[Jabari 06/08/99 - 04/05/13]

Writing this post is just about the last thing I feel like doing today, but Jabari deserves a remembrance thread, and if I dont do it now I probably never will. Sorry it's going to be long.

 

I got Jabari in 2003 to be a companion to my greyhound. A GT member (I believe her username is now gryffinsong) had recently gotten an Italian greyhound and kept posting the cutest pics of him with her greyhound. I didn't know any IGs in real life, but it seemed like the perfect solution since 2 bigs dog was more than I wanted to take on at that time. I remember looking up pictures of other IGs online and wondering if it would be possible to love such a tiny dog as much as a big dog. Ha!

 

I heard about a breeder in NYC who was looking for homes for 2 retired show dogs. I was at her doorstep the next day. She introduced the 2 IGs, and the second I saw Jabari it was love at first sight for both of us Since he had been living in a NYC apartment, there was a lot of things he had never experienced. It was similar to adopting a retired racer. He was very fearful of strangers and loud noises. I thought it would be a good idea to have my mom watch him the first couple of days that I was working so he wouldn't be all alone in a strange place. She took him outside, something spooked him, and he was gone. A lot of you remember that (and so many people helped, which I will never forget ) so I won't get into too many details, but Jabari was gone for 5 days and 4 nights in the middle of winter. I was sure I was never going to see my new baby again. On the 5th day it started snowing and he went up on someone's porch. Luckily he still had his collar and tag, so the man called me. Jabari was skinny but otherwise fine. It was like a miracle!

 

After that traumatic experience, Jabari and I became inseparable. He slept in my arms at night, he followed me everywhere, he'd ride in the laundry basket when I did laundry, etc etc. Having a small dog was so much fun. Our relationship was something I'd never experienced with an animal before.

 

We had so many adventures over the years, the biggest one was moving here to Hawaii. He loved the beach and laying in the sun. As he grew older, he liked his space more, and didn't seem to enjoy coming everywhere with me as much. I was sad, but respected that. He was still the first one to greet me at the door when I came home, and no matter where I was in the house he was never more than a few feet away. When he wanted attention he'd come over and if I didn't react fast enough he'd punch me with his little paw. He was the boss, and I happily obliged. This little 12 lb guy could take a treat right out of 70 lb Riley's mouth, and later 65 lb Legs. He had so much attitude, but at the same time was the sweetest. It was the best combination As he got older his face became almost all white, and more often than not his little tongue would stick out because he didn't have many teeth. I wish you all could have met him. There was no way not to adore him.

 

As I bet most of us do, I was sure Jabari was going to break the IG record and live to age 25. Up until a few months ago you never would have guessed that he was almost 14. But then in January he had a seizure and I knew in my heart that he wasn't well. A few weeks later I came home and he was extremely sick with a high fever. He was at the vet for 3 days and I wasn't sure if it was the end or not. He was a fighter, though, and he got better for awhile. It might sound weird, but looking back I am thankful things happened like that. I knew the rest of our time was precious and the next couple of months were so special. I spent so much time with him, mostly just sitting next to him and giving him tons of kisses and love. He was eating well and did not seem to be suffering in any way.

 

I had a trip planned and I hesitated about leaving because I did not want to miss any time with Jabari. But my friend who was going to watch him convinced me that everything would be fine. I honestly did think that I would come home and he'd greet me at the door with tons of kisses like always. For the first few days of my trip, my friend sent me pictures of Jabari playing with her IGs, lounging outside, and cuddling up near Legs. He seemed to be doing great. But then on Friday I saw I had a bunch of missed calls and my heart sank. Jabari had refused food and then was having trouble breathing. She rushed him to the vet and they did xrays and put him in an oxygen tank. I talked to my vet and she told me that he was also bleeding from his nose and she noticed one eye was bulging out. She believed he had a tumor there. She told me that she could try to keep him alive until I came home in a couple days, but she said he wasn't going to get better, and his eyes told her he was ready to go. I wanted more than ANYTHING to give him one last kiss, and hold him one more time, but I couldn't be that selfish. I told her to let him go. My friend and her husband, who were his second parents, came back and they all took him outside to sit in the sun on his blankie. I was able to talk to him on the phone and they told me that he perked up when he heard my voice. Then they said goodbye. I think I'm going to feel guilt and regret for a very long time about not being there, but he definitely knew he was loved, and his last moments were peaceful, so there's not much more I could ask for.

 

Jabari was the most special thing I've ever had in my life. He taught me so much, and introduced me to the world of IGs. I am so glad I have his IG brother Puzzle here, or else I don't know if i'd make it. And my goofy guy Legs is the best at cheering me up. It is still hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that I had 3 dogs when I left, and now there's just 2. I keep thinking I see him out of the corner of my eye, or expect him to be laying in his usual spots. Nothing feels right without him, and I'm sure in some ways it never will.

