Coop's Journey

It is with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes to let you know Cooper passed away on December 2nd at 3:30 pm.  Unfortunately, Jeff and I were not able to be with him as we were on vacation.  Our two daughters, my sister and brother-in-law went to visit and to see how bad he was.  Our vet, who we trust very much and was very attached to Cooper, was very confident the cancer had spread to the nervous system and brain and it was cruel to keep him going.  I had wanted to keep him alive until we made it home Monday morning, but when the girls told us how bad he was, my brother-in-law said he and my sister would stay with Coop til the end, so we agreed.  We had really thought he had beat this cancer.  His blood work looked good and his x-rays looked good.  Thank you to Tatepeeps for letting me know about Tate.  Looking back, there were little signs something was going on, but I could always find a rationalization for them.

Cooper had a big personality and his presence is greatly missed, especially by monkey-butt little sis Bella.  It has been over a week and she is starting to be happy again, but the first few days were tough.  I am so glad she came into our lives last Christmas.  She is a blessing.

Thank you for all the care and concern.  I could not have gotten through the last six months with out you all.  I pray for all of you still waging this battle.  God Bless.

Poor Coop. Seems either there is a mass somewhere or just chemotherapy not going well, but vet thinks the former. A week after his 3rd chemotherapy he developed a leg cramp, and couldn’t walk. Our vet did blood test and xray but all looked good so he gave him a shot of something in the leg joints to help lubricate and some tramadol and in 12 hours Coopp was back to normal. A week and half ago he got #4 treatment. 4 days later similar results. Again x-rays, blood work and all looked good but he had a tempature so vet gave tramadol and antibiotics. He was fine within 12 hours so we left him and traveled to St. Lucia, our annual journey with our best friends. Our dog sitter called yesterday and said Coop was really bad again and refused to take meds. She rushed him to the vet. The vet called this morning to say Coop was in the oxygen crate with IVs. He thinks there must be a mass somewhere not showing up on xray but doesn’t think Coop could handle the trip to get an ultrasound (40 miles away). He said he will keep monitoring him but if no improvement within 24 hours, it probably is a mass and we should put him down. We won’t be home until Monday so he would keep Coop comfortable. Please pray it is just some weird infection and he will be OK. I just can’t believe with his perfect blood work something bad is going on.

Well, we haven’t been here for awhile!  Cooper has been doing really, really well.  He received his 3rd chemo regimen yesterday and so far so good!  I have noticed he falls a bit more, his one hind leg seems to get weak.  Jeff thinks he has adapted so well so tries to do things he used to be able to and can’t quite do them, so falls.  He hops in and out of the Tahoe now like he used to.  He just gets a running start and off he goes!  I found a mobile groomer who comes to our house and she is so good with him (and monkeybutt little sis Bella).  Ah, Bella.  Cooper is so in love with her.  I have posted a picture of the two of them this morning playing.  She has been a very special addition to our family and given Coop reason to keep going!OK, I couldn’t figure out how to rotate it!  But there they are…..wish I could upload the noises they make as they do this…they make these throaty noises.  So all is well, I will post next month when he has chemo #4.  O’h the only side effect we are seeing is clogged anal glands.  The vet cleans them out and he is good again!

It has been awhile since I posted-life gets so busy at times.  Kids came home from college and we enjoyed our August with them!  Cooper had his second round of chemo on Monday and did really well.  His blood work was “amazing” according to our vet.  His red blood count was higher than average and all his organ enzymes were perfect.  He will have a chest X-Ray before the next round but we feel good that the cancer has not spread yet.  He is still a ball of energy, loves to play with Bella and their toys.  Loves to go on walks.  LOVES when I put something yummy in his dinner.  The only big change was watching his muscles atrophy from the amputation.  His hips are so tiny now.  It almost looks line his leg has shifted to be under both hip bones, if you know what I mean.  As I said before, this is our new normal.  And it just is that, so normal now.

5 weeks post-op.  I can not believe it.  Everything is SO back to normal that it seems it never happened.  It really is a strange feeling.  The only bump in the road is Cooper’s good hind leg seems to get tired and weak.  I have been massaging (but I am allergic to Coop and this is bad allergy season.  I can do about 8 minutes then have to run and shower!) and it seems to help.  Other than that, you would never ever know anything was different about him.  He and Bella play all day long, they bark at noises, chase anything in the yard and play “who has the best nose”-this is a game I think they made up, they will go sniffing in opposite directions very fast and the first to find something barks excitedly and the other comes and jumps on the winner!  It is actually very cool and amazing!  Bella found a black cat resting under some majorly overgrown hosta.  Poor cat!  She did get away and has not been back.  Coop was so excited!

Anyway, all is well at our house.  He has his next chemo on the 19th.  Then we will be half way through this!  He will finish his chemo right after my 50th birthday!  Hopefully he will still be clean as my birthday present!

Well, we have been away college touring with #3.  Coop stayed home with Bella, his peep sis Ellie and monkeybutt Bella.  Amy came in the morning to visit , feed and walk Bella.  Ellie did the evenings and walked Coop (small jog).  All went well but were they excited to see us, especially since it was Coop’s 7th birthday!  Tonight we celebrated, and I thought I need to find my recorder to record how Coop and I dance!  We love to dance and basically he stomps his feet to the beat while I walk over him (like Ellen D. over her coffee table!)  He loves this!  Bella thought we were crazy but we were alone after dinner so nothing like dancing on your birthday!

