Life goes on .... because Love Always Wins

This afternoon I'm taking Ruff back to the CARE Center in Loveland, Ohio to have the staples removed from his surgery. I will talk to both of the doctors who treated him a few weeks ago, Dr. Pohlmann, the Oncologist and Dr. Muldoon, the Surgeon who removed the tumor from his abdomen. Ruff seems to be having a difficult time coping with his blindness and maybe the veterinarians can give me some advice on how to make it easier for him.

Meanwhile, back at home, Bessie seems to be practicing her own form of therapy on Ruff. As the photos show, isn't love wonderful. If the weather outside wasn't so nasty I'd say Spring was in the air.

Love always finds a way to win the day.

  

My greatest sorrow.

Today, Saturday, March 25th, I buried my life-long friend and wife of 57 years. Jacqueline was given a solemn Requiem Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Walton, Kentucky and buried in Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

I am still feeling numb from the events of this past week and I think it is going to take some time to get used to being alone for the first time in my adult life.

I want to thank everyone who sent flowers and prayers and messages of condolence. It enabled me to draw on your strength to help get through this.

You should know that as I promised, the ashes of Jacqueline's devoted service dog Axl were placed inside her casket so they can spend the rest of eternity side by side.

 

My beloved Jacqueline has passed away.

Please be advised that my beloved Jacqueline, wife of 57 years, ended her 10 year battle with Alzheimer's late last night. She passed away peacefully in her sleep and is now with her devoted service dog Axl for the rest of eternity.

UPDATE: Tuesday, March 21st.
Funeral arrangements for Jacqueline.

There will be a two hour viewing Friday March 24th, between 5 - 7 PM at
Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home
11382 Madison Pike
Independence, Kentucky 41051

There will be a Funeral Mass at 10 AM Saturday morning March 25th at
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church
472 Beaver Rd
Walton, Kentucky 41094

Burial will be at Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell.

   

RUFFIN IS HOME

My big, beautiful best friend Ruff is finally home. I had to steal him away from all the girls at the CARE Center. Everyone there was telling me what a big sweetie he was and I think they wanted to keep him. All I could say was Ruff was a people person in dogs clothing. And while I was standing at the front desk getting checked out Ruff was at the end of his leash trying to make new friends with a couple in the waiting area.

Here he is, along with his Super Dog cape.

He has to go back in a few weeks to get the drain tube removed and his staples taken out. I'm sure the girls will be glad to see him again.

UPDATE 8PM
We haven't even been home 6 hours and Ruff almost ruined the operation. Right after dinner I noticed Ruff had somehow gotten his hind foot inside the loop of the drain tube that had been sutured into his belly and came close to pulling it out. The CARE Center suggested putting a t-shirt on him but it was too short and didn't reach his butt. So I pulled out an old pair of suspenders and ...... take a look.

Notice how long the drain tube is in the above photo? That's what Ruff got his hind foot tangled in.

Here's the fix I made.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

UPDATE: Sunday, March 18th.
I found that my jury-rigged suspenders needed some tweaking. When I took Ruff outside to go potty it wasn't too convenient to unsnap the suspenders at his butt end and resnap them when he was done. So I cut off the long end of the suspenders and just clipped the short end across his butt. This way I can just slide the t-shirt up over his rear without unsnapping the suspenders. 

After he gets the drain tube removed he won't need this any more. But this is definitely better than the Elizabethan Collar the Vets gave me.

Help save Ruffin.

Scroll down for Latest UPDATE: Saturday, March 18th.

Please note: Because of the links here for Ruff's Go Fund Me campaign and for my Facebook page, I am keeping this page on the top of my blog and will continue to post updates below.

 

For many years friends and lovers of Rottweilers around the world have enjoyed the stories and photos of all of my Rotts on my blog LIVING WITH ROTTWEILERS . Now, my big, beautiful best friend Ruffin needs some very expensive medical treatment and I need help to pay for it as soon as possible. Ruff, as everyone calls him, lost his eyesight last month and his Ophthalmologist thinks there is a tumor pressing on his optic nerve. Ruff will need a CT Scan first, followed by radiation therapy to remove or kill the tumor in order to save his life. And if successful it may even restore his eyesight. Ruff has undergone several tests already and all the possible causes for his blindness have been eliminated. So now, the tumor is still growing and getting worse every day.

