Snow's Almost Gone!

Hurrah! The snow is almost gone! We've had 3 days of 40 degrees and the grass and pavement are visible. After one last shovel to open the driveway to the street yesterday, I drove for the first time since the 18th .

Molly is with us again. Lucy is getting used to her, but still growls if the puppy approaches while Lucy is getting pats.

Lucy is done with her Clavamox. I'm curious if her nose will stay bacteria-free. Fingers crossed; I can't imagine life on antibiotics is any better for a dog than for humans. The only thing that has come back with a vengeance is her reverse sneezing.

Hungover

Lucy is decidedly wiped out from Christmas. We were with in-laws Christmas day and Lucy was the recipient of many doggie presents which were all food. Being a good mom, I only gave her one, but there were lots of other people around and they were all treating her—she even got turkey! She's barely budged today and hasn't even sniffed her breakfast. It is so obvious she's hungover.

More Snow

The snow keeps coming. I've shoveled twice and am buying stock in Ibuprofen. We're dog-sitting Molly for five days. The dogs are in seventh heaven with this weather. Lucy is definitely showing old dog enthusiasm—spunkier, but not lively, while Molly is doing a drag course around the yard.

A little sad on a beautiful day

It's sunny and lovely today, but very cold. I'm a bit sad which seems odd when it is beautiful outside. Lucy's breathing is labored today and her hacking and gagging have become quite pronounced. I fear her larynx is becoming worse and creating problems.

I spoke with a neighbor yesterday whose daughter had to put her dog to sleep. The dog was fairly young, but had increasingly complex medical issues. In the end, her body just couldn't keep up with her mind. I applaud the woman for understanding her dog had lost its quality of life. That takes enormous courage. I hope I recognize that for Lucy when the time comes.

We're dog-sitting her cousin, Molly. Molly's 10 month-old energy seems to be enervating for Lucy instead of energizing. Molly demands attention and is as big as Lucy and perhaps heavier. Although she recognizes Lucy-as-Boss, she crashes into her, wriggles past her, is in her face. I want the dogs to work it out themselves, but at this point, unless I intervene, Lucy just goes off to her bed rather than compete with the puppy. I try and give Lucy lots of love and reassurance, but unless the puppy is sequestered, she is so present.

Second Snowfall

It's beautiful and quiet. I have a fire going in the stove and Christmas music playing. Perhaps a tray of cookies in the oven would be appropriate. Lucy, like all dogs, loves the snow. And like a small child with a runny nose, she has her perpetual stringers, now a bit frozen on her face. I have a stack of adult handkerchiefs that I keep by her leash for walks. In house, it's kleenex.

Here are two shots of her enjoying the weather. One is quite blurry, but I still like it. She's looking for a "R-A-T." In the other, she's licking off the offending drips.

Cold!

It is so cold here in the NW! The weathermen say we are in the longest cold snap we've had in nearly two decades. Day time temps are never above 30. Nights are in the teens. Lucy is in heaven. Snow on the ground and temps that make her ears crisp, her nose ice cold and her heart spunky. Everything is a treat for her when it's cold. And her nose is better. Is it the drugs or the temp?

After my sister-in-law suggested it, I bought a baby nose syringe to try when Lucy's nose is filled. As she put it, babies can't blow their nose either, so I thought I'd give it a try. The first one I bought was an ear syringe for adults (as they were out of the baby equivalent) and she hated that, so it is now in the back of the bathroom cupboard. Today I purchased from another store a baby nose syringe with a detachable tip for easy cleaning. How wonderful!! I don't doubt that Lucy will be equally dismayed by the prospect, but it might help with all the goobers.

New Drugs, New Cocktail Ball

Lucy had access to her cocktail ball last night. It is the first time I've allowed her to play with it since it was taken away. Not only was it taken away, it was thrown away and replaced with a new one. I decided to pitch it as I was concerned there could be bacteria on it that was re-infecting her. I'll never know the answer to that one, although her nose wasn't terribly runny afterwards.

She is also on a new antibiotic: Clavamox. Her nose was getting more and more goopy—both nostrils—and she was obviously suffering from some bacteria. The vet decided we should "pulse" (their word) antibiotics, so we've stopped the Doxycyline for this new one. It was made a huge difference both in the amount of nose goo and, within a day, the color.

Edited to add (many hours later): as of this afternoon's walk, the color is as bad as ever!

Abstinence

Lucy's nose has been active recently. Both nostrils are running now and the goo is yellow-green. Gross. I'm sorry. I never thought I'd be so attuned to this kind of thing and I feel for parents with children who are chronically ill. Your life becomes focused on little things that others would rather ignore. What concerns me is that Lucy is already on antibiotics, so does this mean that she has built up an immunity to doxycycline or that the bacteria is getting an upper hand (stronger, meaner) or something else is going on? The vet and I are becoming best friends.

So what does this have to do with abstinence? Her cocktail ball has been removed. This is her most favorite toy. In fact, it is the only toy she's had that she hasn't lost interest in. At cocktail hour, she starts hounding me to produce the famous orange ball. Unfortunately, it requires a lot of nose action from her: rolling, snorting, poking—and all of those things seem to aggravate an already delicate schnoz. In order to (hopefully) clear up her nose, I've taken her ball away. Last night was the first and she definitely was not happy about it. She waited patiently at first and then not so patiently. She wandered around looking for it, she talked to me about it, gave me the hopeful eye, then the pleading eye, then the evil eye. She will not see it tonight either.

It is difficult to explain abstinence to a dog.

Grateful

We're care-taking Suki for a couple of days while her owners are away. She has declined dramatically since the last time she was here. It takes a lot of manpower to wake her and get her going, and once up, she's only there for a short time before going back to bed. I've "carpeted" the kitchen in non-skid rugs, so when she gets up, she can get to the water bowl without slipping. Her coordination is quite sketchy as she suffers from awful arthritis and her toenails are so long.

She is still eating, but seems to have a difficult time working her tongue and spends more time moving her kibbles around rather than scooping them up. We are using a carpeted ramp her owners brought over for her to get up and down our back stairs (of which there are three). She is good going down the ramp, though she sometimes slips her way down. Coming up, however, is much more difficult. Surprisingly, although she is not a "morning" dog, she seems more coordinated at that time and is able to get up the ramp to come in. In the evening, she needs encouragement and a bit of guidance to maneuver up.

When she first arrived five days ago, I think she was quite confused. When she was awake, her time was spent staring at nothing. This morning, for the first time, she got up with us (5:30AM), went outside, ate breakfast and had her morning biscuit. That was wonderful and very active for her.

Lucy is doing well. Although both nostrils now suffer from rhinitis, she is enthused and involved. Over this past weekend, she ran a total of nearly 12 miles—five on Saturday, the rest on Sunday. She was eager afterward, and appeared neither exhausted nor experienced difficulty breathing. Granted, the weather was cool, but who cares? I am so happy she is such a willing participant.

