Author: patchesmom

Maybe a reprieve. There are 2 oncologists in our giant urban area.. and we were looking to leave one of the practices. The second oncologist is only here 3 days a month. However, we were able to sneak in, because of a last minute cancellation. We are keeping our fingers crossed and trying not to hope. But the receptionist for the new practice actually answered the phone, and told us we could leave Baby Dog in the car until the room is ready, and that they had blue mats they can lay down in the exam room to make the dogs more comfortable on tile floors. Just someone being kind, and calling us back, and trying to help, made us break down. 

We are on day three of Amandatine – prescribed only after we begged, and then called in under the wrong pet name (“Captain” instead of “Patches”), and wrong DOB, causing me to have to be at the CVS for an hour, and going through 3 different vet techs, after a 10 hour day at work.

He has calmed though, and today an extra wide yoga mat arrived via Amazon, and Baby Dog is relaxing more – dreaming, cuddling with Dad, and tonight he lay down on his side -something he had not done since we came home. We changed pill administration to peanut butter and tonight, ground bison and a whole head of spinach. His appetite is down, but he is still eating, though only half of what he ate before, so I am using a lot of tupperware, and we are all adjusting. As I write this, Baby Dog is on the couch in the other room, and Patches Dad is finally taking a shower. I washed the sheets lining our couch, with a little laundry sanitizer, and may have had an extra glass of wine or two.  We are trying to relax, and seeing the dog more calm is helping us try to get there.

Here is the Baby Dog on his Extra Wide yoga Mat, modeling a fresh “can’t wear this anymore” undershirt from Dad. 

 

It’s been a tough week.  The Nocita given to Patches during surgery wore off on Monday, and we went through a week of sleepless nights. Patches has been struggling with pain, and we had to fight with our vet about additional pain solutions. They were hesitant to given anything to us, claiming it opiates are not the standard of care in veterinary science, despite protocols we sent to them and specific requests we made for post op pain relief. Instead, they believed we were overdosing him on the Gabapenten, causing dysphoria.  We sent video of Patches whimpering in pain, and relayed that these whimpers turned into full-on screams of pain – we knew something was wrong.

We are looking for a new provider. When we picked up our dog, freshly tripawd, they had just waxed their floors. This caused a Bambi-on-Ice moment,  when he attempted to move and his legs just slipped. We have not had this problem at home, because we purchased puzzle, interlocking play mats off of Amazon to lay around the house. The whole experience has felt lousy, and we are just trying to reduce as much stress on our Baby Dog as possible.

We have been using rotisserie chicken to give Patches his pills, but we think he is on to us. He has never been a picky eater, but he has taken to just throwing the chicken or any treats on the floor. We are trying to find new treats for him. Ridiculously, the elk burgers are still working for him, and if I mix one or two in, he will eat.  This lack of appetite is a recent development – he ate well in the days immediately following surgery. We fear he is depressed.

We have one more week to go in this post operative restriction on movement – then we are going to try to move him lightly into more activity. Poor Baby Dog loved his walks and rides in the car – lived for them – and being homebound is his special form of torture.

If this helps someone else, we get the Elk Burgers from Northstar Bison. Quick turnaround and shipping, and he loves them.

Here is a link to the mats we are using, from Amazon.

Last night our AC went out – in the middle of recordbreaking heat.   And, after drinking about 10 bowls of water,  Patches finally decided to pee – and went charging off of the “designated path” we have laid out for him of gym tiles, yoga mats and a doormat, strategically placed over the landscaping rocks. Hopping on his 3 legs, he charged off the path, out onto the red rocks, and settled in for the world’s longest pee. I tried not to hover, but did manage to throw a yoga mat in his path, and he promptly laid down. We all stood in the 100-degree night and took a breather, before making his way back indoors.

This AM, we learned our AC unit is from 1989, and can’t even be serviced.  So, why not.  With record heat forecasted, we are scheduled for some unforeseeable home repairs, and Baby Dog is trying to stay cool. I fed him some bone-shaped frozen treats I made him pre-amputation – banana and coconut yogurt. Baby dog likes coconut water and ate three frozen bones this AM, along with about 1/2 of his breakfast, so his appetite is a little better than yesterday.

We have been trying to keep him off the couch – under the “no jumping, no running, no walks” post surgery instructions.  I swear my back was turned for 30 seconds, and this happened – and he is snoozing now directly under a ceiling fan: