Leukemia in Cairns

[bradl]

Great idea. I was about to split the topic manually. I hate to think of a new puppy having leukemia.

[Donna Crume]

I have taken my last post, and added it to "Rearing younger siblings" for Grahame's side of the story.  

[Donna Crume]

Well as all can see, it has been a little while since we have checked in here.  So here I am . . . .

Had a vet apt for Torrin last Fri., and her blood work came back yesterday Mon, she still remains in remission.  Yeah!!!  Vet and I agreed to just keep on with what we are doing, as for now it seems to be doing the trick.  She plays with her new sib, even initiates it sometimes, but is fast to put them in their place, according to her.  She has her yearly apt on 5/11, and while at her apt on Fri the vet and I touched on not giving her the full range that she would normally get then.  She will just get her rabies, but not distemper and others.  He had a very sound thought for this, as her system is working on the leukemia, it is compromised, and to not tax it with other things at this point.  She continues to eat and relieve herself well.  Fluid consumption is still a little high, but it all gets outside like it should, so not concerned on that level.  Still protects the yard from squirrels, rabbits and killer leaves, and barks at anything that moves even a block away.  So life is moving on . . . .       

[Donna Crume]

Well here we are at the end of sunny uneventful day . . . . . . . not!

Weather started to go down hill yesterday afternoon, and by evening we had sporadic rain and a lot of thunder.  Torrin has been afraid of both of theses since about 18 mos, so we got a 'happy' pill prescribed by the vet.  (Aceapro-blah-blah-blah, spelling not always my forte, and the bottle is not within reach)  So gave her 1/2 of one about supper time, and another earlier this a.m.  She also wears a diaper in the night for these events, to help mother not have to crawl under the bed treat her ooopsie.  Well, got the sib up at 4:45 a. for his morning event, and she had wet herself and a large puddle in the bedroom door way.  Took care of Jr, then her and thought all was well with our world.  Had an apt with the vet for Jr, so piddled (ah the words and puns!) around until departure, and she had left two dribble spots on the couch.  Not normal for her in any way or form!!  She was truly in Queen B mode with Jr, and had a druggie look to her eyes, along with her dribbles, came to the conclusion with her condition will have the cut her happy meds down.  Talked this over at the vet's and he agreed it would be advisable.  She cannot go through a bad storm without them, there is no calming her down, and me being able to get some sleep.  Jr of course was out for the entire event and count.  Will give her one more night in a diaper, and see how we do tomorrow.  Fingers crossed . . . .        

[Donna Crume]

Well we have not checked in here for a while, so thought I would touch base tonight.  Torrin had her yearly checkup on 5/11 and is holding her own.  As mentioned previously the vet and I agreed that she would only get her needed rabies this year due to her condition.  Ah vets . . . .

He took her out of the room making the statement “here we go for our rabies” and a nail trim.  She returns later and all goes well until we reach the check out.  Bill is totaled, remember both were seen at this apt., and mom gets ready to hit the floor, but remembers she can‘t as the children are there behind her.  Needless to say $338 was a little more then I was expecting, but okay?????  Went over the print out, and nah, nah, nah?  Grahame’s was a listing of previous events and payments, and hers shows she got the ’works’.  Well I had a new employee on the keyboard, and she got confused and re-listed some things.  Seasoned employed helped out, but still the question on Torrin’s shots.  Explained the ‘plan’ the vet and I had, and she calls back to talk to him.  Final being, he forgot (!!!) the plan, and gave her the works, minus the toe nales.  Okay, really a nice place, not just because they worked with me and backed off all the charges of what she got and was not suppose to, but have been going there years and like all there.  No adverse effect from the works, and settling in for a jolly summer. (mom has a snide look on her face as she types those last two words!)     

[sanford]

Good for you, Donna, for catching the billing error!I admire the way you handled it, considering that you had so much on your plate. If I had been in your place, I probably would have lost my patience and given them a piece of my mind, (and regretted it later). In spite of the vet's absent-mindedness, i guess this billing problem comes under the heading of "human error". Perhaps the vet was having a bad day. Considering that you have established a track record with this vet, and that you like him. I would like to think that future appointments will go more smoothly!?