I am grateful she is still with us, mentally and physically. It makes me even more solicitous towards Lucy and I tell her regularly how much I love her.

I also feel for Suki's owners as I know they will soon have to make an awful decision—the one we hate to make, but are grateful we can offer. With Suki, I've spent several evenings on the floor by her bed letting her know what a fine girl-dog she is and how much we've enjoyed our time with her.

What would we do without our wonderful dog companions? I can't imagine how anyone could treat a dog cruelly or chain them outside and ignore them. They give us so much and ask for so little in return. Our lives are enriched immeasurably by them.

Bad Factory Parts & Old Age

I guess I have to get used to the fact that Lucy's health issues are cyclical. She's once again had several days of reverse sneezing and a runny nose. The last two days she's thrown up her food. That's a new feature, one that I'm unsure is caused by her partially paralyzed larynx or the drugs she must take for rhinitis...or both. She remains eager for a walk, but not so eager to eat. I don't blame her; I wouldn't want to eat either if it meant food wasn't going to stay down.

We were at our in-laws home for Thanksgiving and Lucy piddled inside. This was done purposefully, not like the past where she was dribbling in her sleep. None-the-less, I was a tad embarrassed. Lucy also had a sneezing attack that was severe enough to give her a bloody nose. I think her problem lay with the commotion of Thanksgiving with the puppy, all the extra people, and the fact that she couldn't find that damn cat she could still smell. (The cat is one of their many past pets that has been squished on their street. We won't go there, but the cat met its demise about a month ago.)

This morning she didn't eat her breakfast, but waited until several hours later. We'll see if she keeps it down.

Spunky

Lucy felt spunky last night. In fact, she was downright annoying in her persistence. It was great to witness! She wanted her cocktail ball now. I didn't want to give in, but she persisted. Talking, woofing, pawing, groaning—generally making herself heard and catered to. Did I give in? Yes. Eventually. I waited until she was quiet and then armed her toy. Here she is telling me to get a move on!

Play with me!


Pay attention to ME!

A bit of a set back

Lucy is experiencing a bit of a set back. I'm not sure why. She's been on Doxycycline since Friday evening and seemed a bit better by Sunday—not so typical of past antibiotics usage where she's been noticeably better in a couple of days. She improved, but only an iota. The improvement could have been my wishful thinking. Her runny nose seems to have gone away (thanks to the Piroxicam or the antibiotic?), but her hacking and coughing have started back up. The heavy breathing is back too.

I am wondering if it's because I have allowed her to play with her cocktail ball the last three nights which takes a lot of nose action and swallowing from a greater distance. Could this cause the hacking? Or is it because on a recent car ride, I let her hang her head out the window. Perhaps a snootful of air is irritating. I'm going to wait until the end of the week, unless things become far worse, before calling.

I like this picture of her. I'm aware most of her pictures show her lying down, but that's what an old girl dog does best. In this shot, she is eagerly waiting by her bowl for dinner. I've elevated them in hopes it will mitigate the coughing. She is looking at me askance because as far as she's concerned it is way past her dinner time and I should be feeding her NOW. This goes to show her appetite is just fine—as is her energy. She's always eager to go on a walk and still manages a fast clip.

Answers?

The internal medicine vet called today. That pleased me as I was feeling disgruntled that no one from that clinic had called since Lucy's procedure or after I brought her back in on Sunday. Kate's office had already called twice to see how she was doing and they were not involved with the rhinoscopy. (A loyalty booster there!)

The vet (Matt Vaughn) said she has chronic rhinitis. (A friend told me it's the same as hay fever in a person. That sounds so benign compared to the problems she exhibited.) He said there are five types of inflammatory cells. The two he expected to see in Lucy—and did—were lymphocytes and plasmacytes. But with Luce, he also saw neutrophils which usually indicate a bacterial infection which he did not see. He wanted to know how her appetite and energy levels were. I was pleased to report: good! Her nasal discharge is diminishing. My concerns are the reverse sneezing is still with us and she now is constantly clearing her throat via coughing or hacking and she still goes through periods of panting.

I asked him if the intubation could have caused this temporarily or if might have permanently injured her throat/trachea. He said no to the latter and that it is possible the balloon that is used to close off the throat (so she doesn't swallow anything) may have irritated the lining, but felt this not as likely. More probable he said was that she may have aspirated something.

He was very clear—and emphatic—if she isn't better, or she gets worse, by Monday to let him know. It may be the Piroxicam isn't her drug or that we need to put her on an additional antibiotic to clear up what ever is bothering her throat.

She has only barked a couple of times since she's been home and those are feeble, weak barks. They were followed by coughing. He kept referring to her laryngeal paralysis. Initially I thought this was simply the issue of an older dog losing its voice. Au contraire. It's a much bigger deal than I thought. A bad episode in which the dog is heavily panting may see the dog's gums turning blue from lack of oxygen. The dog can collapse and die.

Matt said he didn't recommend surgery on Lucy at this point because she is in a cool climate. He said if she was a warm climate, he'd definitely urge us to have the surgery. Here is a website that has some good information and three short audio files to hear what the stressed panting sounds like. At this point, Lucy only sounds a bit like the last black lab with a cough interspersed. Hopefully this is something we don't have to worry about with her beyond managing her activity level.

His warning, however, is well taken. We'll keep her calm and cool if possible. I didn't think to ask him at the time if she can go mountain biking. I guess we'll just have to closely monitor her.

What a Weekend!

It was a tough weekend for Lucy and me. She felt awful and I felt guilty for putting her through all of this. She slept all day Saturday, though I would consider it fitful. She was definitely conked out, but all of sudden would wake with an hour or more of heavy panting. Whether caused by pain or the inability to breath comfortably through compromised, tender nasal passages, breathing easily was not in the cards.

Saturday evening we had friends over for dinner and she not only got up to greet them, if slowly and quietly, but moved into the living room to sleep. Both big deals as far as I am concerned. The evening though, she woke around 1AM and had a good hour plus of heavy panting. She was obviously quite uncomfortable.

Sunday saw more of this labored breathing, heavy panting, hacking and her nose begun bleeding. Of all of those, I was least concerned about the blood as they had warned me that might happen. It wasn't excessive, so I figured it was okay. However, the laborious breathing did concern me. I took her back into the clinic and they felt she was okay, but gave me some pain killers (Tramadol) to relax her, help her sleep and maybe heal the irritation in both her nose and throat by relaxing her and therefore not stressing those areas.

What they were most concerned about was her lack of appetite as she needs food in her tummy for the Piroxicam they've sent home with her. They still lean towards chronic rhinitis, though the biopsy results will be in sometime this week. They recommended I warm her food to make it stinky and therefore more appetizing for her as her sniffer isn't sniffing very well at present.

