tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59333112831843372242024-03-12T20:58:37.853-05:00Cooper The Survivor (I Hope)The reason for this blog is mostly for my own personal venting about the sad
situation surrounding my new puppy, Cooper. I adopted him from BARC,
but he has distemper.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-89564856164197876632011-08-07T12:44:00.003-05:002011-08-07T12:44:17.293-05:00UpdateBlogging just to say that I did this year.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-14031523970975533032010-09-06T09:25:00.003-05:002010-09-06T09:41:05.133-05:00Adoption AnniversaryIt was one year ago yesterday that this adventure started. That morning I woke up thinking I would go look at dogs at CAP, in far west Houston. I was still in severe hurt from the loss of my 14 year old Onyx. I wasn't ready for a new friend. But like they say, sometime you just have to jump in with 2 feet. It was around lunch time that I left the house, but once I got onto I-10, I exited so that I could get directions to the Houston pound (BARC) instead. I had heard on the radio they were have some special dog adoption event. (I read this to mean there were too many and a massive killing was around the corner).<br />
<br />
So off I went to a part of Houston I had never been to. I have never been to a pound, but I think everyone should.... you have to see. It is overwhelming. I think within 15 seconds I had tears streaming down my face. Its horrifying. I played with a black lab mix who had been severely burned. Being the bleeding heart, I was sure this was the dog, however she wasn't up for adoption. I have to say I didn't get too close to any of the ones I met. I wasn't ready, remember. I did keep passing a fuzzy, young, black and white guy that kept giving me the googly eyes. I walked past twice. Played with him twice. I was pretty adamant I would get a black female dog, not a funny spotted male. As they say, the rest is history.<br />
<br />
He was sick 2 days later.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MINA8JgF7y8/TIT9Tc-eZlI/AAAAAAAABGI/_OWf9ANsSEQ/s1600/IMG_0205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MINA8JgF7y8/TIT9Tc-eZlI/AAAAAAAABGI/_OWf9ANsSEQ/s200/IMG_0205.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>He has not any symptoms of the distemper since October and tested negative finally for the virus in January. One year later, he has shown no signs of neurological issues... unless you count his shoe obsession! He is thriving. He is at 45 pounds and is VERY athletic. He loves playing with my dad's dog Sherlock and loves play in general. Boring he is not.<br />
<br />
I am so thankful that he has survived. I really can't believe it sometimes. He was just so sick. We didn't do anything special to celebrate yesterday. Just a bath I guess. He brings joy (and sometimes annoyance) to everyone he meets. As for me, I never thought I would ever feel the way I do about another dog again. He is one special dude.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-89151609371578055622010-06-15T18:29:00.000-05:002010-06-15T18:38:11.514-05:00BoardingSo I am going to Louisiana this weekend. In the past the dogs went with us but according to my mother they aren't welcome. I'm pretty nervous about leaving Cooper at the vet. How boring. I would prefer to leave him in a better environment, but my mom made the arrangements pretty much without my consent. My dad's dog will be there too. Maybe that sounds better but in reality they won't be in a shared space. <br /><br />Cooper and I have not been apart since I adopted him. Is there such a thing as separation anxiety in humans? I guess so. <br /><br />The whole thing is crap in my opinion. <br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-23217564815293332952010-05-29T12:50:00.000-05:002010-05-29T12:50:37.843-05:00May Update<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MINA8JgF7y8/TAFRPf-tCHI/AAAAAAAABF4/0yUAEIJYHgI/s1600/IMG_0127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MINA8JgF7y8/TAFRPf-tCHI/AAAAAAAABF4/0yUAEIJYHgI/s320/IMG_0127.jpg" width="240" /></a>My New Year's Resolution to keep up with Cooper's blog is going so well! (wink, wink)!<br />
<br />
The old adage that no news is good news is true in this case. Cooper is doing great and there have been NO SIGNS of the distemper. I could blame his drive and ability to destroy my shoes and clothes as a side effect, but you and I both know that's probably not true! R.I.P. green Sofft shoes.... I miss you.<br />
<br />
