Food for thought

 She didn't say it outright, but hinted at the notion he was going to suffer and we didn't want that, did we?  The vet had just completed the ultrasound of Zappa's abdomen and the results were not good.  Even though we suspected something was wrong and having been through liver tumors with the other three dogs, we were somewhat prepared.  What we did not expect was a vet hinting at the fact it might be better to put Zappa down and expecting us to make a decision right there and then.  The tumor was large, 11cm x 9cm, and the outcome wasn't good if it ruptured and this was where she was "concerned."  She was afraid Zappa would die a suffering death. 

OK, I get that.  I didn't want Zappa to have a slow and painful death anymore than she did.  But, the tumor had been there all along, long before she discovered it and it wasn't just going to burst the minute we walked out the door.  Obviously Zappa had been living with it for some time and so far, so good.  

I also get that he could go at any time.  Zappa could fall or bump into something or twist the wrong way bursting the tumor and he could die.  But, I don't think that warranted an immediate death certificate to "save" him from this suffering.  

I found myself flabbergasted after she finally let us go home to think about it.  When we left the office, the first thing my husband said to me was, "Doesn't Zappa get a say?"

If he was suffering, right there and then, we would put him down, but he wasn't.  Zappa was living life with no clue to his body.  Which makes me wonder how many of these diagnoses this vet has given and encouraged them in so many words to euthanize their dog immediately?

I couldn't even fathom the thought, much less act upon it.  

That was two months ago and I'm still blown away by her suggestion.  If I would have followed through with it, I would have lost some of the best times I've ever had with Zappa.  And I mean the BEST!  Zappa and I have really begun to communicate.  Knowing more and more what the other is thinking.  It has really been so cool!  He actually comes to me when he wants something.  It has been an incredible experience that I had no clue would happen.  Didn't seem possible and now, we are having the best time of our lives.  

How much I would have lost out on if we had listened to the vet? 

How much would have Zappa lost out on?

How much have others?  

 

Zappa update

My two favorite boys doing what they love.

 We found out last week that Zappa's liver and spleen have tumors.  There is one large one on his liver that is the size of a grapefruit and the others are smaller, like grape-size.  

We don't know how much time we have left with him.  He could go at any time.  In spite of the cancer, Zappa is in good spirits, as mouthy as ever and still has a fair amount of energy.  

Zappa is Mark's dog.  He did the whole birthing thing with Zappa, up to cutting the cord.  This is the most time they have had together since losing the other dogs.  Mark is already having a rough time with the thought of losing Zappa.  Please keep both in your prayers.  

We are continuing to spoil Zappa rotten and take in every minute we have left with him.

Hug your pets tonight. ♥ Time flies so quickly.

Love, Patty, Mark and Zappa

Zappa hanging out with the 24 Paws of Love family.

Chance, our walking miracle

Chance is our walking miracle.  This journey with him through his liver cancer and hip dysplasia is one I will never forget.  

In September 2020, Chance was diagnosed with a fist-size tumor on his liver.  Which means it had been there for a while before being discovered.  By my guesstiment, I'd say it has been almost year since the tumor started.  

I woke up today with Mark whispering Chance's name and for me to come quick.  Chance's back legs had collapsed and he couldn't stand up on his own.  Luckily we had a lift harness that we had bought for Blaze, that we were able to get underneath and around him.  

He had a very hard time walking, but with our assistance, we did get him outside to take care of business.  Chance was exhausted and couldn't stand on his own, so he was laying there in the grass and my first thought was, "This is it."  And my second thought was we haven't dug the grave yet.  My mind was whirling with having to go to the vet, the grave, and that we were here, at the end of the road.  I thought that because I didn't know if the weakness in his legs was generated by his hip dysplasia or his liver finally giving out.  And the whole thing triggered off Blaze and when she died.

  

At the time of our little emergency, I wasn't thinking about how Chance would handle the lift harness, because for the last 10 years he still cringes when I put on his walking harness.  Under the circumstances, he was OK with it, and by the end of the day, he didn't seemed bothered by it at all.  Which is good because he is stuck with it.