Today I started a campaign on Go Fund Me to help raise some money to pay for the treatment. Please visit this link: https://www.gofundme.com/help-save-ruffin-my-rottweiler

The total package is more than $10,000 and the treatment cannot begin until it is paid for. The CT Scan and everything related to the radiation treatment must be done at the C.A.R.E. Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Please pass this information to all of your friends. I also just started a page on Facebook but I have no experience working with it yet.

Thank you.

Nelson Abdullah

UPDATE: Click this Link to my Facebook Page:

UPDATE: Monday, March 6th.
I was worried over the weekend because Ruff had not wanted to eat anything so I took him to our Vet. He was running a slight fever with 104.5 temperature (2 degrees above normal for a dog). The doctor gave him a shot of Penicillin and shots of Baytril, Cerenia and Meloxicam and almost a quart of Saline water under his skin.

The generous donations so far on my Go Fund Me campaign have enabled me to get Ruffin scheduled for his CT Scan tomorrow (Tuesday March 7th). I'm not sure how soon the results will be known but we will plan things from there. Our Vet thinks the problem lies in his pituitary gland and also affects his liver and other organs.

Prayers are still needed. Also need more response on Go Fund Me.

UPDATE: Wednesday, March 8th.
I am going to keep this page on top of the blog while I continue to post dated updates because it has the links to my Go Fund Me campaign and to my Facebook page.

Last night I fried up another boneless pork chop for Ruff and he ate the whole thing. As small as it was it was only his second meal in four days. He has lost 15 lbs in the past month. Hoping that he was gradually getting his appetite back and because he has a fondness for pork, this morning I cooked up a whole Roast Pork that I had cut up for two adult meals. It only weighed about 1 lb but after I diced it up Ruff ate the whole thing along with a half cup of kibble. Tonight he ate a whole can of dog food.

Yesterday I drove up to the CARE Center in Ohio to have them do the CT Scan. The cost for that used up the entire funds raised so far on Go Fund Me. This afternoon I received a phone call from Dr. Kelsey Pohlmann, the radiation oncologist from PetCure Oncology at the Care Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. She said the tumor was located in Ruffin's Pituitary Gland inside his brain. Dr. Pohlmann outlined a course of treatment using 3 sessions of radiation. The cost has been fixed at $8,100. As much as that seems to be I cannot let my best friend go without getting him the best help possible. This is the debt I am willing to pay for the thief that stole my heart.

After talking with Dr. Pohlmann I did a Google search about her and her work and found a great story on the local web site for TV station WLWT in Cincinnati that is worth watching. Here is the link. 

Now we need more prayer than ever before.

UPDATE: Saturday, March 11th
I realized a few days ago that I could not wait for the Go Fund Me campaign to generate the entire amount needed for Ruffin's radiology treatment. After talking again with Dr. Pohlmann about the costs she agreed to let me put a down payment and pay the balance when Ruff comes home. So yesterday I dropped off Ruff and maxed out my credit card with a $2000 down payment. Earlier this week I already requested a loan/withdrawal from my IRA to pay the balance but the worst thing to happen there is a big tax headache which I hope to avoid. There's not a lot of money in the account anyway.

After dropping Ruff at the CARE Center we did a tour of the facility and I informed the staff that Ruff loves to be around people and that he was raised on love and gets lots of hugs every day. So before I left two of the girls came over and did just that and made Ruff feel right at home. 

Tomorrow, Sunday, I will take Bess with me and we will drive up and visit Ruff. I think Bess has started to notice how empty and quiet the house is and she seems uncomfortable with this. I felt the same way two months ago after old man Axl died and Bess is too young to understand what's going on. When I tell her my plans for the long drive to see Ruffin, her eyes light up with excitement.

UPDATE: Sunday, March 12th
I just got back from visiting Ruff at the CARE Center. Bess was very excited after her longest ride in the car and was very happy to see the love of her life when they brought Ruff into a private visiting room. The staff told me Ruff was eating very well and on his way to regaining the 15 lbs he lost when he got sick a few weeks ago. I brought a package of his favorite treats, sliced beef sausage from Milo's Kitchen, and Ruff and Bess finished it all.

The CARE Center is a big place with a large staff 7-days a week and there were several girls on duty to keep him company. Tomorrow he starts the radiation treatment and I won't see him again until I pick him up on Thursday to bring him home.

UPDATE: Tuesday, March 14th
Dr. Kelsey Pohlmann from the CARE Center called last night and informed me that as a result of the full-body CT Scan they detected a malignant tumor hanging below and outside of Ruff's belly in front of his penis. Because it is not inside his abdomen the surgical removal is not very complicated and can be done while Ruff is still under anesthesia following his last radiation treatment on Thursday. 

