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Taz
Taz and
Bogart
Bogart
Updated
August 18, 2008
Taz
and Bogart would like to thank: Their
Fairy Godmother: Pnina
Gersten Godmothers: Donna Koch Doctors: Dr. Teresa
Long Dr. Michael
Huber Friends: Steven
Benson Bearded Collie
Club of B.O.N.E.
Rescue AND
A SPECIAL (in
alphabetical order*) Maria J. Nancy B. Patricia
M. Rosalind
G. Sandra &
Richard J. Valencia
Acura Wendie G. Yvette
O. *If you don't
see your name here, please email me at Exactly when
and where Taz and Bogart's journey began is anyone's guess.
But we do know
that they began to really live on August 9th, 2007 when
someone turned them into the city animal shelter in Van
Nuys. This is what
they looked like that fateful day: Not a pretty
picture, to say the least -- but what shelter volunteers
would find under all that matted and dirty fur would be even
worse. Severely
malnourished and underweight; open wounds and sores; what
appeared to be a grapefruit-sized tumor and plaque-encrusted
teeth - it was bad. Oh, if they
could only talk and tell us what happened to
them! It took only
one look into those haunting brown eyes and Pnina Gersten, a
shelter volunteer knew then and there that she had to help
these two brothers who are attached at the hip and the
heart. The networking
began and poof, here the boys are at home with me!
And in a
sense, with all of you too since this truly is a labor of
love for which it takes a village. Under Bogart's
matted fur, we found what doctors diagnosed as a "bilateral
perineal hernia" thru which his bladder "pops out".
It is a
potentially life-threatening condition for which he needs
surgery. And since the hernia is on both sides (bilateral)
he may require another surgery in the future. Meanwhile, Taz
is severely anemic -- about 20 pounds underweight -- and is
being treated with antibiotics for abnormal white and red
blood cell counts. The estimate
for Bogey's surgery alone ranges between $2500 to $3900 --
even with the discount offered by Animal Specialty Group
since these boys are rescues. I couldn't
have done this alone but thanks to all of you who kindly
responded to a plea for help for these boys, the costs of
the first surgery have now been covered! Your generous
donations have also covered the ongoing medical bill for
Taz, as well as the estimated costs for their follow-up
care. All of you,
friends and strangers; coworkers and dog-blog readers;
animal-lovers and specialty groups came through for these
two souls who apparently have only had each other to count
on. Now they have
an entire village! Bogey is
scheduled for surgery this Wednesday, September 5th at ASG
while Taz will be returning to Roxford Veterinary for
additional blood work and tests. Just as I
invited you to help me help them, I now invite you to join
us on this journey which will be documented here. In the spirit
of Pinche
who started it all (and who Taz looks remarkably like) and
my baby boy Bubba,
the dog blog lives on! Let the
journey begin -- it is Taz and Bogey's journey
now. Bogart to
Surgery Well, we are
on our way to ASG! Last night I
had a long talk with Bogart -- explaining to him what was
going to happen today and most importantly, telling him that
he wasn't being abandoned again. I think he
understood because at 3 am I had to wake him up from a
nightmare. Maybe I shouldn't have told him about the
neutering part. Wish us luck.
Just returned
from dropping Bogey off at ASG. It was terrible! Crying,
howling, separation anxiety....and that was just
me. Bogart, on the
other hand, was just as calm as could be. He did give me
about a million kisses which I interpreted as a last ditch
effort to persuade me to drop the whole neutering
thing. But two
beautiful blond vet technicians later and I was but an
after-thought as he happily went off with them,
tail-a-wagging. Soon, what I
call the "Bogey Bump" will be gone and all will be
well. Meanwhile, Taz
is having serious issues. For the last 20 minutes he has
been running around the house looking for his best buddy
Bogey. He appears to
think this is a game of hide-and-seek gone terribly wrong
and keeps coming up to me crying as if I have hidden Bogey
somewhere. Surgery is
scheduled for after 1 pm so I'll be back later -- have to go
and console Taz now. Bogey is in
surgery right now. Ahh, my poor
puppy. Yeah! Bogey is
out of surgery...groggy but resting comfortably. His surgeon
has been in the operating room all day so I haven't spoken
to him yet but another doctor told me that everything went
well. I did speak to
Dr. Long who called with the good news that Taz's blood work
came back perfect! So tomorrow he will go in for neutering
and teeth cleaning. Without Bogey
here, Taz is still pretty stressed but eating well, and when
it comes to our furry friends that's always a good
sign. My, what a
long and draining day this has been! Between
worrying about Bogart and reassuring Taz all day that I am
not Cruella DeVille and his best friend in the whole world
has not disappeared -- well, at least not permanently, I am
beat! Not to mention
that driving to ASG and calling them all day about a dog in
surgery, well that really brought back memories of Pinche
and Bubba. Oh, how I
still miss those two. Terribly, as a matter of
fact. But back to
Bogart -- I spoke to his surgeon earlier this evening and he
told me that everything went as planned in
surgery. A flap was
created to take care of the hernia while they also went in
thru his abdomen to suture his bladder and colon so that
they don't slide out the other hernia. Of course, these are
far from the medical terms Dr. Huber used but I think you
get the picture. What a major
surgery! Oh, and he got neutered too. I just called
ASG again and Bogey is sleeping. Meanwhile, Taz
enjoyed the company of his Godmother Donna while I was at
work. He got a bath, a trim and was basically spoiled rotten
all night long. He too is
absolutely exhausted from worrying about Bogart and is
snoring on the floor next to me. Tomorrow
morning it will be his turn for surgery. He's already
mad at me for making Bogey vanish -- imagine how he'll feel
when he wakes up tomorrow afternoon and sees that something
else has vanished. Thank God dogs
don't hold grudges. Taz to
Surgery I just dropped
off a sweet but still stressed Taz at Dr. Long's where he
will be neutered, have his teeth cleaned and a few other
other unmentionables done. Some additional tests will also
be run. Meanwhile,
just spoke to a doctor over at ASG where Bogey is
recuperating from his major surgery. He's wearing a pain
patch and is on an IV but was up walking this
morning. If all goes
well, he should be ready to come home tomorrow. Taz is
home! A little
lighter you-know-where but just as sweet. Apparently he's
not mad at me...either that or the pain medication hasn't
worn off yet. His surgery
went well but when it came to his teeth, Dr. Long said that
what appeared to be two misshapen teeth were actually broken
off tooth stubs and had to be pulled. So now to
match his charming underbite , he has a toothless grin!