I think her care was good. I think the tech did a good job debriefing us before we brought Lucy home. I'm also sure they told me things that I didn't hear as I was anxious about Lucy's well-being. However, I don't think they gave me enough information. I don't believe they told me that it would be days before Lucy returned to normal. I don't think they mentioned that her breathing would be labored and uncomfortable for her for days because both her nose and larynx/throat had be compromised by the procedures. They didn't say anything about how long it would take her nose to "come back." I mean, if she can't smell her food without warming it, that's pretty bad! And I know they didn't say whether the Piroxicam would eliminate, or affect at all, the symptoms that brought us to this event. This morning she had several bouts of reverse sneezing and anytime she gets up she starts a slow cough sequence that may or may not end with hacking. These are all things I wished they'd covered with me. Do I worry about this or not? The vet I saw yesterday said to give Lucy a week to return to normal, but she didn't think the Piroxicam would alleviate symptoms. It is an anti-inflammatory.

Rhinoscopy Completed

Dropping Lucy off at the vet yesterday morning was awful. When they led her away, she just turned and stared at me with those frightened, accusatory eyes. "What are you doing to me? Are you giving me away?" The CT and rhinoscopy both corroborated no (visible) cancer or aspergillosis. The vet took some biopsies and we won’t hear back on those until the middle/end of next week. His guess is chronic rhinitis. The good part is it can be managed, the bad part, it’s with her forever more.

Last night was pretty awful for her (and me) because she was so restless. Lots of panting and pacing. She did have a bit of nose bleeding, but nothing of concern. I put a mat on the floor in the kitchen (where we've had her at night since she had been piddling) and laid there thinking that having me close by might make her less anxious. Maybe it worked a little, but neither of us slept a wink. I called the vet around midnight and they recommended bringing her in (approximately 45 miles round trip) or give her a Benadryl. I opted for the Benadryl. She did lay down for almost 2 hours (I think I slept then), but she was up again and barfed.

So I called again. I didn’t know if her activity and panting were caused by pain from the procedure, drugs wearing off, or a bad reaction to a drug combination. They said come in or give her another Benadryl. The second one didn’t seem to have any effect on her at all. I got dressed to bring her in around 3AM, but again opted out and brought her bed into our bedroom.

She was more calm there and I think she was quiet for nearly an hour, before getting up and pacing again. I fed her some brown rice and turkey stock and she snarfed it, so I know her appetite is okay. I’ll give her some more time this morning and see if she evens out. I’m absolutely bleary-eyed from lack of sleep and would prefer not to drive in the dark and rain (my least safe driving conditions).

My guess is she’s okay and it is the pain and the anesthesia/meds (for which she’s always had a low tolerance) that are causing her anxiety. Now, nearly 4 hours since I fed her, she's sleeping comfortably and I'm getting ready for another cup of coffee—and hoping I make it until 8PM tonight!

Fingers Crossed

Tomorrow is Lucy's rhinoscopy/biopsy. Again, another morning without a biscuit or food. What a bum deal. More needles and even a snip with something shoved up her wonderful snout. I'm hoping—we're hoping—that it tells us what's going on and gives us a realistic route to pursue.

Interestingly enough, with only 2 days on Clavamox, her nasal symptoms improved dramatically. Kate felt she shouldn't remain on the drug though as she didn't see enough evidence to elicit their use. Therefore, Clavamox is out, Pro-in for urinary incontinence is in. What I'm hoping, evidenced by the 48 hour use of it, plus the results of the biopsy, we'll be able to lick whatever she's suffering from with another stint on antibiotics of some kind. Of course, I still have the urinary incontinence to deal with, but I guess that's okay if her breathing is okay.

Early Morning

Sometime around 4AM, Lucy must have peed in her bed. (She's being sequestered in the kitchen overnight, but has access via the dog door to outside.) We heard her collar shaking outside and saw her lying in the grass in the backyard. Deviant behavior is an immediate red flag for me, particularly now that she's not feeling well. Why would she choose to lie in wet grass in the pouring rain? Something's not right.
When I got up about 15 minutes later, I went into the kitchen and there was a huge, fresh puddle on her bed. The washing machine is jugging away now as I type. I couldn't get her bed in to wash it, but put her cover in along with the towel I used to clean her bed.

The vet gave me Clavamox for the infection and Proin for incontinence. Although I gave Lucy 1/2 a tab of Proin last night, I decided to hold off giving her anymore until I clear up the bladder infection and then see if she needs it. And then I read the article. Egads!

What's happening to our little girl?

Another roller coaster

Good news from the CT scan, right? Or at least not bad news. But now Lucy's peeing on her bed, on the rugs, on the floor. Not dribbling, peeing a full bladder's worth. When she's sleeping or lying down. Can she not feel it?!? This started last week and hit full stride by the weekend. What I originally thought was her runny nose, I know now was the start of her dribbling.

I took her to her normal vet this morning, but Kate was gone so the back up vet saw us. She took blood and a urine sample and said Lucy's white blood count was elevated, so gave me very expensive antibiotics for a bladder infection and another drug for urinary incontinence.

Friday she goes in for the rhinoscopy and there goes another four digit vet bill. Not that she isn't worth it, but the loss of personal income because of how the economy affects my job, along with the accumulation of unexpected large veterinary expenditures, is becoming overwhelming. The outlay makes me anxious, Lucy's health makes me anxious...

On the other hand, her appetite remains top notch!

Eureka!

It's a little after 3pm and we've just returned from Lucy's CT scan. Another wonderful clinic run by a great team: Veterinary Radiology in Mountlake Terrace. Excellent. Of course one of the finest things they did today was deliver good, if incomplete, news. Dr. Kramer said there is no detectable signs of cancer and he doubts Lucy has any aspergillosis. He doesn't know what she has and recommended we proceed with a rhinoscopy with biopsy of whatever Lucy has going on inside her nose. So it was very good news or at least better than we feared. There might still be something of concern, but at this point, I can sleep easy.

Here's an old picture of Lucy from 2002. I have to post it because she was so healthy then and hopefully, will be again!

Today's the day

This afternoon we take Lucy in for her CT scan. I'm anxious, of course, and Lucy is miffed she's getting neither her breakfast nor her morning biscuit. Unfortunately, the appointment isn't until noon, so she'll be a very hungry puppy by dinner.

Our fingers are crossed that they find nothing and that that indicates rhinitis, nothing worse.

Roller Coaster

Thursday I thought we might have to put Lucy to sleep. She was so ill. Awful reverse sneezing to the point she couldn't maintain her balance; gagging on drinking or eating; hugely lethargic. I was constantly in tears. I wanted to wait, however, for my husband to return from out of town so that he could say goodbye. Coming in late Thursday night didn't give him the opportunity, so we chose to wait until Friday afternoon when he returned from work. But we couldn't do it then; we just didn't have the heart. We knew Kate wouldn't be at the clinic on Saturday, so we decided to wait until Monday.

I sent Kate a long email asking about the efficacy of some alternative treatments: acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs and if she'd be willing to try them or preferred I sought out another vet with whom she could work. Because Lucy's nose drips are green (indicating infection), did she think it was worth putting her back on antibiotics? I called several alternative vets, but those who were highly recommended had a full client list and I had not heard of the others.

