Hello, everyone! I am back. My computer was in the hospital. They were unable to save it. Now I have a new one.

Lots of things have happened lately. I took my African grey to the vet Monday. He had a beak injury about a year ago that resulted in a small hole in the lower beak that grew slowly into a large hole that finally ended up in a split lower beak. Went to the vet (top notch exotics vet that I use for major issues with the birds & reptiles) to see if anything could/should be done. Got a great check up and since he could still eat, was a good weight and seemed well hydrated, it was decided that he really just needed a beak trim & would probably need them every 2-3 months but should be just fine. They took him in the back to do the trim & he passed out and died. I had had him for 24-25 years! When you get a dog you know they will die when they are around 12-14+ yrs old. It's heartbreaking but you know it going into it. This was a barely middle aged parrot who just got a good check up...totally unexpected & very painful.

Our 9 year old lab X has been showing signs of kidney disease progressing over the past year or so--glomulerus issues & losing protein (is sick on paper only; if not for routine bloodwork & U/As we'd never know anything was wrong). She had a kidney biopsy this past Friday, results in 2-3 weeks. Ultrasound showed that one kidney was not too bad, still had good differentiation between medulla and cortex but that other kidney was showing signs of moderate disease.

Our 14 1/2 year old forever foster has a large hard lump behind her front leg. I found it Friday evening. I have been focusing on Millie a lot lately but I have my hands on that dog just about every day & just now noticed it, so this lump grew large very quickly. It's larger than an egg, hard & kind of knobby feeling. I know you can't really tell by looks but I know this is not a good lump. She will go to work with me Tuesday to see what we should do about it.

My Millie dog is still hanging in there, though she is in a lot of pain. We are trying a little bit different plan. Adding gabapentin, changing from Rimadyl to Piroxicam. Vet wants a 48 hour washout period before starting the piroxicam. i want her on the Gaba for a couple days before stopping the rimadyl, but it makes her a bit loopy so I have been giving only once a day for a couple days. Tomorrow we will try twice a day (directions are 2-3 times per day).

I will be looking into palliative radiation, but it really increases the risk of pathologic fracture & in our house there is no way for the dogs to get out without using steps. We have a ramp for one set that she uses well and another ramp for another set that she only uses if I guide her to it, but there are some other steps that i haven't yet figured out how to set up a commercial  ramp safely. I would have to make something...doable but not yet done. There's only one place in the area that does it & I was not happy with their neurology department with my first dog, but they are less that an hour (depending on traffic) away and I know i can't judge one department by what I experienced with another. Plus they have moved to a new place, so maybe they are just better all around now.

So...it may be really close to time to let her go. I keep telling her that I will listen to her if she says it's time. I've had to make this decision for other pets & what ever that thing is that seems different that has let me know "it's time" is just not yet there for Millie, but she HURTS which makes me hurt.

Thanks for "listening". This forum is one of the best/most supportive I've been on lately with all this medical research I've to do!

--Sonya