I haven't been back for quite a while, but poor Rene has been the recipient of Magic's progress and my continuing ability to run off at the fingers.   Magic is doing really well right now.  Yesterday we had a bit of a meltdown because if he has one fault it is stubborness and last night he decided he wanted to sleep outside in his shed and I disagreed.  He turned into limp dog.  Eventually I won.  After I got over being mad I realized I had really spent the day pushing him and at the end of the day we were trying out a way to get in the truck and he had slipped.  Stupid mom was being too impatient.  Today we spent it way more kicked back (well he did anyway) and no new things and had a MUCH better day.

The vet decided on Sunday to leave in the staples one more week because it was only 10 days but it looks great.  He had a slightly elevated temp, and I am a bit concerned about that (he had also experienced an elevated heart rate at the vets during recovery but not consistently and they think it is related to exertion…a lot of dog to move around).  He has always been a panter and a drinker of water and that has continued.  The vet told me today I could let him sleep out in the shed, but because of the weather turning kinda coldish, I'm reluctant to do that, even though I was the one who called and asked, rather than go through another night like last night.  He is navigating the steps in the back (just house, step, patio) much better since removing the ramp and he prefers to walk through the darn ditch rather than use the bridge I made (did I mention stubborn?).  He is just really starting to eat dog food although I'm using small dog dog food cuz he's not used to that.  Finally got regular poop today and I'm  very happy about that.  He will start chemo on Sunday when they take out the staples.  I'm hoping if we have to have side effects we have barf rather than poop but haven't found where I make that request (oh please God).  Right now our worst problem is going to be my ability to get him in and out of the truck without having to depend on other people but it will come.  I think my invention will work if he forgives me for forgetting that he could slip!  They will keep him all day, do a baselilne blood test and give him fluids because she said this could be hard on his kidneys.

The other thing I did was get a screen door guy out here…I should have done it last week I am such a dodo….and am having another screen door with doggie door made.  That was something I was going to do this year and now I am having him make a door that will swing high enough Magic won't have to stoop down and make the swinging flap out of something Magic can see through (not glass!!)  so there are no uncertainties on the other side.  I am a little concerned when we start that, but I think the fact that it will be way tall, should help immensely.

So that is where we are…Magic's worst problem is probably me!  But I am amazed, just absolutely amazed at what he can do.  The funny thing he has started that a lot of dogs do but he has NEVER EVER DONE BEFORE…he has to circles a zillion times before laying down!  weird.  Finally figured out a way to save my fingers by putting the pills in livers (yuuuuuccccckkkkkk) he seems to really like that and hopes it lasts….he had developed a way of shaking his head violently in a bunch of different directions while chomping his considerably huge teeth up and down…the liver is MUCH easier!!

Have a great night everyone…I didn't post in any of the other threads, but knows that there are a lot of prayers going out for the other Tripawds…thank you all again for your good thoughts and prayers.

Sounds like Magic is doing well!  he's soooo handsome…would love to see more photo's :-)

I have a ramp for my husband's Jeep because it's high…and actually, I used it for my Honda Element when Maggie was first amputated cause she was so weak.  Now, she can put her front feet up and (rear amp) and then I lift her hindend up and in.  I think I ordered it from Foster and Smith…

Tracy, Maggie's Mom

Thanks everybody for your replies….it is now Wed the 31st and we are amazingly going down this road….I am sure I speak for everyone when I say my mind blocks out the fact of the underlying problem that of course is NOT cured, and I keep focusing on, well we just get through this and he shall live for another 20 years.  I come here and see that reality needs to have at least a tiny seed in my mind!

We went in Sunday, thankfully had a guy come over and help because my invention only worked in my mind.  He got up on the platform that I had the neighbor saw and nail that now has a rug on it…we walked on and off it to get used to it after the slippage that one day.  In my mind he was just going to get up on that platform/step, put his remaining front paw up on the tailgate (he has been reluctant about getting in the truck for several years now, ever since I left with Echo and didn't come back with him) and let me help his hindquarters in…ahhh ever the ding dong optimist.  Of course it only worked in my  mind so this guy helped me get him in (took about 90 secs) and off we went.  They did baseline blood tests, said everything looked good whatever that means cuz I didn't get all the levels to make my own chart (like I have with OJ the chemokitty who has kidney failure…I keep track of his levels  … why?  have no clue) but took their word for it!!  They decided to put like three staples back in on a spot that wasn't quite up to snuff in healing.  Which I am really glad about because then they put a wrap back on which protects from the harness rubbing.  I have a tendency to leave the harness on most of the time…usually take it off about 2 AM after a potty run…so far (oh tempting fate here) he hasn't chewed it.  Magic is a licker…lick your hands lick holes in his legs (nice of the doc to start a few places for him), and if you stop him he will lick the carpet like he is doing currently right behind me on one of his zillion rugs)  He has done this all his life and I have NOT been able to break him of it.  It is amazing he has any fur left…or that I have any nap left on the carpet.  His chemo seemed to go well, I watched for the next couple of days, today is day three, before I started him on the Dasuquin…just in case there was any reaction to either.  (oh boy, need to find somewhere other than the vet for THAT pill!!  almost a buck a pill and he is to take 2 per day for 4-6 weeks!)