Saturday afternoon Lucy rallied. Big time rally. No nose goobers, no reverse sneezing, no gagging, good energy. I was hesitant but willing to think that perhaps she'd been suffering from a huge sinus infection and was now on the road to mend. Sunday afternoon dissuaded me of that thinking as the sneezing and runny nose came back with a vengeance. But no gagging—for that I'm grateful.

I heard back from Kate this morning. Besides being a vet, she is a certified animal acupuncturist, so I knew she'd be willing to consider alternative treatments. She said she'd be more than happy to explore different care modalities though she preferred to first know what we're dealing with. Though my husband would like to start Lucy immediately on antibiotics, I'd rather wait until after the CT scan when we can make more informed decisions.

Lucy's health remains on the positive side. We're concerned how voracious her appetite is, but at least she's eating. We just returned from a three mile walk done at a fast clip. At one point she had a leaf hanging from her nose goo, but she didn't seem bothered, so I chose not to mop her up.

I'm hoping to post a picture of her, if not every post, then close to that. Here she is sleeping last night while we were listening to music. With that perked ear, it looks like she was listening too!

Puddles

The last two mornings I've gotten up and found a huge, wet puddle left on the carpet from where Lucy's nose had drained over night. When she gets up, she's started coughing and hacking. Her energy is good on walks, her appetite is fine, but her symptoms continue to escalate.

I spent some time looking up nasal cancer and ended up sobbing. Both nasal cancer and aspergillosis have symptoms that match Lucy's. Now, after work, not even 5pm, I just had a beer. A beer? Anything but reading more about diseases.

My vet, the marvelous Kate Schottman, sent me many printouts, highlighted and notated, on aspergillosis. I tried looking, but couldn't quite stomach it yet.

As I type, Lucy's laying next to me, snoring and whistling. My girl.

Ups & Downs

I went to see Kate yesterday and feel much better though nothing was resolved or changed. Kate said she'd read up on aspergillosis to see if she could find out anything else for me. Not that I haven't been doing that myself, but I don't understand all the medical jargon and am relieved she'll be able to do some translating.

What I got from the consultation is aspergillosis is not that common although the fungus is everywhere. Kate felt that Lucy's symptom of one nostril being runny swayed her towards a tumor or some blockage other than aspergillosis or chronic rhinitis. She felt those would affect both nostrils. I don't know that that makes me feel better—a tumor versus a fungus?—but the progression of the fungus just sounds so sci-fi.

She also assured me if it was the fungus, Lucy's face wouldn't cave in. A silly fear, I know, but I was afraid if it eats away at the bone, that if she bumped her nose, there might be consequences we couldn't visually handle. She said it's more like periodontal disease, slow and invisible. I don't think that's any more pleasant, but I couldn't stand to see Lucy's face altered.

She also supported our decision to do nothing if it's cancer and to not do the ream and flush if aspergillosis. She can come to the house to put Lucy to sleep or prioritize us in a vet visit. That was helpful also.

So I came home yesterday feeling a bit better and thinking perhaps we'll put her through the CT and rhinoscopy just to see what is causing this. I remain conflicted on this because we've chosen not to treat either cancer or aspergillosis, but if it was a small irritant in her nose they could remove, then wouldn't it be worth it?

A depressing prognosis

We took her in Saturday to an internal medicine vet. He was wonderful: very informative and took the time to answer all the questions we posed. He said her lungs sounded fine, so no problem with recurring pneumonia. That was great news. Unfortunately, the meeting went emotionally downhill from there.

She could have cancer, aspergillosis, or chronic rhinitis but of course we won't know which of those without further tests. He recommended first getting a CT scan to see her head and throat structurally. It may show tumors or damage caused by aspergillosis. If the scan looks clean (or doesn't), they'd do a rhinoscopy to see inside the nasal cavities (they may see spores from aspergillosis). If it is cancer, he said radiation is better (and more expensive) than chemo. We've already decided we won't put her through that.

Aspergillosis—what an awful disease! From what I've read, it sounds more prevalent in younger dogs, which I find curious. Why would younger dogs (they specifically did not say puppies) be more affected? At any rate, it's a fungus that eats away at the nasal cavities and can move into the brain. If they see this on the rhinoscopy, they'd scrap out her nasal cavities trying to get as many of the spores as possible and the flush with an antifungal wash. He said he recommends three procedures, although they once did six on a dog and still found it unsuccessful. Plus Lucy could go through all of this and have it come back. His assistant said it is quite a painful procedure and the dog goes home with a pain patch...only to return to the hospital to have it done over again. The treatments run around $2500 a piece.

The tiny bit of information I've seen on rhinitis directs me back to aspergillosis. We're finding this overwhelming.

Lucy is 11 and if we're lucky she'll be with us another 2-3 years. I don't regret putting her through the back surgery despite the long recovery. But I don't think I can put her through the trauma of treatments for what she may be suffering from now. I don't feel it's fair to her, but I will talk to Lucy's regular vet and a neighbor (who is a vet tech) for their input. Perhaps a naturopathic vet may be an alternative. I just don't know.

Tomorrow is Lucy's Nose Day

In my reading, it seems there are certain fungal diseases that can cause the same type of problems (reverse sneezing, nasal discharge, coughing)—particularly for dogs who bury their nose in the ground. That's Luce. Those seem to be curable with medication.

I don't want a tumor...

Medical Maneuvering

I spoke with my vet today and she was kind enough to advise me without seeing Lucy. Lucy's nose issues remain status quo. She's still reverse sneezing (not as much as when she had pneumonia) and she is now "gakking"...making a noise that sounds like she's trying to cough up a fur ball. This happens when she's excited (about to go on a walk or car ride) or drinking water too quickly and makes me nervous about a possible tumor or polyp in her most prized possession—her schnoz.

I could let it ride, but then if it is a growth or something we can solve now, I'd hate to put it off. Kate (the vet) felt using Revolution 3 times in a month may indicate whether Lucy is suffering from nasal mites. However since Lucy is already taking it once a month, Kate thought this wasn't worth it. She recommended we go in for a consultation regarding a rhinoscopy. She recommended a vet (Sherry Wilson at Acces), but when I called regarding prices they were nearly double the cost at Seattle Veterinary Specialists. I think we'll go the less expensive route. Interestingly enough, when I spoke with someone at SVS, they said the cost could vary from $1100 dollars including consultation, surgery, possible over night stay and lab work. It would be less if all those things aren't necessary. Acces said it was $125 for the consultation, $1200-$1400 for the rhinoscopy—labs and overnights were on top of that. That's a fair chunk of change to throw around when there's a less expensive alternative!

Lucy reminds me of Clem, the dog we had growing up. Although veterinary medicine was pretty simplistic back then, Clem spent a lot of time there. He was always suffering from something. I guess dogs are no different than people. Some are just put together using better parts.

