Welllll, that's one of the weird things.  She seems to have sensitivity on her front legs but the surgeon came and checked them out yesterday and didn't find anything there.  Maybe her joints hurt.  She didn't really have arthritis, amazingly enough, but there's so much strain on the remaining joints with the ups and downs that maybe that's starting.  We've come to a stop with the fish oil, too, until I can hide it in a big enough piece of meat.

Sally, you may remember my eyes were glazing over by page 6 of Jim/Admin's video instructions, so not sure how soon Her Royal Rooness will be on the internet. 

Ok, off to bed.  Saturday is housecleaning/laundry day and school day for Smokey.  WOO HOO!! 

Hugs and hearts, Liz and Roo

OK, long frustrating story...onco called Friday (on her day off); confirmed urinalysis showed nothing and agreed to stop metronidazole. She just looks so sick and so sad (Roxie, not the onco - heheheh - sorry).  She's barely been off her bed, so is getting weaker and going outside to pee is excrutiatingly slow.  All since Monday.  So I ground up some multivitamins, CAS Options (mushroom blend), and K9 Immunity Plus with some wet dog food and goat's milk and gave it to her in a syringe.  Along with the high-calorie gel.  2 hours later she looked more alert, the glassy look was gone, she sat up, scarfed up some roast beast and cheese, and toddled out to pee.  That was the best part of the weekend.  I had a long talk with the holistic vet in the afternoon.  His philosophy, of course, address the whole dog, not just the part that's not working, and the first stop in his toolbox isn't often drugs.  His focus is on comfort and quality of life, and we're sure having those issues right now.  He recommended a few herbs/mixes for support.  After re-reading discussions in the Dog Cancer Survival Guide and other Googlish sources, I decided against a couple, but did get marshmallow tincture and cordyceps mushrooms (that's the only one of the big 4 that isn't in CAS Options), and some blackstrap molasses.  Also made a marrowbone broth.  Which, along with just about everything else I've schlepped to her, she refused.  Oh, yeah, also braised chicken livers last night which completely offended her anorexic self.  Still doing the syringe-feeding and bringing water frequently.  Meanwhile, following our every trip back and forth with offerings is Smokey saying "I'll eat that" or "Ill drink that"!!!!!

So tonight after supper we loaded them in the car and drove around town with the windows down.  Stopped at a park and got her out.  New sights, new smells, and it was like a hit of adrenalin.  and BEST OF ALL:  ROXIE POOPED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WEDNESDAY MORNING!!!!!  ROO ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  Imagine 2 idiots dancing in a field because their dog pooped!!!!  She also walked a lot farther than anytime in the last 4-5 days and she was pulling ME.  She's totally wiped out.

So.  We've talked and talked and hubby and I think we're taking a permanent drug holiday with Roxie.  No one knows for sure what's caused this slide, but she's had problems with every drug and, some other drug is then prescribed to address the problems, which maybe then causes more problems.  Her old self has so many chemicals in it now!!   I'll be calling onco tomorrow to report on the weekend, and, unless she's got some convincing new thoughts, I'm going to talk to her about her role in palliative care.  I don't feel comfortable starting back on Palladia again.  Primary care vet will be back from vaca on Tuesday, so I'll be polling him for his thoughts, too.  His opinion is the one I trust most; having relied on him for over 30 years now!  I'm cherry-picking from all my sources and trying to go with what feels right for her.  I know I'll have doubt and second-guesses, but right now I feel like my head's stopped spinning for the first time in awhile.  And I'm very open to any other points-of-view/ideas/suggestions.

-Liz and Roxie

I just spent 20 minutes updating this post and it disappeared....WAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Anyway; discouraging weekend with Roxie.  Called onco Friday; urinalysis shows nothing.  She was skeptical about side effects I mentioned, but she agreed to stop metronidazole.  We're seeing continued lethargy, complete lack of appetite, getting weaker the few times we could get her up to do her business, eyes glassy with a greenish discharge - YUCK!!!  Frustrated, yesterday morning I ground up K9 Immunity Plus, multivitamins, CAS Options (mushroom blend), blended it with wet dog food and goat's milk and gave it to her in a syringe, along with the high-cal gel.  2 hours later her eyes cleared, she was much moe alert, sat up, scarfed up about 2 pieces of roast beef and a little cheese, and toddled out to pee.  We were ecstatic, but this was the high point. 

Talked at length to holistic vet in the afternoon.  Of course, his focus/philosophy is so different from the science-based, and treating the broken part is not the only focus.  We've suddenly got such issues with comfort and quality of life.  So, I picked up a few things he'd suggested:  marshmallow tincture, cordyceps mushroom (to round out the CAS Options), made a marrowbone broth (she grudgingly slurped a little), and have continued with the syringe stuff and the high-cal gel.  She turned her nose up at the organic braised chicken livers, pardon me.  Of course, Smokey is following on our heels as we're schlepping food and drink offerings back and forth and he's saying "I'll eat that"  I'll drink that"!!

Tonight we loaded the dogs into the car after supper and drove around town with the windows down (her favorite), and stopped at a nearby park.  New smells, new sights - like a hit of adrnalin for Roxie!! She moved along and finally FINALLY: she pooped for the first time since Wednesday morning!!!!!  ROO ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!  Imagine 2 idiots dancing in a field b/c their dog pooped.  She's GOT to feel better.  She's definitely wiped out.

So tomorrow I call onco to report on the weekend.  Hubby and I have talked and talked, and we think it's time to give Roxie a holiday from further drugs.  She's had issues with each one, and then the next one is prescribed, and more issues.  So I'll ask onco what her role will be with a palliative care approach.  And then we're going out for another ride.  When primary care vet is back from vaca on Tuesday, I'll poll him, too.  I trust him the most as he's known and worked with us for over 30 years.  So I'll cherry-pick the ideas from each vet that seem to feel right for Roxie.  At least that's the new plan.  I feel like my head isn't spinning for the first time in awhile, so maybe that's telling me this is the way to go. I hope so, but welcome any other thoughts/challenges/opinions.

-Confused Liz and Tuckered-out Roo

Happy Hannah already knows this.

Many, many Tripawds members know this.

Roxie and I know this.

Sally, you are THE BEST!!!!  And we send a big honking air-sucking ROO ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to yoooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

Sambuca helps the gasping.  At least I'm letting it try. 

The Princess is looking forward to receiving her fan mail.

And The Celestine Conspiracy arrived today, just when I need something to look forward to.  Which does not surprise you, I'm sure.

Hugs & hearts, Liz & Roxie