The One With the Medical Update
Though I have talked to everyone who reads this blog, I just wanted to let you all know that Muggsy is fine. His T4 thyroid is low and his Free T3 is low-ish, but not so low that Dr. Dodds believes that it warrants treatment. It should not be affecting his behavior. However, his tryglicerides are twice what they should be, which means that he will probably develop either hypothyroidism or diabetes as he gets older. I will have to have his blood tested yearly.
But that doesn't matter now that he is such a rock star stud. Before we got to the clinic, I told Muggsy, you know, we're never going to compete in agility or obedience. These things just aren't in the stars for you. Getting blood like this is our championship. Let's just see how well we perform.
I hate to brag, but he did so well that the vet tech thought I had lied to her about how Muggsy behaved at the vet. He sat behind the door and we drew enough blood to run every test we could ever need to run. There was probably even some left over. My boss said she even looked behind the door at one point to see if he was still there. She and I both almost cried from our success. So it's OK that we went through all that trouble for nothing. Muggsy won the blood draw championship. And because he deserved the championship treatment, I took him out for a steak after it was over. That's right, he had a steak from a restaurant in Rancho Palos Verdes where I was going for a private lesson. He was a rock star. My boss even said that she really needed to see something like that to be reminded that hard work does pay off. I think everyone who knows Muggsy out here has been touched by him in some way, even stupid Dr. Boneysocks who will hopefully become a better doctor after having to deal with someone who makes her explain her diagnoses.
This girl who I have met at a couple conferences who knows my boss called me the day of the blood draw to tell me that "everyone really admires you for what you're doing. We're really pulling for you." She told me that "we all" admire all the work I'd put in and the dedication I had to my dog. I found this so funny because I don't know who we all is. I don't know any of these people. So I have this fan club talking about me who I've never met. I like to picture them with T-shirts that have Muggsy's big smiling face on them, one ear up and one ear down. Afterward, my boss said, "I was telling everyone about what happened and no one could believe it. They were so proud of you." I resisted the urge to cry out, "Who's they???? Who are these people who know so much about me?" But I'm sure they're all her friends, and it makes me feel good that she's proud enough to talk about me. It's nice to have a cheering section, even when you don't really know it.
The treatment suggestions for Muggsy were to take him off his heartworm medication, which is putting a lot of chemicals in his body and stop giving him vaccinations until his titers show that he needs them. This makes me really, really nervous because those treatments are there for a reason -- to protect your dog. But the risks out here aren't as bad as they are in the South and Midwest, and everyone assures me that it should be fine. I'm still thinking about it. I also have to take Muggsy completely off red meat and put him on a fish-based diet. I plan to give him allergy supplements to see if it clears up his skin problems. If not, I will be taking him back to Dr. Dodds for further treatment.
I have put him on Paxil. We're on Day 2. If by tomorrow or Monday, I don't see an increase in his aggression or serious vomiting and diaherria, it should be fine to continue use. In a month, I should see him start to calm down and other better behaviors when afraid. I will continue to work on his obedience and start desensitization and classical conditioning while on walks and especially with Chubbs. The abandonment training seems to be working well though with the Chubbs problem. I have done it twice and Muggsy has not attacked though given opportunities in the last two days. Through experimentation, we have found that I'm the trigger. They only fight over me. So if I remove myself in disgust when the display starts, it should work to stop it. We'll see. According to my boss, if it's going to work, I'll only need to use it like six times.
Alright, I think I'm finally caught up with my blogging. Whew. Time to go read.
But that doesn't matter now that he is such a rock star stud. Before we got to the clinic, I told Muggsy, you know, we're never going to compete in agility or obedience. These things just aren't in the stars for you. Getting blood like this is our championship. Let's just see how well we perform.
I hate to brag, but he did so well that the vet tech thought I had lied to her about how Muggsy behaved at the vet. He sat behind the door and we drew enough blood to run every test we could ever need to run. There was probably even some left over. My boss said she even looked behind the door at one point to see if he was still there. She and I both almost cried from our success. So it's OK that we went through all that trouble for nothing. Muggsy won the blood draw championship. And because he deserved the championship treatment, I took him out for a steak after it was over. That's right, he had a steak from a restaurant in Rancho Palos Verdes where I was going for a private lesson. He was a rock star. My boss even said that she really needed to see something like that to be reminded that hard work does pay off. I think everyone who knows Muggsy out here has been touched by him in some way, even stupid Dr. Boneysocks who will hopefully become a better doctor after having to deal with someone who makes her explain her diagnoses.
This girl who I have met at a couple conferences who knows my boss called me the day of the blood draw to tell me that "everyone really admires you for what you're doing. We're really pulling for you." She told me that "we all" admire all the work I'd put in and the dedication I had to my dog. I found this so funny because I don't know who we all is. I don't know any of these people. So I have this fan club talking about me who I've never met. I like to picture them with T-shirts that have Muggsy's big smiling face on them, one ear up and one ear down. Afterward, my boss said, "I was telling everyone about what happened and no one could believe it. They were so proud of you." I resisted the urge to cry out, "Who's they???? Who are these people who know so much about me?" But I'm sure they're all her friends, and it makes me feel good that she's proud enough to talk about me. It's nice to have a cheering section, even when you don't really know it.
The treatment suggestions for Muggsy were to take him off his heartworm medication, which is putting a lot of chemicals in his body and stop giving him vaccinations until his titers show that he needs them. This makes me really, really nervous because those treatments are there for a reason -- to protect your dog. But the risks out here aren't as bad as they are in the South and Midwest, and everyone assures me that it should be fine. I'm still thinking about it. I also have to take Muggsy completely off red meat and put him on a fish-based diet. I plan to give him allergy supplements to see if it clears up his skin problems. If not, I will be taking him back to Dr. Dodds for further treatment.
I have put him on Paxil. We're on Day 2. If by tomorrow or Monday, I don't see an increase in his aggression or serious vomiting and diaherria, it should be fine to continue use. In a month, I should see him start to calm down and other better behaviors when afraid. I will continue to work on his obedience and start desensitization and classical conditioning while on walks and especially with Chubbs. The abandonment training seems to be working well though with the Chubbs problem. I have done it twice and Muggsy has not attacked though given opportunities in the last two days. Through experimentation, we have found that I'm the trigger. They only fight over me. So if I remove myself in disgust when the display starts, it should work to stop it. We'll see. According to my boss, if it's going to work, I'll only need to use it like six times.
Alright, I think I'm finally caught up with my blogging. Whew. Time to go read.
posted by Rachel at
8:35 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home