MP_the4pack

Have your brother do it. That way he can tell you if it's a beautiful wood box with her ashes neatly packed in a seal clear plastic bag, or if the ashes are in a black trash bag in a taped up tin (like my Pearl and Diamond were). I'm still upset at how Pearl and Diamond's ashes were returned. Brindle's came sealed in clean plastic, inside a cloth bag in a beautiful wood box. Pearl's ashes are twice as much as Diamonds and they were sisters. The same size. I've complained about it, but what are they going to do? At least your brother can prepare you if the ashes are not quite in acceptable condition.

I hope it's not OS. But just in case you want to know. Diamond was 11 when we did her amp. She turned 12 two weeks later. We had a delay in chemo because of an infection. She made it 6 months and it was a terrific 6 months. She was happy, felt good, played, and got to eat lots of good stuff. Her lungs remained clear to the end. She developed OS in another leg. I hope the best for you. Good luck.

Oh no. I was watching her in H&M. I didn't realize she didn't make it. I'm so sorry. She was a beauty.

If a pen is small enough to have a lid, then it's too small for me. Remember I still have 3 dogs. A pen the size described would be on the cement patio only and block my access to the yard or deck. It's not practical. If I were to re-fence in the area I had when I first got greys, it would be just as easy to jump. And I just don't have the money to put in 6-8 foot fences. Even small sections. That's why I'm taking her to a behavioralist.

I just wanted to update everyone on Jade. We had another storm, it was pretty bad, but luckily I was home. She went outside (with me watching like a hawk). She jumped on the fence and saw that there was no more opening. (I added several feet of wire.......I hope she doesn't test it because I think it'll fold easily if she does). The meds dont' seem to be working. She hasn't yet found a safe spot, but I keep showing her differen places in the house (including the bath tub) I tried the thunderwrap which goes around the head (supposedly decreasing the intensity of the thunder. She shook it off. I had a T shirt on her. Didn't seem to do anything. So I have an appt with a behavioralist at the U of Penn June 1. It's approx 3 hrs long. I think the minimum that will be done is either up the meds or change them. I tend to think that she might actually respond to desensitization. So I'm buy a thunder CD. (She's not even afraid of the vacuum cleaner!) I will be majorly thrilled if she would just find her 'safe place' and learn to go there. I've also ordered the Dogtrak..........Just in case. It wouldn't keep her safe from being hit by a car. But if she does get lucky there, then I should at least be able to find her.

Oh Adrienne, no, it can't be anything. It just can't!

I got VPI when they were really the only ones out there. They were very good back then, but I can't say so now. They exclude everything. They excluded alopecia because of Jade's bald butt. They excluded lacerations on Opal because she needed sutures for a boo-boo when I first got her. And also gastritis because I gave her a pepto bismol for an upset tummy. However, because I had the cancer rider from the start with Onyx and Pearl, I still get to have it. They don't offer it for new clients, but I can get it on new dogs. And Pearl maxed out on claims for her heart disease and hypertension for several years and I still got most of a claim back when she developed cancer. So while I'm not sure I'll recommend VPI, I do highly recommend pet insurance. It has saved me tens of thousands of dollars.

Beth, you know that my heart feels your pain. I couldn't believe when I read the subject. It's a nightmare that we can't wake up from. I haven't recovered from Pearl and Diamond yet, and to see that you're going thru the same thing is just breaking my heart. :grouphug

Bob, for a different reason I had trouble bonding with my female after the loss of a 5 yr old grey. Here's an article I wrote regarding out bonding journey. You'll have to cut n paste as my old browser doesn't work well in GT. greytarticles.wordpress.com/activities/agility-as-a-bonding-tool-4310/

Brindle, Onyx and Pearl learned how to sit on command but didn't do it willingly. Topaz, Diamond, Opal and Jade all sit just because they want to. I'm trying to get a pix of my two white/black girls sitting on the mound out back surveying their kingdom.

I'm not a doctor, but am a Med Tech. And sometimes I think it's just because that's what the brain thinks. I don't think they all do it on purpose to confuse lay people. That's just how it comes out of their mouths. A good example is here on the board. Almost Everyone here knows what OS means or OSTEO or Osteosarcoma. Rarely will someone ask 'what is that?' But if you were to say any of those terms at your place of employment (other than a vet's office or doctor's office) people will look at your crosseyed. I've said so many times that I've lost my baby to osteo or osteosarcoma and I get this puzzled look. Um....bone cancer. So, while some doctor's have a god complex, I don't think it's always done on purpose. It's part of their normal speak.

How did Yoko do over the weekend?

I have already spoken with the vet. I just picked up Xanax and probably have a script ready for me for colmicalm. She's an ADHD dog, crating her on days that there might be a storm (which is pretty much all summer) would be cruel to her. Once in a while would be fine, but I can't see her in there all day everyday. Not to mention, I have long work days. I live rurally.......no one to come let her out at midday. I'm 35 minutes away from home. So MINIMUM, my lunch hour is an hour and ten minutes. That doesn't even count the time she's outside. I want to put in a higher fence, but at 1 acre.........that's going to need a little save up time for the money. I can't close off the dog door because of my old lady. If the meds don't work (I may try Bio Calm first) I'll probably have to give her back to someone with a higher fence and/or maybe home all day.

