WW-Momma's Boy

Update on Silver and calling all Cat Lovers

Just back from the vet and we are hoping we found the answers to all our questions.  

We had another confirmation from one of the vet techs who saw Silver when we first took her to have her tumor looked at and she too said it had condensed.

Awesome!

We were there for her bladder infection that hadn't gotten better only worse.  So we are trying another antibiotic and praying for good results.  Silver is so sore from straining to pee and we were given some extra pain pills to help relieve this.
After a urine sample and a blood sample, we were assured that the probability of a bladder tumor was unlikely.  Another concern we had when her infection didn't clear up right away.  Although it is more possible that we may have a resistant strain of bacteria and that is what we will find out trying this new antibiotic out.

She is still barely eating and has lost almost five pounds since the vet last saw her.  The vet thinks that this is due to the pain of her infection and the fact that I gave her two different Nsaids painkillers over the course of a week.  (one for about 5 days and another for two days)  It was the first time our vet got mad at me.  And I got a stern talking to.  Switching back and forth can screw up the lining of the stomach and there is suppose to be a five day waiting period before trying another one.  I didn't know that.  But it explains why Silver was eating even less the last couple of days.  Lesson learned.  So we were also given a stomach protector (like Pepto Bismol) to help heal Silver's tummy so she can eat again.

So hopefully Silver is on the mend.  And even though I may have cause a little more damage than good, it was an honest mistake and something Silver can recover from.

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement and prayers.  They mean the world to us!

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And for all of you cat owners, we are asking what kind of food you feed your cats.  We have been making some changes with the kitties food and would really like to have your input.  

Just go HERE link to 36 Claws of Attitude to read and share your answers and any thoughts you may have in the comments.  

We would really love to hear from you!

Thank you! 

Good News, Bad News

First the good news, Silver's cancerous tumor in her mammary gland hasn't grown from last month.  In fact, it contracted a bit in width.  So for all of you that are praying for Silver, prayers are being answered.

Now we need some more...

The bad news is that Silver is still hardly eating or drinking, though we did find out that she has a bladder infection and is being treated.  She has been eating about a meal a day, but today she didn't eat anything and vomited two hours after giving her her antibiotic.  So we'll have to go back to the vet to see about a different medication.

So while we have some great news on Silver's tumor, she is not feeling well at all.  We are hoping that when the UTI clears up, she will start eating again.  If we can find a medicine she doesn't throw up.

Biopsy Results for Silver

Silver has cancer.  An aggressive form that attacks the ducts of the mammary glands.

We are opting not to operate to remove tumor as there are too many risks, the cancer is in a tough spot to get, and more than likely would come back even more aggressive.

For now Silver is doing well.  You wouldn't know she is sick at all.

She is still wearing a cone because of her stitches from the biopsy and will have to wear it until she has them out a week from now.

Please pray for us.

Thank you.

Silver's doing better today.

Silver is doing better today.  Her mood has picked up and is a little more perky.  She was so miserable yesterday.  I think she is starting to get used to the cone and her frustration level is coming down.  Silver is so much like me, she doesn't want anybodies help, she has to figure it out for herself.  And she is doing just that.

She was excited at dinner time, jumping around and barking with the rest of the 24 Paws and even though she hesitated for a minute whether to eat or not, she did eat all her food.

That girl has such a strong will, stronger than Brut ever had.  If she doesn't want to do something she's not going to do it.  I forgot how bull headed she can be, now I remember where her kids got their stubbornness from.

Just witnessing the after effects of Silver's recovery from the biopsy, has made both Mark and I think twice about having the tumor removed, regardless if it is cancerous or not.  Since the tumor is so large, almost running half the length of her body, we are talking about a serious incision and a extensive surgery to remove it.  Our vet already told us that they can not get a 'clean' scrape because the tumor runs down to her pelvic bone.   Which means if it is cancerous and they can't get it all, it will probably come back more aggressively. Her recovery if she survives the surgery at 13 years old, will be lengthy and slow and miserable.  That's when I have to think about quality of life.  I don't know that I could do that to her just for a little extra time and my selfish needs of not wanting to lose her.  I don't think I can do that to her...

Silver is the dog that we've had the longest out of all the dogs Mark and I have had together.  We got her at 7 weeks old and she just turned 13 this past summer.
I wish dogs could live forever!
 
Thanks for listening.  

Helluva Day So Far!

It all started Sunday night.

First there was no evening snack.

Then there were no bedtime treats

Then no breakfast...

Then next thing I know...

A trip to the V-E-T!

Where I was drugged, poked and prodded.

Finally they came to get me,

SAFE!

That is until the cone, the shirt and the leash came out.

All at once.

13 years old and a cone virgin.

Will this ever end?

Silver had her biopsy for her mammary gland tumor.

We should know the results by the end of this week.

Power of the Paw!

A little POTP for Silver

What was originally thought to be a cyst in Silver's mammary gland has turned out to be a tumor. In two months time it double or almost tripled in size.  It goes from her rib cage down to her pelvis region.

We will be scheduling her for a biopsy soon then weighing our options.

We will keep you up to date.

Please send some Power of the Paw for Silver.

Thank you!

What does Brut think about his kids?

I wonder what Brut thinks of his kids?  I wonder what thoughts run through his mind when he sees and interacts with them.

Does he see any of his qualities or traits?

Does he see the possibilities in each of them?

And what he needs them to be as part of pack?

He shows both affection and discipline that he is not afraid to use.  Sometimes it is harsh and other times it is with just a look of his eyes.

I have watched both Brut and Silver shape and mold Fiona and Zappa as they have evolved and grown over the years, yet I can't tell you one thought that crosses their mind between their blood relationships.

I can examine their body language and actions but this only tells me of their behaviors.  What does Brut think of his personal relationships with his son and daughter?  I don't think it's any less than what any parent thinks of their child, I just think it is different.  It can't be based on a human scale.  It is something that that only a dog would know and understand.

But wouldn't it be so cool to understand it?  And to really cross that barrier and grasp that line of thinking?

Like what Silver was thinking as she watched her eight puppies leave out of her care and never come back   again.  There had to be some powerful communication to each of them, that we'll never know.

Or what she thinks about Chance and Blaze coming back?  Does she still know they are her children and what does she think about them and her relationship to them?

I do believe they all know they are related, but it is at a higher level of communication.  I also believe there is a great understanding in the separation and they all know that things have changed.

Always just curious to get inside the mind of a dog.