Oscar's Site

New town, new vet

2009-06-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

One of the things I worried most about with moving to Georgia was finding a new vet for Oscar. Dealing with the Cushings thing was so traumatic and he'll likely still need surgery to have his tumor removed.

The boys were both due for their shots so I started looking right away. Many of the vets I called didn't take appointments they just took walk-ins. I think this is odd, and maybe its a Georgia thing but I kept looking. I did take them to one place to be groomed so I could check it out. I wasn't pleased. Finally after asking around I found a place I like! They do boarding and doggie daycare too (don't even get me started They are both begging to go!)

About this time I'd started noticing that Oscar was panting more, similar to before he was diagnosed. I could also see his little panza was looking distended, something I hadn't noticed before. So I fretted and worried and they ran tests. It turns out they need to adjust his medication again.

I think I've ensure that the new vet hates me, he needed to do some research and he wasn't doing it fast enough for my taste. Do not mess with my babies. Fortunately no restraining order was filled. ;-) And new meds arrive Wednesday.

Oscar Keeps watch from the new super low window sills!

Simon thoroughly kiled his new toy then brought it to me for approval

2009-04-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

Friday
Geez Simon and me have been country dogs for over a week and all we've seen is rain and snow. No walks in the woods to chase critters or nothing. We want some sunshine so we can play outside. I did manage to kill a lion this week. Nana says now I don't have any toys to play with, but I know she'll buy me more. Some nights I sneak in her bed and she even lets me stay there. Wonder when my mom is coming home?
Oscar

2009-03-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

Thursday
Alright! Simon and I are country dogs now. Mom is doing her travel job and we get to go stay with nana. Yeah! I get to run and run and run. And I can sleep in the bed if I want to. Simon can't cuz he's to little to jump up there. I hope we get to go for a walk this weekend, so I can chase some lions and tigers and bears and roll in the mud and splash in the creek. Country living is so much fun!
Oscar

2009-03-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

Monday
Well yesterday Simon managed to get me in trouble. He's so jealous that I'm getting extra food and car rides. He told me he saw a mountain lion in the neighbor's yard and it was going to pounce on our mom. I ran over there to scare it away with my mean face and growl. Boy did he run. The problem was that by the time Mom got there I had scared him so bad he was out of sight and she never saw him. So now she thinks I just ran into the neighbors yard and Simon just kept smilin. He never once said he saw it too. geez my mom needs to remember I'm a sick boy. I can't take the stress of being yelled at, especially when I'm trying to save her from a mountain lion.
Oscar

2009-03-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday
Boy my mom sure is grumpy. She says I'm sick, but she's been layin around all week and everytime I try to help her she gets grumpy. Me and Simon offered to take over washin the dishes, yum!!!!!!! but she said no. And with her being sick, I have to stand guard whenever we go outside cuz I know she doesn't feel like it and do you think she's appreciative? noooooooooooooooo. Today she even yelled at me to come back inside. geez, I hadnt' checked out all the hiding places for lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Maybe I should share my medicine from the doctor place with her. Maybe that will help her get better. I guess I'll just be sure to give her lots of hugs and kisses tonight and maybe then she'll be better. I hope so.
Oscar

2009-03-12T04:40:00.001-07:00

Thursday
My mom is kinda sad today, so I'm writing the news. I went back to that doctor place and they stuck that darn needle in me again. I'm getting tired of that. They said my medicine isn't working. I wonder what they mean, I feel fine and I like the special food I get with my medicine. Anyway it mad my mom sad. It sounds like I have to get more medicine and then more tests with that needle. Now they are making me sad. I'm not sure I'm going to keep going to see them if they don't stop poking me.
Oscar

2009-03-11T04:34:00.000-07:00

Monday
Well mom must have read my diary cuz I got a new toy this weekend. It's a hedgehog and its much better than that old monkey was. I bet she really told them at that store about giving me a defective toy. Happy Happy playing with my hedgehog. Mom says I have to share with Simon cuz I got to play with his toy some. I told him he can play with it whenever I'm asleep. Not sure he liked that answer cuz then he tried to eat my special dog food that mom feeds me every day from the doctor. It's yummy and I think he is jealous
Oscar