I received another phone call from the CARE Center today and was told Ruff had just come out of anesthesia following his first radiation session. He has made several friends while in the hospital and is getting many hugs from the staff every day. His appetite is still improving and he is well underway regaining his lost weight.

I sent an email over the weekend to WLWT News Anchor Sheree Paolello thanking her for the great news story and interview she did with Dr. Kelsey Pohlmann at the PetCure Oncology CARE Center and she sent me the following reply last night.

Oh my goodness.  I’m so sorry to hear about Ruffin.  He’s beautiful.  I just want to give him a big smooch. I hope you’re able to get financial support from friends and family.  I know it’s OUTRAGEOUS…  but I have heard great things about the PetCure treatment.

In the meantime, I’m sending a little prayer your way for your big teddy bear.  He looks like such a sweetie.

Sheree Paolello/ WLWT Anchor 

UPDATE: Wednesday, March 15th
Dr. Kelsey Pohlmann called today to advise me on Ruffin's progress. Ruff will have his last radiation session tomorrow and immediately after will be taken into surgery to remove the tumor hanging below his belly. He will then spend one more night in the hospital at the PetCure Oncology CARE Center and I will drive up there Friday afternoon and bring him home. 

This has been quite an ordeal for my big best friend who has never before been away from home in his whole life and even though the staff has taken care to see that he gets as much love as possible, he has still been in a strange place for a whole week and he must miss his family. 

While the surgery is not complicated it is still surgery and I wish everyone will say at least one more prayer for Ruff's safety and a speedy recovery.

UPDATE: Thursday, March 16th.
11:45AM  Dr. Pohlmann called me this morning and said Ruff had his last radiation session and was still under anesthesia and they were moving him into surgery for the tumor. This morning I also got a revised estimate for the surgery and they lowered it about $200. TOTAL: $1,616.00 to $1,702.00 plus $8,160.00 for the radiation treatment.

I am waiting now to get a phone call from the Dr. Michele Muldoon, the surgeon, to hear how Ruff is doing. Dr. Kelsey Pohlman said she and the other girls on the staff had been giving Ruff daily hugs and Ruff was giving everyone kisses so she felt he was handling his situation very well. I questioned Dr. Pohlmann about Ruff's eyesight and she said not to expect immediate improvement, if any. And the "if any" is contingent on whether or not his optic nerve has been damaged. I guess this is the way doctors often qualify their outlooks with a lot of unknowns.

They also convinced me of the necessity for doing a biopsy on the removed tumor to confirm if it was malignant. They said the CT Scan only looked suspicious.        

2:20 PM Dr. Michele Muldoon, the surgeon called me just now and said Ruff is out of surgery and doing fine and the tumor appeared to be just a benign fatty tumor. But she said one side was hard which made for the suspicious image in the CT Scan and that it had an infection in it. They will not know for sure if it was malignant or not until the tests come back in about two weeks. Meanwhile Ruff will be home tomorrow afternoon and he will have a drain in the incision and be on antibiotics.

UPDATE: Friday, March 17th.
Bad weather, icy road conditions and a medical emergency at home prevented me from making the 45-mile trip to pick up Ruff and bring him home today. I will be going tomorrow to bring him back to his family.

UPDATE: Saturday, March 18th

RUFFIN IS HOME. See the new post and the photos.

 

UPDATE on Ruffin. Bile Acids test results prove nothing.

The Bile Acids Test results came back today and the one test that I was hoping Ruff would fail appears to be the one test that he passed. For had he failed this test it would have been a clear indication that Ruff's liver problems had caused a condition called Hepatic Encephalopathy in Dogs. Not only did Ruff pass this test within normal parameters but the results were upside down. So once again after another search for an explanation for the readings of this test I found a testing laboratory that posted a chart that suggested a retest was in order in a few weeks. 

The Bile Acids Test requires an absolute 12 hour fast but Ruff had a few small biscuits between 11PM and Midnight the night before so when I dropped him off I told the Vet not to do the test before 11AM or Noon. Then I read today the 12-hours rule is a minimum time frame and could be longer. The test begins with a blood test to determine the preprandial (before meal) level then a meal is given followed by a second blood test two hours later. Ruff's test had slightly higher values than normal (19.5) before he was given food and afterward his score was lower than normal (16.9) for post-meal.

