LUNA LOVEGOOD - CHAPTER 10

Luna Lovegood - Chapter 10 - In Which Luna and Arthur Get Matching Elephants for Christmas

Thursday, December 21, 2017

We bought our nephew Arthur an elephant chair for Christmas. Luna promptly decided it was hers. So we bought Luna an identical one. Now she and Arthur can be elephant buddies.

Monday I brought Luna to work with me in her brand new elephant bed. Kelly drew a complete blood count to send to MidWest Vet.

If anything important were too high or too low in her blood work, they would adjust or even postpone chemotherapy. I was anxious to get started.

ONE YEAR AGO

SAPPHIRE, THE FISH WHO LIVED

TWO YEARS AGO

GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO ONE BOTTLE CAP

ABBY'S LITTLE SNOWMAN

This is a snowman Abby built last winter. The paw prints behind him are Luna's :)

ONE YEAR AGO

BIRD

TWO YEARS AGO

PHOEBE

REVIEWS DOT COM - DETERMINING THE BEST CAT FOOD

Reviews.com recently researched and published a list of recommended cat foods.

Reviews.com - The Best Cat Food: Safe and Healthy Formulas for Your Feline Friend

As you can probably guess, I have a lot of nutrition related opinions!

What I appreciate about this research project is the vast number of companies and cat foods that were considered, the criteria of having high quality ingredients and the focus on cats' well being. A large amount of time and effort was put into this project!

I would love to hear your opinions! What do you consider when feeding your cat (or dog)? Who do you go to for advice? What is most important to you?

The most important things to me in determining a cat food for a specific cat are nutritional needs of cats, nutritional needs of the individual cat, nutrients in the cat food (not necessarily ingredients) and how good it tastes to the cat. I gravitate towards companies that put their resources into longevity, nutritional and palatability (taste) studies and have well grounded scientific studies. I pay attention to food recalls and records of success over time.

My favorite brands of cat food are Hill's Science Diet and Royal Canin, followed by Iams/Eukanuba and Purina. I have occassional use for Fancy Feast and other foods. The list from Reviews.com has given me several other foods to look into that I know have high quality ingredients and have been well researched. 

Thank you to Reviews.com for this excellent project!

ONE YEAR AGO

PETER THE DACHSHUND

TWO YEARS AGO

HOW GORGEOUS IS THIS CAT?

SHADOWING DR. ETHICS, CASE #2

Shadowing Dr. Ethics, Case #2

ONE YEAR AGO

WOULD YOU USE TELEMEDICINE?

TWO YEARS AGO

THE STORY OF THE DAY I MET MY FIRST IBIZAN HOUND

LUNA LOVEGOOD - CHAPTER 9

Luna Lovegood - Chapter 9 - In Which the Small Dog Gets Her Energy Back

Sunday, December 17, 2017

With Dr. Clemans' blessing, we started prednisone early. It is part of the chemotherapy protocol, but started too soon can interfere with the rest of chemotherapy's effectiveness.

Luna was becoming pretty mopey and was unable to jump onto the bed or the couch. Now she can do both again.

I have to admit, this picture was taken a good half year before Luna's cancer diagnosis.

It was a small risk to take, but a risk nonetheless. I am happy she is happy. I expect there will be many of such quality of life decisions to make over the next several weeks.

ONE YEAR AGO

WRIGLEY AND STARLA

TWO YEARS AGO

SARGE THE BOXER

THE PITBULL ATE MY SHOE

I looked for my favorite red shoes in my closet. They would go well with my outfit. Then I remembered and smiled.

The pitbull came into the treatment room with his ears down and tail tucked. I asked him to sit for his heartworm test, and he promptly peed on my foot. My shoe, sock and foot were soaked. My shoes were made of some fakey suede material - whatever it was, it could not be washed. I took my shoe and sock off and washed my foot.

Pitbull was sitting obediently, but still so nervous.

I came over to him and pet him under the chin and sighed. I am so sad when dogs are so nervous. The tip of his tail wagged. He really was trying.

I smiled and held up my other shoe. "Would you like this Pitty?" I asked. His eyes lit up and he jumped up to wait for the shoe. I put it in his mouth and his whole demeanor changed. He had never been offered such a gift! We finished his heartworm test and I found a different pair of shoes and we walked him back up front, red shoe in his mouth and tail wagging.

I loved those shoes. I love this memory a thousand times more.

ONE YEAR AGO

THESE DOGS

(RIP Shelby Girl)

TWO YEARS AGO

PARK THE CAR

KNEE SURGERY

I called the family to tell them their puppy’s neuter surgery had gone perfectly.

