Hello All!

[forscooter]

Re: Hello All!

Hi there,

Well, I called the vet today and we went. His eye is infected from that cysts on his eyelid. Options are surgery, which is a "no" for me and I'll explain why in a sec. Ointment won't work bc he'd probably bite my hand off trying to give it to him. So, we are going to do warm compresses just trying to keep it as clean as possible and hope we can clear out the gunk.

His knees are also infected with the clogged little tiny sebaceous cysts. So, he is going on a round of antibiotics for 10 days. It will flare-up again eventually and we'll just have to keep hitting it with antibiotics. Surgery would be a short-term solution...maybe. So, that's a "no" too.

Heart sounds good. We talked about the jerking, taser-like activity I have been seeing with more frequency. As we know, without a CT scan or MRI it is impossible to tell what is going on exactly. But I talked to two vets and both agreed it seems like a neuro issue.It's possible the pituitary tumor could be growing slowly (or quickly...no one knows really)...or it could be something else entirely going on inside his head. I'm not going to scan him just to find out. And I have phenobarb on hand in case of emergency from Scoobie.

My reasoning for all my "nos" is bc he will be 10 at the end of July. He abhors the vet. If there is something, which seems likely, brewing in his head, I don't know how long he has. And as I did with Scoobie, I will do with Bailey....try and keep him happy. Poking and prodding and cutting and all of that would be for me. And that isn't what I want. I want him comfortable and happy and spending his days on the couch or out in the sun....eating cookies and playing with a bone...eating what he wants, sleeping when he wants, playing when he wants...going for another surgery, going for scans, going to be poked and prodded....well, no thanks. At least not now in this stage of the game.

So....right now he is begging for pizza crust (and getting it) and seems content to be back home. He can still enjoy his life, he is still happy...and so I am going to focus on that. I learned we don't know about tomorrow and they only way I am keeping my sanity through these past few months is to focus on today. And that's what I am going to do as much as I can.

Tonight will be belly rubs and kisses....and whatever tomorrow or the day after tomorrow or the day after that, etc. brings, it brings.

That's our update for now...love to all of you!!!
Beth, Bailey, always Scoobie and Allo too!

[Dollydog]

Re: Hello All!

Hi Beth,
Sounds like you're on the right track for Bailey...that's what we're doing here.... keeping Lady comfortable and enjoying whatever life is left to her. She still enjoys her food and us and her yard! She's also getting a few more pieces of lettuce in a day than she used to get!!
Have a peaceful night,
Jo-Ann & Lady

[ventilate]

Re: Hello All!

Beth;
You know I totally agree with what you are doing and not doing with your pup, I think Jo-Ann, you and I are on the same wavelength with comfort at this stage of our dogs lives being the most important, what is best for them and not necessarily best for us
I also wanted to comment on your choice of comparing your POS Ted Bundy to funny My only saving grace is my exhubbie cant cross the US/Canada border as he has to many felonies against him
Hope your interviews go well and I am sure the Doc will see right through him, that is their job and I am sure they have seen the crap he will try to dish out before.
Good luck and know my heart is with you
luv ya
Sharon. Nike and DS ( still Demon spawn hasnt proven himself long enough yet to go back to Kenai)

[Buffaloe]

Re: Hello All!

Hi Beth,

I agree with your game plan 100%. Be completely thankful for every precious day with Bailey and just enjoy him. I feel the same way about Shiloh. If she needs a little Proin for incontinence or a round of antibiotics, fine. But if it came to something major, another surgery or something, I'm pretty sure we would pass. Take good care of yourself.

Ken and Shi

[barney's mom]

Re: Hello All!

I whole heartedly agree with how you are treating Bailey.
Belly rubs, kisses, pizza crust and naps on the couch really sound appealling.
PM your addy, I am loading the dogs in the car!

Barney and Cheryl

[Truffa's Mom]

Re: Hello All!

Hello pretty woman, I am with you 100%.

There is no better medicine than belly rubs and kisses, and if antibiotics and other meds can be hidden into succulent pizzas, that's perfect too.

Enjoy your Bailey. We will be praying for more wonderful days.

Luv ya.

Marcela & The Choco Labs

[fivebichons]

Re: Hello All!

Hi Beth,

Long time no see! I'm glad you were able to get away for a bit though! Okay, who is Allo? Is this a trick question? I've seen it asked a few times now. "IT" has paws, so that is a good thing. lol NO offense guys, but I see more and more women my age staying single these days. All the good guys are taken.

Sorry to hear that Bailey Boy has lost his appetite. Marco has as well and he normally licks his bowl clean! He was always the healthy one.

I'll keep checking back in as I'm getting used to the new format (right before we go back to cc net). lol I'm so confused.

I miss everybody!

Hugs,
Heidi and the lonely two bichons

[forscooter]

Re: Hello All!

Hi all....

I need help/advice/thoughts....not sure if anyone can help me bc it was another weird one but I thought I'd throw it out there....