 

 

I have thousands of pictures of Jabari and co, but here a some that I think capture his life:

 

with his first brother Riley. He idolized Riley and followed him everywhere.

 

they loved the beach

 

 

then Puzzle joined the family, and they were instant bffs. the cuteness was almost too much to handle.

 

 

the original family

 

 

Riley died in 2010, and I was lucky enough to adopt a new greyhound Legs. As you can see, everyone adjusted quickly. The iggies definitely like having a big brother, they immediately began to follow him like they had Riley.

 

 

 

this is how I will remember my bebe boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jabari, formerly Ch. Honore's Marc Anthony, 06/08/99-04/05/13

thank you for reading his thread.

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

I just came here after posting to your Facebook page, and now I'm bawling. I had no idea it was also unexpected for you, and that you weren't with him. I know you did everything you could for him, what a heartbreaking decision to have to make from afar - it shows your absolute selflessness and love for him. I'm so sorry.

Thank you Jen. I wish more than anything I could have been there, but it wouldn't have been fair to keep him alive just for me. I won't be back until Sunday night & he was on oxygen & bleeding from his nose. My vet thinks he had a brain tumor. I was on the phone & told him goodbye I am extremely lucky to have such a wonderful friend & vet.

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Just wanted to let you guys know Jabari died today. Unfortunately I am in NYC but he got amazing care from my friend who has always watched him & I was able to talk to my vet to make the final decision to let him go. It was time. I will write a rememberance post when I get back home & can compose one.

 

Thank you all again for everything. GTers have been his extended family since I got him almost 10 years ago. I cannot express how much I appreciate that

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Anyone with experience w/ lymphoma... what do you think?

 

I checked the rest of his body & haven't found anything that seems abnormal.

 

 

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Thanks everyone

 

The vet seemed somewhat optimistic bc the lumps are soft & she said lymphoma usually presents as big hard lumps. But she didn't really have any other explanation for what it could be. She took samples but won't hear back until early next week also did another CBC to see where his platelets are at. He's starting on an herbal supplement that is supposed to help boost the immune system & give him some energy. So we wait...

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Chemo often doesn't make dogs sick for the reasons Jen stated. I asked our local vet oncologist about percentages once. She said that of the dogs she treated with chemo, roughly 50% don't get sick at all, and most of the other 50% get mild signs that are easily managed with anti-nausea and anti-diarrheal meds. Less than 10% of pets getting chemo get sick enough to need to be treated in the hospital.

 

Whether to pursue further treatment in a 14-year-old dog is a very personal decision. When I was on my oncology rotation in vet school, we saw an 18-year-old chihuahua mix with lymphoma that the owner decided to treat with chemo. He responded beautifully to the treatments, but only got a couple rounds of chemo before he passed away at home a few weeks later, likely unrelated to either his cancer or chemo. Many owners decide not to pursue aggressive treatment for an older dog, usually for a combination of reasons, including practical ones like cost and long-term expectations.

 

In Jabari's case, you don't have a definite diagnosis yet, so that would be the first step if you decide to go any further. Is there an oncologist, or at least an internal medicine specialist, you can consult with? If it is lymphoma, the platelet abnormalities makes it suspicious that the cancer is in his bone marrow, which unfortunately usually means a worse prognosis. And the fact that he's been on pred may decrease the response to chemo. The longer he's on the pred the more it may interfere with chemo, so if you decide to seek further treatment, you'll probably want to do it asap.

 

There are a number of different chemo protocols for lymphoma, which is why it's best to consult with an oncologist or internist regarding the options. Best wishes for your little boy, regardless of which route you decide to take.

thank you, that is good info about chemo. I've been doing a lot of reading & was just going to post a lot of the same things you did about the pred & his platelets, & his age. My vet was quite concerned about this new development so we have an early morning appt tomorrow. Hopefully there will be some definitive answers as far as diagnosis and we can go from there.

 

I've been thinking long and hard about his quality of life, and while I still think it is quite good at this point, he hasn't been well for months now. He spends almost all his time in his crate or beds on the floor, never jumps on furniture anymore. He no longer barks at other dogs when we go for walks, and these last few weeks I end up carrying him home sometimes. Most of his attitude is gone, and most of his spark. All that said, he is still eating well, loves treats, laying in the sun, comes to me for attention & gives lots of kisses. He doesn't seem to be in any distress, other than those few days he had a fever. But I know from my experience with Riley having osteo, that it's not always apparent when they are in pain.

 

I will find out what my options are. I'm still leaning towards no chemo but haven't ruled it out. if he were a young dog and there was a chance of many more healthy years, there would be no question. But he is an old dog who doesn't have many more years, even if he wasn't sick right now. He's had a long, wonderful, happy life filled with adventures and so much love. I would never forgive myself if I made a choice that caused his last few days/weeks/months to be miserable b/c I'm not ready to say goodbye.

