The Results

So Lucas had his surgery on Monday, and it was a retained testicle! They only found the one. I'll never know what or why the original owner didn't get the other one out. While he was open they did look around and said everything else looked good. He has a pretty long cut underneath him, but he was already starting to feel better the day after surgery. He was uncomfortable, and I'm sure in pain, but I can tell he's getting back to normal. He will get the staples out next Friday. He's been coming to work with me every day until he gets the staples out so I can keep an eye on him. He freaks in that cone and he got the blow up one off that I tried. He actually hasn't been messing with them at all but I have a t-shirt handy if he does.
I'm so thankful for the results.  I'm not ready to give up my boy.

Meet Lucy - She Needs A Home (OK)

Lucy is a beautiful Red Doberman who will need a home.  Here is her description:

Lucy is the nicest dog you have ever met! Lucy we think was hit by a car. Her injuries were such that her leg had to be amputated. She is also heartworm positive. She will not be ready for adoption until the end of May. Lucy gets along with dogs, cats, people and loves life! She is so happy to have a foster home who allows her on the couch! We are taking donations for Lucy. Please go to http://www.dobermanrescuegroup.org/adoptable_dogs.htm Use the PayPal button if you would like to donate to Lucy's care.


If you know anyone who would be interested in fostering her right now, or adopting her in the near future, please share her information.

The Two Dogs and One in the Doghouse

Okay, it's not really two dogs, but I call this picture the two dogs only because Patches is sleeping on the dogs bed.

I have no news on Lucas yet.  I finally scheduled his surgery for Monday.  It took the Specialist until Wednesday to send over all their reports to my vets office, and that was after I called and told them they still didn't have all the reports.  I hate when people drag their feet.  Think good thoughts for my boy on Monday.  I will try to get on here during the week next week to post an update, but I apologize if I don't until the weekend. 


Little Miss Holly had her non-anesthetic dental cleaning this past Wednesday.  They told me she was the perfect angel, which I found hilarious because my husband says that all the time about her.  Yes, the one who does absolutely nothing wrong (cough cough).  When I went to pick her up I have never seen a happier dog.  This is the first time I ever left her anywhere besides at home.  She was so happy to see me it actually made me almost cry because I felt bad.  I felt like she might have thought that I wasn't coming back.  I told her I'd never leave her.  I'm glad she was a good girl for them.  She really is a good girl.  I love my Holly.


So for the hundredth time (I might be exaggerating a little), my husband has the "need" to acquire yet another vehicle to play with.  Like one isn't enough.  Now mind you, the last vehicle he got rid of just last year, he got rid of because he said if he didn't he was going to kill himself in it.  Meaning he can't control his driving habits with other drivers who rev the engines.  After he got rid of it he purchased a truck (again).  He can control himself in a truck.  Now his friend the other week bought a Mustang, so hubby was itching again.  So now we have yet another Mustang in the garage that he might kill himself in.  Does this make sense to anyone?  It doesn't to me.  But he assures me that this one isn't going to be like that. YEAH RIGHT!  And of course he has to pull the "what if I die tomorrow" crap on me since he had a heart attack!  Maybe I should try that one on him and put a For Sale sign outside the house.  Hmmmm

Well that was about it for my week, oh, besides getting my hair cut tonight.  I don't know why but it always feels so refreshing to get my hair cut no matter whether it looks great or not!

Have a great weekend everyone!

From Neurological to Mass

I had Lucas' re-evaluation yesterday at his neurologist.  Didn't go quite as I had expected. 

She was doing the evaluation, talking about treating the vertigo plus heading towards putting him on an anti-inflammatory...then when she was feeling him she found a 4cm mass near his belly. So they did an ultrasound and a needle aspiration. They said they could not find where it was attached to anything (organs and such).  She said the bladder wall was inflamed (hence the UTI he has) so they took a needle sample directly from the bladder, which my regular vet was planning on doing today anyways.  That will take about 3 days to get back the results.

So about a half an hour ago they called with the results already on the mass and it is cancerous.  The pathologist said that the results are similar to a retained testicle that has become cancerous. It has to be removed so we can find out what it is, so I will be calling my vet on Monday to set something up.  She said it would be better if it was a retained testicle.  So I can only hope it is. 

I actually thought it wasn't going to be cancer as the way they were talking yesterday.  I was staying really positive for a change in my life.  Now it is a little bit harder this time, but I'm still going to stay positive until it is done and over with.  It's hard, he's such a momma's boy and I love this boy so much.  I know he's about 8 years old, which is good for a Doberman, but there is still many more left for him.  My last girl I lost at 8 years old, but my first boy was 13 1/2 years old when I lost him. 

Please keep my boy in your thoughts and hope that all comes out okay for him.

