My AgileCowDog – Page 3 – Maggie's Memories

And along the same path we go..

So, today, was Maggie’s blood recheck since last Tuesday(April 25th) being at the vet for the day for IV fluids & recheck on blood levels, after running a fever that weekend of 104.3. We put her on Prednisone, thinking if it was “atypical Addisons”, this would tell us that because Pred(or cortisone) is the treatment for it – see this quote from an Addison’s website:

“The cortisol, or glucocorticoids, normally secreted by the adrenals must be replaced. This is typically done with an oral form of prednisone or hydrocortisone. With atypical and secondary Addison’s the glucocorticoid is the only medication given.”

I read on another link that before you put down a CRF dog, you should test it for Addison’s. Well, we skipped the testing(had to order it and Maggie was very ill at the time) and decided to just treat it and see. We were treating “atypical” version as her electrolyte ratio’s were normal(that would be the “typical Addison’s”).

She made a complete turnaround and very quickly, since Tuesday’s IV fluids and the addition of Prednisone. I also had started her on a homeopathic appetite stimulant but have quit that as see no need for it now as her appetite is awesome now. She has done nothing but improve since putting her on Prednisone. That and the IV fluids were the only change I had done since this started. She is now moving around in the house better than she has in probably six months. She can now hold a squat position to pee vs. before that when she was really sick, she had to pee moving along.

So I was anxious to see her blood results as, “atypical Addison’s”, would be a better diagnosis than CRF. But her BUN number is even worse now. It is at 130 and last Tuesday it was 90. It continues to climb in a very short timeframe(IMO). Her Phosphorus level is a tad lower at 7.2, it was at 7.4. Her Crea. level, for some reason, wasn’t read on the bloodwork? Can’t figure out why… Her ALT and ALKP continue to climb as well, now at 254 and 287 – normal range being 10-100 for ALT and 23-212 for ALKP.

So, I am to continue doing daily subQ fluids(to help with BUN), keep giving her Azodyl(to help with BUN) and just started her back up on Epakitin(phosphorus binder) as now that she’s eating MUCH better, I can add it to her food and she’ll eat it! Bonus! Thank you Prednisone. Never thought I’d say that with me being so naturally minded! But as my sister, Gina said last week and the vet said the very same thing today…the Prednisone is giving Maggie quality of life in the near end of her life. She’s eating! She’s happy! And that makes us happy! And she’s eating a raw diet again 🙂 And LOVIN’ it! That’s my carnivore Maggie!

So, I’m kinda bummed out tonight but at the same time, I guess I now know, for sure, it is CRF. And if we hadn’t put her on Prednisone last week, it is highly likely Maggie wouldn’t be here right now…. So it has served two purposes…told us by giving it to her, it didn’t decrease her BUN number(and would have if Addison’s) and it’s gotten her to eat again!

So Maggie was a good patient, as always, at the vet’s office…as I watched her “tripawd trot” off with Ann, the Vet Tech, to get her blood drawn, she was very willing to go with her. She even brought Ann to the weight scale, as I had just weighed her and she thought that is where Ann wanted her to go…it was too cute 🙂 I do like the new vet’s office that I’ve been going to. They are very compassionate there and Maggie seems OK with it there…They love her and tell me how soft she is when they pet her(that great food she eats!) and how good she is 🙂 That’s my girl 🙂

So Maggie gets to wander around the yard and soak up some sunshine…there’s been plenty of it this week and looking forward to the weekend where I am home all day to watch her enjoy it 🙂 Here’s a few pictures I took of her tonight…

‘Til next time, Maggie says keep on hoppin’!

Tracy & Maggie

Update on Maggie’s kidney disease progression..

Well, funny how Maggie’s blog was supposed to be about her cancer journey and now

it’s turned into a kidney disease journey….

On Saturday, she spiked a fever of 104.3. She was shivering and remained like that

for 5 hours or so but it lessened that night and by morning, her temperature was

back to normal of 101.6 and then later in the day, 101.3. This was with the help, of

yet again, my dear sister, Gina, who is also a Vet Tech(for a holistic practice now).

We dosed her with Belladonna 200C 4 times on Saturday night. Her gums were

also very red and tacky. I have been giving her daily subQ fluids and when I realized

she was shivering, I did her fluids early that day thinking it was her kidneys causing it.

Her urine that I collected seemed to be OK via a picture I sent to Gina in color.

