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.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Recent Photos
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
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.
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.
Friday, November 14, 2008
I'm a soccer dog!
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.
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.
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.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
R-A-G-G M-O-P-P
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.
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.
Friday, October 10, 2008
It's a BBD Sleepover!
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
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
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Back to "normal"
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)