A PDF chart I found on IDEXX Laboratories explained how the results can be skewed: "Preprandial values will occasionally exceed postprandial values. This is usually attributed to spontaneous gall bladder contraction or preprandial specimen obtained prior to a sufficient fast. When preprandial values exceed the postprandial values, always check the pre- and postprandial samples are properly identified."

When my Vet called today with the results he suggested waiting two weeks for another blood test to check on Ruffs liver enzymes. When I take Ruff in I am going to have the Bile Acids Test done once again. The costs so far have begun to really add up. Each blood test was $67.50, then two bottles of liver supplement pills $201.19 plus two visits to the Ophthalmologist $500. Plus another $330 at the Emergency Hospital when Ruff was vomiting for three days. But the course of this is minimal compared to a CT Scan ($1000) and radiation treatment which, even still, may be needed once the tests have eliminated everything except a tumor.

For well over six months now I had been growing more and more concerned over Ruffin's declining eyesight. And then about six weeks ago I took Ruff to an Ophthalmologist for an eye exam and by then Ruff had become totally blind. The doctor said the cause of the blindness was not in Ruff's eyes and more likely was the result of something like a tumor on his optic nerve. He suggested a CT Scan and the hospital that did that work wanted a blood test to show he was healthy enough for anesthesia.  

The first blood test revealed extremely high enzyme spikes from Ruff's liver and over the course of 5 weeks Ruff had four more blood tests and the enzyme levels only declined a slight bit as his doses of prednisone were reduced to zero. This led to hours and hours searching for likely causes and I thought I had found a solid connection. I have frequently read lists of symptoms for different diseases but never before had I seen so many that matched what Ruff was now going through so I had my hopes the Bile Acids test would be the cause of Hepatic Encephalopathy instead of an astronomically expensive CT Scan and assorted radiation treatments for a brain tumor.

Symptoms and Types of Hepatic Encephalopathy in Dogs
    Circling, running into walls and acting confused after meals
    Learning disabilities (difficult to train)
    Sluggishness (lethargy) and/or drowsiness or sleepiness
    Disorientation
    Aimless wandering
    Compulsive pacing
    Head pressing
    Blindness related to brain abnormality
    Seizures
    Coma
    Sudden aggression
    Vocalizing
    Lack of appetite
    Increased urination or lack of urination (inability to urinate often seen in male dogs)
    Frequent voiding of small volumes ( small poops )
    Orange-brown urine (often seen in male dogs)
    Increased thirst
    Excessive salivation
    Vomiting
    Diarrhea

When anything new comes up I will post it. I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to save my best friend. 

 

UPDATE on Ruffin. Promising new leads.

New blood test for Ruffin last Saturday still shows high levels in liver enzymes so I have postponed the CT scan once again.

Ruffin has now been completely weened off prednisone as of last Friday. Per my Vet we accelerated the decreased dosage spending one week on 2 x 5mg then last week on 1 x 5mg. Our Vet said this may have been contributing to the enzyme spikes and masking the true problem. Hopefully the new blood test next Saturday will show some improvement.

In searching for causes of liver disease I came across a promising new lead: Hepatic Encephalopathy in Dogs, found on PetMD http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/endocrine/c_dg_hepatic_encephalopathy?page=show

The list of symptoms of Hepatic Encephalopathy almost completely matches what I have seen in Ruffin, INCLUDING BLINDNESS. 

I think this should be looked into further by our own Vet, Dr. Matt McGlasson, at Noah's Ark and I will be bringing Ruff there tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

On the lighter side, I am once again convinced that the strongest vitamin in the world is LOVE.  Bessie has been actively fussing all over Ruff, as the photos show. And Ruff enjoys the attention and responds.

UPDATE Tuesday, February 28th:
It pays to keep all of your doctors in the loop. Late yesterday afternoon after posting the above Update, I sent a courtesy email to Dr. Haeussler, the Ophthalmologist, letting him know what I found researching liver disease and hepatic encephalopathy and he came back with a reply and recommended Ruffin get a bile acid assays (blood tests) to see if hepatic encephalopathy is the cause of his symptoms. And I'm glad I took the time to look up that test last night because it requires an absolute 12-hour fasting and then a two-part test over two hours. I dropped Ruff off at our Vets's office this morning and picked him up at 2 PM. It will take a day or two to get the test results.

 

Bessie's new toy

I found it almost impossible to get a good photo of Bessie's new toy that lights up when she bounces it. Using the flash wipes out the glow. So I have been trying to capture an image using the aperture mode only and I got one picture this morning that is fairly decent. The problem with aperture mode is it lowers the shutter speed and the picture looks shaky.

