Thursday, February 16, 2012

Happy Birthday Jude!!!

Jude turns 8 years old today. My little boy is growing up so fast! While I've had him for less than a year I can't imagine life without him. The great thing about Jude is he's happy all the time – when he wakes up in morning, when he goes for a walk, when he’s eating (especially when he's eating), when he’s playing with his toys, when he goes for a ride in the car, when he’s sleeping, and most importantly when we're cuddling. He is my daily reminder to live in the moment. So here's to many more birthdays my precious Jude. Thank you for coming into my life. I love you!

Here are some photos from his birthday party...

Birthday cake!

Jude took a bite out of the cake right after this photo was taken!

Partying with Dreyfus and Victor!

After the cake...

and maybe a little too much partying!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Dreyfus


Dreyfus when I first got him.

Our first few walks consisted of this...him staring at me.

I was going through pictures of Dreyfus and I was amazed at his transformation from when I first adopted him. I forgot how pathetic he looked when I first got him! He was heartworm as well as every other worm positive, lethargic, filthy, skinny, and scared of everything. It took him a month before he would take a treat from my hand and he’d only eat his breakfast/dinner as long as I wasn’t watching him. We took things very slow those first few months. Thankfully I’m quiet and where I lived was quiet, so slowly he began to feel more comfortable around our apartment and me. I lived on the third floor and he was scared to death of both the elevator and the stairs (plus I didn’t want him walking up and down the stairs during his heartworm treatment) so I carried up and down the stairs every time we went outside. We had a lot of dogs living in our complex and Dreyfus was scared of every single one of them. They’d bark at him and he’d shake, so we avoided other dogs. I wanted him to sleep in my bed so I knew where he was at night but he wanted to sleep in the living room on the sofa. Every night I’d put him on my bed and every night he’d jump off. Until one night instead of jumping off my bed he slowly walked up to my head, laid down and rested his head on my shoulder. From that night on that’s where he slept. Soon he started to get more and more courageous about the outside world. He was still terrified of people and dogs he didn’t know but he knew I would protect him. Once he recovered from his heartworm we slowly started to go on longer and longer walks, which he’d love. It got to the point where I’d get home from school, he’d fly off the sofa to greet me and then he’d go get his leash. His favorite walk was a 2-mile long walk around a lake we lived by. It was a beautiful walk, especially in the fall, which we both enjoyed. Every time we went on that walk we ran into a Miniature Schnauzer named “Huckleberry”. The first time we met “Huckleberry” he was loose, standing on the sidewalk barking at us. Dreyfus was scared to death. “Huckleberry” then came running towards us, I picked Dreyfus up and we returned “Huckleberry” to his house. Over the course of our walks Dreyfus and I got to know “Huckleberry” and his owners very well. I always hoped that we wouldn’t see him but we always did. He was a very sweet little dog, who unfortunately had very irresponsible owners. I miss that walk.

Dreyfus and I now like to walk along the cliffs near my parents’ house. He loves to run through the tall grass, chase the feral cats and bark at the dogs we meet along the way. What a long way he’s come!

Trying to get a photo of Dreyfus on a walk now is very difficult.

I'm ready to go!

He loves to run!

My perfect boy!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Treating Dogs' Cancers May Benefit Humans

Treating Dogs' Cancers May Benefit Humans - ABC News

All that talk about lymphoma yesterday, I thought I'd share this.

Dreyfus and Jude

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Lucy - Cutaneous Lymphoma

Lucy as a puppy

Where to start? I wasn’t sure if I should start at the beginning or the end. After trying to write about Lucy for months I wasn’t even sure if I could write about her at all. I decided to start at the end because that way I figured I could move on to sharing happier times. We did have 18 and half years together. Little Lucy always present, always there. Towards the end I knew the time was coming but still I did everything to prevent it. Did I push her too far? I’m not sure. Two weeks prior to euthanizing Lucy, she was diagnosed with cutaneous lymphoma, which I knew in my heart she had but as a vet I needed confirmation.

What is cutaneous lymphoma?

