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What great news to start the day! Yay, Bandit! Pat

Just seeing this now, Brian. I'm thinking of you and Bandit. Keep the updates coming. My thoughts are with you. Pat

My girl, whom we lost in January, was diagnosed with either thymoma or lymphoma. Tests revealed that it was definitely one of those two. (Because of the location of the metastisized mass in her chest, the only way we could get a biopsy to confirm which of those it was would have been with an invasive procedure going down her throat into her chest area. We chose not to put her through that as her prognosis was 2-6 months in either case. Her racing name was KD Rich Chick. Thanks. Pat

Hello - I couldn't PM you - what email address should be used? Pat Hall

This is all great information - thanks so much. The good thing is Tally isn't shaking his head at all. Not once. The ear isn't bleeding at all now. I just looked at it and it's a clean tear with no oozing or bleeding. I keep checking it every hour or so and will continue to do so, especially looking for any developing hematoma. It seems to be doing well and I have bacitracin on it - do I really need to cover it with a bandage if it's not bleeding and he's not shaking his head at all? Pat

I came home from a trip to New Hampshire today and found that my 14 year old, Tally, has a torn ear! I'm not sure how it happened but it's a ragged tear about an inch to an inch and a half. It had bled but had stopped by the time I had gotten home (we were gone about 3 hours). It looks like it didn't bleed profusely - there was some blood on his bed and on his collar, but thats' all. Due to his age and how anxious he gets at the vets, I've decided not to bring him to the emergency vet. It doesn't seem to be bothering him too much. He let me clean it up and I put bacitracin on it. It's not bleeding at all now and he gets Tramadol three times a day for his athritis, so I think that will take care of any pain he has from it. My plan is to call my regular vet tomorrow to see if they want to put him on any antibiotics to make sure it doesn't get infected. In the meantime - any other advice on how to care for this with him? Thanks. Pat

I'm so glad Red is feeling better and is back to his usual self. What a long ordeal you've been through getting him off the kbr and in monitoring him so closely. I, too, am glad you have a vet that listens to your concerns. No one knows your dog like you do. Hooray for Red - keep us posted on how he's doing. Pat

Good luck, Scott! How's Argos doing tonight? My new boy, Star, came in from the yard last week with a similar wound, but larger and there was a bit of a flap of skin also. I think it was a branch from our forsythia bush. We did go to the vet and get 9 stitches! The location is tough for bandaging. But to keep Star away from his wound and stitches, he's wearing one of Howard's t-shirts. It's working well. Pat

Brie - I'm so glad that it looks like it's not osteo - with all that Manny (and you and your Mom) have been through in the last months, that would be just too much. Thank you for taking such good care of this special boy. My thoughts are with you. Pat

My thoughts and prayers are with you and Bailey, Jordan. The poor little guy. Pat

Michael, No advice as I haven't had experience with seizures, but I'm thinking of you and Santos and hoping it's a one time thing. Keep us posted on what's happening. I'm so glad he's with you. Pat

My boy Tally is on .4 mg twice a day. I get the .8 mg pill and split them in half (interestingly enough, it's cheaper this way!). I found the best price at www.drsfostersmith.com. I pay $12.60 for a quantity of 90 .8-mg pills - which lasts me 3 months. Pat P.S. I get soloxine.

I just bought this from Dogwise and it just arrived so I haven't started reading it yet. I bought it for the same reason - recommended by Patricia McConnell and from what I read via the Table of Contents and write-up, it sounds like an interesting read. Pat

Jordan, I'm sending a kiss and a big hug to Bailey and you. I'll be thinking of you today. Pat

Thanks, Giselle! I appreciate the encouragement! I'll let you know how things go on Thursday. Pat

Thanks, everyone, for your help and advice. I'm bringing Yogi in for a social visit on Thursday night when my vet is on. I'll have some great treats (roast beef) to give to my vet for Yogi. Batmom - I'm not sure if it's fear or Buffalo, so the basket muzzle with the peanut butter is a good idea. Yogi has a different personality than I'm used to, so I appreciate the guidance. I'll post an update after the visit on Thursday. Pat