He is doing very well.  No problem at all with the first chemo treatment.  We did have an incident at the lake the other day before we left touring.  We took the dogs to the lake for an overnight at the cottage.  Coop ran to the water and had no problems!  He loved it.  He was so happy.  Our neighbors came out of their cottage and Coop ran barking at the 4 year old and 2 year old.  The aunt picked up the 2 year old but Coop knocked the 4 year old down and was acting very aggressive.  I must say this is not new.  He has always gotten over excited with children and tends to jump on them.  He has never bitten but seems to come close.  I was totally mortified.  We took him home and promised he wouldn’t come back if the children were there, or he would be on leash at all times.  No need for him to not be wanted and to feel bad.  So, overall he is recovered and back to himself, though maybe a tad more aggressive.  We shall watch that.  Unusual in flat coats.

Will try to post pictures and perhaps a video soon!

So today was actually Coop’s first chemo treatment.  We went to the vet yesterday for blood work (all was wonderful!)  and I got the drugs.  We decided to wait until this morning because if he had a weird side effect, I could get him to his vet and also due to the heat.   Get it in him before it gets too warm.  So disguised as a piece of tenderloin, Coop gobbled down his pills.  He then got a good breakfast of kibble, wet food and more tenderloin, and off we went for a short walk to do the business.  It has now been a few hours and he seems to be doing fine.  I have to go back to work, but his peep sis Kara is here to keep an eye on him.

Interesting thing about walking a tripaw….of course people stare, but we don’t actually walk, we sort of jog because it is easier for Coop to keep the momentum going.  I think people look and think to themselves, why is she making that poor 3 legged dog run!  I get some strange looks!  Also,  poor Coop keeps trying to lift his good leg to mark, he has amazing balance though so doesn’t fall.

So we will wait and see how he does today.   I just hope and pray the air conditioning keeps going!

Stay cool everyone!

Well, it is now 3 weeks since the surgery!  Cooper is still doing very well.  We start chemo tomorrow.  Little nervous but the vet thinks he will tolerate it well.  I did not walk Cooper last night, and I know he was bummed.  It is so hot out that I don’t want him to get dehydrated or overheated.  He is black with lots of fur so the next few days are indoor days for him (and me!)  Monkeybutt sister is being trained on the invisible fence.  She is very smart so when I put her on her leash to walk the perimeter, she won’t move.  She finds it very boring, and yes mom, I get it.  Don’t go near the flags when I am on the leash with you.  Take her off the leash and away she goes!  I am having a friend come over to help, but I think it is time she gets the zap and knows she can not go over that boundary!  Since she is my 5th dog I am training on this fence, I know the first zap doesn’t go well.  With Coop starting chemo, I dread the next few days, but I have put off training her and she needs it.  She has ended up in the pond behind the house too many times and I can scream and shake the treats, she will not come!  Coop needs to run and play with her in the yard again!  I will update again after the chemo treatment!

Coop here, wanted to say a few things.  Since mom started this blog to help others who are on the journey, I thought I should have a say!  Yesterday monkeybutt little sis Bella went to the groomers.  She was playing at the lake (I really hate that she can go to the lake) and got matted pretty bad (serves her right!).  So Dad took her to Linda (because she cries and cries when mom leaves her) and told her mom didn’t want it too short if at all possible.  Well, ha, she came back pretty much shaved!  My peep sisters were very upset, but mom just said it was nothing.  She is young and healthy and hair grows back.  I knew what she was talking about.  Bella went into her crate and just laid there all day.  She didn’t even want to go on a walk with mom!  Mom got a little upset and said “it is only hair Bella, get over yourself!”  But I felt bad for Bella.  I know how I feel about my leg.  I really miss it.  The other day  I just sat and looked at where it use to be.  I licked the area a bit, it doesn’t hurt anymore, but I looked up at mom, looked at my new stump then back at my mom.  She said “sorry Coop, but that leg had some bad stuff in it.  You are doing so well with out it anyway”.  Well, I am but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss it.  Or the way I could run and jump before.  I get frustrated playing with Bella when I can’t move around as well.  I get sad when dad puts on his running shoes and I grab the leash and he says “not yet Buddy.  Soon.”   Just wanted to let you all know that as dogs, we do and will get along with what life brings are way.  But we still miss what was.

I think it is day 17, he is just so back to normal I am not keeping track!  We had a busy couple of days here, taking youngest to visit colleges in the area.  Coop was left for a while each day and did great.  No more licking, but his fur is starting to grow in and he loves to have that area scratched!  He is playing and just being himself.  I have to post a picture of his usual pose…he lies down and crosses his front paws very demurely.  We get a kick out of it, he is such a manly dog until he lies down!  Vet called and his chemo pills will be in next week and we will start that.  I am still not sure what it entails, I will need to call Monday.  We are off to Boston the following week for more college visits, so I want to be sure we can leave him (though I have a GREAT dog sitter, thanks Amy :))  My older daughter will be with him so he’ll be fine.  We get to go clean the pool now!  He loves to chase the frogs and bark at the turtles!