Many of you have probably heard of lymphoma which is a common cancer in dogs, the cutaneous form of lymphoma is very rare and only accounts for about 3-8% of all canine lymphomas. It is usually seen in middle aged to older dogs and it is divided into two forms epitheliotropic and nonepitheliotropic. Lucy had the epitheliotropic form, which is also known as mycosis fungoides. Clinical signs of early epitheliotropic lymphoma typically resemble that of inflammatory skin disease, which includes redness, scaling, itching, depigmentation, hair loss, ulceration, and crusting of the skin. I first noticed depigmentation and redness with Lucy. The skin lesions may be focal or generalized. Lucy’s skin lesions initially were focal around her mouth (which is a common location) and then spread to her nose and the skin around her eyes. Like any cancer metastasis to lymph nodes and other organs can occur. Nonepitheliotropic lymphoma is extremely rare in dogs but is the more common form in cats. Clinical signs typically include multiple, ulcerated, skin nodules.

You can see the redness and the depigmentation around her muzzle, nose and eyes

The prognosis for both forms of cutaneous lymphoma is poor. Recurrence is very common. Generalized epitheliotropic lymphoma is often treated with chemotherapy as well as steroids. Focal mycosis fungoides can be treated with surgery or radiation with or without chemotherapy. Focal mycosis fungoides has a slightly better prognosis. (source http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/CLERK/Nesbit/)

Dreyfus took great care of her right up until the end

And she took great care of him!

Prior to her diagnosis I said I would never put her through chemotherapy or radiation. After her diagnosis I did both. Why? Her cutaneous lymphoma was focal and I thought we could improve her quality of life as well as extend it. Did she suffer through any of these treatments? No, I was with her the whole time. Quick note about chemotherapy in dogs and cats, they receive much lower doses than humans and therefore tolerate it much better and often have very few side effects. When I realized that her condition wasn’t improving and she started eating less and less I knew it was time.

Lucy was a Beagle through and through so eating was an easy way to measure her quality of life. Her whole life, right up until the end, she ate her meals way too fast. We had to put a tennis ball in the middle of her food bowl to slow her down. For a few years of her life she lived in NYC. She had all the doormen trained in our building to give her a treat when she left the building and when she came back in the building. I still remember one year around Christmas we had just come back from a walk and we went through the service entrance of our building, which was full of deliverymen. Lucy maneuvered her way through the deliverymen to our doorman where she proceeded to sit up perfectly and politely to ask for her treat. The doorman stopped what he was doing, told the deliveryman to wait just a second and he gave her a treat. She then turned around, walked back to me and we continued on our way.

The last photo of Lucy

9/12/11 was the first day in her whole life that she didn't want to eat. I knew it was time. She passed away in my arms with her head on my heart. To say I miss her is an understatement.

Now on to the happier stories...

With a few rules, dogs and offices can mix well

Remember Uno?

Remember Uno? Famous beagle's half-sister is going to Westminster Dog Show

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Belleville beagle breeder hoping for another champion at Westminster

Belleville beagle breeder hoping for another champion at Westminster

Absolutely beautiful Beagle, but I think they all are! Go Allie and Jazzy!

The Westminster Dog Show will be broadcast on the USA Network beginning at 7 p.m., Feb. 13 and 14, and on CNBC starting both nights at 9 p.m.

My Boys

Dreyfus

Victor

Jude

Monday, February 6, 2012

Friends for the moment

The Fox and Dreyfus

What is "Cherry Eye"?

"Cherry Eye" is a term used for prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid. When the gland prolapses, owners will notice a red lump in the corner of their dog’s eye or eyes.

Dogs receive their tear film from two tear-producing glands. One gland is located in the upper eyelid and the other is located in the lower lid within the pet's third eyelid. The gland of the third eyelid contributes a good portion of the tear film to the eye. When out of its normal position, blood does not circulate properly within the gland and it may swell. It is usually not painful to the dog but it will interfere with normal tear production.

The exact cause of "Cherry Eye" is not known, but it is thought to be secondary to a weakness of the tissue that holds the gland in place. Some breads especially Beagles, Boston terriers, Cocker spaniels, and bulldogs have a higher incidence of this condition.

Treatment

The only acceptable treatment of "Cherry Eye" is replacement of the gland to its proper location. Preservation of the gland is the goal. Years ago many vets simply removed the gland but the importance of preserving tear production is now recognized. There are two techniques commonly used to replace the gland. Your veterinarian or a veterinary ophthalmologist will decide which technique to use. Complications from "Cherry Eye" surgery are usually rare but recurrence is common. Some swelling after "Cherry Eye" surgery is normal but this should resolve and the eye should be normal in appearance in about 7 days. If the eye suddenly changes in the appearance or it appears painful, it is important to contact your veterinarian right away.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

What's that thing on Jude’s collar?

