This blog is dedicated to the life and times of an extraordinary dog named Guinness.
All of you who knew Guinness know that I've always told him he has Puppy Powers. Despite losing his right hind leg to bone cancer (osteosarcoma) early this year, Guinness continued to be his same good-natured, food-loving, gentle, yet silly self right to the end. It was during this time his Puppy Powers turned into Pirate Puppy Powers!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Iron will, and a loss

Today's will be another fast post, sorry, I almost want to erase all that I was faced with and pondering not long ago, and just post that today still finds Guinness doing well. To say he's got an iron will and ability to forge ahead is an understatement. He's now getting him self up unassisted most of the time, stopped needing the "suitcase handle" harness I had to put on to help him down the back stairs, and we have all noticed how much more perky and alert he's been. His expressive ears are moving about all the time in response to our voices and activity going on, something I didn't even consciously know he does until it came back.

So, back up the roller coaster, hoping it continues. For now his chest xray and ultrasound have been postponed, which is great news to think we've overcome a big low.

On a sad note, we lost another one of our furry friends last night, Zelda, our fancy rat, one of two sisters we adopted a few years ago. It was a melancholy night for us all, as losing a pet of any size is not easy. I had suspected something was going on, as she had developed a tumor under her front paw very recently and I was watching it carefully. But I've been down that road with my old friend rat, Clover, who I had in college. I had actually had surgery done on her to try to help her, as she had a tumor as well, which is not uncommon for pet rats. She made it through surgery but ended up not pulling out of anesthesia. Unfortunately for those tiny pets (and their owners), there is not a lot you can do for them medically. As it was pointed out with Zelda's sister Aryll by Dr. Tom when she was ill, there are no known dosages for them. They are so tiny it's almost impossible to measure out medicines, you can't do blood draws because you can't take enough blood from them to give any kind of result, and obviously as I learned with Clover, anesthesia is a very difficult thing with them.

But, regardless, it is still a loss and very sad, although the lessons in loving and caring for another living thing has been such a wonderful experience for the kids. We will miss the good times with Zelda, just as we do her sister, Aryll, very much.

4 comments:

  1. So sorry to hear about Zelda! Hugs to all of you. She was great... I can not remember if she was the licker? :)

    Glad to hear that Guin Guin is doing better. I am sure it is really hard to see him so not himself, but what joy to feel to find him returning to himself :)

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  2. I'm really glad to hear about Guinness doing better Shannon. :)

    Very sad about Zelda. :(

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  3. Sorry to read this they all become special friends - I never really like rats my bro had 7 and would let them run all over me when I went round - perhahps I'm wrong and they are sweet when you get to know them - but I'm sure Zelda was a very happy ratty!

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  4. Yes Jen, she was the one who licked and kissed everyone. I'm still pretty sad about it, in fact I habitually went to bring her a little snack from the kitchen this morning. Thanks Nikoal.
    Nick...I think 7 rats would get to me too, but they really are sweet. Zelda and Aryll (and my Clover) were amazing.

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