In Briefs
Well, actually shorts, a long sleeved t-shirt, wool socks and hiking boots...
Working HARD. Normal job, plus a for-fee consulting job to my department based upon my pre-U professional background.
Getting ready for school.
Experimenting with Facebook (for work, believe it or not:).
As of this week, dealing with the evidence of syringomelia in my Trubalicious boy. Devastating. Won't drag you through the grief that permeated the beginning of the week. He's only three and a half (which, for a cavvy means he's just attained full growth/development). His symptoms began before he was a year old (not a good sign), with escalation over the past six months.
At first it looked like we were going to have to let him go sooner rather than later, due to a variety of factors. Now, however, it appears he'll be accepted into a study being done right now on cavvies and this condition. They have some very effective treatments going and are doing no placebo group (which, given the pain involved in the condition, is correct and kind). Just waiting to find out when to pile into the car.
Doc can't leave mid-semester, but BA isn't teaching this semester and offered immediately upon hearing about it. Won't take no for an answer and, quite frankly, there's no one I'd rather have go with me. She's a wildlife biologist and a Dog Person. She got it immediately when I fell apart in her office. He's my heart muffin. Gus is my soul dog, for sure, and there's no minimizing that -- it's just different. Trub lives in a place in my heart no human or animal ever has -- it's a unique relationship with a lot of gorgeous ramifications. I would quite literally donate any body part I could spare and live if it would help him. A chunk of my liver will help? Take it. You want the skin off my right leg? It's yours. An eye? Who needs depth perception? I'm quite serious.
When connecting with the neurologist I said, "Here's the thing: there's no room for keeping him alive for me or for science if he's not comfortable and happy. If you can agree to that, then we're on." I won't do anything that promotes his suffering for any reason. I also want to know how they measure pain, given that dogs in chronic pain do not tend to give behavioral cues, lacking our human expectation of pain relief.
Getting rid of his collar and switching to a harness has helped for the short term. I should know more Monday or Tuesday.
For the science geeks:
Syringomelia happens when the base of the skull (occiput) is formed in a way that doesn't allow enough room for the cerebellum and brain stem as the animal (or human) grows. As a result, they begin to push down toward the foramen magnum (the opening where the spinal cord comes through) and inhibit the flow of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). The resulting pressure can be painful, but that's not the worst bit. The chronic pressure causes pockets to form in the walls of the membrane that contains the spinal cord and CSF. The fluid pools in these 'lakes' and puts pressure on both the spinal cord and the nerve roots and nerves exiting the area. This results in pain and a wide range of neurological symptoms. It is a progressive condition because the ongoing pressure begins to degrade tissue.
It was difficult to diagnose before MRI technology existed and was applied to animals, in part because it shares several of its symptoms with other conditions. Sometimes the best that could be done was a misdiagnosis or a slow process of ruling out other conditions -- by which point the degree of suffering and severity of symptoms necessitated euthenizing the dog. The condition occurs in other breeds, primarily smaller dogs, but is very rare. Unfortunately, the damage that was done to Cavaliers in creating the English Toy Spaniel (after the UK fell in love with the pugs the Dutch brought back from Asia), has not been completely undone during the 80 years of selective breeding to restore the original spaniel. Up to 90% have a skull formation that could lend itself to promoting the condition -- depending upon growth. Of those, nearly half will develop some symptomology in their lifetime.
The hell of it is that there are no rules to screen for it in order to breed. In fact, one champion breeder in the UK had her male sire 26 litters (at last count) since his diagnosis! What. The. FUCK. I've' had a lot of dogs in my life and every breed is special. That said, I've never met the like of the cavvies. They are sporting, companions, sized for any aged human to manage, delightful in temperament, hilarious, gentle, fascinated and fascinating, adaptable, wonderful dogs. There's a reason to try and restore the breed and get rid of this threat.
If you, or anyone you know, ever considers having one, please require that your breeder provide proof that BOTH parents have been screened with MRI after age three and a half and found clear. Otherwise, say, "No, thanks." It's that serious.
