belly rubs
sophie-hugs
lights out

Sophie troubles,
Difficulty breathing increased over the last few weeks and led to finding inflamed lungs last Friday, per x-ray and has them looking at lymphoma or fungal – both have pretty harsh treatments if that is even possible. They gave her a furosemide/diuretic shot to remove fluid from lungs (though assured otherwise, I still suspect this for triggering the next event). After returning from the vet, she became suddenly blind – partially, but severe enough she walked/fell into our …pool which is how we realized it. She is only 9. Immediately took her to ER where she spent Friday night. Further x-rays, lung aspiration (small needle to grab cells, but no confirming results either way) and sat in oxygen tent for 12 hrs…
Been home since Saturday, able to rest but obviously freaked out by the blindness (it seems to get better or worse throughout the day – partial cloudiness – they think it is a reaction to whatever else is going on in her) and continues to struggle breathing. Ultrasound today to try to find a way to confirm diagnosis and prognosis either way on the lungs.

Unpleasant story, I know…
Thanks for listening
Rick

From msg to folks, 7/23 3:27

(just noticed the anagram)

Sophie not doing well. She was at ER last night. Earlier in the day I Got her home from vet yesterday about heavy breathing. I went to take her out back to pee and She was apparently blind all of a sudden and walked/fell into the pool.
Never done that.
Got her out and she could not see and was very disoriented. May have had a seizure? Who knows. Def blind so we took her to ER for that and her difficulty breathing. The vet earlier had taken X-rays and said her lungs were bright which could be fungus but maybe lymphoma and sent them to radiologist for review. The ER vet also took X-rays last night and wanted to aspirate her lungs to get a sample for confirmation that it wasn’t fungus. She stayed overnight for that and was in oxygen tent. He did not see evidence of fungus so presumes cancer and recommends an ultrasound to locate primary source.
She is home now but struggling to breath yet.
Big shaved patch where they tried to get fluid out of her lung area to test

Before going on a trip for a few days, son Chris gets the low down. It’s important.