Recently in Valentin Category

Yesterday, on June 20, 2008, my Valentin, Boo Boo Bear, Baby Cakes, best friend and wonderful companion passed away of lung and heart failure. He suffered for 4 weeks, although he had about 5 good days last week. His little body just couldn't fight back anymore, despite all the medicine and my 24-hour nursing.    He was 13 years, 5 months and 20 days old.  We spent 13 years, 4 months and 6 days together

Rest in Peace, Valentin. I really loved you. I'll miss you.

 

Last Sunday, April 13, was incredibly hot - 95 degrees Fahrenheit.  I didn't want to take the dog out in the sun but he wanted to go out around noon.  What a mistake.  He got so overheated and tired after a block that we had to stop in the shade.  I ended up carrying him home.  Then he started wheezing and breathing really fast.  The next morning he looked and sounded terrible.  I rushed him to the vet in the morning.  Dr. Hegazy, a large, hairy Eastern European,  told me that Valentin's heart murmur, which registered a 3 out of 6 last November, had deteriorated to a 5 out of 6.  His pulse was about 120.  The diagnosis was congestive heart failure.  The heart's valves don't close completely and the lungs fill up with fluids, making it difficult to breathe. The doctor took 2 x-rays and sent me home with 2 kinds of pills.  Later on Valentin got worse and could hardly walk.  I thought that he would die that night. I put him on the bed and kept spoonfeeding him water.  I didn't sleep at all.  The next morning his heart was pounding super fast and he was panting very loudly, gasping for air like a fish out of water.  I rushed him back to the veterinarian's clinic. 

The doctor saw how bad Valentin looked and immediately started administering oxygen.  They drew blood.  Instead of waiting for the results of the blood test, the doctor gave Valentin some heart medication: enalapril and furosemide.  They are the same medications given to humans but in different doses.  I wondered if the medicine would do any good or if the doctor was trying to make it look like they were doing something.  That night I gave the dog his medicine, and cried my eyes out while monitoring and petting him.  The next morning I woke up and was planning on carrying Valentin downstairs to let him urinate but he started to stand up and walk about.  I was amazed.  He walked down the hall and outside on his own.  He was slow and a bit shaky but better than the day before. He walked 1/2 a block.  I gave him his medicine then waited for the clinic to open.

The doctor was happy to see that Valentin was much better and I was happy that Dr. Hegazy had given the appropriate treatment.  Each day he gets better and better. Now he's pretty much like he was before.  I just watch him closely and carry him if he gets tired.  He doesn't like to be babied too much though.  He lets me know when he's rested up and can start walking again. Today the pup wanted to walk to the marina but we couldn't get there due to the barriers put up for the Toyota Grand Prix.  We did walk quite a few blocks at any rate.

Dr. Hegazy called me to say that Valentin's red blood cell count is very low and his platelets are extremely low so I have to watch out for bleeding.  However, it's possible to make his bone marrow create more red blood cells if I take him in for some injections.  So next week I'll be taking him in for that.

A few of my coworkers were very concerned and understanding when I kept missing time from work every day.  I would go in for a few hours and then leave.  Someone asked me if I would have to take a second job in order to pay for the vet bills.  Amazingly, the bills only totaled $450.  That's not cheap but it's a lot cheaper than what I had expected.   Just about 2 weeks earlier, a coworker's friend paid $9,000 for treatment for her cat. Ouch.

I asked the nurse if I could still take Valentin to Peru, given the long flight (17 hours) and the high altitude (about 16,000 ft).  She thought it would be okay but said she'd talk it over with the vet.   Apparently, there are many animals that can live quite well with this condition as long as they are probably medicated.  I guess it's the same as for human beings.  I know plenty of people with heart problems who do quite well.  I'm glad.  I'm not ready to let go of my best friend.  I know he won't live forever but a while longer would be great, as long as he's comfortable. 

 

I like fresh air so I like to leave open the sliding glass door that leads to the balcony.  I'm on the 4th floor.  Today as I was leisurely reading the Los Angeles Times, as I always do on Sunday, I heard a slight bang.  I almost panicked as I immediately thought that Valentin was trying make a break for freedom. 

I ran to look and saw him walking around.  I know that he tried to jump up onto the ledge but couldn't fit because the bars stopped him.  I doubt he wanted to jump off.  I think he just wanted a better view. 

I took him for a walk right after that, to satisfy his need to see the sights.  Whew!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a great photo of Valentin right after a haircut done right by the groomers. Actually, maybe they cut his hair too short.  But he looks so clean and young.  I think this photo was taken in 2003 when he was 8 years old.   His black fur still looked really black. 

This is a photo of my baby Valentin at 10 years old in 2005 when we lived in Redlands.  He looks so cute and relaxed.  Unfortunately, his bad haircut was my fault.  I'm not as talented as the groomers.  He didn't mind though. He prefers to be groomed by his mama.

In June 2007 right after graduating from FIDM and before I started my new job with the county, I stayed with my Mom and stepdad for a couple of weeks while I transitioned from my old house into a new place.  I had to commute from Hemet to East L.A. (sometimes a 3-hour drive one way) for a month. A few days a week I stayed in a hotel because the commute was killing me.  During that time, Valentin also stayed with us.  He got along really well with their dog, Sydney, an Australian shephard. 

The great thing about staying up on the hill on 3 acres way out in the boonies was that Valentin could go out without a leash. At first we were nervous but then I just had confidence that he would stick around the house and not run off.  He would wander around the property then come back.  A few times I thought he'd disappeared but we always found him nearby.   Sydney always helped keep him nearby or helped round him up.

 

Wow. It's already 2008.  I caught a terrible cold right be

 

fore Christmas and didn't recover until after New Year's day, so I missed all the celebrations.  I will have to throw a makeup New Year party.

Valentin turned 13 years old on the 1st.  I took him to his favorite places, the Pine Ave. Pier and Rainbow Harbor, all along the marina at Shoreline Village and the open ocean area where there's a long bike and walking route.  I took several birthday photos of him. We sat down for awhile right across from the Queen Mary and enjoyed the view.  Then I went out and bought him lots of the wet dog food in cans and pouches.  I've started mixing it in with his dry food for every meal.  He loves it. 

Valentin rode down an escalator for the first time on his birthday.  He didn't get scared. He wanted to walk down the stairs, instead of standing still. 

I realize that my little best friend won't be around forever so I'm trying to really pamper him more than usual and enjoy every minute with him.