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Dog Days Journal -- dictated by Daley, typed by Laura ;)

i'm a walking medical journal now.

Jeepers, it's been ages since I have written in here. Well, I had a bumpy 2010. In March, I had a urinary tract infection that wouldn't go away. Antibiotics are gross! I can't help it if taking pills makes me gag. Acupuncture helps with my arthritis, so does the Tramadol (but Tramadol is very bitter, YUCK).

August 2010- My neck swelled up and I could not breathe, which was scary for me and my humans. I had to spend a weekend away from home (for the first time EVER) in a oxygen cage at Pet Emergency in San Rafael, all loaded up on sedatives and fluids. :( They did a surgery to drain the pus/blood that accumulated in my neck and put this ugly tube in my throat so I looked like Frankendog for awhile. BUT there's a happy ending to it: I'm healed from that and no problems with lymphs since then. The team at PESCM are great. I recommend 'em highly. Four paws.

Recently, I started having more problems peeing again. So my humans dragged me to see my regular vet, who in turn sent us to the specialist at PESCM again. More poking, prodding, an ultrasound, and xrays. They found cancer this time. Transitional cell carcinoma of the urethra and bladder. :( The specialist put me on a form of chemo called Piroxicam which acts like an NSAID pain reliever, as well as shrinking tumors. I've been on it for about a month and I feel much better! Peeing is easier now and I have energy to spare! People say they can't believe I act as young as I do.

I am also trying supplemental stuff. My regular vet gave me miatake mushroom extract, fish oil, and calcium to boost my immune system. I get chicken liver every day as a treat - I know it's good for me too. We'll see if all of this works!

14 years and counting today!

Happy birthday to me!!!!

Who says older dogs can't have fun? Anyone who believes that is sorely mistaken. I plan on enjoying my 14th birthday (today) and proving the critics wrong! HA.

A few days ago, my friends at Three Dog Bakery gave me a piece of doggy carrot cake to have as an early gift. YUMMY STUFF. Later today I'm hoping I'll get something delicious for dinner and a really excellent walk downtown. Running into nice people and their dogs is always a plus. I'm getting a little sick of people saying they can tell I'm old or asking if I'm going blind/deaf. Pssh. Just because I don't greet everyone doesn't mean I'm losing my faculties. Hello!

At fourteen I'm still feisty, so look out world! This Brit's gonna be around for awhile yet!

this dogged heat!

Happy Summer, everyone!

Wow, this past weekend was a toughie thanks to a heatwave here in Sonoma! 103 degrees! My human counterparts were wilting, as was I! We don't have air conditioning, but I am lucky enough to have a cool pad water bed. :) Getting hosed down a few times and given ice cube filled water helped a lot, and we all gathered around the fans in the living room while the sun beat down. Yuck! Heat isn't one of the things I really like at all! Anyway, we got through it okay, and I got some good time at the dog park afterward.

I have some new friends; they are locals who come to the dog park and have regular play nights together. Normally, tiny dogs and dogs who are excitable kind of get on my nerves, but these two are nice and I enjoy spending time around them. They understand that I'm older and just prefer to spectate while they run circles around the park. (Sometimes after they leave, I get a wild hair and start running too, just to remind my humans that I still can!) Their mommies are nice enough to bring me little treats sometimes, which I looooove! Between that and the free cookies on the windowsills at 3Dog Bakery, it's a smorgasbord for me at night!

My human family are all doing just fine. The cat, Nunnie, is doing better... she had a tumor removed from her ear awhile back. She is ok though partially deaf now. But at least they caught it before it got to her brain.

Speaking of veterinary matters: My vet says she thinks I'll be around for another five years AT LEAST if my humans continue to care for me as they have. :) I plan on it! I make them take me out every day, no matter the weather. Haha.

More later. Hope you're all staying cool in the weather! Love and kisses!