Meet Floyd and Dutchess - They Need A Home (MN)

This is Floyd . He's a young Doberman who is looking for a home.  Here's his description:

Pet ID: 5417539-7315 • Spayed/Neutered • Up-to-date with routine shots • House trained • Prefers a home without: young children

Not too much on the description, but he looks like a great dog.


This is Dutchess . She's a sweet, senior Doberman who is looking for a home.  Here's her description:

Dutchess is my name and sweetness is my game. I am 8 years old and was surrendered by my family. I was living with a family of four and my buddy, a Cocker Spaniel. Last week I went to obedience school for the first time ever and even though I really did not understand what was going on, I did a great job healing with my foster mom. Tuesday I will be starting in a beginning obedience class, because it is good if I have a job to do. I have never been in a kennel, but at my foster home I like to go in the kennel to take naps. I will be kennel trained in no time. My foster mom thinks I am a little pushy because sometimes when I need to be petted to I give her hand a good nudge. I am learning to be very patient; as long as you show me what you want, I will try hard to comply. When my food is put down, my foster mom tells me to wait and I wait patiently until she tells me it is ok to eat; and when I am done outside I wait patiently until I am told it is ok to come in. I really need a yard that is fenced in as I love to chase critters. Sometimes I forget my manners and use my feet to try and open a door or get someone’s attention. We are working on that, but nobody’s perfect. Overall, I am pretty quiet, but once in a while I just need to talk so I walk up to my foster mom’s chair and have a conversation with her. I get along great with my foster brother; we lay together and play together. I love to go for walks and meet new people. Please read the adoption policy and if you qualify please apply to adopt me!Please fill out an application on our website if you are interested in adopting. We can only let you meet our dobermans after your application is complete and your home visit done. Contact us at support@dobermanrescueminnesota.com for more information; to fill out an application and learn more about our rescue please visit our website: http://dobermanrescueminnesota.com/index.php . You can also check out the new DRM blog at: http://www.dobermanrescueminnesota.blogspot.com/ .



Two great dogs! If you know anyone who needs a love or two in their life, please share their information.

Spring Forward My *@#

I hate the time changes.  I don't know why they just don't stop doing it.  I'm almost tempted to say I'd move to Arizona or Hawaii, but I don't think so. 

When my parents came to visit yesterday my dad brought up 3 bags of stuffed toys he bought at garage sales.  As I was outside helping them bring them in, little Miss Holly was helping herself to taking one out of the bag.  She was very excited to see the bag of toys.  She has one stuffed toy that stays outside.  Well now she has two.  She's such a joyful little girl.  Here's a picture of her with the one she picked out of the bag.

I think this is the first picture I have ever myself taken of Lucas that came out good.  He's always stuck to my side of has his rear to me.  He never lets me take his picture.

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  The way my eyes feel right now, I think it will definitely be an early bed night.  That's okay seeming now that I have to get up at 4:30 now instead of 5:30 thanks to Spring Forward! :)

 

Lucas' Neurologist Visit

We had our visit on Friday with the Neurologist.  Guess I really shouldn't go to doctors by myself anymore. I start spacing out when they talk. Especially when they're running an hour behind.  My appointment was at 9, it was supposed to be an hour appointment.  I didn't get to work until about 11:40, which the place is only about 15 minutes away.

In a nutshell, not sure what route we're doing yet. Even though his X-rays show the 2 pinched discs, those could have been there all along (this from the Neurologist mouth). He does have vertigo, seems to have have bells palsy too. They basically want to do possibly 3, yes I said 3, MRI's. First one being of the brain, then the neck, and if need be the spine. They wanted to check for wobblers and spinal cancer and to check all the nerves (reason for the MRI's). I've had an MRI done before on one of my previous dogs about 7 years ago and I know they are costly. They said it would be done under one anesthesia. I asked them if I didn't want to go (or afford) the MRI route what other choice do I have. They said they would just guess and treat what they suspect it is, which is our luck most of the time any way.

So as of right now he goes back next Friday for another evaluation because they said the diazepam might have affected the evaluation, which of course no one told me not to give it to him so now I have to waste money again! They also gave me gabapentin for him to try. He seems to be doing fine on the gabapentin.

Oh, and also he has some sort of urinary infection going on right now.  I took him to his regular vet on Monday as he's had a leaky faucet for about 10 days prior.  I knew it was incontinence, but it could have been caused by infection, stress, spinal injury, and some other things.  I thought for sure it would have been related to his neck injury, but they did a urinalysis and he does have an infection.  So he's also on antibiotics too.  It seems to have finally let up some on the leaky faucet just the last 2 days, so hopefully it is clearing up.  We go back there for a check up Saturday. 

So that's where we're at right now. 

Lucas wondering when we're leaving the Neurologist office.

 

 

Lucas gave up wondering.

