Lucky Water Dogs

In which the Nursery becomes interesting

2010-09-21T08:53:00.000-05:00

About a month ago we got our crib. We put it up - the dogs sniffed it and walked away.

A couple weeks ago we got the bedding and a closet solution. We installed the closet, put the bedding on the crib, wound up the mobile - the dogs sniffed it and walked away.

We bought some clothes and books. The dogs sniffed them and walked away.

We started walks with the stroller. The dogs ignore it and walk as politely as ever.

This past weekend I had a small-ish shower, so I came home with a trunk full of baby gear - bathtub, high chair, car seat base, diapers, Nuks, bottles, rattles, booties, hats, stuffed animals, blankets....

All of a sudden! The nursery is this fascinating place that must be investigated every time they go upstairs. Diapers! Small toys that make noises! Even bowls are getting a testing tooth put on them.

They've already tried appropriating some of the toys and rattles as their own. A firm "Ah ah" is generally enough of a deterrent and they're dropping the item on cue if the urge to nibble is too great (well, Lucky is... Indy still needs a little encouragement).

The door to the nursery is shut unless I'm up there to supervise. We go in at least once a day to let them sniff and explore. They get lots of cookies for sniffing but not nibbling. I also put together a basket of diapers to keep on the main floor so they get used to baby smells down there, too.

Indy solicited a game of tug!! From LUCKY!

2010-08-25T12:00:00.007-05:00

This is a huge development in the curly dog household!

Indy is very... individualized when playing with toys. She will chase after a thrown toy but she won't bring it back to you - she'll go to another spot to chew/squeak it. When I'm playing a game of tug with Lucky or if Lucky is fetching a toy, she'll bust in, grab the toy and tug it away from him and then run away - and it's not to solicit a game of chase.

Lucky tries to solicit games of tug from her, the same way he teaches little puppies, but she doesn't understand what he's doing. So he's very confused and stressed when she yanks the toy away from him and goes off by herself. And also I think he remembers her resource guarding from when we first brought her home, so he doesn't pursue her to try and force the issue.

They play wrassle and chase together but if you add a toy into the mix it's not playing for Indy - it's competition. And she's determined to win. It's never sat well with me that Indy refused to engage in normal canine social play. It is a rather large red flag. Ironically, Patricia McConnell recently wrote a very similar post on this topic between her two dogs, Will and Hope, with much the same set of worries. Because Lucky is such a rock-solid dog in terms of temperament, unlike Will, I've never worried it would become a source of serious conflict but it IS a source of stress for Lucky, which I think has manifested itself in a few episodes over the past year (one this past July and one in April). That's a problem.

Well, last night Indy was squeaking on her new dead fox toy and Lucky was clearly in the mood to play with her. She was receptive to the idea of a good round of wrassling but also really wanted to play with her fox toy. After a few false starts where she would squeak the toy and then go dive at Lucky to jaw with him, then run back to squeak the toy, she carried the fox over and dangled it in front of him. Lucky was hesitant at first but after a few test attempts at grabbing the other end, he grabbed the fox and they began to play tug.

I was so excited I cheered and started clapping. Which made Indy stop and look at me. Lucky gave his head a little toss, making the fox shake, and she grabbed at it again and they tugged a bit more. I toned down and started quietly saying "Goooooood girl!" while she kept playing. It didn't last long because they switched to chase zoomies (sans toy) but it was there - she solicited the interaction and treated it as a game, not some attempt at pulling rank.

It's taken a year to get to this point. I don't think we're thru the woods by any stretch, but this is very encouraging.

Baby prep in an unanticipated quarter

2010-08-13T12:01:00.000-05:00

A lot of people scoff at the idea of prepping a dog for a baby. If the dog is well-trained it shouldn't be a problem, right?

Not really.

When you think about what a fundamental shift a new infant is for just the parents, who definitely have forewarning that this little tyrant is about to completely reorganize the running of the household, it should be no surprise that perhaps the dogs might need some time to get used to the idea as well. Prepping a dog for a baby isn't just about making sure the dog doesn't eat Junior, it's about making sure the dog is comfortable and able to adjust to all these changes with the least amount of stress possible. Also, every dog reacts differently to stress when they're overwhelmed by change.

Case in point - we purchased a new car. We knew that once Junior made his arrival we wouldn't be able to transport two dogs and an infant in either of our small cars. So we've been researching and shopping around for months now. We settled on a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe as an excellent car for our needs. The idea is the dogs would ride in the far back, leaving the back seat for car seat and baby gear.

Both dogs have ridden in SUVs before with no problems but I know a new car means new smells and that's a party for a dog. So for the first trip I let the dogs take their time, sniff the exterior of the car, check out the interior, get comfy, etc. Once it seemed like they were relaxed in the back, I closed the tailgate and hopped in the front.

I got maybe a mile or two away before I had to pull over. Lucky - my rock solid, never met a car he didn't like, dog - was having a full-blown freak out, crying and scrabbling at the floor. He was a hot mess. I was the only person in the car, so I loaded them into the back seat and he was fine.

Next ride out The Spouse was driving. I put the dogs in the back and then I sat in the back seat with a pouch full of super-delicious treats. Lucky was taking cookies while the car was still, no problem. The Spouse started driving and Lucky tucked tail and refused to eat even dehydrated chicken breast. But this time I could see the problem - the back, even though it's carpeted, is too slick for him to get a grip on. He's the sort of dog that lies down and goes to sleep in the car and, without purchase, he was sliding all over the place. And it was stressful enough that he was completely shut down, refusing food. For any dog that's a bad sign. For an Addison's dog that's a recipe for disaster.

And this was a problem I hadn't anticipated. Certainly not from Lucky, who has never so much as whimpered in the car before. Not even the day we drove him home from the breeder's! Fortunately we have 4 months to address the problem and fix it and, in the interim, I have the option of driving with them in the back seat if I need to get them somewhere. It would be an absolute nightmare to try and address this if I had an infant to juggle, was sleep deprived, and no options.

This is what I'm talking about when I say "Yes, you absolutely should prep your dog for the baby." They may have a problem, they may not. But it's better to figure that out beforehand.

The Curly Duo are getting a little brother

2010-07-15T08:45:00.000-05:00

Of the two-legged variety. I'm 20 weeks pregnant. So, in early December, we'll be bringing home a new sibling for Lucky and Indy.

A lot of people ask if the dogs know... To a certain extent, any answer I give is an anthropomorphism of them - I honestly have no clue what they're thinking. But, if I were to guess by their behavior, yes, they do know. Lucky has known probably since the beginning. He's been much more courteous and affectionate, snuggling against me at night, even spooning (he makes the best maternity pillow on the planet). Indy clued in much later, but in recent weeks has stopped making flying leaps onto my belly first thing in the morning - instead she jumps up by my legs and then very carefully walks up the bed and lays down right beside me.

The next couple months I'll probably be talking a lot about preparing them for the impending arrival. Lucky we've socialized around children of all ages since he was a baby and he is, quite honestly, awesome with them. Indy seems to be ok with kids, though startles easily at strange noises and wasn't too keen on my 3-year-old niece and nephew "chasing" her to try and pet her. So we have a bit more work with her, which we'll apply to Lucky as well (extra training never hurt anyone).