[Donna Crume]

Sanford

It was me catching it and going with the flow, but also the new tech they had on the p.c. doing the billing/learning.  She was so flustered when the entire thing was over with, there was no point it getting irate, we all have been in a learning faze at one time or another in our lives.  Bumps are a great way to learn, and hopefully keep us humble should it arise again and we are on the receiving end.  Just thought it was a great way to spend my birthday!  Drove through Dairy Queen on the way home, that helped a whole lot!!!  

[Donna Crume]

Well here we are on a Saturday night, all sprawled around the front room floor, the kids, so I thought I would stop by.

Have updated sporadically on “Rearing Younger Siblings,” but not on what started me here among friends.  Torrin also had a day at the spa/groomers with her brother last week.  She has to be cooler with her new do, with all the summer heat/humidity we have had so far.  She continues to march along much as she has since the spring time.  She still takes her Prednisolone 2 ½ mg twice a day, her multi vitamin and Turmeric.  She still has a little loss of back leg strength, breathes hard even in the a.c., but still nails her brother when ’she’ thinks she should??

One new manifestation of her steroid meds is that she wants to eat any thing, and forget about being nailed down or not.  I now have to put all trash cans up and out of her reach when I leave the house.  I can go out and work in the yard for 30 min.s or so, and if they are not up, the contents are across any and all floor surfaces when I come back in.  I am giving her a few baby carrots during the day at varying times to try and take any edge off, and not add to her waist line.    

She still sometimes will chase her brother, when he fiddles with her enough.  She is better at ignoring him for longer periods of time.  She even really surprised me the other day and got up on the couch with him, and started grooming his face.  This is the first time I have seen this, and he allowed it.  Acceptance?       

[hheldorfer]

Sounds like acceptance to me, Donna!  When we added Ziggy to our family, Buffy was appalled beyond belief and took every possible opportunity to put him in his place.  Took about 6 months before she showed the kind of acceptance you describe.  Once the new kid is accepted it's usually fairly smooth sailing.  Congrats!

[Hillscreek]

Looks like things are settling between them. Glad Torrin doing OK.

[pkcrossley]

you're doing fantastically. my first cairn convinced me very quickly that a heavy, armored trash can was a necessity, and that everything should into it all the time. and a lock on the cupboards and refrigerator. just kidding about the refrigerator. but armoring against determined scratches would help. and that was with no meds! steroids do create ravenous appetitie. 

[Donna Crume]

since we have visited for the youngster, could not get by without touching base on the main reason of the site, our children of joy, our Cairns!

Torrin continues to hold her own, and the trash can if she could get by mom.  mom works hard not to let her get by, and more often then not we/mom win.  yeah!  the youngster keeps her on her toes, still wants to play, and can bug her and push the right buttons to get her into motion.  she does not initiate too much on her own now days, sleeps a lot, she has lost 4 of her 14 lbs since the first of the year.  the vet is not concerned with this, and good golly, we know it is not from not eating or not giving her enough much food!  drug routine is the same, and now that it is cooler (yea!! mom screams in the back ground) we are getting out in the back yard to play fetch.  now playing fetch with a 16 lb - 9 mo old Scottie hanging on the other end of the Frisbee trying and going in any direction other than the one that the Cairn wants too is such a joy and hoot to behold.  jr. gets such a kick out of it, she turns pretend/snarls, chases him for a step or two, he goes bonkers in any circle/direction he can, and mom is rolling on the ground.  most assuredly a fun time is being had by all!   

 

 

[Hillscreek]

Lovely pic. What a sweet face.

[hheldorfer]

Way to go, Donna.  Torrin is a tough little gal.

[Donna Crume]

Well, here’s hoping all have had a nice quiet night on this Hollow Winney eve.  Nothing too disturbing to the humans and more importantly the fur babies?  This home’s porch light is out, no candy bought to give out, or for mom the eat later because she remembers all the starving babies around the world of her youth.

Enough about mom . . . . . .

So the story of the day, some of this knowledge mom is going to impart might have/is known by some, mom is not always too fast on the down beat, apparently.  Thursday as I got ready to go out to lunch with friends, Bruenhilda (sp?) (aka, Torrin) was able to reach a pkg of Star Burst mints on the kitchen table.  She loves the things and mom thought they were safe, wrong.  Mom did not know how many she had eaten, wrapper and all before we intervened.  Went on to the lunch, evening and night passed no problem.  Friday came and went, still no problem.  Weeeeee hours of Saturday morning Torrin jumped from the bed and proceeded to hurl (up chuck) under it.

