The State Of The Blueberry

I have to admit, Blueberry has taken us on quite a wild ride the past few months.  She had a cancerous lump removed from her head in November and we have been at a crossroads as to what to do after the surgery.  It seemed that everywhere we turned, there was another option for her treatment.  We had trouble getting the vets together to discuss her treatment and we wanted to do a lot of research on the options presented to us.  Adding to the complications was the fact that she broke her toe in early January.  Leave it to Blueberry to go to so much trouble to get our attention.

I e-mailed Dr. Cuoto at Ohio State University because he is known as the expert on how to treat Greyhounds and he sees many hounds with cancer.  He recommended intralesional chemotherapy, which is basically where they inject chemo into a tumor.  It can be rather rough on the patient, however and no one in our vet's office felt comfortable performing the procedure.  Plus, she had the tumor removed and we aren't sure if there's any of it left in her head or not. 

Our vet called the University of Illinois and asked what their suggestion would be.  The oncologist there recommended nineteen radiation treatments, one a day, and Blueberry would have to stay there for about a month. I have a lot of reasons that I won't post here about why I won't leave any of my dogs there, but that's a long tangent to another place.  The truth is, I just can't see putting her through that.  A month away from home and that much radiation in her body can't be good for her and she wouldn't handle it well at all.  It is also unbelievably expensive. 

We spoke to five people who had also experienced the same kind of cancer in their dogs.  Four were Greyhound owners and the other was Miss Sunshade the Superdale's mom.  Three of the Greyhounds had the lump removed and lived for several years before dying of separate old age related problems that had nothing to do with the cancer.  Another had the surgery a year ago and has had no recurrance since then.   The research that I have read about the disease says that it is slow growing and rarely moves to another part of the body.  If it recurs, it happens again in the same spot.

So, we have come to a decision after a lengthy talk with our vet.  We're not going to do anything else right now.  The vet doesn't feel comfortable doing another surgery right now because there's not much between Blue's skin and her skull and the more they cut it open, the less they have left to sew back closed.  We're going to watch the spot on her head and if a lump reappears, then there will be surgery and possible cause for more aggressive treatment.  For now, we're going to concentrate on healing her toe so she can get out there and enjoy life after cancer. 

We have used the money that was raised for her to pay for her first surgery and we did have to use some of it for her toe, too.  The broken toe has turned out to be more expensive than the original surgery.  Our plan is to put money aside and hold onto it in case she does need more surgery in the future.  I can't begin to tell all of you what a relief it was to not have to worry about what we would do about the money to take care of her.  To everyone who donated money and bid in the auction, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  Knowing that we will have our girl here with us for hopefully as long as we've had her mother is the best gift that we could ever have asked for. 

I know this post isn't particularly humorous, but I know that many people have wondered what is happening with Blue and I wanted to explain it and let people know where we were.  It has been a long few months for us full of sleepless nights, worry, research, frustration and finally enlightenment.  I think the possibility of it coming back will always be in the back of my mind, but it isn't the looming spectre that it was before.  I feel at peace with our decision and I honestly believe that we've come up with the best plan for Blueberry.  It's good to go back to worrying about trivial things like how to best capture her good side and not whether I'm making a life or death decision. 

A Few Quirks

Our post on Monday brought up some interesting questions from some readers.  One question that we've been asked a lot is in regards to personality.  Many people have heard rumors about a "blue personality" and wondered if it's true or not.  Blue dogs have a reputation for being a bit off.

When we got Blueberry as a two-year-old hound, she was a handful.  She'd lived with a woman who thought it was a great idea to teach her the trick of launching off the floor from a sit and taking food from her mouth.  Ah, yes, and Blueberry has a skull harder than a titanium plate, I might add.  Several black eyes and a few concussions later we decided that the habit had to end.  I'll also simply say that I don't think the woman who taught her that trick was completely right and leave it at that. 

