Fond Remembrances: Itty Bitty Paintings for Joey and Maggie

'Joey' and 'Maggie' on canvas in front of Frankenmuth Dachshund

Continuing on with yesterday's theme of being taken back by the kindness of people, one day last April we got a package in the mail from our good pals 'Turbo' and 'Lily,' two long dogs who work closely with and volunteer a lot of their time for MidWest Dachshund Rescue.  We had no idea a package was coming from them, and when we opened it, we were absolutely shocked at the beauty inside:  itty bitty paintings of your 'Long and Short of it All' hosts 'Joey' and 'Maggie,' complete with itty bitty easels to display them on.  Apparently Turbo and Lily had a relative (we apologize that we can't read the artist's name on the back), paint several small paintings to be sold at MWDR's big "Cross Town Bark Around" Fundraiser in May.  In the process, two special paintings were created for Joey and Maggie, and they are just beautiful.  Joey's is great, and Maggie's is just awesome - the artist really captured Maggie's "look" - that wonderful "glare" that she gave Dad when she was tired of getting her photo taken, or any time her dinner was a few minutes late.  Again, these will be something we will treasure for the rest of our lives.  Thank you so much Turbo and Lily! 

The Whirr of the Tail

Anxiety - Maggie giving Dad that glaring look

Fond Remembrances: The Wiener Wagon for Maggie and Joey

Sometimes we're a bit taken back by the kindness of people.  Take for example this awesome "Wiener Wagon."  We got a note in January from a reader of the blog, Grace Liesa, who asked us for our address and said she had something special to send us.  And boy, did she!  It was Maggie and Joey's very own Wiener Wagon!   Grace hand-crafted and sent this to us solely out of the kindness of her heart, in honor of Joey making it through his surgery last year, and Maggie and Joey's birthday, which was last December 23rd.  We tried to get photos of Maggie and Joey beside it to post on the blog, but we could never get a good photo of both of them that also detailed this wonderful sculpture.  As time moves along so quickly, we never got the chance to post it to the blog, even after several more photo session attempts with Maggie and Joey.

We would like to rectify that situation, as something so special, especially after Maggie's passing, must be shared with everyone.  It means more now than it ever did, and will be something we will treasure for the rest of our lives.  Thank you so much Grace.

Grace noted to us:  I know you all had a rough one in 2010 (I realize that was an understatement), so I hope this cheery sculpture will bring smile to your face. May Joey and Maggie have a much smoother ride in their Wiener Wagon in 2011.  Take care, and send our doxie kisses to Joey and Maggie, and tell them although we've never met in person, we surely love them in our hearts, and think loving thoughts of them all the time. That was how this special sculpture was created.

Get your very own Wiener Wagon in Grace Liesa's etsy shop:  CJ Doxie Custom Sculptures.

Beloved Maggie - December 23, 2000 - September 13, 2011

Dad's Little Girl Goddess

Our hearts are overflowing with unbearable pain and sadness as we relay the passing of our sweet baby Maggie, your Long and Short of it All hostess.  We're hoping to be able to write something to honor our beautiful girl in the next few days, but for now...we just can't, and nothing would ever be good enough, so how do we even proceed?   Suffice to say that you may not hear from us for some time.  Maggie's ultrasound today showed that she had liver cancer - unrelated to the Cushing's disease, and not treatable.   The tumors were "too numerous to count" and did not exist just 4 short months ago when she had her last ultrasound.  She was put to rest just a few hours after the ultrasound results with friends and her Dad at her side on the floor with her, as she lay comfortably and content on a warm blanket.  We were hoping to have Joey by her side as well, but sometimes things just don't go as you would like them to.  We've got a good feeling that "Joey knows."   We spent a lot of time reminiscing with her, loving her, stroking her, hugging her, kissing her, caressing her, and telling her of how special and beautiful she was and how all her friends - both near and far, loved her very much.  She passed quietly in our arms.

Now if only the pain would pass - oh God, the pain.  Our home is empty and cold.  Please hug your little ones tight.