 

I just dug up these old pictures of Jabari before I knew him. He was a champion show dog

 

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Now I'm second guessing my decision not to pursue further treatment. Would you guys do chemo on a 14 year old dog? My vet said it would make him feel sick. I just can't see making his last days/weeks/months sick ones. I think I'd rather him be happy & pain free for a shorter time, than be dealing w/ side effects of meds for a bit longer. Or is that giving up on him?? Of course I selfishly want him here with me as long as possible, but I know no matter what it won't be long enough... I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing for my baby boy who I love with all my heart & soul... :weep

 

All opinions are welcomed!

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Jabari's neck lymph nodes are swollen now I thought they might be a couple days ago but wasn't sure. Today there is no question he's still eating well & doesn't seem to be in any pain, but his energy seems to be getting a bit lower each day.

 

I'm thinking he must have lymphoma. I just emailed my vet. Hopefully she'll hae some suggestions, but from what I've read briefly, it seems like pred is probably all she can do besides chemo. this sucks :brokenheart

[Cardiac Arrhythmia]

I would do the echo, just based on my experience over the last few months with Legs. It can't hurt, and may give you some more info about what is causing Zola's arrhythmia. Legs ended up having DCM, even though I've been taking him to vets for various related issues for YEARS and none of them ever noticed anything abnormal when they listened to his heart. Anyway, what you find out from the echo may help the cardiologist figure out the best treatment plan for Zola. Hopefully it is something very easily controlled with meds!

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

WOW you guys, Jabari had his first dose of pred last night, and this morning he woke me up by FLYING onto my bed & begging for breakfast. He hasn't had the energy to jump on or off my bed for weeks now. I'm shocked by the difference after 1 dose!!! I know this is not a cure, but I am just so ecstatic to see the spark back in Jabari. Today is going to be a good day

 

I want to thank each and every one of you for your posts. They have meant so much to me. I don't know what I'd do w/o GT. You guys have been Jabari's extended family for almost 10 years now!

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Well the bubble burst today Bari's platelets are back down & he had a fever last night. It's not looking good for my baby boy. We are starting him on pred & hopefully that will make him feel better for awhile. I'm heartbroken I've kinda known deep down that this is precious borrowed time now. This is the worst feeling in the world.

[Legs Has Dilated Cardiomyopathy]

FWIW: Zuki also started cycles of obsessive licking/bacterial skin infections on his back leg. Antibiotics would clear it up, but as soon as the antibiotics stopped it would start up again. We did three cycles of antibiotics and it never cured the problem and I refused to put him on another round of antibiotics. I was reading and studying a lot about heart disease and what happens in the body. I found that the metabolism is very prone to becoming acidic for several reasons. Acidic metabolism/acidic skin pH = susceptibility to skin disorders/infections. What really worked for us was this: Garden of Life Perfect Food Raw Organic Green Superfood. The phyto compounds keep the metabolism alkaline, and that has whole-body benefits for metabolism/skin/immune system. He was also getting an antioxidant/anti-free radical formula and Coeznyme Q10. Once I started adding the raw vegetable powder to every meal, his skin wounds healed in less than a week (I could see it starting to dry up within a couple of days, and he stopped licking it). I did an experiment where I stopped the powder, and the wounds and obsessive licking returned. Added the powder again and the wounds and licking healed again. I kept him on the powder for the rest of his life and the wounds never appeared again.

 

Edited to add: Sulfur is crucial for skin integrity. Does he get a joint supplement with MSM? MSM is the most readily bioavailable form of sulfur. Zuki was getting a joint supplement too.

very interesting, thank you. I am going to order the superfood stuff. The medicated bath seems to have helped a lot, I will give him another one this weekend.

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

thought you guys might like this pic. Puzzle guarding his brother last week when he was very sick

 

 

 

Today is Jabari's last day of abx, which is making me a bit nervous. I will bring him on Mon for another blood test to see if it is normal or not. One thing I have noticed is that his breath seems to be a lot better. I am wondering if he had some kind of mouth infection. He has had trouble w/ his teeth his whole life so it would make sense.

[Legs Has Dilated Cardiomyopathy]

Oh, that looks oweeee!

My first greyhound Teala (15yrs ago) did that to her inner thighs. I never figured out why, but I did figure out how to make a pair of cowboy "chaps" for her to wear.

 

take a mans long sleeve shirt - I think i cut around the neck, eventually using the neck pieces as tie straps - the dogs legs go into each sleeve. this was a down and dirty -- desperate --- attempt at keeping her legs from becoming raw and it worked!

 

i bet someone else has a better option - but this could work for you.

Good luck!

 

oh and i found a Hydrocortisone spray from Hartz at my grocery store - maybe at Pets Mart or equiv. as well - that really worked to keep the itching down, and allow the hotspot to heal.