As the day wore on, Chance was feeling better, walking by himself and getting up on his own.  Even by bedtime, he was still moving just fine on his own.  I finally felt relieved and like I could breathe again when we said our prayers tonight.  The scare was over for now.  Chance had made it through the day.  

We made the choice to ride out Chance's life to the end.  Whatever that means and how ever it comes.  I have grappled with this decision since Blaze died, until today.  Today made the turnaround for me when it comes to ending his life.  We'd never let him suffer and he is not suffering.  There is a whole lot of dog left in him.  And for that I am grateful.  So very, very grateful.  He is not ready to die and I am respecting his wishes.  Blaze was a hard loss.  Out of the blue she went downhill fast and we were nowhere ready for it, but we learned so much from our little girl.  Knowledge that will save Chance's life for as long as he is here.

Chance's health report

 Chance got an excellent report from the vet yesterday!  I'm still beaming!  We took him for a heartworm test and an overall assessment.  He did so good, I still can't believe it!

My-must-wear-a-muzzle-dog-because-he-hates-to-be-touched, got a blood draw for the heartworm test, as well as a blood count.  He was checked over.  Heart and lungs good.  Weight is steady.  All good signs.  He's been having a reoccurring nose bleed after a fall a couple of weeks ago.  It happened to be bleeding during the exam, and when our vet checked him over, she concurred that it was just a broken blood vessel in his snout that may come and go intermittently.  Then he had his nails trimmed, something he's NEVER had done before EVER and was she said he just stood the while they did it and was excellent for the procedure. The vet even took off his muzzle!  WOW!!  So cool!

And I was a nervous wreck about taking Chance to the vet.  I didn't think it was a good idea and was completely against it.  I didn't want to put Chance through the anxiety and pain, especially with a muzzle.  But now I'm glad we did because not only did Chance pass with flying colors, it show he's in better health than we thought he was or could be at this point in time.  Something must be working!  Now we just need to get more weight on him.  Chance is allowed to eat anything he wants (as long as it is safe for dogs) and as much as he wants. 

I would have never guessed we would be this far into Chance's cancer with him doing and basically feeling so well.  I have been blown away how physically well he is and believe me, every night we thank God he is still here!

Have a fantastic weekend! 

How is Chance doing?

And the boy likes his space.  I'm surprised Chance lasted this long and this close to Mark, so I could get a pic.  lol  He jumped off after I snapped!
 

Chance is doing pretty good, considering he has liver cancer.  He seems to be in some sort of remission as he isn't getting better or worse.  He hasn't lost any more weight.  He's thin but looks like he gained some muscle.   We started walking him every day, as opposed to every other day like we were, to help with his high anxiety.  He's been eating his meals in full and all necessary business is good.  

We started giving Chance CoQ10 a few months back.  I had read that it may help in shrinking the tumor and was also good for his mental and emotional state.  Maybe it's working.  He is quite alert and responsive.  Definitely can't hurt him and maybe it is why he's in remission.  Who knows!?

Chance has always been like a race horse coming out of the gate when we used to go for walks.  And was still pulling me along up until about three weeks ago.  I used to have to speed up to stay behind him and now I have to slow down to walk beside him.  I don't think he likes me sharing the lead with him, he is used to being the lead dog.  So sometimes he turns his head towards me telling me to get back.  

For those who may be curious what we are feeding Chance, really, anything he will eat.  For meals, he finally settled on cooked chicken and his prescription canned food, because he won't eat the dry anymore.  My Mr. Veggie lover, will hardly eat vegetables any more.  He used to love almost all veggies.  I don't know what cancer is doing to him, but he will hardly eat them any more.  The good news is that he will eat almost anything else, so we haven't hit that stage of not eating yet. 

Chance does have some bad times, in the morning and in the mid-evenings.  He isn't a morning dog and can look pretty beaten down.  Like he's lost all hope.  He mostly sleeps through the morning.  In the evening he tends to be very unsettled, has a hard time lying down and paces quite a bit.  Like he can't get comfortable.  I don't know if it is the tumor or his arthritis in his hips and back, or if he has anxiety about something I don't know.  It really tends to ramp up after dinner, and may or may not settle down by bedtime.