Ahhh,
Taz....it's a smile only a mother could love. Both patients
are doing very well tonight. Taz has been
napping most of the night but is in remarkably good spirits
considering he was "surgically unenhanced" today. He's been put
on a small regimen of medication that includes antibiotics,
pain medication and Flagyl. As for his
other half, techs at ASG just told me that Bogart is doing
well. He had just gone for a short walk and was eating
again. He should be
able to come home tomorrow, which I know will thrill Taz.
After the
"smell and greet" takes place, both boys will realize that
that is missing and will begin sharing their war
stories. That's when
they will hate me, I am sure. After a
rousing game of "I want to sleep in your bed!", Taz
finally settled down last night, in his own bed, and slept
wonderfully. And today he
is back to his fun-loving and mischievous self. Bogart is set
to come home late this afternoon, much to our
delight. Until then,
thanks to all of you who have written, thought good thoughts
and included all of us in your prayers. It's a face
only a mother could love....Taz. Both boys are
doing fine as they continue to recuperate from their
surgeries. Bogart's scars
are quite impressive -- he really went thru a major surgery.
More like three surgeries since he has three different
incisions (abdomen, rump for the hernia and his
neutering). As I watch
both boys napping peacefully next to me, I am once again
reminded of a dog's strength and resilience. They truly are
amazing creatures. The week
starts off with both boys recuperating very
nicely. Both Bogey and
Taz are still on a laundry list of medications and
supplements but they are being cleverly disguised in hot
dogs so no problem there. Their appetite is back to normal
and they are both sleeping thru the night. I am still in
awe of Bogart's scars which would have had any one of us on
serious bed rest but he's just as happy as can
be. He has had two
small regurgitation episodes though, which immediately
brought back a flood of unwanted memories -- those of you
who followed Bubba's battle with the horrific Megaesophagus
monster know to what I refer. It is amazing
how the sight, smell and sound of something can instantly
transport you back in time -- often to places you don't want
to go. But like I
said, they were small and happened right after Bogart had
gulped down some water so I am not overly concerned -- but
it is something that I am keeping an eye on. While I am at
work, the boys are being cared for by the wonderful Sarah,
also known as the late Bubba's Babysitter and 2nd Favorite
Blond (I like to think I was his first favorite) --
with daily visits from their Godmother Donna. Sometimes it
feels like I have two toddlers at home, both of which are
going thru the terrible two's. Taz and Bogey
are mischievous, rambunctious, entertaining and quite a
handful. And they have
gas that, as Sarah says, can make your eyelashes curl but
that is another story and something they are on medication
for. They are
attached at the hip and at the heart but as I spend more
time with them, their individual personalities are starting
to emerge. Taz is a
"what-you-see-is-what-you-get" kind of a boy. He's the one
who walks up to you, puts his face in front of yours and
burps loudly. He's the class clown and klutz. He'll lift his
leg on any object, even if it's moving and it happens to be
Bogart's face. In just the
last few days he skidded across a recently mopped floor --
after making his way thru a barricade of chairs -- and
crashed into the wall. Then while
walking under the dining room table, he decided he really
wanted to look at something on the ceiling and proceeded to
hit his head. Then, like a little boy, he cried and cried as
I consoled him. He has already
lost his name and license tag. And he has
"horizontal personal space" issues -- a bark often tells
Bogart or anyone else that they are lying too close for
comfort. Strange
because he has no problem sharing Bogart's food or water out
of the same bowl at the same time but just don't lay down
too close to him. To sum it up,
he is the son of Pinche. And just like
Pinche, his middle name is quickly becoming "No" as in "Taz,
no!". Bogart, on the
other hand, is all peace and love. He just wants everyone to
be happy. He is the
mellow one -- very protective of Taz, all he has to do is
hear me say Taz's name in that tone and he will come
running and try to distract me. They are both
very affectionate but Bogart is the one who sleeps next to
my bed and lays at my feet. He is the one who prefers
curling up with me on the couch while his brother is doing
somersaults and running into walls. Bogey can be
very stubborn and he's a nudger -- his head is constantly
under my arm, nudging me to pay attention to him. In turn,
his attention is always on me and if I move, so does he.