Oxydoc should work as well to neutralize the open sore and not sting - and help with healing.

Thanks! My vet also mentioned using a long sleeve shirt. I know Legs would HATE that, but i may try it anyway. I've been muzzling him again when I leave, but I really hate doing that, esp now that I know he has a heart problem. I actually haven't seen him licking, so I'm wondering if he has a skin infection. I gave him a medicated bath yesterday so hopefully that will help. I have a whole drawer full of sprays & ointments for hot spots/wounds from the last time...

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

If only Jabari knew how many hugs and kisses have been sent his way from everyone here - you will just have to deliver them

This is so sweet, thank you so much everyone!! I promise Jabari has been getting non-stop hugs & kisses. He doesn't appreciate me bugging him so much but I can't help it He seems to be feeling good again today :)

[Fried Oreos]

His racing name is Gable Sonic.

 

I found this site by Google for his mom Gable Lillian.

 

http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?d=gable+sonic

 

Original owner was Harlyn Goebel and the trainer was Green Smith.

 

Ran out of Gulf Greyhound Park in Corpus Christi, TX.

looks like they're not related even a little bit It's freaky how much Sherlock looks like Legs in that pic, though. Such handsome boys!!

 

here's Legs' greyhound data pg http://greyhound-data.com/d?0=dummy&i=1699116&gd_session=GXlEla

[Fried Oreos]

wow Sherlock is an identical twin to my greyhound! Do you know his racing name?

 

I think you were wise not to feed him a fried oreo. Not b/c of the choc, but that pic makes MY stomach hurt. Not really safe for dog or human consumption But I bet they are yummy. I haven't had an oreo in years but I admit to loving them.

[Legs Has Dilated Cardiomyopathy]

this is on Legs' thigh which I think is just from licking. He's been doing so well lately leaving his legs alone, I don't understand why he is starting again

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

update:

His platelets are better!!! and his WBCs too. Still not in the normal range, but much improved. I am SOOOOO happy. I will take him for another blood test once he finishes his abx next week. omg, I can BREATHE now!!!! :)

[Legs Has Dilated Cardiomyopathy]

Ok great, thanks for the info on those toys! I really can't imagine Legs being able to figure any of them out... but it's worth a try, and maybe something we can work on. If not, I know Puzzle will love it.

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Dr. Couto never figured out which TBD she had. We sent blood samples to every University that does an in depth testing for TBD. All Dr. Couto said is put her on Doxy regardless of which one she had. It brought her platelets up within 24 hrs. She was so sick she was bleeding through her skin. (Vasculitis) He confirmed that through a biopsy. Well, she's going to be 12 next month and is going strong!! What antibiotic did they put your sweet boy on??

ambicillin, flagyl & baytril. thanks for the info about Daisy. I'm so glad she is ok! I will def ask about putting him on doxy if his platelets have not improved.

 

He didn't want to come eat this morning But he did once I carried him to his bowl. I have such a feeling of impending doom, hopefully I'm overreacting. I couldn't stop crying last night & kept getting up to check on him (he sleeps in his crate now by choice). He seems so old & frail now, it's breaking my heart into a million pieces. Hopefully the vet will have good news today & I will be able to breathe again...

 

Thanks so much for all your posts

[Legs Has Dilated Cardiomyopathy]

:(

 

I wish I had useful suggestions for your boy.

 

For summer activities, do you think he might have any interest in puzzle toys, where he has to work to get a treat out?

I think he's too dumb I have one of those balls where they have to roll it to get the treat & Puzzle is the only one of my dogs who understands. But maybe there is another kind I could try.

[Legs Has Dilated Cardiomyopathy]

vet said the drinking & peeing is a side effect of the vetmedin, which he will be taking for the rest of his life. He has also started licking one of his back legs again & has a nice big scrape/sore there now. FML

[Joseph Aka Won By A Nose, 9.22.2003-3.1.2013]

Oh no, this is heartbreaking. I am so very sorry Jey. Much love from the boys & I.

[Jabari Is Sick- He's Gone]

Thanks so much everyone. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster (and I've been a bit of a mess) the last few days, but I think I can safely say now that he's doing better. He is eating, much steadier on his feet, and some of his attitude is back I will find out tomorrow if his platelets have improved :goodluck :hope

 

Me & my bebe boy yesterday. This has really reminded me that we must cherish every day we have together. You can never get time back once it's gone...

Lucy, he needs to get on Doxycycline right away. Daisy had thrombocytopenia 5 years ago and it saved her life. She had to be on Doxy for a long time, but recovered fully. I think you mentioned he was on abx, but I can't remember what it is. I hope Tracy or Jennifer (great vets on this forum) will chime in...

Did Daisy have ehrlichia or another tbd?