When we had the ultrasound done in September 2020, and discovered the cancer/tumor, Chance was doing really good at that time.  Our vet said that he might live for 6 months to a year.  March 24 will be 6 months since she made that prediction.  So far, so good.  We are just grateful for every day with him.  

And then there is Blaze

On January 29, 2021, a Friday, we took Blaze to the vet.  She had fluid in her abdomen that had gone down and I was hoping to get an x-ray, looking for tumors. I had suspicions when  I noticed Blaze had begun mimicking Chance's behavior.  I don't know how to explain it, but they were like carbon copies of each other.  Unfortunately I was right.  A HUGE mass in her abdomen, coming from the liver, that is pushing her intestines forward. 

Our second dog to currently have cancer, next to Chance.  

Blaze at the moment is doing pretty good under her conditions.  She's doing all the normal doggy things: eating, drinking, walking, sleeping...so for that we are grateful. 

Any prayers or well wishes would be greatly appreciated.  

Love, Mark, Patty and the 24 Paws of Love 

Chance is stable

 So far, so good with Chance.  Stable is the best word for his condition right now and we will take it.  He's lost weight over the last couple of weeks, but that seems to have balanced out at this point.  We made some changes to his diet and he is now eating all his breakfast. It is a nice sweet spot to be in and we are all getting a little respite out of it.  Just enough to take a few breaths and savor the moments.  A little God-given peace to enjoy that extra time with our special boy.  

Chance thanks you for thinking of us.

Little bit of good, little bit of not-so-good

This past week, Chance has taken a slight but significant turn for the worse.  The biggest issue has been his rapid weight loss.  His backbone and ribs are just starting to show and there is muscle loss.  We've added more protein to his diet per our vet's instructions, but Chance is still struggling a bit to eat in the morning.  He has no problem eating at night, so that is good.  He still barks for his meals and is in generally good spirits, another positive.  

Hubby, Mark is having a very difficult time witnessing Chance like this.  Well, we both are, but Mark is taking it the hardest right now.  It has been hard on him being a working dad and being away from the dogs.  He has missed out on so much time with them that he can't get back.  It breaks my heart.  

One shining light on Chance is Blaze.  She goes outside with Chance every. single. time. he goes out.  Struggling on her arthritic back legs, getting up and down, she makes sure Chance doesn't go out alone.  And even if she comes in before him, she has done her job.  Blazes loyalty shines a beacon of love in these sometimes dark times.

And while we have to take it easy on how far Chance and I walk, he is still one powerful, strong-willed dog, who can still pull me along if he wants.  Our walks are pretty brisk.  Chance is still the fastest of all the dogs, even with cancer.  

We have our good days and our bad, but overall Chance is still kicking ass and that's a good thing.  ♥    

Chance the Wonder Dog

I am so proud of this dog we call Chance.  He is beating all the odds of an inoperable tumor and doing with gusto!  Every time we walk together he shows me more and more of what his body can do with care and love.  September 4th of this year, he was diagnosed with liver cancer and there is nothing that can be about it.  

I can not tell you what this dog means to Mark and I.  All the dogs are special, but there is just something extra special about Chance and we have known it for a  long time.  Chance is both of our heart dog.  Yes, he is our heart dog for us.  I actually just figured that out as I wrote it.  Oh my, it explains everything that we thought we were just feeling...it is real.  I'm so stunned right now.  Makes so much sense.  

God, we are so blessed.

Anyways, let's back up to this past Thanksgiving...and when we took each dog for a walk.  Here's Chance's walk with Daddy singing...our wonder dog! 

(Or watch on YouTube here)...

Does this look like a dog with liver cancer?

Chance's nervous tongue

Brut was not a licker with a couple of exceptions, if I was laying on the ground, he would lick my face all over.  This happened most of the time in the wintertime.  The second exception was when Mark would get home from work, Brut would lick his hands.  It became a ritual with them two.  

