Bentley Update

Back to the Liver (not treats)

Testing on Bentley to figure out what's wrong with him hasn't ended.  Our vet hasn't given up on trying to solve what's going on with him. His poor coat condition, patchy and dry, is particularily strange.  Anyway, lets hope further liver testing will help point us to the problem.  It's hard knowing something's not right with our boy, and not being able to solve it.

Hydra

HYDRA
January 28, 2009 – May 25, 2010

Dogs with Wings staff, volunteers and Crestwood Veterinary staff are mourning the loss of our beloved, Hydra. Hydra was put to sleep on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 25, 2010 due to liver disease. Hydra charmed people with her expressive brown eyes and wrinkly brow. No matter how ill she was feeling the opportunity for a run in the field with her doggie friends always lifted her spirits. We will relish the precious happy moments we witnessed and shared with our Hydra. Our greatest wish for her now is that she is running hard, resting comfortably and is at peace with her momma, Libby, in doggie Heaven. Good bye Hydra, your love and spirit have created many kindred spirits. We love you.

I had the special honor of working with Hydra as my designated dog to train when she moved into the adult program in February.  Our moments together were too short.  Thank-you Hydra for loving me back.  I miss you.

NOT Cushing's Disease

We got Bentley's test result back from Tuesday, and Bentley Boy was able to suppress his cortisone out put at the four hour and eight hour time intervals after he received the injection of simulated cortisol.  Although the test is sometimes false negative, we are ruling Cushing's Disease out for now.  Diabetes Insipidus http://www.surroundedbycats.com/di-whatisit.html is suspected now, but before a diagnosis is made, further testing to rule out kidney or liver problems will be done.  We won't know more about further testing until sometime next week.   I brought in another urine sample today from his morning pee, and the result came back diluted.  Diluted means his body isn't able to recycle his water as well as it should, so dehydration is a risk if water isn't always available for him.  I will post more as we know more.  Thanks so much for all of the concern expressed by those who know our Bentley.  B Boy is a special dog!

Sadly, and Much too Early, a New Journey Begins for our Bentley

CUSHING'S DISEASE

Bentley went to the vet on Friday because I was worried about the amount of water he has been drinking and the accidents he has been having in the house.  The good doctor (I think he is great) pulled up his weight history and we discovered Bentley has lost roughly 20% of his body weight over the last year.  I have been trying to figure out what has been going on with his coat too, for the last "two" years, it has been getting patchy and dull.  Blood work and a urine sample was given and I got the call yesterday about the results.  Bentley has very high levels of a hormone called cortisol in his blood and his urine sample was dilute.  This points too Cushing's Disease, a disease that effects either the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, or the adrenal gland, near the kidneys.  In healthy dogs (and people), the two glands communicate together to balance stress hormones in the body that affect blood sugar, metabolism, muscles, kidney function, immune system, etc.  Bentley's glands aren't communicating properly and so now we have to find out which gland is being affected by a small tumor.  If it is the adrenal gland, surgery can remove the tumor and essentially cure him of Cushing's Disease.  If the tumor is on the pituitary gland, surgery to remove it is not performed on dogs and he will have to go on medication.  80-85% Of dogs have the tumor on their pituitary gland.  This disease is more common in older dogs and Bentley is only three.

Today, Bentley will spend the day at the vet to confirm the diagnosis by receiving a low injection of simulated cortisol.  A healthy dog will stop producing cortisol when the injection is received.  From here, the next step will be to determine where the tumor is. 

Group Picture

Bentley

Bentley found a pond in a field of clay/mud.

HAPPY EASTER!

Clip

Bentley Boy

My Handsome Dandsome Boy

Breton Treadmilling

Here is our Breton, treading away on the treadmill.  She is holding her leash, ever so gently, in her soft mouth while she walks.  She is getting better at the treadmill now, and can look at me and walk at the same time ;) 

March Mud

To me, there are few things better in life than those first warm days of Spring.  What's better is letting my dog's run and play in the puddles and soft mud at the dog park the first week after the snow has almost melted away.  It is pure joy for all of us.

Muddy Dog Snow Angels

Happy First Day of Spring!

Bentley Treadmilling

We purchased a treadmill for our three furry companions last weekend. So far, everyone is taking to it quite well. This video of Bentley is early in his experience with it. He will come downstairs on his own now, and just stand on it, waiting I guess for someone to turn it on for him. He gets in the zone on it and just trots along. I will upload video of Breton and Clipper too. Clipper is like Bentley, eager to try anything new, and think about it after. Breton thinks about new experiences first. It's funny because she is still learning to walk and look at me at the same time. When she watches me, she stops walking, and the treadmill carries her away, then she looks down and starts moving her legs again. She's my cautious girl.

I thought I could turn the volume off of this upload, but sadly, you will have to listen to me say "Bentley Boy" over and over, and you will also hear BBC's, Top Gear, in the background...Bentley's work out music.

Pups on the Pond

Freedom (far left), Hydra (left beside Bandaid), Flash (right beside Bandaid, looking at him in a suspicious way), Haven (front)

A couple of weeks ago, I went with Dogs with Wings (DWW) to "Pups on the Pond", a fundraising event for the Edmonton Humane Society put on by the Edmonton Oil Kings.  The public got to bring their pet dogs to the hockey game that night, and we went to bring awareness to the community about DWW.  There was quite a contrast between our dogs, who are socialized to being out in public from the time they are seven-eight weeks old, to the pet dogs who were there.  Most of the pets were quite stressed, barking at fights that broke out on the ice between hockey players, howling to the sound of the air horns or peeing in the lobby.  Most of the pet dogs were uncertain of the big mascots walking around the arena, but DWW dogs hunkered in for a photo shot with "Bandaid". 

Symmetry

 

Breton

I love my Miss!

"The Field"

Every winter since we adopted Bentley, we have found different parks or fields for him to run his heart out in.  These are pictures from the field that we visit this winter along with a summarized list of the adventures it has brought us (so far).

• I lost my cell phone here.
• Breton ate a piece of deer hide in this field which cost us $800 in vet bills.
• Bentley was drawn out of the field by construction workers, shingling a roof, who threw scraps at him from the roof to get him off of their site.  He might have left sooner, except for an uneatten taco he found and devoured under their work truck.
• Clipper ate the rabbit poop trails which kept her in the field, rather than jumping into the van when it was time to leave.
• Bentley and Breton were introduced to Clipper here, on a dark Friday evening with the van's high beams providing light for them to run.
• We've been alerted to leave, late at dusk, by yips and howls of Coyotes nearby.

We'll probably go back tomorrow.

Feels Like Spring!

Clipper

Two-Years-Old

"Happy Birthday Breton & Clipper!"

Clipper

Welcoming & Loving our CLIPPER

We have a new member in our family

Our house is full of doggy love

Breton's sister

She spent the first two nights of her life in Edmonton with us two-years ago

Now, she is back to stay

because now, she is ours.

Clipper  Breton