Hannah and Molly

Since I showed Lucy with her buddy, Suki, I thought I'd show some of Lucy's other dog friends. Hopefully I'll remember to take a picture of all of them. Although Lucy is well-known for her anger management issues, that doesn't mean she doesn't have friends. Probably her best and oldest friend is Hannah.

Hannah, like Lucy is a mutt. We think Catahoula cross. Hannah is a great communicator. (Hannah should run for President!) When Lucy was a puppy and very bouncy, Hannah just gave her a little lip curl to let her know to settle down. If Lucy didn't get the hint, Hannah might have given a growl and a nip, but nothing beyond that. Lucy has always trusted her. Hannah is 13 going on 14, and although she can no longer mountain bike and her walks are shorter and slower, she is still very enthusiastic and eager. She looks a lot smaller in this picture than she actually is. Hannah probably weighs in the mid to high 40s; Lucy is somewhere in the 52 to 55 pound range.


If Lucy meets a dog as a puppy, they become fast friends. Here's her "cousin" Molly. Molly is a purebred Australian Shepard and just shy of a year old. Molly now weighs probably as much as Hannah and is full of energy. She's being held by her owner so we could capture a picture. Molly is going to be a very sweet dog. When I've walked the two of them together, people ask if Lucy is the mother.

Lucy behaves around puppies like Hannah did with her. Luce is very tolerant of puppy energy—up to a point! First she'll give a slightly high-pitched, back of the throat noise. If the puppy persists, there's a little lip action, perhaps a growl and at the very end of tolerance, a nip. She has never attacked a puppy.

Suki

One of Lucy's buddies (I mentioned her here) isn't doing well. She looks good, but her owner said life is really limited. (This old picture from 2004 of the two buddies makes them look possessed. I think they were; I must have been holding a treat for them.) Suki can only walk about a 3-house distance and then it's tough to return. Sometimes she gets "stuck" in corners and can't figure out how to get out. She has had arthritis for years and it has gotten worse and is certainly affecting her abilities, but more likely we think it's her brain tumor. She taking phenobarbital for her seizures and the amount has been upped. Her owner asked me how we knew when to put Suzy (our first dog) to sleep. What a tough situation to be in!

With Suzy, we knew. Her back end became paralyzed and at that time we weren't aware (or they may not have existed then) of carts. Plus at 18, she was deaf and nearly blind; she slept most of the day. When she lost her ability to walk, at that age, what are the choices? The vet said he could give her steroids, but they'd only work for a couple of days. That wasn't a life. I will forever second guess my decision, but deep down, I know it was kindest thing to do for my beloved dog.

So that was what I told my friend. "You will know." We dog owners are all blessed with a period of time where we can prep ourselves for the inevitable, but of course, we're never prepared enough. The loss is devastating because there is no love like the love from a dog. My heart breaks for them as the deal with their pup's decline...

Precious...as in Expensive

We realized that Lucy, for all her winning traits, is one expensive hound dog. What with her bum front right leg—arthritis? bone injury?—and now her nose, she is a vet's best friend. I sent an email to our vet this morning. I saw no need to come in at this point, though she may be able to run more tests if she deems it reasonable. But the drug regime, (chlorpeniramine 4mg/3 X day) — although lessening the reverse sneezing and coughing, has not eliminated it. Never having had sinus allergies, I am unaware if drugs do eliminate all symptoms. Perhaps I'm just being a worry-wart.

I spoke to a receptionist for internal medicine vets this morning and she explained what a rhinoscopy involved. Putting Lucy out, running a camera up her snout, looking for growths and taking a biopsy. She said sometimes dogs suffer a bloody nose afterwards which would require an overnight and perhaps medication. If it was a tumor, then we decide how to deal with it depending on if it is malignant or benign. Ei! Ei! Ei! Our poor puppy...

9.1 Miles

Yesterday was beautiful—one of those gorgeous, sunny, fall days. Perfect for a bike ride! We decided to take Lucy mountain biking since it had been a couple of weeks since she'd had the opportunity.

There is a place close by that we visit frequently when time is limited. Although we expected crowds, we had the trails to ourselves. The trails are great, convoluted, ever-changing. It seems every time we go, we find a new route or two. Even though the area isn't new to us, there are so many trails, that getting lost is part of the ride. Yesterday was no different although this time we had Lucy with us.

We had ridden with her 6 miles on vacation, so I was thinking that was a good length to do again. It's been about15 months since her back surgery and she's strong, but older and I didn't want to push her abilities. However, in our exploration of some new trails we found, our directional sensibilities got turned around. Ha! Our direction? I can't enter those woods without getting totally confused! In this case, my husband must take the full blame. (In his defense, he always gets us out, no matter where we go.)

So what would have maybe been 6 miles, ended up a third longer. Plus, the riding was more difficult. After 3 weeks of biking in a dry environment, it was startling to be back in the wet, slippery Northwest. I had to concentrate more on the actual riding so that the slippery roots and slick mud didn't throw me. There wasn't anything we could do when we realized we were lost, but keep riding. Three additional miles, doesn't sound like much, but mountain biking can be a full body workout. Sitting here this morning writing this, I can feel those parts I worked!

When we finally made it back to the van, we were all pooped. Happy, but pooped. Lucy got in (with some help) and conked out. She didn't budge until we pulled into the driveway. I can tell today will be a 'slow' day for her.

A Sad Recipient

Our neighbors lost their dog recently–lost, as in they had to put her asleep. If one of the owners wasn't a vet tech, their dog wouldn't have made it as long as she did. She had many health issues, but was a wonderful hound and lived a long, well-loved life.

We hadn't seen them much since this sad occurrence, but I ran into them yesterday while I was returning home from walking Lucy. They asked if I needed any dog supplies: boots, water bottle, biscuits, food, teeth cleaning supplies... I had such mixed feelings accepting their largess, though I recall going through the same thing when our first dog died. I wanted someone I knew who loved their dog to have my dog's things.

So with a sad heart, we took them. And thanked them. How kind; how sad. Lucy loves the biscuits. Although Lucy and their dog didn't get along (both lean towards the alpha side of life), I'm sure Rainy is happy her things are staying in the 'hood.

Vacation

It's been over a month since I've written. All good things have happened.

1. Lucy's hearing came back in her one ear, so that must have been due to congestion from the pneumonia.
2. Her pneumonia is gone. In the beginning of a 3-week camping trip, she ran out of drugs and we had to connect our vet at home with a vet in Boise, ID to get more medication to see her through. At the end of the trip, I took her back into the vet for a chest x-ray which showed healed and healthy lungs.
3. Over the span of the vacation, Lucy did a lot of running. Probably no more than 7 miles at any one time, but she ran with vigor and had no shakes at the end. Hats off to Dr. Sanders and his team for their excellent work. Lucy was full of energy (despite recouping from pneumonia) and was always eager for a mountain bike ride.

The picture is taken in Oregon at Paulina Peak in the Newberry Crater. The drop off is thousands of feet. Look how happy she is! Dirty, but very, very happy.