In all seriousness he is doing very well. Sometimes it is hard to believe that he was so sick. We are now off of the <a href="http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx">Wellness</a> puppy food and have switched to adult food. I was going to stay with Wellness, but Whole Foods started carrying <a href="http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/">Castor & Pollux Ultramix</a>, which was my late dog Onyx's favorite food, so we are trying that. I'm not sure its as "whole" but he likes it. He also enjoys playing and is a bit like the energizer bunny in that regard. He and my dad's dog Sherlock get along like gang busters. They play, and play, and play. One of the great things about Cooper is that once he is tired from playing, he is one cuddly dude! I swear he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. (Steve, he is sorry about peeing on you. I promise it was just excitement.)bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-192466344862276102010-01-23T11:18:00.000-06:002010-01-23T11:18:18.500-06:00NEGATIVESo its been a while. I got very lazy with the blogging the past few months. You'll totally forgive me though because I have some outstanding news. We did another PCR test of the urine last week and there was NO SIGN of the distemper. He tested NEGATIVE. Can you believe it? I feel like pinching myself.<br />
<br />
So... all in all, we are probably out of the woods. I'll admit it, I had a good cry to release some of the stress. Yes, there is still a chance its hiding somewhere... but I think all in all the chances of his survival are pretty good now. There are some dogs who have an encephalitis type relapse when they are old, but for now its all good.<br />
<br />
So the plan now is to get boostered for all the shots we need, but didn't have "just in case". I admit it makes me nervous to do anything (even the heartworm pill he gets makes me nervous) but I'm hoping its fine. I don't want to wait anymore because we really need to go to obedience class to get socialized. Cooper is a bit of a brat on the leash (lunging, barking, etc) and that is not fun. Well, to be honest, he's a brat in general. I think I have treated him like a sick puppy for just a wee too long. For example, letting him walk along the back of the couch is probably not a good idea. : )bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-26565586712795465392009-12-13T13:07:00.000-06:002009-12-13T13:07:41.089-06:00PoliticsSo yesterday my update was really not an update, so let me give a true update on our health status. Everything seems to be holding the same. We still have not had more vaccinations. We will wait until our next PCR test and decide then. Cooper's behavior still sucks. No other way to say it. I know, I know... he's a puppy. I forgot how it is.... but man is he cute & sweet!<br />
<br />
For those of you in Houston, we all know yesterday was the election for city mayor. No doubt the next mayor will have unbelievable big shoes to fill. Bill White was on most counts an excellent mayor and I wish him well (and my support) in his bid for governor. However, I do think that Anise Parker (the winner) is not the best choice for issues concerning BARC. I know she has at least a dog, but owning a full breed is not the same thing as being involved with the rescue community. Gene Locke definitely was the better choice for BARC. He had at least a plan. That being said, without the BARC issue, I probably would have voted for Annise. I guess I've turned into a "litmus test" voter. : )<br />
<br />
And on the subject of BARC, there is a new director. Read the article at the <a href="http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/12/barc_general_manager.php">Houston Press</a>. I will spoil one aspect for you though. The guy's experience is from being a regional SALES manager for who? who? 24 Hour Fitness. REALLY? No offense to the new guy (maybe he's a genius) but COME ON. I have a membership to 24 Hour, and other than the personal trainers, the people that work there are not that trustworthy or particularly compassionate. Especially sales. I mean these are the King Douche-bags of the world in my opinion.<br />
<br />