He desperately
wants to be loved and to love. Both of them
do....but then, who doesn't want and need to be loved,
right? This is one of
Bogey's three scars -- here his abdomen was cut open so that
his internal organs could be sutured down so the risk of
them "popping out" thru his two hernias is greatly
diminished. Because he is
a modest boy, I have covered his private parts but the scar
actually runs down another inch or so. I tell you,
they are such strong souls -- truly amazing. Bogart had a
little upset tummy yesterday (hey with all those staples in
it, it's no wonder) but after he ate a bush -- ok, some
leaves, he was all better. Meanwhile, Taz
is back to normal. Whoever worries that "fixing" their dog
will take the spunk out of him should listen to the sounds
of Taz tearing thru my living room as he plays a rousing
game of rawhide football with himself. Was that a
crash I just heard? I will be
attending to some personal stuff so there won't be many
updates next week but after that, we'll continue blogging
away on the boy's lives, post-surgery. Until
then.... After a
sojourn to a foreign land for some much needed R&R, I
returned to find our two furry friends in the best of
health. In my absence,
the beautiful Sarah cared for the boys and took Mr. Bogey to
ASG to have his stitches removed. Doctors said he looked
fine and want to see him back in one month. Meanwhile, the
toothless wonder-dog, also known as Taz, was also doing
great. But, and
there's always a but, a few days after I returned and while
I battled a bad bout of Bronchitis (is there ever a good
bout?) both boys got sick. First it was
Taz who was up all night with his belly-a-grumbling and
discharging so much toxic-smelling gas I am sure the Ozone
Hole got bigger as a result. It was bad and
made for a very long and sleepless night. The next day
he seemed better but that night it would be Bogart's turn to
be up all night not feeling well. The poor boy was nauseous,
threw-up a couple of times and also had gas and the
runs. Whatever it
was, both boys had it so their Dr. put them put on
antibiotics and another medication for the
diarrhea. Dr. Long also
prescribed Hills I/D dog food for them until their bellies
settle down. Today I am
glad to say both boys are feeling much better although there
are several things I am concerned about. One is the
regurgitating. Of course, I am coming from having a dog with
Mega-E so I am sensitive to the issue but if they continue
doing it, the Doctor feels they will need to be
tested. I am also very
worried about Bogey's back legs where I sense there is
weakness. It's something I will bring up during his next
visit to ASG. On a brighter
note, both boys appear to be back to their normal weight --
check out these before and after pics of Taz. It doesn't
even look like the same dog, does it? Just goes to
show the difference that love and three square meals a day
can make. For more home
videos of the boys, go to: The
Boys on YouTube Bogart's
Top Ten 10: Can
sit and contemplate life for hours at a
time 9: Loves to
spoon on the sofa 8: Is missing
a small piece of his tongue, just like Taz 7: Fell in the
pool while barking at the poolman 6: Snores
lightly 5: Loves to
use his head to get your attention. 4: When
nudging doesn't work, brings out his "right-hook"
move 3: Is the "A"
Dog 2: Has been
known to spend quality time chasing his own
shadow And # 1 on the
list of fun facts about Bogey: He often
sleeps with his eyes open. Office
Supply Day Now, where did
I leave my highlighter? It was right
next to the box of printer cartridges. I'm all wet
because.... a) Taz wanted
to wash my hair b) It's
raining really, really hard c) I was
practicing my synchronized swimming 10: Has three
nicknames: "Toothless wonder-dog", 9: Thinks
everything is a toy 8: Can play by
himself for hours 7: Has
personal space issues 6: Knows how
to "sit" but can't "stay" for more than a second 5: Has his own
routine everyday 4: Has black
spots all over his tongue 3: Always
wears a diaper inside the house 2: Always
finishes his dinner first and then tries to eat
Bogey's And # 1 on the
list of fun facts about Taz: His middle
name is "No" The big "D" is
back: diarrhea, and it brought it's buddies nausea and vomit
with it. Bogey is not
feeling well again and the last two nights have been long
and sleepless. I have no idea
what it is since nothing in his diet has changed but I have
a call into his doctor and will see what she
says. Because I was
covering the fires in San Diego, I had to cancel his
appointment last week to see the specialists over at ASG.
The appointment was his second post-surgery follow-up and I
also wanted them to check his rear legs where there is
definitely a problem. I hope to reschedule that this
week. Meanwhile, Taz
is feeling fine....busy as always being his puppy-like
self. More on Bogo
later. Poor pup. Taking Bogey
to the vet now -- there's blood in his stool. Bogey and I
are back from the vet -- $499.86 and a few cc's of blood
lighter and a pharmacy worth of medication
heavier. What exactly
is bothering the beautiful Bogey is still unknown but blood
work, as well as a full allergy panel, is being run to see
if we can find out. He is now back
on Flagyl, Clavamox, Sulfasalazine and Propectalin, as well
as Hill's I/D dog food. It's too soon
to tell if Bogey is really better but he did sleep six
straight hours thru the night before waking me, so that's an
improvement from the night before when we were up every
hour. As for the
puppy, aka Taz, he had a treat this morning....but I just
noticed something stuck to his tail, which turned out to be
part of the doggy cookie. How it got there, I have no idea
but he sure was happy to eat up that last bite. Spoke too
soon...just walked into the living room and found an
"accident". The go-get-the-steam-cleaner-quick kind of
accident. Good
morning. I am starting
to suspect that Taz has whatever it is that Bogey has. Oh,
oh. Dr. Long just
called...Bogey's bloodwork came back normal which is good
but still leaves us wondering what's wrong. Whatever it is
that Bogey has, his brother and partner-in-crime Taz now has
it too....so that makes this one house with two boys on the
run with the runs. Can you say
"clean up on aisle 5"? Everyday I
think of what I am going to write in the boy's blog. And
everyday something happens to make what I was going
to write pointless. In other
words, talking about the boy's health is like talking about
the weather in some places; "If you don't like it, wait
ten minutes and it will change." Generally
speaking, they are happy and healthy boys. Taz is as
mischievous as ever and a source of constant entertainment
while Bogey continues to be the "thinker" of the two --
always pondering something. Both though are filled with love
and always ready to snuggle, share a tail-wag and a kiss.
But then there
are the bouts of diarrhea and regurgitation; Bogey's sudden
attacks of nausea which makes him eat a plant and then throw
it up; Taz's sporadic vomiting, etc... It's worrisome
and keeps all three of us running to the vet. Last week
Bogey's test results came in and it shows that he is
allergic to chicken, corn, egg, barley, kelp and green
peas. And that only
confuses things more since the main ingredients in the only
food (prescription) that seems to keep his tummy and colon
balanced is corn and egg! What's a mom
to do? So, we are
still experimenting with different foods -- trying to find
the magical formula that will keep everything on "solid"
ground, if you know what I mean. Right now I am
trying out a Kosher brand of food that a friend recommended.
