Posts made by red and white furever

What a beautiful memorial! (((hugs!)))

One problem I've faced with Stormie's Fanconi is the amount of meds he takes everyday and trying to keep them organized so I'm not counting pills twice a day. Currently, I'm sorting and counting pills once a week and putting them into Day Of The Week (w/ AM and PM sides) pill holders. Any other suggestions or ideas for med storage/sorting any easier/convenient?

Stormie is loving his Nupro, too! I make his into a gravy and give it to him as a treat for taking all his meds! He doesn't even know it's supposed to be good for him! Glad it's working for you, too Lynn!

I keep my litter boxes in the basement and up on an old dresser. I put a chair in front of the dresser so the cats can jump up easily, but Stormie can't - his cat poo breath drove me to desperate measures! lol!!!

Everytime I walk outside I am very wary now. I checked into trap and relocation for the bear, but the PA Game Commision won't do anything unless the bear is doing actual physical damage to your property (ie: house siding being torn off etc.). Apparently nearly scaring the pants off a person doesn't count for much! lol! I also ordered the bear pepper spray - better safe than sorry!
Oh and Stormie? He still thinks the bear is going to come back so he can have a go at him! lol! He's such a little nutter - but I know he'd do his best to protect his Momma!

Lynn I just emailed you for the bear pepper spray info - I think it'd be a good, safe investment!

Pat I nearly peed my darn pants! lol!!! I certainly wasn't expecting that visitor this afternoon! I'm still all frazzled from it!

I am still rather shaken by the events of this afternoon. I had spent the majority of the day outside with the Mallard ducklings and weeding in the gardens and such. The seasonal neighbors are up, so my rural neighborhood is actually louder than it typically is. Imagine my surprise when I took a break to bring Stormie out to pee at around 6:00 PM, and as I rounded the corner of the house I saw a black bear walking through my side yard along the canal. OH! I panicked! Stormie's hackles went up immediately, and he doesn't back down from any challenge - he can be a brute and is stubborn as the day is long. I stared at the bear, the bear looked at us, and in the next moment as I bent to pick up Stormie (who was going WILD and whining and grunting!) and get inside, the bear cut through the weeds, across the canal, and into the woods along the river, where I heard from neighbors that he swam across and made his way up the opposite mountain. Storm was going NUTS in my arms wanting to get to this creature, and my heart was pounding! There have been many bear sightings in my area before, but this is a first time for me in broad daylight and with so much commotion going on! I just wish I'd had a camera with me and a better presence of mind! I was more than a little addle-brained!

@tanza:

Wow.. that is great to know.. thanks

You're welcome!

I love the Halo company in general. I use their Dream Coat for Nik and Stormie in the winter time - it works brilliantly for dry, winter skin. I also use Halo's Spot's Stew canned food on occasion in addition to EVO, Evangers, Cal. Natural, Weruva, and Merricks cans. The pups love it!
Oh, and the ear cleaner is great, too!

Lynn if it weren't for you and your kind ears listening to me blubber on the telephone, I don't know how I'd have gotten through it all - you were my biggest supporter and greatest friend through all of this! You'll never know how much your friendship means to me!

You're not kidding, etzbeseder! I spend more a week on dog food (canned and dry) than I do on my own food, I think! These dogs of ours knew what they were doing when the "picked" us!