When we got home, her reverse sneezing returned and intensified. It had been almost completely gone. The vet, during a phone consultation, thought it could be allergies. Of course, there was also the scary possibility of cancer, or another possibility: nose mites. (What a juicy nose to have bombarded by mites!) She suggested I try Lucy on an over-the-counter antihistamine: chlopheniramine (4 mg/3X day). She said if it wasn't better by Monday, to let them know and they'd refer me to a "rhino" specialist. I'm happy to report, Lucy is doing much better. Little did we know what a "precious" girl we have!

Deafness

Can any more happen to my girl? I hope not, unless it is getting healthy, healthy, healthy!

We took an extended weekend trip to south central Oregon, in the middle of nowhere where heat is the king...or is it deer flies?...or mosquitoes? Surprising, considering the conditions, it is an amazing area. We were in Paisley on Summer Lake which during the summer is dry. Nearby are natural hot springs, petroglyphs, bat caves, ice caves, big holes in the ground, birding, hiking, and mountain biking. I'm sure there is even more, but the heat prevented anything but a minimum of exploration or movement. The meteor showers weren't that spectacular, but sitting outside in a natural hot spring adds to the event, so one could hardly complain.

In the above picture taken at the cabin we stayed at in Paisley, Lucy looks alert and as if she can hear me. I doubt it. She was so sick there, or maybe it was just the unbearable heat, but she slept for nearly two days. On the way home, we stopped to do a quick ride around Timothy Lake near Mt. Hood. Lucy stayed in the van which parked under an umbrella of trees. When we returned from our ride, I let her out to join us for a swim in the lake.

It was then we realized Lucy had lost hearing in her other ear. There was no head shaking, no scratching, no tilting of the head, just plain no hearing. I felt like the bad dog owner with an ill-trained pooch. She would walk off and I'd call and she didn't respond.

I wasn't sure if the antibiotics she's taking for pneumonia could have caused the hearing loss, but when I spoke with the vet, she said no. She wanted Lucy back in, but what would they do? We'd just incurred huge vet expenses and I wasn't eager for more if they weren't absolutely necessary. She (Lucy) gave no sign of discomfort. By the time she was home, her energy and appetite were back, she's on two different wide-spectrum antibiotics—wouldn't they take care of any infection? The vet said probably, but told me to bring her in if anything in her demeanor changed.

We're using hand signals to communicate with her. Thank heavens she's been trained on them since a puppy. We just have to make sure she's looking our way. And once again, it reinforces the necessity for always having her on a leash. If it is an infection, the antibiotics should take care of it and her hearing will return. If it isn't...well, we'll have to work diligently at keeping her world interesting, stimulating and safe!

Antibiotics

Lucy is on two antibiotics: Clindamycin (150mg) and Baytril (86mg). Baytril is ridiculously expensive, but the combination of the two (or at least one of them!) is working as she seems more alert. She still isn't drinking, but after taking her in yet again, the vet thought she seemed hydrated enough.

We're supposed to visit friends in southern Oregon—almost to the California border and in the middle of nowhere. It makes me anxious to take a sick dog out in the toolies, but this is one of those spousal issues that I'm losing.

I switched to beef stock today to see if that will elicit more response, but it doesn't do the trick either. Why is she not drinking? What is it about the drugs or illness that makes her avoid water?

In mid-August, the vet wanted me to come in for another xray. Is it worth it at the price if she's feeling better? I'm going to ask several different sources.

Canine Pneumonia!

Unbelievable! As if this old girl hasn't had enough to deal with this past year, she now has pneumonia. The diagnosis has been a long time coming. The first clue something was amiss came mid-May when she started reverse sneezing. This is an odd phenomena (to me) as it sounds nothing like a sneeze, but rather a huge gathering or gasping of breath. It happened infrequently, but ongoing over a couple of months. Finally around the end of June, it was occurring regularly enough to warrant a vet visit.

When I brought her in the verdict was indecisive. Since Lucy's appetite and energy seemed okay, the vet put it down to (perhaps) an allergy. For a couple of days running, Lucy had a mucus-y nose and eyes. I mean goopy, like a child with a bad cold, but this vanished too along with the sneeze. By the end of July, I figured whatever was blooming and bothering her should be over its cycle and indeed, the reverse sneezing was diminishing.

Then came dry hacking. She sounded like a cat coughing up a fur ball. This time I called and spoke with the vet (a substitute), but she didn't seem very concerned. I was uncertain whether to push or not. After all, Lucy just had the surgery a year ago. Did I want to put her through tests for something we had no clue about? Not to mention, the possibly unnecessary expense... The vet told me to give it a couple of weeks. Here it is summer, so Lucy's shedding a lot. She has two little cuts on her that she's been tending by licking. So couldn't she be gagging on her fur?

Then the beginning of this week, her energy plummeted. Her dry hacks turned into wet, deep chest coughing. She tried to stand up and was so unsteady, I didn't know if she could do it. This time I rushed her in and the vet (another sub), on taking her temperature (102.5), decided to do a chest xray and take blood. She said I should take her temp again that night and if it topped 104 to take her to the emergency vet. Well, before bed her temp was 103.7. Our neighbor is a vet tech and I asked her if this constituted an emergency. She said if Lucy was breathing okay, to wait as that was high, but within range. We kept her in the basement (always cool), with ice packs and a cool, wet towel. We slept there too. I didn't sleep, of course, as I was listening to her every sound. By morning her temp was down to 103.

The blood test came back the following day. I don't know much about white blood counts or how they are measured, but Lucy's last white blood cell count was 8,000. This one was 16,000! The vet said this was only slightly out of normal range (which I guess goes to 15,000), but because it was double her normal, it was cause for concern. I brought Lucy back in and they gave her two different shots of antibiotics.

The xray needed to be sent out, but the vet showed it to us and Lucy's left lung (looking at the xray) was milky at the top. Their main radiologist was on vacation, so they had to send it to a sub. The sub went on vacation also, but took the xray with him. (Huh?) They couldn't reach him so wanted me to come in for another set that could be sent out to a third radiologist. Meanwhile, I'd brought Lucy back in for more antibiotic shots and they sent me home with Clindamycin and Baytril thinking these would "get" most bacterial pneumonia. Her temp was back in normal range.

Well, the long and short of it is they finally reached the vacationing radiologist and he said it was pneumonia. They are treating it as bacterial and if Lucy doesn't respond to the antibiotics, then she'll need a throat culture. After her shots and the orals, she is a bit more perky. I wouldn't come close to saying she's normal. Even though she's sleeping most of the time, when she is awake, she seems more alert.

The issue now is getting her healthy and keeping her hydrated. She's to be on antibiotics for 2-3 weeks and then they'll do another xray. For whatever reason, Lucy who normally drinks a couple bowls of water a day, is not even touching it—and it's hot and humid here. I'm drowning her food in 1 1/2 cups of water laced with low-sodium chicken stock. At a minimum, she's ingesting 3 cups a day. Now to get just a little more down her...

