Jasper (12 yr old Mini Schnauzer) is now at peace

Sorry Kathy, thank you for your patience. :D

Big hugs. xo

Well, your hands are certainly full!:o

Our boy seems to be hanging in there okay considering all. He is a wonder! Thank goodness he ate today. That's a start. Rosie is the pickiest little eater I have ever encountered. Half the time she won't touch her food and she's not sick, just a pain in the butt. She's not interested in food at all. It makes it difficult to get medication down her when it has to be dosed with food. Half the time she doesn't get her allergy meds because of it. The thought of you struggling so hard to entice Jasper to eat a little something makes my heart hurt. No wonder you are exhausted and feel emotionally drained.

I think that this kind of constant stress does change you. It did change me. I am not the same person. I am on guard for every little thing with Rosie. Is she drinking enough or too much? When did she last pee? Is her poop too soft? Why is she lying around so much? The list is endless. I was not like that with Buddy before Cushings happened. I didn't watch him ALL the time. I did not worry about him and he was fine and healthy, until one day he wasn't.

So sorry to hear about your eyelid issue. Glad you got it checked out.

Please let us know when you get Jaspers results. I hope you didn't feel too crowded in that vet's office today. There was quite a mob of us there hanging out with you. Thankfully Marianne arrived with a big box of chocolate.;):p

Big hugs,
Kathy

I noticed you were seriously enjoying the chocolate, Kathy! Thank goodness I found a box with a chart so we didn't have to sneak little nibbles off the corners of everything. I can always find those caramels right off the bat, though, chart or no chart...:) :D :p

Tina, thanks so much for the report and in general, so far pretty good. Peg had a bunch of crystals last spring, too, alongside her UTI. But they cleared up once the infection was gone.

Let us know as soon as you find out about the rest. And being a born worrier myself, I can so relate. I guess the only difference is that I've always been this bad :o...

Hang in there, kiddo!

Thank goodness there was chocolate! I always appreciate those charts too Marianne, otherwise the box would look just as you described, with a small bite out of many of the pieces. Lol

I should have all of the lab results some time today and will post when I get them. He is eating the half and half canned and dry so far, hope it continues.

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper xo

One cannot underestimate the value of chocolate!!!!

So what was the lab results today?????

Oh my gosh you guys, I am so sorry I haven't posted an update on Jasper after his last vet visit. Between the two of us, it seems it has been one thing after another for the past few weeks. I have been meaning to post every day but have been so tired I just didn't get it done.

Well, my boy has had a raging UTI, in the words of my vet. The culture grew two bacteria, lots of E. coli and strep. So a double whammy. He didn't really show any of the usual symptoms, but with as much as he pees, there would be no way to know. We discussed the antibiotic choices at length, because of his history of not eating with abx in the past. And that was already a problem going in this time.

He has had lots of eating problems in the past with both Zeniquin and Clavamox which were both indicated. Baytril is also a good option for these bacteria. Since he has never had that one, we thought we would try it in the hopes that he wouldn't completely go off food this time. He has also been getting metoclopramide before meals to help head off nausea. I have been getting him to eat a 50/50 mix of dry and canned RC GI lowfat food thank God, as she said to not give the Baytril if he won't eat. So far so good, we have one more day of the abx. We tried it for 5 days initially and since he tolerated it, got a refill. She wants him on a full 14 day course, then re-culture 5 days after he finishes.

He seems to be feeling much better, and I am so thankful. Our big fear of course was that it would turn into a kidney infection like it did one other time. That was such a bugger to get rid of. I don't think that is happening this time.

I still need to get my bum in gear and post the abnormals from all of his labwork, but wanted to touch bases. As always, thank you all for all of the support and kind words.

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper xo

Yay, finally an abx he isn't having bad non eating reaction too. Good call using the metoclopramide before meals and him taking it has probably headed off the dreaded kidney infection possibility.

It's really good to hear from you Tina. I'm sorry it has been so hectic for you lately. Seems to always be that way these days for many of us. Still we keep plugging along :)

Take care of yourself and Jasper and Shelby
Hugs!

Hey Tina, just sending you all some hugs... Miss ya xxxxx

Hi Everyone,

Well, this is not the general update that I desperately need to post (hope to work on that later), but I just want to ask for positive thoughts today for my boy.

Four days ago I suddenly noticed a pretty large hard fixed lump on the top of his head. It's about the size of a marble. I'm not sure exactly how long it has been there, but probably not real long. Normally I would have noticed it immediately but I have been avoiding petting him on the top of his head lately because he has a long standing wart type of growth on the other side that has been cracking open and bleeding recently. It seems like every time I would go to pet him I would accidentally bump that area and aggravate it. He has a few of these warts on his body, but the one on his head and another on his back periodically start cracking and bleeding. I have been keeping them clean and dry and treating with antibiotic ointment until they heal again.

I don't think the hard lump has been there very long. I am not sure if it was smaller at one time and then grew, or not. I was pretty shocked when I felt it. He will be getting groomed this morning, it is hidden by his long fur right now so not visible. It is not red or inflamed at all, and does not appear to be painful for him. It feels like it is part of his skull, like a boney prominence.

We have a vet appt this afternoon so I will let you know what I find out. Just not sure what it could be. It's definitely not like any of the many other lumps he has over his body, so I am feeling a little worried.

Hugs from me and Jasper xo

Tina, absolutely sending positive thoughts flying westward. I know senior dogs can sprout all kinds of weird but harmless growths, but I also surely understand why you're worried and we will be so anxious to hear what the vet has to say.

Huge hugs,
Marianne