I think I will nap until the man in the red suit really arrives.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Weeping Wednesday: Pathology
We got the results from pathology regarding the growth that was biopsied in Louise’s mouth. It is a fast-growing tumor that destroys the jaw called Canine Acanthamotous Ameloblastoma (CAA).
WARNING: Stop reading now if you will get uncomfortable with the details.
Basically, she has a mass in the lower part of her front jaw that is visible and is around her front teeth. The good news is that CAA has never been reported to spread to other parts of the body (metastasize), so it is often called ‘benign.’ However, it is locally aggressive and her tumor is doubling in size every 10 days or so. Underneath what we see it is destroying the jaw bone. It is life-threatening.
The first option for treatment, due to a large amount of underlying bone involved, is to surgically remove a portion of the jaw, called a mandibulectomy (graphic link), and to take large margins around the tumor to ensure it is all removed. For patients, like Louise, where surgery is not an option because of multiple reasons, the second option would be radiation.
Louise turned 12 last October. The normal life expectance of a dog her size is 10 to 12 years. She has pancreatitis and irritable bowel disease. Figuring out what health intervention is in her best interest is one of the hardest decisions we ever had to make. We do not want to put her through either of these options. The surgery would take her lower jaw, which I think at her age would be a difficult recovery to regain function, and the side-effects of radiation are horrible (if her IBD would even tolerate it.)
I have started a Facebook group dedicated to this journey. It is called Canine Acanthamotous Ameloblastoma – Dog Oral Tumors Please feel free to join if you want to follow what is going on. I am not going to fill DogDaz with her medical stuff because it is graphic and sad, so I will put it there.
Keep us in your prayers as we go through this thing. We are heartbroken.
Please, don’t post any negative comments on the choices we have made for Louise’s care – they will be deleted.
NOT Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo: Happy 5th Gotcha Day, Charles
Charlie, you have come a long way from this adoption picture online (who named you ‘Chi-chi Forest?’).
You are our Mr. Charles, the Mugwump, Handsome.
Happy 5 years of Gotcha days, Charles.
You are a superstar here at DogDaz Zoo.
We are so glad you rescued us.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Black and White Sunday: King of the Hill
Someone likes to be king of the pillow hill these days. Happy Black and White Sunday!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Caturday: The Vet – Again
Because Mom didn’t already have enough medical stuff going on with Louise’s tumor surgery, I added a bloody eye for a few days to freak her out. Drat! She made me go to that Vet lady again. I was just there a few weeks ago for a claw that Mom could not cut that was turning into my pad. Oh no!
I was not happy about this and made it really hard for Mom to get me into the ‘cage of torture!’ I hid under the bed and every time Mom went to grab me I moved to the other side (see how smart I am). But, somehow she tricked me, and whoosh! she got me in the cage.
The good news is that the eyeball was actually OK. It was external from a recent fight with either Nine or Mini. Mom said she is tired of all these trips to the vet and told us to stop all this foolishness. Well, he started it!
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Wonderful Wednesday: Enough!
Louise here. Sofie decided that she was too tired to continue on our walk. She laid down in a neighbor’s yard and just would not move. So Mommy left her there and continued on with me. Sofie wasn’t sure if she liked that idea, but I did. I am tired of those other 2 goofballs tagging along on my walks.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Monday Mischief: Lulu is Doing Ok
Miss Louise had a tumor removed from inside her mouth last week. This one is scary. It seemed to be growing big fast. We are still waiting to find out what the biopsy said, so bang your drum for her!!
She is the most incredible ROCK STAR! She never complains and was hungry almost the minute she got home. Sofie and Charles, both drama queens, would be milking it for all it is worth. But not, Louise.
She is sticking close to Mom right now and her ducky. Bang those drums, please.
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Black and White Sunday: Last Night
It always makes me sad when it is the last night of Hanukkah because I really enjoy the lights. Noel, on the other paw, isn’t sure that having this big hanukkiah (menorah) in her window, taking up a lot of space, is a good use of her favorite place.
Happy Black and White Sunday!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo: Happy Hanukkah
From our Zoo to yours, may your lights burn brightly,
your latkes be crisp, and
your dreidle always land on ‘take it all.’
HAPPY HANUKKAH!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Caturday: Light the Lights
Noel and Stella in 2015. When the cats in the zoo lived in peace. Life was simpler then.
Have a wonderful holiday season the festivities are on!
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