Her appetite has been extremely picky but I have been able to get into her on most

days her total amount she normally would eat but it is a HUGE array of variety.

From chicken, to kibble, to freeze dried Primal or Stella and Chewy’s, to canned

foods like Science Diet A/D(high calorie critical care food) and Royal Canin Kidney diet

to Wellness Fish. Chicken has been her mainstay but not since her fever Saturday

night. Since the fever, it’s been a real struggle to get a good amount of food into her

during the course of a day.

So, I took her to the vet today – she’s still there as I write this – and here’s what I have

for news & rehash of her kidney values:

1st check – March 15th – BUN: 63 CREA: 2.3

2nd check – April 2nd – BUN: 77 CREA: 2.8

3rd check – April 23rd – BUN: 90 CREA: 4.8

Her BUN and CREA numbers mean she is quite uremic which is why she “feels like

crud”, my vet’s words… Her bad breath is the kidney toxins(that has been going on

for a while now since the get go).

Did another urinalysis on her that shows also worsening protein and kidney/bladder

values poor.

I had them do a chest film to check for lung mets or any other type of growth and

that is clear(to the naked eye). She doesn’t react on physical exam to any pain in

her abdomen etc.

Her fever is a mystery – caused by what? Inflammation from the disease or something

else? Could be from the cancer but we’re doubting that at this point. Gina has been

wondering about Addison’s disease and I mentioned that to my vet. She said that

her bloodwork isn’t typical of Addison’s but that Addison’s can also be very vague.

They would have to special order the test but in her words “if she were my dog, it might

not be a bad idea to try prednisone tablets”. And if she responds, then we can just keep her

on those and still not do the test(it is an expensive test, I think Gina said $200).

But basically, at this point, at best we hope the prednisone will improve her eating and make

her feel better for a while.

They are giving her IV fluids right now as I requested it(per my dear sister Gina) as

that will give her a ‘boost’ of fluids and maybe make her feel better and feel like

eating more.

She still was very interested at the vet to bark at people driving into the driveway and

sniffing the office desk where I’m sure a male dog peed…so she is still acting “like

Maggie”. She had “happy feet” for Norm last night when he drove in after work.

She was perky this morning. It’s just eating that is a huge struggle right now.

Amazingly, I’ve kept weight on her through this. Her weight on April 2nd was 64#

and now she is 63.8#. She has lost some muscling with the lack of exercise in the

past couple weeks. But last night, she wanted to go with Haley & I downtown for

a walk, so I took her for a short jaunt around the field and she seemed totally fine.

Soooo….Haley & I are headed downstate this weekend to a trial where I’m judging

and competing. Part of me wants to stay home but the other part of me says “you

need a break”. Norm will take good care of her while I’m gone and I will tell my vet

tonight when I pick Maggie up that he is “in charge” of her this weekend. Part of

me will feel guilty and HUGELY sad as I drive out but….such is life I guess….

I did also just start an appetite stimulant remedy from Dr. Loops yesterday and I

did manage to get some food into her last night as well as this morning. So maybe

that will give her a boost too…and the more fluids to drain out that toxic CRAP in

her 🙁

Well, I guess that’s all the update I can give right now…not a pretty picture but

this one below sure as hell is! Love you Maggie!

Took this on Sunday the day after her fever. She wanted to go out and lay in the sun... — Took this on Sunday the day after her fever. She wanted to go out and lay in the sun…

‘Til next, time…Maggie says I keep on hoppin’!

Tracy & Maggie

A rollercoaster ride – I hate roller coasters!

Well, it’s been 3 weeks since diagnosis of Maggie’ CKD or CRF, whatever you want to call it.. kidney’s are failing. I’m fighting hard for Maggie but don’t always win with her…in the eating department… Morning’s are the worst for eating. I’m told because of all the toxins building up during the night. Our last visit to the vet on Tuesday, her bloodwork revealed her numbers a tad worse BUT her phosphorus number has actually improved. That is, due to the Epakitin(was Renal Adv. at beginning of this) supplement she is on as a phosphorus binder. She is getting pickier and pickier. It was suggested by the vets to do daily subQ fluids on Maggie. I was instructed on how to do it the past couple times at the vet for laser and fluids.(which had been doing 2X a week for 3 weeks).

