Mr B

Our dear Badger left us one week ago today.  We are still in shock here and this is very hard to write.

He was healing so well, but about 2 weeks after his last operation (tumour on chest) we noticed a hardness in the flesh on his side.  It seemed to be getting bigger so we booked a follow up with his vet.  Between booking the appointment on Thursday, and getting to the clinic on Tuesday, there was no mistaking that the lump was growing.  He had an ultrasound and a biopsy.  The result showed another fast growing tumour.

It was already too big to operate on.   We were out of options.

The vet appointment was on May 27th.
We took him home with pain relief, thinking we might have him for another couple of months.
The tumour started to gallop.
He died on June 9th.

We held him as he left us and told him how much we love him.  It was so gentle and peaceful.  We are heartbroken.

The photos in this video were taken the day before he died.   He couldn’t walk very far but he still wanted to be a part of the action.

We buried him in the garden, next to Charlie and Luna, my sweet dogs who came before him.

Sleep well, Sweet Boy.  We miss you.

Hi all…  Another quick update on MrB.  We are still plodding along with no clear idea on what the lump on his chest is!  The initial testing shows that it’s a sarcoma, it’s different to what was on his leg, and it’s unclear whether it’s malignant.  They are doing more analysis and we just have to be patient.  ARGH!

Badger is mostly doing well.  His chest surgery seems to be healing well and the stitches come out on Tuesday.  His mobility is improving.  I managed to get him up on my bed for a cuddle for the first time.  🙂  We were both very pleased with this achievement.  We are starting to do regular short walks together again, which both of us need.  He’s restless and wanting more sniffing in his life.

The one mystery that remains (other than his pathology results) is that several times a day, he jumps up with a yelp and runs across the room.  He always looks behind himself with a most offended look on his face, as if he’s been stung or bitten by something.  We’ve started giving him Gabapentin again on the theory that it’s phantom limb pain.  It seems to have reduced the mystery “attacks” but overall I think he’s more restless.  Hard to say.

The last bit of news is that we are still dressing his wound every 1-2 days!  That’s about 2 months of daily dressing changes.  We feel like we could just about do it in our sleep now.  (This is for the failed skin graft.)  When we first started, we were using 1 1/2 sheets of the “Jelonet” dressing to cover the wound.  Each sheet is 10 x 10cm.  Now, we are using about 1/3 of a sheet each time.  We can hardly believe it!  Our boy has regrown that much skin!!  Clever doggy.

We are so proud of him and ourselves for persevering.  (Let’s face it – we’re in mid lock down so we’ve had the time to put into extending his care.)  It means he will have actual fur-growing skin over the wound instead of scar tissue, and we DO NOT HAVE TO SACRIFICE HIS TAIL for a new graft.  Our goal now is to get 100% new skin growth over the wound.

Quick post to let you know that MrB had his surgery yesterday.  It went fairly smoothly and he was able to come home with us in the late afternoon.  He’s drugged up and looks like a skinned rabbit due to his chest being shaved, poor love.  I’d laugh if he didn’t get so offended.
He’s sore and a bit confused but his appetite is good and he is accepting short walks, cuddles, back scritches and treats.  Also more treats please. 🙂

Now we wait. 🙁

Hi to all of MrB’s people. My fluffy problem child is going back for more surgery in the morning. I KNOW!!! 🙁
I found a fast growing lump on his chest that is not a fatty cyct. His surgeon will take it out and we will get the pathology results in a few days. It’s still fairly small so hopefully won’t be a major surgery.

NOT the news any of us needed right now.

MrB has had a great weekend!
We experienced a record number of “firsts.”

• First walk to the dam.  It’s quite a steep paddock with varied surfaces.  He handled it like the champ he is.  On the way back he sniffed every little thing that has been “unsniffed” for two months.
• First shake without falling over.  Sometimes a dog really needs to “shake it off” and that takes some practice when you lose a leg.  He started off with a very slow, wobbly shake with just his head.  By the end of the weekend he was doing the full body shake without losing his balance.
• First “scare my people half to death.”  He wandered off for a private walk and came back 5 minutes later from a totally different direction.  I did NOT enjoy this one.  He looked so VERY pleased with himself when he returned.
• First SIT.  He hasn’t been able to do it until now, and I think it still hurts a bit, but he’s getting there.
  
• First “cuddle on the lounge.”  (This is my favourite one.)  MrB & I like to hang out on the lounge together.  He’s my 23kg lap dog, but he hasn’t wanted to jump up with me since the operation.  Last night he decided it was time for a cuddle and tried to get up on my lap.  He couldn’t make it independently but made it with a little help from his friends.  BEST CUDDLE EVER.
• First run.  It wasn’t fast, but he chased his dad in the yard.  Adorable.

We’re at that slightly awkward phase now where he’s feeling really good and wanting to be independent, but he still has a healing wound on his side.  We have to keep him confined for a while longer.  Fortunately he is a very good natured fella and doesn’t complain too much.  🙂

[I thought I had figured out how to share photos in my post but now I’m not sure it is working.  Please let me know if you can’t see thrree photos in this post.  I am really happy to support Tripawds and become a paid supporter, but it will have to wait until I’m working again or my financial situation is a bit more stable.  We are doing alright but between Badger and the *@#^ing virus I have hardly had any paid work for 2 months.
In the mean time, if you are desperate for some Badger pics, you should be able to see them in this album:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/vuRTKMWiR5W5HABx7 ]