I don't know what is inside the ball that causes the lights to flash or how long the tiny battery will last but Bessie is having a ball playing with her new ball. She has already realized that if she drops it on the floor the lights flash on and off for a few seconds so she walks around the house carrying it in her mouth and occasionally I hear it bounce and then she picks it up again.

Bessie in her little house

Bessie is the only one of all of our 7 Rottweilers who enjoyed being crated. Now almost 3 years old (July 1st) she considers her crate to be a place to hide, stash the stolen contents from the laundry basket or a safe place to go to to just be alone. I call it her little house and it amazes me that she can still fit inside and turn around in it.

Yesterday I took Bess to Pets Supply Plus to buy dog food and because she was being very good on the leash I bought her some new toys. Two soft rubber balls that squeal when you squeeze them and flash bright lights from inside when you bounce them. I gave Bess the larger one because it is too big to roll under the furniture. Bessie carries it around the house and takes it inside her little house and talks to it as if it was a kitten or maybe an alien from outer space that she is interrogating. Whatever she is doing it sounds like a very worried cry.

The blue toy is actually glowing in the dark.

UPDATE ON RUFFIN.

Last Saturday Ruff had another blood test and there was still several abnormally high enzyme spikes in his liver. I postponed the CT scan again until next Tuesday with yet one, hopefully final, blood test next Saturday. He will also have his prednisone cut in half for the last time and will have 5 days of a single 5mg pill.

 

Ruff has made friends everywhere he goes

My Rottweiler Christmas cards have made Ruff and Bess both very popular. Especially to the local merchants who have actually met them. Some people seem to recognize me just because I had Ruffin and Bessie in the car. Two of their favorite spots are the drive thru windows at the bank and the pharmacy where the girls all come to the window and smile when they see them and give them treats. Yesterday I went to the local Kroger Pharmacy but had to buy groceries first so I had to leave the Rotts at home so I could go inside. One of the ladies who work there came over to ask where they were and I told her how sick Ruff was. 

Today I went back to the pharmacy to pick up a special order and that lady called me over and gave me a large pill bottle filled with biscuits to take home for Ruff. And sent along some prayers, as well.

So I printed out these two photos and will give them to her tomorrow.

A long bad weekend

I wrote that Thursday afternoon I took Ruff to see the eye doctor and besides mentioning the importance of a CT Scan to locate the suspected tumor, Dr. Haeussler ordered a reduction in the prescription for prednisone from 2 x 20mg to 2 x 10mg daily with the anticipation of cutting it in half again in two weeks. The doctor also warned about serious side effects if the prednisone was suddenly discontinued so it had the be gradually reduced.

That evening Ruff threw up his dinner about 3 hours after he ate. 

After finding out Friday afternoon the CT Scan could be done locally at the Emergency Animal Hospital in Wilder, Kentucky they told me they had to have a blood test to make sure Ruff was healthy enough for anesthesia so first thing Saturday morning I took him to Noah's Ark, in Ft. Wright, our regular veterinary clinic.

Soon as we got home I gave Ruff a late breakfast and he threw up again a few hours later. Then in the afternoon I got a phone call from one of our Vets and she told me the blood test results shows an elevation in the Alanine Transaminase (ALT) enzyme in Ruff's liver. The scary part was when the doctor told me I should bring Ruff in on Monday for a sonogram test of Ruff's liver before I go spend $800 to a $1000 dollars on the CT Scan. The implicit advice was duly noted and I told her I would be there.

For the past few weeks the prednisone has made Ruff extremely thirsty and I have been taking him out every two hours to pee. Now through all the bouts of throw up his kibble has been accompanied with huge quantities of water, too. Saturday night Ruff was again unable to keep his dinner down.

This morning I took Ruff to the Emergency Animal Hospital in Wilder and the doctor gave him an anti-nausea shot (Cerenia) to make his stomach feel better and gave him an injection of fluids under his skin and another injection of of a steroid (Dexamethasone) because Ruff wasn't able to keep the prednisone pills down. I also asked the doctor to do another blood test to have something to compare with the one our Vet did. This new test showed the ALT enzyme to be 893, more than four times the normal range. And that is the critical part that must be treated.

After getting the phone call yesterday from our Vet I did several hours of research on liver disease on a few veterinary web sites and the one encouraging piece of information I read was the liver has great regenerative powers so with proper treatment Ruff could make it through this crisis. It also looks like the prednisone may have contributed to the spike in the ALT enzyme which in turn caused the vomiting.