First step will be getting the nursery set up, with the crib and the bouncy seat and anything that moves or makes noise. There are cds you can buy of baby sounds - which may or may not do anything, depending on your dog, books by the dozen on the topic and a myriad of advice ranging from excellent to appalling. I've been giving advice and pointers on this topic to friends for several years now, so I'll review a few of my favorites, along with a few "Don't buy this. ever." warnings.

Of obvious concern to us is how Lucky will react to this new added stress in his life, especially with the general added stress of the holidays in the mix. So, in addition to being sleep-deprived parents to a newborn, we'll have to keep a close eye on him as well to make sure that things are all well with his equilibrium and medication.

Things are going to get interesting in the Curly Dog household. Stay tuned!

Update on the Duo

2010-07-14T08:18:00.000-05:00

Summer is always a busy time in the Curly Dog household. We're out in the yard a lot, playing and generally being cute

But, obviously, we go swimming a lot. Indy is just learning how to be comfortable in the water and Lucky loves showing off.

Just when everything was calm

2010-04-30T10:10:00.000-05:00

It's been nearly 2 years since Lucky was diagnosed with Addison's. Since that initial week, he's been completely stable. Rock solid, healthy as a horse, driving me batty with his demanding, brash nature.

Last night I got home and went upstairs to let Indy and him out (Indy is crated and we keep Lucky confined to the bedroom so she doesn't get lonely). They were their usual exuberant selves, barking and dancing, happy to see me. We traipsed downstairs and I let them out. Indy started doing her usual 50mph circuit around the yard and Lucky ran back behind the raised beds to.... poop. Unusual. Usually he goes for a pee a few feet off the deck.

He came running back to the house. And squated again. And again. At this point I could see his stools were pretty much liquid. Hrm.

So I call them in the house for dinner. Lucky is looking at me like "Ehhhh." I scooped the food in his bowl and he walked away. To drink more water. I coaxed him back to his bowl and got him to eat, but it was not with his usual bowl-polishing enthusiasm.

I needed to take Indy to the vet, so I herded the dogs back upstairs to get her collar, thinking I'd give Lucky some sulfacrete and see if that helped. I considered giving him a 2nd dose of pred, but decided to talk to the vet first.

That's when I noticed the small trail of vomit on the carpet. I looked into the bathroom and saw the bath mat had been scooched back (bless him) and there was bile-y vomit all over the floor.

Shit. Shit shit shit.

I wiped up the vomit, got Indy into her collar and left for her appointment. Fortunately we were scheduled with Lucky's normal vet, so I could mention this to her. She was as concerned as I, though agreed that I should give him the sulfacrete, dissolved in water, and a 2nd pred. She also gave me some diarrhea medication.

We got home and I dosed Lucky with the dissolved sulfacrete (he's not a fan of the syringe method) and, a half hour later, gave him a pred and the diarrhea meds. He then curled up with me and I could hear his stomach gurgling away.

This morning he was pretty much back to normal, though his stools were still a bit loose. He got his usual morning pred and I gave him another anti-diarrhea pill. Hopefully he'll continue to improve.

Two Random Photos

2009-12-14T08:53:00.000-06:00

TEENY TINY BALL

He's not spoiled at all

Photographic proof they don't hate each other!

2009-12-14T08:50:00.003-06:00

Sharing the same chair

Curled up on the same bed

Lucky using Indy as a head rest

Yeah, we're pretty chill now.

He lost 5 lbs!

2009-12-07T08:56:00.002-06:00

Took Lucky to the vet and had him hop up on the scale. It read 47.5lbs. Last month it read 52.5.

It was such a surprise that, when they were ready for us, the vet tech had me re-weigh him. That's a lot of weight to lose in a month's time. And, in an Addison's dog, unexplained weight loss is not a good thing. But, talking with the vet, I think it's 4 things.

1) The Spouse had reduced his food intake this month by nearly 1/2 cup a day
2) They've been better about getting those nightly walks in
3) He and Indy actually play every day now, so there's a lot more activity
4) We just got back from a long weekend up north, which is a lot more activity than normal as well

So I told The Spouse to take his food intake back up to normal. We'll see if he remains at the same weight or not. If he drops again, we'll probably need to run bloodwork to make sure everything is ok.

Grooming Day!

2009-12-03T10:27:00.005-06:00

Before they left - hairy beasts with no eyes.

After!

That would be Lucky being his usual gregarious self and Indy absolutely terrified. The Spouse freaked her out because when I opened the door he was crouched down with the camera up - GIANT BLOBBY THING WITH ONE EYE IN THE KITCHEN! AUGH! She tried to run right back out the door.

PLAY TIME!

Tug of war with...a squeaky ball? Whatever works, I guess.

Indy with the remains of the Dino Cuz
(he lacks feet, spines and, after this photo, a tail)

Pretty girl with her new 'do!

Indy curled up by The Spouse, snoring loudly

"Oi! Can you pipe down over there? I'm trying to sleep!"

Lucky's last labs

2009-11-17T18:26:00.003-06:00

I know it's been a while and I said I was going to post these.

Anyway, we ran a full panel but here are the lytes.. these would be 28-day lytes:

	Na	K	Ratio
Normal Ranges:	141-156	4-5.6	27-40
10/09/09 (28-day):	145	5.0	29
Diagnosis:	135	6.0	23

So, like the doctor said, "Perfect". And all the rest of his labs - BUN, creatine, glucose, etc. etc - are smack-dab in the middle too.

In other news, if you follow his YouTube channel, you can see that he has decided to forgive us for bringing Indy home. They now play and wrassle and we even had a bit of Sharks this past week.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Lucky wins an award AND is Dog of the Month!

2009-10-15T13:21:00.007-05:00

It's an exciting month to be a Lucky Water Dog!

First of all, he is Dog of the Month at his daycare! We got a call at the beginning of the month from the owner to let us know and also to check if we were ok with them mentioning his Addisons (of course). Here's the clip from their website:

Congrats, Lucky! This is Lucky. He is a Portuguese Water Dog, a breed that has recently been in the news. Lucky has been coming to XXXXXXXXXXX almost since we opened 3 years ago amusing us with his PWD antics and fun. A little over a year ago mom and dad noticed that Lucky just wasn’t as energetic as a young PWD should be. They took Lucky to the vet and it was determined that he had Addison’s Disease. Fortunately, this is a treatable condition with medication and in no time Lucky was back to his normal energetic self. Lucky has many friends here in XXXXX and the handlers enjoy his company in the play groups. We are fortunate and happy to have this distinguished dog in our playgroup in XXXXX.

Then today, Lucky got passed an award from his friend Bentley over at Secondhand Scottie for being such a general trooper with all the vet appointments AND coping with the addition of a new sister.

Lucky would like to thank the Academy, his mom and dad for putting up with his crazy PWD antics (countersurf? who me?), his awesome vet, and sends a grudging "Woo-Woo!" out to his little sister, Indy, who isn't quite so bad as he thought but is still annoying on occasion.

Lucky would like to pass this award on to Ace, who is apparently learning to live life on the wild side with the thieving and whom he shares a passion for socks with, and to Jackson, disc dog extraordinaire, who has sent several words of encouragement with regards to getting along with a new weirdo sister.

An Addison's-related post

2009-10-12T08:37:00.003-05:00

In a good way. Really, there's not a whole lot to tell. He's been very stable on his new 1mg of prednisone (down from 1.25mg).

