I am in a training add on Affordable Agility

Boy, I am in a little shock and wierded out a little. One of my youtube agility training videos was picked to be used on the Affordable Agility Web site. Mulligan featured on Affordable Agility training page

It is a little strange being on someones website. How they found me using their Triple jump out of the million videos on Youtube is a little odd. I am flattered though. The video is over a year old and I still looked pretty good BOL!!

An update in Lil ole' ME!!

I just wanted to fill everyone in on how I have been doing. I have been feeling like a pup again!! I am back to my normal exercise/agility regiment. I have put the weight back on I lost too. I did have another test done at the vet today. It was to make sure I don't have Addison's disease. It is a just to cover all our bases type of test....what ever that means. All I know is I have this suffed bug that I am tying really hard to de wing. That is mynew mission BOL!!

Agility has been going really well. I ever Qualified for USDAA Nationals for DAM Team. Pretty good for a baby dog!! I am even in USDAA Masters jumpers now!! I have been doing so good it is crazy. Mum was so proud of me she even made a short montage of my first year of trialing. It is pretty funny in the beginning. So I hope you all enjoy it.

Year in Review

Here is the video from the team event I was in...and yes,one of those dogs does look familiar it is Doolin from the Tetrad!!
Team Event


Till Next time, let's Rock ON!!!
Mulligan

I had a Perfect Day!!

Mum let me go to an CPE agility trial today. We had been signed up for this trial long before I got sick. I thought Mum would only let me run two runs today, so I knew if I wanted to have more fun then that I would have to prove it to her. Well, I did

I had my second perfect day ever getting four Q's three firsts and one second!! I also finish my CPE Level 3 Title today!! I am just over the moon and Mum is still in shock. To think just a few weeks back Mum didn't think I would ever run agility again and today I kicked hiney. We also had a fantastic time. It was the end of the year holiday party trial and boy we had a blast. I got to do lots of visiting , which in turn got me lots of pats and stritches.

Next weekend I am signed up for a USDAA trial...THREE DAYS!! Mum has already decided I will be scratching some runs. There is just no way I am ready for that much agility yet. Friday I am on a team with two of my buddies so that will lots of fun!!

WOOHOO!!! I must go zoom around now why I stare at my new ribbons.

I took the Canine Behavior Test (Thanks Sadie)

Mulligan is a "DEFENDER"

Your dog is an Organized, Alpha and High Activity type which we call the Defender. The Defender's social position is ambiguous due its Beta (B) nature and it may appear to be a leader or a follower at various times. Defenders are flexible about social structure but their Organised (O) factor means that environmental order and clear rules are preferred. In the 'original wolf pack' Defenders could easily fill any positions vacated due to illness or accident.



Take the Test

Microvascular Dysplasia

Well to tell you pups what is going on means using lots of big words I really don't understand so I am going to let Mum write this diary entry for me. Big Bichon waves, Mulligan

Well after many tests at the vets office during the last two weeks it looks like Mulligan does not have a liver shunt. He has Hepatic Microvascualr dysplasia(MVD). Hepatic microvascular dysplasia is a condition in which there is mixing of venous blood and arterial blood at the microscopic levels in the liver. Just like in dogs with hepatic shunts the blood does not get filter correctly and a toxic level of ammonia can develope in the blood stream. We really have no way of knowing what Mulligan's prognosis will be. Some dogs with MVD go one and have long healthy, happy lives. Then some dogs have liver failure and die prematurely. These dogs like Mulligan can as get crystals in their urine, GI symptoms and hepatic encephalopathy(HE). HE is when the brain also gets a build up of toxins and they become lethargic and confused. Mulligan has had all these symptoms. He has lost nearly a pound and a half in the last six weeks. I am now making him a low protein homemade diet which is working great. He is getting pepcid, Sam-E and milk thistle for supplements also. He is acting more like himself everyday except for yesterdays little set back. Whether it was due to his MVD or just him being a sensative little guy he had a medication reaction. He had a doppler ultrasound done yesterday. They did not want to give him any sedation for it but Mulligan was very anxious. The vet gave him some anti anxiety medication. It really affected him poorly. After we brought him home from the vet we had to go back last night. Mulligan could not walk straight or focus his vision. He refused all water and food which is unheard of for him. Mulligan will eat and then throw it right back up but he has always eaten. Once our vet looked him over and gave him some fluid we took him back home after a very long stressful day. Most of the day today he has been a little off but around dinner time he was coming out of his haze.

The last few weeks have been a complete roller coaster. Our vet is also thinking Mulligan might have inflammatory Bowel Disease. He wants to do an endoscopy to get a better look. Mulligan has all the tell tale symptoms vomting, diahhrea and often has mucous and occasionally blood in his stool. I am reluctant to allow another test at this point. I feel like he needs a week or so without vet visits. Mulligan has never been a dog to stress easily but he is having severe anxiety at the vets office. I want to find out everything that is wrong with him but not completely stress him out in the process.

