Mufasa on Palladia…and the Stables :-)

Ok, I know it’s a funny title but it’s relevant.

Mufasa is 2 weeks post-op and running around, going down stairs, chewing his bones and living his new 3-legged life without looking back. He started taking the drug Palladia 4 days ago. So far, no ill side effects…but also no miraculous shrinking of tumors. You hear stories and even though you think, “gosh I really have to be patient and realistic,” somewhere back there you’re also thinking, “but THEIR dog’s tumors started shrinking after 1 dose!”

Sigh…another lesson in life. Do the best you can, be patient and appreciate even the smallest of triumphs.

Mufasa is the love of my life, but amidst all of this I somehow forgot I have another love. A 1400 pound one who needs my time as well. Today, Mufasa and I drove out to the stables to see our horse, “Lucky”. His original name was Bucky B Lucky. He is Seattle Slew’s grandson, and he raced successfully for 2 years prior to breaking his leg. The owner decided that after all that hard running and the high purses he won, he would be rewarded with a trip to the slaughter yard. He was rescued 1 day before the trucks came and fell into my life about a year ago. He and Mufasa do well together…very respectful of one another’s space. So I rode for a while, then the 3 of us spent time in the pasture. I soaked up the sun and the love of my 2 boys, Lucky ate grass and Mufasa ate…….well, lets just leave it at that.

My point is that I have delved into spending every free moment of time with Mufasa and have forgotten about others who need my love as well. Ultimately, Mufasa always accompanies me anyway. So why and how did I “forget”. I don’t really know the answer to that but I do know that Mufasa enjoys these outings as much as I do. If it makes us both happier, I need to be sure to include the whole “family”.

Mufasa is taking a nap now, after a great morning, and I am watching him. The sound of him breathing makes me smile. Tomorrow we’ll have another adventure, and I will put the worries about the Palladia behind me. Either it will work, or it won’t. Meanwhile, there is sun to soak up and grass to nibble on and big smelly creatures who leave behind really yummy treats to snack on (hahahaha, gross!).

So, still not time to mourn, but perhaps also not time to worry too much.

The Small Dog Journey. A Devastating Turn of Events

Since I last wrote, we are now Day 8 Post-op. Mufasa, the most largest dog ever (at 12 pounds) is doing amazingly well. After the Fentanyl patch came off he returned to his normal self, and in 48 hours, taught himself to pee, poop and most importantly, get around on the bed 🙂

I was feeling good until I got the call from the vet Thursday morning. The in-house path report was wrong. The “cured” hemangiopericytoma has been re-diagnosed by another lab. Mufasa has Grade3 Mast Cell Cancer. His sutures aren’t even out and we’re realistically looking at weeks. I sat in the corner of my kitchen and cried for hours.

After a while, Mufasa hopped over wondering what was going on. I could barely look at him. Feelings of guilt and sadness were overwhelming. “Had I known, would I have done the surgery?” “How is it possible that you look so good right now, with this terminal and awful disease?”

I remembered what a wise woman told me about Mufasa. He doesn’t dwell on what was…he lives what is. Standing next to my slumped, crying self doesn’t make him feel good or safe. So I got up. We went outside to get some fresh air, and he acted like it was the best smelling air he had ever encountered.

I shifted my focus to, “what exactly IS grade3 Mast Cell Cancer?”  After a lot of research and a meeting with the vet, I quickly decided quality of life is of utmost importance right now. I visited the local supplement store and got natural anti-histamines, liver protectants, ulcer preventatives and such. He has been on Artemisinin for months now, but I was able to get a gel to put directly on the new tumors that have popped up. There are so many in just a few days, I have stopped counting. I also made the decision to start him on an oral chemo-like drug targeting Grade3 Mast Cells in particular.

Then I stopped…took a deep breath and snuggled with Mufasa. I may have weeks with him, I may have a few months if the drug works. Either way, he is right here looking at me, wanted to be snuggled, loved, entertained and treated like the big strong dog he is.

I can mourn later.

 

Post-op Day 3 (We’ll touch on 2 and 1 :-)

I will never forget that wonderful phrase, “this will be easy, he’s a small dog”. If you ever get the urge to say that to someone pre-op….don’t.

Mufasa’s hemangiopericytoma was removed once, and came back with a vengeance in 8 weeks. Intertwined in bone, blood vessels, tendons, nerves etc., it was clear the only option was amputation. And quick, the mass was breaking through the skin in several places.

Mufasa’s surgery went off without a hitch, done in 1 1/2 hours. I was expecting this “gigantic” 12 pound pup to be at least up and bearing weight by day 2. I was wrong. Mufasa spent the first 24 hours in a fentanyl haze…probably a good thing. He screamed through the night, however, and I quickly decided he wanted the lights on. Maybe some opiate dysphoria.

36 hours post-op, surely he would want to get up to at least pee or drink something yummy. No such luck. Serious signs of dehydration led to SQ fluids, and yet another night of crying. He seemed frantic. Something was surely wrong. 5AM, time to go to the ER. Vet says his bladder is massive and drains it. She also gives him med for urethral relaxation.

Another 24 hours of sleeping and no desire to drink, eat or pee. Gosh this isn’t what I expected at all.

A dear vet friend gives him an acupuncture treatment for bladder retention. 1/2 way through Mufasa gets up…looking at the front door. I take him out and guess what?! Pee! I tried to help him stand but he wanted to do it on his own. He looked like a drunken sailor but he found some grass and did his business. Brought him back in and he laid down as if he just ran a marathon.

I am so proud of him, and am re-adjusting my expectations. Just because he’s a small dog doesn’t mean this process is any easier for him. He has little legs with just as little muscles to match his little body. Rehab and strengthening will be a big focus for him this week.

All that being said, I am thankful he is here, and that surgery was an option. I am happy to give him all the time and support he needs to recover. He is my best friend, my hiking partner, my co-pilot and snuggle buddy.