Lab results

Dr. Stewart called me tonight to say that Winnie's lab results look good. He did say that her BUN level was slightly elevated but that is apparently normal with raw fed dogs. He said that she is concentrating her urine (1030 or 1031) which is good. Apparently these results essentially eliminate the kidneys as the source of the problems.
He feels that the next step is to go ahead and do the contrast films which we have scheduled for Monday.

Poor Winnie. I hate to do this to her.....


Just wanted to add a cute picture of Dolce and Winnie. They certainly are NOT fast friends but we have made some progress.....

Making decisions when you don't have any information

Well I spoke to Tim and he feels that we are commited to Winnie so that makes that decision easy. Now we just need to wait and see what the tests tell us so that we have a better understanding of what we are going to need to do for her. Tomorrow I should get a call from the folks at SFVS with the results of her blood and urinalysis. Monday is the *big* test - the dye contrast.

Ugh. Winnie leaked on herself 2x today. This is also the first time in weeks that she has been able to play with Pepper.

We saw the Internist at SFVS today

Dr Stewart was great - been at this 20 years which is impressive. Unfortunately he didn't have much in the way of good news for me. He did say that she has "nice teeth" and "nice eyes" - that is good I guess. He felt her abdomen a lot and said that either sha had a lot of food on its way into her small intestine or her spleen was "meaty". I have no idea what that means..... I am choosing to go with the food option for now.

Winnie leaked all over the floor and herself while we were there - quite unusual for her to leak while awake but I guess it is good that he saw it. She was also licking herself a lot which he said might indicate that she has another UTI. They drew blood and urine to check for an infection and to check kidney levels. I will hear back from them on Wednesday with the results. According to the tech Winnie "nipped" at them during the blood or urine draw. Ugh. Just after we left Winnie pooped and then about 10 minutes later peed a big puddle which I thought was odd because the tech said they had trouble getting urine due to a small bladdar or small amount of urine.

He examined her for a loooong time. He heard a slight heart murmur which the 2 vets she had seen previously didn't pick up (Dr. Fong and Eva's Vet). He said that there is a chance that it will close up on its own but that she really is at the tail end of that option based on her age. He did recommend chest rads which will be done when she has her contrast dye test next Monday. I feel nauseous. He said that the chest rads will get reviewed and that we might need to see a cardiologist.

Dr. Stewart didn't seem to think that there was any chance of her "growing out" out of this problem he also didn't think that it was her attempting to "hold it" and just having some leakage.

There are soooooooo many things that it could be.... the blood/urine is a great start. He is going to review the dye test with the radiologist because he felt that she would pick up on any minute abnormalities.

I spoke with Eva a few minutes ago. I am not sure which one of us is more upset. She offered to refund the purchase price or replace Winnie with another puppy. She said that either way I would not have to send Winnie back but that I certainly could. She said that she could take care of whatever needed taking care of there too.

Today cost $350 for the consult and blood/urine work.
Next Monday the dye test will cost about $1000

If indeed she does have ectopic ureters that surgery is $3500 There are so many things that it could be though.....

I am pretty sure that I am green in color ......

I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me and like I have been bowled over by a truck

sigh

a few more.....

• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Honey Pie - Tim's suggestion and a Beatles' song

• DreemKlasyk Freedom Bearwithme

• Dreem Klasyk Freedom BearHoney

• Dreem Klasyk Freedom HoneyBear

• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Bear up

	Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry:	bear up
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	endure
Synonyms:	carry on, persevere, soldier on, suffer, withstand

• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Bear on

Main Entry:	bear on
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	concern
Synonyms:	affect, appertain to, apply, bear upon, belong to, involve, pertain to, refer to, relate to, touch upon

The biggest shopping day of the year!!!!