Also, we've been slowly lowering his Percorten dose with the goal of getting him down to 1mL. We had our monthly shot yesterday - down to 1.2mL - and sent some blood off to check lytes (which would be 28-day) and liver/kidney function. I don't have the exact numbers just yet - I'm hoping to get them tonight when I pick up his pred refill - but the vet says things look "perfect".

If things continue this way as we drop his dose and if he remains stable on the 1mL we'll hopefully be able to switch to once-a-year bloodwork to test values. Which would be fabulous in many ways, including the bottom line of our pocketbook - lab and medication costs went up.

Trip to the Farmer's Market

2009-10-09T21:54:00.004-05:00

Walking in being very well behaved.

People love us. We got lots of pets and greetings.

Wait, wait wait.... is that FOOD?

Mom, PLEASE? Please can't I have some bread?

Another dog!

Black devil dogs, coming to a Farmer's Market near you.

Lucky gets a sister

2009-09-13T21:10:00.003-05:00

Her name is Indy and she is a large miniature (or small standard) poodle.

He is, as yet, somewhat uncertain about her. They snuggled on the ride home, but once he realized she seemed to be staying, he became rather sketchy.

She needs a bit of work. Her obedience has to be brought up to snuff and we've had a couple growls over toys - only with him so far though. Fortunately she seems responsive enough to a good, firm "EH! EH!" and Lucky, being the awesome dog he is, has no desire to get in a scuffle over any inconsequential item.

I think eventually they'll be good friends. We just have a few bumps to get over.

Lucky Dog - bringing the crazy since 2005

2009-08-14T06:50:00.001-05:00

Post-swimming zoomies.

Lucky swimming up north

2009-07-26T09:46:00.001-05:00

I have fifty-zillion videos of him swimming but this is the best one. You couldn't keep him out of the water.

Summer Hair Cut

2009-07-05T16:48:00.000-05:00

Lucky's Ice Cream Cone

2009-06-12T09:04:00.001-05:00

Happy Fourth Birthday, Fuzzy Butt!

2009-06-09T09:06:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday Dear Lucky!
Happy Birthday to you!

Hard to imagine he went from this:

To this:

His birthday was yesterday but I was hoping to have a video of him eatuing his annual ice cream cone. But we didn't make it out last night. Tonight though!

Lucky helps us garden

2009-05-27T08:11:00.000-05:00

One year

2009-05-26T08:36:00.004-05:00

It's been 1 year since Lucky started first showing signs of Addison's Disease. He was officially diagnosed on June 2nd, but started exhibiting symptoms on May 26th. Funny how quickly that year went by. Now it's routine for that monthly shot and morning "peanut butter pill".

At our vet appointment on Friday he decided he wouldn't oblige us with a stool sample. But the vet thinks it's probably just mild colitis, so we're giving him probiotics to see if that helps.

Otherwise it was your typical Memorial Day weekend. Here's some pics.

Lucky's favorite spot

Lucky in the garden

Another Lucky shot

I also have a video I need to upload, once I finish editing it. I tried getting it done yesterday but the software kept crashing on me. But the wait will be worth it.

Monthly Vet Appointment

2009-05-22T10:08:00.005-05:00

Another month, another Percorten injection.

Today we're sending along a fecal. He's been having the occasional loose stools this week and I want to rule out the Return of Giardia or other form of parasite.

I think I also want her to check his glands. He's been scooting more than normal - whether due to the loose stools or not, I don't know. He is not going to be a happy puppy. He's pretty much used to the shots but rectals get tongue-flicks galore. Poor pook.

Life is Rough - Part 2

2009-05-18T20:57:00.004-05:00

Quick update and then PHOTOS!

2009-04-27T20:40:00.005-05:00

First, Lucky seems to have snapped part of the crown of one of his pre-molars off on a hand-me-down bone. On the downside, we can't get it x-rayed without having him put under anesthesia. On the upside, it doesn't seem to be bothering him at all.

Otherwise his Addison's is perfectly under control.

And now on to the photos! The first few are from Big Black Dog Sleepover Two, where we had Ozzie for 2 weeks.

Good dogs laying down

Lucky taking over Ozzie's bed

Random photos of Lucky lounging (he is so cush)

Doing work in the garden:

Working on his "Presidential Dog" image. Very noble (ha!).

Upset Stomach or Potential Crisis?

2009-04-13T15:18:00.002-05:00

Vomiting, excessive thirst, diarrhea, mild lethargy/odd behavior... upset stomach or crisis? Without knowing any other background, which would you say?

On Tuesday I was upstairs in the bathroom and noticed a crusty spot on the bath mat and what I deduced were pieces of puke that he didn't re-consume. He must have gotten sick during the day.

Wednesday he woke me up at 3am whining for water. He drank 3 full cups. Afterward we went back to bed and he jumped up on top of me and curled up right next to me with his head resting on my shoulder. He's generally not a tactile dog, so this is unusual.

Friday I had off and was in the yard doing bomb duty when I ran across a reasonably fresh pile that was basically liquid. The Spouse got home and we were sitting on the chair talking and Lucky hopped up, sat on my lap and laid himself along my chest. He didn't move until I shifted him so I could take care of dinner. He fell asleep at 8pm.

As it turns out, it was likely just an upset stomach - he ate "something" unidentifiable at the dog park on Sunday and on Thursday he had Ozzie's food for dinner and stole two rawhide chews (he never gets rawhide). But if I didn't know that we probably would have been at the vet Friday afternoon.

Pill Cutting Day

2009-03-15T20:25:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure if the DOJ got these photos out of context they'd be busting down the door.

This is Lucky's latest bottle of prednisolone. Each pill had to be cut into quarters. I have a pill cutter from the pharmacy but it's complete crap. So, instead, it's me with a razor blade and a chopping block.

The pills are incredibly small to start with. So cutting them into quarters isn't easy. I lose about...5-6 pills per bottle to mis-cuts.

We're exploring the idea of perhaps switching to regular prednisone at 1mg. I'm uncertain how I feel about this. On the one hand, it's a slightly lower dose than we're on now. And it would be more regular from day to day since his dose wouldn't be dependent on how I cut the pills. But going to prednisone means his liver would have to metabolize it into prednisolone... and I'm uncertain whether I want to go that route since he'll be on this medication for the next 10-12 years (god willing) and I worry about the long-term effect on his liver.

Sometimes they do know they're being naughty

2009-03-12T12:10:00.006-05:00

In the training world, it's something of an adage that dogs do not know that what they're doing is naughty. I know it's because most people have misconceptions about canine behavior, so a sweeping generalization of "They just don't know" works better than "Well, they generally don't know but sometimes they do". Dogs don't poop in the house out of spite. They don't tip the garbage to get back at you for leaving them alone. Dogs do these things because:

a) they were not trained to NOT do them
b) they were trained that it meant something else
c) they are scavengers and opportunists by nature.
d) there's something medically wrong

And 99% of "misbehavior" can usually be traced to those four things. Usually because their person inadvertently taught them that, like by chasing and shrieking at Fido while he wig-digs around the living room in front of your grandma with your red lacy thong clenched firmly in his teeth. You taught him it's a game, not that it's naughty.

But some dogs... some dogs KNOW that it's naughty. Some dogs know how to manipulate events and use active deception to fool you. SOME DOGS revel in this behavior. Just because they can.

I own one of those dogs.

