dwasson
05-19-2007, 08:13 PM
Let me tell you about Cali.
In the fall of 2000 I received a telephone call from the animal shelter in Findley Ohio. They had found a Kuvasz running loose in the countryside north of Findley. As I was the closest agent of Kuvasz Rescue the shelter was aware of, they called me to see what I could do to help find her a home.
Susie had died a few months previous to this, and Trooper got along with other dogs, so Debbie and I decided to foster her while we looked for a permanent home. Findley is about a hundred miles from our house, call it two hours in bad traffic. We picked up the dog at the shelter in Findley and were immediately impressed by her demeanor. She was calm in the crate as we drove. She was alert but, laid down and never made a sound. We discussed the process of fostering a new dog as we drove home. How to schedule feeding and exercise times until we are sure how well Trooper and the new dog would get along. About 40 miles up the road, Debbie then said, "She needs a name. You said that the next dog should be Caledonia." So, that was her name. Before we got home I was discussing keeping her if she got along with Trooper.
Cali fit in well. While Trooper was definitely Debbie's dog, Cali was Daddy's girl. If possible she was between Trooper and I. There was never any fighting, or even a growl, but Trooper was not allowed to lie next to my feet if Cali was in the room. We took her to our vet for shots and to be neutered. When the vet was prepping her for surgery they found a scar indicating that she was already neutered.
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r258/danwasson/Cali154.jpg
The years with Cali have been good ones. She was a fierce protector and a gentle member of the family. She was smart and graceful, yet good natured and full of humor. When I came home from the hospital after my hip replacement she laid across the doorway to my bedroom, protecting me in my weakness.
We have a morning ritual, where Cali jumps on the bed when I wake up in the morning. She gets a concentrated 5 minutes of ear rubs, belly rubs, and intense attention. Then I tell her, "Time to get up!" and she jumps off the bed and we begin our day. Last week, when she jumped off the bed she began to favor her right rear leg. We weren't initially concerned, but by Monday it was an issue.
Our vet examined her, and on the X-ray, found a tumor on the top end of her tibia. The X-ray showed that the bone of her leg, just below the knee cap, was full of holes and eroded. Our vet thought that she has osteosarcoma, but sent us to the Cancer Center for Animals for further examination and recommendations.
The Cancer Center vet confirmed that it is osteosarcoma and told us more about treatment and management. This is a very hot tumor. If we act aggressively, amputate the leg and chemotherapy she could live 3 to 12 months. Without aggressive action the end will come sooner. We have decided that, while we may take more heroic measures to prolong her life, prolonging her death is not an option. If she has a few months to live we do not want her to spend them recovering from an amputation and the disruption of chemotherapy.
So, we have some strong narcotic painkillers and NSAIDs. We will keep her comfortable, and when that is not possible, we will ease her exit. When she loses interest in food and attention we will know that it is time to let her go. She is resting now. But she follows us around the house and yard, barks at passersby, and keeps Zevon in line. She is a good dog.
In the fall of 2000 I received a telephone call from the animal shelter in Findley Ohio. They had found a Kuvasz running loose in the countryside north of Findley. As I was the closest agent of Kuvasz Rescue the shelter was aware of, they called me to see what I could do to help find her a home.
Susie had died a few months previous to this, and Trooper got along with other dogs, so Debbie and I decided to foster her while we looked for a permanent home. Findley is about a hundred miles from our house, call it two hours in bad traffic. We picked up the dog at the shelter in Findley and were immediately impressed by her demeanor. She was calm in the crate as we drove. She was alert but, laid down and never made a sound. We discussed the process of fostering a new dog as we drove home. How to schedule feeding and exercise times until we are sure how well Trooper and the new dog would get along. About 40 miles up the road, Debbie then said, "She needs a name. You said that the next dog should be Caledonia." So, that was her name. Before we got home I was discussing keeping her if she got along with Trooper.
Cali fit in well. While Trooper was definitely Debbie's dog, Cali was Daddy's girl. If possible she was between Trooper and I. There was never any fighting, or even a growl, but Trooper was not allowed to lie next to my feet if Cali was in the room. We took her to our vet for shots and to be neutered. When the vet was prepping her for surgery they found a scar indicating that she was already neutered.
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r258/danwasson/Cali154.jpg
The years with Cali have been good ones. She was a fierce protector and a gentle member of the family. She was smart and graceful, yet good natured and full of humor. When I came home from the hospital after my hip replacement she laid across the doorway to my bedroom, protecting me in my weakness.
We have a morning ritual, where Cali jumps on the bed when I wake up in the morning. She gets a concentrated 5 minutes of ear rubs, belly rubs, and intense attention. Then I tell her, "Time to get up!" and she jumps off the bed and we begin our day. Last week, when she jumped off the bed she began to favor her right rear leg. We weren't initially concerned, but by Monday it was an issue.
Our vet examined her, and on the X-ray, found a tumor on the top end of her tibia. The X-ray showed that the bone of her leg, just below the knee cap, was full of holes and eroded. Our vet thought that she has osteosarcoma, but sent us to the Cancer Center for Animals for further examination and recommendations.
The Cancer Center vet confirmed that it is osteosarcoma and told us more about treatment and management. This is a very hot tumor. If we act aggressively, amputate the leg and chemotherapy she could live 3 to 12 months. Without aggressive action the end will come sooner. We have decided that, while we may take more heroic measures to prolong her life, prolonging her death is not an option. If she has a few months to live we do not want her to spend them recovering from an amputation and the disruption of chemotherapy.
So, we have some strong narcotic painkillers and NSAIDs. We will keep her comfortable, and when that is not possible, we will ease her exit. When she loses interest in food and attention we will know that it is time to let her go. She is resting now. But she follows us around the house and yard, barks at passersby, and keeps Zevon in line. She is a good dog.