My Ramp and Trolley are Complete

Yesterday my dad finished my ramp and trolley and I love him even more than I thought I did before.
I'll be posting a few pictures that I think will tell the story with out my having to.
Mom is just uploading them and they should be available later this afternoon.
You'll notice in a couple of the pictures. Its not me in the Trolley but actually King and Princess MollyDawg. Can you believe it?? The minute my back is turned they hop right in and tried to claim it. Well I guess it's okay after all we always share everything around here. Besides I was busy getting a drink of water. Oh, and isn't it neat that the Trolley can come right into the house?
Yea cool eh?
Mom and dad say I can use it as a day bed when I dont need to ride around in it. It's helping me get used to it. I've been rolled around the house a couple of times and I even went down the ramp already! I KNOW WOW EH!
Mom didnt take a picture thought because both her and dad had their hands on teh trolley and sort of getting ready to guide me back if I should get spooked and try to bolt out of it. Phhhhffft ! AS IF! There is no way Im going anywhere by right down on my comfy cozy foamy and uilt when I'm in there. I love it. Mom will get some pictures soon she says. :-)

Im so happy

I had to remove this SLIDESHOW It wasn't working properly. I'll fix it later but for now you will have to click on this link to go see it. Im sorry about that!

How Am I doing?

Before I begin this post I need to say a resounding Thank you to two of the strongest women Ive ever had the pleasure to speak with. I admire them both,and I hold the deepest respect for them. Carol Hines from S.A.I.N.T.S. and Yvette Labatte from Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue. You have given me strength to cope with this and I plan to FIGHT!
Thank you!

I was feeling at a loss and wondering how I would ever manage to carry on with the results of my last tests.
Bone cancer and arthritis. What a combination!
Apparently it will be over by Christmas time. Or so my Dr. thinks.
My plan is to prove them wrong.
I plan to be here to see the new Spring come in. I can beat this.
Mom and dad have started me on Tramadol combined with Deramax. Twice a day, once in the morning once at night. I'm sleeping way better.
I'm very hungry by morning and can't wait for my dinner. Mom has altered my diet to oinclude more veggies, more protien and vitamins. I'm getting an increase in fish and Omega 3. Vitamin A, D and E. Carrots, Sweet potatoes, Beatroot and way more broccoli.
I'm getting even more fresh lean meat and my kibble is being cut back to reduce carbohydrates. So those are my recent changes in my mental state and my diet.

How's it working?
I'm very sore first thing in the morning. Still able to pull myself up with the help of mom or dad lifting the corner of my mat to give me a boost. I walk to the door where mom or dad carry me down the 3 steps to the lawn for my morning business. I'm a bit wobbly but still able to support myself. I still like to walk over to the Mountain Ash tree with King and munch of a few of the fallen berries. I can't usually make it back to the house so dad comes to carry me back. I can walk from the doorway to the livingroom and onto my mat of choice. Whew! that's a big event in the morning. Mom makes my breakfast and I eat it very eagerly. Mmm I still have one healthy appetite. Sometimes mom or dad brings me my breakfast or dinners instead of me walking back into the kitchen to eat it. I'm a bit wobbly on the kitchen floor so I wait on my mat for it. They bring me my water as well, which I still drink by the gallons.

I sleep all day while mom and dad are at work and King and Mollydawg don't bother me at all. When dad come homes for lunch they run outside toplay and I wiggle and moan and groan with happiness to see him. He carries me outside for a pee and I like to show him how happy I am to see him. I wiggle and bark and do little jumps of joy. When Im done after about 10 minutes, dad carries me ack into the house and I sleep for the rest of the afternoon until mom comes home and we do the same thing over again.

Yes I'm in pain but it's not unbearable as yet. I can handle it and I will continue to. I am still a happy girl who loves my family and I know they love me. We are fighting this and will not give up!

There are new videos on my youtube so you can see how Im doing. Please feel free to go have a look.

Im Okay!

http://www.youtube.com/user/duchessbelongs

What Do We Do Now?

October 23 2012 My semi annual vet appointment. I was scheduled to have my bloodwork done, and an x-ray to look at the arthritis in my front leg. Mom asked if they woudl please schedule an x-ray for my shoulder as well. She has been watching a lump grow and thinks the arthritis has spread up to my shoulder. I've been very sore but can easliy endure it with the NSAID's (Deramax). Im taking 75 mg a day, half at breakfast, half at dinner. My wieght, according to the good doc, is at a stable and acceptable 36.2 kg For the most part I thought I was doing okay. The x-rays showed otherwise. The large lump on my shoulder turns out to be a cancerous tumor. Im devastated! How can that be? I was just fine 6 months ago! I can beat arthritis. It won't get the better of me. My mom and dad can easily support me through a life of stiffness and arthritic pain. I get good quality food. High in protein, subsidized by extra nutrients, minerals and vitamins. Omega 3 oils, Glucosamine Chondroitin, veg and meaty bones. This is unbelievable to me. Not only is there a tumor on my shoulder . . . my lungs show cancerous spots on them as well. It's so hard to write about this. I have been told I may not see Christmas this year. Will it really happen so fast?? I know my mom and my dad will continue to give me as much of their support as they can. I know they are doing whatever they can to make me as comfortable as I can be. For now, Im in pain when I lay in the wrong position. I am in pain when I try to move to quickly. I can still play with my ball and I still love my breakfast and my dinner time. Im drinking well and still have regular bowel and bladder control. How long will this last? Today my mom will write a letter to ask for any information she can get from a well respected Animal Seniors advocate. I will write again when I know more or when something changes. October 12 mom and dad and King and Princess Mollydawg and I all went camping at Rogers Creek. It's about an hour away from home, Southwest of Lillooet. I am so happy I was healthy enough to enjoy it. Here are some photos and videos of the weekend.
Limpin But Happy

Time To Lay Down Big Girl

My Bloodwork came back

Yesterday was a good day for me. Dr. Richards from Cache Creek Animal Hospital called to talk to mom about how good Im doing! Yep, the NSAID Im taking has shown no affect on my liver or kidneys. YaHOOOoo I can take them for as long as things stay the same. They really help me feel better.