Bailey was giving kisses tonight, just a bit ago. He is not a kisser. Anyway, he licked my hand twice....after each time, his teeth started to chatter and his lips were quivering. He got this look on his face, hard to describe, I don't know if he was just freaked out. Anyway, I grabbed his face in my hands and gently cradled his mouth and it stopped. Then the whole thing repeated the second time.

I don't think I have anything weird on my hands....I wash and all....

it has me a bit freaked out bc I don't know if it could be a neuro thing....like he was doing something repetitive and so it triggered something...or what the heck that was...but he eats and drinks and that's repetitive motion so???

I'm sorry I've been so scarce...the past holiday was particularly hard and I am entering a time of a run of dates that is just triggering some sadness and am trying to cope with that...

I'm terrified something really serious is going on with Bailey and although I don't want to go to extreme measures to treat him, I'm also terrified of something happening to him now...we just made our two year Cushing's mark...

Any thoughts? Am I being paranoid? Overly sensitive? Ridiculous?

Sigh.....Beth, Bailey and always Scoobie

[AlisonandMia]

Re: Hello All!

Just had a think about this and it rang a little bell with me - and I did some Googling and I think you can relax!

Smell - Pheromones

* Dogs use pheromones (chemical substances secreted in urine, feces, & glandular secretions) as part of their communications system.

* Reception of pheromones appears to take place in an accessory olfactory organ called the Vermonasal Organ (or Organ of Jacobson).

* The Flehmen Response or Tonguing (where dog salivates & teeth chatters) may facilitate this. This response is common after a male “investigates” a female's urine.

It is from here (just under 1/2 the way down): http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache...&ct=clnk&gl=au

I think you must have had a trace of something "interesting" on your hand - maybe a perfume even as these do sometimes contain pheromones or something chemically close enough to a pheromone to trigger this response. It could well be something that you would be completely unable to detect.

Alison

[Carol G]

Re: Hello All!

* The Flehmen Response or Tonguing (where dog salivates & teeth chatters) may facilitate this. This response is common after a male “investigates” a female's urine.

That is exactly what I thought of when I read about Bailey's "weird one" -- many years ago I asked my vet about it because I thought the dog was having seizures or something. I think the vet said another dog's urine (not even specifying a female's urine). I don't think I've ever seen a female dog do the teeth chattering though. It might even have something to do with your cat.

Carol, Winnie (always), McGill & Atty Cat

[BestBuddy]

Re: Hello All!

Beth I think he's just telling you he loves you. I haven't seen dogs do the lip quiver/teeth chattering thing but my male horse does it every time he smelt the lady horses rear end.
Jenny

[forscooter]

Re: Hello All!

WOW! Really? OMG, I hope you all know I do wash after I use the bathroom, !
I've never heard of that but it does sound like that....and I thought of Allo first too (after I thought, Hey, I wash my hands! LOL!).

Allo is constantly rubbing my hands, my legs, my face....I guess he needs to make sure I am thoroughly marked as his! Or, I maybe missed a spot on my hands ....but OMG, you just made me feel a WHOLE LOT BETTER!!!! Or yes, maybe it came from one of the packages I opened or who knows where....and he is alllllll nose. And if it's bc he loves me that much, I'll let him chatter away.....

See, I can always count on you all! Thanks so much!!! I thought "seizure" too...I am just so super-sensitive anymore!

THANKS A WHOLE BIG HUGE BUNCH!!!!!! Beth, Bailey and always Scoobie

[Squirt's Mom]

Re: Hello All!

Hey Beth,

Squirt does that chattering thing sometimes, too, and it is after licking or smelling something every time. The first time I saw it, I freaked out and called the vet. This was years before the cush diagnosis, too. He told me what others have said here; smells affect them differently and to get a real good scent they use not only their nose but their mouths as well, sort of tasting the smell if you will. The lip quivering and mouth movements are their way of truly assimilating that interesting smell. So, I choose to believe that is what Bailey is doing....just taking in all your interesting smells so he can hold them close in his heart and mind.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls

[ventilate]

Re: Hello All!

Interesting, Hi Beth; I am still wondering why you didnt comment on Jenny calling you a horses rear end

male horse does it every time he smelt the lady horses rear end.

Ahh I can always count on you guys for a laugh. Beth I know this past weekend was tough for you, just know we are here for you.
luv ya
Sharon

[forscooter]

Re: Hello All!

Leslie...you mean I smell so much, one can taste it???

And Sharon, I think Jenny got me confused with the ex when she called me a horse's a**!!! At least I hope that's what she was thinking! And thank you....it was very hard...we closed on the house today so it's been a hard week...with more dates to come....so I've been a bit scarce wrapped up in my head...but I know you understand...

So, I think I will slink off to bed now trying to see if I can taste my smell and say my prayers that my prince will turn me into something other than an a**! And not a frog either...

Love ya! I don't know how to sign my name now...does all this make me Bailey's B(you know the name for a female dog I can't type here)????

Beth, Bailey and always Scoobie