“He’s waking up, and all went well!” I told Dad.

“So his knee replacement went well?” he asked.

I asked him to hold on. I speed-read through the surgery authorization form. I came back and said, “I...no...he was neutered, oh no! I...” in my typical elegant prose. 

He was laughing. He was laughing! 

I picked myself up off of the floor. “He has fewer parts, not more!” I said just a titch angrily, relieved as I’ve ever been.

What was I thinking? We don’t do knee replacements! I knew through five different fail safes that this puppy was here for neuter surgery. It was the surprise of the statement. It totally threw me off balance, as he knew it would.

“Be careful what you say to a lawyer!” he said.

“You really got me Sir,” I answered, which made him laugh harder.

I am thankful it was a phone conversation, because when it started dawning on me I’d been had, for a brief second I was in a face punching mood.

I would have hated to have hit my now newest favorite client.

ONE YEAR AGO

DOTS AND CRIMINAL MINDS

TWO YEARS AGO

I WAS LISTENING MR. BIGA

LUNA LOVEGOOD - CHAPTER 8

Luna Lovegood - Chapter 8 - In Which the Veterinarian Takes Her Sick Dog to the Veterinarian

Friday, December 15, 2017

We met with Brandy the veterinary technician and Dr. Clemans, one of the internal medicine specialists at VCA MidWest Vet. They are both so nice. We were completely tidal waved with information. Even knowing all the big words, I had a difficult time keeping up with how they went together and what they meant for Luna.

Luna has at least stage four (of five) lymphoma, and possibly stage five. The younger the dog, the more aggressive the lymphoma tends to be. Although I read in the Five Minute Veterinary Consult that lymphoma is "rarely cured," it turns out the authors were just trying to say gently that it is never cured. This is a fatal disease. Always. I knew that. I had to be told that by an expert.

The CHOP chemotherapy protocol for lymphoma is twenty-five weeks long.

Dr. Clemans is not certain Luna will live through the twenty five weeks.

She handed me a box of Kleenex and continued. I tried in vain to pull it together. I have not been okay since hearing this.

Luna will have a complete blood count (blood work) done at Gentle Doctor every Monday. We will purchase the IV chemotherapy medications at Kohll's pharmacy once a week (no veterinarian discount!) and drop Luna off at VCA MidWest Vet every Tuesday. There she will be evaluated by Dr. Clemans. Brandy and the rest of the team will administer chemotherapy. She will come home in the afternoon. Luna loves Brandy and Dr. Clemans, so this once a week day long stay should not be a problem.

Chemotherapy for dogs tends to be much gentler than chemotherapy for humans. Luna will not lose her hair, and will probably not develop gastrointestinal signs or even be tired or mopey.

Luna took in all the information like a champ!

I had a heads up from two kind client families about the costs associated with chemotherapy for lymphoma. Brandy went over an itemized estimate with us. The price is steep but the potential  benefits are priceless and worth the investment for us. Many clients have chosen not to go through chemotherapy with their pets, which was the absolute right decision for them too. Our goal is to allow Luna as much high quality time as we possibly can. We will quit when she is no longer loving life. I have not wrapped my head around that yet though.

ONE YEAR AGO

IN LOVING MEMORY OF SNOOKIE JONES

TWO YEARS AGO

SOMETIMES GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS, AND OTHER TIMES HE SENDS A CORGI

SHADOWING DR. ETHICS, CASE 1

From the comic, When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet

ONE YEAR AGO

THIS PLANT

TWO YEARS AGO

CHARLIE STOLE MY HEART

ROVER DOT COM

Rover.com is a pet sitting service that allows you to choose from a list of local pet sitters to watch your pets.

Even though Rover.com paid our pet sitting fee in exchange for a review of their services, I thought their prices were very reasonable. 

We went on an “Omaha vacation” for three days over Christmastime.

We stayed at the Embassy Suites downtown. It was beautiful!

We spent an entire day at The Zoo. This bird came right up to Abby in the jungle!

Our sitter charged $25 per dog per night (a bit more than she usually would have because it was a holiday) and fed the fishes for freebies! 

The sitters set their own prices and seem to raise them as they gather more experience.

Our pet sitter’s name was Kelsey, and she was wonderful. She came over a few days early to meet the dogs (and fish). Joy loved her and Luna warmed up to her over her stay, both huge compliments from trustworthy sources.

Kelsey fed and medicated and walked both dogs and most importantly kept them company. She sent us text updates and left us a Christmas card.