I've also lost another 2 kg so my weight is slowly getting down to perfect for me as well. I'm now at 38 kg. (83.7 lbs)I still need to lose a couple more and I know I can do it!

Carrots and cauli and broccoli oh my!

Now its just my weight

I think I have my pain management under control now. Yes I still have some very SORE days. I haven't quite figured out what makes those days. It might be a change in weather, as some people say. My new meds are working!
It might be the day after a bout of good days where I felt less pain and so engaged in fun filled days of frolicking and playing with my toys.
Or perhaps it's after a night when I've slept in a particularly complex position. Who knows?
At any rate, I seem to be having more, less painful days now. It's a good thing for a couple of reasons. One I'm sure I needn't mention. The obvious meds taking affect. I now get them in the morning instead of bedtime. Two, I can use the 'good' days to get my much needed exercise accomplished.
Doc says if I cant get my weight to a more manageable number Im going to continue to have health issues for the rest of my life. I know that's true. It's just that I feel like I'm caught in a vicious circle. I can't seem to get my wieght down if I can't get the exercise I need.
So Im committed to using as much of the "GOOD" days as exercise days. My mom and dad are committed to keeping me on a STRICT healthy foods, non cookie diet. Oh my! Tha's the hard part.
My new cookie treats are cut up bits of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Mmmm they really are good and mom says I can have as many of them during the day as I want! In the words of a very famous lady.... "How cool is that!"
Mom keeps a big plastic bin in the fridge full of them and I can ask for them at any time. I do too! I love to moan and whine and wallow by the fridge untill I get some. HEY! Whatever works! Mom says she'll put some pics up on my site soon, so you can see how Im looking.

Oh btw King got a brand new snow suit this year and we have some pictures on his youtube of us playing. so you can go have a look at that if you want to. www.youtube.com/user/kingsurvives2008 and mine will be added soon at www.youtube.com/user/duchessbelongs

A change in meds

It's been over a week since I had my last Cartrophen injection. There is no noticible change. If anything my limp has become more pronounced. Mom and dad suspect there is little chance of future injections doing anything to ease my pain. I'ld say they're right. A phone call to the vet yesterday revealed their suspicions were true. The damage to my elbow is beyond what can be halted at this point. Dr. Shawna is sending us some new meds which I will start as soon as they arrive. In the meantime I've been told I need to do a little more moving around. Mom has been controling the amount of movement I get in hopes of easing my pain. Doc says I need to keep it mobile. So when the meds arrive there will be a routine movement regiment included. Oh dear oh dear. I wish I could just stay laying on my soft, warm bed all day. Mom doesnt want to - but - the doc thinks our only avenue at this point is to go with pain management on NSAID
Pics and updates to follow. Duchess Sammy's PhotoBucket

The End of 2011

Thank doGness 2011 has ended. I definitly had my ups and downs this year.

I've just spent my first Christmas with my forever family. King & P. MollyDawg sure know what to do on Christmas morning. I wasn't feeling top of the world that morning so I preferred to lay on my mat and take it all in. Mommy tried to coax me with the smell of presents from Nan in England wrapped in delicious smelling paper. I even wasn't really interested in smelling food.

Yes, Im feeling a bit of pain in my legs these days. Our weather this year has been incredibly damp. I'm told that Lillooet normally has a dry climate. Wouldn't you know it, this year it decides to be wet. Mom and dad ordered me a really nice warm coat to wear but because my legs are sore its dificult to move in it. Now they've bought me a special harness that allows them to hold me as I walk on my difficult days. I'll send pics when mom gets them developed. (I think that's what she does?)

I also now have a YouTube account to post video's of my progress. Wish me well. www.youtube.com/user/DuchessBelongs

My leg pain started in about the middle of Dec. I was playing in the yard. I wasn't doing alot of romping around, just enjoying my new squeaky toy while King & P. MollyDawg went mad roaring around the property.
After dinner I didn't feel much like staying outdoors for any length of time so I sauntered over to relax before bed. I was a bit sore and mom noticed I was favouring one of my legs. I know she thought it was my right hind leg but she was wrong. By morning my limping was more pronounced and it was easy for mom to see it was my right arm that was so painful.
After much fussing and testing my legs by gently pulling and twisting them around mom finally figured out just exactly what area was the most painful. All she had to do was ask me. I could have told her precisely where the pain was. My elbow was way to painful for her to bend it so I stiffened it up and refused to let her move it. I heard her say, "Aahhh daddy it's here in her elbow." Lets call the doctor and get it x-rayed"

So off we went. To shorten an other wise incredibly lengthy story. I am now recieving weekly Cartrophen Vet injections. I've had 4 so far. I do not notice a difference. Mommy and daddy say at the end of this week they will cal Dr. Richards back and see if we have any other options available. I do not feel well. I am not able to play with my squeaky or my ball now. It hurst to badly. I'm going to lay down on my comfy quilt now. I'll write again soon.