A lot of Blueberry's behavior in those early years wasn't really her fault.  She has a strong desire to please us, and if she can't she will often just give up and retreat to a dog crate to lay down with a sigh and her back turned to us.  Greyhound puppies are often known as landsharks and some of them take longer to mature than others.  I think Blueberry was definitely one of those late bloomers, but when she turned the corner, she became a magnificent dog. 

I have always considered her a bit quirky.  Blueberry has a few unique traits.  One that I've mentioned before is that she has two differently colored eyes.  One is grey and one is brown.  She also has a rather endearing bobble to her head when she gets really excited.  She cannot resist stealing hamburger buns off plates when they're left unattended.  Her dewclaws were surgically removed when she was young, but one grew back and if we let it grow it curls outward away from her leg.  I don't know if that's the result of a failed surgery attempt or if her dewclaws grew like that before.  I haven't found her personality to be particularly odd, however.  I just think she's unique, our own little snowflake.

Other Greyhound owners who have had blue dogs have sworn that they had dogs who had blue personalities.  I have to wonder if it's not a vicious cycle, though.  If people are expecting to see strange behavior in a dog, then perhaps any quirk will contribute to that theory.  Would the same behavior even be noted as a trait of a dog of another color?  Are really odd dogs only born blue?  I tend to doubt that.

What I do know is that Blueberry has been a wonderful addition to our family and we have always been happy that she came to live with us.  She hasn't been any more difficult to get along with than any of our other hounds.  Blueberry has always simply been herself.

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Shades Of Blue

Some questions I was asked on Facebook made me decide to write this today.  A person I recently added as a friend was looking at some of the pictures I have posted there and she came across one of me with Morgan, Bunny and Blueberry at the dog park.  She wanted to know if the blue dog was mine.  I told her that all three of them were mine and that Blueberry is actually a blue brindle.

For those who aren't familiar with Greyhound colors, blue is the term used for a grey Greyhound.  It is one of the rarer colors for the breed.  Blueberry is actually a blue brindle.  She has mostly blue fur with some blue fawn stripes on her, but her brindling is very light and doesn't show much.  Bunny is also a derivative of blue -- she's a blue fawn.  Blue fawn dogs are a light fawn color, but instead of black tips on their hair and black masks or noses like a regular fawn or red fawn, they have blue highlights, masks and sometimes grey noses.  Blue fawns often have lighter brown eyes and can appear pinkish outside in the sun.

When this came up in the conversation, the woman asked if that also was rare.  It is.  The blue gene is recessive, so it tends to be seen less often.  It also tends to make a lot of Greyhound people a little obsessed.  There are many Greyhound adopters that I've seen post on message boards who are just determined to have a blue dog.  Some of them will even see a blue dog at the track and go to great lengths to secure it when its racing career is over. 

Rumor has it that many blue dogs used to be culled.  Trainers believed that they were unlucky and bad racers.  This was a long time ago, and I haven't heard of that happening any more.  I don't know if it has anything to do with how rarely they happen now.  I also don't know if it happened with the dogs who were blue derivatives.  By blue derivatives, I mean blue fawns, blue brindles and white dogs with blue patches.

There are also people who believe that blue dogs are a little off.  Some believe they're more prone to disease and genetic problems.  Blues are often referred to as quirky.  I haven't found that to be the case.  Blueberry was a handful when she was young, but some of that wasn't her fault.  She'd been taught some very bad habits by the woman who'd had her before she came here.  Now she's known as Miss Almost Perfect here at our house and I don't think her behavior is any different than that of any of the other Greyhounds we've had or met.  The fact that she ran down an intact male named Try at the adoption kennel who got fresh with her isn't something we hold against her or attribute to her blueness.

I haven't ever really understood the status that comes with the blue coloring and Greyhounds.  Yes, they are pretty, but looks aren't everything.  I've always said that the most beautiful Greyhound is the one on your own couch.  I think after you've had your own dog for a little bit, you always compare others to yours.  The blue mystique also fascinates me because it isn't the rarest color that you can find in a Greyhound.  The most unusual color that I've ever seen is liver.  I'm guessing that it's an extreme red dilute.  I've only heard of about a dozen dogs who are this color.  Of those, I have heard of a few with some odd diseases, so I'm guessing that the gene is recessive enough that it is pretty closely linked with some genetic oddities. 

