It is every dog lovers fear...

It is that deep pit in your stomach that is always there in the back of your mind.  It is the one thing as dog lovers that we can agree on and keeps us united.  It is a fear that grows slowly every day, each day at a time.  There is no shaking it or stopping it and one day it will happen.  Your dog will die.  Your best friend will leave you and you will be shaken to the core.  We know what it is like, because you will even bond with complete strangers that say they lost their dog and you will nod your head because you know the pain and anguish of their loss.  

We know the fear all too well, as we live with four dogs all the same age and all from the same litter and who have already lost their mother and father.  It is scary.  When Zappa pinched a nerve in his lower back, that half hour of waiting for my husband to return so we could take him to ER, was frightening.  Not knowing what was happening to him as he shook and shook and shook in my arms, I didn't know if this was it or not.  Thoughts circled in my head, if it was or wasn't.  I shook as well as that fear bubbled up, praying and praying for help.  I do believe that when one goes the rest will follow like dominoes.   And it will be just too much for our hearts to handle.  It brings a cold reality when one of them is hurt or sick, that this could be it.  Hubby, Mark and I tremor in that reality and the growing panic that we will never be ready for.

I should state that I'm referring to an earlier than predicted death, not so much one of old age, which I think we all ask for.  

Chance was sick today, only two weeks after Zappa was and vomited his breakfast three times after eating.  The panic meter started to rise:  the obnoxious heat and humidity we've had and the dogs still having some of their undercoat.  The fact couple with company yesterday, that would have set off Chance's panic button to an already hyper dog and couldn't deal with all the heat. I've spent all day trying to adjust that meter, but the terror is real.  The fear that there is something more wrong that what I see.  The fear that just like his dad,Brut, that Chance has come down with something and there are no warning signs, only to find out too late.  The fear of losing him sooner with not enough time for anything.  Why?  Because it happened to me.  Brut was gone at the young age of eight years old.  With no symptoms that anything was wrong and once diagnosis too late, he was gone.  Just like that.  Gone forever and ever.  Gripping reality for the fear that runs deep for his children.  

Hopefully Chance will be feeling better by tomorrow.  If not we are off to the vet.  And hopefully Zappa will be OK, as he took the last of his pain killers today, so now it will be a watch and wait game.  

And as far as Mark and I, we will continue to spend all the quality time we can with our dogs, no matter the fear that lies beneath.  

We will pray for all you that live this fear.   (((HUGS)))     

Zappa update

Zappa is doing much better since his er visit three days ago where he was treated for a pinched nerve in his lower back.

He's been resting and going for short walks.

I knew he was feeling better yesterday when the "Mouth" came back to join us.  He'd been so quiet those first days that I felt spoiled.  bol  It was good to have him back though.

We've had some great spring weather and Zappa's been taking advantage of it.  He has been staying outside all the time.

We have our fingers crossed that the nerve is becoming un-pinched with the rest he's had and that the anti-inflammatory pills will heal him up real soon.

A Zappa Scare

Had a scare with Zappa today.  After eating breakfast he started panting, pacing and shaking uncontrollably.  My first thought was bloat. Fatal bloat.  Zappa sat in between my legs and I tried to sooth him as well as I could while he trembled in my arms.   Something was definitely wrong.  My second thought was that hubby, Mark had left for work half an hour ago and with only one vehicle, I just kept praying that Zappa would make it through.    Mark turned home immediately after I called him and after talking to the emergency vet, we took Zappa to the emergency vet clinic.

Zappa had no problem getting in the car and all of his symptoms seem to vanish on the ride.  Great, I thought, now what?  Should we keep going?  Or turn around and wait until tomorrow to go to our regular vet?

Since we made an appointment with the ER vet, I decided it was still probably best for him to see Zappa.  Zappa's quick "recovery" gave me the impression that it was not a gastronomical issue, but something else.

Zappa was great through the exam and the doctor quickly came to the diagnosis of spinal nerve impingement or a pinched nerve in the lower part of the back.  The doc gave him a shot of Rimadyl and sent us off with some Carbuprofen.

Zappa settled down after we were home and rested for the most part outside.  I stayed with him on and off through the day doing my balancing act between the two packs of dogs.

When I fed Zappa his dinner I noticed some of the same minor symptoms of pain that started after he ate his breakfast.  They were subtle but I could tell.  I sat with him alone outside, until Dad came home and he settled down again.

So our next step is to talk to our vet and find out why he's in pain after he eats and what I can do about it.  And any other information pertaining to his pain.

And while he seems to be on the mend, Mark and I have fallen to pieces.  Even though I felt calm and centered when this all started, after we got home I felt like I could sleep for a week.  It is amazing all the life and death feelings that happen when your mind starts to whirl when your furbaby is feeling well and you sit helpless trying to console them.  I'm glad we didn't wait to go to the vet.  I feel confident we got the right diagnosis and help.  Thank you to the Doctor and the Vet Clinic.  My boy's going to be OK.

To the Best Mother in the World

Exactly one year and 4 months today, I lost the best mother in the world...our Silver Dollar.  She was everything I could want in a mother and then some.  Silver had a strong mothering instinct and was a nurturer from almost the beginning.  She taught me everything I know about being a good dog mom especially with her own puppies.