I wish to thank everyone who wrote to offer useful suggestions and pass on good thoughts for Ruff's recovery. I can't begin to tell you how precious Ruff is to me (and Bess) especially after losing Grandpa Axl last month.

Please keep the prayers coming. 

MINOR UPDATE: 3 PM
Since the day 16 years ago when my first male Rottweiler Nikko had spinal cord surgery to remove a ruptured disc and was sent home the following day and got up and walked to the kitchen after my wife called me out for dinner, I have been convinced that food is the greatest motivator to a Rottweiler. This afternoon I saw it again but to a lesser affect.

After I brought Ruff home from the hospital I laid out an area rug on the kitchen floor for him to lie down on. He was acting very tired and lethargic and hardly moved at all. A little while ago I went out to check on him and he was still laying in the same spot where I put him after I put the rug down. I turned my back on him and opened a pastry box to have a snack and as soon as the top of the plastic container popped open Ruff jumped to his feet. I turned around and he was staring at me with a starving, hungry look on his face. Not to make light of a serious situation, whenever anyone is eating a snack he always has a starving, hungry look because that's the way he begs for handouts and treats. But is is comforting to know his body can react like it did. I realize he hasn't held any food in his stomach for three days but the doctor said not to feed him until 6 PM. Then I will boil up some ground sirloin and rice.

UPDATES, ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS:
MONDAY 11 AM
First the good news. I took Ruff to our Vet for his sonogram this morning and it came back normal. Dr. Matt McGlasson did recommend waiting a week before having the CT Scan to see that Ruff's liver problems get better. That will need another blood test on Saturday. I took home a bottle of Denamarin which is a combination of SAM-e and milk thistle extract to help Ruff's liver get better.

The correction is another good thing. I read the ALT Enzyme number value wrong on the tiny print out for the blood test done yesterday. It is 693 not 893. Then I got a copy of the blood test done Saturday at our Vet's office and read that the ALT Enzyme then was 573. That blood test also showed the ALP Enzyme was greater than 2800 which was the limit the machine could register. If it is any encouragement, both of these high values are indicative of the affect of the Prednisone.

Update on Ruffin's eyesight problem

I took Ruff to see the Ophthalmologist today and after a few tests he confirmed what I had noticed, that Ruff's eyesight has gotten worse than it was on the last visit two weeks ago. He stressed the importance of the CT Scan as being the only way to know what's going on. 

There is a new wrinkle to this problem. Since the first visit I have been taking Ruff outside on a leash to guide him. I have also been talking to him to have him follow the sound of my voice. But lately it appears he is suffering from hearing loss, as well, and either he cannot hear me or he cannot locate the direction my voice is coming from. He darts his head up and down and side to side when I talk to him. The only thing he responds to is when I touch him on his head or on his nose with a piece of food. And of course, he enjoys hugs, kisses and ear scratches. 

I mentioned the hearing problem to the doctor today and he said it may indicate the tumor is on his brain affecting both his eyesight and his hearing. 

I talked to the veterinary hospital that does the CT Scan and they said it would require sedation and take several hours from start to finish. This poses a problem for me since this place is an hour's drive away and I will need someone to stay with my wife for at least 5 hours. 

One good thing I learned today, if you can call it that, when I spoke to the place that does the CT Scans they told me that the tumors can be treated with 2 or 3 sessions of radiation instead of surgery. In spite of the cost of the CT Scan, I ruled out surgery anyway since Ruff is more than 10 years old. I didn't ask about the cost of the radiation treatment but if its anywhere near what it costs for humans it is not affordable.

Please say a prayer for Ruff. He is more important to me now than ever before.

UPDATE: 9 PM Friday.
Just found out tonight that an emergency animal clinic 20 miles away has acquired their own CT Scanner only 3 months ago. I am thrilled at the prospect of being able to have this done locally since I won't need to find anyone to come and sit with Jacqueline. Instead of a 5 hour round trip it now should take only 2 hours and I will be taking Ruff in for the scan on Tuesday afternoon.  

Prayers seem to be helping already.

 

Important information for all dog owner's. Euthanasia drug found in dog food.

Yesterday, USA Today ran a story from the Detroit Free Press about some Evanger's dog food being recalled because it was found to contain a drug called pentobarbital. This drug is used by veterinarians to euthanize animals. I did some cross checks on a few links referred to in the story and came up with some very disturbing news. Here is the original story from USA Today.