Meet Beretta - She Needs A Home (PA)

This is Beretta .  She is a wonderful older Doberman in Phoenixville, PA who needs a home for the rest of her life.  Here's her description:

Hi, my name is Beretta, I am a black and rust docked and cropped dober-girl. I ended up in rescue because I was kicked out of my home and brought to my owners place of business,and was left there day and night. On weekends they would leave my food and water out and leave me to fend for myself. That was no life for me, now I am in a foster home looking for my furever home. Enough about my past. I am a older dobergirl but don't let that fool you, I love to play ball, go for walks, and I love to ride in the car. I will lay at your feet if you let me. I am the true VELCRO DOG. I have a high prey drive so cats and children under 10 would not work. I am up to date on shots, microchip, and spayed. If you would like to meet me please go to DVDPA.ORG and fill out an application.


If you know of anyone in the Pennsylvania area looking for a wonderful older dog, please share her.

Shopping and Donating

Tomorrow my parents are coming up for a visit so I enlisted my mother into going clothes shopping with me.  I need to spend my Kohls gift cards I received for Christmas, and I really need some new shirts.  I loathe going shopping, trying things on.  I can try on 30 shirts and maybe buy 2 or 3.  At least I know my mom won't get annoyed and ask me how much longer like my husband did the last time he went with me. 



A couple weeks ago I posted about a rescue who asked for donations who I could never meet up with to give the donation to.  Well I gave them one more chance and I finally met her last weekend.  I got to meet all 20 of her Dobermans too.  They were all great dogs.  She had a couple that were bite dogs that she was working with, one girl who came out who we just ignored and gave a cookie too.  She didn't act nervous or anything.  She had another boy who liked to hold your arm in his mouth.  It was the funniest thing.  He didn't clench down or anything.  She had the Dobermans all pretty much paired up in different bedrooms.  There were either 2 or 3 Dobermans per room.  Only 1 was by herself, the one bite girl.  Most of them are seniors, 10+ years old.  She had a 5 yr old and a 1 1/2 yr old, and they were the young ones for sure. 

The rescue is actually located on a farm.  She has 2 horses of her own, plus she boards horses for the season (polo), and she also rescues horses.  We met the horses too, but they kind of freak me out because they are so huge.  I love horses, I just don't know how they think.  When I went to pet one of them on the nose, he lifted his head and I kind of was nervous because I always think they're going to nip or something.  She said they do that because of the way I'm standing and petting, by bringing my hand in front of them, they can't see me with their eyes on the side of their head so they raise their head to look.  Makes sense, and now I know.  But they still make me nervous.  Very beautiful animals.



Now I'm off to catch up on a few shows before I'm off to bed.  Gotta get up early.  Will update on Lucas' appointment tomorrow.  Have a nice night all!

Some of Holly's Favorites

Here's Holly sitting in her favorite chair with a pile of food while watching out the front window at the birds flying around.

Meet Greta - She Needs A Home (WA)

This is Greta . She's a 9 year old Doberman who is looking for a wonderful home.  Here is her description:

Greta is a vibrant 9yr old black female, black/tan, docked/cropped. She is spayed and current on vaccinations. Greta is a very sweet girl and she is housetrained and even knows some commands. Said to be a gem, she loves car rides and is a very snuggly girl. She is currently in foster care.

She is very intense about her tennis ball. Her concentration is awesome. She is very polite about it. She chases the ball and will even catch it in the air. She also willingly drops it for you to throw it again and waits politely without jumping or lunging for you to pick it up and throw it again.

Greta has some arthritis issues which are typical for senior Dobes, with some low cost maintenance meds she is doing great.

She is good with other dogs but likes to have her space. Cats unknown.

 

She sounds like a wonderful little ole lady.  If you know someone who is looking for that someone special, please share her.

Specialist for My Special One

So next Thursday I have an appointment for Lucas to see a neurologist.  Last weekend, twice, he yelped in pain again.  I didn't see what he was doing the first time.  Most likely digging in his comforter on the floor because the big, bad oven was on.  The second time my husband was throwing a rock into the lot next door and Lucas got excited and was running towards it and then he yelped.  That time his right leg stiffened some again, but not as bad as it had before.  I called my vet and told them I wanted to take him to a chiropractor, but they wanted him to see a neurologist before a chiropractor, so I agreed.  The consultation isn't as much as I thought it would be, plus I'll have my records and the x-rays so they should be able to give me some idea for treatment, and how much.  I believe even if I do stick with the neurologist I am going to take him to an acupuncturist.  I received a few recommendations in my county.  Unfortunately the one that seems best is at least 45 minutes away, but I think I might do it.  Have to do one thing at a time though as I need to control my expenses for a bit.  And of course, none of these animal treatment places are inexpensive.