Ok, cleaned all up and back to bed.  Saturday watched her, and fed at regular time of 3:00 p.m..  Weeeeee hours of Sunday morning, hurled 4 times under the bed.  By this time room was getting a little aromatic.  Mom was very concerned at this point.  All this time is peeing good, and only 1 b.m. to her normal 2 - 3 on Saturday.  Sunday fed her at about 9:00 a., okay, and again at 12 p.m.  Still drinking and peeing, about 2 p. started hurling in the front room.  Dumb mom fed again at 3 p. to make up for all the non sticking food.  Yes, continued to hurl for a total of 5 times in the front room.

Monday up at 7 a. with the puppy hrs, and went out side and she gave me a pee and tiny b.m.  Came inside and gave 1 - one - uno - Cheerio, 30 min later this was hurled.  Called her vet and made a 1:45 p. apt for today.  Mom not knowing where/how many wrappers were so gave her some Metamucil by eye dropper Sun night and Mon morning.  Brilliant mom got her time wrong and was at the vet’s at 12:45, ok, went back home and then back to vet’s for real apt time!  Was nicely informed, mom had done it soooooo very wrong!!!!!

Vet kindly advised wrong dumb mom, toooo much food, not enough water.  She was semi dehydrated, so got subjlj;l (water under the skin), a shot good for 24 hrs of non hurling, and blood draw to check kidney and liver functions.  Got home and kenneled her, took Jr out and fed, as had to do separately.  Let her out of kennel and she had given me 2 mint wrappers via hurling, yeah!!!  At 5 p. she got 5 slurps of water, (vet kindly demonstrated, minus bowl/water for wrong dumb mom just what he meant, kind man?), and then to repeat every hr until bed time.  Starting Tuesday morning, on the hour 5 slurps and l itty-bitty - minute - tiny - barely  there piece of kibble.  This routine to be repeated through the day.  So you can see mom pushed too much food and not enough fluids, so anyone suffering through that has gotten this far, please learn from wrong dumb mom!

She is sprawled out on mom’s left side by the feet, and puppy on the right side.  My current bookends in life, and me in the rocking share seat.

Hope all now rolling in the isles at wrong dumb mom have a pleasant night and a great Tuesday.           

[Hillscreek]

Never a boring day at your place!

[Rylee's mama]

Your stories are always so interesting!!!

[Donna Crume]

It is with a heavy heart, that I share with those who helped me through the initial diagnosis of leukemia, Torrin died 9/23/17 at 8:40 p.m. at home.  I had the joy and privilege of having her in my life for 10 yrs and almost 9 mos.  She had a full life, plenty of love, chasing squirrels and tormenting her younger brother.

Diagnosed 1/9/16, 8 days after her 9th birthday, she was the center of her world, even if just sometimes in her own mind.  She enriched mine, and her younger brother’s, he may not always admit it though?  She started to loose ground in mid September, her lymph nodes were inflamed all over her little blonde bode.  Had the vet called the right number on Fri. 9/21 (front desk took it down wrong) I probably would have had her go to sleep at the vet’s.  As it was, she continued to really loose ground over the weekend, and God took her at home surrounded by us that cared.   

We soldier on, and the house it quieter with no Cairn talking/barking.  Her brother now chases the squirrels in memory.  I know he would again, love to piss the ____ out of her by trying, and sometimes succeeding, taking the toys from her mouth on her retrievals.  Another playmate for him?  Mom is thinking at this point, but it is too soon.

My deepest thanks to all on the site that helped us, and for remembering us in your thoughts.💔 ✝️

[pkcrossley]

you did a great job with her, very nearly two years and she obviously knew she was greatly loved the whole time. that is an eternity for a dog. but much too short for us. i am so sorry for your loss, and hope her little brother can adjust quickly.

[bradl]

A sad update but I feel privileged to receive it. She hit the jackpot of love with your family. I'm sorry she had to leave. Their marks on our lives are indelible.  Thank you for sharing Torrin with us.

[Sam I Am]

You were Amazing parents with a little dog that was like the little train that could. As PK noted, two years in a dogs life is forever. 

[kieiras mom]

Such a wonderful Mom to both of your loves,My prayers are with you. You did a great job with your babies. Many thoughts re with you now.

[Hillscreek]

How fortunate Torrin was to live in such a caring family.