We’ve tried a couple of homeopathic remedies to help with the eating issue; Nux Vomica and Sulphur but not much improvement. So now, I have her on a remedy that her homeopathic vet, Dr. Charles Loops, sent me. That remedy is called “Serum Anguillae”, in 30C potency and is to help early renal disease. I am to give it 2X per day, every other day(she is also on two other cancer remedies and has been on them since 2009).

Here is a little bit about Serum Anguillae:

The serum of the eel has a toxic action on the blood, rapidly destroying its globules. The presence of albumin and renal elements in the urine, the hemoglobinuria, the prolonged anuria (24 and 26 hours), together with the results of the autopsy, plainly demonstrate its elective action on the kidneys.

Here is a listing of what Maggie is on right now:

Serum Anguillae 30C – just added this today

Epakitin – has been on this phosphorus binder for a couple weeks. This replaced the Renal Advance phosphorus binder she was on.

Azodyl – has been on this since shortly after diagnosis. This is a mixture of three viable bacteria that are strongly urease positive. This means they actually utilize uremic toxins that diffuse into the bowel from the circulatory system thereby reducing the uremic toxic load.

Standard Process supplements:

Renafood – has been on since original diagnosis

Arginex – has been on since original diagnosis

Catalyn – added this week. This is a general multi vitamin, multi mineral, phytochemical support. Also acts as an enzyme support.

Cataplex ACP – added yesterday. For kidney disease support.

Cataplex B – added yesterday. For kidney disease support – Vitamin B.

And some pictures of Maggie on her walk today and of other ‘boring’ stuff like fluids….

I think you can tell(or at least I can) the look in her eye is ‘off’….

Still a ‘good girl’ and will ‘wait’ on command ….

I found a facebook page for “CRF” dogs – and found this great meatloaf recipe. Made a new batch today –

Bravo boneless salmon, mashed up black beans, sweet potatoes, bread crumbs, eggshell, egg whites.

Calls for more veggie’s but Maggie isn’t into much veggie, so I didn’t dare put any more.

She ate a good portion of this tonight with great gusto!(more than what is missing – that was just a teaser

taste for her earlier to see if she’d eat it).

Maggie is a good girl when I put the needle in for her fluids.

You can see I hang her fluid bag from a lamp post…Maggie is such a good patient….

Stop fooling me, Mom, I don’t see Aunt Gina coming…

Well, I guess that’s all for now… I am trying to feed her the best I can but sometimes the best doesn’t cut it and she’d rather eat nothing or eat high phosphorus foods… So be it…Maggie will get what she wants…I’m not going to force into her something she doesn’t want…. After all, I wouldn’t want someone doing that to me…

I love you Maggie.

‘Til next time, keep on hoppin, says Maggie..

Tracy

Update on Maggie’s kidney disease….

Maggie’s doing pretty well. Yesterday at the vet she had her usual laser(one more treatment then on to probably monthly maintenance or more if needed). I got a lesson yesterday on giving her subQ fluids. I flunked the first time as the fluids were coming out instead of in! Needle probably up in dermal layer the Tech told me…so my second poke I got it right. Lucky for me, Maggie doesn’t even flinch at the pokes of an 18 gauge needle. After we were done, Dr. Adrian came in as I wanted to know how much I should do fluids at home. She said let’s run her blood work again on Tuesday as it will be two weeks since first blood draw. That way we can see where she’s at and what/how much fluids she should get. She’s also been on Azodyl (probiotic supplement that can help reduce urea nitrogen levels in the blood) and Epakitin(phosphorus binder) and Standard Process Arginex and Renafood for two weeks as well. I told her I need a prescription for Royal Canin kidney diet kibble. Maggie is preferring kibble as part of her diet now and refuses to eat her usual Honest Kitchen foods with raw meat added. Dr. Adrian suggested I wait until blood work to decide which kibble to get as they have an early stage kidney diet and an advanced stage kidney diet kibble. She didn’t realize Royal Canin had a prescription food(they sell Science Diet but I don’t want to use that on Maggie). I told her I go to http://www.dogaware.com/ for all sorts of medical information – of which she wrote the website down 🙂

http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneyprescription.html

I have also ordered the Canine Caviar Special Needs one on this list – zoom down to kibbles:

http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneynonprescription.html

Saw a friend of mine yesterday during training practice with Haley and she said Maggie looked better than 3 weeks prior when she saw her. Stronger and in better weight behind her ribcage. What I noticed just before I started going to the vet with this condition was that Maggie was loosing muscle in her rear end – now I have since read that kidney dogs will start to “use” their own protein – muscle in their system. I’m sure that is what was(is?) happening. The Azodyl and Epakitin will slow that down along w/ low phosphorus foods. I also have her on Parotid SP supplement as that helped Maggie when she was so sick after amputation and didn’t want to eat.