No religious reasons but the ingredients are simple enough:
beef and water. And like my friend Linda says, if the plant
gets the Rabbi's approval, than it must be clean! Meanwhile, my
purple steam cleaner stands at attention in the living room,
ready to jump into action at the first sound or smell
of....well, you know what. On this day of
giving thanks, I am happy to say that two of my "blessings"
have names: Bogart and Taz. To think that
after losing Bubba and Pinche -- both of whom I still miss
terribly -- that two other boys who are so similar in
behavior would find me -- well, that truly is a
blessing! Their presence
fills the house with joy and happiness -- and at times,
other things too. Taz never fails to make me laugh out loud
with his puppy antics and Bogey is a love bug. When I watch
Taz sleeping soundly, all snuggled up in a ball on Bubba's
bed, with Bogey lying nearby, I can't help but think that
their fate could have been so different. I don't want
to speak for them but I know that they are very thankful
too....to all of you! So, from our
home to yours on this Thanksgiving,
THANK YOU! Bogey is sick
and needs to get better but before that can happen we have
to figure out what it is that he has. What is
it that makes him nauseous, want to vomit and almost always
have diarrhea? Last weekend,
a late evening bout with nausea went on and on. Not even
vomiting, which the poor boy did a couple of times, helped
so at 3 am I rushed Bogart to the emergency room. The on-call
doctor was very kind and asked me to tell her everything
that has happened since his hernia surgery. So I told
her...about everything, including the weakness in his back
legs. "Oh yes", she
said, "his hip dysplasia". To make a long
story short, the doctors had already noted it in the
original x-rays taken to diagnose his hernia. It seems
everyone thought someone else had told me about
it. Bogey has hip
dysplasia -- not bad enough for surgery but it's
there. OK, one
ailment diagnosed...now, on to the next. That night,
after a comprehensive exam, a shot calmed his nausea and at
5 am we came home. We followed up
with a visit a few days later with his surgeon who said the
hernia looked good so it was time to see an internist. That
doctor turned out to be the Bubster's last vet. I am back on
the merry-go-round. While the
doctors think that Bogey has IBD -- inflammatory bowel
disease, a series of tests were run to make sure everything
else looks okay. It
didn't. A chest x-ray
found a "pattern" that most likely indicates chronic
bronchitis although he has had no symptoms. An ultrasound
found mild thickening in his stomach and intestinal walls.
It could be a sign of the IBD or something more serious and
a biopsy of his gastrointestinal tract was
recommended. So this
afternoon I will take Bogart to ASG where he will spend the
night. Doctors will be cleansing his colon overnight in
preparation for his endoscopy tomorrow. Meanwhile, he
is on yet another new diet; "a novel protein diet" which has
him eating rabbit and potato. If indeed he does have the
IBD, it is a diet that he will be on for awhile as doctors
continue to work on his food allergies, etc... Please keep
Bogey -- and Taz, who will be a wreck tonight without his
best friend -- in your thoughts and prayers. More
tomorrow. Change in
plans -- Bogo won't be going to the hospital until tomorrow
afternoon. His scope has been rescheduled to
Tuesday. Yesterday I
took Bogey in to ASG where he spent the night being
"cleaned" out. I checked on him around 9 pm and he was
sleeping. In a short
while, he will go under for his endoscopy. Hopefully the
biopsies will come back negative and it won't be anything
more serious than the IBD. Meanwhile, my
other puppy Taz misses his brother/friend/father something
fierce. He spent a quiet night but cried and cried before
going to sleep. He really does love Bogey. More tonight
-- meanwhile, good thoughts and prayers are always
welcome. Normally,
finding out your dog has IBD - Inflammatory Bowel Disease -
would not be considered "good" news. But when the
endoscopy showed "irregularities" in the intestine and signs
of thickening that could be cancer, suddenly IBD doesn't
seem that bad. Bottom line:
Bogey does have IBD but he does NOT have cancer. And that's the
best news I've heard in awhile. For the last
three months, the beautiful Bogart has been on a special
diet for his IBD and all appeared well. Daily
medication (Prednisone and sometimes Reglan), the
prescription diet (Whitefish and Potato) and monthly visits
to his doctor and everything seemed under control.
Not. In January,
his monthly bloodwork showed that his Calcium levels were
slightly elevated. Not extremely over the norm but enough to
warrant a recheck on his next visit in February. Last month,
his blood test again showed the same thing, so another (very
expensive) test was ordered to confirm what his doctor
suspected. A week later
and the results were in. Bogart has "Primary
Hyperparathyroidism". Never heard of
it? Either had I. The bottom
line is that Bogey needs to have one of his four Parathyroid
glands removed immediately. And of course,
I am heartbroken that he has to undergo
surgery....again! This will be
the third time that he has been put under anesthesia in the
six months that I have had him. First the hernia, then the
ultrasound and endoscopy to diagnose his IBD and now this
new disease with the really long name. Poor pup! It
has been truly overwhelming for him....and me
too. This surgery
will again be performed by the specialists at Animal
Specialty Group tomorrow and Bogart will spend three nights
there. He will then have to have his calcium levels
monitored closely. Please keep
him in your thoughts...thru-out this all he has been the
sweetest of dogs. So loving and sweet. More
tomorrow. PS: Taz
continues to thrive! He has gained about twenty pounds since
I picked him up from the shelter and is a happy and healthy
puppy. More about him and his antics after we weather this
latest storm. After a pretty
sleepless night, I just returned from dropping Bogey off at
ASG. Surgery is
scheduled to start anytime after 1 pm but could happen
sooner. They will also be taking some x-rays to determine
how advanced his hip dysplasia is. Yes, he is one
sick puppy but at the same time, he's happy, playful and oh
so loving! Meanwhile,
poor Taz has just fallen asleep after searching and
searching and re-searching the house for his best friend,
Bogey. As soon as I
hear from the doctor, I will post another update. Until
then, please keep your paws crossed. ASG just
called and Bogey is out of surgery -- yeah! The Dr. said
that the parathyroid gland was removed, as planned. The
tissue around it was "abnormal" so it was easy to spot the
gland that wasn't working. It will now be sent out for a
biopsy. Meanwhile, a
groggy Bogart is in recovery. His calcium levels will be
monitored thru-out the day and night with blood tests to
make sure they don't drop, which can happen after
surgery. I will check
on him again tonight and post a late update. Thanks to all
of you who emailed, said a prayer and thought good
thoughts! I have checked
on Bogey several times tonight and so far, so good.
By 8pm, he'd
already been on a short walk and by 11 pm, he'd had a small
meal and was "sleeping it off". Good
boy! At least one
blood test returned a normal calcium reading, so that's good
too. Tomorrow, more
monitoring...this as we wait for the biopsy
results. Don't uncross
those paws just yet...please. I just checked
in on Bogart and while doctors say he is recovering well,
blood tests show that his calcium continues to
drop. That is always
a concern with this type of surgery and why his levels must
be monitored closely. Doctors have
started him on Tums as a preventive measure and will
continue to watch him. Most likely, he will be able to come
home on Friday. The last 24
hours have seen Bogey's calcium levels drop, then stabilize,
drop, then return to normal again. It's not an
unusual thing after surgery but is still a cause for concern
and close monitoring. On a brighter
note, the biopsy results are back and show that the abnormal
parathyroid gland that was removed is NOT cancerous!