I wandered today to the hill, Maggie
To watch the scene below
The creek and the old rusty mill, Maggie
Where we sat in the long, long ago.
The green grove is gone from the hill, Maggie
Where first the daisies had sprung
The old rusty mill is now still, Maggie
Since you and I were young.

And now we are aged and grey, Maggie
The trials of life nearly done
Let us sing of the days that are gone, Maggie
When you and I were young.

A city so silent and lone, Maggie
Where the young and the gay and the best
In polished white mansions of stone, Maggie
Have each found a place of rest
Is built where the birds used to play, Maggie
And join in the songs that were sung
For we sang just as gay as did they, Maggie
When you and I were young.

They say I am feeble with age, Maggie
My steps are less sprightly than then
My face is a well written page, Maggie
And time, time alone was the pen.

They say we are aged and grey, Maggie
As spray by the white breakers flung
But to me you're as fair as you were, Maggie
When you and I were young.

When You and I Were Young, Maggie; words by George Washington Johnson, 1864.



It's unfortunate that the original video we posted here, a beautiful acapella version of When You and I Were Young, Maggie, was removed from youtube, but this version by Donna Stewart and Ron Andrico is also quite beautiful.

Dad's Little Girl

Your Long and Short of it All hostess 'Maggie,' photo taken a few weeks ago

Tears are streaming down our face, and it's hard to compose ourselves as we read all the beautiful comments and e-mails from all over the world for our sweet little Maggie  Thank you so much.  We printed them out and read them to her last night.  It's painful to write that she is still not eating on her own - she is actually being force-fed as of yesterday to give her some nutrients to allow her pancreas just a little more time to turn around.   We're not so sure how we feel about that, but she is keeping the food down, and her pain is being controlled on pain meds.  Dad doesn't want a tube feed for her, or any TPN's, or any sort of surgery for her, she has just too many medical complications stacked up against her due to the Cushing's.  The veterinarian agrees with this.  We discussed a PPN with the vet yesterday, which would be partial parenteral nutrition in an IV, but he decided that at least if we force feed her she is getting complete nutrition.  We are no longer giving her the trilostane to control her Cushing's in hopes that, as Cushing's dogs are ravenously hungry, it will help her to eat.  The extra steroids she would produce may also help her.  She gets visits with Dad and Joey and some of her favorite friends every 12 hours.  On Monday morning the vet was positive that Maggie may still turn around, but with each passing hour that hope diminishes. 
Dad is going to work just a half day today and then take her to a veterinary specialty center this afternoon for an ultrasound so we can see exactly what we are dealing with, and hopefully have an answer as to whether or not she will be able to turn around.   Maybe a tumor has grown since she had her last ultrasound in May, or who knows really, but hoping that the ultrasound will provide some clues as to what exactly we are dealing with - liver, adrenal, pancreas, or gallbladder issues. 
She is getting the best medical care that she can, and all the wonderful vets and technicians love her, and are making sure she is comfortable - even putting a little blanket over her when she sleeps.  Sweet little girl.

In My Eyes, You're Everything

Yeah, we posted this version of one of our favorite songs in May, the last time Maggie was quite serious with a pancreatitis attack, but we'd give absolutely ANYTHING IN THE WORLD just to have her mess our bed, and in the morning kick us in the head just one more time. Please, sweet, sweet Maggie. Please pull through sweet baby.

Sweet Maggie

Maggie, September 9th, 2011

Thanks so much for all the kind comments and emails for your Long and Short of it All hostess 'Maggie.'  She is still in the hospital dealing with her most recent bout of pancreatitis.  Dad and Joey have gone to visit her every 12 hours this weekend.   She seems to have declined a little while in the hospital, she wouldn't pee last night for us, and no longer sits up and acts excited when we come to visit.  She is on pain meds, anti-nauseants, and IV hydration.  She did poop this morning, it was firm, so that was good, and there was no blood in her stools or anything which happened last time she was in for pancreatitis. 