Today I cannot believe it, but I said walk and we went to the corner!!  I'd like to say it is about a mile and a half, but in reality it is my house, the house next door and the corner house and back….it is for him at almost three weeks, quite an accomplishment!!  He was reluctant to turn around and come back…..he kept looking at all of our previous routes  -for the last three years we have walked daily weather permitting, not speed walking, but for about 45 mins to an hour, thank the good Lord….or he would have been such a couch potato I'm not sure his three remaining pins would have been strong enuf…and he has gone from 114 pounds to 102…YEA YEA…even tho it is probably from the surgery and not eating a lot…it is really good for him to drop that weight.  He really shouldn't be much more than 95 I believe….when he was younger and I had Echo, and they were romping, he was around 100 but was muscular…unfortunately, he and I don't have a lot of muscle … unless it swings freely (why CAN'T I use bat wings to fly….)

My new doggie door isn't here yet….I am hoping the guy remembers a couple of things when he starts to make this…but the frame didn't come in last week so we are still opening and closing the door darn it.  That will be a learning experience, I have been watching how he goes in and out and sometime he puts his front foot on the step and then as it is going to the patio, he clears the step entirely with his back feet….now he will have a threshhold to deal with.  I took the flap off the existing door, but he would have to duck and after a half hearted attempt to coax him to try it I decided that if I forced the issue and we had a problem, it would make him reluctant to try when the new contraption got here….so keep swatting those flies…..(if I never appreciated the freedom of a doggie door for the last 39 or so years, I SURELY DO NOW)

Our current problem of getting in and out of the truck remains.  BLESS RENE for sending me a link to Petloader that I guess has just started advertising here.  I spoke with the owner and ordered the four step thing in the heavier model…because the steps are wider.  Hopefully I will be able to move it!!!  This way I would be able to use it at the low spot (backing the truck to where the driveway meets the street) or on the regular driveway or maybe (wouldn't THIS be cool) somewhere else so I could actually take him down to places we used to walk to like the school and the park.  The steps should be here on Friday according to the nice guy I spoke with.  Boy if this doesn't work, I have no plan B….I had talked to the neighbor about building another level on my FIRST invention, but this should do the same thing, I just am hoping Magic looks at it and bounces right on up and then right on down…I'm not sure WHICH way is going to be the hardest….I am so praying it works because he has hated every ramp and bridge I have constructed and bought, but seems to do the steps, in back and at the front porch very willingly.  If I had better upper body strength (and no torn rotator!) this would be much easier…well if he was a Jack Russell it would be easier too!!

I would post pictures if I had a clue how to…there are pictures on my facebook thingee…For Comet's mom….I have had wolfdogs for about 38 years, Magic is very low content altho his birth skin mom said he was like 95% (common problem/lies in wolfdog world) … there is never agreement about percentages and you have to know all the family tree to figure out their F spots (how far from wild)…Echo was about 40 percent…and I could NOT have done this with him at all.  I have been lucky enough to know people with very high contents and a couple of pures (where on earth would I have had THAT opportunity outside a wildlife refuge)….my Echo was a part of that pack for 12 years…he would come and go and the last pure wolf passed on just a few months ago…looking at pictures of him (he was arctic and beautiful) next to Magic, and you can see the differences!!

There!  I really hope you folks didn't get eyestrain from reading THIS novella!!  Thank you all for your helpful hints and hopes and know that I have sent prayers for your furkids as well.  And RENE HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE DARLING to not change her email after getting lengthy novel after novel from me!!

You guys are the best.

Diane, Magic and OJ who just keeps on keepin' on…

Magic looks beautiful!!! Thanks to you and Comet's mom for posting the pictures!!! What a beautiful face!!!  Now post some pictures post-op!

Angel Jake's Mom