From USA Today

Euthanasia drug found in dog food prompts recall

Zlati Meyer, Detroit Free Press 
DETROIT — Evanger's is voluntarily recalling some of its dog food after a drug that is used to anesthetize or put down pets was found in it.

Pentobarbital was found in one lot of the dog food; five dogs got sick and one died, according to the Wheeling, Ill.-based company.

Fifteen states are affected by the Hunk of Beef Au Jus recall. The 12-ounce cans were  manufactured June 6-13 and sold in stores and online in Washington, California, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

As a precaution, Evanger's is recalling Hunk of Beef products manufactured the same week, with lot numbers that start with 1816E03HB, 1816E04HB, 1816E06HB, 1816E07HB and 1816E13HB, and expire June 2020.  The second half of the barcode on the back of the label says 20109. The ill and deceased dogs ate from the 1816E06HB13 lot.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is distributing information about the recall as well.

All Evanger’s suppliers of meat products are USDA approved, the company said.

"We feel that we have been let down by our supplier, and in reference to the possible presence of pentobarbital, we have let down our customers," the company said in a press release on its website, adding that it's the first recall in 82 years of manufacturing.

Evanger's said it has terminated its relationship with that supplier after 40 years, though that company services "many other pet food companies."

Read the rest here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/02/06/euthanasia-drug-found-dog-food-prompts-recall/97570032/  

It was the last sentence quoted above that prompted me to go to the original story on the Evanger's dog food web site. The lengthy company explanation contained a remarkable statement to explain how the euthanasia drug pentobarbital managed to get into their dog food.

Here is the full paragraph as quoted from the Evanger’s web site investigative report: https://evangersdogfood.com/news-events/pug-family-updates/

In our investigation, we spoke with many suppliers to learn how it could even be possible that an animal that had been euthanized could ever possibly end up in the animal food stream.  What we learned was that pentobarbital is very highly controlled, and that, if an animal is euthanized, it is done so by a veterinarian.  Once this process has been done, there is absolutely no regulation that requires the certified Vet to place any kind of marker on the animal indicating that it has been euthanized and guaranteeing that product from euthanized animals cannot enter the food chain.   This is a simple task, and goes a very long way to ensure safety in many areas.

Also contained in the investigative report on the Evanger's web site is this sentence:

Once we learned that pentobarbital was found in the stomach contents of the dog, we dug much deeper into research about the topic.  What we found is that the FDA knows, and has conducted research, on the use of pentobarbital primarily in dry foods.  The research can be found here: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofFoods/CVM/CVMFOIAElectronicReadingRoom/ucm129135.htm

That report on the FDA web site was written in 1998.

Dog Food Survey Results - Survey #1, Qualitative Analyses for Pentobarbital Residue

Dry dog food samples purchased in Laurel, MD, area, March - June 1998

While it is almost 20 years old it does list the known brands of dog foods found at the time to contain the euthanasia drug. But there is no follow up info to find out what was done about it. 

What is most disturbing is the question raised by the news about what your local veterinarian may be doing with the dead bodies of animals they euthanize when the owner doesn't take them away for burial. I think this will lead to some very uncomfortable and difficult conversations with the doctors that treat our beloved pets.

Ruffin's eyesight problem worsens

On Thursday I have a followup appointment to take Ruff to The Animal Eye Institute with Dr. Haeussler, the Ophthalmologist. I don't look forward to this with any high hopes since the previous exam suggested that Ruff's eyesight problem was likely caused by a tumor pressing on his optic nerve and that would suggest surgery. But a tumor could only be confirmed after a CT Scan.

We had some false hopes that the Prednisone prescription was doing some good reducing the swelling after a few days but the hopes were dashed when Ruff's blindness condition worsened. Now he seems to be unable to walk through the house without walking into corners and getting confused. Bessie seems unable to recognize the nature of his problem and seems to want to make a game of it all. I am hoping this is some way that she is slowly learning how to help.

A few years ago my brother told me a story about two Labrador Retrievers he once owned. He said he found out one day that one of them was blind and it was only after the other dog had died. For some length of time the dog that could see was helping guide the blind one around and was doing such a good job my brother didn't notice. As I recall this story I realize that Bessie could possibly be of help but I don't know if she can do this intuitively.