I didn't choose Blueberry or Bunny based on their coloring.  I don't think choosing by looks is a good way to find a good match in a dog.  Maybe it speaks to my quirkiness that I've been drawn to two dogs with strong blue genetics.  The only part of Blueberry's color that played a factor in our decision to keep her here was that she was a young dog who needed a very strong hand and someone with a lot of Greyhound savvy to keep her in check, and we did worry that someone would choose her based on her looks only without being able to work out her issues.   I can't say that we've ever been sorry that we decided to keep her here.  When we went to the adoption kennel to choose a new dog after Treat died, I really just didn't want to get another brindle, because I didn't want to keep comparing that dog to Treat.  If Bunny had been brindle, though, it wouldn't have mattered.  She came in, leaned against me, and I was hopelessly smitten.

I suspect that all breeds have their color or other breed status symbols.  I just might not be aware of what they are.  Are there status symbols in the breed that you own, or would like to own?  Are there certain colors or traits that you'd add to your dream dog, if you could mix up your perfect dog?  I freely admit that I have preferences and things I'd like to have if I could just order up my perfect dog.  Nature doesn't work that way, but I am guessing we all speculate on it to some degree.

There's Only Room For One In This Sick Bay

This week has been a tough one for me.  What I'd hoped was just a touch of respiratory flu proved to be a tough case of bronchitis that kept me home from work all week.  I spent quite a bit of time curled up in bed, which Nurse Bunny heartily approves of.  However, in the interest of getting a good night's sleep, I also tried to get myself up and out of bed for part of the day. 

If you're a regular reader of the blog, then you know that I'm not the only one recovering here at our house.  Last week Blueberry broke her toe and is now sporting a rather large splint.  In the beginning of her convalescence, I was feeling pretty bad for her.  However, since she's learned to get around in her splint and the pain has dulled, she's been getting around quite well.

Apparently, she thinks that she has a claim on the couch right now.  I disagree and feel that I need the couch just as much, if not more, than she does.  It's not that I'm not willing to share.  As a matter of fact, two dogs AND a person can fit on our couch.   Provided the dogs and human are cooperative, that is.

I have noticed that Blueberry has been a lot clingier lately.  I attribute it to her not being able to go with us as much as she and we would like.  I also think that she's finally reached a point in her life where maybe she likes more physical comfort than she did when she was younger.  She's always preferred to have her own space to sleep, sometimes even sleeping in the living room while the rest of us are asleep in the bedroom.  I don't blame her -- I like to have my own space to sleep, too.  Still, it seems like she's taken it to new heights this week.

A lot of times, if Blue wants to be on the couch with me, she'll climb up and then stretch out so that none of the other dogs can find space up there.  I can't imagine how I ever found that this was cute.  You may be shaking your head and saying something to yourself about how sweet that is that she wants her time with me and how crazy I am to say that it's anything different.  Well, here's where the problem begins.  Blueberry doesn't think that she should have to share the couch.
I come out in the morning and ask her to move over.  She give me a look from the corner of her eye and then feigns sleep.  A second request from  me results in a snort, which she attempts to disguise as a sneeze.  Finally, she moves over infintessimally and I wedge myself into the corner, muttering about how she's lucky I'm sick and she's injured.  This results in a huff from Her Royal Hineyness followed by her standing up, stretching herself halfway on the floor and half on the couch before she hobbles off, ka thunk, ka thunk, ka thunk, tapping the floor extra hard with her splint as she stalks off to the crate to sulk.  I'm not sure if dogs feel guilt, but they certainly know how to use it against us.