Her appetite is better but not 100%. She is eating approximately 1/2 kibble(Acana Chicken/Potato as that is what I have right now) and 1/2 cooked diet I got off Lew Olsen’s website:

Recipe #1 Mix 1/2 cooked sticky rice (sushi rice) cooked in unsalted butter with 1/2 HIGH fat hamburger or dark meat chicken (lower in phosphorus than white meat). Add two cooked egg whites (no yolk) per cup. You can make as large a batch as needed and freeze for daily portions. Save the egg shells, and add back one teaspoon of egg shell (dry overnight, grind in a coffee bean grinder) per two pounds of food. The egg shell is good for calcium and also act as a phosphorus binder.

I’m feeling better now as it seems Maggie is getting more stable now. The Epakitin is a powder but she won’t eat supplements in her food, so I have been making capsules out of the powder(got a pill maker from Nature’s Farmacy a while back – putting it to use now!) I hate pilling her but she got “wise” to the pill pockets and won’t eat them now. So I have to pill her about 16 times morning and night. 🙁 Good thing she’s a good girl and compliant in all of this!

‘Til next time, Maggie says she’ll keep on hoppin’!

Tracy & Maggie

A different kind of battle……..

Well, Maggie is now fighting a different battle than cancer…she has the start of kidney disease………..:-(

Earlier this winter, she got a tad picky on her Honest Kitchen foods, so I found another food that she just loved, Dr. Harvey’s premix with her usual raw meats added to it. She had been going along great with that food. Then a couple weeks ago, she started get a tiny bit picky about that food.. I just figured it was “old age” finally catching up with Maggie… Then shortly after that, she started drinking a lot more and peeing more. I made an appointment to a new vet practice as I wanted Maggie to have some laser treatments – as her mobility/flexibility was getting worse as well. This was a welcome thing to see a vet practice up in my neck of the woods. Not a common modality in this area! Maggie has had laser treatments before but the holistic vet I use for that is 4 hours South of me, so as you can guess, can’t get regular treatments.

So off to the new vet practice(to us) we went…with a urine sample in hand(and fecal). Dr. Adrian of North Country Animal Hospital, drew some blood and ran a urine test and fecal test on Maggie. Fecal test results were negative. Urine results came back with a little bit of protein in her urine. Her blood work wonky numbers are as follows:

RBC – LOW

HCT – LOW

MCH – HIGH

WBC – LOW(which is very normal for Maggie her entire life)

BUN – HIGH

CREA – HIGH

PHOS – HIGH (which is causing the nausea and lack of wanting to eat sometimes)

ALT – HIGH

Conventionally, I was told there wasn’t much to be done regarding her kidney disease. It will progress. It was suggested to lower her protein(I have since read in my research that it isn’t protein you need to lower but phosphorus). And eventually, I could get subQ fluids into her when needed or they’d show me how to do it at home.

So, I left there and immediately called my sister, Gina (LVT), to tell me what can be offered holistically for Maggie. Gina suggested the following:

Give her subQ with B Complex added, 2 times per week for a few weeks…to see if that would make Maggie feel better(flush out bad stuff and see if it would help her appetite).

Start Maggie on the following supplements:

Azodyl – Helps support normal function and health of kidneys.

This treatment is important for pets with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), which begins with azotemia. Azotemia occurs when nephrons decline and non-protein nitrogenous compounds build up, impairing the kidney’s ability to filter and eliminate waste. Azodyl helps reduce azotemia and slows the progression of CKD.

Renal Advance – can help support throughout the stages of kidney disease by preventing hypokalemia, replenishing the loss of B Vitamins, controlling metabolic acidosis and helping to reduce azotemia.

Reduces Phosphatemia: Calcium carbonate and chitosan act as binders to reduce intestinal absorption of phosphorus.
Restores Acid-Base Equilibrium: Potassium citrate acts as a metabolic acidosis buffer.
Helps Prevent Hypokalemia: Potassium citrate provides a safe source of potassium.

Standard Process Renafood – designed for kidney support and detox.

