Normal!

Well, that was some good news! Leo's blood work came back normal - which makes me feel a lot better about that lump.  It may well just be from all the flea bites - yeah, he apparently has a flea allergy, and despite having his collar, he still gets bit by fleas (they just don't stick around too long, apparently, because I don't see them on him, nor on me or the cat... ) and he has a terrible reaction. He also doesn't have heartworm, which is really what I've been stressing about over the past week.

A suspicious item

I have scheduled a senior wellness checkup for Leo this week, mostly to make sure that his heartworm test comes back negative and to get a few weird things looked at (is that a granuloma? what about the hairy tumor thing on his leg?). I was poking around, and there's a lump - a lymph node - behind his right rear leg. I can feel it - that's bad. Now, he's got all kinds of scabs and hot spots on his back quarter - seriously, it's awful! - so it could just be from the infection/scabs/bites/what have you. I hope.  We shall see.

Bruno RIP

I have found out that Bruno, Leo's dog-friend, has passed away.  Bruno also had cancer. The last time that we saw Bruno it was on Friday. He was not doing well, and when Leo went up to him he didn't get up - but the tail was wagging, and he perked up when his old pal came by to say hello.

ELEVEN

The quote is "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics"; I'm going to say there's even damned statistics.  Leo has made it to eleven years old, which is, statistically, improbable.  But here he is, and I'm happy for it.