She doesn't stay in the crate for long, though.  Oh no!  Soon, she's back, sniffing me and letting me know I'm forgiven for disturbing her before she will hop back up on the other end of the couch.  The next thing I know, she's stretched out on two cushions, her head leaning against my foot or leg.  I continue to read, or perhaps I'm looking at something on the computer, or watching a little television.  Soon, I begin to notice something.  Darned if this couch isn't shrinking!  Soon, Blueberry is so close to me that I've lost feeling in the entire lower half of my body.  I try to push her over, but I might as well be trying to control the flow of lava.   I get up and limp to the kitchen to rattle the treat jar.  Three dogs appear for treats while Blueberry sits up on the sofa, her ears perked in anticipation of the treat I'll bring back to her.  That didn't go as planned. 

I look at Bunny.  She's laying on the dog bed on the floor, avoiding what she imagines will be another Clash of the Titans.  No doubt she feels that if we take each other out, the couch will be all hers.  Morgan finds a reason to go on patrol.  Lilac yawns and closes her eyes, not willing to interrupt her nap for our silliness.  Finally, I sigh and realize the inevitable.  I am just going back to bed.  At least it's big enough for several of us to share if we all decide to head in there.  I'll fight the Battle of the Couch later.  Sleeping in bed with Bunny and Morgan suddenly seems like a much better idea, anyway.  I guess this way, we're all winners!

We're participating in this Saturday's Pet Blog Hop, hosting by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you'd like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor.  Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!

Turning Nine Is Fine

Bunny here at the keyboard, taking over for Mom. 

I'd like to start by saying that I've really had my paws full taking care of Mom this week.  She's been sick with bronchitis and after I'd tried every trick I knew to take care of her, I finally had to get Dad to take her to the human vet yesterday.  I apologize that we haven't done a lot of commenting, but you have no idea how much work it is taking care of these sick people!  Anyroo, the vet gave her some medicine and hopefully next week we'll get more into the swing of things.  I'm sure glad we got a lot of posts ready over the weekend.

Anyroo, since Mom was sick, and Blueberry has a broken toe, we had a low key birthday celebration for her.  I don't think she likes a whole bunch of fuss anyway.  She's a "let's get to the cake" kind of girl.  That's one of the things I admire about her.

The good thing about any birthday is that we all get to partake of cake!  Maybe it's not such a bad thing that Mom was sick again, since it meant that we got to have cake from the dog bakery.  I don't know what sort of magic they bake into those cakes, but they're delicious!

Blueberry wanted to thank everyone for all their birthday well wishes, too!  She loved being Queen for the Day.  Tomorrow, I'll be sure to get my tiara back, though!

Hard To Believe Another Year's Gone By

Today our Blueberry Girl turns nine years old.  I remember seeing her turn two.  Where does the time go?

I'm not lucky enough to have pictures of Blue as a puppy.  I can well imagine that she was a beautiful little thing.  When she came here at two years old, she was a wild child, just unbelievably full of herself and knowing that she was pretty enough to get away with just about anything.  She's still pretty enough to get away with just about anything.  I can distinctly remember sitting down with her on her third birthday and telling her that now she was a big girl and needed to start behaving like a young lady.  She blew a raspberry at me and went on her merry way.  Her fourth and fifth birthdays passed in much the same manner. 

Honestly, I think Blueberry might have stayed a puppy forever, but one event seemed to change her overnight.  When Treat passed away, Blueberry realized that the role of Miss Perfect was open and that she wanted it. Suddenly, the spot on the other end of the couch was filled by Blueberry.  She spent a few minutes cuddling on the bed each night before hopping off to sleep in her favorite spot on the floor.  I think her heart still belonged to my husband, but she seemed to be more in tune with my need for canine companionship than Treat or Hawk had been. 

When we'd chosen a new hound for our pack, Treat had always been the one to help us choose.  After losing her, we took Blueberry with us to the kennel when we went to look for a new hound.  She turned her nose up at every dog they brought in for us to meet.  I remember really starting to despair and to think that Blueberry was absolutely no help.  By the time the woman at the kennel offered to let us meet a new dog that they'd just gotten in, I felt half-hearted about it, but in Bunny walked and leaned right up against me, and Blueberry didn't hate her.  She didn't act thrilled with her, but her reaction to Bunny was by far the best of the day.  We still laugh about Blueberry chasing down the foolish male named Try who made the mistake of, ahem, getting fresh with her and teaching him a bit of a lesson.  I doubt he's looked a female in the eye since.

