Month: May 2017

Riley has had remarkable improvement since her surgery.  She is navigating very well on three legs.  Going up stairs is still very hard for her, so we put her Webmaster harness on at bedtime and lug her upstairs.  The handle on the harness is great – she is like a big, furry suitcase that we wrestle up the stairs!  Riley zips down the stairs on her own with no trouble.  Next week, we see a physical therapist, so maybe she can rebuild her strength.  Riley has never been much for water, so I don’t see her being a fan of an underwater treadmill, but there are other things that the rehab center offers. While she is intermittently active, it also seems that she is sleeping a lot.  But, overall, she is pretty much back to her old self.  Riley is alert and loving, and has a renewed interest in chew toys.

We started chemo on Thursday, with  possible five dose total.  The oncologist wants Riley to have a CBC next week, so that future dosages can be adjusted, if need be.  When the doc told us what to expect from the chemo, we were a little blindsided to hear that we need to be careful around her poop and pee for a few days.  Apparently, she will be excreting the chemo chemicals, and they are dangerous.  It makes you wonder why we give such nasty chemicals to a dog who is already sick…

 

Things are progressing very well.  She seems a little more solid on her three legs, and can move pretty fast – intermittently.  Thursday and Friday were low energy  days, and she slept a lot.  Much more alert today, and she is looking around from her comfy spot of her bed.  Riley’s staples come out tomorrow, which will be great for all of us.

We are still having trouble keeping her entertained and quiet.  The snuggle mat continues to be a big hit, and we fill it for her several times a day.  Riley gets an outing in her stroller every morning, and I think that she is starting to look forward to these little trips.

On the 18th, Riley has her first chemo appointment.  We don’t know what to expect from that.  Any pointers, folks?

Riley is now six days post surgery, and getting around very well on her own.  She was quite active yesterday, and moving around the house a fair amount.

Per a suggestion on this blog, I made her a snuffle mat and she has been having fun with it.  I really think this activity is good for her, as she is very excited when we give her the mat.  Sniffing out the buried kibble keeps her occupied for a while, and provides some mental stimulation.  Additionally, I took her out in the stroller today, so she got to experience a little more of the larger world.  This is a bicycle trailer that can also transport two toddlers.  Prior to her surgery, we had several outings in it so that she would be acclimated to the stroller.

Her is a picture of Riley from last week, before her surgery.  She rides in the stroller like the queen she is!

Somehow, Riley has pulled out a staple.  I emailed a photo to the surgeon’s office, and they aren’t too worried, but advised us to keep it under observation.  The swelling in her remaining rear leg has gone down, and belly bruising is much diminished.  So, all in all, we are most pleased with her recovery.

Preliminary pathology report confirms cancer.  The lymph node was clear.  Yay!