Standard Process Arginex – promotes a physiological diuresis. It also aids in metabolizing urea for excretion. The effect is produced by arginase which breaks down arginine. Arginine builds up in the kidney as a result of protein metabolism.

So far, she’s been on the supplements for a week, as of today. Her drinking has gone down some and peeing less. Her appetite is still iffy..more so in the morning. This is due to the excess phosphorus, so need to find foods that are low in phosphorus. I have ordered Grandma Lucy’s premix and Essex Cottage Farms Kidney Diet premix. They can’t get here soon enough! 🙁 In the meantime, there is one Honest Kitchen diet that is also low in phosphorus, Preference, that I have been able to get her to eat but she isn’t all that crazy about. And another one, Honest Kitchen Keen, that is low in phosphorus but Maggie doesn’t want to eat that one.

She will however, eat Greenie Pill Pockets(JUNK FOOD!) until the cows come home with her supplements in them! Oh and she still adores duck feet chews 🙂

And the other item I went to the vet for – laser work – in hopes to help her mobility/flexibility. She was getting so she didn’t want to go in certain places in the house and had fallen down in the house and loosing strength. So, they are doing laser on her for about 10 minutes per session, 2 times a week for 6 sessions. After that, we’ll go on maintenance ‘dose’. I have seen an improvement in her strength/flexibility and willingness to move around in the house in certain areas on her own free will now. But it may be the kidney supplements may be playing a part in that too.

Here’s a photo of Maggie in her first session of laser. She has to wear ‘doggles’….she’s pretty cool in them 🙂

Maggie in her "doggles" getting ready for laser treatment — Maggie in her “doggles” getting ready for laser treatment

The reality that Maggie IS 13 years old and she isn’t going to be here forever, hit me today on our walk together. 🙁 Here’s some photo’s of her and a short little video showing that she still has her Maggie attitude 🙂

‘Til next time, keep on hoppin’!

Maggie & Tracy

My day didn’t start out too good…but it’s gotten better!

Well, it’s time for our monthly update…Maggie’s morning wasn’t too great…she fell down in the entry trying to make the 90 degree turn to the entry from the hallway. She doesn’t have really good balance when she has to turn with the amputated side on the outside of a turn now. Nothing really new….but as the winter has gone on, it’s gotten a bit worse – I guess what can you expect from a 13 year old tripawd, huh?

I helped her get up and she was a bit shaken up but everything seemed OK. We went outside and she did her business and we came back in. She’s also been getting picky on foods this winter. Not really keen on her Honest Kitchen blends she’s been eating for YEARS now with no issues. I have found a food that she really likes, Dr. Harvey’s, but I thought maybe she’d eat some Honest Kitchen Thrive that seemed OK with. Nope. Nada. Not eating that. Even tried giving her some without supplements in it to see if it was that. Nope. Nada.

So she went to lay down and I noticed her quivering a little bit…like someone that has Parkinson’s. PANIC came over me. Oh.My.DoG. What is wrong?!?! Well, I figured it had to do with her falling, so I gave her a dose of Arnica 30C homeopathic remedy(for pain and bruising). Waited 15 minutes and gave her another dose as still quivering(out of pain I assumed). After second dose, the quivering stopped!!! Thank DoG!!! I gave her a 3rd dose as a just in case measure 15 minutes after 2nd dose. My sister, Gina, told me to also add Magnesium phosphate cell salt(for muscle soreness), dosing every hour for the morning, which I have done.

So, I figured I could take her for a short walk…to stretch her legs out some…not too far…and she was some freakin’ happy to go for a walk! Here’s some video’s of her and pictures of her walk….. so happy to see Maggie feel better!

After her walk, she got a duck foot chew…and then I offered her some of the same food she refused this morning and she GULPED it down as if she was starving 🙂 Yay!!!!!!!

Here she is now….taking a nice snooze with her Back on Track coat on and her little sister snoozing next to her – all is well with our world now!

Happy 13th Birthday Maggie!

WOW, today is Maggie’s 13th birthday!!!!! A nice afternoon for a long walk on our trails….Maggie did well on the trail…her first time this winter doing the longer trail…

LOVE our winter trails... — LOVE our winter trails…

When we got home I got a dehydrated duck foot chew! Yeah!! Mom put my Back on Track coat on to alleviate any soreness from my adventure... — When we got home I got a dehydrated duck foot chew! Yeah!! Mom put my Back on Track coat on to alleviate any soreness from my adventure…

I’m so damn proud of Maggie! All in all, not too shabby for a 13 year old Tripawd! You ROCK Maggie!!! Cheers!!!
Signed,

Your Very Proud Mother, Tracy

Christmas 2012

Well, it is Christmas again! Wahoo! I got to unwrap presents this morning!!!

