3 Years

3 Years ago I wrote a blog post that said Leo has cancer.  At the time, we were told that median survival of canine lymphoma was about 1 year. Leo was only 8 1/2 years old and was a happy, otherwise healthy and active dog.

The first appointment. He was ready to leave. 

Oops

Worst dog-daddy ever. Leo's tail got caught in the car door. Not slammed, but enough to put a kink in it.
Sigh. He seems fine. I'm a mess. (Sick, tired from a conference, and then worst person ever). I've splinted it and he seems happier. It's all pig ears this weekend, bud...

Steady State

Good news everyone! Or, rather than good news, the best news that can be expected. So, relatively good? Anyway, after 3 weeks, Leo's lymph nodes have not changed. His shoulder is still "plump", but not anything to really worry about, and nothing else has changed.

Last snow

Leo has been in a fantastic mood, but I think even he has had enough of this snow business. And really, it's not even snow anymore - over the past few days, since we had a bit of a thaw, it pretty much turned to ice. And then some water. And then ice, again. It's been hard on his old bones, and it really showed this weekend. But despite the snow we got in the past few days, it looks like this is it - the end of the snow. And probably his last time to go out in it.

Accident

The vincristine seems to have done it's work. Leo had an accident in the house today.

That's not good - he's not had any stomach upset of note because of it. But then again, this last treatment was different. He really didn't want to go - like, needed to be really coaxed into the back. He was shaking, tail down.

I think he doesn't want to do this anymore. It's holding his lymphoma in check, but the cost (both materially and on him) is becoming rather hight.

Rudi!

I didn't take any pictures, but I was walking my friend's dog Rudi this weekend. He broke his collarbone (my friend, not the dog) and walking a dog in ice and snow is a bad idea. It's an even worse idea when your dog is a 10-month old hyperactive border-collie mix.

The last night, Saturday, I brought Leo with me on the walk. Of course, this meant it was going to be a bit shorter - Leo's 11 years, Rudi's 10 months. Leo had to walk up the stairs first, and his old hips weren't happy. And Leo's got cancer. Rudi doesn't.

Tolerating well

Leo came in an rolled on my head this morning. So cute. Seriously, that's the best when he comes in while you're waking up, he jumps up on the bed, does the nose-in-the-face, and then he just throws himself down on your head and rolls.

Brutally effective.