Odie Vet Report

Odin is getting the following pills, rolled up in two pieces of sliced ham, which leaves (for you non-meat eaters) a disgusting slime on your skin that is hard to wash off: Enalapril, Carvedilol, Glucosamine, Coenzyme Q10, and Fish Oil; plus, on his food, some "Platinum" dog supplement; for a grand total of $70/month. That is not nearly as much as I feared it was going to be, but the twice yearly echocardiogram, x-ray, and blood draw are $500/each.
I got his Carvedilol filled at Costco, which was an interesting experience. I had to fill out a form for him (not me), that had his birthday, gender (Male?), address, phone number, and allergies to other medications. I wonder if he'll get mail from Costco or phone calls, like that time I won a ham.
Odin is NOT exhibiting the "clinical signs" yet - those will be the external symptoms that will mark (usually) 2-3 months to live. But Dr. Westcott said there is no way to know when the clinical phase will start, like it could start tomorrow. The medication is supposed to help postpone the clinical phase (but it just slows it down; it still comes).
I also had Odin's records sent down from his old vet (who was fabulous), Dr. Jeff Mayo. Dr. Westcott is going to look at them to see if Dr. Mayo heard the heart mumur when Odin was a little puppy, like I remember. Since I didn't remember him peeing on the floor for an entire year, it's possible I'm mis-remembering that too.
Odin seems to be feeling pretty good, even with all the new medication. He has been sleeping on my bed more than normal (i.e. instead of on the couch), but I think that has to do with Stampy being energetic, bratty, and pushy. And unfortunately for all of us, now that spring is on the way, the idiot City of Lacey decided to do away with the informal dog park as of this weekend. So you can still go out there and walk, but it has to be on leash, and that doesn't get Stampy tired enough.
However, ham appears to make Odin fart up a storm. Whichever room he's in basically reeks of fart. I think it is probably killing brain cells while I sleep. But it's too cold at night to have the window open.