2009-03-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

Saturday
Well I just read mom's post and I'm sure not happy. She bought me this great toy this week, but it was obviously defective. When I played with it and tossed it around all the stuffing just fell out of it. When I showed mom, she grumbled and stuffed it all in a bag. I thought she was taking it back to the store to tell them if was defective and get me a new one. But nooooooo now I find out she thinks it's my fault and not that darn monkey's fault. That is so unfair. I guess I'll just go play with Simon's raccoon. At least she bought him a toy that is not defective. Now if I can just sneak it away from him......
Oscar

First check up

2009-02-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

Oscar's been on his meds for a couple of weeks now, we went back in for a check up last week and so far so good. We go back in 2 weeks and depending on those test results may have to up his meds. I'm hope against that as it may mean dealing with symptoms he doesn't have right now.

He's thrilled to get a spoonful of canned dog food in the morning (with his pill) and he seems to be feeling just fine, tonight he compley destroyed a new toy! I gave it to him, went in the other room, came back out 10 min later and there was stuffing everywhere and the little monkey was no more! ;-)

2009-02-18T17:11:00.000-08:00

Wednesday
Today I got to go in the car again with mom. We went to that dr place and I got to stay there for awhile. It was really great, they didn't put me in a pen like last time, they let me walk around with the dr student. Maybe I'll become a doctor when I grow up, that was fun. And so many people wanted to pet me and have me sit on their lap. Whew! I was really tired when mom came to get me. Next time I go, I'll help them with the doctoring, but I don't want them practicing with needles on me again. That hurts!
Oscar

2009-02-13T17:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday

Happy Valentines Day Mom I Love You!

Thanks for all you do for me and Simon.
Hope you like the picture I drew for you.

Oscar

If you would like one of Oscar's pictures check out our online store.

Oscar says thank you

2009-02-13T06:20:00.001-08:00

Oscar says thank you to every one who had donated so far and sends a big slurpy kiss!

Day 3 of treatment

2009-02-13T06:17:00.000-08:00

Oscar got his third pill last night. So far no side effects (knock on wood) Of course I wont know if it's working until his check up next week. Crossing fingers!

treatment started

2009-02-11T06:34:00.001-08:00

Last night Oscar got his first trilostane pill. I've been pretty worried about it reading about the side effects - vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy. It was 70 degrees out so I chose to work from home so I could take him to the dog park on my lunch break. He loves to run around, really loves it, and I don't know if he'll feel up to it for a while so I wanted him to have a good day at the park.
He got his pill with peanut butter last night and of course Simon thought he needed a treat too, so he got one, I think he's gonna get fat if he gets one every night. This morning Oscar seemed fine, I'm crossing my fingers that he'll be "normal" when I get home tonight.

2009-02-11T04:48:00.001-08:00

Friday
Mom seems awful worried. she doesn't know I listen to her phone calls, but I do. She says it will cost alot of money to make me better and she doesn't have enough. I guess I should have made those doctors pay me for my picture.
Oscar

What about Simon?

2009-02-10T05:59:00.001-08:00

Simon is Oscar's brother. They aren't litter mates, Simon actually came to live with me first. After 2 weeks of crying I gave in and decided to get him a buddy, then Oscar came to live with us. They two of them have been together ever since. I think the longest they have been separated was during all of Oscars tests last week.

Oscar on the left, Simon on the right

They were the same size when they were puppies, but Simon quit growing at 7 pounds and Oscar kept growing until he was 17 pounds.

Simon isn't sure what to make of all the attention Oscar's been getting. He sure doesn't like it when Oscar gets to leave the apartment without him. But then my mom came down and stayed with us for a couple of days and I think she spoiled him while I was at work ;-)

2009-02-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

Thursday

Hey mom and nana both left today and didn’t take me. That’s okay I didn’t like being poked yesterday and not getting my cushion. Tonight when mom came home she looked really really sad. I made her feel better cuz I hugged her a lot. She told nana I don’t get a cushion, I have cushing's disease. Wonder what that is. (see link to page on home site)
Oscar

2009-02-08T15:59:00.000-08:00

Wednesday
Hey today mom left without me. But now Nana is going to take me in the car with her. I heard them talking last night about what the doctor said and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a new cushion today. I can't wait, my cold bare tummy will like that. I might even let Simon use it some of the time.