Now, that's a
relief! And Bogey may even get to come home
tonight. A special
thanks to all of you who called ASG directly to donate to
the cost of his surgery (I don't have your names yet).
Bogart's
medical expenses have been overwhelming, to say the least.
This recent
surgery is estimated to cost anywhere between $2500 to
$4000. That coupled with the $300 a month in prescription
food and medication costs, well, it's rough. So thank you
to all who wanted to help! It's very much
appreciated. Looking a
little "poodle-ish" with his new do, the beautiful Bogey is
back home! Much to the
delight of his best buddy Taz, who was starting to show some
serious signs of depression. As is usually
the case with dogs, who are the strongest "people" I know,
Bogey seems just fine. He is on pain medication (2 Tramadol
three times a day) but other than that, you'd never know he
had just underwent major surgery....except for his new
battle scar, of course. So today, all
is well in Bogart and Taz's world...and in mine,
too. It is hard to
believe that this is only day four since Bogey's surgery.
Again, if not for his scar, you would never know that he
spent most of the week in the hospital. Yesterday, I
spent all day at home so he could stay inside and get some
rest, which he enjoyed. He is still being a little finicky
about food but just loves his snacks of baby carrots -- they
are the only doctor-approved snack I can give him because of
his IBD. On Tuesday, we
return to ASG for a quick blood test and checkup and then in
two weeks he will get his stitches removed. Hopefully,
with his IBD almost under control, this will be the end of
his medical issues. Poor boy has gone thru more than any dog
deserves! The beautiful
Bogart is in the hospital again. By now, I know
the blonde one well and could tell he wasn't feeling good.
Scared that
his calcium level may have dropped because of the
Hyperparathyroid surgery, I took him to ASG this morning
where they found something else wrong. Yes, something
else. I can't even believe I am writing this. While his
calcium level was normal, his blood count (PCV) is very low.
It's 20 when it's normally 40. This, according to the
doctor, means that he is losing blood. The question is where
and why. Bogey will
have to spend the night there and in six hours they will
re-test his blood and if it has dropped any further, he will
require a blood transfusion. Needless to
say, my heart is heavy. Bogart is such
a sweet and happy boy who reminds me of Bubba in so many
ways. Even though he
has been in and out of the hospital almost monthly, you
wouldn't know it by looking at him. Like I told a friend
today, he is the "healthiest sick dog I know". If you can
spare a prayer and good thought, send them our way....again.
Please. I just spoke
to the doctors and Bogart's new bloodwork shows a low
platelet count, an irregular spleen and fluid around his
bladder. The bruise on
his rump is also getting larger (they marked it so they
would be able to tell) which indicates internal
bleeding. They are
thinking that he may have ITP - Immune mediated
thrombocytopenia - which is an autoimmune
disease. Both a surgeon
and the doctor who is treating his IBD are now being
consulted. The diagnosis
keeps getting worse. Bogart is now
having a blood transfusion -- something doctors needed to do
right away after finding blood in his abdomen. Because of
this finding, the new diagnosis is a tumor on his spleen or
liver. The two possibilities are either cancer or a benign
growth. The best case
scenario is that he will have his spleen removed, the growth
will be benign and life goes on. The worst case
is "Hemangiosarcoma" which will mean Bogey will have 30 to
60 days left. I don't even want to go there right
now. I knew he was
a sick puppy when I got him but never thought of the
possibility of losing him so soon. And while I
will try and stay positive, I am heartbroken to say the
least. Bubba died two years ago this coming week and I am
right back where I was then. On my way back
to the hospital now...I need to sign an authorization for
surgery. I have just
returned from visting my boy, Bogey. And yes, Bogey
is my boy. In the eight
months I have had him, thru thick and thin (mostly thin), I
have grown to know him and to love him. Way too much for a
dog who was only supposed to be here a few months as a
"foster child". But, "en el
corazon no se manda" -- a Spanish saying which basically
means you can't dictate what your heart feels....and right
now, my heart is bursting with love for another old dog who
is really, really sick. Two years
today, exactly today, I was also at ASG with a dying
Bubba. Of course, that April 19th I was praying for a
miracle but the reality was that he was dying. It is deja
vu of the worst kind. I spent a long
time speaking with Bogart's doctor Dr. Hana, which I thank
him for. I also thank him for making me laugh when he said
"Bogart is the perfect patient". He is such a mellow
boy. I also had a
chance to spend a little time with him. Bogo looked
serious and sad. His back leg, still shaved from last months
surgery, receiving a bag full of red blood cells. They need
to stabilize his blood count before surgery. The
transfusion will last four hours...then two hours after it
ends, a new blood test will be done. And then again six
hours later. And again, until all looks well enough to go in
and remove his spleen. For someone
who will take any good news, no matter how minimal or how
many disclaimers it comes with, I was happy to hear that a
chest x-ray (something that is taken in these cases to see
if there are signs of cancer) came back clear. Studies
indicate a 50-50 chance of a tumor on the spleen being
benign. I hope and pray Bogart is on the winning side of
those odds. One step at a
time, one paw in front of another. Breathe. Pray.
Love. I have been up
since 6 am checking on Bogo but just now spoke to a
doctor. Both his 3 am
and 11 am blood tests show a PCV (blood count) of 22%.