As far as her lab values go, her liver is messed up pretty bad, and when she is discharged the good veterinarian wants to start her on a neutraceutical with SAM-e in it, says he has seen good results.  Another liver value is pointing to a blockage somewhere, possibly in the gallbladder, so she will also be started on ursodiol for that (Joey is also on ursodiol for his "gallbladder sludge").  And finally, since her pancreatitis has become chronic, we're going to try an antibiotic for 6 weeks that they give humans with chronic pancreatitis.  There are no guarantees that it will do anything, you really can't treat pancreatitis, but we will try. 

The plan was to bring her home on Monday morning, which would be 72 hours in the hospital.  We were to trial her with a few bites of food today, and if she was eating well Monday morning, then she could come home.  She wouldn't eat any of her food this morning though, so she probably won't be home tomorrow.

We're hoping and praying that she turns around quickly.

A Note From Joey and Maggie

Maggie, September 9th, 2011

Your Long and Short of it All hostess 'Maggie' is in the hospital again, took her in yesterday morning.  Her appetite has been decreasing for several months, she often won't eat a meal, or will eat just half a meal; she is fed twice a day.  The last few weeks have been worse, she will skip a meal, and then hardly eat any of the next meal, but then sometimes she would eat a whole meal.  She didn't eat anything at all Wednesday or Thursday - her raw meat, tried plain raw turkey from the grocery store which she likes, tried cooking it, and that seemed to help, and then added some cooked fat free eggs, and she would like that, but only maybe 5 or 6 very small bites - and chewing it instead of gulping it.  Even tried kibble and canned dog food - she wouldn't touch it.

With her Cushing's disease, you would think that maybe she is being overdosed on her meds, which would cause her to not be hungry, but she was also drinking lots of water the last week like a Cushing's dog would do, and even had a few accidents in the house because of it, which is totally not like her. 

So took her in for an ACTH stimulation test to see where her levels are for Cushing's, and also a blood panel.  It turns out that her pancreatitis is back, which Cushing's predisposes her to.  This is bad news because now it seems that her pancreas is becoming a chronic issue. Her diet hasn't varied at all, she gets her low-fat raw food, and low-fat snacks, that's all. 

Not sure how long she'll be in the hospital - her amylase and lipase values are very high, and the vet usually keeps pancreatitis cases in for 4 days with no food, just IV hydration, to let the pancreas rest and hopefully get better.  She was drinking water at home this week though, so maybe she can come home early since she was doing that, and continue her on the no-food for a few more days and then look at her amylase and lipase values again.  Will know more by tomorrow probably.

Her pancreas simply must get better.  Damn Cushing's Disease.

Maggie Mornings

Maggie, 6 AM, August 5, 2011

Miss 'Maggie,' your Long and Short of it All hostess, enjoys gardening with her Dad in the early morning while her brother 'Joey' snoozes away on the big bed until it's breakfast time.

Where in the Heck are Joey and Maggie?

Please accept our apologies for the scant posting as of late.  Work is a bit out of control, Dad is in the middle of refinancing our home, we got hit with a major hail storm last week which destroyed our garden and our car, and something is up with your Long and Short of it All hostess 'Maggie,' - her anal infection is back, and while she is still eating, her appetite is definitely down for some reason.  For now, she's still swaddled in her Thundershirt after a weekend of big booms, but it's off to the vets again this morning to at least get her some antibiotics for her infection.  We'll see if her appetite improves over the next few days.  We're hoping to get back up to posting regularly real soon.

Yours in Dachshund Love,
Joey and Maggie..... 

A Note From Joey and Maggie: THE CONE OF SHAME

"Someone, anyone, help me.  I do not like the cone of shame." ~ your Long and Short of it All hostess 'Maggie.'