Thanks for all the well wishes and POP. It has meant alot to us.
Thanks,
Tina (Mulligan's Mum)

Liver Update

Well, we still don't have a diagnosis yet. My vet has been talking to vets at Tufts and Cornell about me and they are in agreement that I probably have a Portosystemic Shunt(PSS). I have a fancy doppler ultrasound Monday morning. Depending on hat they see and the results of my most recent blood work that got sent to Cornell, I may need a liver biopsy. The good news is Mum is making a new low protein diet. She started making it for me on Tuesday. I really like eating it. It is very yummy and filled with vitamins. I have really perked up the last few days now that I don't feel like I am starving to death. I even had a big old Bichon Blitz in the backyard last night. Hopefully, I will put back on the weight that I lost. I know that I am competing to be America's Nect Top Dogel but I am starting to look like Kate Moss. I like being skinny but bones don't look well on me BOL!!!

I did have one small problem this week. They took blood from my jugular vein and they couldn't get it to stop bleeding. My neck ended up with a big bruise and a hematoma. We are hoping this was a weird, freak incident. They did run blood work to check for my blood clotting factors. You see your liver makes the factors that help clot your blood. If I am not making these clotting factors that could be a bad sign.

Mum, Dad, and I are all hoping for the best. We have talked to some puppies with this problem and they are living long happy lives so we are staying positive. I shoulf have some more news Monday.

Keeping my paws crossesd,
Mulligan

Some Good News for Once

Well, First of all I want to thank every pup so much for all the well wishes, candles and POP. Knowing that I have so much support really helps me. It is confirmed that I have some sort of Liver Disease. I need to have an ultrasound and a biopsy to get a firm diagonsis. It is most likely Portosystemic Shunt syndrome or Microvacular dysplasia. If it is a liver shunt sometimes they do surgery to repair it. I have had to go on a low protien diet so ammonia toxins do not build up in my system and make me sick. Only after two day of being on low protien I am feeling much better. Mum and I was signed up for a USDAA trial today so she brought me with the intention of only running one class. I only needed one Starters Standard Q to get my AD title(agility dog) Well, I rocked the house!! Ran a perfect course and Q'd!!! That means I am only the 25th Bichon to ever earn that title!! Mum is very proud of me. We are hoping for the best. Which means after we get this liver disorder sorted out I will still be able to play agility. If for some reason I can't though I have really proven how awesome of a little agility dog I really am. Mum didn't let me run the rest of the classes even though I wanted to. I was so happy today to be out with my pals and getting loved upon by the humans.

Thanks again everypup and when I have more information in the upcoming days and weeks I will fill you in,
Mulligan

When it rains it pours..

Today has not been a good day. I have been at the vets all day under going additional testing so we can get completely figured out what is going on with me. Also my pawrents got a phone call this morning that my grandpa had a very bad stroke. My pawrents are trying to figure out if they can fly to see him. They don't want to leave me behind being sick though so only one of them maybe able to go. This is just a really tough time here at our house. I really appreciate all the well wishes for me but I would also welcome any prayers for my Grandpa. Well, my secretary needs to go look at airline tickets. I am sure they won't be hard to get since it is the week of Thanksgiving!!

Bichon's are Stoney

Well, I just wanted to drop a quick note to fill in all of my furiends what is going on. Some of you know I have been having some health problems the last months or so. I have had these intermittant bouts of vomiting and lethargy. After being sick all day today MUm brought me to the emergency vets tonight. Looks like I have Crystals and blood in my urine. So all you Bichon understand what that means....for those of you non Bichon's it means Kidney stones are most likely my problem. That is why I get all of a sudden sick and then all of a sudden better. The dogtor gave me all kinds of medicine and fluid so I am resting comfortably. Mum of course needs to be at work in 6 and a half hours for her long 16 hr work day. So she is going to be pretty tired tomorrow. She says I am worth it though :)
It is great to be loved.

Bichon Hugs, Mulligan

Wow one year later

I can't believe it has already been one year since I started competing in agility. Mum and I have both learned so much and are growing together as a team. I am learning to have more and more fun actually listening to mum on course. Yes, I still do have relapses into the world of zoomies but I am getting alittle more consistant all the time. I have been rather successful in CPE this year. Two CPE titles and I have actually gotten exactly Fifity Q's!! Most of them are first places too!! I couldn't believe that I had gotten that many till Mum told me. I have also starting trialing in USDAA and have been doing really well in that venue too. I have gotten sixteen Q's and am only one Starters Standard Q away from my AD title. I would have had that title too if I could just remember to hit the yellow on the contact equipment BOL!!! The other best part of agility is all the new friends that I have made. Everyone has been so helpful and have excepted me into their community. I even met my girlfirend Dori and my bestest friends Doolin, Duncan and Duffy through agility. Our pawrents have also become good friends and we all laugh and laugh when we are all together.


Mum and my trainer has made a plan for some winter projects for me the cold months ahead. Which is okay with me because projects means treats and I love treats BOL!!! Mum has actually been busy today with the circular saw, hammers and paint brushes to make me 6ft dog walk board. That way we can practice my contacts inside the house when the snow flies. Dad doesn't know yet..... I am sure he won't mind more agility equipment in the living room. There is already a set of weave poles. Well I was at the groomers all morning and I think it is time to take a nappie in my window. The sun is actually out today so I should soak it up.