House Guests

My brother-in-law was in town for a week and we all had a ball—including Lucy! She was never alone, which is her favorite way to be, and she followed him around as if he was her one-and-only. When he went downstairs, she followed. When he was on the deck, so was she. Here he is reading at the front counter and look who is close by!

The Bath

Soap and water...














Scrubbing behind the ears feels pretty good...

















Torture is almost over...




















The big shake...
















Ah-h-h!!!

Harts Pass and a celebration

We stayed at Harts Pass over the fourth and it was wonderful! No firecrackers; lots of peace and quiet. The drive up wasn't nearly as terrifying as when I'd done it years ago with a stick shift. This time I was the passenger while my husband drove and for being a holiday weekend, the traffic was surprisingly light.

There was still plenty of snow around, but the wild flowers were extraordinary. Gorgeous! We found a little spot besides a babbling brook at which to camp and stayed there a couple of nights. Unfortunately, I forgot the camera.

The day before we rode a couple different trails down in the valley: Goat Wall and the Methow River—the latter being the superior ride. Lucy did all of Goat Wall and a bit of the Methow. We figure she logged at last 8 miles and was fine. Tired yes, but no shaking. It's been one year since her surgery.

Had I thought this out a year ago, I wouldn't have been so panicky about her recovery. If a human had gone through the same process, it probably would have taken a similar amount of time. Her back right leg remains wobbly with an odd gait, but that didn't affect her ability to run and enjoy.

Both nights at the camp spot a doe came into camp to graze. She was alert, but unafraid, and came within 10 feet of us. Luckily, Lucy was asleep in the van!

We gave Lucy a day off while we did a ride on the pass to some old mines. It was interesting to see, but the elevation gain and loss at the altitude made it a difficult ride for me. One of the mines had several collapsed buildings around the site, one of which was definitely a house.

The last day there we went on a four mile hike along the ridge on the Pacific Crest Trail. Lucy was more than ready. She was ahead and eager. Snow! Marmots! Freedom! What more could a dog ask for? I'm sure she added a mile to her walk. The weather was spectacular and the views into several valleys and across to many peaks, awesome.

I wrote a short email to Dr. Sanders to thank him again for the great job he did on Luce.

Fireworks

Lucy's hearing is diminished. One ear slumbers, while the other struggles to take up the slack. I was hoping that might help with July 4th, but preliminary bangs, particularly the deep basso profundo explosions, are heard.

I awoke last night to hear her excessively panting and got up to see if she was alright. She was curled up in our (walk in) shower. Poor girl. I hope we get into the mountains away from Friday's excessive display. (Personally I love fireworks, but her misery supersedes any visual desire on my part.)

Nuthin' 'bout nuthin'

Not much has happened. Life goes on as life goes on. Two walks a day with a random longer walk thrown in for good measure. Our weather is warming—finally!—so we're spending more of our evenings on the deck. Lucy's past fear of firecrackers has subsided for the time being (I dread the start up for her sake), so she wants to be on the deck with us. It's wonderful. She gargoyles; I'll try to capture a picture. She lies at the edge and hangs her head over to survey her kingdom. Very cute. But when the firecrackers start up, she hides in the basement and doesn't join us for the rest of the summer. This will be the one benefit of her slow hearing loss—she won't mind this firecracker season any longer. She still hears out of one ear, so this summer still might be frightening for her.

We started re-finishing the deck railings yesterday. We removed all the horizontal 2X's for stripping and restaining at a later date. The uprights and main rail were stripped yesterday. Because I'm so terrified of heights, the deck is a little unsettling for me as there are no guard rails. I wouldn't let Lucy out there. I don't want her to lie at the edge and then slip when she gets up. Her feet aren't as "grip-y" anymore and they occasionally slip out from under her. I don't want to go there. She was a bit miffed as we were working out there but she could only keep us in sight by lying by the screen door. It's a dog's life. She would have added to the confusion of electrical cords, hose, tools, belt sander, flower pots, deck furniture and us tripping over each other.

Dogs, dogs and more dogs

Life has been really busy. Lots of dogs. We had two different visits from Molly. Here's a picture of the young girl after a bath. Walking with her and Lucy elicited many comments from people: Is that her (Lucy's) puppy? Are they related? They look like two bookends!

Lucy initiated some play with Molly, but usually it was the other way around. Lucy would stand still while Molly ran around her. Periodically Lucy would lunge and Molly thought that was fantastic. Lucy was very tolerant of the puppy antics. There was, however, a fair amount of consistent warning growls which Molly chose to ignore for the most part. Molly would nip at Lucy's lips, her tail, jump in her face, run at her while Lucy was sleeping... It wasn't until Lucy nipped that Molly understood she'd overstepped her bounds.

Molly wasn't completely housebroken at the time she was with us, so we had to watch her carefully. Two mishaps occurred and that ended her freedom. Luckily she seemed happy with access from the kitchen to the yard.

As soon as Molly left, Suki came. We were supposed to have her for two weeks, but the other folks caring for her were nice enough to keep her another week for a total of three. This greatly alleviated the stress between the two dogs. As it was, Suki's owners came home early, so she was with us only five days.

Suki chose to pee in the basement in the same area Molly did. I don't know if it was the smell (though the spot had been thoroughly cleaned), the fallout from being without her 'pack' and moved between homes, her brain tumor, the meds she must take, or all of the above. I couldn't shame her, but that also ended her access. It was funny, because she has never wanted to go downstairs into the basement before and she was all over it when she first arrived. When I allowed her down, I realized something was up and went down to check. Of course, that's when I caught her in the act!

Now, being down to one dog, I can say the dog sitting wasn't as difficult as I anticipated, but reality says it wasn't a cake walk either. The puppy had to be monitored constantly. What was in her mouth? (Like a toddler, everything was ingested.) What was she up to, was she bothering Lucy, where was she? And with Suki, because of her slowing down, it was easier to take the dogs on separate walks, so I'd walk one then the other twice a day. It wasn't bothersome, but it was time consuming. Lucy walks way too quickly for Suki, and Suki is way too slow for Lucy. It was easier to let Suki amble and sniff on her own.

Luckily the carpets were cleaned yesterday, so the house is sparkling. It feels good to just be one-dogged!

It's been a month!

Lots has been going on, yet it's still part of the same-old, same-old. Our weather has changed and the ski areas finally closed on Cinco de Mayo. Unbelievable! Much of my free time has been prepping the gardens for the change of season, planting annuals and perennials, babying vegetable starts, weeding, edging, slug patrol. Lucy loves this time of year. She patiently sleeps her way around the yard finding the sunniest or shadiest spot depending on her needs.