We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow, but for today - let's just say that Maggie is too far beside herself to consider updating the blog.  She had a follow-up visit with the vet on Saturday, and it turns out that her incision where her anal tumor was removed has become infected.  She won't leave it alone, so they put on an Elizabethan collar, or as it's better known:  THE CONE OF SHAME.  Turns out another side-effect of Cushing's disease is slow wound healing, and we're sure that the location of the incision isn't helping either.  She has started back up on all her meds post-surgery:  pain meds, oral antibiotics, and also added is an antibiotic lotion which is applied every 12 hours.  Hopefully it will be better in time for the next vet appointment this Saturday. 

All weekend long Maggie has been bumping into things with the collar and getting herself pretty upset.  She can't fit between places that she normally can - i.e., squeezing between the chair and table leg.  She did finally figure out how to drink water with it on.  She even bumped into her brother 'Joey,' who jumped in the air as though a book landed on his head or something.  Thanks for your great support, big brother.

"I'll never forget this as long as I live.  I hold my dad personally responsible.  As sure as the sun rises in the morning, revenge will be mine."

Hhhmpff.

'The Long and Short of it All' Turns Four Years Old

Prost!  It's our fourth anniversary and we're gonna party like it's 1929.  We had no idea that four years after our very first post on May 28, 2007 that we'd still be blogging about Dachshunds - day in - day out - ad nauseum for even some of the most ardent Dachshundists.  Still, we move forward, documenting all the Dachshund news, art, history, and popular culture that we can get our stubby little paws on. 
Every year at this time we examine where we are, where we've been, and where we're going with the site by looking at our "About" statement to see if we are still on course:

As the internet's first daily Dachshund news magazine, we're hoping to update this blog almost every day with Dachshund news from around the world, Dachshund stories, videos, famous Dachshunds, photos, art, and history. We hope to keep everything stress free and ad free....just a fun place for Dachshund lovers to kick back, relax, (with your doxie on your lap!) and read all about these lovable little dogs that bring such joy to our lives.

Reading over this again, we seem to be on course, but it's a pretty diverse statement - as diverse as the long dogs and their humans that we document it would seem.  So, while we may get a little off topic at times, we do of course try to focus on the dogs that bring us all together on this site.  We garner special attention to those stories which invoke some sort of deep emotion - happiness, sadness, passion, hope, despair - so that when you come here in the middle of your day, taking a break from adding up those facts and figures at the office, or dusting the collectibles on the mantel, that you at least feel......something.   
Thanks to all our loyal readers and commentors for sticking with us over the years - it's been a fun ride.  Your submissions are always the best - we've gotten great story tips, and we love to see your handsome Dachshunds and to read all about them and their antics.  Each and every dog is so unique and so special and so loved.  We also would like to apologize to all the good folks who have sent us submissions that didn't make it on the site - there are probably 3 or 4 submissions to every one posted, and we just wish we had more hours in the day to get more done. 
And so, we wrap up Long and Short of it All post number 2,428.  Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts.

Yours in Dachshund Love,
Joey and Maggie.....

A Note From Joey and Maggie: Maggie is Doing Great!

Maggie relaxing and reading some old Dachshund magazines, May 25, 2011

Thanks so much for all the well-wishes, thoughts, and prayers for your 'Long and Short of it All' hostess Maggie.  She is doing very well after her surgery yesterday for removal of her anal tumor.  Although it was getting pretty large, the tumor was removed relatively easy without any complications according to the good veterinarian.  Dad was surprised at how alert and happy she was when he picked her up from the vets late last night.  She needed to stay very late to get lots of hydration after surgery in hopes of preventing another pancreatitis attack.  After leaving the vets office, she immediately went pee and poop, and she didn't seem to be in any pain at all.  She is on pain meds and antibiotics for several days.  She got 2 small meals when she got home; she was quite hungry, and was letting it be known with loud whines while dad was preparing her dinner.

She also got a dental while she was under anesthesia.  Two teeth were removed.  Troubling is that the veterinarian found a large tumor mass under her tongue.  It was also removed, and will be biopsied along with the anal tumor.  It did not look malignant according to the vet.

