My dog's at it again!

I can't believe it's almost been a year since I blogged but better late then never!  Unfortunately, what I've learned today feels like Déjà vu and has to do with my beloved doggie Gucci a 12 year old minpin who is the centre of mine and my husband's universe.  She is considered family and we will do anything to keep her happy, safe and healthy.  Our little pup hasn't been feeling well over the last couple of months and I've noticed a few changes in her routine that couldn't be ignored. 

We found out late last year that she has early signs of arthritis and cataracts which we are prepared for but lately she has been restless & whiny when trying to go to sleep & she's been wheezy and snotty.  I also noticed a couple more growths on her body, one on her back and the other on the left side of her rib.  She has also had difficulty eating, has bad breath even after a dental cleaning and she keeps putting her foot in her ear (but I see no sign of anything?)  She's been drinking and peeing twice the amount than she used too and she always wants to eat (more than she did on a regular day that is).

She has battled with tumours, cysts and fat deposits all her life and she has beat periodontal disease at the early age of only 3 years old!  We've spent a fortune with dental cleanings, biopsies and surgeries, all with the hope that she would get better.  So far, she's lived a wonderful life even under these health issues. 

Today I decided to take her to the vet for a geriatrics visit (can you imagine?!? they have this for dogs! lol) The vet said the symptoms are so broad that it's difficult to diagnose anything until she goes in for blood/urine analysis because she "looks" great.  She doesn't have the classic symptoms of "Cushing's disease" or kidney failure but we don't want to rule anything out.  He did notice however, that her left pupil is completely dilated and won't close... he also saw a line that runs across the back of her eye which concerned us both.  Unfortunately, I lost my job in January 2013 and $$ is tight so my husband and I are trying to find ways to cutback so we can pay to have her see a dog eye specialist for further diagnosis. Why does it always have to be complicated!!

Also....why is it when you want something urgently done, the animal doctor always ends up going out of town and you are left with despair and stress until they return to give you the results?!? SHEESH!  This is the 3rd Vet clinic I've tried and it seems they are all the same!

So me and my little goo-goo finally came home and I gave her some nsaid's to keep her comfortable and we'll wait and see what if anything they find.  Then it's off to the  eye specialist! I guess a vacation is out of the question this year but she's totally worth it!!

So I'm sure your asking yourself... What on Earth did I learn today?!? Well........ what I've learned is that pets are not cheap and I kick myself for not buying that pet insurance when my client way back in 2001 told me so!  I never thought we'd have so many issues with our little dog but clearly that is not the case.  Also, when you make the choice to see a Veterinarian be prepared for the sticker shock as well as the extra expenses that could come out from their findings!

I did learn something from the last time this happened... Should they find something wrong with our dog, I will first ask them what they think it is and what would be accomplished if I pay hundreds of dollars to find out exactly what's wrong with Gucci.  Then I'll ask, should it be this or that, what sort of treatment options do we have and is it even worth pursuing... I don't want to waste another $500+ to learn absolutely nothing!  If its something incurable or even worse deadly, I want to do whatever it takes to keep her comfortable until the creator chooses to take her.

Pray for her that it's something as simple as allergies and she will continue to live a happy, healthy and long life! :)

 

The world is full of mysteries!

If you take a moment to stop and think about the world and life, it could really make your head spin... What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? Are we the only ones out there? Is there a God or Gods or nothing at all?!?  I have found that many people ( not all ) are quite extreme when it comes to their beliefs no matter what they may be, but for myself, I love to explore all the various stories, religions and folklores that are out there, scary or not.  It does make me wonder however, about Good vs. Evil and can you have one without the other? Is Good stronger than Evil or the other way around? Are we vulnerable to bad things or are we protected by Good (God) or can it alternate at times?!?  Big questions from a little lady but the internet has an endless amount of information regarding religion, worship and folklore or maybe even facts like fairies, angles, ghosts, jinn’s, the illuminati, witchcraft and more....

Either way, I hope we "our spirit energy" all end up in a place of peace, love and joy!

You can never make everyone happy!

It's been awhile since I've checked in but life has been busy and I finally have the chance to write.  Today I learned that you can never make everyone happy as we all have expectations that may or may not be reached.

It seems when somebody gets an idea inside their head, that's it ~ it's set.  Unfortunately if you are in the service industry you know how challenging a person like this can be!  They want to look like this or want to feel like that or whatever the case may be and when you do what you do best, it just doesn't seem like enough for them...

Then they get upset that you could not meet their expectations even though they were insanely unrealistic in the first place!  Then the process begins of what can I do now? or what are YOU going to do about it? and so on and so forth...  In the end, all you can do is explain why or appologize that they did not get the results they were looking for and that they have to accept it.... A concept that some people just don't get these days!

Either way you have to keep your chin up and let it brush off your shoulders and move on with a smile!