Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Scheduled for Excision

Well Vida's scheduled to have her weird sore removed in a few days. I asked for "a conservative diagnostic excision." The actual removal only takes 5 minutes, so I'm going to just have gas used (isoflorine), and no i.v. sedative. It's stressful for the dog at first, but they wake up immediately when the gas is turned off. I'll help hold her for the beginning. If it were a more involved procedure I'd go for the sedative, but for this I think she'll be fine. Reiki will come in handy (for me and her)!

And I did pick up some wool roving yesterday, and some squeakers today, so it's wool ball time!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Toys as Cancer Culprits?

We've all heard about the possible danger of "toys from China", but mainly in terms of vinyl. I read yesterday that oral cancer is the fourth leading cancer in dogs (better fact check that again, just in case). What?? In people it takes something like chewing tobacco - obvious to us, yeah.

Well what about those plushy toys for our dogs?

I tell you what, that first thing going are all my dogs plush toys! I found a website with instructions on how to make felted wool balls, so I'm going to make some of those.

I'm also going to look in to sewing some toys - yes, sew my own! They may not be as brightly cute as store-bought, but I know the dog doesn't care about that.

It may be too late to prevent the start of things in Vida, but I'll be damned if I'm going to keep putting the possible cause back in there!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Yikes! What is that?


Well, Vida went to a vet for the first time in about 7 years to have this thing looked at. I noticed it about two months ago or so, a little smaller, after she'd been chewing on a bone (so I thought she'd just hurt it on the bone). Then family problems made me forget to check it and it grew a bit.

It looks like she'll have to go under anesthesia and have it removed so it can be sent out for testing, because it's either nothing (a mouth wound that just won't heal) or cancer. Yep, nothing in between those two extremes.

I'm a little freaked out, to say the least. She's eight years old, and truly, I figured we're only at the half-way point for her lifespan. Now this potential havoc.

Bloodwork comes back tomorrow to see if she's ok for surgery. Then wait to see the medical outcome. Then the big decisions about how to treat it if it is cancer.

UGH!!!!

But don't her teeth look lovely! Just a little wear on the ends, but pearly white!