Not every "naughty" thing he does is deliberate. Most of it falls under one of the above categories. I know him well enough, though, to know when he's about to do something. There's a glint in his eye, a subtle change in tail set, an altercation in his stride. If I'm really good, I can short-circuit his half-formed thought before it becomes a plan.

Usually I'm not that good.

Last night I was going thru the mountainous pile of mail from our week vacation, creating piles for recycling, shredding, reading and filing. Lucky had just finished dinner and was standing and staring at me, one of his favorite past times. Clearly bored with trying to creep me out with his strangely human regard, he trotted out of the kitchen. I saw the tail end of him as he went around the corner and up the stairs and thought "Oh no". Cause his flag was up and over his hips, blazing as brightly as a nautical signal flag. I know what that means. It means he's looking for socks. Or underwear. But preferably socks.

We've never engaged in chasing him when he stole things like that as a puppy. We knew that would make it a game. We would either ignore these antics until he gave up or we would calmly trade him a real toy for the stolen item. The thing is - he doesn't want to be chased. He just wants to interrupt whatever you're doing. He doesn't even necessarily want to play when you've broken away from your other task. Even making eye contact with him is enough satisfaction - he knows he got you, so he'll drop the item and walk away. He's just being naughty to be naughty.

Sure enough, about 60 seconds later I hear thundering paws coming down the stairs at 50 miles an hour (because he gets louder and more brazen when he's gotten into something naughty, the better to get your attention). He went tearing around the far corner towards the family room, full body wags engaged. I glanced up to see what he'd gotten and it was a pair of my underwear. I continue opening envelopes, waiting to see how long it would go on before he tired of it or I had to intervene.

And he's putting on quite the show. He's shaking his head all the way from his shoulders in big, woggly swoops all the while he's dancing and prancing, leaping and crouching, circling around, dipping down, bouncing up. It's like watching some canine rain dance, only he's probably hoping it will rain socks.

Finally, he leapt a full five feet, giving his head a huge shake mid-leap. He landed in a play bow facing the ottoman and my underwear landed 5 feet behind him. He held the playbow, staring in front of him, for a good 5 seconds before slowly swinging his head to look at me. Because I am giggling hysterically. I couldn't help it. The Spouse was laughing too.

Mission accomplished, he spun in a circle on his hind leg and sprinted to catch the underwear up. Giving in to the inevitable, I walked over to him and he dropped into a play bow. I told him to drop - he did, stood up, and backed away, wagging his tail happily. I retrieved the underwear and he trotted off to settle down with a bone to gnaw on.

Sometimes they do know.

Why the average owner shouldn't get one

2009-02-27T20:24:00.003-06:00

We don't often deal with destruction.

I say that so people don't think that Lucky is under-exercised or under-stimulated. He gets plenty of both. After all, he's lost 6 lbs in 2 months - how many people can say the same thing?? He gets plenty of mental and physical exercise. I think I can safely say that, since he came home, we have ended up with half-a-dozen items chewed beyond repair. Maybe.

But, every now and then, we do deal with the occasional item being chewed on. Usually out of boredom or creative mischief. And it is always our fault. Always. Once I left my new iPod Nano in its work-out arm band. And left the arm band within reach. Fortunately the iPod still works, though I have to admit that is the one time I seriously got angry with him, even though I knew it was my fault for leaving it out.

This one? Is The Spouse's. He took Lucky for a walk last night in the pouring rain/sleet. To dry things out, he hung the items in our spare bathroom.

Unfortunately, he left the half-full pouch attached to his jacket.

Chewed straight thru it. I'm HOPING I can patch/fix it cause it's a NICE treat pouch. But, word to the wise - if you have items that you love, perhaps you should consider another breed. Or a plant.

Good news on the med front again!

2009-02-27T20:18:00.001-06:00

Lucky lost another 3 lbs this month!! He's now down to 50.2lbs!

We also reduced his Percorten this month to 1.3mL. Our vet is confident we can push as low as 1.0mL.

She also only gave us about 3 months worth of pred. She's going to check into the meds for us because she thought she read that they were going to be releasing a 1mg pill of prednisolone. Which would be really fantastic cause that would mean I don't have to cut pills.

YAY!

A PWD for the Obamas?

2009-02-25T19:39:00.006-06:00

The dog world is a-twitter: Michelle Obama confessed in a People Magazine interview that they were looking for a PWD. There's been no mention of a "doodle" for weeks. It seems that they have officially narrowed in on the breed.

I've not been "in the breed" long. But I think, perhaps, that gives me a unique viewpoint to what the Obamas face. You see, 5 years ago The Spouse and I were also in the same position as Barack and Michelle (minus the fact that one of us wasn't leader of the free world). We were looking for a hypoallergenic dog, medium to large in size, that fit in with our active lifestyle. We were first-time owners, though we'd both grown up with dogs. So Lucky was the first dog either of us has trained on our own, from scratch.

Let's just say "It's been interesting." But photos tell the story better. All of the following photos are from the last week in our house.

Noble. Stately. The PWD is an ancient breed.

They do love to snuggle though. PWDs are "people" dogs - they do not do well when separated from their pack members.

They can also be very cush. A PWD without a good leader will walk all over their human owners. They need a firm but compassionate hand.

Sometimes they like getting a little TOO snuggly.... but a well-trained PWD is a devoted and loyal companion.

PWDs make good watch dogs. They were used for centuries on Portuguese fishing boats and one of their duties was to guard the catch.

HOWEVER...

the breed seems to be constantly striving for bipedality. They are notorious counter-surfers - a trait which even the best trainers and behaviorists state is simply genetic. They love being on eye level with everyone, which results in an almost un-extinguishable jumping-up behavior.

The aforementioned counter-surfing leads the PWD to steal all sorts of items - the stinkier or more dangerous, the better. Here, Lucky has stolen The Spouse's winter hat that they wear on their walks together.

Not only do they steal items, but they feel very little shame over such thefts. In fact, they brazenly parade their thefts in front of their mentally-slower owners. Should the owner be intelligent enough to not engage in a game of chase, the dog simply regards their owner with a "What?" expression when the item is recovered.

Should the Obamas choose to add a PWD to their family, this may answer one of the most important questions of this administration:

Mr. President - Boxers or Briefs?

I love our groomer

2009-02-18T21:31:00.004-06:00

I've raved about our groomer before. But I haven't lately and I'm overdue. He's been really fantastic about Lucky, his breed and his Addison's. Unbelievably phenomenal. After every grooming with have a brief post-mortem about how he did, what was stressful, etc.

Lucky, being the intelligent dog he is, clues in very quickly that he is at our club not to run A-Frames or dog walks but for a grooming. And he starts shaking. And it's hearbreaking. This time it was bad enough that our groomer had to carry him back to the grooming area.

So when I went to pick him up, I asked him about the possibility of coming in maybe once a week or so to just hand-feed Lucky his meals and begin to counter-condition him to the whole process. And he was 120% for it. I have free access to the whole area, including the grooming room, whenever the place is open. Even if he has other clients. Unbelievable. He is so amazing.

Anyway, if you look at the last post, you can see what a fuzzy blob Lucky was before grooming. When I pulled his fur straight, it was 4" long. I think he may have given the groomer a bit of trouble with his head cause it's not quite 'right', but, still, it's like a different dog!

I am so charming.

Pounce on Mom!

What do you mean stand still?

