[Dailydrool] Beauford Update

[Jennifer Martin]

I think my boy is finally starting to show his age. Last week Beauford,
Bugsey, and Browyn had to go to the vet. Mostly because they needed to be
tested for heartworms and get their ProHeart tests. Bugsey and Browyn were
fine. Browyn had to have 4 new lumps aspirated, but they were all cysts.
Beauford was due to get his senior blood panel done. He wouldn't pee for
anyone of course. So, I took home the tube and did it the next morning.
Unfortunately, he had a heart murmur on his exam. So, they did a chest xray
to see if his heart was enlarged. They do this ratio thing with the length
of the back, depth of the chest and size of the heart. If the ratio is over
10.7 they start medication. If it is under they don't. He is at 10 even.
So, the vet said to watch him over the next week and take an average of his
sleeping respirations and if that goes up more than 10% to give him a call.
He gave me some galliprant to see if that would help with the stiffness
Beauford is experiencing on getting up as well. He can't take NSAIDS. Well,
I don't think galliprant will be an answer to our prayers. It gave him
diarrhea and I didn't really see a difference in his mobility. When his
bloodwork came back, it showed a lowering in thyroid. So, they did a TSH
and it was still normal. So, barring more syptoms, we will not be starting
medication. His urine showed crystals. So, we have to do another urine
analysis in three months to see where he stands. The heart murmur is at
Stage 2 for those of you who that means anything to. It could stay like
that for years, or not. Time will tell. Meanwhile, Beauford also has an
open cyst on his back. From his tail head, it is up and over about an inch
in each direction. It is weeping and all three dogs will not leave it
alone! So, I was told to put him in a onesie. I found the suiticals at
Chewy.com and got 2 ordered. The cyst actually came to head and I lanced
it. I drained all the infection out and we have been scrubbing it with
chlorhexadine and packing it with triple antibiotic cream. Then I put a
gauze square over it and use paper tape. It is summer in Georgia and
Beauford has always been prone to overheating. So, we are doing this at
night. Then in the morning, we take off the suit. The bandage job tends to
last until just after noon. Then we start again in the evening. Getting a
basset in and out of that suit with a very crooked front leg is a job for
two people. I will be glad when it heals. For whatever reason, now all
three of them are leaving it alone when it is uncovered. Yay!

We are sending drool to all in need. It is never ending at this house,
especially with Bugsey!

Jennifer with Beauford, Bugsey, and Browyn the Fairy Princess
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