We Have A Plan

After 32 hours of getting to process it and an in-person consult with our vet and looking at the blood results we have a plan. We've spent $400 at the vet on just Eva and Rizzo over two days and it's another almost $100 just to have the oncologist look at her urine and gather what they can from that. Our vet wants us to go to the oncologist but for now, we aren't doing anything. Eva is still Eva, her body is still her body and she's still got a poor prognosis. The only thing that has changed is we know there are more questions that need answered and more tests that we can do and there may be an option for us to fight it.

The plan at this point is to wait until January (the first week) repeat the U/A down here and make sure the cells are still in her urine. We will also do a water deprivation test to see where her kidneys are truly at and if the cells are still there will take the 2.5 hour trip to the oncologist and see what they say. Like I said yesterday, we will not fight it. If it is cancer, it has been progressing for 2 years and is the likely cause of her decreased kidney function. Eva is happy right now, she's doing great. I'm not going to give her drugs to make her miserable and risk killing her with those drugs to treat something that is killing her.

For now, we love Eva and treat her like a normal, healthy dog for the next 2 months. Then, we go from there. We hope to find out what it is, where it is and how bad it is so we can make an educated decision on what to do and know what to look for. Eva will tell us when she's done, whatever the cause is and we will listen to her.

Cancer?

No smiles now..... they think the cells they saw in Eva's UA are tumor cells. They want to send them off to an oncologist......

We won't fight it.......

Say What

Eva weighs in at a whopping 47 pounds! The vet was shocked that we got her to gain weight and was very happy with her overall physical condition. She does have some very infected ears that he showed us how to take care of and I might try her on a homemade food again to see if that helps. We'll see what she needs for a diet tomorrow after we get her blood results back and take in her urine sample. We are planning another check-up, bloodwork and an ultrasound in April 2011.

So all outward signs say she's doing great, now just to see what her blood says. :-)

Keeping Myself Busy

Not even two weeks into this break and a large part of me and my life feels empty without a puppy in a jacket by my side. So, after sending an email to the puppy raising list begging for suggestions, I have a plan to help the time go by faster. I have written out some goals for my doggies, first part is happening tomorrow with both of them going to the vet and getting needed procedures done and training already in progress. I have a list of commands and tricks I want to teach each dog before the pup comes and I want to get some manners instilled in Riz quickly. I have college and some goals around the house I want to finish before the pup comes and some personal goals. I have a puppy blanket I'm making that I need to finish soon and some supplies to get. It also helps that there's a couple really cute little black girls I can watch (Galaxy is visiting this weekend!) whenever I really need a puppy fix.

All those things are just bandages though, I need me a permanent fix! Of course the founding mothers of Canine Angels are really good at keeping puppy plans and news quiet and keeping me on my toes. I've done all I can to get news out of them and their lips are sealed!

Contest

Wow, talk about a discombobulated post! So here is a new post with the guidelines written out more clearly and the possibilities!

Guess sex, breed, color, month of arrival and first letter of first name. 1 point for each correct part.

Names can be submitted for extra points. If I choose one of the names you submit for my puppy you get 2 extra points if it is not already on my name list.

Total possible points = 7

Sex: male, female
Breed: lab, golden retriever, poodle, labradoodle, goldendoodle, lab/golden cross
Color: yellow, black, chocolate, apricot

Puppies may be donated at any point and of any age. We are trying to get a pup from a litter of 2 FBLs, 2 FCLs and 3 MCLs that were born 10/30/10 donated. If I don't get a donated pup the next breedings are planned for spring 2011.

Prize: $25 gift card to the store (online or in person) of your choice.

Guessing will be open until 11/30/10 unless I recieve a puppy before that! You can guess on any post on this blog, no specific post required.

Oh My Word!

How in the world did I wait 11 months, 12 months, 19 months and 3 months before/between my puppies!?! Charlie has been at CST for all of 9 days and I'm dieing without a puppy! I can't wait to get my little guy/girl and have the best year with them, both of us learning and growing and teaching together! To be honest, I'm dieing for news of my next puppy and am hoping it's just a short couple more weeks before my pup is in our home and it feels complete here.

I might as well start a puppy pool, lets try this. Guess what breed, sex, color and month my next puppy will come home and you'll win a $25 gift card to the store of your choice!

Here's some information to help you guess:
"Xerox", the little black lab puppy we did the fundraising for came from a wonderful breeder in Montana. On Sunday she had another litter that we are hoping to get a puppy from, just waiting on some confirmation. Anyway, the litter contains 2 female black labs, 2 female chocolate labs and 3 male chocolate labs.

Of course there is always the possibility of a different puppy being donated to CAST before then.

If CAST does get a donated puppy it will be at least a "Y" puppy, if not "Z" or starting the alphabet over with "A."

Another option is that next spring there may be a couple litters bred by CAST in which case the litter would be themed. The Space Litter dam was in heat a couple weeks ago and it appears has about 6 months between heat cycles. The other breeder for CAST I'm not sure of her heat cycles. Both are golden retrievers and may be bred with another golden, lab or poodle.

So with that information, let the guessing begin! I will enable comment moderation so guesses will be hidden.

Extra points for submitting names not already on my donated puppy name list for the letters "Y", "Z", "A" & "B". *

Guesses should include sex, breed, color and month of arrival. Extra points for names not on the list. The most points once our puppy arrives wins, 2 extra points if I choose a name you submit!

*I want to see what you come up with for names so won't be posting my name lists just yet.

I did it!

Eva and Eclipse will be at the vet on Thursday November 4 at 8:20 am. Eva will be getting her blood work done and possibly an ultrasound. I really want to see what is going on in there, does she have underdeveloped, malformed or missing kidneys? Eva we aren't too nervous about, she's doing great, gaining weight and feeling a little too well sometimes ;-) Eclipse is a little more stressful. We need to get a baseline for where he is and see if his kidneys have declined in functionality since he was last tested 14 months ago. It's a strange feeling for me going in to the vet with more concern about Ally's dog then my own, it's usually she's going with me for support as we brace ourselves for more bad news on _______.