I have a few problems.....

Hello everyone, the following post will be a combined effort between Sam and his dad. Sam has a mast cell tumor growing on the backside of his right-front leg. The surgeon said that there's not a lot of flesh and stuff there to get "clean margins". Currently it's an open wound that's under treatment with Sam's mom changing his bandages every night. Yes "vet-grade" Manuka honey is being used. We do not know whether it's malignant or benign. To find out, we'd have to biopsy and put him under anesthesia. So we might as well do the surgery, if we went that route.

Sam also has a large lipoma hanging from his right front armpit/chest area and the surgeon and vets are suggesting that we remove that as well, if we're going to do the right-front arm tumor.

Sam has a serious heart murmur that's being managed with medication, supplements and whatever else his vets recommend. He gets a cardiac ultra-sound, chest cavity ultrasound and chest x-rays every 4 months to see if anything has changed (gotten worse, fluid in lungs, that sort of thing, etc.). Owen, Sam's brother gets the same thing. My mom and dad's retirement fund is taking a bit of a beating but "WTH" (my dad said that).

Sam also has a collapsing trachea to top things off. So we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. To do the surgery or not.

Sam walked for over 2-1/2 hours this past Saturday and about an hour and a half on Sunday. He's a happy boy and lives for getting outside to walk, breakfast and dinner and being with his family. And for lots of special treats (gee they're all special treats), weekly lasering and monthly visits with his favorite chiropractic vet.

The surgeon is also worried about having to do skin grafts a couple of weeks after surgery (after some tissue grows back first). The doctor says that the skin graft surgery is more worrisome than the tumor and lipoma surgery. I think that my dad's face dropped even lower at that point and he looked way more concerned.

The surgeon is unsure whether my tumor is the really bad kind or not and if the tests come back that it is, then the only solution for that is amputation and my dad said that we'd never do that, ever.

Taking all this and more into consideration, we've decided as a family to leave Sam exactly the way he is right now and allow him to live out the rest of his days, with his family and friends.

My dad says that I'm still a "pain in the ass" but that I'm his pain in the ass and that my dad and mom will look after me. So cheer up. I'm okay. Love Sam.

Sam goes to college

Hey dad, let's go for a walk to the local college, maybe there's something happening there.

It doesn't look like there's much going on in here on the weekend dad. 

Well Sam, maybe all the kids are studying for exams or doing homework

Sounds a little boring dad. Well Sam, do you remember when you were a little pup and we took you to a bunch of classes like puppy kindergarten, obedience 1, 2 and 3? As well as a bunch of others?

Yeah, kind of....

Yea that's what I figured Sam. But it did teach you how to behave and be nice to other dogs and it did help you to become a better, all around "good dog" and a fine member of this family.

Let's go dad. It's kind of quiet and boring here. Let's go to the dog park to see who's there.

Know anyone Sam?

Nope. Let's head into the community center. Maybe there's stuff happening there.

Let's go outside. It's kind of boring in here too.

Smells much nicer out here.

Bye for now.

Sam - It's Snowing in Vancouver

Sam, it's snowing and we should head back home before you get too cold.

Dad, I know it's snowing but we just started our walk. I've been stuck in the house 

since my morning walk and I like the snow.

But Sam, you're already starting to walk slowly and I'm worried that the excessive salt and snow and ice melter that people have been using so much of has started to irritate your pads. And you only have your front legs to carry you through life.

 

I think that it's best that I take you home Sam. 

Dad, I want to stay out. Grrrrrr.....

 

It's now 5:39 PM and it's still snowing. We've had almost 5 hours of snow and it's still coming down. We have 5 inches of snow outside but the main roads look good. It's the residential side streets that'll be a challenge with snow clogged sidewalks (tough to navigate using a wheelchair) and speeding drivers. Stay safe everyone.