Sleeeeeeeeeeeeepy puppy

Life is Rough

2009-02-14T09:46:00.003-06:00

Bath Day!

2009-02-07T09:29:00.006-06:00

It's been awhile since Lucky got a bath. To the point where I didn't have a black and white dog but a black and gray one.

Baths always result in post-bath zoomies. If it were nice enough out, we'd let him zoom around the backyard (he's not one who goes to roll in stuff right afterwards). But we still have a foot of snow on the ground in some places so, alas, it was carnage in the house.

Ohgod. How do I get this water off me?!

Is that a grin of joy that he's no longer filthy or relief that the bath is over?

Too Fast for Film

This is MY spot! MINE.

Now. Where's my Chicken Treat??!

6-Month Checkup: The Results are in

2009-02-02T15:20:00.003-06:00

So, we went to the vet on Friday. First we get weighed in and guess what? He lost 3 lbs!! So he's now at 53.3 lbs. This is fantastic news, really, cause it's the dead of winter here, so I'm sure the rest of the weight will be coming off quickly once we get into spring.

Our wonderful vet drew his blood and glanced over our chart. She noticed that we were due for his heartworm test in April, so she suggested that, as long as they had blood going out that we should just get that done now. She went to price our options out and came back to suggest we do a general "wellness" lab that would cover the electrolytes, heartworm, and also test basic bodily functions like liver function, CBC, kidney function, etc. Made sense to me.

So she called with the results today and said that everything looked "perfect". She sounded so pleased on the phone, which makes me pleased. Having spent the last 6 months dealing with regulating a long-term disease, worrying about medication dosages, dealing with side effects of the meds (immune suppression, reactivity, weight gain), managing his stress, etc. etc. it's a wonderful feeling to know that, overall, he's incredibly healthy.

6-month "check up" on Friday

2009-01-26T12:06:00.003-06:00

He goes in on Friday to have his 6-month blood draw. It would be a day 28 draw, since he'll also be getting his monthly injection. I'm expecting things to go just fine, though I hope the lab gets the results back on Saturday rather than Monday. When he first got sick we went in on Friday and they had the electrolytes back the next day, so let's all hope they're just as efficient for routine work as potential emergencies.

I'm also hoping he's lost some weight. Looking at him I think he has, but that just may be wishful thinking. We've been very good about his nightly walks, though - of the 26 days in January, so far he's been walked 24 of them (2 days were lost to dangerously low temps). So there's hope I'm not just deluding myself.

I also need to get his fuzzy butt in to the groomer. It's been a couple months now and he's so due. He's got 3" long fur along the back of his legs (it's about 2-ish" elsewhere). When I leave it be it looks like he's wearing western fringe and when I comb it out he looks like he's wearing big 80s leg warmers. It's hysterical.

Recent Photos

2009-01-01T20:12:00.005-06:00

From left to right: Jake, Bella, Sam, Lucky

Even with some extra pudge, he's still a fit dog.

He really is just the most handsome dog ever.

New Year, New Dog

2009-01-01T19:55:00.003-06:00

It's been 6 months since Lucky's diagnosis. In hind sight, he's been a very lucky dog. We caught it early, before a crash. He has a fantastic, compassionate vet who doesn't mind my nitpicky questions, he's been perfectly healthy and stable since going on his medication without a change in his lifestyle.

He has, however, gained 10 lbs. Most likely due to the prednisolone. However, since we have reduced the dose to about 1mg/1.25mg (depending how I cut the pill. :P), his weight has stabilized and his appetite is back to normal.

So, as of today, Mr. Piggy is on a "diet" and increased exercise routine. So, no more Charlee Bears for treats - just kibble. For dinners he gets half his meal in a Buster Cube, which involves actively working for his dinner rather than just scarfing it out of a bowl. I would do breakfast too but he tends to knock it to inaccesible places that I would rather not have him pawing about under (like the entertainment cabinet with all the electrical wires). And walks are now at least 4 miles - tonight was 8 miles!

It's hoped that he'll start to drop off the pounds if we keep up with it.

I'm a soccer dog!

2008-11-14T19:49:00.003-06:00

I decided to teach Lucky to "kick" a soccer ball. It was pretty easy since he loves to "touch" things with his nose and paws. Maybe 30 seconds were spent getting him to touch the ball with his nose and another 30 seconds to get him to touch it with his paw. These dogs are so smart.

Lucky, Kick it!

Dad thinks I'm very funny.

Posing all cute for mom

In other news, we're down to 1.25mg of Prednisone and I think we've found the perfect dose. He's not as frenetically hungry or energetic and he's not as... bitchy. The other day at the park he actually played with a strange dog - something he's not done since he was diagnosed.

R-A-G-G M-O-P-P

2008-10-30T18:49:00.003-05:00

My dad used to sing that song at me whenever my hair got REALLY long.

I now sing it to Lucky when he looks like this:

R-A-G-G M-O-P-P RAGGMOPP!

He spent a week turning into Wild Dog of the Woods with his cousin Ozzie while we were on vacation. He gets groomed tomorrow. I'm going to have to tip the groomer really well.

It's a BBD Sleepover!

2008-10-10T20:39:00.007-05:00

BBD = Big Black Dog.

Lucky's "cousin" Ozzie is over for the weekend while his owners are out of town. Ozzie is Lucky's BFF.

So I got home today and let the dogs out to play

They chased each other all around the yard. I ran after them calling "I'm gonna gettcho!"

"I'm on Gool!" (notice Ozzie's paw-touch to the sandbox area)

Then they decided to wrassle for a bit.

BBDs posing by the flower garden.

Politely sitting, waiting for permission to go inside.

Each dog was told to "Go to your bed" for his treat. For Lucky, this trick is old hat.

For Ozzie this was a new thing but he got the idea pretty quickly!

Then Dad got home and treated him to the BBD Stare-A-Thon (srsly, they stared at me all afternoon. it's creepy)

Dad grabbed the Holy Squeaky Squirrel (much like the Holy Hand Grenade)

Pouncing on the squirrel...well... some of us.

Lastly, a WWF wrestling match to quiet them down

Back to "normal"

2008-10-09T09:54:00.003-05:00

Well, what normal is in our house.

Lucky recovered just fine from the kennel cough. He then developed an ear infection, so we had ear drops for that that we just finished up last night.

He had another Percorten injection (still at 1.4. we'll reduce next time). We've also reduced his prednisolone to 2.5mg per day (from 5mg) and he's doing just fine there. In fact, if I could cut these pills in half again, I'd do so and see where that takes us. His appetite isn't quite as out of control but it's not back to normal yet. He's up to 50lbs now.

I need to get him in for another grooming. He's a bit of a mess.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

2008-09-16T11:21:00.002-05:00

We're getting low on Lucky's pred and need a refill. However, at our last vet visit for his kennel cough, we had talked about starting to reduce his dose once he's healthy (given the fact that he did not.stop.moving. from 5pm to 10pm last night, I'd say he's just dandy).

So I called the vet (who's number I now have memorized, btw) to ask about the refill and the dose reduction. Their office has 4 receptionists, plus 5 assistants who occasionally answer the phone and work the front office. One of these nine people answered and I said "Hi, this is Catherine Lastname calling."

And she gushes "Oh, hi! I know you! You're Lucky the Portie's mom! He's such a sweetie. How's he doing?"

It's like Cheers, only not. If we walk in the door for his next appointment and everyone cries "Lucky!", I may insist they give me a beer.

