Merrylog

What is it with the pug and surgeries? Last year, of course, was a ball of fun. Details here.

Today, I got a call from her vet who did a pre-op EKG and found a supraventricular arrythmia in her heart. Her surgery was cancelled, since they weren’t sure what surgery would do to her heart (anasthetic can make arrythmias much worse) and instead they ran a chest Xray and an ultrasound on the pug to determine the nature and cause of the heart arrythmia.

Several dark hours followed, most of which I spent bent over a computer trying to work and wondering why my brain wouldn’t focus. :) What is it with this autumn and wonky hearts? (And yes, the photo above is on purpose. Get it? Hearts? Oh, come on, I’m tryin’.)

I just got the call from the vet with the results of the Xray and ultrasound and everything’s come back normal – which is good, because it means that there likely isn’t anything HUGE and BAD causing the arrythmia. However, it’s still not necessarily a good idea to operate until they have a better idea of what’s going on. The pre-OP EKG is a “shorter” test, not a full EKG, so they’re sending her home with me tonight and recommending we do a full EKG next week to see what they find, and from there determine how bad the arrythmia is, whether she needs to be on drugs, whether she is indeed still a surgical candidate (to remove the mast cell tumor) or not.

Is your brain spinning yet? Mine, too.

So, that’s where it sits. The pug is coming home, unscathed, with a heart that’s not quite right with itself but not as bad as it could be. Next week, we’ll start figuring out what the next tests, and steps, are.

Thank you to EVERYONE who commented yesterday and over the last little while about Merry’s surgery and everything. Sorry it’s not a more conclusive update, but it’s the best I’ve got. :)

(I love the fur on her chest – that little “ridge” where the two directions of fur meet over the tiny chest do it to me. Every. Time.)

The little one goes in to the vet tonight (overnight), and will be having the surgery first thing tomorrow morning. I’ve decided that if it works for Buddha, darn it, it will work for us – give the princess a little virtual “tummy rub”, would you? To wish her luck? While I know in my head that the most beautiful pug in the world will be just fine… well, I’m a “mom”. I worry.

Will report back tomorrow once I know something! Happy Thanksgiving Day (finally got it right) to our friends in the USA.

The princess pug was just so cute this morning, so cuddly, with that little puss peeping out from underneath the covers… made me fall in love all over again. Merry, Merry, you’re just too cute!

Don’t forget! The princess pug has a 2009 calendar . Get ‘em while they last!

My girl’s getting really good at handling the stairs in our house, both inside and out, with her mostly nonexistent eyesight. The one exception, I’ve found, is outside in the snow – whether she’s wearing boots or not, the snow and ice change the textures beneath her feet and everything feels the same… which means she can’t quite tell where the stairs are without help. But once you show her where the stairs are… look out, folks. She’s a climbing machine. She’s so determined, so eager to take any challenge life throws at her. It’s a good reminder for me to be the same.

The princess pug is firmly of the mind that Friday afternoons are all about play, not silly work. She kept nudging me with the ball until I gave up and played a few minutes of fetch.

Merry, I want the weekend to start too! Right now! Sigh. :)

You know, I don’t think we had real snow around here till January last year, but not so this year – we got 2-3 inches last night! The princess was highly unhappy about this, but I love the soft snow and bright sun and pretty snow-covered trees… and the excuse, of course, to break out one of the pug’s best winter dog coats. Yay purple!

Happy Turkey Day weekend to all of our friends to the south! Clearly, I’d mixed up my Thursdays. But I’ve received so many emails from US businesses this week wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving, I just assumed! Sorry for jumping the gun, folks.

Psst… don’t forget the Merry 2009 Catalog Calendar – would make a great holiday gift for the pug lover in your life.

Finally, thanks to everyone for their support while we wait for Merry’s mast cell tumour surgery. Your comments have been really helpful in keeping me calm, hopeful and focused. :)

Oh, I love the colors of fall.

To update you all on Merry’s upcoming surgery: it’s scheduled for next Friday (the 28th). It will be performed by her lovely and very trusted vet, and she’ll be able to come home to us that night after spending the night before the surgery at the hospital.

Keep your paws crossed for us. My brain knows she’ll be fine; it’s just my pug-mommy heart that’s having a tougher time of things.

Last week several of you mentioned that you would love to see a Merry calendar! I didn’t want to spoil the surprise, but I’d already finished one and was just waiting for my test sample to come back OK before letting all of you know! (I just got the calendar on Friday and it looks awesome.)

Yes, there is a Merry, the Princess Pug 2009 Calendar!

Each page of the calendar is printed on 8.5 by 11, high-quality, 100lb cover weight paper and features 12 gorgeous full-color shots of Merry. Here are the photos included in the calendar:

Needless to say, it would make a super gift for the pug lover(s) in your life. :)

Oh Merry, please can we stop scaring your momma once a year?

A few weeks ago a bump that Merry’s had for years started acting up and we took her in to see the vet, and it came back diagnosed as a mast cell tumour. A needle biopsy showed that it was a very good kind of tumour, with clearly defined cells and an early assumption of benign – though, if you do your reading as I do, “they” say that there’s really no such thing as benign mast cell tumours and that they all have to be treated quickly and with a degree of seriousness.

We’ve been back and forth with appointments, tests and questions, surgeons and vets. While the surgeon we met with was very competent and reassured me greatly, the truth is we just can’t afford him – yes, I pay through the wazoo for Merry’s health insurance but since the eye operation last year, she’s down to only 50% coverage and, given this new development, I’m assuming she’s going to stay there for another year or two at least.

So, it’s back to the vet next week to discuss doing it in the vet’s office. Thankfully, we have the world’s most wonderful vet – she has been, literally, a lifesaver for Merry. We won’t really know any more about the seriousness – or not – of the tumour until it’s removed and properly sliced, diced and examined.

I am hoping we can arrange for her surgery next week. I’m assuming it will be at least an overnight stay after the surgery, and I’m not clear on the recuperation time yet.

It really hasn’t been a good fall for our family! Health issues abounding, and it’s made for a very stressful environment. :(

I will, however, keep you all posted!

You pull me out of a nice warm bed and force me outside into this chilly weather only to make me stand there while you take pictures of me? Pffft. Ya-a-a-a-wn.

Poor little pug. She’s just not much of a morning girl any more. She certainly was in her youth – I barely got any sleep her first two years! – but now I drag her out of bed a good hour at least after everyone else gets up. :)

Old age does that to us all, yes?