Oh, for those that don't about the Lyla blog (another dog with distemper), there was a very sad update yesterday. Check it out. <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://lyla-cdv.blogspot.com/">Lyla, CDV, and me.</a></span>bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-224080912982294542009-12-12T17:37:00.000-06:002009-12-12T17:37:29.139-06:00What We've DoneHave you voted? Remember today is runoff day in Houston. Anyways, I've been lazy with the blog writing since it became the holidays. I did get an email regarding various requests on what I did and didn't do for Cooper. I'm taking the lazy route out and just posting it down here. It was written on Novemeber 17th.<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Cooper seems to be recovered. I say seems to be because although he has had no outward signs of the virus since early October, his last PCR test for the virus was still positive. The vet says that it can take months for it to clear out. He is of course still in the time frame for the neurological hitting, but that is getting less likely. Christmas is kind of my target date for breathing a sigh of relief.<br />
<br />
As to treatment... like most people it was mostly palliative. He got lots of IV fluids and antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections, including pretty bad pneumonia. However, my vet and I did do 2 alternative courses of treatment. First of all, within the 2nd day of the pneumonia, I started him on a supplement called TranferFactor Plus. It was recommended to me by someone online, and I figured why not. It sounded like it would likely be an empty bottle of hope, but I now believe it helped. My vet also did his own research and I think he talked to or communicated with a vet in Austin who had successful experience with the human grade of the supplement and distemper. Cooper is still taking it, but only one capsule a day. The second treatment we did started after the pneumonia cleared. It is an iv injection called immunoregulin. I have no idea whether it helped or not, but we did it anyways. <br />
<br />
Some other things... for most of the worse part of his illness I was staying at my parents house. My mom being who she is kept his room clean to the point of craziness. She covered the floor with sheets because the room was carpeted and changed them daily. Also I do believe in high quality dog food. He has been on Wellness Puppy since I got him.<br />
<br />
I should add that there are several things we did NOT do. We did not (and still have not) boostered him with the vaccine combo that includes distemper. It is a partially live vaccine and we are being overly cautious. He also was not fixed until a few days ago. <br />
</i>bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-84382711253644058322009-11-22T11:06:00.002-06:002009-11-22T11:15:40.202-06:00Moo Cow LotionCooper and I are back home now. We spent the last few days at my parent's house so that Cooper and Sherlock could meet. I was pretty worried about them getting along, but no worries. They are best of friends. In fact, its pretty shocking to see them play. They take rough-housing to the next level! Where do they get the energy? For hours they wrestle and chase each other. An unfortunate result of the rough play though is Cooper has totally shredded his paw pads. I assume the hyperkeratosis from the distemper is partly to blame, even though he didn't have that condition too severe. Some paws are worse than others of course, but the poor guy seems to be sticking to the couch today. I went and found some stuff called "<a href="http://www.bagbalm.com/index.htm">Bag Balm</a>" and have been putting that on the pads. I will update how it works.<br />
<br />
PS: Thanks Steve for humoring me and driving me around looking for what amounts to cow udder cream... : )bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-91304592018012981672009-11-17T20:20:00.000-06:002009-11-17T20:20:18.988-06:00Calmer NowSo we have turned a corner in awful behavior land. He is doing much better. Granted, when I am home he is permenently wearing a lead so that he can be corrected, but that's how it is. He's getting the idea. I did have to tie him down to a piece of furniture yesterday... and boy did he fuss.... but eventually he was calm and normal.<br />
<br />
Maybe he's just not been feeling good post surgery? I guess most guys would.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-4370465933173635132009-11-16T19:45:00.000-06:002009-11-16T19:45:58.311-06:00I Think He Wants 'em BackSo, a post-surgery update. Cooper is really awful. His behavior sucks big time since the surgery. My biggest beef is with the nipping, especially when he is hyper. I've mentioned some of the things I've tried, like a can full of coins, spray bottle of various noxious liquids, and even a dog whistle. All of these things except the whistle make him MORE hyper. The whistle stops him, for moment. He's usually not calm enough still to command to sit.<br />
<br />