Normal for him is 40%. It doesn't
seem like the transfusion helped much in raising the level,
since before it was 23%. Basically, as far as I can
understand, the internal bleeding continues. At 2 pm,
Pacific time, they will perform an ultrasound and then we
will see where to go from there. Meanwhile, Taz
slept thru the night, after first checking several times if
I was still in my bed but I fear he has begun his hunger
strike. Not even the tempting aroma of Bogo's special
Whitefish and Potato diet, which I am serving him as a
treat, can tempt him today. Today is a
work day for me but I will try and update the blog as soon
as I get the ultrasound results. The update may come very
late though. Please keep
the good thoughts coming. Just called --
they are doing his ultrasound right now. Stressed
doesn't begin to describe how I feel today. To think I
thought I was taking him in because his IBD was acting up or
his calcium was low. What a shock this is. Ultrasound
showed mass is on one lobe of the liver. Spleen looked
clean. PCV (blood
count) just dropped to 20 so they are preparing him for
another transfusion. Oh,
God. After
receiving a second blood transfusion last night, Bogart's
PCV has gone up to 33 and he is now stable enough for
surgery. Starting
approximately at Noon (Pacific time) the doctor will be
going in to remove a mass on his liver. The hope is
that it's an isolated mass on an easily removable lobe --
and of course, that the biopsy will show it's
benign. The operation
will last between 60 and 90 minutes....please send your good
thoughts, white light and prayers! I have to go
and talk to God about the blonde one now...the next update
should be around 2:30 pm. The call came
in over an hour ago. The news is
not good. There was no
mass to remove. Instead, doctors found hundreds of nodules
covering Bogart's entire liver. Some of them
were oozing, which explains the internal bleeding. Doctors
removed several of them for a biopsy to tell us exactly what
we are dealing with but it's pretty obvious that it's
nothing good -- or benign. I am a writer
yet right now I cannot put into words how I feel. Words like
"why", "unfair" and "my baby Bogo" come to mind, but they
are inadequate to describe the heartbreak. Bogey's PCV
level is holding at 27 tonight. He is now hooked up to an
EKG and continues to be monitored closely. Meanwhile, Taz
is unconsolable, as am I. After his one
day hunger strike, the poor guy is eating again but you can
tell that it's only out of sheer necessity. Surprisingly, or
maybe not, he now refuses to eat Bogey's fish food...food
that just a few days ago he would have given a dog year
for. No fish food,
no baby carrots, nothing that he associates with Bogart.
Maybe it's his way of showing solidarity with his missing
Bogo. And he cries
as he walks around looking for Bogart. It is hard to
watch. I know that I
need to get him another friend but it is truly the
last thing I want to do. How did so
much change in just a few hours time? And why? What is the
"lesson" in all of this? The purpose? Unconsolable...I
am just unconsolable. This morning's
check-in with doctors finds the blonde one looking very good
but his PCV (pack cell volume = blood count) has fallen
to 25. Doctor Chaplow
has an order in that if his level falls to 20 (again) then
it's time for another blood transfusion. He ate this
morning, his fish food of course, and doctors were pleased
with that but concerned that his platelet count still
remains low -- 66,000, when they would like to see it over
100,000. A little good
news tempered by a little bad news. It's up, it's down, it's
all around. As usual, I
flood doctors with question after question. "Can
something be done to stop the oozing/bleeding nodules?"
being the most important and coherent one. "Not until
the biopsy results tell us what's going on in the
liver.", says the doctor. "And they won't be back
until late this afternoon." Day four of
this storm - the unexpected and unpredicted torment that
struck, finds us, in "Miracle Mode". Right now, a miracle is
the only hope. Bogo's biopsy
results came back yesterday and they confirmed the worse
case scenario: Hemangiosarcoma. There really
are no "good" cancers but Hemangiosarcoma is one of the
worst. Aggressive, fast-moving and incurable. The prognosis
is days, weeks. No more. I am a person
of great faith. I unashamedly believe in miracles and have
been known to ask for a few. But there are
days when your faith is tested; shaken to its very core.
Days when you look up and simply ask "why?". Unanswered
prayers, the simple and uncomplicated ones like "Please
God, let Bogey be ok.", crush your hope. And that's
something no one should ever lose, their hope for a better
tomorrow or outcome. I just wanted
to help out a pair of boys who had been thru a rough time.
Three meals a day, a good bath, a warm doggy bed, quality
medical care with a sprinkle of love and attention mixed in,
and they would be good to go. But somewhere
along the line, between Taz's toothless grin and underbite
and Bogo's velcroing himself to my side, I fell in
love. And now, just
eight months later, Bogey is dying. The blonde one
who sleeps right next to my bed; who follows me everywhere
and anywhere and who just can't seem to love me enough, is
leaving. I know dogs
die. We all die sometime. But why? Why bring these two
characters into my life only to take one away so soon?
And what could
the blonde one have done to deserve this? He made it thru so
much - being badly treated; starved; the animal shelter; the
hernia; the IBD; Hyperparathyroidism and now cancer....all
in one 8 month span. The pills, the
prescriptions, the fish food...and all thru it, he remained
sweet and mellow. Only wanting to love and to be
loved. I just don't
get it. Well, actually
we could...for obvious reasons. After not
speaking to me for the last few days, Taz is back to being
Tazzy...hyper, happy and all over the place but never far
from his Bogo. As Bogey
starts to get sleepy, Taz is right next to him...his paw
over Bogey's arm. Tomorrow
morning we have an appointment with Bogey's holistic vet.
There are some interesting herbs that many people with dogs
that have hemangiosarcoma use to stem internal
bleeding. More on that
later though...it's time to get the blonde one to
bed. This morning
the blonde one had his first appointment with his holistic
vet and all went well. The dozen or so needles strategically
placed all over his body did not bother him and he was in
high spirits thru-out the visit. Doctors sent
home Yunnan Paiyao, a chinese herb that is used to stem
bleeds. It's quite popular actually and many conventional
vets recommend it in cases like these (that's how I heard
about). We have also
started two other homeopathic remedies. Meanwhile, he is
eating very well and generally looks good. All we can do
now is focus on living, not dying. The blonde one
is as perky as ever...feeling good, enjoying life and eating
well, with a couple of naps in-between for good measure.