So today she is resting after her ordeal.  She's pretty tired, but is keeping one eye open because it's thundering and raining today, so it's hard for her to relax.  Dad did put some Rescue Remedy spray in her breakfast to help her stay calm.  We'll watch her closely over the next few days for any signs of pancreatitis (not eating, vomiting).  No jumping or active play for her for at least a few days.  She needs to go back to the vets in 10-14 days to have the stitches removed.  But for now, she's so incredibly happy to have that tumor off her rear!  Even her brother 'Joey' noticed that it was gone right away.  She's already posturing her tail more normally.

A Note From Joey and Maggie: Maggie's Big Day

Maggie, May 24, 2011

The day has finally arrived - your Long and Short of it All hostess 'Maggie' gets to have her anal tumor removed, so we'll be a little short on the posts for a few days.  She's also going to have a dental while she's under; she's got a slab fracture which will most likely be removed.  It's a risky surgery for her - she's 10.5 years old, she's got Cushing's disease, a heart murmur, and she just had a pancreatitis attack about 2 months ago.  The pancreatitis is what we're worried the most about - surgery can cause pancreatitis to flare up, the same way Joey developed a really bad case after his bilateral adrenalectomy last fall.  Her lipase levels, which indicate pancreas issues, are still about twice normal, but the good vet doesn't see that as an issue - they need to be really high to indicate pancreatitis.   All precautions are being taken to prevent a flare-up, including heavy hydration before and after surgery until almost 8 PM tonight.  She should be able to come home tonight if all goes well. 
In this photo you can see how Cushing's is taking its toll on our Mags.  While she is groomed with a modified cocker cut, her hair stopped growing last fall.  She used to be fully grown out again in about 2 months, but her last cut was in September.   People keep commenting that her hair is turning more brown, but we think that's because it is just so thin from hair loss.  Her legs have been shaved for IV placement from when she was in the hospital for the pancreatitis.  She's also losing the hair on the back of her ears - her skin has become scaly from the Cushing's, and the hair falls out.  And you can't see in this photo, but her stomach is very large - she looks pregnant.  She also has extra fatty deposits around the back of neck.   One of our good friends at our local Dachshund meetup didn't even recognize her in March - she said "This isn't Maggie, is it?"  :(
But the good news is that she's really close to being stabilized on her trilostane treatment for Cushing's.  She had an ACTH stimulation test last week, and her resting cortisol was 2.2 which is right about where we want it, (before it kept coming in at over 10), and her post test cortisol is about 9.5.  We'd like to get that post test number down just a little to maybe 7.5.  So, we upped her medication just slightly.  Hoping to see hair growth and decrease in the pot belly soon, but sometimes that just doesn't happen.  At least she's been very happy and spry since her levels have been good - she runs around the house like a puppy, and when she gets excited she bucks like a little bronco.  We're hoping that her good demeanor is indicative that she's going to sail through this surgery without a single issue, and she will be comfortable enough in her nether region that she can wag her tail at full force once more. 

Who's a pretty girl?

A Note From Joey and Maggie: We're Back! And We Visited The Wienermobile!

The Mothership landed directly behind your Long and Short of it All hosts 'Joey' and 'Maggie'

Greetings fellow Dachshund Lovers.  We're back from vacation, and boy did we need it.  We visited our grandparents for Mother's Day, and they are two of our favorite humans, so we had a great time.  We also visited with our Dachshund country-cousin 'Rudy,' and his young pain-in-the-neck brother 'Baxter,' a Havanese who is just getting out of puppyhood.  We had a fun time though.

We headed back to Chicago for MidWest Dachshund Rescue's 3rd Annual Cross Town Bark Around Fundraiser on Saturday - and WOW!  What an event!  There were over 500 humans in attendance, and a good 300 or so Dachshunds.  Between the wiener races, free hot dogs, Wienermobile, cake walk, raffle prizes, silent auctions, and Doxie store, we sure kept ourselves busy.  What an awesome event.  If you live in the MidWest, make sure to plan on attending next year.

