One week ago, we put Dillan to rest.
I know people usually say put to sleep, but for some reason, after having been through it, rest seems more appropriate. Rest implies peace and non-suffering. Anyone can sleep, but resting - that's rejuvenating. That's what Jesus offers to us. I told Dillan this. As we were waiting in a dimmed patient room at the vets on a soft blanket and I told Dillan he was going to meet God. But he probably already knew this. I told Dillan that Jesus is one day bringing back a new earth and that earth would not have cancer. No disease. No pain. But I think he already knew that too. He was ready.
It's probably silly, I mean, he's just a dog. But my soul needed to hear this truth. That the world is waiting to become new - to become what it always was meant to be. And that dogs exist there.
Little (big) Dillan. You are missed. Tater boof I think about you every morning when I don't have a dog to let out. Picodill I think about you every day when I open the door and you're not there to great us. Dragon Puppy I think about you every time we drop food on the floor and then have to clean it up ourselves. Deer Dog you'll never be replaced. Thanks for 3 really good years.
One week ago Dillan went in for his follow up exam. The vet asked if we were interested in chemo - we aren't - so we talked about how to keep him comfortable for the next few weeks.
She put him on a steroid pill and recommended getting some wet food that would be easier to digest. The steroid pills are meant to help with swelling and pain and they have made a huge difference. Dillan is eating, the edema in his legs is gone, and the lymph nodes on his neck have shrunk quite a bit. he even tried to run in the backyard the other day - only to realize that after he took about 5 gallops that he can't go anymore. Which is heartbreaking, but at least he's feeling well enough to try it.
The whole situation is heartbreaking. The medicine makes it seem like he's getting better - but he's not. Last Tuesday the vet said he has a few weeks. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers after last weeks post. He's a special puppy.
I'm not sure how to begin, I'm not sure how to title this post.
Two weeks ago a friend was over giving Dillan the rubs he so enjoys when she noticed that his lymph nodes felt enlarged under his ears. Now that she had pointed it out, we could tell that they were swollen, so I called the vet and got him in the next day. Turns out the years of neglecting his teeth had resulted in an infection in his mouth - which should have explained the enlarged lymphs. Just fighting an infection. But the vet wanted to sample it anyway.
Over the next week we noticed Dillan's energy levels sinking. He wasn't jumping up and down with excitement when we grabbed his leash. he wasn't begin for pets as much. He spent more time in the floor than in his beloved chair or on the couch. In the words of our neighbor, "he's not quite himself."
We got the official news on Friday afternoon. Dillan has lymphoma and in multiple nodes meaning at least stage 3. Over the course of the weekend he developed edema of his back legs and a large bruise on his whole stomach. He's declining quickly. He even surprised our vet today when we brought him in. I would guess it's definitely stage 4 now and possibly 5.
We're keeping him comfortable and giving him lots of pets and rubs. He's such a good dog. I know he's not a person. But he is special. We appreciate your kind thoughts and prayers as we prepare to say goodbye to our much loved boof.
This weekend was a rough one for Dillan. It started out great enough. Sure he was confused about not having any water or food for the past 12 hours, but the prospect of going for a ride made the starvation/thirst thing insignificant.
So he and I loaded into the car and went to the ever enjoyable petsmart...
For a teeth cleaning.
At 7:30.
I signed him in and he trotted away, loving every second of the attention that all his new friends were giving him.
Then a few hours later I picked him up. And he seemed great. He was energetic and excited to see me, so I thought "maybe all these concerns about dog anesthesia are silly after all."
Then he peed in the car on the way home. A lot. Despite the fact that we had seen him outside with the nurse right as we were pulling into the parking lot, he peed all over the backseat. (by the way, that car is for sell...)
So we got home and I let him inside the house. Nathan went to a meeting, and I went back out to clean up the car. And when I came back in - maybe 5 minutes later - a new surprise was waiting in the floor. Yup, the other mess. Thankfully it was on the vinyl not the carpet...
The rest of the afternoon, Dillan proceeded to sleep. Occasionally he'd let out a little heartbreaking whimper, and his eyes looked so sad.
Then, almost as quickly as he fell asleep, he energized up again, and all was right in the world. He ate dinner, with no accidents, and played outside.