Ugh. I'm very discouraged. I'm not a quitter, and its not like that's an option, but I want this "phase" to be over with. I wonder if this is a male dog thing? Individual personality? None of our females were like this. bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-13825009340873451262009-11-11T20:47:00.001-06:002009-11-11T20:50:32.524-06:00He Was Broken?Its been a while, so the short of it is that Cooper is now 'fixed'. The vet and I decided he was healthy enough. He is now home, and seems to be totally fine.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MINA8JgF7y8/Svt316B78XI/AAAAAAAABFk/rC5FBmemwr4/s1600-h/IMG_0120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MINA8JgF7y8/Svt316B78XI/AAAAAAAABFk/rC5FBmemwr4/s320/IMG_0120.JPG" /></a>As to the vaccinations.... we have still only had the rabies booster. I am too nervous about giving him the distemper vaccine until maybe January. Ideally I'd like him to be clear of the distemper on his next PCR test, which we'll do in December I guess. In the meantime, Dr. Shows is trying to locate a solitary Parvo vaccine. The issue is that in modern times, most of the vaccines are combined into one serum, and my vet doesn't carry the vaccines separated. Oh, he's also grown a ton. Well, it feels like a ton. He is at 39 pounds now! How that happened, I don't know, but it seemed like it was overnight!<br />
<br />
Behavior. Oh the behavior! In general he is quite well behaved. Unfortunately he has shown some signs of either aggressiveness or eagerness on the leash when other dogs are around. I could really use some advise on this. My vet thinks it might just be me... as in he's feeling protective. Well, its something we are working on. The rest of his training is going well. He is great when we do beginning commands like sit, stay, and come. I'm hoping the leash barking will get better as the training continues. Out of necessity because of the virus, he's also led a pretty sheltered life since I got him too. That can't help. He did meet and play with my dad's dog Sherlock last week. That went well.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-8893104063842577962009-11-01T15:01:00.001-06:002009-11-01T15:01:55.760-06:00An Open LetterDear Mr. Cooper,<br />I'd like to inquire why you find the need to eat my carpet and shoes. Maybe you like bitter apple spray? I'm not even sure how you even reach my bras. They are left to dry pretty high up, but in order for them to work, the straps are needed. I would also like you to cease and desist pillaging my dirty clothes. I typically like my panties to have the crotch in tact, as well as my jeans and pajama bottoms. Really? Is this how you want me representing myself to the world? Crotchless?<br /><br />I also need your cooperation when we go walking. As I'm sure you would agree, you would not like to be barked at when you are trying to take care of your business, so I ask you to please consider following the golden rule and do unto others.....<br /><br />Finally, I enjoy your company tremendously, but prefer that when we play you pay closer attention to where your toy ends and my skin begins. It hurts.<br /><br />Your cooperation in these matters is much appreciated.<br /><br />Love, the mommy<br /><br /><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com/angiemerten/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCOypx9PEpK_7zAE#5399243387252239778'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/_MINA8JgF7y8/Su33QRkL7aI/AAAAAAAABFQ/2ZZ7kkEdyNA/s288/iphone_photo.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-73112795044896830572009-10-28T19:44:00.000-05:002009-10-28T19:44:00.745-05:00I'm TiredI'm soooo tired the past few days. I hope I'm not getting sick. Cooper had another Immunoregulin. He is still improving and growing. His "true" personality is showing it seems. He is quite the demanding fellow... and isn't afraid to bark to get what he wants. He has dug up the carpet in two places now. He also tore up a good part of his bedding. Ever since he became Mr. Destruction, I've been keeping him in the bathroom with his crate pushed up to the entrance. I have to also then put a baby gate on top of the crate because he jumps like a grasshopper. I'm guessing he has some sort of separation anxiety. LOVELY. Based on my experience with Onyx, he is not going to outgrow it. I'll need to work with him on not getting anxious when I leave. Those that knew Onyx know I'm well experienced with the separation anxiety problem. It took years, but Onyx got over it.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-61181836938250366722009-10-24T11:38:00.000-05:002009-10-24T11:38:46.875-05:00Still ImprovingCooper is still doing well and there are still no signs of any neurological problems. We have for sure 2 more Immunoregulin treatments scheduled, and then we'll see. I'm nervouse about the vet giving him the Parvo/Distemper vaccine. I'm afraid of the distemper vaccine kicking something on in his immune system. The vet says its fine, but it makes me nervous.<br />