She seemed content after Bunny came home to let me cuddle with her and make that bond, while she went back to being Daddy's Girl.  Yet, she's still the one who will seek me out when I'm upset or having a bad day.  I've also noticed that since Morgan has joined our family that she's more actively seeking time with me.   While it's sometimes tough to juggle Blueberry and Bunny both together, I've come to really enjoy the time that I have with Blueberry.  She's grown from a dog who could launch herself off the floor from a sit and take the food right out of your mouth to one who always has her eye on you to see what your next move is going to be and if it includes her.  One of my deepest wishes and hopes is that she will be as long lived as her mother because every year with her gets a little sweeter.  She has done wonderfully since her surgery for the cancer and is dealing well with her broken toe.  These things are reminders to us to be thankful for every day that we have with our beautiful girl.  We have been blessed to share the journey with her!

Happy Birthday, Blueberry, and many happy returns!

Bring On The Bubble Wrap

It's funny how sometimes you resolve to do something and then it comes back to bite you in the rear, or the toe as the case may be.  Tuesday I was talking about trying to find the happy balance for Blueberry between being active and not overdoing things.  We got a nice helping of snow Tuesday and it was my last day of break before going back to work, so we decided to take the girls to the dog park.  It's an activity that Blueberry enjoys, as do Morgan and Bunny, and she can go at her own pace there.

We arrived and Blueberry took off with Bunny.  I could tell that the snow and cool weather were a perfect mix for them.  Mr. Taleteller and Morgan soon joined us and Morgan was off to try to catch up with them.  They did several huge circuits around the dog park and it was awestriking to watch them do what they were born to do.  Blueberry was really enjoying herself and giving it all she had.  She and Morgan seem committed to helping Bunny get in shape for that big race.

The park has a section for small dogs and so the larger dog section is actually a large L shape.  Blue is particularly interested in hanging out in the back section and stalking squirrels.  As Bunny and Morgan came back around and kept up their antics, I didn't think much about the fact that Blueberry wasn't with them.  After a few minutes, though, I decided to walk around and check on her, to make sure I knew where she was and what she was doing.  When I walked around the corner, I saw her, holding her paw up and looking a bit relieved to see me.

I walked over to her and brushed the snow off her foot, figuring that the cold was getting to her.  Still, she held the foot up.  I tried coercing her into walking forward a bit.  She kept the brakes on.  Her back legs were trembling from the strain and cold and I pulled her over to lean against me.  Then I called my husband.  I could carry Bunny or even Morgan, but Blueberry is a big girl.  He huffed, but picked her up to carry her to the van to warm up.  There are a few perks to getting old.  Bunny and Morgan circled around to see what was going on and offer moral support. 

After Bunny and Morgan had run out of steam, we collected them and headed back for the van.  When I opened the door, I was surprised to see her still holding her foot up, but the van doesn't offer a lot of room to do exams, so we loaded up and headed home.  Morgan and Bunny were escorted out of the van and I turned to have a closer look at Blueberry's foot.  She wasn't having any part of being examined and when I looked down at her, without any snow on her paw, I realized that the toe was sticking out at an awkward angle.  Mr. Taleteller carried her into the house and I gave him the news.  He was not too happy.  To his credit, he did not say "I'm so glad I gave up half a day of work for this" or "You know Morgan and I are going to miss our first obedience class tonight."

It's not uncommon for Greyhounds to dislocate toes.  I was pretty sure that's what had happened.  I gave a sigh and made the call to the vet's office.  Mr. Taleteller dutifully carried Her Royal Blueness back out to the van.  We set of to have the toe examined and x-rayed.  I felt awful for her in the lobby while we waited as she tried to pretend that not being able to see her would make it all go away.

I wasn't quite sure if they'd actually be able to do anything for her, but I am glad we went.  It turns out that she broke her P3, which would be her third phalanx bone in her toe.  It's not shattered, just broken in two, possibly three pieces.  She has a splint and a nice IV bag to wear over it to keep it dry.  She won't be visiting the dog park, or hiking, or much of anything for the next six weeks.  I'm ready to go with Morgan's idea of bubble wrap suits. 

