[Dailydrool] Elsinore's tumor and other stuff

[Gaylene Opal-Deitering]

Jan, I love this quote! "Whoever said that money doesn't buy happiness,
never paid an adoption fee"  That is special!

My Sassy is doing well after her emergency surgery.  She is like a much
younger dog.  She has a very persistent ear infection that I am using Blue
power on, and she seems much more comfortable.  Her brother is so happy to
have her with him. You never heard such a pathetic sound as Brutie voicing
his "Boo woo wooOOooo" to let us know that he wanted her company when she
was in the house recovering!  Most of my bassets are outside during the day
so that they can be dogs and play and potty as needed while I am at work.
Yes, they have shelter, shade, water, and secure fences!  In the heat they
even get ice water a couple times a day if DH gets home to check on them.
(Brutie even loves to bob in his water dish for icecubes!  He blows air out
his nose as he sticks his face in the bowl to catch them)

My Rocky is moulting!  I swear that I have swept up enough hair for 4
dogs.  I took him out and brushed the bejebus out of him.  Had to tell DH
that nothing was killed in the yard, it was just Rocky's shed hair.  Last
year I didn't tell him and he kinda freaked out at the pile of hair in the
grass.  If I could only find my shedding blade...

On to Elsinore.  My standard measure of "quality of life" goes like this:
1.  If the "cure" is worse than the problem, leave it alone.

2. When the dog can't do even 3 things that they really enjoy, it is time
to let them go.

My Bubby, my Clover, my Lilli, were all allowed to leave at the point when
they couldn't do or enjoy 3 things that gave them pleasure.  With Bubby, it
was kidney failure.  We did large sub-q injections for 4 months.  When he
could no longer enjoy barking and growling at the other dogs, would not eat
a carrot, could not walk easily around the yard, it was time.

With Clover, it was more immediate. She was just in pain from the cancer
infection and could not eat or even enjoy being petted. She gave me THE
look, and it was just time.  Lilli was the first, and her diabetes could
not be controlled.  She was miserable and she also gave me THE look.

My advice with your elderly and much beloved Elsinore is to do the least
painful thing to make her comfortable, allow her to enjoy her life until
she no longer enjoys it, and gate her into the kitchen or utility room
rather than the crate where she is obviously miserable.  Maybe get a really
large crate or an X-pen for her during the day, or invest in baby gates.
With a growth like you describe her time may be short, so make the most of
it.  We will pray that the tests show it to be not malignant, and also that
God give you good judgement about what is best.

Drool and prayers to Emily and her family, and to all in need

Gaylene Opal-Deitering
*My passions do not replace my relationship with God, but are instead a
reflection of it!*
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