Stupid dog tricks... the beginning

Oh, we've been working with Caya's pea-sized brain. She needs motivation. More importantly, she needs to remember to respond to us. She's in her first stages of DEAD DOG, we hope that she'll learn to be the dog that fetches beer outta the cooler.

So, to follow up on earlier tribute, here's a tribute to Justice, cancer dog that passed away naturally before we understood what cancer dog meant!

A tribute

To quote the Dead: "What a long strange trip it's been..."

As I look back the pet adventure started with Caya, then my beloved Neko Cat went into feline renal failure (she kept Truckin' for two years on fluids...possibly training me for Caya's adventure?) Then the rock of the family, Tika, battled cancer only to lose to it as Caya went into sudden acute renal failure.

Holy shit.

The combined vet bills starting with getting the pups tallies around $35K-45K. The majority of it being in the past year. However, St. Francis of Assisi and a few other religious dieties, oh hell maybe even Neko and Tika themselves have looked out for us because things are looking up, we will have the means to recover financially and we have the health of our remaining two critters. So, to all in the 'other' world, thank you.

However, I need to give a bit of love to the many folks I met over the last year. Without their support, laughter, tears and just being there, I kept a tenuous hold on my sanity. So to the pack at www.tripawds.com, I love you all, thank you for being there. My family, my friends, my coworkers, they all tried to understand, tried to be supportive, but I could feel the patience wearing thin. On the bad days, I just had Tika's jolly spirit and a few simple keyboard clicks and I knew I wasn't alone, I wasn't crazy.

To all of my fellow crazies--I'll always be there for you.

Caya was still getting fluids when the disaster in Haiti happened, I had several emotions going through me while I would sit on the floor administering fluids to her and watching people suffer and die and go without basic medical necessities for their needs. I felt guilty, we donated all we could to the relief efforts, we have even considered taking some time to go down there for rebuilding if we can, Caya was very lucky to be with us.

There was a recent article/poll in our local paper on what you would spend/do for a pet's health care. The answers amused me. My first thought was, AMATEURS, but honestly, you wouldn't know what you would do until the time comes. If somebody told me I would spend $20,000 on Caya over a two month period and put my job and my financial situation in jeopardy over her, I would have said no way. But I did.

Was it worth is? Oh, you betcha. Caya doesn't just own my pocketbook, she owns my mind and spirit, she shows me the simple joys in life. Tika taught us that in spades. If I ever get sick (and with my family history it's probably likely) I will hold on to Tika's memory, play her videos and say, I CAN be that strong. I'll remember the words of a elderly gentleman, "Live in her Strength."

So our four furry children are down to two, and they are starting to turn to each other, as if to say: "Okay, it's up to us now, we've got to team up and take care of these guys." So, to my 15 year old GracieCat, thank you for the love and hair combing. So, to miracle dog, Caya, thank you for showing me life doesn't have to be so SERIOUS and sticking around for a few more RV trips.

To the two that have gone on to new adventures, I know you are still with me. You always will be.

Caya is a little early for April Fools

SOOOOOO, we got the shit scared out of us last night.

Caya was doing good, had dinner, was romping around with me, mauling me and playing with the ball, all was good. Total Norman Rockwell evening.

Then all of a sudden, lil' dog FLIPS OUT! Starts running around the house doing this weird head bobbing thing, drinking 10 tons of water, wanting outside where she started manically eating snow.

This kept going on, we tried to calm her down, nothing. Then BLEEEEAAAAAH, spectacular bazooka puke of all the water and snow she just ate. She calms down.

Then it happens again, manic snow eating (looked like Ms PacMan), freaking out. I grab a hold of her to calm her down and I feel her stomach, it's huge....her whole abdomen is distended....then the dreaded word comes....BLOAT.

We call the ER, they say bring her in. SO off we go to KC, I'm riding in the back, hubby is speeding, I'm getting carsick, dog is freaking out. Oh, and it's 10pm at night.

So, happy ending to the story. Doggie didn't have torsion. She had severe intestinal gas. I have IBS, so I know how painful that can be. Basically, Caya had a fart caught crosswise! Okay, sick humor, I know.

We got back home around midnight and stayed up for awhile longer. Finally, she calms down around 2am and we all get to sleep (she's racked out on top of me, but that's okay).

Today she was back to normal, she took a fantastic poo at lunch (more poopy talk!) and was a whole new dog.

It was the cheapest trip we've taken to the ER, but not a fun one. Let's not do that anymore, mmm'kay?

A new year...a new beginning

I can't believe over a month has gone by since I have last posted.

Caya had several ups and downs over the last month, but she's finally on what we call the recovery path.

Several arguments ensued among the vets/specialists we were in contact with about whether Caya had a anti-biotic resistant form of leptospira, whether or not she needed a dialysis, etc.

Once Caya seemed to be on the up side of things and staying there, hubby and I took a break, got completely off the grid to rest and regroup. Caya was spending her days in the vets anyway so they took her and boarded her in a run at night. During our trip, we called and checked on her and we got the wonderful news that her BUN was in the normal range and her Creatinine was going down. (It's still high). The best news was we could finally start dialing back on fluids and she started eating by herself.