<br />
I saw this morning on the news an organization called Pup Squad. They are having an event today downtown called "<a href="http://www.barkitecturehouston.com/">Barkitecture</a>". I'll probably go check it out, although I'm feeling quite lazy. Anyway the organization sounds fabulous. It is made of former BARC volunteers who wanted to help the puppies in particular. Fabulous!bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-11653514410555767712009-10-21T22:33:00.001-05:002009-10-21T22:49:25.365-05:00RabiesSo we are well enough to have our rabies shot. He supposedly had it at BARC, but you know how I feel about the odds of that! We also had our immunoregulin treatment. All in all we are trucking along. Oh, I did pull a live worm out of his butt. That was "cool". He's been dewormed again for like the 3rd time.<br />
<br />
I came home today to find a surprise at the top of the stairs..... for some curious reason Cooper decided the carpet was not up to his standards so he dug it up. Literally its in shreds. Now, the carpet is old and needs replacing, so I'm not as mad as I could be, but it was shocking to see none the less. Yikes!bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-41660572974525478512009-10-19T06:43:00.001-05:002009-10-19T06:55:53.882-05:00Ghost DogNot much to add about Cooper lately. We are trucking along, no problem.<br /><br />My posting today is a long overdue one about my dad's dog Sherlock. He is probably one of the most beautiful dogs you will ever see. We guess he's some sort of la<br />b/weimeraner/dane mix maybe. Anyway, he is a rescue from Louisiana. He is only a year and a half and spent the first bit of his life tied to a tree. Anyway, my story is from last Monday. Cooper was just finishing at the vet. My mom and I were both there, so she took Cooper home and I went to Taco Cabana to get fajitas. Once I turned on my parent's street, what do I see? My parents' neighbor tackling a collarless Sherlock to the ground.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com/angiemerten/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCOypx9PEpK_7zAE#5394278570951616194'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/_MINA8JgF7y8/StxTx7kSpsI/AAAAAAAABFM/e3gMeW3iEvE/s288/iphone_photo.jpg' border='0' width='250' height='187' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />So the great chase begins. I pulled over and thought (ha) that Sherlock would be excited to see me. NOPE. He took off running. I followed in the car (I have a white MINI Cooper that he barely fits in). Man, can he run. 35 mph maybe? It was annoying. Every now and then he'd stop, but then take off. Now, this isn't my first time to deal with a running dog, so I went for my tried and true strategy of running the other way, NOPE. So we continued. I thought to myself, "I have food... surely he'll come for food." Well let me just say the chase escalated to my throwing tortilla chips and even taco meat out the window to no avail, all the time dropping some unladylike words out the window. I even tried playing dead in the street (with a taco of course) but he didn't care. I did eventually catch the s.o.b. All that running meant he needed to relieve himself.... so I slammed on the brakes and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. I wish I had taken a picture of his face at that moment. It was a classic "oh crap" expression.<br /><br />As it turns out he had slipped his collar while on leash with my dad. Technically he shouldn't be on his regular leather collar but his Easy Leader or choker, but that's how it goes. He is now micro-chipped of course, and if we could GPS chip him, I think we would. Jerk. : )<br />bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-6539856019698811032009-10-11T15:10:00.001-05:002009-10-11T15:16:37.107-05:00Not A Fun WeekendSo. I've been pretty bummed about the still positive PCR test from Cooper's urine. I did talk to the vet and he said it is possible that the urine will come back positive for quite a while. Ugh. So why was the weekend not fun, you ask? Could it be the weather? No, that was quite awesome. Lack of sleep? No, I slept like 20 hours so far. Maybe its all the diarrhea I've cleaned up? DING DING DING!<br />
<br />