~ Dot
Working HARD. Normal job, plus a for-fee consulting job to my department based upon my pre-U professional background.
Getting ready for school.
Experimenting with Facebook (for work, believe it or not:).
As of this week, dealing with the evidence of syringomelia in my Trubalicious boy. Devastating. Won't drag you through the grief that permeated the beginning of the week. He's only three and a half (which, for a cavvy means he's just attained full growth/development). His symptoms began before he was a year old (not a good sign), with escalation over the past six months.
At first it looked like we were going to have to let him go sooner rather than later, due to a variety of factors. Now, however, it appears he'll be accepted into a study being done right now on cavvies and this condition. They have some very effective treatments going and are doing no placebo group (which, given the pain involved in the condition, is correct and kind). Just waiting to find out when to pile into the car.
Doc can't leave mid-semester, but BA isn't teaching this semester and offered immediately upon hearing about it. Won't take no for an answer and, quite frankly, there's no one I'd rather have go with me. She's a wildlife biologist and a Dog Person. She got it immediately when I fell apart in her office. He's my heart muffin. Gus is my soul dog, for sure, and there's no minimizing that -- it's just different. Trub lives in a place in my heart no human or animal ever has -- it's a unique relationship with a lot of gorgeous ramifications. I would quite literally donate any body part I could spare and live if it would help him. A chunk of my liver will help? Take it. You want the skin off my right leg? It's yours. An eye? Who needs depth perception? I'm quite serious.
When connecting with the neurologist I said, "Here's the thing: there's no room for keeping him alive for me or for science if he's not comfortable and happy. If you can agree to that, then we're on." I won't do anything that promotes his suffering for any reason. I also want to know how they measure pain, given that dogs in chronic pain do not tend to give behavioral cues, lacking our human expectation of pain relief.
Getting rid of his collar and switching to a harness has helped for the short term. I should know more Monday or Tuesday.
For the science geeks:
Syringomelia happens when the base of the skull (occiput) is formed in a way that doesn't allow enough room for the cerebellum and brain stem as the animal (or human) grows. As a result, they begin to push down toward the foramen magnum (the opening where the spinal cord comes through) and inhibit the flow of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). The resulting pressure can be painful, but that's not the worst bit. The chronic pressure causes pockets to form in the walls of the membrane that contains the spinal cord and CSF. The fluid pools in these 'lakes' and puts pressure on both the spinal cord and the nerve roots and nerves exiting the area. This results in pain and a wide range of neurological symptoms. It is a progressive condition because the ongoing pressure begins to degrade tissue.
It was difficult to diagnose before MRI technology existed and was applied to animals, in part because it shares several of its symptoms with other conditions. Sometimes the best that could be done was a misdiagnosis or a slow process of ruling out other conditions -- by which point the degree of suffering and severity of symptoms necessitated euthenizing the dog. The condition occurs in other breeds, primarily smaller dogs, but is very rare. Unfortunately, the damage that was done to Cavaliers in creating the English Toy Spaniel (after the UK fell in love with the pugs the Dutch brought back from Asia), has not been completely undone during the 80 years of selective breeding to restore the original spaniel. Up to 90% have a skull formation that could lend itself to promoting the condition -- depending upon growth. Of those, nearly half will develop some symptomology in their lifetime.
The hell of it is that there are no rules to screen for it in order to breed. In fact, one champion breeder in the UK had her male sire 26 litters (at last count) since his diagnosis! What. The. FUCK. I've' had a lot of dogs in my life and every breed is special. That said, I've never met the like of the cavvies. They are sporting, companions, sized for any aged human to manage, delightful in temperament, hilarious, gentle, fascinated and fascinating, adaptable, wonderful dogs. There's a reason to try and restore the breed and get rid of this threat.
If you, or anyone you know, ever considers having one, please require that your breeder provide proof that BOTH parents have been screened with MRI after age three and a half and found clear. Otherwise, say, "No, thanks." It's that serious.
~ Dot