Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Cat napping with Luke

I got home a little early from work today. It had rained earlier, so Luke and I just stayed inside. We layed down on the floor of my office and took a cat nap together.

Luke snores.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Dog Days of Summer

This was a long day. I went in to the office early, and got home late.

I was glad to be greeted at the door by a wagging tail. I didn't have much time to spend with Luke today, so I slipped him a few slices of roast beef at dinner.

He liked that pretty good.

I love this dog.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

It's raining cats and Dogs.

We had a powerful thunder storm blow through tonight. Luke does NOT like thunder and lighting. The loud sounds really scare him.

He likes to be in the downstairs den snuggled up near the girls during storms. It's quieter and cozier.

I love this dog.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

This summer, we're working on a couple new tricks with Luke. He's an excellent "student" who's eager to please. If you are smart enough to help him understand, he's happy to do as you ask. Luke loves the attention and he perfectly willing to be in "class" as long as you like.

More to follow on his accomplishments as he progresses.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

What a lazy dog!

I mean me, not Luke. He and I have been pretty lazy today, working in the yard and just hanging out together all day.

He likes it when we're outside together, working in the yard. He doesn't ever really wander off, but sometimes a strange scent will catch his attention and he'll follow it down the street. A quick whistle and a call of his name, and he runs right back home.

If I go inside for something, and he realizes he's alone, he'll go straight to the front door and bark. It's the funniest thing. He really doesn't like being left alone outside. So, even if I'm only going inside for a minute, I try to remember to bring him in with me.

Of course, I like having him with me.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Linda Lew

Yep, ... Dr. Linda Lew. That is the name of the vet / surgeon that will be seeing Luke at in Greensboro. He goes down for a consultation in two weeks, so that Dr. Lew can examine him. At that time, he'll be scheduled for surgery. He may see an ocologist also.

From what I know, I have a comfort level and degree of confidence with this surgical hospital. We'll see how I feel once we meet and talk with his doctor.

If necessary, we'll continue looking for the best veterinary professionals we can find.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Poor Luke

I received a call from the Sr. Veterinarian today. He had reviewed the biopsy results and believes that Luke should have further surgery.

He is recommending that we see a surgical specialist in Greensboro, so that the remainder of the tumor in Luke's mouth can be removed. According to him, the remainder of the tumor still contain cancerous cells. The problem is that this may also mean removing a significant portion of the tongue.

I plan to speak with the surgeon personally. Hopefully he can help me make a more informed decision.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Dog Eat Dog!

Maybe I should say eat dog, eat!

Luke has not felt much like eating since the surgery to his mouth, and he's had an upset stomach for nearly a week. However today, we saw the first signs that he's been getting his appetite back, and that is a very good sign.

We grilled out tonight, and Luke had a few bites of chicken, which seemed to hit the spot. We're pleased to see him getting back to normal.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Good news / Bad news

We heard from the vet today. The tumorous tissue that was removed from Luke's mouth and sent off for a biopsy revealed that the tumor was benign. This is essentially good news, however we will still need to monitor this area. If the tumor should begin to grow, it may be necessary to operate and remove a portion of Luke's tongue. According to our vet, this type of surgery on the tongue is particularly difficult. He would refer us to an out of town specialist.

Luke is doing well and slowly regaining his appetite. I hope this ordeal is over for him.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

The "patient" is resting comfortably.

Luke seems to be doing better each day. The visit to the vet really took its toll on him and upset his system, but he seems to be getting his strength back a little everyday.

These are the times I'd give anything to be able to talk with him ... Ask him how he's feeling, what he needs, or whether or not anything hurts. Instead, I can only watch for signs of how he's acting, and pet him to comfort him and let him know he's loved.

There's one thing I know for sure. He knows he's loved.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Sick as a Dog

My friend is sick today.

In light of the fact that he's had a rabies shot, been anestetized, given an antibiotic, a pain pill and that he's not been allowed to have food and water before he's surgery, it's no wonder.

Inspite of everything he's been through, he still manages to wag his tail and greet me at the door.

What a dog. What a friend.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Dog Tired

My friend is snoozing beside my chair. He's had his pain pill and he's laying on his side sound asleep.

I'm glad he resting. He's had a very tough day today, and he's no doubt still feeling the effects of being sedated earlier.

I love this animal. A good dog is truely one of God's greatest blessings.

Tough Day for Luke

This has been a long day for Luke and for our family. We took Luke to the vet's office this morning for his routine check-up. While he was there, the vet discovered a small tumor under his tongue. He recommended that the tumor be removed and biopsied, which we agreed to.

According to the vet, there are three types of tumors generally found in the mouth. None are "safe". Hopefully, the test results will indicate that the tumor is benign. If not, they will have to perform surgery (most likely out of town) and it's possible that a portion of his tongue will have to be removed.

We also had a number of lumpy fatty nodules removed from his back and lower neck. These type of nodules don't typically bother the animal, but a couple of them had become tough and firm, and we wanted to be safe, rather than sorry.

Luke is resting comfortably. He gets a pain pill in a little while. I'm going to make sure he's pampered while he gets better.

Now, we wait a week or so for the results.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

KaBOOM!!

Luke doesn't like thunder. He's not scared at all of the barking German Sheppard that lives a few doors down the street from us (I am), but thunder frightens him.

Tonight we had an expected summer storm complete with lightning, wind, rain and thunder. Guess who started shaking and needed to be held? Yep, my buddy.

He's ok now. I hugged him and asured him that I'd never let anything hurt him.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Toys and Hotdogs

We got Luke's toys out today and played with them. Each has a special name, and he wants to play with whichever one you're holding at the time.

A few of his favorites are:

Ropeman - stick figure man made of rope, Luke has shreaded one of his legs.
Ducka - A terry cloth duck, - soft and chewy, once Luke's #1 favorite toy
Barbell - Two tennis balls connected by a strap. Two balls? -very frustrating for Luke.
Rabbit - Another terry cloth animal. Rabbit is missing his eyes and face. "Someone" chewed them off!
Corncob - A plastic corncob shaped thing with a rope through it. Great for tug of war!

After we played with the toys a while, it was time for a hotdog treat. A fresh, raw hotdog must be like Lobster and Filet Mignon to a dog. He just LOVES them!

Friday, June 1, 2007

Lukey boy!

Luke had a good day. The children are out of school for the summer, so he's happy to have family in the house during the day.

Next Wednesday, we have an appointment for Luke at the vet. I have a few concerns I'd like our vet to check on. It's probably not too early to check him for early signs of hip dysplacia, a condition common to this breed.