My Knee is Bad Again

Just when we thought my knee was almost 100%, I developed a little lump on it. This time it looked angry red and was weeping liquid. Then, it would shrink down and look fine again. This went on for a few days until it looked like it had split open. I was for sure licking at it or worse. So, off to the vet we went today. I was real good at the vet clinic and they didn't have to hurt me. But, they hurt Mom instead. They told her I might need surgery. They want to go in there and see if I have something in there like a splinter or a pellet or something foreign. They said they might find nothing and just cut out some of the infection and sew me back up. Option number two was to try antibiotics again and keep me from licking it. If that doesn't work then I will need an $800 surgery. The vet thought Mom should just get the surgery done and get it over with. Maybe the vet doesn't think $800 is a lot of money. Mom isn't sure what to do but decided to try the antibiotics one more time. When we got home she dragged out Tasha's cone from when she had cancer. It barely fit over my head. I'm not too pleased about wearing that for a week. And if my wound doesn't go away, I will need surgery and have to wear the cone for another two weeks! Ugh! What about my road trip?
The good news is there is no talk of anything more serious like cancer and my joint is sound and I am not in pain. And Mom will be home to nurse me during this week.
Now I understand why Tasha hated this thing as much as she did. It still has my teeth marks on it from when I pulled it off for her when Mom wasn't looking.
We are praying that one week of pills and one week of wearing the cone will take care of it.

Diary Pick!

A cute little doggie named "Crystal" just told me I was diary pick!
Thank you! I am now even more happy than I was when I wrote that diary entry!

I Am A Happy Dog!

I am done taking pills. My knee is still swollen, but much better. I don't have to go back to the vet.
I am getting along real well with the new kitten, Kitcat. She is all over me! At first I didn't know what to think of this kitten circling my food bowl while I was trying to eat. I got a bit defensive about that, but then Mom yelled "Lobo! NO!" and snatched the kitten away. Now, I let her bug me while I eat. I even groom her. She rubs up against me and acts like I am her dog. I guess I am! Her and Squirrel are crazy when they play together. At that point, I just want to get out of the way and I go back outside.
Now, for the really good news! Mom is getting a canopy for her new truck. So, I can ride in style! I have been riding in a dog crate in the back of her truck since late June. It will be nice to have the canopy. Then, the back of her truck is like my own house. On our trips, Mom sleeps back there with me.
Also, Mom and I are going on a road trip. We are going for a really long trip out to a remote resort up in Northern Saskatchewan. We haven't gone on a big road trip for 2 years. I will get to see my aunts and uncles and maybe even gophers!!!
I am a happy dog.

I just went to the vet in May!!!! And here I am again!

I'll let Mom tell the story as she told it to her family ..... But I am NOT a big baby.

I discovered a large lump on Lobo's knee on Tuesday morning. It was filled with liquid. He was limping. I waited a day then called the vet this morning. His appointment was for 2:40pm. The hottest part of these wretched hot days.
I did cram him into the back of my new truck cab. I had to remove the center console and still it was a tight fit. (There goes the new truck smell.) He needed help and whined when I lifted his back end. I don't know if that was from pain or just him not being used to me picking up his back end. Anyhow, he was perfect on the drive. settled right in even though it mustn't be too comfortable for him. Lumpy. But the air conditioning was good for him.
Super long wait at the vet, but he was good there despite the parade of cats and dogs through there. There was an amazing resident cat. He is glossy black and just slept on a chair through it all. Lobo sniffed him. I did see a woman carry out a gorgeous tabby cat, and then another woman in tears and young boy consoling her. A person in the waiting room told me the kitty was only 1 year old and had been diagnosed with renal failure. That made me cry. It was less than two months ago that I was in that clinic crying over my beloved Tasha.
Once inside the examination room, the vet asked a few questions then took Lobo out back for the torture. He shaved his knee and then stuck him full of holes. He had to see what was in there before he knew how to proceed. Then, he brought him back in to me. Poor Lobo cried like a baby and circled me about 20 times when he got back to me. He was not in pain, just being a big cry baby like he is. He is a Momma's boy and I like that.
Vet was sweating and said, he is a big and hairy boy, isn't he? Then he said he was actually quite good during what he had to have done to him. This vet is good with Lobo. He isn't scared of him.
Vet said he drained over 100 ml of stuff from his lump.
Vet said the substance was blood tinged (called it something that I don't remember) and was most likely caused by a torn muscle or some other injury. He said that was a good thing. Had it been just blood he would have suspected something more serious like a tumour. It may fill up again and if it does he might have to put in a drainage tube. But we are hoping it won't. He is on pain pills and anti-biotics because of all the holes the vet had to put in his leg. He probably wrecked his leg running up and down the fence or up and down the deck stairs when I wasn't home. Sounds like he will be just fine.
He made a big baby fit at the front desk while I was waiting to pay and everyone thought he was funny. Then he settled down and was good for the rest of the trip. He only barked at one dog the whole time. And that was outside the clinic and the other dog barked first. The other dog was a gorgeous Burnese Mountain Bear Dog.
I guess I could have just left Lobo as he was for a few more days, but it was quite uncomfortable for him. Plus, I was worried. And, starting Friday, I am working ten days in a row.
Vet said to consider it a giant blood blister. Painful, but not too serious.
Oh, and I am allowed to walk him as much as he wants starting tomorrow.