So, I guess we'll start easing Blueberry back in to easy hikes in the Spring and see how it goes.  I'm not too worried about her getting too crazy because she's pretty mellow and laid back, but I do want to come up with some ideas to keep her from getting too bored while she's on the mend.  My question is for everybody out there who's ever experienced an injury that required rest or who just happens to have any creative ideas.  What do you do with a dog who wants to be somewhat active, but is on restricted activity?  I know she's going to need some special time just for her or she's going to get depressed seeing Bunny and Morgan getting to go out and do things while she can't.  Any and all ideas will be appreciated.

This is framed in my vet's office.  It's a note he wrote to his mom when he was a boy.  His mom gave it back to him when he grew up.  Every time I see it, I have to smile!  I guess it's a good thing that we don't get everything that we wish for.

Wordless Wednesday 1/12 -- Who's That Tripping Over My Bridge

Growing Older Gracefully

This past weekend, we were glad that we got to get out on Sunday and hike.  Saturday morning, Bunny and Morgan were both champing at the bit when they recognized the routine that signalled that neither Mr. Taleteller nor I were going to work.  We had planned a hiking expedition with family, but it turned out to be bitter cold with windchills that weren't safe to be out in.  Since the treat jar was empty, we bundled up ourselves, Bunny, Blueberry and Morgan and made a trip over to the dog bakery in town.  The girls were happy to have an outing, but it wasn't the leg stretch that they were hoping for. 

Sunday, we figured that we'd better get the two youngsters out of the house for a little bit and so we headed to the nearest state park for a hike.  We approached this with trepidation, because it had literally been cold enough the day before to take your breath away.  I guess that's why God invented Cuddle Duds and Smartwool socks.  Since we weren't quite sure what to expect when we got there temperature wise, we decided that only Bunny and Morgan were going and that if it got too cold, we'd go back and call it a day.  At least we'd get a nice drive in if nothing else came to pass.  It turned out to be a really nice day for a hike.  Crossing the frozen creeks were a little challenging, but I found myself regretting that we hadn't brought Blueberry along.  I knew she wanted to go as she stood in the kitchen, her head vibrating with excitement.

When we got home, I was surprised by the display of affection Blueberry put on.  She was leaping on the couch and doing yoga poses of bliss as I scratched her head before she collapsed in the nest of blankets she's arranged while we were gone.  She can be affectionate, but is usually a bit more reserved.  As I sat down, she curled up against me and was gazing at me in total adoration until I got the camera out.  I made up my mind right then that next weekend, she has to be included, provided the weather permits.

It's so hard not to feel guilty when you have to make a decision for your pet that's in their best interest and against what they so obviously want.  I admit that since her cancer diagnosis in November I feel the need to treat her like she's made of glass.  Another factor in the issue is that she's actually not a young dog anymore.  She was barely two when we first met her and now we realize her ninth birthday will be in a week and a half.  Where did the time go?   The woman at the dog bakery was giving all the girls treats, but making them sit before she fed them.  When it came to be Blueberry's turn, she said "You don't have to sit!  You're an old lady!"  Blueberry promptly displayed the prettiest Greyhound sit ever executed which looked particularly charming while she wore her pink coat.  It was as if she and I both had the same outraged thought at the same time.  I can't think of her as old. 

Since having that thought, I realized that I have to start being a bit careful with her, but not treat her as if she's old.  Lilac is fifteen -- that is old!  Blueberry is still ready to go.  It will require some planning on our part to be sure it's challenging enough to take the edge off Morgan's energy, but not so challenging that we have to carry Blueberry back to the van.  There will still be times when it's not in her best interest to go, either because the terrain is too treacherous or the weather is too extreme, too.  Still, I am hoping we can find a happy medium that works for her.

My question to others out there is how do you do things that include your aging dog?  What do you do to help him or her make the transition to old age?  What are some things that your slightly older dogs enjoy doing?