Doing much better

2008-09-06T23:22:00.004-05:00

Yesterday his bark sounded more like a seal's (which was hysterical!). But today he's not showing any sort of issue. He's not coughed, his bark is normal, and this is even with half a dose of cough suppressant.

He is, however, droozily.

Maaaa... don't take my picture when I'm trying to sleep....

Snoozy pup

Kennel Cough

2008-09-04T15:17:00.003-05:00

And, boy, is it bad. I was up all night trying to keep him calm and quiet (because, just like a sick kid, Lucky wants MOM for comfort). If I didn't gently soothe him whenever he started to wheeze, he'd go into hacking fits so bad he'd gag himself. I actually was worried for a while he was blocked, but he ate and drank and had normal bathroom activities this morning. They ran x-rays just in case (I fell asleep in the exam room while waiting) and those came back clear. Another $260 at the vet. Oh de do.

I think I partially blame the pred for this for two reasons. One, it's an immune-suppressant, so I'm sure that's not helping because, in all the years he's been in close contact with strange dogs he's not gotten bordetella once. Two, because it's an anti-inflammatory, his infection went completely undetected until he was hacking and gagging. I don't remember him coughing at all until last night. Neither does The Spouse.

Anyway, we're on more medication (doxycycline and butorphanol). I get to play with the butorphanol dose because it's also a narcotic (whee!), so we need to see what would be best to keep him from coughing but not, you know, comatose. The vet recommended starting him on 1/2 pill every 6-8 hours and seeing how that goes.

Also, the vet mentioned she'd read yet another study on Addison medications, this time on prednisone and that, again, dogs studied could be on a much lower dose than previously thought. So once Fuzzy Face is healthy again we're going to start reducing his dose.

Switching Food

2008-09-03T12:46:00.004-05:00

When the whole kerfuffle about Canidae changing their formula and manufacturer came out, I held fast to my guns. He's been on this food almost his whole life, he does great on it, he loves the taste, etc. Plus, while some of the reports of problems came from sources I trusted, the majority were anonymous posts on the Internet. Don't believe everything you read, right? So I thought "Unless he does poorly on the new formula, we'll stick with it." We had the majority of an old bag left, too.

Then a local PWD owner complained her dogs were having serious problems with it. I know this woman. We trained together. She owns 2 of Lucky's close relatives. I'm pretty certain she'd put her dog's welfare above her own if given the choice.

So, while we were at the vet, I took the opportunity to ask her if any of her clients fed Canidae and were having problems. Her response was basically yes, quite a few of them. When I told The Spouse about these developments, he immediately changed tunes (previously he'd been resisting changing foods. if it ain't broke) and said we should switch.

Since then I've been researching food options and there's a lot to consider - Quality ingredients? Grain free or not? Cost? Regional availability? - and I think I've narrowed it down to Nature's Variety Salmon & Brown Rice. Top-notch ingredients, though not grain free. The Spouse said he wanted to try switching to a fish-based formula and it's also the most cost-effective one on our short-list, ringing in at a daily cost of $1.72 (compared to $1.81 for Taste of the Wild, $1.95 for Orijen or $2.13 for Fromm) (those number based on the cost of a 30lb bag on PFD and the recommended feeding guidelines for each). It's also readily available from the two pet stores we frequent the most.

Good news on the med front

2008-08-28T20:33:00.002-05:00

Lucky went in for his monthly Percorten today and the vet said that she had just read a study that showed dogs were doing well and were stable on a dose of 0.5mg/kg.

This is compared to the recommended dosage of 1.65mg/kg - 2.2 mg/kg that is recommended by Novartis.

Clearly, that's a huge difference.

It means that, provided his lytes are good, we could take Lucky down to 1mL injections every month. That would give us 4 doses out of every bottle, compared to the 2-3 doses we get now. Not to harp on the price tag of his medical care but that would be a HUGE help for us. Plus, the less medication he needs to have in his system, the better for HIM.

All in all, good news.

Found a new groomer!

2008-08-13T17:36:00.009-05:00

Not only one who clearly knows how to groom Portuguese Water Dogs - which is rare enough to start with. We've been looking for one of those for over two years now! - but also one who knows what Addison's Disease is and how to properly handle dogs with it.

I was impressed from the phone call when I said "There's just one thing - he has Addison's." and the man said "Ok. That's not a problem. I'll have a few more questions for you tomorrow though." Ok, fine.

So we showed up a few minutes late and he was sitting out front. The first thing out of his mouth was "What a handsome boy!" It never hurts to compliment my dog. Then we started talking about his cut.

I said "I want him taken down to about 1/2"."
"Ok. And what about his head?"
"About as short but not a literal 1/2". Blend it so it looks natural."
"Ok. And his ears?"
"Well, I generally take them to within a fingerlength of the bottom of the leather and then shape them from there, thinning along the side so they're not so poofy."
"Sounds good. And his topknot?"
"Not too tall - no poodle head - but not shaved short."
"Fine. What about the flag?"
"Don't touch it. I'm trying to grow it out from the last person who thought they needed to trim it and took off inches."
"Right. But take the tail down to 1/2" to the base of his flag, yes?"
"Yes."
"Good. SO. On to his condition. How is he being handled in general? Any problem with his eyes or paws?"
"He's fine with both, though he may not lick your face while you're doing it."
"Ok. And how is he with the dryer."
"Well, I don't use one at home, but I've never had a previous groomer mentioning a problem with them."
"Hm. OK, well we'll just play that by ear then."

That has to be the most thorough conversation I've had with a groomer. They've always asked questions about grooming and length, but not quite to that detail. Perhaps because I usually drive the conversation rather than wait and let them ask questions.

So, an hour and a half later they call to s ay he's done. I run over and, lo, there was a handsome Portuguese Water Dog walking towards me! Not a poodle or a schnauzer or some bizarre cross between the two! Not only that but the groomer followed my instructions to the letter. THAT has never happened since we've owned him.

And he really did play the dryer by ear. The first thing he said was "Well, he did fine with the dryer overall. He didn't like it on his face too much, so whenever he started getting too upset, I'd switch it up." Damn. DAY-UHM!

So, here's some before and after pics for you!

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

I love our vet

2008-08-01T13:56:00.001-05:00

Our regular vet called back about an hour after the other vet called. She had come into the office on her day off just to check on Lucky's lab work and call me (how amazing is she? I don't even know a "people" doctor who would do that).

We talked for a long time about the Percorten and Pred. After reading his labs, she had actually called and talked to a specialist about them because they were so, well, normal that she was wondering if he could actually be Atypical, even though his labs at diagnosis showed Primary (if people want me to get even more long winded about the difference, I can :P). The specialist thinks that, because she had caught his Addison's so early that he still has a bit of decent adrenal function. But they still recommend injecting him every 4-5 weeks (about at the 30 day mark) rather than stretching it out more and more because the stress on his glands would eventually wipe out what function he has left and send him into a crisis. Clearly we don't want that. :P

So, instead we're going to work on gradually lowering his dose. He started at 1.6mL of Percorten for the first 2 injections, so we've lowered this dose to 1.5mL. We'll stay at that for a couple of months to see how he does and try another reduction. Eventually she's hoping to get him down to the lowest "recommended" amount which I think, looking at Novartis' website, would be around 1.2 mL. She's leery of pushing it further than that, though I do "know" a PWD who is on 1mL every 28 days and is stable (and he's a deal heavier than Lucky, too).