We baby sat an Aussie puppy recently and will be doing so again. I promise pictures of Molly and Lucy together. So cute! Many people asked if Molly was Lucy's baby—their coloring is so similar. The puppy is not quite house-trained, but close, but oh the energy! I think we did a pretty good job of tiring her out, but she'd always rise to the occasion. Lucy was quite sweet to her and although she did instigate some play with the puppy, she didn't actually play with her. It was more tolerant engagement.

The puppy arrives for a long weekend mid-May and then the first two weeks of June, we have Suki. After that stint I think I'm putting a ban on dog-sitting. Lots of dogs come here, Lucy goes with us. It's not that I need the reciprocity, but the dogs that arrive require a lot of attention or care and I'm the caregiver. Suki is older and cannot walk very far and now is on meds for her brain tumor and is incontinent. That, my friends, is a lot of work.

Minty Fresh Breath

Here she is after a first inaugural brush. Yum! Love that poultry flavor!

Lucy had her teeth cleaned and she now has wonderfully normal breath. It wasn't bad before, but it was starting to get a little gamey. They also clipped her nails while she was under. I'd been given a gift certificate to a local grooming shop and the owner must have been a bit brutal when she clipped Lucy's nails. Since then, Lucy has not been interested in me doing it. Lots of flinching and pulling away has required me to work the bribery trick: clip one, small treat, clip another, another treat.

The vet tech did a wonderfully gentle but persuasive guilt trip on me regarding tooth brushing. And at the cost, it didn't take a lot of convincing.

Her recovery from the anesthetic was tough on her. I don't know that she was paranoid, but it certainly came across as that. She couldn't lay down for more than a minute when she was up and pacing, whining. Ears up and alert, wide eyes, frantic movements, in and out of the dog door. After about four hours, she was more settled...particularly as we were both in the same room with her. Another reason to brush. If I can hold off a little longer on the cleaning, then she won't have to go through that again.

The vet also said she was getting a bit porky. I noticed that too and so did a friend. Prior to her back surgery, she'd become so skinny (47#) that I was concerned, so started feeding her a little more. Now she's up to 58#! The vet said 50#, but I think I'll back her down to 55# where she's been for all her adult years. Here's an interesting article on figuring out if your dog is too heavy. There's also a link within it to a forum discussion on treats.

Good Health

Lucy went in the other day for her annual and the report back is she is A-OK. Gotta like that! The vet recommended she went on joint supplements as a mature dog preventative. I need to check out costs and brands, but I guess it's no different than me taking Vitamin D for bone strength. She also mentioned Lucy has some knotted muscles along her back and should go in for massage or acupuncture. I've called a couple of doggie massage therapists and have not heard back. Humph.

Great Day for a Walk and Moles

I walked Lucy along the Green River Trail today. I had an early morning meeting and was unable to take her on a morning ramble. Using the excuse of exemplary weather this afternoon, I played hooky and took off. It is the same place where she landed in the brambles back in February.

I didn't let her off her leash, but she didn't even look in that direction. Did she remember the bad experience or was there nothing good happening? I'll never know and she'll never tell. Being that she's going deaf in the ear facing that direction, it could also be that she isn't hearing anything either.

We did see one neat thing though. We saw a mole hill being made. Now that caught her attention! A mound of earth was burbling and erupting from the ground. She pounced on either side of it and immediately it went still. No dirt ascending. She stared, she sniffed, she backed off and returned, but the mole was no fool. I wish I'd gone a bit beyond it and kept watching to see how long before he began again.

By the end of the walk (warm enough to remove my jacket), Lucy's tongue was hanging long. And long she did...every time we came to a path down to the river, she'd start towards it. I kept her moving as it's an industrial river and the path was muddy and steep. I didn't want her getting dirty from the trail, the mucky water's edge or ingesting something disagreeable. After changing her latest dog food 10 days ago, her intestinal tract is just now getting back to normal. No need to disrupt it!

Seizures

Not much has been going on since our return. It's typical spring weather oscillating between sunny, almost warm days and windy, rainy, cold days. When the weather is nice, we (Lucy and I) go out to inspect the gardens so she can get a nice warm nap in the grass.

One of her dog buddies (the one in the foreground) who we do a lot of dog sitting with, just had a seizure. The owners said it was quite terrifying and those of you who have been through this with a pet will concur. Not only did she start shaking, but had bloody frothing from her mouth. They took her to the vet and she ended up being just fine, but they wanted to warn me in case it happened while we were caring for her. Chances are it may not happen again; I just wonder why it did in the first place. I guess that's something we'll never know.

Lucy in Death Valley

We saw all the weather we wanted (or didn't want) on this trip: rain, sleet, snow and sun, though we could have done with more of the latter. On the valley floor it was spectacular. Days were in the 70s and nights, 30s. Perfect! Because of the recent rains and season, the valley floor was a carpet of yellow from a particular flowering plant. Though there were some other blooming plants, this one was prolific.

Lucy didn't bike with us in the valley, though we did take her on some hikes. The rocks were too jagged for her feet and she limped frequently and though eager to go, seemed miserable once on route. The only riding we did with her was at Aquereberry Point on the high (6000+') west side of the park. She did nearly 4 miles and held up well. It was chilly at this elevation and that kept her spunky.

Most nights were in the 30s making for great sleeping—most of the time. Some nights, however, had I been awake enough to get up and put on socks, I would have actually slept. As it was on those nights, I was in that queasy state of not quite asleep or awake. Lucy, on the other hand, has her own comforter and loves it. If we stayed outside past what she considered her bedtime, she'd sit facing the van door until we'd let her in. Once inside, she'd just snuggle into her quilt.

Here she is in the snow off the road leaving the park (Death Valley Road). Tell me she doesn't look like a happy girl! We used her ramp for van egress and access. I felt the jumping out would be too hard for her million dollar back and I know it is jarring for her tender front right ankle.

Like our fall trip last year to Bend, OR when we noticed her hearing failing, it seems this trip completed it for her right ear. If she is sleeping on her left side, she hears nothing. The clank of her food bowl no longer rouses her and that makes us sad. For her, as long as we keep her engaged and let her know where we are, I think she'll be fine. DH is upset about her hearing, but I remind him it is a part of aging and Lucy is closing in on "senior citizen" status in human years. From what I've read, her human age equivalency is anywhere between mid-50s to mid 70s. Her sense of humor is still present as is her eagerness for adventure. We will just need to be more mindful of getting her attention to summon her and making sure she is comfortable and feels secure.

Hoping for sun & warmth

We're heading to Death Valley this weekend. The van is packed and waiting just prior to departure for fresh food and dog paraphenalia. We decided February was the time to go when we were in need of warm sun and Death Valley was not going to fry us.

Lucy knows something is up. On each trip to the van, she faithfully follows us suspicious that something is up and she'd better be included in it. She is...or will be.

We'll play our way down the coast and will take 395 into the north end of the valley. In last night's weather watch, we saw that the Sierra's will be seeing days of snow at the time we hit. Donner Pass anyone? We're bringing the warm comforter and another sleeping bag just in case. Lucy has her own down comforter to snuggle up in.