4 - 6 Weeks of Rest!

Somehow I aggravated my knee and now I'm confined to leash walking only. (sad sigh) My beloved recliner is off limits. I'm not allowed to get up on the bed. This really has put a major damper on my fun. No jumping, no running, no chasing, no wrestling, no fun! I know it for the best so I won't really injure my knee, but dog! this is hard!. I'm hoping I at least get some sympathy rawhides and treats.

Awesome Recliner Game!

Ok here is how it is played. First you need a recliner that will rock when extended. They don't come this way but if you're a big dog like me and you jump on them often enough like your own private jungle gym, eventually they will do this.

Next you wait until your person...(my Dad is an excellent player) falls asleep on the recliner.

This is the really fun part. You jump onto the the foot portion of the recliner causing your person to just about catapult out of the chair, but right before they do you jump back off sending them rocking hard backwards.

Let me tell you the expression on your person's face is priceless.

Added note....you may need to run at this point as something might be thrown your way.

Give it a try....it's really fun!

The Not So Elusive Shed Bunny

Yesterday morning my sisters and I caught a Shed Bunny. No small feat mind you because Mom and Dad have blocked our access to the shed where the elusive shed bunnies make their home. Apparently Mom and Dad object to our excavating along the edges of the shed. *shrug*

Anyway at around 4:45 in the morning we got let out and lo and behold...there was a shed bunny on our side of the fence! We couldn't believe our good fortune and we were on it in a flash. We can only guess that the camouflage bandannas that Dad had put on our necks two night before must have rendered us invisible to the foolish shed bunny.

Rubee and I were playing tug-a-war and I had just won possession of the shed bunny and Rubee was planning her interception when Dad discovered our game. Yelling at a volume that woke Mom and surely some neighbors, he ordered us to come. We ignored him. Finally we relented and came in knowing full well that Dad would remove our prize. Which he did. He was a little mad at us for not coming and Mom was grossed out because the shed bunny had not weathered the game of tug well at all. But the three of us were quite pleased with ourselves!

Two Novice AKC Agility Titles!

Sunday I did another AKC Agility trial. I got my third qualifying run in Novice Jumpers With Weaves and in Novice Standard so I now have my Novice titles in both of those classes. We tried Novice Fast for the first time.....that's going to be a work in process :) Mom didn't do so good making up our course. But she feels she understands the class better now, so we'll give it another try next trial. We'll be moving up to the Open level in the two classes I got the titles in. Mom and I are going to have to work harder and faster to get my qualifying runs in that level. We'll have more obstacles and shorter allowed coarse times and less margin for error. But I know we'll have fun doing it.

Trying our skills in AKC Agility trials

Last week Sunday I attended my second AKC agility trial. We've competed in other venues before now, but are just starting in the Novice division of the AKC venue. So far we have gotten four first place ribbons and four of the ever important "qualifying" ribbons that you get if you do the course under the allotted time without course faults. We need three qualifying ribbons in each of the classes in the Novice division to get our Novice Title and move up into the next division up which is the Open division. I'm doing quite well despite my Addisons disease, proving that Addison dogs can still lead normal active lives!

Bunny Hunter

Bunny Hunter. Yup that's me. Went out this morning and caught myself a fine fat bunny. I was all set to have it for breakfast when Mom insisted I come in the house. Later when I went back outside the bunny was gone! Nothing but footprints left by Mom in the snow. Hmmmmmm

I have Addisons Disease

I got the results and diagnosis from my test yesterday and I do have Addison's disease. Mom and Dad are going after work to get my meds and get me started on treatment. They have a lot of questions for the vet. Hopefully with proper and careful management I will soon be feeling more myself again.

If any of you are curious about Addisons Disease Mom found this site very helpful.

http://www.addisondogs.com/addisons/

More Tests next Tuesday

Well the specialist agreed with my vet that the liver shadows were not anything bad...however they are going to test me for Addison's disease. Given my blood work levels and symptoms they are suspicious my cortisol levels may not be right. So Tuesday I go in for a test. They will take an initial blood work to measure my cortisol level, then give me shot of a form of pituitary hormone ACTH that tells the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Then they wait an hour and draw more blood. If the adrenal glands have not been stimulated to produce cortisol then I have tested positive for Addisons. Fortunately Addisons can be treated effectively if that ends up being what has been bothering me. I'll keep you all posted.

Results of ultrasound and x-rays

Well the report was good so far. No masses were found. The chest x-rays were clear. Kidneys looked good. The vet did see a shadow on my liver in the ultrasound but she feels its not anything bad, but she will be having a specialist look at it to be sure. If he has any concerns we'll do more tests. I do have a tender jaw right where the lower and upper meet. That could be the problem with eating. Thursday Mom should get the specialist's results. Thanks for all the prayers and power of the paw....I think they are doing good! I'll update on Thursday what the specialist says. Right now I'm going to take a nap...it was a very long tiring day.

love and slobber kisses,
Rikee

Not what we were hoping for

Well its not thyroid as Mom hoped. I have a slight elevation to my kidney levels and my white cell count is off as well. I'll be going in tomorrow for a ultrasound of my belly and chest x-rays. Now Mom is really worried.