Emma's Xray

 Hello Everyone,

I know it's been awhile since our last post and I do apologize.  We have been trying to come around facebook and catch up with our blog friends and to those that do not have facebook or those we have not connected with yet I do apologize.  We have haven't had a lot of online time and we were trying to find a way to maximize the time we had available.  Hopefully we can come around to all our friend's blogs soon.  We do miss reading about your adventures and good times.

Emma went to the vet and the lady found swollen lymph nodes.  She suggested we have blood work and an xray done.  We followed her advice and this is the xray they showed us.

The Dr. said there is a mass between her neck bone and the trachea/esophagus.  The trachea/esophagus is the black tube toward the bottom.  They recommended more diagnostic testing.  Like a chest x-ray and an ultrasound to guide a needle biopsy of the mass to determine what kind of mass it is.

Problem:  Emma is still losing weight, has no appetite, has had diarrhea for a very long time.  She doesn't eat enough to have gotten the proper nutrients for a very long time despite our determined attempts to encourage vitamin supplements and balanced foods.  She refuses anything we add a multi vitamin powder to and most times refuses any kind of dog food.  This makes us very leery of any surgical procedure.  Today we requested the xray be done only if it could be done without any kind of sedation.  The Dr. agreed he did not want to use sedation.  And sweet, gentle, mellow, Emma was very cooperative. That's my wonderful girl!  Our fear is no matter what they find out she is not going to be a good candidate for surgery.  I am going to guess that surgery in this area of the neck is a major surgery since it's so close to vital arteries.  I'm worried any type of surgery in this area would cause her to completely stop eating from the pain and discomfort.  I'm worried the stress surgery places on the body and the anesthesia would be too much for her to handle.

So, that leaves us with the question...what do we do?

I don't want to let her down, I don't want to make the wrong decision, most of all I don't want to let her down.  She's counting on me to take care of her and I feel I have failed.

I can only hope what they are seeing in this xray is not a mass.  I've asked our primary Dr. to take a look at them and see what he thinks.

Sincerely,
Emma's Mom

RE: Topic of Couches

My furiend Dexter has posted about a most interesting topic and one I am very experienced with.  Couches.  He has asked if any of his furiends or loyal readers have a couch of their own or favorite chair.

Dexter the answer is Yes.

When Mom and Dad adopted me I was living on concrete and had callouses, a scuffed up and bloody naked tail tip from rubbing it against the concrete block kennel walls (too small for me), and bloody fly eaten ears.  The first thing I discovered at my new home was a very soft and comfy couch I quickly claimed as my very own.

This used to be my favorite couch lounging style.  Every time I did this Mom would come running to rub my tummy.  It felt marvelous.  Yes, I have her trained very well.

Now a days my couch lounging style is more like toes in the breeze (visit Dexter's blog for a better example of the style).

Being a benevolent Queen I do share MY couch with my sisters.  Although if Mom or Dad even thinks of adding one more dog to our royal court I may not be as gratuitous. 

After 8 years of doggie drool, a missing cushion (some doggie thought it was a fun toss pillow to play catch with.  Don't know what kind of Dane doggie would do that ;)  Mom and Dad decided it was time for a brand new Emma couch.  On Labor Day weekend we got this.

At first it was not very comfortable and I wanted them to bring back the Emma couch because it fit my body perfectly.  After 8 years it was all molded nicely to all my shapes.  This new thing was like trying to sleep on a rock.  Dad said after we sat on it and laid on it it would soften up.  Now a month later it's much better than it was.  At least I don't feel like I'm going to slide right off during my Zzzzzz's.  Whew, that was one rough month. 

I will sometimes squeeze myself into the chair, but my ultimate favorite piece of living room furniture is MY couch.

I have no idea why my parents have such a small chair.

Bella and Dexter share the same favorite couch lounging style.

Bella also likes to play up the cute factor and make Mom sqeeeeeee.

She also likes to snuggle under the blankies.

In doing this Bella also helped in the need for a new couch.  She likes to get under the blankies to snuggle and that is accomplished by digging up the ones covering the couch. 

I know what you are thinking.  You think I forgot someone.  Nope.

Sweet Pea likes both the couch and the chair.  Sometimes at night she prefers to sleep out on the couch instead of with all of us in the big bed.  I think that's because up until she came to live at our royal estate she had never known the comforts of softness.  In her previous life she had been confined to a basement and furniture was off limits.  My parents are very generous and share everything with us.  They have discovered that we love soft and comfy things just as much as they do.  Hmmm, maybe a topic for a later post.  We have lots of those plushy, furry blankies that we stole borrowed from Mom :)

Here's Sweet Pea enjoying the comforts of both the chair and couch.

I think her favorite couch lounging style is touching us with her hairy Pea feet (she has long hair between her paw pads).

 

Dexter I hope this answers your question and I'm looking forward to your next inquiry.

Kisses & Nudges,

Emma

Count Down to Vacation ~ 26 days

It's that time of year.  The weather is much cooler and provides many more opportunities for walks, car rides, and it's also getting close to our.......vacation :)

We have decided not to wander all over this year.  Mom and Dad thought it would be less stressful for me if we stayed in one place and sniffed out all the fun things to do like walks and parks in nearby areas.  With my eating issues Mom felt the best choice would be some place with a stove and refrigerator to prepare my meals.  Paws crossed I won't make finding something I will eat too difficult for her.

Where do you think we will go this year?

Here is a hint:

Emma

Oh the Humiliation

How Humiliating ! Mom made me wear this out on our walk tonight. Everyone passing by car, by bike and on foot STARED at me. I'm sure most of them will be feeling the effects of the whiplash tomorrow.

I'm sending a plea out to my friend Mr. B over at Two Pitties in the City to please come claim his frog suit. I'm most certain it got lost and wandered away. Pleas, Mr. B I can't go out in public like this again.

It wasn't enough that Mom humiliated me in front of a city full of people she also has plans to have my sister Bella parade about town in this silly monkey suit.  Ummm, I hope weren't not going to be expected to walk together in our mismatched duds.

I just can't figure out what we ever did to Mom to make her do this to us.  I've heard we get the pleasure of wearing these hideous get ups the entire month of October.....but it's got 31 days....why can't we wait until February it only has 28?  I sure hope she's kidding. 

Emma

I Spy with My Little Eye

I had the most interesting walk the other day.  Not only was the weather absolutely gorgeous I also spied with my little these........

Did you see that?  The bunny is not scampering away.  He wants to be my friend.

Hmm, what would we do with him? 

My little eye also spied these...........

I know it's difficult to see but there really is a tiny chipmunk in there

If you look really close you can see two white swans.  Do you see them?

Guess what Mom spied with her little eye....

ME. 

She said I'm the apple of her eye :)

As you can see Fall is definitely here and the leaves are falling fast.  We have already spotted several naked trees.  We are loving this cooler weather and enjoying more walks. 

What have my furiends been spying with your little eye?

Emma