Unfortunately it is too dangerous to walk outside in a storm. But I'll try the treats. thanks

Sunday night we had our first real thunderstorm. From one little thunderclap 3 days after I got her in March, I suspected Jade was thunderphobic, but not sure how bad. Sunday she paced, panted, went in and out of the dog door all evening into the night. While I ignored her (trying not to feed her anxiety) I did keep track of her. I went to bed, and I listened to her pace all over the place. By 1 AM the storm seemed over. I got up and checked her. She was asleep on the sofa. Okay. That doesn't seem too bad, just annoying. I went to bed then. My phone rang at 8 AM (I was sleeping in because I was up so late with her). They said "we have your dog. Don't worry, she's fine." WHAT?!! I ran into the living room and found Opal and Onyx. No Jade. So sometime after 1:00, either there was a soft rumble that I didn't hear (and I'm generally a light sleeper). Or because she was now supersensitive, some other noise like a truck scared her. She ran outside and jumped the fence. Okay, not so good. She's really frantic. I have several options right now. When the people called they said they found her in a crawl space in the basement of an addition they were building. So I thought I'd make a 'safe' place for her and see if she likes it. She can go there in a storm. Closing off the dog door isn't an option. I have a 14.5 yr old with kidney issues and she's not needed a schedule in 10 yrs. I work long days. Well I knew a storm was coming today so I left work early. I put a soft bed and her PB filled kong in the powderroom. No windows, center of house. Nice and quiet. Nope. Wanted nothing to do with it. She has trouble with stairs and doesn't want to go to the basement, an alternative safe place. Anyway the storm hit. Wind only. No thunder, no rain. But she was just as upset as the other night. In fact I thought she was going to jump thru a window. She was really looking at it hard. Since there was no thunder or lightening. I don't think any of the thunderphobe items will work even though earlier today I ordered the thunderband. I really don't want to lock her in a crate. Too long of a day. Especially with the other two always out. So, my remaining options are a fence addition, which is going to cost a lot since I have an whole acre. Not to mention, I think she'll still hurt herself trying to get over the now higher fence. That leaves me with meds. Who has used Zanax and Colmicalm? How long does Zanax last during the day? If she gets it at 7, would she still be under it's influence by 4 PM (when most of our storms hit). What about colmicalm. Does it work? I know she'll have to go on daily. Does it change their personality? Make them too quiet? I really like her playful side. What's everyone's recommendation? Like I said, because she went ballistic with just wind, I don't think it's the thunder or lightening, but the storm itself. thanks

Oh I sure hope you get that moved up!! I can't imagine having to wait three weeks for the xray. Especially with all you've been through already. Keep us updated.

Well I've just been introduced into the world of thunderphobes. My newest, Jade is terribly thunderphobic. I have a dog door. (and two others in the house). She went out in the middle of the night and jumped the fence. I didn't know until 8 AM the next day when I got a phone call that they had my dog. (I was up until 1 AM trying to make sure she didn't do something stupid. I left her asleep on the sofa when it seemed the storm had passed) I work all day. Closing off the dog door is not a reality. Not with a 14.5 yr old needing to go out. And I don't want my dogs to "hold it" for close to 12 hrs. That's cruel. And giving meds isn't practical. They'll probably wear off by the time an afternoon storm hits. So, if I can't find something to help her out, she goes back to the group. That's going to break my heart since she's been helping me get over the death of Pearl and Diamond recently.

Having lost not one but two to cancer recently, both of which had made the long 9 hr trip to OSU, I received an invitation to their Memorial Ceremony on June 5. I was just wondering if anyone else is going. Mary Pat Pearl and Diamond at the Bridge.

I didn't think it would hurt so much. I dismantled Diamond's ramp yesterday. I didn't need it any more, she's been gone 2 weeks. It let the bugs onto the deck because I used a screen panel as the opening and was not really approved for building to begin with. I threw it together the weekend before Dewey last Oct. Because we were going to OSU that weekend. I had a week to show her how to use her ramp. And she did it easily. It was strong. Held up by 4x4s. Humans could walk on it. All I had to do was unscrew it from the house. I was going to keep it fully intact but up against the shed. You know. Just in case. But I was alone and I just couldn't move it without manhandling it. The legs came off and I end up having to completely dismantle it. It's in a heap next to the shed now. That's it. No more reminders of my Diamond. The bedroom's empty. No 9:30 barking and helicopter tails for ice cream. No three beat jog down the hallway. No more food flicked all over the wall and her face and head. My sweet quiet gem is totally gone.

I'm sorry Jen.

you made the right decision. I've lost 2 to spleenic cancer (hemangio and fibro) I waited too long with Pearl because we were hoping the chemo would kick in. It didn't. Brindle was let go on the surgery table. I also just lost another to OS. I just brought Diamond in for an xray. That's all. She just took a tumble or something. She just needed to rest. She was going to come home and be fine. OS was in another of her remaining three legs. I let her go right there on the xray table. It sucked.

I just went thru this twice. (one osteo, one fibro of the spleen) Do you have the cancer rider with VPI? If so, you'll get most of it back. They paid $2500 of the $2800. I only had 6 months with Diamond post amp. But she was happy and pain free. Everyone who saw her said she was doing great as she motored around on 3 legs. She was 12. While it was only 6 months I know I did the right thing. Good luck in your decision. It's a hard one to make.

I'm glad she's doing so well. I remember when I go back the results for Diamond.

You will ALWAYS second guess yourself and doubt if you did the right thing if you don't listen to yourself. Ten years later I still wonder if I did right by Topaz.