On the home front, Joey and Maggie were in good health for the vacation.  Maggie has to spend a day at the vet's today to get an ACTH stimulation test to see how her trilostane is helping her for her Cushing's.  Joey won't like being left home alone.  We're hoping to schedule Maggie's surgery for next Tuesday to remove her anal tumor.  It's starting to bug her more, but she should be far enough away from her pancreatitis attack to go ahead with surgery (surgery can induce pancreatitis).  It's going to be a risky surgery for her with her heart murmur, Cushing's, and pancreatitis, but she's feeling really good right now - running around outside like a puppy - so hopefully all will be OK. 

Here are some fun photos that we took from MWDR's event.

A Note From Maggie and Joey: Please Stand By

Your Long and Short of it All hostess and host, Maggie and Joey

Dear fellow Dachshundists,

We're taking a few days off for a much-needed vacation, but we'll be back real soon.  There's lots of good stuff in the works, so please stay tuned. 
And make sure to give your Mommas a big wet sloppy kiss for Mother's Day. 

Yours in Dachshund Love,
Joey and Maggie.....

You Stole My Heart, But I Love You Anyway

The details are all a bit sordid, but Maggie is still recovering from her recent bout of pancreatitis.  She had a serious relapse yesterday afternoon and spent the night and day at the emergency vet's, but just came home and is doing well - good appetite, no vomiting, got a mostly formed stool.  This is the best she's been all week.
We could talk about ultrasounds, blood work, diet, and med regimens, but we'd really rather just sing - because all she does is wreck our bed, and in the morning kick us in the head.  And that's why we're so glad to have her home.  Thanks again for all the love and support.

Home, Sweet Home

Thank you for all the prayers and well-wishes for 'Maggie,' because coupled with good veterinary medicine, she has come home and is doing pretty good.  She kept her water down yesterday morning, so she got 2 food trials, and kept everything down all day, and she came home last night about 8 PM!  She's happy to be home, and it's such a relief to have her back after 4 days at the hospital.
She's on a low-fat highly digestible canned prescription food which she eats "ravenously."  She's on tramadol for pain, metronidazole for her lower gi, and famotidine for her tummy.  She didn't rest too much last night - she had diarrhea several times, with a bit of blood in her stools still.  This has her a bit on edge, as she knows the drill about going potty in the house, but Dad is trying to console her that it's OK this time. 
Maggie and Joey will spend the day with good friends while Dad is at work so she can be watched closely.  We have to follow up with the vet to determine the next course we're going to take for her Cushing's, and planning again for removing the troublesome tumor on her anus. 
Thanks again for all your love and support - there's nothing in the world like having your sick little ones back home and feeling better by your side.

Maggie's Big Day

Thanks again so much for all the love and support for 'Maggie,' as today is her fourth day in the hospital for severe pancreatitis, and the day she will be challenged with water in the morning, and a little bit of food at about noon.  With all the prayers and well-wishes she's getting she's bound to be able to keep that food down! 

Dad and Joey go to visit Maggie in the morning and in the evening, and every day she is more and more alert and happy.  We're just hoping that her pancreas is keeping up with her spirit.  We're thinking positive that she will not be like Joey was last fall with his pancreatitis following his surgery, and that she is going to do just great with this first water and food challenge.  She does appear to be hungry when we ask her, and who wouldn't be - her last meal was Sunday night. 

It was hard to get her to go pee the last few days, and she would only go potty for Dad, but yesterday she started going for the hospital staff as well.  This was troublesome because with all the IV fluids she's getting, she was just basically leaking in her crate.  It wasn't easy for Dad to get her to go either - the first time was a stern 20 minutes outside of pointing and telling her to "go pee" and to "hurry up."  Must have repeated these phrases and actions 200 times, but that made success all the better.  Her stools have been bloody, and yesterday they gave her some intra-muscular antibiotics for that. 

Last night's visit was very pleasant - Dad and Joey and Maggie sat in the clinic's "VIP room" for about 30 minutes where there is a nice leather couch and magazines to read.  Dad read Maggie's comments and emails for her while Joey gave Maggie a face wash, which she both loves and hates at the same time. 