I have tried to make things go as easy for Ruff as I can to help him get around without hurting himself. I have taken him out front on a leash because I found when he walked around he often walked into the bushes and got lost. The only place where I can let Ruff go out unattended is in the fenced back yard around the pool. We have a low deck outside the back door that has three steps down to the ground. I have noticed Ruff carefully feeling the steps with his front paw as he tries to go down the steps. So far he has managed to do this by himself but once in awhile when I try to guide him by his collar he freezes at the top step and is hesitant to walk down it.

If anyone who reads this blog has first-hand experience with a blind dog, please send me an email.  AbbyD@fuse.net

Thank you.

UPDATE 8:00 PM
I have gotten one reply about living with a blind dog and after reading it I realized my first mistake already, today. I mentioned I saw Ruff trying to get his footing walking down the short flight of steps off the deck. Once he found the first step he went down the next two pretty fast and leaped off the bottom step.

Inside the house he did something late this afternoon he has never done before. I went down to the basement and when I came up I turned off the stair lights but left the door open. The next thing I heard was a loud thump, thump, thump and when I ran to the basement door I saw him walking around downstairs. Apparently he didn't fall down the stairs because he wasn't hurt. He must have gotten his footing set on the top step and did a rapid walk/fall down the stairs. He must have memorized the proper gait going up and down the stairs that he got used over the years but today he did it very fast.

The unusual part of this near deadly accident was the fact that over the years, every time I went down to the basement Ruff would play a game with me and wait at the top of the stairs for me to come back up. I called him the toll collector because he wanted to get hugs and kisses before he would let me get past him. This is the photo I posted here back in October 2012. And who wouldn't want to sit down and give him a big hug and a kiss?

I also did a spot check of the other links I found but didn't see any mention of a two dog family where one dog helped the other. That is what I am hoping for as Bessie gets a little more mature and begins to realize what is going on.

  

A little bit of snow today.

As I get older I find myself less eager to go out and tackle a large snow-cleaning project like we've had in the past. I know that my opinion on the subject is not the accepted majority in our house. Our Rottweilers love cold weather and absolutely love deep snow. But being such nice companions they never complain about the little snow we get. Even when it all melts away by late afternoon.

The look on Ruff's face seems to say: Is this all we got?

I remember the good old days when the snow was up to my elbows.

OK, Ruff, and we were all a lot younger in those days.

Meanwhile, baby girl Bess has found her favorite toy laying on the grass that she is no longer allowed to bring in the house. Why? Because she swings it around and over her head just like she does outside.

And I used to wonder what it would be like having a big dog with a waging tail. You know, the kind that could clear off a table with a single swipe.

Fear not, brave friends, the weatherman has predicted more snow for Sunday afternoon. This time I may have to clear the sidewalk myself and not count on nature doing it for me.

 

More about Ruffin's eyesight problem.

The news isn't good but it isn't conclusively bad. Our Veterinarian gave us a referral to go to The Animal Eye Institute and we made an appointment for last Thursday to see Dr. Haeussler who did some tests on Ruff. What initially appeared to be some small measure of good news - there was nothing wrong with Ruff's eyes - later turned out to be much more serious. Dr. Haeussler thinks there may be a tumor putting pressure on Ruff's optic nerve or maybe his brain.

The doctor put Ruff on a prescription for Prednisone and wants to see him again in two weeks to retest again and see if he responded to the steroid. If not then the next step is to have a CT Scan done to confirm and locate the tumor.

At the moment Ruff has a lot of difficulty seeing close by objects but seems to have workable vision seeing distant objects. He has no difficulty walking around outside but he has some minor difficulty indoors where he bumps into things once in awhile. And I have noticed Bess is staying closer to him then she used to.

On a happy note, Ruff enjoyed his visit to the eye doctor's office and got to meet several of the female staff. He hasn't lost his magnetic appeal one bit.

Please say a prayer for Ruff.

Now we have a problem with Ruffin's eyes.

The Vet spotted some cloudiness in Ruff's eyes on his last exam but it seems the problem has gotten serious enough to get him to see an Ophthalmologist. I am going back to see our Vet to have him sign a referral form before I call for an appointment. Poor old Ruff has also been bumping into things which tells me his eyesight needs some treatment and I hope its treatable and affordable. Somehow I doubt the affordable part when the specialist first wants a referral.

Ruff and Bess came in too visit me tonight. They seem to be traveling in pairs lately so I had to take some new photos. They both seem to be in love as you can easily see.

 

 You can see the cloudiness in Ruff's eyes in this first photo.

By the way, the period of mourning seems to have passed and I'm very glad it did. I saw what it did to Ruff 4 years ago when his beloved Sassy girl died.