And apparently, this was a totally normal reaction to the anesthesia. I know this because I, the overly-concerned mom, called the vet in a panic.
Poor little fella with his bandaged arm.
They shaved is little leg. :(
But super clean teeth! As we checked out of the vet they said "see him back in 5 months!"; to which I thought "no way!".
Supposedly Greyhounds develop plaque quicker than any other dog so they have dental problems. So I'm trying to be diligent on teeth brushing. We'll see how that goes...
This morning, not 5 seconds after getting out the door for our morning walk, Dillan lounged at the ground, bit, and came out shaking a tiny mouse (or something). And by shake, I mean, whipped it back and forth with all the strength he could muster and then he let it go and watched it fly straight into me. I can only assume that he let it go in the first place so he could watch it try and escape only to lounge, bite, and shake it again.
Luckily, Dillan is always on a leash, and I could pull him away. And i dragged him around the corner still listening to this tiny creature shriek.
Then, I had a moment of panic realizing that Dillan has not yet had his shot updates, and oh my, what if that mouse has rabies, and now my dog has rabies.
Well, we are going to visit Petsmart again. I'm calling them now.
Dillan and I made our first visit to the vet on Friday at 9 a.m. Dillan was super excited to get out for a ride, and was so well behaved the whole time. I'm such a proud mama.
We checked in and then Dillan was weighed in at 70 pounds, which means he's gained around 5 pounds since we've had him! This is really healthy for greyhounds. When they come off the track they are skinny enough to see all of their ribs. A healthy retirement weight is to not see the ribs, but be able to feel them. So, all that peanut butter and plain yogurt (and not sprinting every day) has paid off.
Then we were put in a room to wait for the Doctor. In the mean time Dillan got his temperature taken = unpleasant. I'm so thankful for ear/mouth thermometers.
But (no pun intended), his temperature was 101.1, which is perfect for a dog.
The nurse doted on Dillan for a while, offering him generic puppy biscuits.
Which, by the way, he was too good for. So he left his biscuit in the floor. Remember this example of pickyness?
Then the vet came in and checked all the things that you check on a dog...heart, stomach, etc. She tried to check his glands on his hind legs, but he squealed...wimp. He's really defensive about his back side...
Otherwise, this was very pleasant for the Pico. His ears were rubbed the whole time.
By the way, shouldn't people get a massage included in their doctor visit?
Anyway, the whole process only took about 15 minutes. I was told that I should probably do a better job of cleaning his teeth. Right now I brush them about twice a week, my new goal is every other day.
The issue was the purpose of our visit = heartworm medicine. Which they don't carry at the store. So I had to get it from another vet's office. But they've stopped making "Interceptor"...so I feel like I kind of got the run around about that. Oh well, his health was confirmed. And that'll last me until June, when he needs shots and such.
After checking out I asked the receptionist if she would take a commemorative photo, and she enthusiastically agreed. Here's the result.
How were your first pet visits?
Well folks, after 7 months of puppy parenting, we are finally getting around to that dreaded first vet visit. Dillan is out of heartworm meds. We delayed the vet visit for this long because a dear friend gave us her dogs medicine after he died last summer (so sad, we miss you Champ!).
I could probably delay the visit even longer, until May to be exact, which is when Dillan will need his shots. But I found a coupon! Several to be exact. The first from Petsmart's affiliate vet hospital Banfield. I signed us up online and it gave us a free first visit. Heck, may as well take that.
Then, Dillan's birthday is February 13th (thank goodness for greyhound breeder's accuracy!) so he gets a free toy at Petsmart! I'm so excited to see what he will choose. Then we get to have 6 stuffies all over the floor all the time!
And, in Dillan's adoption papers, I found a coupon for a free flea/tick application at a visit to Banfield! Hooray! I haven't done that in a while. I know I should. But I guess I have the idea that since he is a mostly indoor dog, and since it's winter, he doesn't have a huge chance of getting any little parasites...
I might be wrong, so I'll take that coupon. Thank you very much.
I found another in the adoption packet for $30 off a visit to Banfield, and I'll probably take it just in case.
Yes, this is overkill. But I'm a sucker for a chance to "save" money.
And don't worry, I'll be sure to document our appointment tomorrow with lots of pictures, all of which I'm sure will show Dillan looking unamused and miserable. Something like this.
How were your first vet visits?
