Winger’s visit with Dr. P

Winger had his check-up appointment today. The vet seems much more optimistic than I have been. I was wondering if I’d have to put him down this week.

The vet prescribed prednisone – 50 mg a day for 3 weeks. He went and checked his textbook which said to give it for 4 months, but we’ll see if it does any good in the next 3 weeks, so we made an appointment for 3 weeks from now. Prednisone is cheap – I think it was $17 for the 3 weeks. He also said I could give benedryl. The dose would be 3 pills (75 mg) three or four times a day. And I had occasionally gave him 2 once a day and that knocked him out. Wow! We’ll see how it goes. Prednisone is a steroid which will retains sodium in the body so Winger will be drinking and peeing ALOT he warned.

The large tumor behind each of his ears – they are maybe 3/4 the size of a golf ball. Winger has been scratching at them the last couple days and they bled a wee bit. Hopefully the prednisone will greatly reduce their swelling, and I’ll give benedryl if he’s still scratching.

I know he’s going to die. But he has no idea. He’s not sick and runs and plays and wrestles like normal. Until he feels bad, I just can’t put him down. I wouldn’t be able to look him in the eyes and tell him why. I know there is part of me that just wants it over with so I can grieve, but he deserves to live and enjoy life as he does every day for now. I’m still not really hopeful that he’ll see his 12th birthday in November, but we’ll see.

Okay, I suppose I should go back to work!