It started yesterday. Let me say that throughout the distemper he has only had minor tummy issues. I don't know whether this is distemper connected or if its some other bug, but he was going every 30 min to an hour..... literally wherever he was standing. Now the good news is that it wasn't much each time, but it did become bloody, probably from inflammation. I had to go to Petco and buy more of that stain remover.... <a href="http://www.petco.com/product/2437/Nature%27s-Miracle-Stain-And-Odor-Remover.aspx?CoreCat=IO-_-ProductList_1-_-Nature%27s%20Miracle%20Stain%20&%20Odor%20Remover-2437">Nature's Miracle</a>. Anyways, the diarrhea seems to have stopped for now. Needless to say, off to the vet tomorrow. I hope its not giardia. That is apparently really hard to get rid of, but fits his being a stray.<br />
<br />
I came across another blog of a woman going through the distemper curse with her rescue. Check it out. <a href="http://lyla-cdv.blogspot.com/">http://lyla-cdv.blogspot.com/</a>.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-33404755405169790192009-10-09T20:14:00.000-05:002009-10-09T20:14:31.089-05:00Bad NewsOkay, its not <b>that</b> bad, so calm down. He is still with us. However, his PCR test results are in, and distemper is still showing up in the urine. BUMMER. So we keep on doing what we've been doing I guess. He'll still do Immunoregulin on Monday. Look, I logically knew he likely would still have a positive result, but I was really hoping. I'm not sure what this means for him being contagious either. We don't go walking because of this (and if its in his urine I guess that's the right call). I just don't know. He needs the rest of his vaccinations as well, but I don't want to do anything to his immune system while its still fighting the distemper. Ugh. Stupid virus.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-51323661953908380282009-10-08T20:12:00.000-05:002009-10-08T20:12:48.641-05:00Forgot!As I've mentioned, I've tried to repeatedly contact BARC about Cooper's distemper. The furthest I've got is leaving a message on some unnamed person's voicemail. A few days after leaving that message, someone from BARC called me and left a message, but it was a "you didn't show up for your neutering.... we want to see how you are adjusting" type deal. Gheez! Talk about disorganized.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-88803650976221720392009-10-07T19:46:00.000-05:002009-10-07T19:46:47.322-05:00Waiting For ResultsCooper had another PCR test on Monday. We are waiting for the results. Last time it took 3 days, so hopefully by Friday we'll get the results. Here's hoping to negative!bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-66612939032452763672009-10-04T17:16:00.001-05:002009-10-04T17:19:22.206-05:00Learning StuffCooper is still hanging in. We go to the vet tomorrow for more Immunoregulin. It will be the last twice a week treatment. We will go once a week after Monday, which is good, because I feel like it makes him breathe hard for about 2 to 3 hours after treatment. I ordered the second bottle of the 4life Transfor Factor Plus. I think I need to retract my previous doubt about the product. My vet did find some data that shows it is at least coincidentally beneficial for distemper. There is no way of knowing of course, but we are still neurological problem free. I ordered the product from <a href="http://www.judyshealthcafe.com/">Judy's Health Cafe</a>. Please visit them if you are interested.<br />
<br />
Our vet had an open house this weekend. It was great! Lots of vendors and I got to see the pretty spiffy isolation ICU area that Cooper was in. Pretty nice. The vet is feeling "cautiously optimistic" now. I have to admit, I am too. Of course, any sudden movements make me nervous! I am almost constantly thinking to myself, "did his paw moving indicate a tick?". I guess it doesn't help that I have MS myself. Maybe it does. I don't know, but since I have weird little ticks and shaking, I guess I look for them in Coop. Anyway, we are doing another PCR test this week too. Using urine and/or blood this time. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that looks for viral DNA. To be honest, I'm not quite sure how that works, but I know it involves heat/cooling a sample. It sounds pretty cool.<br />
<br />
Yesterday was a political deal at BARC. I really wanted to go, but got a very late start. I think I slept 11 hours! I'm interested to hear how it went. <br />
<br />