Dad's Little Princess

Maggie at about 12 weeks old

When we posted yesterday that we were going to take a few days off Dachshund blogging, the reason was because Dad's work has gone simply insane this week, and all our efforts needed to focus on his work.  We certainly weren't expecting any complicated veterinary issues this week by any means.  But, we wanted to update that your 'Long and Short of it All' host 'Maggie' has become very ill.

Yesterday before Dad was leaving for work, he gave Joey and Maggie their breakfast, but Maggie refused to eat.  Now, sometimes this isn't a major issue, but generally when your dog refuses to eat, they are quite ill.  Given Maggie's Cushing's issues, and the fact that her medication dose was recently doubled, odds looked good that she was experiencing an Addisonian's crisis from her cortisol levels being too low, and if her potassium were to then get too low, it could be quite dangerous. 

So, Joey was left hanging by himself as Dad whisked Maggie off to the vets for immediate care.  Once at the vets, Maggie started to vomit.  Dad had to run to work, but Maggie vomited another 10 times after he left.  The vet looked at her cortisol and electrolytes, and her cortisol was still quite high, another indication that her meds are not working for her, especially after doubling her dose.  So, she wasn't having an Addisonian's crisis, and the vet did a complete panel on her.  Turns out her lipase was over 6,000.  Maggie has pancreatitis.  This is the same issue Joey had last fall after his surgery which nearly did him in. 

Lots of tests are being performed, and it doesn't look like the Cushing's medication she's on can cause this issue.  With pancreatitis, as we know, it's a wait and see game to see if the pancreas will naturally get better after three days of no food or water.  But in the meantime, she is in a lot of pain.  She's getting pain meds, anti-nauseants, and is on IV fluids.  The vet did mention that this looks to be more serious than most of the pancreatitis issues he's seen -  Of course - Maggie and Joey don't do anything just half way.

Dad and Joey went to visit her last night.  She's stable but in pain.  She looked up at the men in her life when they entered the room, and she had large amounts of drool coming down both sides of her mouth - a sick little girl.  She didn't potty for the vet tech at all, but Dad had them unhook her IV, and was able to get her to potty outside.  Got to spend a good 45 minutes with her and tell her how much we love her. 

Thanks so much for all the heart-warming comments yesterday.  They mean so much.  Talked with the vet this morning, and Maggie is about the same as yesterday, but her temp is slightly low.  So, we wait.

A Note From Joey and Maggie: Please Stand By

Dear Gentle Readers,

We just wanted to let you know that like your 'Long and Short of it All' host 'Joey,' updates will be a bit spotty this week.  We're hoping that we may be able to squeeze in just a few as the week progresses, but we're unsure at this point.  We should be back to speed next week. 

Everything is OK on the home front - Joey is doing amazingly well as we continue to treat him for Addison's Disease after his surgery last fall for adrenal-dependent Cushing's Disease and spleenectomy.  He got his monthly DOCP shot yesterday (OUCH!)  and continues to get oral prednisone and ursodiol every day.  He's a happy boy.

We wish that we had such good news to report for 'Maggie.'  We're still having trouble getting her meds stablized for her pituitary-dependent Cushing's Disease.  We took her in for levels a few weeks ago, and her cortisol level is 5-10 times where it should be.  So, we doubled her dose of trilostane, and will do follow-up levels this coming Saturday.  To top things off, she has developed a nasty tumor on her anus.  It was aspirated, and is "most likely" benign, so we are thankful for that.  She will have to have surgery to have it removed soon, but we've got to get her Cushing's under control before such a procedure.  We'll know more after Saturday's visit to the vet.  She spends a lot of time sleeping and trying to get comfortable because her big belly from her Cushing's really gets in the way.  We can't tell if she's a happy girl because she doesn't wag her tail anymore - she's embarrassed about her tumor and keeps her tail tucked in at all times.  Hoping Saturday's vet visit goes well and we can schedule to get her tumor removed.  We miss her wagging tail.

Yours in Dachshund Love,

Joey and Maggie....