What more can we ask for? For my own
peace of mind, I decide to take him to his regular vet for a
quick blood test to check his PCV level. The result is 26
which means he is holding steady. Normal (for him) would be
40 but at least it is not dropping since he got out of the
hospital. And since his
blood was already drawn, I went ahead and ordered a full
panel to see where everything is at. Meanwhile, I
continue to read and research everything about
Hemangiosarcoma. It's the least I can do for my
Bogo. For a few
hours Bogo's breathing seemed just a little off -- a little
shallow or labored. His regular medication, Prednisone,
usually makes him pant and breathe heavily so it's hard to
tell if this is normal or something more serious is going
on. I can't sleep
and the night is long. It gets longer though when Bogart
suddenly vomits or regurgitates. It is a small amount but
the color is very dark. Blood? I don't know so I rush him to
the emergency hospital. There they
test his PCV level again -- 23 this time, but with a margin
of error of about 3% they consider it the same as this
afternoons. All his other vitals are normal and his tail is
a wagging fast and furiously. They don't
know what he spit up but it could have been some old blood
from the surgery -- nothing, they say, to be considered
about right now. Just watch him closely and if it happens
again, bring him back. Whew... After having
gone to bed at 7:30 this morning, a happy and bouncy Bogo
wakes me up. Both Taz and him are ready to seize the day --
which in this house means eating and napping -- and all is
well. Weren't we
just in the emergency room a few hours ago? My friend
Donna comes over with what looks like an entire mobile dog
grooming business and the day is spent trimming Bogo's
winter coat down. It's a long job because we can't bathe him
yet but he takes it well and goes along with his Aunt Donna
playing beauty shop with him. This guy is
such a trooper and has the patience of an old
soul. In turn, Tazo
goes to the groomers and returns looking very handsome,
underbite and all, after a bath and brushing out. Unbelievable...a
week ago today I thought I was taking Bogart in to have a
doctor dispense a Tums for his tummy...I left the hospital
crying, dog-less and with a death sentence. Today, life
seems normal again yet my dog is still supposedly dying.
It's hard to
reconcile the two things. Really, really hard. It's 3:30 in
the morning and I am trying to find the cure for
cancer. Armed only
with my computer and a burning desire to save Bogo, I am
looking for the cure. Who has it?
Where is it? And why can't I find it? Is it cottage
cheese and flaxseed? Cod liver oil? Broccoli? Magic
mushrooms? Herbs, minerals or both? What exactly
is "Bioactivity-directed fractionation"? "Annonaceous
acetogenins with bis-tetrahydrofuran (THF) rings? Should I buy
the book? Consult the nutritionist? Order the supplements?
Hire a healer? The blonde
one, who just gobbled down a pumpkin doggy desert, after his
dinner of wild caught Salmon, is looking up at me --- his
big brown eyes lock into mine and he seems to ask "Did
you find it, mom? Did you find the cure?" "I'm
looking, son, I'm looking." As hard as I
can and as far as I can, I'm looking. Bogey and I
had our first appointment with the oncologist today and it
wasn't at all the doom and gloom experience I thought it
would be. While not
making any promises or trying to make light of the severity
of Bogey's type of cancer - Hemangiosarcoma - she did say "I
have seen a lot of miracles with this cancer". And that came
at no prompting from me. The Dr. said
that when she gets together with other vets at conferences
and events they all have a few cases where the cancer
"disappeared" or pets that outlived their prognosis by
years. Anyway, to
resume our hour plus meeting, Bogart is scheduled to start
Chemo on Thursday, May 8th, 2 weeks and two days after his
surgery. She will start
with the three medicine protocol: Adriamycin, Vincristine
and Cytoxan. After the first cycle, we will regroup and see
where we go. I admit that I
am scared...I pray that I am making the right decisions for
this boy that I just adopted eight months ago. And for Taz
who lives and breathes for Bogey 24/7. Bogo's blood
work from yesterday just came back and his numbers are up!
His PCV - pack cell volume - is up to 29 from lows of 20-23.
Still a far cry from his norm of 40 but it shows his anemia
is getting better. And his
reticulocyte count shows that he is producing new red blood
cells at a "remarkably regenerative rate", which is exactly
what he needs. Bogey truly
has been having some amazing days....he is eating extremely
well, playing and as perky as ever. Our new normal
consists of supplements almost hourly, something he loves
because it involves a trip to the kitchen and is usually
accompanied by some kind of treat -- in his case, treats are
beets (which he loves) and baby carrots. I am cooking
fresh liver for him daily, to help bolster his anemia and he
(and Tazzy) are just loving it. You would be hard pressed to
even know he is sick. Again, while
everyone says Bogey is dying, he is too busy living to deal
with it. You go, Bogo!
You are the man! Bogart
continues to do really well...he's eating more than ever;
playing and perky. And that has
me feeling completely lost. Happy but totally
confused. I feel that my
optimism and faith -- bolstered by seeing him happy and
healthy-looking -- may be serving to delude me into thinking
that Bogey and I are beating this thing when in reality we
are not. Do we do
Chemo? He looks so good, do I subject him to that? Will it
make him better? Give him more days to play with Taz?
If I don't do
it, am I robbing him of some extra time? There's a knot
in my throat and I want to cry but I don't want to upset
Bogey, who just brought me his teddy bear and laid it at my
feet. I think the
enormity of what's happened in these two weeks has just
caught up with me. It is a new
day, the sun is shining brightly, birds (including mine) are
chirping away and hope is back. The fight is
still on and the journey continues. As with Pinche
and Bubba, I will continue to do anything and everything
possible for the beautiful Bogart. Right now, the
big picture escapes me...I don't understand why this is
happening but I guess I don't have to. What I have to
do is deal with it...so I am off to cook Bogo his lunch of
liver. Bogo continues
to do amazingly well. Perky and
playful, he is eating really well and taking all his
medications like a trooper. My birthday
has come and gone this week...my one wish is the obvious
one: please save Bogo. Every night
before we go to sleep, we pray...or rather I pray while he
slowly falls asleep. I know that only a miracle can save the
blonde one now. There are no
good diseases but when it comes to canine cancer,
Hemangiosarcoma tops the list of the really bad
ones. It is really
hard to keep the faith when everywhere you turn, the
prognosis for what Bogey has is death...and soon. That said,
there are some amazing stories of survival out there -- dogs
who have beat the odds by years. It is a reminder to
never lose hope and to always keep trying. Bogey is a
little off today...it is minimal but I can tell he's not
feeling good. It is 3:30 am
and we have just returned from another late night visit to
the emergency room at the specialty center that is treating
Bogey. Something was
just "off" -- nothing major, but I knew I wasn't going to be
able to sleep if I didn't get him checked out. His PCV has
dropped to 24 and his heart rate is too fast. Right now
there is nothing for doctors to do. Most likely he is having
a small bleed from one of the nodules on his
liver. Welcome to our
"new normal", where days consist of checking gums, in
addition to poo (IBD); hourly supplements and medications; a
dog-sitter; a new diet and worry 24/7 -- with a whole lot of
love in between, of course. Eight months
ago when I agreed to "foster" Bogart and his brother/best
friend Taz, I thought normalcy would return after his
operation to reduce what at first appeared to be a huge
tumor on his rump but was actually his bladder protruding
thru a hernia. God, that
seems so trivial now...a hernia. After that, I
thought normal would come back as soon we got his IBD and
all it's symptoms under control. Then there was
the urgent surgery to remove a parathyroid gland...surely
everything would finally be normal after that. But no, normal
never returned. It has just gotten more frantic, more urgent
and scarier than ever. Not even sure
I remember what normal feels like. Bogart's
stomach is starting to look very full -- from the sides of
his ribcage on down...distended. He is eating
well again but I am very worried. Still at work tonight but
I had a sitter and now my friend Donna is with him. She also
noticed his enlarged abdomen. This is a sign
of internal bleeding. I am having Donna rush him to the
hospital and will meet her there. Please keep
him in your thoughts...he's such a nice boy who deserved so
much better. We are back
home now...after yet another late night scare. Bogo's levels
are holding steady but doctors agreed that his abdomen is
swollen and that there probably is some bleeding going on.
