My final entry about Satchmo

You may or may not have noticed that I changed the title to this blog a while back.  I have not been able to talk about this or even think about this until now.

In July, my companion and my friend, Satchmo started seizing and the vet could not get the seizures to stop.  He stayed overnight at the vet but they were unsuccessful in stopping the seizures.  The next morning, I went to the vets and held my little boy.  It was difficult because of the spasms, but I spoke to him and petted him and told him how much I loved him.  I told him he would soon feel better and I would stay with him. 

I held him while life left him. 

I cried and cried and thought I would die, too.  Even as I write this I am crying.  But that is not the reason for the post. 

I opted to have Satchmo cremated and my vet was able to facilitate it for me.  Two days later, I was called to pick up his ashes.   I cried when I picked up that little sack with my boy's remains in it.  I brought it in the house and set it on the floor in my room.  I have not been able to touch it since.  He is still where I placed him.

Austen went to the vet yesterday for shots.  While I was there, the vet tech said, "I have something I think you might like to have."  She went into the back and came back out with a baggie that had a disc in it.  She said she had come across this when she was organizing shelves in the back.  When I looked at the disc, it was a paw-print of my boy.  I cried.

But I think receiving that paw-print was good for me.  Since I brought that home, I have begun a search for a vessel to keep my boy in, so I can keep him with me always.  I'm still very sad and I miss him terribly.

Satchmo had his follow-up wellness check-up today!

Today, I took the boy in to see his vet for a check-up.  Since the surgery, he has been getting stronger and acting more like himself every day and today we got to see how his liver function tests were doing.

The vet was pretty happy that his Alk Phos had dropped from 7000 to only 1000 (normal high is 200)
and she was pleased that he had gained 2lbs. since surgery.  Overall, he is eating well, drinking plenty and his bathroom habits are unchanged.

He is less crabby, but he still lets you know when he doesn't like what you are doing!  Anyway, I was very happy to see that liver level dropping.  We did find out that he has back problems called spondylosis (which is just a build up of calcium and bone in the area)  which is causing him some pain, so he gets to remain on his pain meds for now.

All in all, it was a great visit and my boy is having a great St. Patrick's Day.  He even gave his vet a shamrock pin to wear on her navy blue scrubs!

Monday's Mood -- Pensive

My little Man!

Today, I sit and look at my little man and I have to realize that he is not quite as spry as he once was.  He no longer can jump up on the bed at night, so I carefully pick him up and tuck him under the covers.  He has trouble getting up in the recliner with me when I watch TV, so I have to lower the foot rest part way down and he uses it like a ramp to get up in my lap.  I am starting to believe that his sight is going and I frequently see "floaters" in his eyes when he looks up at me.



More and more, his mood is irritable and cranky, so I have to believe that he is hurting with his joints.  I give him Ultram from the vet when he appears extremely irritable, but I think he may need the medication more often now.  He does not have the energy he once had and he seems to frighten easily.  I worry about him.  He is my little man and I don't want to lose him.

KT on the stoop

On another note, the cats outside are doing well.  I still never could catch the female, Ditto. She is now having her second set of babies.  She had them on Saturday, I think because she was really big in the morning when I left for work and that evening she was very thin.  I am making sure she is getting plenty of food and water so she and her brood can be healthy.  The male, KT, is quite happy since his trip to the vet.  He lazes on the front stoop and goes for walks with me and the dogs.  He has even come in the house to visit for brief periods and now has his own box to sleep in by the front door, complete with blankets and towels for comfort and warmth.



I will again try to capture Ditto when I am sure she is finished nursing.  I really want her to get shots and be spayed so we have no more babies.

The Experiment was a Success!

Using Melatonin really works.  Satch was able to weather those numerous thunderstorms without even waking up.  He did not shake or pace and he slept through the worst storm!

I will certainly be using Melatonin for his storm phobia in the future.  I hope you can benefit from this information.  Research online at veterinary sites about using melatonin for fears and phobias in dogs.

Hopefully, since Satch developed this phobia later in his life, he will now be able to return to the happy and fearless dog he always was before.

Satchmo is off his food!

I'm now becoming worried about my little man.  He has turned his nose up at his food now for the second day in a row.  He will eat cheese if I hand feed him, but nothing else.  His bodily functions are all normal so I wonder if his mouth is hurting him.  He has begun to really paw at his muzzle again and loves for you to scratch the sides of his mouth.  I wonder if dogs can get dry sockets like people can?  If so, I am worried that he has developed this painful situation.  Today the vet will be closed and tomorrow I have to work so I will have to make do until I can get him in on Monday.  Anyway, I had saved two of his pain pills so I gave him one this morning.  Hope it helps.

Some cute pictures of Ratties!

Isn't this the cutest puppy?

Quite a "mood" shot, don't you agree?

Today the little man and the foster dog have gotten along fairly well.  Satchmo has growled several times and snapped when Austen tries to get a toy, but other than that it has been fine.

The house is still intact since now whenever I leave I have to put Austen in a crate.  My God!  That dog can howl.  He never makes any sound whatsoever until you put him in the crate.

My neighbor is still trying to get a job, but for now she is in a safe place.  I worry about her all the time and want to see her resettled and rejoined with Austen.  Until then, he will definitely be staying here with me!