Thank you Silver for everything!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Dog Mommas out there and their kids!

Impossible Love

I really don't know how I would get through the day if it wasn't for hubby, Mark, the 24 Paws and our two kitties.

They are all my best friends and I couldn't ask for anyone better.  I love them more than life.  They are always there for me, always love me, and have helped me to love myself.  I couldn't be more honored or blessed to have them all in my life.  And I know I don't deserve such blessings, but God must have thought otherwise or I wouldn't be with them today.  Everything in my life has lead to this moment and everything I could have dreamed of is here.  If you would have told me 30 years ago that I could be happy, fall madly in love and have all the unconditional love possible, I would have never believed it.  Never in a million years.  Yet, here I am.  Yes, here I am.  Living, loving and tackling every sharp curve and obstacle in my way.  We are going to do it. I am going to do it with the help of my family and God.  We are going to do the impossible.  Because that's what we have...impossible love.

TGIF!

Oh, how I love my dogs!  Just as it seems my world is full of gloom and doom, they are right there trying to cheer me up and giving me another reason to carrying on. 

It's been a long week for us here at the 24 Paws of Love, so how about ending the week with some fuzzy puppy pictures! 

 Have a good weekend!

Blaze chewing on Daddy Mark's boot.  Nom! Nom!

Sweet Daddy Brut getting a break from the kids while napping on their blanket.

Zappa (l) and Blaze (r) playing with the boot.

One of Chance's brothers, working on the boot!

"T-bone" (l) and Blaze (r) with their own toys.

Momma dog Silver on the run trying to save her teats!

Our Experience with Hip Dysplasia

Thank you for the well wishes for Fiona.  She is on the mend and doing quite well.  She has been running around the yard like crazy this past weekend as the weather has finally warmed up a bit and Fiona has decided to take advantage of it.  I swear, if you saw her, you'd never know she has hip dysplasia.  There is nothing better she loves to do than run.  She would've been the ultimate sled dog.  Sigh.  At least we got a couple good years of her sledding with her mom, Silver.  They were a good pair together.  How I wish I had video of them two sledding together.  Long before the times of GoPro's and such.  Or even a picture of them would be great.  They were my slow and steady girls.  Such a nice comfortable ride.  Steady pace.  So much fun for a beginning musher like myself.  The good ol' days.

And even though Silver had hip dysplasia as well, it never gave her any pain or problems.  And she really didn't pull until her later years, when she ran with her son, Zappa.   Another slow and steady runner.  And they ran beautiful together, especially when Silver did start pulling and taking some of the weight.  Silver still ran pain free and wasn't bothered by her hips issues.

But Fiona was a different story.  I notice she was bothered by her hips around the time she was 2 years old.  A few times sledding with her mom, regular chase games and it became obvious she was uncomfortable.  I gave her just regular pain meds, until the pain got so bad, we took her in for x-rays at age 3 to confirm, she had hip dysplsia,  Fiona was immediately put on a glucosamine supplement called:  Dasuquin with MSM.  Within a day, there was dramatic improvement, she was moving and eating again.  Dasuquin was our miracle for Fiona.  Not only was it helping with the pain, it cushioned the joints in her hip bone.  She's been on it now for 7 years, with no signs of stopping.  We just recently had x-rays done again and you can actually see between the hip bone and the leg bone a layer of cushion that wasn't there before.

When Fiona over does it, like running around the yard or I take her for too long of a walk and she needs pain and inflammation relief, the prescribes Melaxicam and seems to take care of pain.  This is how she is able to run around the yard at free will, one of the most beautiful sights to see.  Even if Zappa won't play with her, she runs FREE.

We've had three different dogs with hip dysplasia, Alex, Silver and Fiona. It's difficult at times, but with medication and management your dog can run free too.

I don't know why I went down this memory lane, but if it reaches you, know that hip dysplasia isn't the end of the world.

I wouldn't trade my three dogs for nothing and if I had to do over, I would do the same.

Don't let your dog and you be defined.

My poor Fiona

Had a bit of a scare last night with Fiona.  Her hip dysplsia had her in acute pain.  I over walked her the night before, but she didn't show any signs of pain until yesterday afternoon.  I gave her some medicine for the inflammation.  It usually only takes  about 45 minutes to an hour to work, but this time the pain must have been so deep, it took almost 5 hours before Fiona could settled down.  She was in so much pain that she couldn't lay down for any length of time.  She kept trying to lay down, then would get up and pace, panting, then do it all over again.  I had put in a call to the vet, but there wasn't much more I could do for her, but pray and wait. It was almost 8pm before she was able to lay down for 15 minutes straight.

There is nothing worse than feeling so helpless when one of the dogs is suffering.  Never have I seen her in that much pain for that length of a time.  I tried to comfort her the best I could, but it just didn't seem enough.

Today we are taking it easy and not taking any walks.  Fiona is a 100% better than she was last night, back to her feisty self.  I will continue with the medicine for about 3 more days then see how she is and if she will need more.  My guess is she won't need any more than that which will be great.