Stampy's lumps & new plants

I realized with all the Odin photos, I haven't even tried to take a picture of Stampy's lumpy impacted salivary glands. Here it is.

And here's my new plants, thanks to Ted and Carmel. They are the really vibrant orange ones at the base of the Katsura tree. Next year I bet those will look amazing.

18 Hours in the Life of Odin

6:00 pm - Holter monitor on
6:40 pm - eat cheeseburger from McDonald's
6:50 - eat 1/2 dinner
7:30 - watch TV on couch
10:00 - watch TV from floor
10:45 - watch TV from couch again; breathing harder
11:25 - forced night bathroom (refused to go, stood on "deck" until I let him in again)
11:35 - goes to bed on floor
6:45 am - gets on bed to sleep
7:00 - starts breathing loud
8:45 - gets morning pills (mortifyingly, I realized I forgot to give him pills last night, this is the third time in the entire time he's been getting pills I forgot to do it)
9:05 - gets out of bed; goes outside for bathroom
9:45 - eats breakfast
10;25 - goes on a walk (this is unusual for us now)
11:00 - hangs out in yard
11:15 - sits in house
12:15 pm - goes on errands in car

Three gratuitous Holter shots

Well, the Holter Monitor is done because the plug fell out at some point during our errands (I'm guessing when we got in the car), and I couldn't get it to start recording again. It made it at least 18 hours, but we'll see if that was enough - the instructions said to go 25-26 hours.
Odin was NOT happy about all the tape being torn off. He "bit" me twice and yelped. The biting was putting his mouth and teeth on my hands, but he didn't break the skin.
Then he went and sat outside and sulked in the sun. You can see in the photo with Stampy that he is glaring at me.

Steps 4-6 of Holter Monitor Removal

Look closely for a rare glimpse of what ridgeback skin looks like when the ridge has been shaved off.

Stages of Removal of the Holter Monitor - Steps 1-3

And the garden

I ate this year's most tasty tomato out of the garden. There's one zucchini and another one on the way, but no squash. It's been so cold that I'm worried I won't get any more tomatoes. But we've been getting plenty of rain.
I'm trying not to be annoyed, but I'm starting to feel really tethered to the house. I only got out one weekday this week to see the horses. This huge rider is giving a clinic in Yelm (just 1/2 hour away) and not only am I not riding in it, I'm not even going to get to audit it like I wanted because tomorrow I'll be staring at Odin all day, and Sunday I have to work.

Odin modeling the Holter monitor

Odin had a leaky butt again today. I cleaned it before we left, but he was still a little stinky, and the vet tech had to use about four rounds of paper towels and a round of gauze (and waterless shampoo) to actually get him clean.
Tomorrow I take the Holter monitor off at 6 p.m., then return it Monday morning (if they're open). The little sticky pads (which I'll take pictures of when I take it off) are going to hurt, so Dr. W said to put rubbing alcohol or witch hazel under them. I can hear the little tape whirring while it records.
We got McD's cheeseburgers on the way home, and I'm going to keep the (very boring) journal of Odin's 24 hours. Tomorrow we'll go on a walk to see if we can trigger an "episode" and catch it on the tape.
Stampy's lumps are his salivary glands blocked up, like from "gunky" saliva. He has an appointment for Wednesday afternoon to get the stuff sucked out. Dr. W says it's weird for them to both plug up at once. I forgot to ask her if this is something that will happen the rest of his life. She said if they don't stop filling up that we'll have to put in those little tubes. And that the first time he came in, they had probably drained all the way to his other lymph nodes. Yuck.

this is where I gave up

... but not quite

we've almost got it!

not there yet, by now I'm yelling at her

still trying for something simple

something simple

I had to take my "before" photos for this work wellness thing, and these are the pictures I had to take, thanks to Poppy, before I got one that worked.

Info on Odin's new pills

Vetmedin
Vetmedin has been shown to increase both the quality and length of life in dogs suffering from congestive heart disease. Vetmedin opens up the blood vessels that take blood away from the heart effectively reducing the work the heart does to pump blood. At the same time, Vetmedin opens up the blood vessels returning blood to the heart, reducing pressure on the heart. Vetmedin differs from other commonly used heart drugs by helping the heart to pump more efficiently.
http://www.1800petmeds.com/Vetmedin-prod10980.html

http://www.vetmedin.co.uk/vetmedin.php?view=11

My garden

Here are the first two veggies out of my garden. I swear, last weekend they weren't there at all.

Odin's not doing so hot

He got some new medicine - some state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line stuff that is pricey, even with the discount Dr. W gave me. It is not supposed to really do anything for his heart, but make him feel better. He is eating better and seems a little bit friskier, but I can still feel his heart going all crazy in his ribcage after he's been frisky.
On Sunday morning, Kevin and I took him for a walk with the wagon, to see if it would work and how he would do. He seemed fine until about a block from home (it was only like a 15 minute walk, and we were going really slow for sniffing purposes), he wobbled a little and flopped down in the grass. We got him on the wagon, but he wouldn't ride on it.
So my last idea is to maybe make him a little tag that says "I have a heart problem. My mom left me here to get the car. She'll be right back." I don't know what else to do. Kevin pointed out that he probably is enjoying the scenery (or smell-ery) and I should just do the really short block and not keep him cooped up at home.
But after the walk, he pooped all over the bed while we were at the barn, then wore his diaper and pooped all in it, then today pooped all over the bed again. It's that smeary poop.
We see the vet Wednesday, for the Holter monitor and to get Stampy's lumps checked, so I'll ask her about it then. I'm nervous. I hate that all this medicine isn't making him back to himself. I just want him to be like he used to be.
He's also getting new, special, also mega-expensive dog food - some Science Diet (now, apparently, called Hill's) heart healthy, low sodium stuff. He seems to like it.