And I have to work......... ugh.
Well yesterday was obviously Thanksgiving! Winnie waas a dream ;-) In the morning we went for a 45 minutes fast walk around teh neighborhood with Dolce. We walked up to Precita Park adn back. Winnie did very well - more confident. We got home and Tim and I did more cleaning around the house while the dogs hung out. Tim made yummy eggs for breakfast! At about 12:30 we took the dogs up for a short walk around the trails on Bernal hill. The view was amazing as it was unusually clear. We drove straight to Jane's house to pick her up and then back home. Winnie just hung out in the kitchen with us most of the time. She did go to the back door and when I took her out she pooped. Good girl Winnie!! I gave her a marrow bone to chew on to keep her busy. All in all she was perfect! She hung out in her pen while we ate and then when we were done she came out and hung out with us.

Still no new registered name. Tim came up with something that I liked yesterday but I didn't write it down and now can't remember what it was. Damn!

We have an appointment with a specialist about her leaking on Monday. I was going to enter her in teh San Mateo Christmas shows but her name isn't set and if the specialist anesthetizes her she will have a big hairless patch on her leg which means we can't show. I am still waiting to see on that one.

How about Dreem Klasyk Freedom Rock or Rocks

Winnie busts out

Last Sunday I took the dogs on a 40 minute leash walk in the neighborhood. Winnie tires more easily then I think she should but that is another thing altogether.

I then left her in her big girl pen with a Kong, some toys, some chew bones and her bed and water. I locked her in and she was playing with her Kong. Dolce went into our bedroom as he always does and I closed the door on him.

I left to go pick D up as we were going up the San Rafael farmers market.

I came back home after about 4 hours and walked in through the back door. The pen was locked but unoccupied. I had to resist the urge to panic. I walked down the hall and let Dolce out of his room but didn't see the pup on my way. A few seconds after Dolce came out of teh room and was greeting me Winnie came charging out of the front room.

Apparently she has figured out how to scale her bigger ex-pen. ARGH!

Keeping your puppy "safe" is something that I can't get right

After we picked the dogs up from Natalie's we wanted to get them out for some exercise. We were originally headed for one of the beaches but it turns out that they were all closed due to the oil spill in the bay. I saw a trail on our way out of her neighborhood so we decided to take a hike in the Montara open space. It was beautiful and clearly used a lot based on the countless piles of dog poo and numerous horse hoof prints. We were alone for probably 20 minutes and wandered up the trail chatting and enjoying the walk. Dolce was off leash mostly and Winnie was on a harness and flexi. Up the hill ahead of us an Ibizan hound saw us, barked and bounded up the hill sounding an alarm. We kept going. I heard a voice and thought the dog's person was up ahead. As we rounded the corner the IH was staring through a tree at us.... we kept going as I could see bodies moving and I was trying not to be a paranoid freak. As we rounded the corner the IH charged us - Winnie started barking up and growling as she was very scared. I was walking towards her to keepp the leash look and trying to jolly her along. Then not a moment behind the IH were at least 5 other dogs....it was like something out of lord of the Rings. Winnie was screaming one of the dogs charged in and picked her up (off of the ground!) by the tail and others moved in to help. I started charging at each of the dogs trying to be as big as possible and screaming "OFF" and "BACK OFF" as loudly and meanly as I could. It felt like a scene from a movie 0- the tourist family surrounded on all sides by wolves of whatever. There was the IH, a Mal, 2 Chowx, a Pit and a Golden that I can remember. The pit wasn't involved at all - I think it was the Golden/Chow and the Mal. I thought that they were going to try and quarter Winnie. The dog walker eventually came around the corner and gathered her dogs. She of course apologized and asked if we were okay. Winnie was slobbered all over her tail, her lower back and her right flank. I was very shaky at the end but tried to "walk it off" and pretend like everything was cool - for Winnie's sake NOT the dogwalkers. I told the dogwalker what I saw as she wasn't there when they actually picked Winnie up. I hate to think what would have happend if Winnie has been off leash.....perhaps it would have been better or perhaps she would have tried to flee. *shudder*

Strangely they didn't go after Dolce.... I don't know what I would have done then.

