This Pug has Nine Lives, or See Puggy Run

Well, dear reader, it appeared that yours truly was down for the count, ready to buy the farm, about to take the big dirt nap on Friday. My hindquarters failed me and I was drinking more water than normal. My mom, rather than wait until Saturday to see the vet, came home from work and took me that day. Blood was drawn, urine sampled, and a grim prognosis given. The vet did give me an injection of Cortisone, hoping there would be some noticeable improvement on Saturday My tearful mom bundled me up in her arms, hailed a cab, and got me home. She phoned Grandma reporting her news and asked her to make an appointment with my Cape Cod surgeon for Monday.

And what an improvement there was Saturday morning! I offer you a brief film as evidence. The blood results came back fine…no anomalies and normal kidney function…BUT, and here is the clincher, I have Lyme disease, which of course caused the dysfunction of my hind legs.

So, once again, I have been snatched from Death’s mighty jaws! My appointment with the surgeon was cancelled and I am now taking powerful antibiotics for a month. Our plans to weekend in Connecticut with my other grandparents were reinstated and off we went on Saturday afternoon. What a glorious weekend it was. Lizzie and I ran with gay abandon over the acres of green grass, basked in the healing sun like frogs on lily pads (Lizzie most resembling that amphibian), and enjoyed the adoration of our family. Like Lazarus, I was restored to life, and like the Phoenix, I arose from the flames. As my Cape Cod grandma said to my mom on Friday, “Don’t give up on the old boy yet; he always comes back.” Yes, Grandma, I do, but not without some drama.

Respectfully and gratefully submitted,

Mason

P.S. When viewing my film think “Born Free” or “Chariots of Fire” themes playing over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJD7zKMiKDM”>

Downward Facing Pug, or I Chose Life

Every now and again I find it helpful to stop and take stock of my life. As midsummer approaches I am reminded of my various limitations. This is not a maudlin pity party, believe me, but rather an honest look at how my many physical conditions have not limited my zest for living.

It was discovered about four years ago that I have an under active thyroid, for which I must take Soloxine twice a day for the rest of my life. It also requires a yearly blood test to be sure the dosage remains correct. Around that same time, my vet informed me that the reason I coughed and gagged so frequently is due to a collapsed trachea, a condition for which there is no treatment. It becomes a problem when I ingest food because I naturally do this rapidly, due to my excitement…and so I make ghastly retching sounds after eating. It doesn’t bother me but I think it upsets the humans around me!

Around the time I was living in Dallas with my mom, I started having seizures. They happened about twice a year, were horrifying for Mom, and left me only a little tired but otherwise unaffected. Since they were not an isolated event I was put on Potassium Bromide about two years ago as a preventative course of treatment. This I take once a day and have blood drawn twice a year to check my levels. Now some of you, dear readers, may be saying to yourselves that this pug is being held together with duct tape, but my story is not over. Last summer a neurological issue developed, which necessitated emergency surgery (see Dec. 27 blog about this procedure) leaving me without the use of my gender distinguishing feature. I am having difficulty with my hindquarters this summer and my vet feels all of this is connected. I take ¼ tablet of Temaril P every other day to reduce inflammation.

You must wonder, why am I regaling you with my tales of woe? I do so only to point out that not one or all of these physical limitations have slowed me down or depressed me. They are not even an annoyance. Life is rich, beautiful, and full of incredible food. As Thoreau said, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived…I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life…”

I am a pug living my life deliberately and well.  L’chaim!

Respectfully submitted,

Mason

I just happen to love this shot and Grandma says I look like an angel. No hint of health issues on this pug's face!