Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Lucky's 36-day lytes


NaKRatio
Normal Ranges:141-1564-5.627-40
7/29/08 (36-day):1444.929
7/21/08 (28-day):1534.534
7/14/08 (21-day):1494.533
7/7/08 (14-day):1504.434
Diagnosis:1356.023

So, I think he's finally due. Unfortunately our regular vet isn't in today, so I don't know for certain. He had been fasting when this bloodwork was drawn, too, so maybe that explains the low sodium but reasonably normal potassium.

The vet I talked to seemed surprised that we'd gone this long without re-injection. Apparently she doesn't let her Addison clients go more than the 28-day mark.

Not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, his labs showed he was well within normal ranges at 28 days, so it seems silly to inject him. I think we would have seen an over-correction on his next 14-day lytes. On the other hand, maybe that means his dosage needs to be reduced to bring him in line with the recommended schedule.

We're out of town again this weekend, so I'll be calling the doctor tomorrow to see if we should get him in before then.

In other news, he finally had the bloodwork drawn for the Georgie Project yesterday. Poor bug got stuck 5 times in order to get all the vials filled. Good thing they don't really remember that.

I also forgot to give him his pred when we got back from the vet. He was still in fine shape that evening around 5pm when he did get it. I expect this means we could probably reduce his dosage a bit, but I'm really not sure how since the smallest dose the pill comes in is what he's on, so we'd have to get into pill cutting. Hm.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Lucky's 28-day lytes


NaKRatio
Normal Ranges:141-1564-5.627-40
7/21/08 (28-day):1534.534
7/14/08 (21-day):1494.533
7/7/08 (14-day):1504.434
Diagnosis:1356.023

For some reason, I thought I wrote down the wrong number for the Sodium when the vet called. I thought the Sodium levels were supposed to go down as the Percorten "wears off" but this obviously went up. So I called back to confirm, and, yes, 153. So I'm a bit confused at the moment.

Either way, he's still looking good, so we're going to go another week. I'll be watching him carefully this week, just in case.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Well, he IS a water dog!

His first canoe trip


Swimming up north!


Woo! A STICK!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Lucky's 21-day lytes

Well, one week later and here we are.


NaKRatio
Normal Ranges:141-1564-5.627-40
7/14/08 (21-day):1494.533
7/7/08 (14-day):1504.434
Diagnosis:1356.023

I had this whole post written up before the vet called about how I was preemptively worried. We're going up north this weekend and are leaving Thursday and I was concerned about how that would work with his Percorten.

But even to my relatively new eye, these numbers look fantastic. If they'd been mid-range or had altered more than that, I might have had him get the injection before we went. But the vet sounded really happy with them.

I did still mention the trip and she said she didn't think it would be an issue at all with the electrolytes. That the prednisolone dose is what we'd want to watch if he started acting lethargic or not eating, that sort of thing. So I may just look up a vet in the area to keep on file. Because I'm like that.

He goes in on Monday morning for another electrolyte blood draw. But also this time for the Georgie Project (finally got the blood draw kit from them). Fortunately that part will be no-charge.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Lucky's 14-day lytes

According to the vet, they're looking pretty good.

NaKRatio
Normal Ranges:141-1564-5.627-40
7/7/08 (14-day):1504.434
Diagnosis:1356.023
So, we wait another week and do another blood draw. Hopefully it won't show too much of a difference. Most dogs need injections every 25 days. We're hoping to stretch that out a bit. If his 21-day lytes look good, we'll keep a close eye on him that week and hopefully stretch him to get his 28-day lytes before the next Percorten injection.

He's getting to be a bit needle-phobic now, though. I would imagine getting stuck every few weeks would do that to the best of them. Every time he sees the vet tech enter he knows bad things are gonna happen. :P I need to start carrying boiled chicken or liverwurst or something.

He ALSO has gained a few pounds. When he went in for his Percorten injection on the 23rd, he weighed 46lbs. Yesterday he weighed in at 47.5. That's the heaviest he's ever been! Someone's going on a diet.

Monday, July 7, 2008

14-day blood draw and haggling tonight

We go in tonight to have his blood drawn for his 14-day electrolyte level test. Then again next week Monday. And the Monday after that. This is to determine how often he needs the Percorten injection. Let's all cross fingers, paws, claws, toes, whatever that he's one of those lucky dogs who can go 25-28 days so we stretch the measly 4mL bottle out further.

I'm also going to talk to the vet about allowing us to order thru Drs. Foster and Smith or price matching them. I've never had to do this before, so let's hope they go for it. If they do, it will reduce our annual prednisolone cost nearly $22. It's not a lot, but some money is better than none. I can't imagine they wouldn't let us do that. I'm not as confident about them letting us order or price-match on the Percorten because of how they run things at the clinic with the other ADogs. If they did, though, it would reduce our estimated annual Percorten cost by $54.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

He threw up last night

At 3 or 4am, like all dogs and children do.

It seems he had good reason - a somewhat large chunk of re-hydrated chicken breast, apparently too big to pass or digest. When he came back to bed, he curled up by my chest - usually he hangs out by our feet - so I knew he needed some more comfort/snuggles.

But, even if he had a reason, that didn't mean I wasn't completely freaked out. I spent the rest of the..well, morning curled up around him, half-dozing and debating whether or not to stay home or take him to work with me.

His appetite was perfectly fine this morning and so was his energy level. So he's fine. I just worry.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Found Lucky a job to pay for his meds

Stress tester.


I was loading dishes in the dishwasher after dinner. Pushed the bottom rack in and walked away to collect the fifty-zillion glasses The Spouse likes to scatter around the house. I walk back to the kitchen and Lucky's got his two front paws on the door, stretching into the dish washer to lick the plate (apparently he approves of my paella recipe).

So I did what any good owner would do - set the glasses down and grabbed the camera. Snapped a couple photos. A third paw went up on the door, the other paw retaining tippy-toe contact (like "If I keep ONE paw on the ground it won't count."). This was too funny not to share, so I called The Spouse over. He walks over, snorts, suggests I swing around to the side and get down on his level to take the pics.

Paw 4 went up on the door. I snapped a couple more pics


and then whispered "Lucky!"

He jumped about a mile, hitting his head on the top rack. HA!