Where I have been...

[Cindylou]

Kathy, I have been wondering about Jack myself since your last post. I am truly sorry to hear about these latest results. I will pray that he remains free from pain during this "interim," and that he definitely wakes up with his family Christmas morning, eager to dig into his Christmas stocking! Keep your camera handy, and capture all you can these next weeks and hopefully months.

Big hugs to all of you honey.

[Graysonlaw]

I am so sorry to hear this.

I think I mentioned before that I grew up with boxers. We always hated their relatively short lives, but never had anything even close to the issues you've had with Jack.

I am hoping that Jack can provide love and enjoyment to you in the time he has left. Quite a lesson, albeit painful, about life for your kids.

All the best.

Pete

[dalhousie]

Sorry to hear about Jack's continuing health issues. Hope he doesn't deteriorate over the xmas period & that you have a happy family time. I think you are right in your decision to support him as long as he's not outwardly suffering. After years of disabling back pain before my 1st op I would say that quality of life is much better than quantity. I don't have any pets myself but empathise what a wrench it must be when an elderly family pet is ailing especially when you've young children.

Sending you a gentle bear hug.

x

[Justin]

Kathy,

I'm sorry to hear this as well. I think your "plan" about Jack and his future health sounds like the best way to go about things. I truly hope that he remains comfortable and that he has many great days ahead of him.

We're thinking of your family.

[KBear]

Thanks everyone, you all are too sweet. It is nice having such a great group of friends, who not only understand back pain; but life.

My sister (who lives in Round Rock) brought her dog, Bella a 4 year old Golden Retriver, with her for Thanksgiving to see Jack. They have been best buds (cousins), since they got her. They usually bring her when they come stay with us (they usually stay with us when they come visit, as we are the only ones with enough rooms and beds to sleep their family of 6 plus dog). I also take Jack sometimes, when I go see them, and they have dog sat him when we have went on vacations. It is amazing how animals intuitevily 'know' what is going on.

When Bella came in, she immediately sniffed Jack, all the way around his body (which is not usual.. they usually just sniff rears and then go full speed playing), then she found a spot on the kitchen floor where he had thrown up the day before (I had cleaned and sanitized this spot, so was amazed she found it). Bella sniffed the spot where he had thrown up, then sniffed him and if was as if she sensed that he is dying. She was way more calm with him and didn't push him to play when he didn't want to. Also, the entire time she was here (Wed-Fri) and since then, he has not thrown up once! ALthough, I did notice that yesterday, he was not eating very well, again. It was as if her visit perked him up.

Also, last time my sister dog sat for me, her daughter (who has a chromosome deletion) was having increased seizure activity. Her seizures have been under control for years; but in recent months have increased. Jack was laying on his bed, snoozing in the living room. My sister said all of the sudden he sat up and starting whining and wailing, in distress. Next thing she knew, her daughter, was having a seizure. It was as if, Jack had sensed what was about to happen. Her dog does not react to the seizures, and she thinks that is because that is all that dog has ever known and is very 'normal' for it to sense and see the seizures. I have heard of dogs being used for people with seizures to help alert their caregivers of the seizure; but was amazed that my dog sensed it with no training (or it was a mere coincidence; but that is very very unusual behavoir for Jack).

I read an article in a pet newsletter I get from my vet, that they are now training dogs to sniff out cancer. There were two instances that I remember from the article, where average non-trained dogs, detected cancer in their owners. One dog, kept sniffing and pawing the owners abdomen and would not leave it alone. Turns out, that owner had ovarian cancer. The other dog, kept sniffing and pawing it's owners neck; that owner had throat cancer. They are doing lab tests where they have a person with cancer, breathe on a petri dish or in a container (can't remeber exactly what they breathed on). They then take ordinary dogs (not speciality or trained dogs, the dogs they are using are actually 'loaner dogs' ie. dogs that belong to normal people who lend their dogs a couple of days a week for research). They then have the dogs find the cancer breath. With little or no training, the dogs are finding the cancer immediately. It is amazing what these animals can do with their noses. I can just see it, in the future, we will go into our annual doctors visits and get 'sniffed' down for diseases. Wouldn't that be absolutely amazing? And incredibly cheap and effective?

[Katie]

Kathy, you are oh so right about the 'talents' or powers of animals in those circumstances. It is uncanny now much they sense. I've heard of them reacting to earthquakes just before they happen as well, but the ability to sniff out cancer is really amazing.

As for the connection between the two dogs...my grandparents had two standard poodles, brothers who were raised together. One developed cancer at the age of ten, and in the end had to be put down by the vet. The brother ended up with the same fate just weeks later, not from cancer, but because he refused to eat or drink after losing his companion. It was awful watching him grieve, and they decided that it was kinder to let him join his brother, rather than suffer like that. It was a very hard decision for them, but kinder for their beloved dog.

A good friend of mine had two horses, and one became quite ill and died from an autoimmune illness. She was buried just across the driveway from the barn, and the other mare refused to stay in her fenced area; she repeatedly jumped the fence and stood on the grave, just barely eating enough to stay alive for almost a week. After a few days, they just left the gate open until her need to grieve passed. I watched her do it several times or probably wouldn't have believed that they had that ability to grieve in them, at least to that extent.

So the reaction from Jack's friend doesn't surprise me, not anymore. We don't give them enough credit; we think that the human species is the only one capable of such emotions. Our loss.

I am so glad that Jack has such a loving family (four legged as well as two) to carry him through till the very end. There's no better life than that. Bless you for caring so much.

[KBear]

Amazingly, Jack has made a comeback! He went from a low weight of 64 lbs back up to 79 lbs! He was put on steroids in December, which will ultimately kill his liver more; but we are wanting quality not quanity. He is doing great now, off of the meds and back to his old self! Hopefully, he remains this way for a long time!

We just adopted another white boxer over the weekend and here are some pics. Him and Jack get along great... Jack is very protective of him. And weirdly enough, they are related, going back on their pedigrees, Jack is his great uncle! Jack's sister (same litter as he was in) is the puppy's dad's mom (his grandma). Right now, his given name is Patron (like the liquor); but we have been calling him mini-me, since he looks and acts so much like Jack.

Here are some pictures:

Patron and his sister


Ava holding Patron


Patron and his sister


Jack

[Justin]

Hi Kathy,

I'm glad that Jack is doing well! Patron is really cute. They look like very much alike. Puppies are so much fun!

[ajj1001]

They look so lovely together. The new puppy is so beautiful, sure we can think of names that are cuter than Patron for you !!!