We respond to the kindness of our friends over Lucky's- passing.

Hello to all of our friends.
We are overwhelmed by all of the kindness shown by all of you. We received over 300 emails and gifts and comments for our dear Lucky. We are sorry that Mom was in no shape to communicate any further during this time. It was all she could do to help Squirrel along and read all of the wonderful and supportive messages from all of our friends through her tears. It is still hard for Squirrel and Mom to accept that Lucky is gone. Plus, she was still trying to help me deal with Tasha’s passing.
We don’t think it will be possible to thank all of you individually. Just please know that we read and appreciated every word, gift and kind thought from all of you. We had friends give us their personal emails and phone numbers even! Mom really appreciated that but couldn’t even talk to her own family about it. She is still trying to sort out her feeling and cannot speak about Lucky without crying. She just now phoned and left a message for her ex-husband about it, as he was her husband when she found the kittens and loves them too.
We will never know for sure but it seems like Lucky passed from a heart condition. It is the only thing that makes sense. Thinking that gives Mom some degree of comfort. Plus, knowing that the night before, Lucky came for her usual cuddles at bedtime and was her usual self in the morning. She even gave Squirrel a little chase and later came for a second helping of their Fancy Feast treat. There was no warning or signs of her being ill or in distress. She probably passed within an hour after Mom left the house.
It is impossible to express properly to all of you how wonderful you all are for taking the time to let us know how much you care. Right from the short little messages to the those who set up the candle pages, and from the ones who set up the photo in honor of Lucky, to those that gave rosettes and offered their personal information in order to help my Mom. We honestly have looked at and read every one of those. It involved a fresh set of tears from Mom, but they were tears of gratitude. She is thankful for each and every one of you who recognized how special our gentle little wildcat Lucky was. And is.
Love,
Lobo,
on behalf of Mom, Squirrel and all of our angels

Something bad is going to happen ...

Tasha has missed some of our walks lately. And the last one she came on, we only went a very short way. She doesn't want to play with me and she is always falling down. Also, Mom is carrying her up and down the stairs and petting her extra. She gets short with me when I try and butt in. Then she pets us both and cries. She also sneaks extra treats to Tasha. I overheard her say "degenerative myleopathy" and having to make "a terrible decision" soon. I just Tasha would play chase like she used to do. I'm getting kind of bored and out of shape without her to run around with.

It is my birthday today!

But, Mom is on the real early shift and will be gone all day. Boohoo! She gave us our favorite food for our early breakfast. We will need the calories as it has turned cold again. But this time it isn't supposed to stay cold for long. Thanks to Dogsters and our friends for remembering me today.

Happy New Year

Tasha and I just went through a very cold and snowy spell. Seems like there was a blizzard every second day.
It is now still snowy but not too cold anymore.
We just had a couple of real fun walks in the fresh snow. The only thing missing, for us to have super fun, are squirrels! They must be hibernating.

Little old me was Bud of the Week this week!

The wonderful group of Navin and Buds named me Bud of the week! Mom always calls me her bud. I protected everyone on Halloween, and just yesterday, from a door to door salesman. Tonight, I made Mom laugh by playing with soap bubbles. I was snapping them up in my giant jaws. Mom had no idea I would go after them. She should know better as I chase the laser toy and notice even tiny bugs.

A Big Hike

Mom loaded me and my backpack into her truck. So that means a trip but not a super long one as she didn't load my food bowl. She didn't take Tasha so I knew we would be going for a long walk. She drove for about two hours, way up high, and parked at the end of a logging road. As she was putting my pack on we heard people coming. There were only two other vehicles parked on this mountain. Two young girls jumped in their vehicle and drove away. Then, we started hiking up a steep trail. It was good to get into the shade of the trees as it was a warm day. Real soon, we met 3 older hikers. They belonged to the only other vehicle, so once we went by them, we had the mountain to ourselves. We hiked up through the trees and way up to a super nice place with little lakes everywhere. We went up to the top of a big rock and had lunch and a rest. Mom took my pack off so I could be more comfortable. She gave me some water in my special hiking water dish. (It is made of nylon and folds up. I kind of wrecked the outside of it once, when I was a puppy, by chewing it, but it still holds water.) I wasn't too thirsty at the moment as I was drinking water in the streams all the way up. She was thirsty so she drank lots of water. She had a lunch of tuna on crackers and gave me half of them. When it was time to go, my pack was much lighter. Mom goes faster downhill than her slow way of going uphill. Ha, ha. She said she was going so slow when we were coming up because she had to watch for grizzly bears. Yeah, right. After our hike Mom drove to a place to look at a waterfall. Boring for me. Then, she took a different and longer way home. I was very anxious to get back to Tasha and get Mom home safe. It was long dark by the time we did get home.