We also talked about lowering his pred. She said she wants to get his Percorten stable first and then we'll go about playing with his pred dosage. She said the earliest she'd want to consider that would be in a month. I'm ok with that. I just don't want to be staring December in the face (6 months from diagnosis) with him on such a high dose.

Lucky's 36-day lytes

2008-07-30T09:45:00.003-05:00

	Na	K	Ratio
Normal Ranges:	141-156	4-5.6	27-40
7/29/08 (36-day):	144	4.9	29
7/21/08 (28-day):	153	4.5	34
7/14/08 (21-day):	149	4.5	33
7/7/08 (14-day):	150	4.4	34
Diagnosis:	135	6.0	23

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.

Lucky's 28-day lytes

2008-07-22T10:39:00.003-05:00

	Na	K	Ratio
Normal Ranges:	141-156	4-5.6	27-40
7/21/08 (28-day):	153	4.5	34
7/14/08 (21-day):	149	4.5	33
7/7/08 (14-day):	150	4.4	34
Diagnosis:	135	6.0	23

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.

Well, he IS a water dog!

2008-07-21T20:42:00.004-05:00

His first canoe trip

Swimming up north!

Woo! A STICK!

Lucky's 21-day lytes

2008-07-15T12:51:00.003-05:00

Well, one week later and here we are.

	Na	K	Ratio
Normal Ranges:	141-156	4-5.6	27-40
7/14/08 (21-day):	149	4.5	33
7/7/08 (14-day):	150	4.4	34
Diagnosis:	135	6.0	23

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.

Lucky's 14-day lytes

2008-07-08T13:23:00.005-05:00

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

	Na	K	Ratio
Normal Ranges:	141-156	4-5.6	27-40
7/7/08 (14-day):	150	4.4	34
Diagnosis:	135	6.0	23

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.

14-day blood draw and haggling tonight

2008-07-07T09:10:00.002-05:00

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.

He threw up last night

2008-07-03T08:17:00.003-05:00

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.

Found Lucky a job to pay for his meds

2008-07-01T19:44:00.005-05:00

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!

Grooming Counter Conditioning - Day 1

2008-06-25T09:01:00.002-05:00

In a follow-up to Lucky's freak out a week ago when at the pet store attached to the groomer's, I decided we needed to engage in some basic counter conditioning.

SO! Yesterday we ran out of food, so I had to go to the store to get more. I decided I would take Lucky with me with lots and lots of treats and a clicker and see where we got. If need be, I would let him go back in the car while I ran in for his food.

We got there and I armed myself with the clicker. I opened the door - click. Picked up his leash and he hopped out - click. I closed the door - click. Then we hung out for a bit, clicking and treating for just being relaxed and calm. I took a step - click. He caught a whiff of the groomer and tucked his tail. We backed up 20 steps until he could relax. I played silly games, clicking and treating. (all the while there's a guy sitting in his car watching us like WTF?) When he had calmed down, I started playing the Come Game, backing up towards the store. With each "Come", we'd pause and play more silly games until he was relaxed.

By the time I got to the door, he was sniffing interestedly at it like "Maybe this won't be so bad." So we went inside. We started walking up the aisle furthest from the groomers, clicking and treating for calm, relaxed behavior. Then down the next aisle. And so forth. We got to the aisle 2nd closest to the groomers and he was loose body and waggy tail. We walked up it. Turned the corner to the aisle next to the groomers. We're walking down it, I'm letting him go his pace. We were about 2 feet from the door when he looked up at it. I tossed a handful of treats on the ground in front of the door. He hoovered them up. We walked past the door.

So I went and got his food, let him pick out a pig ear for later, and we left. The only hitch came at the very end - I put the food in the trunk and turned to walk to the back door of the car and he bucked back on the leash. I think he thought I had tricked him and I was going to take him into the groomer's. So I said "No, silly. Go for a ride!" and he immediately got up and leapt into the car.

So! All in all, a successful first outting. We'll have to repeat the trip again soon. Maybe Friday.

Sticker Shock

2008-06-24T08:20:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was Lucky's 2nd Percorten injection. This time we actually had to pay the bottle fee (our first week they just charged an injection fee). And it's likely that a bottle will last about 2 months - maybe a bit more if his dosage goes down.

$180.

Holy mother of God.

So, that's about $90/month for the Percorten. Our prednisone runs about $23 for 100 pills, so that's about $8/month for those. $100/month for just the meds. I'm not sure how much the bloodwork will cost - he goes in in 2 weeks for his 14-day electrolyte test, then again at 3 weeks and again at 4 weeks. Once he's reasonably stable, he'll only go in every 6 months.

I need to get a credit card for vet expenses that has a rewards program attached. This is going to add up quick. It may as well add up to hotel stays or cash back or something.

First post-diagnosis swimming trip

2008-06-22T22:15:00.002-05:00

He had a BLAST. He got to fetch and swim and roll in a dead possum (ew), and fetch and swim some more.

AND! He got to CHASE.DUCKS! He'd been ignoring them most of the time, being focused on the stick we had for him (basically, a cut-down dowel). But then a few of the ducks started causing a ruckus and he stared at them and you could hear him thinking "Wait a minute. That's PREY!" and took off after them. Scattered them all around, splashing after them and generally having a grand ol' doggy time. As I ran over to herd him back, I passed a couple with a toddler - as I jogged by, the woman asked "He's adorable. What breed of dog is he?"

"Portuguese Water Dog," I called over my shoulder.

She started laughing. I rounded him up and we started back to where we'd been playing. He ran up, "tagged" the dad (meaning he planted a great, wet, sandy paw on the guy's midsection), shook the water off his coat onto the delighted toddler, and went tearing over to The Spouse.

In all, it was a great morning. He loved every second of it. I think we'll be regular visitors throughout the summer. Unfortunately, we didn't have a camera with us. Maybe next time.

He goes in tomorrow for his next DOCP injection. I'm sure there'll be a post after that.

Looks like the groomer will be a no-go for a long time

2008-06-16T09:09:00.002-05:00

When he was first diagnosed, our vet said that we'd have to learn his big stress triggers and either avoid them or manage unavoidable situations with his medication. We already knew his biggest trigger was the groomer, so I had figured I'd start grooming him at home to lengthen the amount of time between professional appointments.

On Friday I took Lucky to the pet store that's attached to his groomer. And he just absolutely lost it. Took two steps out of the car, recognized where we were, bucked back on the leash and sat down. I tried taking him in the door furthest away from the grooming shop, he dragged me over to the grass along the side, tail tucked.

I finally coaxed him in the store with the promise of chicken treats (what we were there to buy). He did ok, until I tried walking to the aisle with the treats - close to the grooming shop.

I had to leave him in a down-stay while I did my shopping. He was absolutely terrified that I was taking him to the groomer.

I see a long series of counter-conditioning coming up. Driving out to the store and sitting in the parking lot, popping treats in his mouth, driving home. Gah.

One week later...

2008-06-12T11:54:00.003-05:00

And he is driving me INSANE!

Which one would suppose is a good thing. It means he's feeling better.

But the energy! He's more crazy than he was a month before diagnosis. He's almost as crazy as he was when he was a puppy.

