On May 24th, I was getting excited for our first camping trip of the year on Memorial weekend. One of the things Charlie (a very large yellow lab) and I look forward to, unlike our other family members. Charlie started limping that day and I just assumed it was due to the imminent rain. He's an old man with a bit of arthritis, so I didn't think much of it. By that Friday, his limp was more pronounced and I thought he had broken his leg. I took him to our local vet and they did the exam and x-rays. Stated it was soft tissue damage and he just needed some R & R. He's a klutz in his old age, and sometimes doesn't quite make the top of the stairs or the back of my SUV, so I assumed he just banged it hard.

Sweet, we are all packed and half way down to the campground and the vet called to say that where the slight swelling/tissue damage is located (right above his right front paw) is a common place for cancer. She would have the surgeon look at it the following Wednesday and give me an indication. Wow, what a downer on our way to camping! Surely she didn't understand that this is the same dog that almost knocks himself out by sneezing and having his head hit stationary objects...

Now, not going against all the other 'greatest dog' titles out there, but Charlie is the greatest, albeit most expensive, dog, ever. Hands down. I got him when he was 2 years old, from my ex and his wife who were moving out of state and couldn't bring him with. I have always been a cat person, but Charlie seemed like a good idea. I didn't know if I could keep him as my cats about died from fright for the first week after I brought him home. When I got him he had already blown out a knee (while hunting), full blown allergies,  and a little PTSD from an ill-advised trip with a companion dog down the St. Croix river (obviously he was rescued, but how they got his big ol' frame into the boat, I shall never know). Hence his aversion to bathing and my wallet opening to paying others to bathe him.

Making a long story even more tedious...my bad. The surgeon thought it looked like cancer so I made the first appointment with the Oncologist at the U of M on Monday, June 7. By that time, Charlie wasn't putting any weight on that leg and was in a tremendous amount of pain. It had swollen up to a point that it looked like a golf ball. They took additional x-rays, including the chest. Nothing seen in the chest and yes, the leg looked worse than 10 days before. They gave me information as I cried. I came home, went on the websites they suggested (this being the first one on the list) and I bawled for six hours straight. The hope shared here is truly amazing.

The next day I set up the meeting with the surgeon on Thursday June 10th, and Charlie had the amputation on Friday the 11th. I had thought/toyed with the idea of limb sparing, but between the potential complications/cost/experience I went with the amputation. Now, Charlie has not been diagnosed yet with cancer. I just knew in those 2 short weeks seeing the extreme change and pain, I couldn't put him through more tests, some of them painful, and wait for the results. Will I kick the snot out of myself if it turns out to be something else? You bet.

He lost a lot of blood and his pressure was low during the surgery. Within 12 hours he made his first walk outside to go potty. I wasn't there (they wouldn't let me visit) but I was proud of him! The next day he was still on IV drugs and fluids, thus they kept him another night. I brought him home on Sunday. He used the ramp (which he detests!!!) to get into the vehicle and even stood and sat in the back! (this is kind of a big deal as the last year or two, as soon as he gets into the car, he lays down and licks himself for the duration of the ride. Unlike his youth where he would stand for the first two hours of a long car ride, before finally sitting. Never laying down!)

The first night we spent in the camper in the back yard. I live in a split level home and he was struggling with the stairs when his leg was in so much pain, so I thought this would be better. Every half hour I would wake up and hear his heavy breathing. Very heavy, but no cries or other restlessness. I went to work leaving my mother to watch him in the camper for the day. When I got back, he seemed unhappy and was panting so heavily that his bed was wet. It was scary. I finally coaxed him out of the camper by pretending I was going for a car ride. He hopped excitedly all the way to the car (I wasn't prepared! Car was on the other side of the house, didn't know where my keys were, ramp still at the camper). He waited patiently while I got everything together then did his old "I ain't using the stupid ramp!" routine and promptly didn't make it.  I hoisted him in, went for the drive while calling the surgeon at the U. He said that Charlie might be in pain and stressed. I thought "No more camper. The house is where he needs to be." He got out of the car (using two ramps) and went right up the stairs. About a half hour later I noticed that his belly was fire engine red, as was his chest, and these were obviously where his body hit the car. I felt like the worst mommy ever!

Panting isn't as bad, just a little off and on. The redness is not so bright. He's refusing to go down the stairs (but went potty for grandma this morning) so I'm about to try that again in a minute. When all of you wrote about the first two weeks being bad, I thought you all meant for the dog. I am finding that I need the anti-anxiety meds they gave Charlie at the U.

Thank you for letting me rant and discuss my beloved Charlie, who, G*d willing, will be 11 on the 23rd of this month. I am truly blessed to have found this site and all of you. You have helped me tremendously over the last 8 days. Don't know if I could have gotten through it without you. Thank you!