You and Bailey are in my thoughts, Jordan. Pat

Checking for some suggestions on how to best help Yogi get comfortable again with our vet. Here's the background: Yogi has been with us only about 6 weeks. The first week we had him, I brought him to the vet for a check-up. He did great. Yogi is an outgoing boy who loves people. He leaned against the receptionist, the vet techs, and the vet. He got treats from everyone and had a grand ole time. During the exam, we discovered he had a wax blockage in one of his ears. He allowed the vet to check his ears, put the lighted probe in his ears, etc. without a second glance - no problem at all. My vet put him on some ear drops for two weeks. After two weeks, we went back to the vet for an ear check, but also for his heartworm test and his lepto shot. Those two things were done first, before the ear check. Yogi did okay during the heartworm blood draw and shot, but it was obvious he was in some discomfit. The shot stung a bit and for the blood draw they had to do it twice (didn't get enough blood the first time before the vein stopped giving). After all that, when my vet went to check his ears, he kept jerking his head away from her - very sharply. So we decided to let him be and I'd bring him back in a week or so just for a quick ear check. The ear check visit was this morning. I brought Yogi in. We had the same exam room as the last visit. The vet tech came in and Yogi greeted her easily. She gave him a treat and pets. He was fine. When the vet came in, as soon as she entered the room I noticed a change in Yogi. He turned his head away from her and leaned directly into me. My vet came over and petted him and he seemed okay. She came back over with the tool to look into his ears and he wouldn't let her. He gave a low growl and showed his teeth. My vet backed off and gave him a minute or two and talked to him. She tried again and the same thing happened. It seems to me he's relating the pain he felt at his last visit to the vet, especially since we were in the same room. We tried moving to another exam room and having my vet in there before I entered with Yogi. Yogi was better. My vet gave him a treat (which he took), petted him and talked with him and he seemed okay, although not completely comfortable. My vet continued to pet him and was able to listen to his chest with her stethoscope and rub his head. We decided not to push the ear exam. (FYI - Yogi's ears are looking good to me, so I don't think his reaction has to do with pain in his ears. At home I can put the drops in, rub his ears, clean his ears with cotton balls, etc. without any problem whatsoever.) Our plan is for me to bring Yogi to the vets a bunch of times over the next month or so just as a social visit. I'll set up times that my vet will be working (it's a two vet practice) and she'll have Yogi in just for pets and treats so that he'll begin associating good things with her. Has anyone else dealt with this issue? Any other suggestions to help get Yogi comfortable with my vet again? I'm a little worried that anytime he goes to the vet and has anything done that produces any kind of pain, this is what will happen. I haven't dealt with this before, so I'd love to hear how others may handle this. Thanks. Pat

Check out Pets Best Insurance as well. I've been satisfied with them and I believe they are having a promotion right now where they'll donate $20 to the Morris Animal Foundation for each new policy that is taken out.

I've had my old boy, Tally, on Previcox and Tramadol for quite a while. I've had no problems at all in giving both. For Previcox, Tally is on 3/4 of a 227mg tablet once a day; for Tramadol, he's on 2 50mg tablets three times a day. The combination keeps him comfortable most of the time. Good luck. Pat

Carolyn, You and Sonie will be in my thoughts tomorrow. Let me know as soon as you hear anything. Pat along with Tally, Faye, and Yogi (and Howard too)

Kris, I'm so so sorry about this. You and Demon are in my thoughts. I HATE cancer - it's so insidious. Let me know if I can help - I'm only a town away. Pat

Oh Kris, I'm so sorry! Cancer is so awful. How does Demon seem to be feeling? Pat

45MPHK - thanks so much for taking the time to tell me about Murray. Hearing what you went through, what worked for you, and how Murray has done over time is exactly what I need to hear. It reinforces to me what I truly believe - that Yogi will get better in time - it's only been 5 days since he's been with us - and you've given me some additional things to try with Yogi. I've printed out your response to me (and the others in this discussion) to re-read and to share with my husband. Thanks again - I really appreciate it. Pat

Thanks, Jen. I knew you had had some issues with Quiet Man but had forgotten about it as in his latter years he seemed very good. It's good to hear from you on what worked for you and Quiet Man over the years. I think, too, with Yogi it will be something we manage for a long time. Last night we did have another occurrence. This time Yogi was not asleep, but was laying down on the floor with his head down too. Howard walked by him a couple of times and that was fine. Then Howard needed to go all the way around him, so he made kind of a half circle around Yogi. Yogi picked his head up, watched him and was okay until Howard was around the other side of him (behind him). Yogi jumped up growing and with a little bit of snap (not as bad as before). We both yelled "No" at him and he stopped. In this instance, Yogi definitely was not asleep. But in thinking about this it seems that Yogi was okay until Howard was behind him and out of his sight, then he reacted with the growl and snap. But this instance showed improvement to us - the growl and snap wasn't as intense and he stopped when we spoke sternly to him. Do others agree? Pat