Ground hog! Yay! Let's see how long it takes me to de-stuff it! — Ground hog! Yay! Let’s see how long it takes me to de-stuff it!

100_4072 — Time for a nap now….hard work unwrapping gifts!

Then after that, we went out to “Grammie’s” house for dinner and visit also, with Aunt Gina! She gave Haley and I a box of treats! They aren’t all that bad either!(I am sometimes particular on dry biscuit type treats!)

Then we got home just before dark and I went on a short walk on our winter walking trails that we are just getting going now with some snow on the ground….looking forward to more walking on them this winter…

100_4097 — Moon just coming out as we finished our walk…

100_4094 — OK, hurry up and take the picture, so we can go, Mom!

Oh and I did get a “Back on Track” mesh coat early for Christmas…it’s supposed to help with my spondylosis in my lower back…we’ll see…I’ve been wearing it for almost a week now at night…the jury is still out on whether it’s just ‘hocus pocus’! 🙂

Back on Track mesh coat – a little big but have already sent it back for exchange once…so it will do 🙂

Back On Track Mesh coat…do I really have to wear this??

If anyone is interested in the Back On Track coats(and other products) here is the link for it:

http://www.backontrackproducts.com/Dog-Products/Dog-Blankets/Therapeutic-MESH-Dog-Blanket-p284.html

Well, gotta go….time for my beauty sleep(and yes, in that stupid coat!)

‘Til next time, keep on hoppin’ and Merry Christmas!

Maggie

Wag It Games Weekend!

Me, Mom and little rugrat sister, Haley, spent last weekend at Wag It Training Center for

some great FUN doing Wag It Games! There are various “games”, one of which is my

all time favorite – Novice Sniff It – where you search for food in a container in both a

line up of 10 containers and also 5 containers hidden in tents. I LOVE the tent search!

I found it!! The container is here! NOW, come open it Mom!

Yum!!!! Thank you Mom for letting me play this Sniff It Game…LOVE treats!

Mom hasn’t trained me for the next level of Sniff It, which is human scent. So we didn’t

play in that level.

Then, I got to play in my next favorite class of No Need for Speed(aka NNFS). I am in

the “Heart Dog Program” because of my well, you know what, that I’m missing… so

I can have exercise modifications as my Mom sees fit. You’ll see me, for instance, go

over both ramps, instead of going down the steps…I can’t do steps safely, so I get to do

the ramps! I LOVE ramps! My Mom screwed me up on the 1st send to the “Mat Pyramid”

as I didn’t see it at first! Silly Mom. When I walk over the cavaletti’s in the pinwheel

set up, other dogs have to sit in between but Mom lets me stand, as it’s easier on me

physically. You’ll see I’m having a tougher time these days with the tunnels…I just

can’t squat as well as I used to, as I’m taller than the tunnels…

Then on Sunday, I ran in only one run of Shadow Skills in the Proficient level. Mom

had signed me up for two other runs but she gave them to Haley to run instead as I

was tired from the day before. (It also didn’t help that when I got up and jumped off

the bed that morning, my rear leg gave out on me, so I fell). In this run of me doing

Shadow Skills, again, because I am in the “Heart Dog Program”, I didn’t do some of

the sits/downs/ or back up’s that some of the signs said to do. Mom wanted to make

it as comfortable as possible for me to have fun.

I’ve overheard my Mom saying that this was probably my last trial. I’m going to be

13 years old in January and things are getting tougher for me now and my stamina

level is getting less. She said I can still play a bit at home though! The easy stuff for

me physically. She said “we’ll see”….

Before we headed home, we got a “photo shoot” in at our favorite hotel…It’s a long walk

down to the ocean(well, long for me). We love staying there because there is a great

place to walk and see the ocean!

Ok, so my dorky little sister is in MY blog again?!

Mom, can we end the photo shoot now? I’m tired! There….I’ll just lay down and you let me know when you are done!