We spent today at my townhouse in the Montrose. It is nice to be home. We practiced the sit command, and I think he's got it. I guess stay and come will be next. I need to go get an Easy Leader. Oh... Cooper is a BARKER. Ugh. I can't stand that. I hope my neighbors don't want to kill me. I guess we'll need to work on "quiet" or "enough" as well. Maybe he'll grow out of it or neutering will help. We don't walk outside of my patio because I'm afraid of him being contagious. I think the risk is minimal at this stage, but just in case. So, maybe once we can exercise fully, it will help the barking too.bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-27901933035594919282009-09-30T20:01:00.000-05:002009-09-30T20:01:47.056-05:00Big Thanks To AllI am very touched by the supportive emails I am getting. One of those was from a local (Houston) rescue group. She shared with me that her group has also dealt with the distemper issue. I applaud and admire her for the commitment to taking care of these souls. Good grief! I would be a mess! Anyways, please consider adopting a dog from <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/redcollarrescue.html">Red Collar Rescue</a>, if you are thinking about adding to your family now, or in the future. At the very least, please consider donating to this group. It is the real deal.<br />
<br />
On a lighter note, Sherlock and Cooper met finally. It was unplanned of course! For those that don't know Sherlock is my dad's dog. He's a rescue too (and what a story THAT is). My parents have been helping me out during all the trials and tribulations of Mr. Cooper. My dad is retired, so he watches him during the day. It has been a full time job I believe keeping Sherlock (aka Shirly the horse) and Cooper separated. Why you ask? Well, Sherlock has been vaccinated of course for distemper, but like any virus there are different strains. Sherlock cannot wait to play with Cooper! bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-86340973549922468932009-09-30T15:19:00.000-05:002009-09-30T15:41:32.584-05:00Hanging In ThereWe are still doing ok. No real significant change. I am back at my parents' house, but didn't bring my laptop, so I haven't been online too much. Monday we had our second immunoregulin treatment and go for the third tomorrow.<br /><br />Some sad news: the other puppy that was adopted out from BARC the same weekend as Cooper passed the other night. Seizures. An employee at my vet had adopted/fostered him. Keep the poor guy in your hearts. The owner is heartbroken as you can imagine. So. I am now significantly freaked. I bet they have the same strain since they are from the same place. Great. <br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-8507671944193328222009-09-28T00:37:00.001-05:002009-09-28T00:43:55.839-05:00One Eye Open<br /><br /><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/09/09/27/869.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/09/09/27/s_869.jpg' border='0' width='200' height='200' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />Well, we had a worrisome moment. He was breathing really hard. He was panting while sleeping and his heart was racing. I was wondering if maybe we should go to the emergency vet. But then.... The gas started. I mean awful, stinky gas. So we went outside for a potty break. Diarrhea is making a come back it seems. Hopefully that was the cause of the panting. <br /><br />I've also seen an increase in him doing this weird gasping. Its like he's got something in his airway and can only breathe through his nose. It reminds me of sleep apnea or something. It scares the crap out of me. I doubt I'll be able to sleep well now. At least tomorrow is a vet day.<br /><br /><br /><br /> <br />bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5933311283184337224.post-7447359770058591962009-09-26T14:47:00.000-05:002009-09-26T14:47:19.091-05:00In Town For the WeekendSo, we came home to my house for the weekend. He seems sufficiently okay for me to start having some life again. Although, I am worried that the hyperkeratosis on his paws is still active. They aren't getting worse per say, but places get better, while new places have thick spots. So now that I'm here I need to Lysol bomb the place and wash everything I can. I've read the distemper virus doesn't live long, especially in sunlight and heat, but just in case.<br />
<br />
We go back to the vet on Monday for our next Immunoregulin treatment, so I'll go back to Katy probably Sunday night to stay at the folks. I'm pretty lucky to have them close by. My dad has been helping by watching him during the day when I'm at work. He's run him to the vet a few times too, so he's certainly being cared for!bluedog0610http://www.blogger.com/profile/08793575247795830481noreply@blogger.com1