We didn't know it at the time, but before Brut was diagnosed with a tumor on the spleen, his licking ritual increased noticeably.  Especially with Mark.  Brut was licking Mark's hands, arms and face almost raw.  Non-stop.  We had no idea that anything was going on internally and guessed at the many reasons he was doing this.  

Chance is a licker.  He is one to lick your hands and face when given the chance.  He has always indulged in kisses.  Now since his liver cancer, we've noticed the same intense licking on hands, arms, legs and face.  Almost every time we put our hand out to pet him, Chance stops it in mid-air and starts licking it.  He is licking Mark's hands and arms almost raw every night.  And it is getting worse with each day.  

Chance knows something isn't right with his body even if he can't put words or definition to it.  Brut did the same thing.  I think it is comforting for Chance and is a way of releasing his anxiety.  I also think he is preparing us and comforting us over what is going to happen.  And I think as the cancer grows, the licking will too.  

Has anyone noticed this with their ailing dog?  

   

Chance's tumor sighting (11-8-2020)

The day started with Chance in pain after getting off the bed.  I was scared.  Never saw him like that first thing in the morning.  He went back in the house and got back on the bed.  I sat on the couch and fell asleep with him.  

Then Mark got up and Chance was fine.  So we went on with our day.  

We were outside more than a few times today because it was so nice.  72°

I debated if it was too hot to walk the dogs.  The clouds finally showed up taking care of the sun and I decided to give it a go at about 3:30pm.

Chance and I had a brisk walk, even steady pace and a feeling of freedom.  Between a rainy October and mild injuries we hadn't walked in what felt like forever.  Having to miss out on all of this gorgeous weather we have been having... which really sucked!

We took a little bit longer walk than I had planned, but it felt so good to be moving and I was following Chance's lead and how far he planned to go.  Around the football field and down the paved path we scurried.  Oh, the blessed freedom.  I didn't ever want it to end.  

So Mark is on the roof, finishing up and when I get back with Blaze, Chance is ready to come outside.  So I take my break with him.  After all the kisses, he lays down on his side, in front of me  and I notice he is wider at his abdomen.  It is bulky and very out of shape.  My first thought is that he is having fluid retention again.  I'm trying to figure out how it got so big again and how I missed it.  If anything he's been too thin in that area IMO.  Then Chance rolls up and is now laying on his belly.  The bulge is still there.  It's got to be fluids.  Then he gets up and the bulge goes away.  He just snapped back in shape, just like that.  It takes some more going back and forth in my mind, when I come to the conclusion it was his tumor I was seeing.  I'm stunned.  Scared.  Shocked.  In all the times I've seen him lay down, this was the first I was seeing it.  It's growing.  It's the inevitable.  Wish there was something I could do.  Anything to make him all better.

Chance is still acting very healthy and happy, well as happy as a moody dog like him can be.  lol  Just "seeing" the tumor was a harsh dose of reality.  It messed me up for a while.  We are making the most of our time together, however long we may have, with lots of pics and video.  It's all we can do for our heart dog.  

Chance's ultrasound results

 Well, we took Chance in to get his ultrasound.  He really fought going back to the vet for a third time in three weeks and having to wear his muzzle.  Somehow the vet was double booked for appointments and so we ended up dropping him off for part of the day.  Which was one of my worst fears for Chance.

So, we worried for the next four hours until we got the call to pick him up.  The vet called us in and showed us the images she took from the ultrasound.  It was obvious that there was a mass on the liver and the liver itself was made up of cancerous tissue.  It was the hard truth we needed to know.  

While she was explaining the pictures, I kept hearing a dog whining.  I looked up and there was Chance looking at us, crying to go home.  I felt really comforted that I got to see him in the kennel and that he was OK.  It gave me some peace of mind about how his day went.  

Chance is on two medications- one for the fluid in the abdomen to continue to drain out and one for his liver to continue to function.  And if you saw him without telling you he has liver cancer, you would never know he has it.  Chance is still the dog with the most energy, still pulls me along on a walk and is as happy and moody as ever.  

So, we are just living one day at a time with all the dogs and making the most of each day with them.  Pulling out the camera more, trying to hold on to time.