more adventures in Scout's World

So I took Scout back to the vet on Monday to "get his teeth cleaned", which was really get his blood work done and tested to see if we could go ahead and get his teeth cleaned or see what's happening.  So I dropped Scout off, and got the call to come back and get him a hour later.  His liver levels have gone up even more than the last time.  So the "treatment" we had been doing wasn't working at all.  The vet also looked at his front left paw just to make sure that wasn't anything "serious" going on with it, and she even took a film to check.  It looks like he just has some arthritic changes happening.  Of course I can't give him any anti-inflammatory meds (or NSAIDS) because they are processed through his liver, and until we know what's going on with his liver we don't want to do more damage.  Okay.  So the bottom line is that Scout is going in on Wednesday to have an ultrasound.  (that's when the ultrasound machine will be at my vet's office).  They'll be looking to see if he has nodules in his liver causing his levels to go up, and if he does they will need to remove and biopsy them.  He hasn't has his liver levels checked since he was about 3, so it may just be him.  He haven't had any procedures that he's had to be knocked out for done on him since then, so no blood tests.  I think we'll be doing blood test more frequently just because now.

On a different note: this morning while I was walking Scout we were accosted by a neighbor.  To be fair this neighbor and I have a history.  He was...maybe still is...a lawn care guy.  He had his own business, and I hired him to take care of my yard (as I do not like working in the yard).  He outlined what he would do, and then didn't do any of it.  He took was paid for 3 months ahead of time, and he didn't work on my yard.  When I brought it up to him he acknowledged that he wasn't doing right and promised to do better, but didn't.  I had to fire him.  He wasn't happy with me, and I wasn't happy with him.  He lives about 2 blocks away from me, and honestly I rarely see him (thank goodness).  Scout happened to walk by his house.  No problem, we were doing a nice leisurely walk.  I was texting a friend to see if she wanted to run after I finished walking Scout.  I was stopped in front of this Jack Wagon's house and Scout was sniffing the bushes (trying to sniff out the bunnies).  The Jack Wagon stepped out on to his porch and said "Chrissy you need to get Scout away from my yard".  WTF??  I responded with he's just sniffing at your bush, he isn't doing anything to your yard.  He responded that it was his property and that he didn't want Scout on it.  Then his baby momma (they may be married by now, but I don't know) came out and told me to shut up.  WHAT??  I called him a Jack Wagon (insert the other word) and pulled Scout away from his yard.  If I could of made Scout pee on command I would of loved it if he pee'd right then.  I don't know what people are thinking living in a neighborhood and thinking that dogs aren't going to walk by and sniff stuff.  Further more I have a male dog (whose pee is not caustic), and I pick up after my dog. Unlike some people who leave their dog crap in my yard.

So that's my rant and Scout adventures for now.

Scout adventures

So on Wednesday May 30th I took Scout in to get his teeth cleaned.  This is a big deal, as I have in the past gotten out my instruments and cleaned his teeth myself.  However I've been slack on that lately, and I noticed that his gums were not so happy.  That and he has a tissue tag that comes and goes on his gum that I can't take off.  So we decided to have the whole teeth cleaning adventure and while we doing that we thought we should go ahead and take off the warts and tissue tags he has on his skin as well.

I dropped him off at the vet at 7:30 am, and they told me they would call Jason to come pick him up after he was ready.  I opted for the blood work for the older dogs (because he is).  I was nervous about him going under, but happy that his teeth and gums would be doing better afterwards.  They use ultrasonic scalers when they work on the teeth at the vet's office, just like I do on some of my patients.

At 8:45 I got a call from the vet, telling me that Scout's liver levels/counts were off the charts.  That they didn't feel he should go under for the dental treatment, and that they would be taking an x-ray to rule out any masses.  WHAT!!  SHOCK!!  Completely devastated that my sweet doggy might be sick.  I ended up calling my dental office and telling them I wouldn't be in for work, I was a WRECK.  In the end there was no visible mass, so we are on a regimen of antibiotics and Denamarin (for liver disease) to see if it changes the levels.  If it does not then we will need to do an ultrasound to see if there are nodules, and then go from there.

On top of all the liver stuff, Scout has developed a limp.  So we are working on treating that with meds that are not processed through the liver.  The first round of meds didn't work, and now we are working on round 2.

We go back on the 18th, to check the liver levels, and if all is well then we will get his teeth cleaned and move on from there.  If it is not okay then.....well then we'll see what's next.

Crunch Time...

[Preface- I started this post on Wednesday May 30th ]

It's getting down to CRUNCH TIME!!  I'm about to leave on another adventure!  I've raised $4,515.00 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society this season.  I've enjoyed my training, and learned a ton about how to cycle in a group. I believe I've become a better group cyclist, and am excited about being out on more group rides.  Now if I could just teach everyone else how to ride better??  Another day for a another story.  Reflecting back on this year of intense, and maybe a little insane training and fundraising has made me really think about why I do this.  Of course I love endurance sports, I also love sitting on the couch watching TV and eating crappy foods.  I digress.  I love endurance events, well I love being outside, working out, and hanging out with my friends....who love endurance events. *smiles* I'm impressed with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's mission, and am happy to know that 80 + % of the money I raise goes to patient services and research to find cures.  If you look at other non-profits this isn't always the case.  LLS does a good job of putting the money where it is needed, so even if my world wasn't rocked by blood cancers, I believe I would be supporting LLS.  Ahhh, but there's the rub.  My world, and if you've read this blog you know, has been rocked by blood cancer.  Not me personally, although sometimes it has felt like it, but my family and my friends.  Knowing the battles that others have been through, and continue to go through, makes the hills and the miles feel like nothing (<-- not true, they still are long and hard, but it gets put into perspective).

So my bags are mostly packed, by bike is on it's way to Lake Tahoe, in just a few days I'll be on an airplane flying out to do my 7th TNT event, and my first century cycle.  My coaches and teammates have been wonderful this season.  I'm happy to have everyone coming along for the ride (and missing the couple of teammates that will be doing Fletcher Flyer instead of Tahoe).  I've been prepared in the best way I can be.  I know this ride will not be easy, I don't pick the easy ones.  I know it will be beautiful.  I mean it's in the name for crying out loud.