That is how I am feeling about what to do with Winston. We have a rescue in New Hampshire that is willing to take Winston. It's a great rescue, absolutely. It's the one that took Buster, the dog that nobody would foster so he remained in boarding here for two months. They had a foster-to-adopt family already waiting for him at transport pick up! Transferring to a rescue out east was definitely best for Buster, but he was living in a cage. I'm not sure that is the best thing for Winnie. We are his fifth home in seven months! I understand that the rescue's mission is to save as many dogs as we can and seven months is a long time. However, as his foster mom, I feel that my personal priority is my obligation is to Winnie. He has improved dramatically in the month that he has been in our home. I really want him to know stability. I would certainly be open to him going to an approved forever home out there, pending me spending plenty of time talking with them first, but moving to yet another temporary home just doesn't seem fair to him. At the same time, I think about the three dogs of mine that went to homes in DC and they are some of my best adoptions. His chance of adoption would very likely be better out there. And then I think maybe I am making the wrong decision keeping him here. Am I being unintentionally selfish because I don't want to give up control of where Winston ends up? Or arrogant, like we are the only home that could possibly meet Winston's needs? Because although that has proven true thus far in his life, I know there are plenty of people out there as good as I, or even better, for him. But how will I know if he finds them if I let him go?
Any words of advice would surely be appreciated.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Winston Progress Report
Winston is making steady progress with his excitement issues and his anxiety is much less present. He has learned that we don't always have to be doing something and is willing to relax on the couch most nights. I make sure that he either comes to work with me, goes on a long walk, or plays ball at the dog park every day. If ever a day of adequate exercise is missed, it's very evident in his energy level that evening. We have cut way back on the Composure (natural calming supplement) and some days he doesn't take any at all. He had a milestone this weekend. After a very active Saturday, we decided that it would be the perfect time to give him the chance to sleep out of his crate. He never made a peep all night long. He has since earned his night time freedom!
I have come to the realization that Winston, although spastic, probably isn't actually as bad as we think he is. As our dogs mature, we are starting to forget how rotten they used to be when they were closer to his age. I guess we have been spoiled with very well behaved fosters lately too. Sweet Bella was a dream (behaviorally) and the temps have also been pretty easy.
Dixie is surprisingly more tolerant of Winston's exuberance than Jax, who has been more subdued lately and just isn't quite himself yet. Both of them will discipline Winnie when needed. I try not to interfere when Dixie is involved. She knows better than I do when enough is enough yet she never loses her temper. Firm but kind. Sometimes I step in with Jax. He tends to let himself get picked on and picked on until he gets upset. Jonathon says he is a wuss. I prefer "over sensitive." What I would do without my two canine helpers, I can't imagine. They have really made a difference in this dog's life.
Besides the issues we are working on, Winston is an awesome dog. He has one of the best temperaments of any dog we have ever had. He is just joyful all of the time. He has no fears (now that we have cleared things up with the food processor) and he is incredibly outgoing and friendly with all strangers. He knows "sit," "down," and "leave it." He will play fetch forever. We are working on walking nicely on a leash. Our biggest challenge there is the abundance of squirrels that share our neighborhood. He is perfectly behaved in the car and at the office. He almost never barks and hasn't had a single accident in the house since he got here.
He loves kids, so he will fit well into an active family that will spend plenty of time with him, take him places, and fulfill his exercise needs. They will need patience and the ability to understand his energy level and that it is not "misbehaving." I would feel awful if anyone tried to "punish" him for simply being his happy-go-lucky self.
Overall, Winnie just needed some stability in his life. Now that he is getting into the routine that dogs count on, he has really come around. His whole life people have given up on him. That was his biggest problem.
I have come to the realization that Winston, although spastic, probably isn't actually as bad as we think he is. As our dogs mature, we are starting to forget how rotten they used to be when they were closer to his age. I guess we have been spoiled with very well behaved fosters lately too. Sweet Bella was a dream (behaviorally) and the temps have also been pretty easy.
Dixie is surprisingly more tolerant of Winston's exuberance than Jax, who has been more subdued lately and just isn't quite himself yet. Both of them will discipline Winnie when needed. I try not to interfere when Dixie is involved. She knows better than I do when enough is enough yet she never loses her temper. Firm but kind. Sometimes I step in with Jax. He tends to let himself get picked on and picked on until he gets upset. Jonathon says he is a wuss. I prefer "over sensitive." What I would do without my two canine helpers, I can't imagine. They have really made a difference in this dog's life.
Besides the issues we are working on, Winston is an awesome dog. He has one of the best temperaments of any dog we have ever had. He is just joyful all of the time. He has no fears (now that we have cleared things up with the food processor) and he is incredibly outgoing and friendly with all strangers. He knows "sit," "down," and "leave it." He will play fetch forever. We are working on walking nicely on a leash. Our biggest challenge there is the abundance of squirrels that share our neighborhood. He is perfectly behaved in the car and at the office. He almost never barks and hasn't had a single accident in the house since he got here.
He loves kids, so he will fit well into an active family that will spend plenty of time with him, take him places, and fulfill his exercise needs. They will need patience and the ability to understand his energy level and that it is not "misbehaving." I would feel awful if anyone tried to "punish" him for simply being his happy-go-lucky self.
Overall, Winnie just needed some stability in his life. Now that he is getting into the routine that dogs count on, he has really come around. His whole life people have given up on him. That was his biggest problem.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Winston Pictures!