Unfortunately, there is just nothing anyone can do about
it. In a few hours
I am taking him in for an ultrasound to see if the cancer is
progressing and what is happening in his belly. Tonight again
I will fall asleep watching his breathing. The blonde one
is so beautiful. Oh, how I hate knowing what is
Shelter
Volunteer who took them under her wings and networked
them
Sandy Dubin
Sarah Jillain
Toni
Roxford
Vet
Sylmar
Jennifer Caruso
Animal
Specialty Group
Los Angeles
Happy
Acres Sanctuary
Pahrump, NV
Southern California
TAIL-THUMPING,
FACE-KISSING
THANK YOU TO ALL THE
ANGELS
WHO
HELPED SAVE US!
Aby Z.
Alice R.
Animal Alliance
Ann M.
Ann & John S.
Anna C.
Anna Marie Y.
~
Barb M.
Becky G.
Beverly B.
Beverly K.
Birgitta C.
~
Camille T.
Carmen C.
Carol S.
Carole H.
Catherine C.
Cheryl & Donald F.
Coco & Frank P.
Coni L.
Cynthia C.
~
Dan S.
Danielle L.
Darryl K.
David S.
Debbie S. of Petey's Place
Debra T.
Debra W.
Denise F. of Sunny-Dog Ink
Donna and Sonny S.
~
Elaine & Robert R.
Elizabeth F.
Elizabeth M.
~
Fauniel R.
Frances S.
~
Gean & Sandra O.
~
Ha Adolfo
Hal E.
Heidi B.
Helen C.
HPS Alumni
~
JC H.
Janet S.
Jeanette T.
Jeff S.
Jennifer R.
Joanne K.
John K.
Jon and Cari H.
Judy C.
~
Karleen B.
Kapi R.
Karyn F.
Kath S.
Kristen E.
~
Lady Sharon
E.
La'Ise G.
Larry A.
Lisa S.
Liz D.
Lynn L.
Lynne S.
Marla S.
Martin B.
Martin M.
Mary B.
Mary D.
Mary M.
Megg H.
Meredith B.
Michael B.
Michael V.
Michele H.
Mickie L.
Nancy D.
Norm R.
Paul B.
Paulette S.
Petrie R.
Puchi Bag, Inc.
Ruth S.
Ryan B.
Sandi S.
Sandy D.
Sarah D.
Sawitz Family
SherryAnn B.
Tammy R.
Terri H.
Tina and Kevin S.
Valerie P.
Vivian E.
Wendy M.
adogblog@aol.com
September
5, 2007
6:45 am
Bogey in Car
Where's
Bogey?
September
6, 2007
10:00 am
Taz
and his beautiful vet, Dr. Teresa Long
Doesn't he look like a puppy in this picture?
Taz
napping after his surgery
September
7, 2007
September
9, 2007
Taz, the toothless wonder dog with an
underbite
September
10, 2007
The Beautiful Bogey and me
September
13, 2007
Taz and Bogart - post-surgery
September
13, 2007
One of Bogey's Scar
Resting
Comfortably
September
15, 2007
October
1, 2007
August - October
October
6, 2007
October
12, 2007
He calls it nudging, I call it the "battering
ram".
October
13, 2007
All
Wet
October
15, 2007
(after I fell in the pool again)
PS: Mom would be in the picture with me but she's busy
drying off
"Mom,
don't cry, it's only water.
Plus, you swim really pretty in your flannel pajamas.
What does 'it's 56 degrees and freezing'
mean?"
Taz's
Top Ten
October
17, 2007
"Tazo" and "Tazzy"
From carpets to magazines
from the time he wakes Bogey and me up - 7:30 am on the
dot
to personal grooming time - 7:45 am
to playtime - after dinner
except when he goes to bed at night
As in "Taz, NO!!"
Bogey
Boy is Sick
October
29, 2007
October
30, 2007
October
31, 2007
November
16, 2007
November
22, 2007
December
2, 2007
December
4, 2007
December
5, 2007
Bogart to
Surgery...Again!
March
18, 2008
March
19, 2008
March
20, 2008
March
21, 2008
March
22, 2008
April
19, 2008
Bogo by the pool last week
Bogey's
Bear -- I left it with him in his cage
April
20, 2008
April
21, 2008
April
22, 2008
April
23, 2008 - Midnite
April
24, 2008 - 2:00 am
Tonight,
the blonde one is back home where he belongs...and Taz and I
couldn't be happier.
April
24, 2008 - 1:00 pm
Bogo gets his first acupuncture treatment from
Dr. Ninomiya and Javier at Limehouse Vets
The
blonde one with a needle in his head.
April
25, 2008
April
26, 2008
Saving Bogo - Day Nine
April
27, 2008
April
29, 2008
April
30, 2008
May
2, 2008
May
3, 2008
May
4 - 6, 2008
May
7, 2008
May
8, 2008