SUGAR RAY
July 3, 2009.... Sugar Ray has passed on…. The vet found he was in complete heart failure again, the pills weren’t keeping him out of it. He was so uncomfortable and possibly in pain. He couldn’t breathe, eat, could barely stand up. He had been looking at me like “Help me, I feel awful”. He was so sweet and even wagged his nub a bit last Friday when he met my 7 year old nephew.
So Dr. Wagner and I put him to sleep and even though he was very sick it was still hard.
June 16, 2009... Poor Sugar Ray. He has stopped eating, and I’m having a hard time getting his pills in him, even with soft food.
He also has been in kind of a stupor and is having awful diarrhea accidents in places he never would go before! His breathing is very labored. I’m not sure if he can pull out of this one….
May 13, 2009... Sugar Ray is feeling good and playing with his ball when I got home tonight. He was giddy and playful and feeling good on his heart meds! His tests have not revealed anything new. He will remain on the oral heart meds. Unfortunately the tumor on his heart will continue to grow and cannot be treated. But for right now Sugar Ray is doing well, playing and having fun again. He lost 15 lbs of fluid in 4 days with his heart meds!!
May 10, 2009... Our sweet Sugar Ray was feeling under the weather on Thursday morning and was immediately taken to the vet. After a day of testing, including an ultrasound of his heart we received the following information:
1.) Dilated cardiomyopathy
2.) He is in right sided heart failure
3.) Has pericardial effusion (fluid around the heart) and lots of fluid/swelling in his legs & abdomen.
4.) Has a tumor on his heart, involving major vessels
We discussed all options with the vet and also had a phone consult with an internist and it was decided to try Sugar Ray on heart drugs (Vetmedin & Enalapril ) and Lasix for fluid buildup. He has responded well to the meds so far!! As of today we got the following report from his foster mom: "Feeling better- perky, eating well, breathing normal, meds have made the fluids go way down! YAY!! He played with a ball yesterday and he goes tomorrow for ECG and more xrays".
Please continue to keep Sugar Ray in your thoughts and prayers. We'll post more after we find out the results of his tests tomorrow!
March 18, 2009... Sugar Ray loves Kongs! He runs for them when its play time, picks them up and snorts! He doesn't even care that lately momma hasn't been putting peanut butter in them (it's the danged economy!) . He still loves a big red Kong!
February 23, 2009... Sugar Ray continues to be an easy going, laid back foster dog! He likes everyone and everything. He has taken to sleeping in the bedroom on his dog bed all night. We found that he cries a bit in his crate at night- he wants to be included, a part of the family. So he gets a fluffy dog bed in the bedroom, and snores the night away. He did catch kennel cough from the shelter, but a round of antibiotics cleared it up. Now we just need to get the nasty mast cell tumor removed from his leg. Unfortunately, since Pete and Eloise used up all the reserve funds there is none left for little Sug. He will have to wait patiently until it is his turn for surgery.
January 31, 2009... Well I finally got out of that shelter- Whew!! Just in time to watch the Superbowl in a warm house, with lots of food and love, like all the other good pets… Go Cardinals (Ahem! Excuse me, back to what I was saying….) I’m so glad this rescue likes senior dogs, because I’m one- a graceful 9 years old! Why would anyone dump me in a shelter? I’m a GREAT boy, I ride in the car well, I’m house trained, I’m crate trained, I love my foster fur sisters Lexie and Haley….and as you can already see I am super-duper handsome!!!!
SPONSOR ME!
CBR and Sugar Ray would like to thank the following people for donating to his vet care:
Hoopty & Tess Oates, Kayla Fink, John Romano, Patricia Ellis, Steve & Vivian Newman, Dave & Pat Manzel, Kathy & Wally Jarvis, Jeanette Mathias, Kristyn Skipper, Dr. Katie Wagner, DVM, Dr. Bruce & Beckie Arne' and Dave & Pat Manzel (again! thank you!).
"We lost our boxer Freddie to cancers in 2007 & only wish we could help more".... Wally & Kathy Jarvis
"Good luck, Sugar Ray!"... from Sabo, a CBR Boxer now with Dave and Pat Manzel
"Hope Sugar Ray will get well soon"... Steve & Vivian Newman
"From Lewis Chester who knows what it is like to be a foster and Autumn who is fighting mast cell tumors as well"..... Autumn and Lewis Chester's proud parents, Michelle and John Romano
Sugar Ray is in the back of the picture
