Pippa? Any Carter news?

[TakeCareoftheKids]

Just wondering and hoping he is OK.

[Pippa]

Awwww . . . Thank you so much for asking!

Carter went for his six-month post-diagnosis echo-cardiogram a couple of weeks ago. The cardiologist DID see some improvement since his first visit (she had said that the meds would STRENGTHEN his heart), but that the arrythmia is still an issue, so some of his daily meds were increased.

Also of concern - he has dropped a significant amount of weight since the diagnosis; from 114 pounds down to 94. He's on dieuretics, but is just not eating as much. He has a VERY large frame (his paws are like hamhocks!), and is naturally a big guy, so that's just way too much a percentage of his body weight to lose so fast. We'll be monitoring the weight now on a monthly basis going forward.

The cardiologist did notice the way that he lay down and suggested that he might have some arthritus too, which could affect the appetite. So - in ADDITION to the heart meds, we've added Rimadyl to the mix for that.

And FINALLY - the poor big falling apart loveable guy has had a couple of tumors pop up. One on his lower rear leg, and one very small one under his front "armpit". Because of his heart condition, he can't be put under anesthesia to remove them, so we'll just have to keep a close watch on those now also.

Carter is OLD, and I know that his time is limited now, but EVEN given all that I've described above, he is still very comfortable and has a good quality of life. I will do everything I can to keep him that way, but have already decided that I won't put forth any extraordinary measures beyond "comfort care" for him at this point. I owe that to him, I think.

[TakeCareoftheKids]

Pippa,

I'm so glad Carter's heart showed improvement at his check-up, although sorry to hear that he is losing weight. I hope he starts to eat more soon.

You are an dog owner after my own heart, because it is all about quality of life for our pups. The big thing is to monitor and assess it, keep them comfortable, and make the choice to let them go for their sakes, not to hang on to them too long for our own. I'm sure Carter has a way to go before you have to make that hard decision. Is there any chance the lumps are just benign lipomas? I hope so.

I have an aging dog right now too. My greyhound Murphy's picture and story were on the Pet Parade in late September. He is 12, and the sweetest dog, but is on so many pills he ought to rattle when he walks! He is also on Rimadyl daily which really helps with the arthritis in his right front paw (racing injury), on phenobarb to control minor seizures and soloxine for his Thyroid. Because of all this we have to check his liver functions every few months, and keep an eye on his weight and heart. I worry greatly whenever he *pops* a new lump, because anesthesis is dangerous for him too.

Murphy was diagnosed with idiopatic neuropathy recently. No known cause, and no known treatment at all. Basically it is slow degeneration of the periperal nerves, so his hind end is progressively getting weaker. He is not in any pain, but may need a wheelchair at some point.

He is still a very happy dog though, and I hope he stays that way for a couple more years.

All the best to you and Carter.

[Pippa]

I am not familiar with what a limpoma (?) is. I know that my vet said that if he had to, that he could probably remove the growths from Carter via local anesthesia, but he suggested monitoring them for a while, so I guess that he doesn't see them as too much of a "threat" right now, given everything else that the poor big ole pup's going through.

I had a dog named Murphy once too. A Great Dane/German Shephard mix (she had the Dane Harlequin markings). She was a stray also; found her as a pup - and she lived to the ripe old age of 14!!!!

I held her in my arms when she died, and I miss her still.

HUGS to you TOO!!! And thank you SO much for caring!

[Pippa]

P.S.: My very best to you and YOUR Murphy! Sounds like your Murphy has a great "pet parent" too!

[TakeCareoftheKids]

Hi again, Pippa!

So sorry not to reply sooner but I had a busy weekend. You are so sweet to love my Retired Racing Greyhound's name. I love it too, but it was actually Murphy's racing name, so I can't take any credit for it.

I have had quite a few rescues in the house in the last 25 years and I don't claim to be a perfect dog-owner. I just foster a bit, adopt a few of the neediest, love them all to pieces and do my best for all of them.

A lipoma is a fatty and almost always benign tumor. They are supposedly most common in elderly chubby female dogs. Heh! I agree with the elderly, but I have had skinny girls that popped them and a very slender boy who popped a couple too. They seem to appear overnight.

The only way to know kind of what sort of lump it is, is by a needle aspiration. Now I'm certainly not a vet and rather crumble under vet-speak, but my understanding is that if what they aspirate is fat cells do not worry and leave the lump alone. Fatty cells means lipoma, not anything nasty. Lipomas can grow and really do need to be removed if they get big enough interfere with movement, but my vets historically have kind of shrugged and told me that the fatty cell lump is merely cosmetic and to leave it alone. When the needle aspiration identifies an anomally that is is high risk (not fatty), they tell me. And we go from there.

On Carter: a needle aspiration might identify a lipoma, or it might identify something infinitely worse. That might set your mind at rest, or perhaps help you to decide when to let him go. Gently. As painfree as possible.

That sounds rather cold. But, as you said, Carter is OLD. So is Murphy OLD. And I agree with you that extreme measures are not in the program. However much we love them, they won't understand those extreme measures. And in Murphy's case, I cannot and will not inflict a lot more medical stuff on him. He is not happy at the vet's office and I have a great vet. Murphy came to me aged 10, and he has been stuck with more needles in the last two years than he experienced in the previous 10. Poor old guy.

It is so hard to make the right decision.

Pippa, if you would like to PM me that would be fine. I think we could possibly brainstorm and learn from each other. We are obviously on the same page when it comes to our love of our dogs