Well mom and nana came to get me tonight at that doctor place. I don't think I like them anymore. They kept poking me today and it hurt. And they never did give me my new cushion.
Oscar

2009-02-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Tuesday
My nana came to see me and Simon last night. Today me and mom and nana are going for a car ride. Mom says I'm going to have my picture taken today. I like having my picture taken. They must really like me at that doctor place.

Then my mom came to take me home again. I smiled real pretty for the pictures, don't know why they had to shave my tummy to take them. Brrrr it's cold out here with a shaved tummy.
Oscar

2009-02-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

Monday
Today I got to go in the car with mom. Simon had to stay home cuz he's a little dog. I'm a big dog. We went to a big building with more doctors who gave me lots of attention and petted me. I got to stay all day and play with them and then mom came to take me home. She still looks sad.

Oscar

slurp

2009-02-07T06:12:00.000-08:00

2009-02-07T05:41:00.000-08:00

Friday
Simon and I got to go for a ride in the car with mom. We went to my doctor and she says I have to have surgery. I have a big bump under my armpit. She says I won’t be able to run and play for awhile. I don’t know about that. I really like to run and play. My mom looks sad.
Oscar

Not allowed in the Kitchen

2009-02-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

Oscar knows he's not allowed in the kitchen when I'm cooking. But he's an hopeless optimist and he thinks this time might be the time he's allowed to eat something I dropped. No luck, he's not allowed people food. ;-)

Here he is with a paw over the line.

He loves a chewy!

2009-02-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

Halloween

2009-02-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

Make a Donataion

2008-02-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

Donate Directly

Or
You can send a check to the University Veterinary Hospital. To ensure the donation goes towards Oscar's bills and not into the general fund please write Oscar # 384489 in the memo of your check. You can also print out this form and include it.

Or

Shop our store, all proceeds go towards the treatment of Oscars Cushing's Disease

About Cushings

2008-02-06T07:26:00.000-08:00

Cushings disease occurs when the body produces too much cortisol or cortisone. It can be caused by medication, a pituitary tumor or and adrenal tumor.

Oscar has pituitary cushings, and this can only be treated by medication. He'll need to be medicated for the rest of his life.

More about Cushings

About

2008-02-06T07:19:00.000-08:00

A lot can happen in a week. Just seven days to turn our world upside down. Last week I noticed a tumor on Oscar’s armpit. What started out to be a difficult surgery for removal of the tumor has turned into a nightmare. During presurgery lab tests, Oscar was suspected of Cushing ’s disease. Two more days of testing confirmed the disease.

If not treated Cushing’s disease can be a painful disease for a dog. Treatment is available that enables them to live a happy productive life, but it is very very expensive. Oscar is being treated at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital. The first year costs are expected to exceed $2500. Medicine will cost over $2 a day and excludes lab tests estimated to run $2000 the first year. The tumor under his armpit will still need to be surgically removed when the Cushing’s is stabilized with the surgery estimated at $1500.

Asking for help does not come easy to me, but for Oscar I will ask. I’ve had Oscar since he was 8 weeks old. Oscar is now an adorable 8 year old shih tzu. He is not only my dog, he’s my friend and companion.

Because I feel like a complete ass for asking for something for nothing, I’m going to borrow an idea from an online friend and promise that when I can, little by little I will pass the donations on in kind, to animal charities and other pet owners in need.

An online store has been set up to purchase items with the proceeds going to Oscar’s care. If you would like to donate a couple dollars for a day of his medicine, donations may be made on this website or directly to the University of Missouri Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital. To ensure the donation goes towards Oscar's bills and not into the general fund please write Oscar # 384489 in the memo of your check and print out this form and include it.