Before we headed home, both Haley and I had an appointment with our holistic vet

and I got my back adjusted, got acupuncture(with Vitamin B for an added “umph”) and

also cold laser. My back was out of alignment(that’s no surprise!) and Dr. Herzig went

over me well. When we got home, Mom noticed my back was back to nice and flat &

cool to the touch 🙂

I hadn’t been to a trial/big road trip, since June, so it was nice to go! But it’s also nice

to come home and “chill” in my yard and hang with my Papa 🙂

‘Til next time, keep on hoppin’! Even if it’s getting a little slower these days….

Maggie

Three Years, Three Paws Up for Maggie!

WOW!…that is the first word that comes to my mind thinking that Maggie is 3

years post amputation for cancer. What a fighter you are Maggie!

Before amputation, Maggie was my first agility dog…

Maggie was a beautiful jumper in agility!

We competed together from 2001 to 2008 – she earned her NATCH-S in NADAC agility!

The Spring of 2009, she was retired from agility due to a nagging lameness issue

that took 4 vets to figure out the final diagnosis….

October 12, 2009: Maggie was seen by Dr. Chris Miles at Lucerne Vet Clinic

and was diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma tumor on her left knee with a

high mitotic rate(Grade III). Specific STS undetermined after several stains.

October 20, 2009: Amputation was performed by Dr. Miles getting 10 cm. of

clear margins by amputating to the hip.

My treatment of choice for Maggie has been homeopathy with Dr. Charlie Loops.

http://www.charlesloopsdvm.com/ . He has had her casesince December 2009.

She is on three remedies: Carcinosin, Lapis and Semp T.

She is also on K9Immunity Plus, Canine Wellness Blend and Canine Joint Works blend.

This year, I have added CoQ10 and milk thistle to her supplements as she has

a slight heart murmur and milk thistle for her liver.

Maggie retired from agility in 2009 but she has still been in the competition ring

since amputation! Icing on the cake in my mind!

So far, she has earned her APDT Rally-O

titles of RL1, RL2, RL3, RLVX2 – with Awards of Excellence, I might add!

She has also been competing in a new venue called Wag It Games and is in the

Heart Dog Program, designed for disabled dogs, where she has earned the titles of

WAG1S & WAG2S Heart Dog, WAG1O & WAG2O Heart Dog, WAG1SNIFF Heart Dog!

Maggie at an APDT Rally-O trial where she was awarded the Inspiration award!

Competing in Wag It Games(Shadow Skills class) June 2012

Competing in the first ever Wag It Games Trial(No Need for Speed Class) – November 2010

Wag It Games No Need For Speed Class – October 2011

But beyond the competing, of which she has not done a whole lot of,

Maggie has been hanging out being a “dog”…a great dog,

a great Tripawd dog!

“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up” ~ Vince Lombardi

We go for short walks, of which she LOVES sniffing and meandering along..

July 2012 DeBoullie Mtn area – I helped her up on this rock although she WOULD try to jump up there!

Moose Point State Park, Searsport, Maine, June 2012

I do have her work on balance domes/discs to keep her core strong – 3 times per

week, 5 minute sessions, of which she LOVES as she gets LOTS of treats for it 🙂

I am amazed at how much these sessions have helped with her stamina level.

First time standing on two domes at once! Good girlie!

So, all in all, life after four legs, has been good for Maggie so far! She’s had her

up’s and down’s – like slick surfaces scare her, so she needs help in those

situations or help getting into cars…but par for the course I guess!

We are so VERY happy Maggie is still here with us!

So, now for a huge celebration!

We went for a walk at Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge in Limestone, Maine, a couple hours from where we live.

Maggie ROCKED the walk – having the best time and showing how strong she is going up and down a few hills.

Maggie says: “don’t know how much longer I can “wait”..I think I see a chippie!” October 2012

Aroostook Wildlife Refuge, Limestone, Maine October 2012

“I can do this bridge! Let’s go!”
Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge
October 2012

Taking a break – Wildlife Refuge, Limestone, Maine October 2012

And then a snack for her ampuversary!

Then did some playing around acting all crazy 🙂 I LOVE it when she acts like this!

It’s really kinda hard to believe that three years have zoomed by so fast.

One of the things I have learned through Maggie’s amputation

and living with an amputee, is that you take life one step at a time as best you can.

Stop and enjoy the moments, no

matter how ‘simple’ those moments may be…

taking a walk with your dog or just

just watching them sleep…makes me smile….

Here’s to you, Maggie! You’re a trooper my “pretty girl”!

Tracy