We got home yesterday (went from 85 degree weather to 10 degree weather and 16 inches of snow) and it seemed like we had a whole new Caya-dawg. We proceeded to destroy the pristine backyard playing (I hate the cold, but you cannot avoid being caught up in the rapturous joy of a german shepherd!)

Now, as things get better, what does the future hold? First of all 2010 has GOT to be better than 2009, it royally sucked. I want to tell myself I will not be an overprotective momma and keep Caya from enjoying all the things she loves. But it will take a while to get the image of my baby girl with tubes coming out from every angle out of my head.

Tika's presence is missed every day, I think mostly by my husband surprisingly. But I guess I am in that acceptance stage of grief and I can remember her for all the good times. I had a picture in my office at work that my parents gave me when Tika was a puppy and we visited them, Tim forgot about it so I framed it and gave it to him for our $5.00 christmas present giving.

So here's to a new year, we are planning a trip up to Montana (husband's never seen Yellowstone!) with Caya and the RV. My parents are both retired now so they'll be up visiting a lot, my dad has more or less kicked us out of our own house for the summer on the weekends. He wants pool and dog sitting duty. Hmmm, we'll see. If I can get Caya to agree to being a boat dog, she'll have a new job this summer.

And the hits keep rolling......

When spouse went to pick up Caya and discuss things with the vet, Caya had an accident on the floor.

They got out the door, but the doctor decided to take a uriniary culture sample from the accident.

Sure enough, Caya had a urinary tract infection from the catheter. Even more groovy? It was a very antibiotic resistant form of E. Coli.

ARRRRGGGGH! For once, couldn't things be simple?

We are in a ritual of drop off doggie, pick up after work, syringe feed, SubQ.

She's been very playful, and super glad to be home, but STILL fussy with food. The only things she shows interest in are high protein snacks. She can't have high protein because of KIDNEY FAILURE!

Her kidney values are remaining steady, but not really improving, and that's a bit discouraging.

Also she's a bit incontinent in her sleep right now, (trying to catch up on almost 2 weeks of not sleeping), so we've had her sleeping with us, but we have the bed lined with towels and puppy training pads. Oh, getting 6 L of fluids a day probably isn't helping.

So, the couple who didn't want kids? We are doing the equivalent of bottle feeding, diaper changing, constant supervision, etc, etc.

Is it karma?

All I know is 24 karat puppy should thank her lucky stars that she wound up with us. We've put our credit score back in the dumpster and stretched ourselves pretty thin for her highness...

But she's worth it!

Caya comes home from VSEC

She's in no way out of the woods yet. Her BUN and Creatinine are still very high.

However, she hasn't eaten in the 10 days she has been there and they had to put a feeding tube in.

We would visit her everyday, and every day she would look more and more depressed. I told hubby, we HAVE to get her out of there, she's losing the will to fight.

I don't think that the internist at the hospital wanted to release her, but we stood firm.

So she's home now, and will be getting IV fluids during the day and we will do SubQ fluids at night.

We'll see if we can get her eating, if not, break out the syringes and blender! I'm going in.

Her titer test indicated infection with three strains of Lepto.

We started taking Doxycycline in case of exposure, and Caya will be taking Doxy to kick out the rest of the infection.

RIP, my sweet baby Tika

No matter how much you try, you can never prepare yourself for when it is time. Even though you know you are doing the right thing, your heart just shatters into a million pieces.

Yesterday, after the big meltdown, we calmed down and laid our hostilities and anger to rest. Hubby comforted me, apologized to me and I did the same. We went to visit Caya who was looking like a train wreck. She was also in the same kennel that Tika was in after her amputation. I told the vet staff to please name this kennel after us.

About 2 a.m. this morning, he comes up to me, the first time in 12 years I've ever seen him crying, he tells me...It's time. I get up, and go downstairs and gather Tika to me, she's gasping for air, I rub her chest and back until she can get her breath back. Once she is comfortable, we try to get a bit more sleep ourselves.

This morning, my husband has shut down, I make some calls and get in touch with the vet. We decide to bring Tika to the office, they have a special room, and we'll have the place to ourselves. We have about an hour left with Tika so we hugged her, and I told her that she needed to be Caya's guardian angel now because she's really, really sick. Pretty soon, I told her, you won't hurt anymore, and you'll have all your legs and breath and will be running around chasing rabbits.

We loaded Tika up into the truck and made our last car ride to the vets last as long as possible. Tika looked so worn out, there was absolutely no color to her gums or tongue. We get her into the office and start talking to the vet about what was going to happen. Tika of course summons up the strength to wag her tail at the vet, and vet tech.

In the end, it was very very peaceful, she just laid her head down and that was it. It was the first time in several weeks I hadn't seen her struggling to breathe. How can your heart break yet you feel relief at the same time?

Goodbye, sweet princess, I will always love you so.