Add me to the waiting for an update crowd!

Yep, I'm a dedicated lurker also

Me too. I've been checking in more often than I was now.

For all the lurkers... here is your Wednesday update:

Since we were getting tiny little hints of regular Oscar over the weekend (little bits of playfulness, desire to walk farther than around the block, etc), I thought it might be a bad sign that he was completely uninterested in going outside yesterday, and seemed to be feeling a bit ucky again (our vet likes to call this "dumpy"). Still eating strong, but we also had a urinalysis done yesterday that revealed very concentrated urine (despite the fact that he's drinking a fair amount more than normal) with bilirubin (a byproduct of hemoglobin breakdown) in it - which often indicates problems with the liver. After discussing urinalysis results with vet last night, I made an apt for today to do new blood work and have him checked out.

CBC showed normal values (down from last test), his liver values seem to be coming down as well, but the bilirubin count is going ever so slightly up (norm is .3, he was at .4, now he's .5). The bilirubin thing is strange, since liver diseases usually result in poor appetites (not at ALL the case here), and it may be that the bilirubin #s were actually higher in between the last test (done mid fever week) and now, and that they're actually falling, but appear to be going up just because of when the tests have been done... hard to know exactly, but they suggested I put him on a nutraceutical called Denamarin that will help support his liver while his body continues to heal. Realistically, he's still been home fewer days now than he was so feverishly sick, so perhaps his body is still clearing all the junk that accumulated last week... recovery can be slow.

He was active and alert for a large portion of the afternoon, throughout the vet visit and waiting rooms - was an uber trooper during exam and let them poke and prod and even take blood without flinching (though is head was tucked tight into my armpit), but he got right into bed when we got home and hasn't really been up since.

If I had to average things since he's been home, he seems quite sound and alert mentally, but he's doing a ton of sleeping, and when he's not sleeping, for the most part, he's walking slowly and looking like his body is still trying hard to fight things off. Our next scheduled visit will be in 2 weeks, for new blood work and chest x-rays to see if his lung looks any better - he'll be on Doxy and Baytril till then, and if anything goes downhill, we'll move that date up. Until then, the line between healthy resting/recuperation and backsliding into being sicker appears pretty fine, and I'm inclined to play it safe and bring him right back in if he does worse one day than the last, though the last 2 weeks have left me a touch oversensitive.

I can also report, of the 7 pieces of mail in the box today, a whole 5 envelopes were addressed to the beast! Confirming what I've known for a long time : Oscar the dog has a posse! I'm going to tape the get-well cards on the wall over his bed...

As always, all our thanks for your continued support.
Will update as I can...
~Natalya

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

I can also report, of the 7 pieces of mail in the box today, a whole 5 envelopes were addressed to the beast! ~Natalya

Thats because I have no doubt he can read...

We were waiting for our Oscar update!
Thank you for posting.

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

Oscar the dog has a posse!

A Posse of minions.

Sorry things aren't quite 100% but you do make a good point that he was sicker longer than he has been on the mend....so alas patience is necessary. The good thing; you're home and have one of the best facilities at your disposal if you do question anything....so relax and heal along side your boy.

How goes it with the beast?

Today he was really good!
It seemed like he woke up chipper, wanted a good longish walk in the sunshine, and another one just before dark - he was quite happy trotting along too, instead of dragging his heels (like he does when he's A. not feeling well, or B. pouty that we didn't walk the way HE wanted to go, but that's another story). All day he seemed much more comfortable getting up and moving around - chose to sit upright in a sunny spot on the floor, rather than always plopping on his bed, and he even grumbled at the mailman when he saw him through the glass front door... all things he wasn't doing previously.

I've also been taking his temp every 4 hours or so - it's rock solid at 101.

I don't know what changed so dramatically between today and 2 days ago when I thought he might be getting sicker again, but he honestly did seem really good today - consequently, so did I!

~Natalya

Happy dance, happy dance!! Please give the great beast a big smooch and hug for me. I just love encouraging news. Growling at the mailman?? Yikes! Be still my beating heart.