Also, an embarrassing p.s.

I have the vet's phone number memorized.

Dog breeds

Janis suggested maybe a Vizla, yellow lab ("bench"? not field breeding and there are things you can do to avoid them becoming ball crazy), or maybe a standard poodle. She's also been researching what their next dog might be.
And I forgot about greyhounds ...

Kappa and Pee - Don't read if you're easily grossed out

Tonight I was minding my own business in the bathroom, when Kappa walked in and jumped into the bathtub (behind the shower curtain). Then I heard something that sounded suspiciously like pee. I pulled open the shower curtain and peeked behind it, and sure enough, Kappa was crouched peeing into the drain in the bathtub.
I have noticed, on more than one occasion, a greenish tint to the water around the drain, but I thought that was sitting water corroding or something.
I can't remember the first time I noticed, but I think the whole thing is very bizarre. I have three litter boxes. Does he pee in other drains too? Do the girls pee in drains?
I'm kind of icked out.

Odie's heart

Today Stampy and I went to the vet for his swollen neck. He's on more antibiotics, but his other lymph nodes aren't swollen and he seems to feel fine, so it's not a big deal.
The vet called this afternoon because she called WSU about Odin's heart. (I mentioned, in passing, that Odin has little episodes where he looks like he has dog Parkinson's, and she said those are "afib attacks" & were pretty significant.) They are going to put Odin on yet another heart medication, this one is one that is usually the big guns for when dogs are on their death bed. She said he shouldn't be feeling so bad all the time. Also, they're going to put on a Halter (Holter?) monitor to see exactly what his heart is doing. WSU is going to mail one over, they'll have to strap him into it for 24 hours, then we'll mail it back, and 24 hours later they should know exactly what is going on with the "episodes" and whether Odin is a candidate for a pacemaker.

Stampy's swollen glands are back

It thundered and lightning around 4 am, and was spotty rain and cooler today. So no beach. We probably lost our last chance for this year.
Stampy is acting fine, but today I looked at him and his throat has those swollen knots. He's only got two days (one day?) of pills left, so I guess I need to call the vet.

The yard

Kevin did yard work in the backyard while he was petsitting, and it looked so good that while I was mowing the dandelions, I got inspired, and did about an hour of weeding. It made an amazing difference. Here is a photo of Stampy admiring it.
It is hot today (90?) but with a nice breeze, and I'm sorry I didn't plan the weekend better to take the boys to the beach. Tomorrow we might try to go to a park that has water but doesn't require any walking to get there.

Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure

My understanding is that the next phase of Odie's heart is Congestive Heart Failure.
Here's what the web page I found says the symptoms are:
- bloated, pear-shaped tummy (because fluid backs up into the liver and leaks out into the abdomen)
- much less active and tire easily
- appetite usually falls off
- difficult respiration, panting and coughing while at rest
- membranes of the mouth are grayish rather than healthy pink and vessels on the surface are abnormally congested with blood
- jugular pulse in which the beating of the heart can be seen in the large jugular veins of the neck

It says CHF can develop over many months or years, but then ...
As heart function declines, the body is able to compensate for several weeks or months. However, at some point, the body's ability to compensate is no longer effective. At this point, dogs can go into severe heart failure in what appears to be a matter of hours. Rapid, heavy breathing, blue tongue (cyanosis), excessive drooling, or collapse may be the first signs that anything is wrong.

By the time the dogs develop the problems, they rarely live beyond a year or two. Many die sooner despite the use of many medications.

Here's where I got the info:
http://www.2ndchance.info/conghtfaildog.htm

A shorter list of symptoms is:
Coughing

Shortness of breath

Difficult breathing (dyspnea)

Weight loss

Fatigue

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/a-matter-of-the-heart-congestive-heart-failure/page1.aspx

This one says the same as the first one, that his body will compensate for a few months, then:
For several months, these compensatory responses help the situation. Increased fluid retention eventually becomes harmful. More and more fluid leaks out of capillaries, causing increased gagging and coughing, and reduced stamina. Fluid may collect in the abdominal cavity and body tissues. Fluid in the lungs is called pulmonary edema, fluid below the skin is called peripheral or limb edema, and fluid in the abdomen is called ascites. Congestive heart failure is a common cause of these signs.

And then it sounds like it's really quick:
Dilated cardiomyopathy develops over many months or even years. Its effects on blood flow also develops slowly. As heart function declines, the body is able to compensate for several weeks or months. At some point in time, the body’s ability to compensate is no longer effective. At that point, dogs go into severe heart failure in what appears to be a matter of hours. Rapid, heavy breathing, a blue tongue, excessive drooling, or collapse may be the first signs.

And his life expectation:
Most dogs that stabilize quickly will live for a period of a few months to many months, but the long-term prognosis is not good. It can be difficult to generate an accurate estimate for life-expectancy when a dog has heart disease because many variables impact on survival.

http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/heartfailure.html

I can't bear to read anymore. There were lots of google hits for "congestive heart failure dog".

Sadly, the final set of Stephen being adorable.

Have I mentioned Stephen is cute? - set 3

Mom is imagining having an event in the bamboo forest.
I am doing my best to be a "good" aunt and introduce Stephen early in life (at the imprintable stage) on the nectar of the gods.

Stephen is adorable - set 2

That is Stephen's going to the zoo outfit, which he did not wear to the zoo because the pant's needed suspenders.

Pictures of Stephen - set 1

I took 93 pictures of Stephen in the <6>

These are the highlights only. You have to look at Judith's blog and flickr site for more and better pictures.