Rover.com and especially Kelsey of Rover.com: 10/10, would hire again. We were very pleased and knew our pets were in capable and loving hands.

ONE YEAR AGO

PASSION PLANNER 2016

TWO YEARS AGO

PASSION PLANNER - 5 STARS!

NICE TO MEET YOU OTHER DOCTOR!

New comic every Friday!

When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet

ONE YEAR AGO

JEKYLL AND HYDE

TWO YEARS AGO

SINGLE TASKING AND THE REST OF LIFE

ZEUS THE RESCUE PUP

My Aunt Penny has a nephew Matt. Though we have not met, I decided that since we have the same aunt, we are cousins.

Matt and his family recently rescued this adorable puppy, Zeus. I've not met Zeus either, but I love him so much!

From Matt...

Name: Zeus Meatball Wallace

Age: 6 months

Weight: 45 lbs.

Breed: Mastiff mixed with American Staffordshire Terrier

Adopted: Nebraska Humane Society. He was fostered because he was underweight. We think there was abuse before Nebraska Humane Society because he was very shy around certain men, but he has gained a lot of confidence since then.

Training: We were definitely worried about his past and shyness catching up to him because of his big breed. We wanted him to be well socialized and confident, so we went with positive reinforcement training with a clicker right away. I learned from YouTube. He is very good at sit, lay, shake, kennel, stay and heel and knows the word "no" very well so he stays out of trouble.

Favorites: Staring out the window... 

naps in the sun... 

naps in the bed, naps in your lap... 

playing outside with his 6 year old bestie...

and cuddles with his Momma.

Sarah and I comment all the time about how we lucked out with this man Zeus. He is obviously a handsome boy, but his relaxed temperament, his sometimes playful but very lazy personality, trainability and love for sleep and the fact that he has to be touching or near you at all times fits our team perfectly.

Thank you for sharing Zeus with us, Wallace family! He is amazing!

ONE YEAR AGO

YESTERDAY WAS ROUGH

TWO YEARS AGO

SINGLE TASKING SHOULD BE A WORD

CHEWY DOT COM - HONEST KITCHEN BONE BROTH

I have started a fun project with Chewy.com. They send me a list of fun pet-related things. I choose two to review and they send me those two products at no cost.

The first product I reviewed was a Chicken Soup for the Soul book (10/10, would read again). 

The second product I am reviewing is Honest Kitchen's Bone Broth - 10/10, would order again.

Joy has chicken allergies. Luna is super picky. This broth is beef based with no chicken and, according to Joy and Luna, very tasty. So it works well for both of them, which is rare in both treats and dog food.

Joy says this is unlike anything she's ever smelled...

Luna is so picky that she often skips meals, which, like it does for every Chihuahua client I have ever had, causes endless amounts of worry to our family. Luna has had some pretty serious liver and gastrointestinal issues, so when she does not eat, we are extra concerned. This bone broth may put an end to that, the worry I mean.

Luna does not just want to smell the powder. She wants a taste!

Both dogs like the warm broth as a soup and as a gravy to their plain old boring food.

It is super easy to reconstitute (like regular chicken and beef broth) and easy to serve. We avoid canned food because, although it can be nutritious, and as a vet I am very grateful it exists, it is gross. This broth is not gross.

For natural diets of whole food and high quality ingredients, Honest Kitchen is among the best. This is the first product of theirs that I have tried, and I am very impressed.

BUNNY TRAIL!

Remember on the Riley and James website when I would get off on a tangent or two and label it a bunny trail? This is similar. Is it better because I planned it? I don't know, but it is still fun!

The broth is said to be best for Pitta dosha types. "What in the world?" I thought. On the label of the Honest Kitchen Bone Broth is this statement, "To learn more about Ayurvedic and take a fun quiz to learn which dosha your pet belongs to, visit honestkitchen.com/ayurveda."

So I did.

Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine originating in India. Anything I can learn about that can help my patients I am open to. The information on the page is fascinating.

AND Joy is a rare mixture of all three types of dosha, and Luna is a very strong (and strong willed) Pitta. Fun! If you take the quiz and find out what type your dog is or dogs are, let me know!

So this broth is supposed to be good for Joy and Luna, in Ayurveda thinking AND western medicine thinking. It has become a staple in our nutritious treats and supplements collection.

ONE YEAR AGO

MY PIT BULL - SHARPEI PATIENT, WELL, EVERY PATIENT REALLY

TWO YEARS AGO

MANAGE YOUR DAY TO DAY