My dear Kuvasz Kodi has been diagnosed with osteocarcinoma.

This is all heartbreaking...

I'm sorry but I agree with K. about the last 2 pics --- maybe not pain but for sure that dog isn't comfortable.....

Would the vet be able to tell?? I'll be looking in for news on Monday.... Such a brave face and so sweet!!!

Kuvasz. I hope all is well. Looking forward to another positive update.

Have you seen this holiday greeting?

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=0212320003

Hello all.

Over the weekend Kodi has been moving a little better. On Sunday she actually climbed up the ramp on her own, which shocked me since she had been sleeping all day in the sunshine in the front yard and when I turned around from the computer, there she was with her nose peeking thru the door.

She is still limping, a bit worse than a week ago, but she is happy when she is resting. Her left front leg is still fairly weak but again, that painful look she had a few days ago is gone from her face.

I have been traveling out of state each of the past two days, leaving before dawn and returning long after nightfall so my neighbor has been coming over to check on the pack. She is a great lady whose horses, and cats and rabbits, and hamster I feed when she and her family go away. So it's a great arrangement. It also helps that she is a certified vet tech with a PhD in microbiology.

she has rounded up Luckie and Dr J who escaped each day after I left at 6 AM and has told me that Kodi has come out from under the back porch to greet her, wagging her tail when she sees my neighbor, so that is good to hear. Each of the past two nights I have returned with Kodi sitting in the front yard, not on the porch. So when I come in the house and get her medicine and walk out to the yard to give her the pills. I watch her for a while to see how she looks, and after an hour or so, I go out with the sling to get her onto the porch where it is warmer and softer with all the blankets I have for her to sit on and cover her with.

Last night when I returned she was walking okay, but still I used the sling to help her up on to the porch and she seemed to readily walk up with my help. Actually it as the first time she moved so fast up the ramp with my aid, so she is getting used to me helping her up the ramp now.

As I type, she is covered with a sleeping bag and you can see only the tip of her nose poking out. I will feed her in a little while and see how she does when she walks done the ramp to do her morning business,

I had to take Aja (below) to the vet first thing Monday morning. The vet opened early for me to drop her off. Aja has had reconstructive surgery on both knees (ACL tears) and on Saturday I noticed that one knee was swollen. Well, on Monday night the vet showed me her x-rays and they showed movement of the pin holding the joints together, and what looks like arthritis. The vet drained the swelling (think "water-on-the-knee) and said it would likely return... it has. but what concerns me is that the x-ray of Aja's knee showed a fuzziness on the ends of the two bones connected by the pin that the vet indicated was the on-set of the arthritis, but I looked at it and told him that it looked like bone cancer. he told me that the same fuzziness was apparent on the two bones being held by the pin so it was unlikely that it was bone cancer, but I have to tell you, I have been looking intensely at bone x-rays now every couple of weeks with Kodi's condition and it sure looks like what I see with Kodi's x-rays. so, the x-rays are headed to UGA animal hospital and I hope to have them reviewed by the same oncology specialist vet who is treating Kodi... Kodi's next appointment is 12/19. At the best, Aja will have to have reconstructive surgery again on her knee which sux because she will have to stay at the hospital for 3-4 weeks to recover adequately so she does not re-injure herself playing with all the other dogs... and she willhave to wear a bonet because she has a habit of chewing off her stitches after surgery........Aja is the sweetest dog in the pack and she is the most loving and affectionate, and is the one in the house who is always wanting attention. She is the one who somehoe manuvers her way to sleeping with her head on my pillow by the time I awaken each morning. So several weeks away from me makes her so sad.

Aja is Kodi's niece, so they are closely related and I am hoping that cancer is not prevalent in her gene line.



Aja.. with a sweet smile. You can see her great heart shining thru with this pix.

Thank you very much for the news and best Christmas wishes to the K. family!!!

Glad to hear Kodi's doing ok and concerned about Aja.

Well, Kodi had another visit to the vet hospital again and things are looking pretty good. Her x-rays do not show any growth of her osteocarcinoma and there is no evidence of metastisization into the lungs. Great news indeed.

Kodi was as ever eager to travel today and jumped up, well for her jumped up when I said "let's go for a ride!" As soon as I said that all hell broke loose in the Kuvasz Ranch and all the other dogs went wild jumping up and barking at me and Kodi.

As I walked Kodi out the gate Luckie started digging immediately under a spot near the gate, and I had to go back inside the fence and reinforce the fence where she was digging, Meanwhile Raja stole the lock and chain I use to bolt the gate and ran away with it.. it seems a planned diversion because as I chased him across the yard, I turned to see Abba pop open the gate with is nose and as it began to swing backwards it appeared that a general jail break was about to commence. It took a scream and leap by me to catch him as he moved thru the gate. Boy he was shocked to see a two-legger move that fast to snag him before he got out.

After that I had to close the gate and use the leash I was going to use for Kodi who was walking up the hill from the gate. She is now too slow to run away from me so I let her thru the gate to do her business since she knows to do that before she gets in the van. Luckily, I have a couple of leashes in the van so I drove up the hill and corralled her and got her up the ramp and we were on our way. As I drove away I really did expect to see Luckie and Doc in my rear view mirror running after us. But they stayed in the yard. And all were waiting when I returned this evening

Since Kodi had a 1pm appointment for her x-rays and she was sedated for them, she is staying overnight art the vet hospital to be sure she is okay, I did not ant to bring her back home to the pack all woozy from the anesthetic. She was resting comfortably in her pen when I looked in on her.