Stormie is my heart dog, the canine equivalant of a soul mate. I can't tell you all how much I love him, but I have a suspision you all may know that feeling with a special basenji of your own.
When I first began to research the basenji breed and made plans to make one a member of my family, I was aware of Fanconi Syndrome, PRA, hypothyroidism, and all the "common" afflictions that basenjis are prone to. But naively, I believed that it wouldn't happen to me or my dog. He was coming from a well known, reputable breeder, and with so many basenjis in the world, my chances of acquiring a Fanconi dog was slim to none - or so I thought. Still, I strip tested him regularly starting when he turned 3 yrs. old. I never expected the strip to change color - until one day when Stormie was 5 1/2, it did. I was sure it was a mistake. I re-tested, still a color change. I didn't want to believe what the strip was telling me. I broke down. I cried, I hugged my little dog. He was my tissue. I read EVERYTHING I could get my hands on regarding the disease. I talked to people who have also had Fanconi dogs. I reached out to friends both in real life and on the internet, and found amazing comfort and support as I found a vet who was willing to work with the Gonto Protocol and had a blood gas machine.
Once I had the official diagnosis, I scheduled the first of many blood gas tests. I sat in the exam room, while Stormie was having the test done and cried some more. I don't think I have ever cried so much in my life as I did during this whole process. I cried for myself, in that selfish way we humans do. I cried for my little dog who doesn't deserve this disease. I cried for all the owners who have been where I was, and for all the owners who will go through this heart ache with their beloved dogs. It's truly a heart wrenching experience.
After his initial blood gas test was done, the vet (a wonderful and caring man!) determined that Stormie would start off on 4 bicarb tabs BID, a 1/2 Pet Tab Plus in the AM and in the PM, a 1/2 Pet Cal in the AM and another 1/2 in the PM, and Amino Fuel tab once a week, and a potassium supplement daily. I was set, and we scheduled another test for 6 weeks to monitor our progress. After the next visit, it was determined that we had to up the bicarb by 1 pill BID. Another blood gas test in 6 weeks to check again. After that visit, we upped the bicarb again by 1 tab BID, and we have stayed steady at 6 bicarbs BID since then. As I type this, my little man is doing extraordinarily well on the Protocol. His blood gas tests are now scheduled for every 6 months instead of every 6 weeks. He's due for another vet visit in August to check all of his values (full blood work and blood gas test in addition to a urinalysis) - my fingers are crossed he's continuing to stay steady!
Every vet visit, sitting in that exam room and waiting for the news tears a little at your heart. You worry that everything is going down hill, or you're missing something, or not doing something quite right. I don't think I'll ever not be an emotional wreck at one of these visits, no matter how well Storm did the time before - it's the worry and concern you try so hard to hide from every other day of your life as you dole out meds and count out pills and find the magic way to get him to take them all without crunching them up or spitting them out. You put on a brave face for your friends, for your dog, for everyone - but there are really hard days too - the days you realize the gravity of the disease you're battling. There are days when someone will look at you with pity in their eyes as you tell them that your dog is Fanconi afflicted, and that look will haunt you for a long time. There are also days when you're just so damn grateful to have your dog and you realize that indeed as horrible as Fanconi's is, there really are worse diseases you could be up against, and you're almost grateful this is the cross you were given to bear - it may not be curable, but it IS treatable, and many dogs can live long, happy lives with the help of the Protocol.
As it stands now, my life has changed much more dramatically than Stormie's has. I watch his diet like a hawk and make sure he gets high protien, mammal based food (EVO red meat is working for us). I have to be sure to be home on time to give him his meds. I have to make sure he always has a full water bowl. I have to make sure he has the opportunity to go out to pee more frequently. And then there are the pills - finding new ways to "out smart" Stormie into taking them. I'm lucky that he is a great eater, but he does get sick of stuff in a hurry. I've run the gambit from soft cheeses to baby food to canned dog food. I mix it up, and use a variety of training techniques to get them into him, sometimes I use good old bribery - whatever works.
Stormie was diagnosed on Thursday, May 17th, 2007. His strip had changed on Monday, May 14th, 2007. We recently "celebrated" Storm's 1 year Fanconi diagnosis anniversary. He has given me the strength I need to face everyday - I look into those eyes and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'd do ANYTHING to keep him healthy for as long as I can - yes, I'm a well trained basenji servant! Stormie sure did a good job traing this human! grin

Many hugs to all of you who are currently dealing with this disease, or will be dealing with this disease,
Lorraine and Stormie too

Lynn, knowing you as I've come to, I have no doubt that you'll find a way to get those meds into Apache IF the time comes! I know you'll make the boy a filet mignon every night if that's what it takes! What will the hubby say then? ;o)

Like Pat, my hat is off to you as well. I know I'm extremely fortunate with Stormie at this point. I can't imagine when the time comes that I have to make a desicion like you're faced with. You and Rocky are both in my thoughts….
Hugs,
Lorraine

B Boy! Thank-you from both Storm and I!
And the visit Sunday was WONDERFUL! Thank-you for you and Basenji Park's lovely hospitality! Stormie has finally forgiven me for "cheating" on him with other b's!

Thank-you, Pat! I couldn't be happier!!!

Oh, and 2 thumbs and 4 paws up on the P.S.A.!!!!!

Stormie had a vet visit today for a blood gas test, full blood panel, and urinalysis. It went superbly!!!! Little Man is doing wonderfully on the Protocol and is still stable! No increase in bicarbs or potassium! His results are spot on! I couldn't be more pleased with how he's doing! And even better, no more vet visits for 6 months unless something drastic happens!! This is the second stable result in a row he's had so I'm proud as peacock of my little Storm - he's such a trooper!!
-Lorraine - doing a Snoopy inspired "happy dance"!

This is the part of owning a dog that truly and utterly sucks.

Agreed - it's heart breaking to be so helpless with this disease. Knowing that no matter what you do, eventually it will take it's toll. I just am thankful for everyday that Stormie is with me to share his basenji wisdom and wit - and to give me more gray hairs!

We posed the question to Sophie last night has she dug through her toy box, her answer was "the right one".

hahaha! And the right one is always on the bottom of the toy basket, so they all have to come out and be strewn through the house!