Update: Max

Max

"Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement." ~ Snoopy (a.k.a. Charles M. Schulz)

Max is back from his ultrasound. He was his usual hyper self, growling at sounds in the doctor's office and wagging his tail all the time. Muzzled he had his temperature taken; then they took his blood pressure with one of those automatic machines, never saw that before. His pressure was high; this should be expected, everyone has higher pressure in the doctor's office. They took him back and shaved his belly. They looked at his abdomen and his heart.

The doctor can't find any tumor. YEAH!!!!! But he can't find any reason for the ascites. It has gone down in the past four or five days with the Lasix. His belly is softer and he has lost about four pounds. Maybe he had a vasculitis that has resolved, maybe he had a touch of heart failure but not likely, no one knows. The plan? Lasix for another week. Then get him off of it and see if it comes back. And antibiotic for a skin condition that I can't see because he won't show anyone his tummy. He did his usual morning constitutional on the floor of the waiting room. (When a dog's got to go, a dog's got to go.) He got a treat from one of the techs and then he must have thought she had another treat in her hand because he jumped up and nipped her finger. Didn't break the skin though. Now he's home and resting on his covered porch, out of the fine mist still falling and on a super duper comfy shag rug. His belly has been rubbed with cortisone cream, he's had his meds in the morning chunky snack food and his toys are safe in his house.

So for now, no news is good news. Maybe it won't come back. Maybe he will live another ten years. Max and I thank you for all your kind thoughts. Hopefully, I will have more time to make him feel special and compensate for all the rough and hurtful times he had before we met. Then he will know in his heart that "Max is a very good boy" and that he is totally loved.

And about the quote above...who needs advancement when you are "the head of the pack" already?

I'm going to spread the (at least for now) good news at Carnival of the Dogs this Sunday, hosted by Mickey's Musings. (end of post)