Hello all.  It's been a while since I updated - things were so busy and stressful.   Cooper recovered from his initial post-surgery muscle strains, and came through his first chemo treatment with flying colors.  He was really his old self for about the past two weeks.   I was about to get back on and let you all know how wonderfully he was doing.  But then suddenly early yesterday, a severe turn of events.

Cooper suddenly could not move his back legs.   He collapsed, and we needed to carry him back inside.  He did not seem to be in terrible pain, was not crying, but we could tell that he was uncomfortable.  He ate only about half of his breakfast hand-fed, and was not able to urinate or move his bowels.

We put him in the car and got him to the animal hospital first thing.   He was examined by the staff vet (experienced internist) and then by an orthopaedic specialist.  He did not react to pain stimuli on either of his back feet/legs, and still could not move himself to try and stand up, but otherwise seemed comfortable.  

The doctors decided to do back/spine x-rays, and sent them to an on-call radiologist to be read.  Results were negative.  A blood panel was done and came back normal, except that his white cell count was very low (typical with chemo?).   The docs advised that it was likely a neurological problem - could be the result of:  a stroke, a damaged disc or (non-visible) metastatic growth in his spinal cord. They suggested that we could take Cooper to a veterinary neurologist who had the ability to perform an MRI scan , but also advised that treatment for any/all of these possible etiological problems might be challenging, especially since he had already had chemo and was just recovered from amputation surgery.

We talked and decided that we just could not put him through anymore suffering.  He had already been through enough, and even though he had only had two good weeks, we just could not put him through more exams at yet another clinic, and who knows what treatment, if effective treatment would even be possible.

We are, of course, inconsolable.  He had been doing so well, and had become himself again.   It is truly a cruel blow.

I want to thank you all again for being here, your presence provided much needed support and will continue to.   I guess I'll need to switch over to the grief and loss blog from here, but I just wanted to let you all know what had happened.   Our dearest boy is now with his brothers and sisters who preceded him, and he will live in our hearts forever.

know that your kiddos are in our thoughts and prayers, too.

hoppalong