With everything going on with Jax, I never got around to posting any pictures of Winston!
 |
| Isn't he lovely? |
 |
| ATTENTION! |
 |
| Dixie always likes to one up the boxers. |
 |
| Winston helping me at work. |
This is Jax's surgery site for those of you that were asking how big and where it is. Not too bad. The scar will surely be visible, but we couldn't care less!
Friday, October 12, 2012
Oncology Report
Jax's surgery went well on Monday but the poor guy was very sick that night. The anesthesia combined with the treatment medications (high dose antihistamines along with steroids) really got to him. He was dizzy and nauseated and throwing up all night. He looked incredibly pathetic. I felt awful for him and stayed up trying to comfort him and cleaning up vomit all night. By morning, he was perking up a bit and by the next day, if not for the suture site in the middle of his back, you'd have never known he'd had the surgery at all.
We got the oncology report back and for a cancer diagnosis, the results are as good as we could hope for! The tumor was a grade 1 mast cell tumor. Grade 1 means that it is well differentiated and is the least likely to spread into other organs. Even better, the margins on the tumor were completely clean which means there should be no cancer cells left behind. My awesome vet got every bit out! That means no chemo or other follow up treatment needed! It also makes it much less likely for a new tumor to develop there (Statistically, 50% of mast cell tumors that are surgically removed come back in the same area.).
He does have to go back in a couple of weeks, once all treatment drugs are out of his system, and get his blood work rechecked. There was an abnormality in his liver function test. We are hoping it was due to the medications or even technical error (like not getting a clean stick when drawing blood) but we have to make sure there is nothing more serious going on.
We will have to monitor Jaxy closely for the rest of his life for lumps and bumps and have anything that shows up removed immediately. It does scare me that the disease struck so early in his life. Mast cell cancer usually presents in dogs at least eight years old. He will be just four in November. I understand the nature of the disease and that it may likely return. But we won this battle! So, like the dogs do, I am going to live in the present. And presently, we are Cancer free!
We got the oncology report back and for a cancer diagnosis, the results are as good as we could hope for! The tumor was a grade 1 mast cell tumor. Grade 1 means that it is well differentiated and is the least likely to spread into other organs. Even better, the margins on the tumor were completely clean which means there should be no cancer cells left behind. My awesome vet got every bit out! That means no chemo or other follow up treatment needed! It also makes it much less likely for a new tumor to develop there (Statistically, 50% of mast cell tumors that are surgically removed come back in the same area.).
He does have to go back in a couple of weeks, once all treatment drugs are out of his system, and get his blood work rechecked. There was an abnormality in his liver function test. We are hoping it was due to the medications or even technical error (like not getting a clean stick when drawing blood) but we have to make sure there is nothing more serious going on.
We will have to monitor Jaxy closely for the rest of his life for lumps and bumps and have anything that shows up removed immediately. It does scare me that the disease struck so early in his life. Mast cell cancer usually presents in dogs at least eight years old. He will be just four in November. I understand the nature of the disease and that it may likely return. But we won this battle! So, like the dogs do, I am going to live in the present. And presently, we are Cancer free!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
The bad news.
My heart is pounding as I type. I just returned from the vet. My Jax, my sweet, always happy, amazing boy, has cancer. Cancer. I just can't believe it. The awful feeling in my stomach started when the doctor was in the back room way to long to be looking at a "normal" cell biopsy. Her face as she slowly re-entered the exam room said it all before she even spoke. She nodded and I knew.
It's in the form of a small lump on his back that started out looking like a hive but then shrunk. Turns out, it's a malignant tumor. Doc thinks it's a mast cell tumor, one of the most common cancers in this heart break boxer breed that is so prone. He goes in for surgery first thing on Monday morning. I wanted the weekend to let this soak in and to let Jax enjoy himself before we begin the fight of his life. They will remove the mass and the surrounding tissue and send it to the lab for the oncology report so we can get a definite diagnosis. They will also do a complete blood chemistry profile and cbc pre-surgery to gather more information and be sure that there is no sign of cancer anywhere else inside of him before they put him under. I'm so scared.
If it's mast cell cancer, it's something that we will likely battle with forever. New masses will develop, maybe in years, maybe in weeks. It's not a death sentence, as long as the tumors develop in places that they can be completely removed and it doesn't progress into his lymph nodes.
Although I haven't even begun to process it myself, I needed to post this gut wrenching news right away. This blog and all of you who follow it have become a support system for me and I ask for your prayers and positive energy. It worked on Bella. I really believe that. Please send them our way again. I can't imagine losing my best Buddy. He means the world to me.
It's in the form of a small lump on his back that started out looking like a hive but then shrunk. Turns out, it's a malignant tumor. Doc thinks it's a mast cell tumor, one of the most common cancers in this heart break boxer breed that is so prone. He goes in for surgery first thing on Monday morning. I wanted the weekend to let this soak in and to let Jax enjoy himself before we begin the fight of his life. They will remove the mass and the surrounding tissue and send it to the lab for the oncology report so we can get a definite diagnosis. They will also do a complete blood chemistry profile and cbc pre-surgery to gather more information and be sure that there is no sign of cancer anywhere else inside of him before they put him under. I'm so scared.
If it's mast cell cancer, it's something that we will likely battle with forever. New masses will develop, maybe in years, maybe in weeks. It's not a death sentence, as long as the tumors develop in places that they can be completely removed and it doesn't progress into his lymph nodes.
Although I haven't even begun to process it myself, I needed to post this gut wrenching news right away. This blog and all of you who follow it have become a support system for me and I ask for your prayers and positive energy. It worked on Bella. I really believe that. Please send them our way again. I can't imagine losing my best Buddy. He means the world to me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)