I am *still* very angry.

Back from Iowa and Nebraska

The Poodles spent a week at Natalie's house because we flew back to see my Grandparents and to attend the funeral for Tim's Grandmother. Dolce was apparently quite growly and difficult. According to Natalie Winnie had fun, slept well in her crate but lost her house-training and her recall. Natalie didn't seem to have too many problems with leaking so I am encouraged by that.

Most of my trip I spent trying to come up with a different registered name for Winnie.

Her original name is Dream Class Freedom Voter. This was given to her and registered by Eva.

The e-mail from Eva:
Kristine and I are in the process of registering kennel names...
I've applied for Dreem and she has applied for Klasyk
We are going to rename Belle to be Dreem Klasyk Freedom Rings.
We would like to rename Winnie to be Dreem Klasyk Freedom Voter (or another name if you prefer something else... than Voter)

The AKC allows 30 letters in a name but includes spaces in that count. After the Dreem Klasyk Freedom part I am left with only 9 letters.

Some of the ideas so far....

Dreem Klasyk Freedom:

• Gone West
• Out West
• To Be
• ToSucceed
  
• Fries
  
• Lover
• to Win
• Long Walk
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Reign
• Dreem Klasyk Free To Be Me
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Ryder
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Within
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom In Art/ Dreem Klasyk Artistic Freedom
• Dreem Klasyk Certain Freedom
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Flight
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Traveller
• Dreem Klasyk Fifth Freedom ("The fifth freedom is freedom from ignorance." Lyndon B. Johnson)
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom In Focus/Focused Freedom
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom's Potential
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom In Action
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom In Motion
• Dreem Klasyk Freedom Bear (The animal on the state flag of California)
• DreemKlasyk FreedomUSSWinifred
  
• DreemKlasyk FreedomOpensDoors (After Winifred Merrill - the first American woman to earn a PhD in math)
  

*Thanks to Deirdre for the brainstorming!

With only 9 letters it is really HARD. I would like her registered name to tie into her call name but I don't know if I can make it work.

I haven't been able to settle on one, or even 2-3

catching up...... from the last week

So Dr. Olin wanted me to monitor Winnie's water intake since he is concerned about the leaking. To this end I put my big 4-c water measuring cup in Winnie'e pen. Sunday the dogs drank about 3 cups.

Now Sunday was a big day. I bathed Winnie - she was pretty good and then spent 30+ minutes blowing her coat dry and trying to brush her hair out straight. I got really tired of it but after 30 minutes she was mostly dry and looked a bit like a gorilla! I haven't attempted to scissor any part of her since my meeting with Florence. Winnie was more calm on the brush out this time but I did have her on the washing machine and did not make her lie on her side. I plan to work towards having her on her side becuase it will be much easier for me!! Winnie was willing/able to eat occasional treats for most of her blowout except at the very end. I did take her out and she really had to go so perhaps that is why. Dolce paced around at my feet but we did not have any grooming related incidents. After Winnie was all fancy then I also bathed/blew out Dolce. He coat is SO much thinner than Winnie's and dries out SO fast - woo hoo!!

After the baths Tim and I loaded up the dogs and went to Mr. Pickles to grab a sub sandwich. The dogs waited in the car. Then we headed over to GG Park and actually found street parking and ate our subs before unloading the dogs and heading over to the ACC Pet Pride Day. Winnie and Dolce got a lot of attention from people on the street which is rather unusual....must be my mad grooming skills = )

Dolce did very well at PP Day. This was a very hectic event. W started off a bit concerned but quickly got more comfortable and seemed to take most of it in stride. We met some friends and got Winnie's license taken care of.

It was VERY hot and sunny. The dogs drank 3c of water at home and about 1/2 while out at the park.

Monday they drank 1.5 ish cups which is what Winnie should drink a day.