Another thing is his appetite is out of control. He's getting 2 full cups of food a day. Judging by the noise he makes when any other food appears in the kitchen, I think he is hungrier than that. I'm going to have to start adding green beans or some other low calorie food to his meals just to fill him up (and shut him up).

He had daycare yesterday for the 2nd time since his diagnosis. The first week their report read "alert and awake". This week's was "playing non-stop. didn't want to rest". Then he came home and played for another 4 hours. Oy.

What IS Addison's Disease anyway?

2008-06-12T11:24:00.000-05:00

This has been the most commonly asked question we've gotten since announcing his diagnosis to family and friends. I've been likening it to diabetes, to give them the scope of what this means for him and for us. It requires daily medication. It requires a lifestyle change. It requires regular blood draws to determine how the medication is working. Etc.

But, a more technical explanation, for the curious, would be this (as taken from the PWDCA and AddisonDogs websites):

Addison's disease is caused when the adrenal glands deteriorate. These small hormone producing glands are located above each kidney and are important for controlling the metabolism of sugar and maintaining the salt and water balances in the body.

The adrenal gland is made up of two layers, the cortex and the medulla. The outer area, or cortex, secretes corticosteroid hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone. The medulla, part of the sympathetic nervous system, secretes epinephrine (adrenaline), which is generally not affected by Addison’s.

There are three forms of Addison’s disease: primary, secondary and atypical. Primary and atypical Addison’s are usually the result of immune mediated damage to the glands. Secondary hypoadrenocorticism is from failure of the pituitary to stimulate the adrenals with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).

As the adrenal glands cease to produce vital hormones, physical and behavioral symptoms develop, sometimes in an inconsistent manner, so an owner might observe one or any combination of signs: depression, lethargy or weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and/or a lack of interest in food. These symptoms may come and go over months, making diagnosis difficult.

Addison's Disease is often called the Great Pretender because it presents symptoms of dozens of other diseases. Many veterinarians spend time testing for kidney disease, Lyme, cancer, blockages in the digestive tract, upset stomach, etc. etc. About 30% of dogs are only diagnosed when they're in a full-fledged crisis. Most dogs aren't diagnosed until they're incredibly ill. The average age of the dog at diagnosis is between 4-7 years of age (Lucky was 1 week shy of his 3rd birthday).

Some breeds of dogs seem to be more predisposed to developing Addison's: Leonbergers, Standard Poodles, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, Airedales, Bearded Collies, German Shepherd Dog, German Shorthair Pointer, Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, St. Bernard, English Springer Spaniel, West Highland White Terrier, Wheaten Terrier, and Portuguese Water Dog.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. And Addison's Disease can develop in any breed or mix. If your dog exhibits any of the symptoms on the list above, consider Addison's as a possible, perhaps even probable, culprit.

The good news is that, while not curable, Addison's is 100% treatable. With proper medication, Addison Dogs live happy, full, long lives.

Not quite what we expected

2008-06-12T09:59:00.000-05:00

Nearly 3 years ago, my husband and I brought home the most adorable little dog on the planet

His name was Lucky, christened such by our breeder's son. He was named that because he was the last pup of the litter and had to be revived, just like the dog in the movie 101 Dalmations. We thought it was so fitting, so we kept the name.

Lucky is a Portuguese Water Dog. They're an ancient, seafaring breed, a highly intelligent working dog with stamina to work a full day in and out of the water. As an aquaintance described them:

You know how herding dogs are ridiculously smart and energetic because...well...they have to be?

You know how incredibly tiring swimming in the ocean is?

Now imagine a creature that was bred to herd fish.

That should give you an idea of how much time and effort an owner needs to put in to their dog. They're smarter, more determined, more energetic, more clever than any other breed I've met. I love it - it's exactly what we wanted.

We had researched the breed for months, reading books, websites, etc. Like any other breed of dog, they do have their health issues - hip dysplasia, cardio, cancer, allergies, etc. One of the big ones is Addison's Disease, or hypoadrenocorticism. Every line of PWDs is affected in some way. The mode of inheritance is not known. We knew about this going in.

So we brought Lucky home at 9 weeks of age and started life as puppy owners. He was, in almost all respects, a dream dog. He slept thru the night from day one. He was giving reliable cues to go outside at 12 weeks. He picked up the basic commands - sit, down, come, stay - faster than any other dog I've trained. We went took classes in Basic Manners, CGC, Agility - he picked up everything like a sponge.

At home he was sweet, demanding, clever, affectionate, playful. Everything you want in a dog. He'd get the zoomies, woo-woo at the doorbell, play fetch, go for hikes and walks. He loves all other dogs, he loves all other people. He's brave - not storm or sound phobic at all - and brash and amazing. He's the best dog I've ever known.

On May 26, 2008, Lucky looked at his breakfast, picked at it a bit, looked at me, and went to curl up on the couch. This isn't unusual for him when the weather turns warm and it had jumped from 50º to 80º in a day, so I didn't think much of it. However, as the week wore on and he continued to snub food with more regularity, we became concerned. I set up a vet appointment for that Friday. I got home at 3pm and found he hadn't eaten his morning cookie for the first time all week. We went to the vet. Nothing came up on the physical exam. He had been drinking and peeing normally. Temp was normal. Everything FELT fine. So our vet drew blood for some labs and took a stool sample. The results would be in the next morning. She sent us home with some sucralfate (basically something to soothe his stomach) and some bland canned food.

Saturday morning the labs came back. Our vet called and said "I am concerned with his blood work. His BUN is high, and his electrolytes are off. I want to get him in this morning to test for Addison's Disease."

There was much cursing as I hung up the phone. I rushed him over to the vet for the ACTH response test, which would take 2 hours to complete. After the test was over and they'd collected the blood samples they needed, they gave him a steroid injection and some subcutaneous fluids. Basically, they treated him as an Addisonian dog just in case. As the vet said "I don't want him going into a crisis over the weekend and this won't hurt him." The lab would would be back on Monday. He started to improve over the weekend, eating food again and being a bit more active.

Monday morning the vet called back and 3 little words changed everything: "He has Addison's." Even though I had been steeling myself for this diagnosis since Saturday morning, the blow was still crushing. My dog was sick with a chronic disease. He would be on medication for the rest of his life. She asked if we could get him in that day for his first injection. Of course we could.

The medication he's on is a daily prednisone pill, to basically give him the cortisol his adrenal glands don't produce, and also an injection given every 3-4 weeks (depending on the dog), to help replace the aldosterone that is missing. These aren't cheap! The bottle of DOCP is $120 and lasts perhaps 2-3 injections, depending on the dosage. The prednisone costs about $22 for 100 pills. So, every month, we will be spending $50-$70 on medication that keeps our dog alive.

On top of the medication, we have to do our best to keep him out of "stressful" situations. We have to watch his behavior and take any one of the vague signs that could signify an impending problem - depression, lethargy or weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and/or a lack of interest in food - incredibly seriously. It means a lifestyle change for all of us.

Not quite what we expected when we brought that bundle of fluff home.

But, Lucky is still living up to his name. He was lucky to be born. Now he is lucky that we caught the disease before he became really sick or went into a crisis. He's lucky we can afford the medication....with a few budget cuts here and there. We're all lucky to have a great support network in our friends, veterinarian, breeder (who has handled his diagnosis with admirable aplomb), and the extended PWD community.

And, even though this isn't quite what we expected, we're lucky to have him in our lives.