You might have noticed something on Jude’s collar and wondered what it was.

It’s his GPS tracking system! All my Beagles have them. As we all know Beagles lead with their noses so it’s a safety device if they happen to get out of the yard unaccompanied. They are also all microchipped.

Fortunately, no Beagle has gotten out since owning the device so I can’t tell you how well it works. I can tell you that I can track where they are at all times on my phone and computer and that I’m notified both by text and email if they're out of their “safe zone” (i.e. we forgot to turn the device off when we take them for a walk). Also, the device is lightweight, attaches easily to any collar and the dogs don’t seem to mind wearing them. If you are interested in purchasing one I recommend researching them online to figure out which one is best for your dog.

If you're looking for a Beagle...

Polly Rescued, Now Needs Her Own Family

Adult Beagle retrieved from a shelter is friendly, enjoys attention, and is waiting to be adopted

Paw Print: This beagle mix is really a southern gentleman

Mr. Bench is a 5- to 6-year-old tri-color beagle mix who was rescued from a shelter in Kentucky.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

How to Destroy a Perfectly Good (and Expensive) Plush Dog Toy in Less Than 3 minutes by Jude

First select your victim.
As you can tell by the bandage this poor guy was already previously wounded.

Ummm....what part to destroy first?

Jude selects the wing. Not a bad choice.

Success!!! The wing is removed.
Noticed how Jude used the wall for support.

Jude briefly admires his work.
At this point I stepped in and took away the whole toy. No foreign bodies on my watch!
Jude was mad but nothing a treat couldn't fix.

Beagles saved after falling into 100-foot well in Halifax County

Cutaneous Hemangiosarcoma

Victor

As I mentioned in Victor's bio he has a history of cutaneous hemangiosarcoma. I thought I'd briefly talk about cutaneous hemangiosarcoma, so you know what to look for and how to potentially prevent it.

What is Hemangiosarcoma?

Hemangiosarcomais a, fast growing, highly invasive malignant form of cancer that arises from the lining of blood vessels. While hemangiosarcoma can theoretically arise from any tissue where there are blood vessels, there are generally three common presentations: spleen form, heart base form and skin form. Unfortunately, hemangiosarcoma of the spleen and the heart base have a very guarded prognosis. Like any tumor of the spleen, splenic hemangiosarcoma has a high risk of sudden death since these tumors like to rupture, causing the patient to rapidly bleed to death. If you’re pet is going to have hemangiosarcoma the skin form is the best type to get since it is usually easily removed surgically, and therefore has the potential for complete cure.

The Skin Form

Hemangiosarcoma of the skin usually appears as a small red or purple-bluish mass or multiple masses. They are typically found on non-haired areas of the skin most commonly the abdomen, prepuce of male dogs or inner thigh. So when you're giving your dog a belly rub take a really good look at their abdomen and inner thighs. If you notice any small red, blood blister or bruise like masses contact your veterinarian right away. The cause of skin hemangiosarcoma is not completely known but it is believed that excessive sun exposure plays a role. Also, dogs with short white fur appear to be most at risk. Approximately 1/3 of cases will spread internally so it is important to remove these growths as soon as possible.

Victor enjoying the sun a little too much!

Diagnosis

The method of choice for diagnosis is skin biopsy. This is when a tissue sample from the mass is taken and examined microscopically by a pathologist.

Since there is always a risk that the tumor has spread I also recommend doing the following tests

Routine blood tests
Chest x-rays - hemangiosarcoma likes to spread to the lungs
Ultrasound of the abdomen and heart - to look at the spleen and the heart base both detectable with ultrasound
Possible CT

Treatment

Surgical removal with complete margins is the treatment of choice but complete surgical excision can sometimes be difficult. Therefore, radiation and/or chemotherapy may be required as well. Your veterinary oncologist will decide this.

Prevention

Limit your dog's exposure to sunlight which can be very hard if your dog loves lying in the sun. If you can't then try using pet safe sunscreen or cover ups like a t-shirt.

Victor inside and out of the sun!

Victor was fortunate because he had no evidence of metastasis and we were able to cure him with surgical removal. He's about 2 and half years out from surgery and is doing very well. I do however check his abdomen daily!