The vet said she looked great and that she appeared happy and smiling. He also said he has looked in on this thread and thinks you guys are special and good people to show your obvious qualities of concern and care about Kodi. He is right. You guys are great people to show such interest and support.

Aja was NOT diagnosed with osteocarcinoma, but arthritis and she will likely have surgery on her leg again. That sux because she will be away from me and the pack for several weeks. I will find out soon just what and when she will have to endure surgery

Some pix of the pack from this week.



Aja, looking up the front ramp. Note the gate to her right and how I have to put cinderblocks to keep Luckie from digging out there!




a good pix of Raja. Note how much he looks like Aja in this pix




A pix of Kodi covered up with her sleeping bag and Doc who just happened to wander in to the pix



A warm and toasty kuvasz that night!

The dogs are a bit nervous right now and they are wandering around the fence line. I think they are expecting to see Kodi coming over the hill any minute. She is Big Mama, the Ancient One, and She Who Must Be Obeyed all rolled into one. But at least for tonight, Abba has her spot on the sleeping bag!

And dammit, tomorrow I have to go to the hardware store and get another lock and chain....I think I might buy two this time!

Thanks for all the good vibes you folks ar sending in. Kodi can feel in her bones.

Great news about Kodi's current condition, kuvasz.

My two little friends always get an extra dose of cuddles once we hear from the kuvasz ranch <not that they're under-cuddled>.

I nearly always come to this thread half-afraid of what I'll see and always seem to end up laughing. Just love your descriptions of life with the pack!

Continued best wishes for Kodi, and now Aja. (Curious about pronunciations btw. I read "Raja" as "rah-jah" and "Aja" as "ay-jah", but are they meant to rhyme?)

kuvasz,

Though some parts are sad, this is a wonderful thread. The love you have for your babies is so inspirational.

The hardest thing for me to do is to make a decision to have to have a shelter cat put down. I know that if you ever have to make this decision, you will do what is best. You will remember that the important thing is what is best for your baby.

I wish I could find someone like you to adopt every cat in my shelter. While I am positive they get good homes, I would feel truly honored if one of my babies ended up with you (or someone like you.)

God Bless you for the love you have. Your compassion is great indeed. You have my respect.

kuvasz
kuvasz, I've been following the loving care you give to your dogs. I really admire people who take are of their pets as if they were human. Too many people don't want to spend money on their pet's care and just dispose of them.

You are the best!

When my son moved to Florida, he became angry when he learned of the large number of winter residents who abandon their pets when they move back up north at the end of the season because they can't have pets where they live in apartments. These pets are either killed or, dumped at shelters. If they are lucky, will be adopted by permanent residents. I don't understand such callous people.

BBB

Hello to the UGA vet who read along here - I miss that vet school.....

Kuvasz, why don't you packallthe dogs into the van and take them with you?

I loved the break-out story. That's quite a pack you've got there. Would been good to have that one on video......

thanks all for the kind words.

yeap, its ah-jah'. I named Kodi and my first Aja from a list of female Hungarian names as a part of the contract of purchase and pronounce Aja (II), the rescue Aja the same way.

when people see her name they think i named her for the steely dan album Aja (pronunced "Asia")

but "ah-jah'" sounds prettier.

........and get all these critters in one van?

are you crazy?!!!

when i get them checked at the vet i have to move them in shifts...and the vet blocks off an entire 1/2 of a day for my doggies.

doc cannot tolerate abba in an enclosed space

kodi only tolerates abba.

Luckie and Aja have "issues"

little bit rides on my lap.

so it goes like this...


first, Kodi almost aways travels alone in the back since she needs the room in the back and has difficulty moving in concert with another dog in the back.

Little Bit travels in the front seat with Kodi alone in the back seats.... funny looking as hell to walk in the vet with a 135 pound dog on a leash , and carrying one 8 pounds in my arm.


doc and aja are travel buddies, aja tries to jump up front, unfortunately into the driver's seat more often than not. doc is way in the back because i am likely screaming at Aja to "get back!" as I push her body off of my right shoulder.

Luckie gets to travel with Abba and Luckie usually jumps up front to the passenger seat and sticks her head out the window., much to Abba's chagrin. since Abba also likes to hang his head out the window.

i refer to myself during those journeys as Dr. Doolittle, or Noah.

now with raja added in to the mix, I fear a disturbance in the Force

Ok! Ok... it was just an idea (laughing).

Just a though kuvasz, have you ever thought about writing a book? I know I would love to read a book like the stories you have been telling us. I think it would be great!

I agree, Momma. At least a a collection of columns written for a local paper.....

littlek,

That is a wonderful idea! I wish I had the talent and I would do it for my cat shelter.

There are millions of animal lovers out there kuvasz.

i have a title ready and waiting:

"Kuvasz in the Mists"

probably have to have that old abuzz member and dear buddy "Old Dog" ghost writer it. He was the main screen writer for Gilligan's Island and McHale's Navy

You just let me know when the book is going to come out. I will be one of the first in line to get a copy.

What a beauty!

I'm smiling re the idea of dog-diary, but I presume you are busy enough. You and the dogs are here, now.

Dog Diary? I love that Osso!