My dog Daisy has a large growth on the back of her tongue. We did not find the growth until a couple of days ago. The reason we looked in her mouth was frothy drool tinged with blood. Our vet took one look and said to take Daisy to a surgery center that can do a biopsy. She also said, “It’s not good.”
Our regular vet is a basic vet who doesn’t do surgery or “treat” terminal problems in the contemporary “spare no expense” manner. I like going to this vet as she does lots of rescue work, keeps her rates low so a larger number of people can get basic care for the pets they love, and she has Saturday reduced fee shot clinics. She doesn’t have an excess of bedside manner, but you know you are getting the straight story from her.
Miss Daisy is 10 years old. She was a rescue from the Humane Society who had already been returned by her first rescue family at the age of 16 weeks. She was probably the most hyperactive puppy I have ever seen. The story is that she was a “reject” from a local dog “breeder” who was probably trying to breed a loose skinned, short but thick coated fighting dog from crossing Shar Pei and Pit Bull Terriers. Her one ear sticks up and the other one has the cartilage broken in a way that makes it flop over. It gives her a very quizzical expression. She is brindle in a black and reddish-tan tiger stripe. She has a spotted, primarily black tongue.
She is also one of the most intelligent dogs I have ever known. Usually one “no” is enough to stop her from doing bad things except for chasing small critters. The terrier in her background loves chasing and digging for lizards.
She was terrified of spoons, especially wooden spoons, and didn’t think much of men at first. We believe she was beaten by a man and that is how her ear was broken. Over the years she has developed a trusting relationship with us. She has raised two mastiff puppies. She is a part of our family. She is probably going to leave us soon.
I will take her to a full service veterinary clinic and have the growth biopsied. From the look, her breed, and symptoms, it is probably a melanoma. I want her to have the maximum good time left, and that may not mean surgery that would probably require removal of much of her tongue, feeding tubes, and the like. I will not put her through medical torture that she does not understand for a few weeks more with her.
She is getting around, wants to go for her daily short walk and goes out into our yard with our 1-year-old mastiff several times a day. She eats soft food and still nibbles on treats.
This is so hard. Last year we lost our six-year-old Neapolitan Mastiff to an Africanized bee attack. Daisy was attacked too but she pulled through, somehow, even though she was half of the Neo’s weight. She’s so tough. I did not anticipate this. I’m very, very sad.
Tumbleweed Tails and Gelato – The Italian Connection
In the midst of having a list of writing and platform installation tasks as long as my arm, this past weekend, my Hubby, Fang, wanted to try to track down the person who ran the kennel where we purchased our last Italian, or Neapolitan, Mastiff. Since the untimely death of Mr. Worf, our last Neo, from an Africanized bee attack, Hubby Fang has been inconsolate. He is a boy who really needs to have a puppy. We ended up with Gelato instead of a puppy. I have to highly recommend Frost for some of the best gelato ever. Really! The master gelato maker is here from Italy with a special work visa used exclusively for highly skilled specialists. If you are in Tucson you need to check it out one of their locations for some excellent, one-of-a-kind flavors, and they always have two sugar free flavors that are the best you will find anywhere. Actually, they are opening up franchises for this Tucson-based business, so you might be able to find one close, or at least closer, to you.
We have to spend time creating our new married life for the next phase of our life together. We never had any real time as just a couple. We started our family immediately upon finally getting together. I knew Fang for 15 years as a dear friend before we ever got together. Once we finally got together there was no time to waste, apparently. So here we are 23 years later, after already having grown tired of each other's annoying habits and idiosyncrasies, as most long term couples do, trying to be nice to each other in our new dynamic, and not really knowing how. Remember, remember, remember… what was it, besides sex, that I found so irresistible about him so long ago? Well, he is brilliant. But then so am I. And he loves dogs. For me that says a huge amount about a person. Good sex, good brain, and dog-lover. What more does a woman need? I need something for Fang to do to keep him from starting any more construction projects around the home. Have I told you about the kitchen cabinets he has been building for five years? That, as they say, is another story. I'm in hot pursuit of finding him a new pup to be his best friend.
In fact this weekend, today, we drove up to Phoenix from Tucson to meet some rescued Neapolitan Mastiffs. We are seriously in the market for a companion for our grouchy 8 year old mixed breed bitch. So we met the most adorable rescue male Neo. His name is Cooper and he needs a forever home. He is a year or so old, but Neos act like puppies until they are two or so. He loved me and gave me kisses almost immediately. He got on fine with our Miss Daisy too; serious butt-sniffing ensued and there was a little bit of circle play. But he was sort of indifferent with Hubby Fang. And Fang is the boy who needs a puppy.
It broke my heart not to adopt Cooper because he has a sweet, truly non-aggressive personality, and is so friendly, happy, and playful. He isn't super wrinkly at all, as most non champion Neos aren't, and he is a bit on the small side, which I think is good because that could extend the shorter lifespan tht some of the really big dogs tend to have. I think he is perfect. I wish he would have hit it off with Fang. He has a cherry eye that will be corrected with surgery, at the same time he is neutered, before being released to his forever home. I hope someone special adopts him soon. He would be perfect for a woman in need of a companion dog, and he is good with kids so a single mom with kids would be a great fit. Did I mention he has the most gorgeous soft, shiny black fur? He has a short coat so shedding wouldn't be bad. Mastiffs are the most loyal canines ever and when they bond with their forever pack, they are the best friend you will ever have. Rescue animals need your love even more than regular animals.
I hope you will consider adopting a rescued animal the next time you are searching for a pet. They need us so much. There are probably a hundred or more animals in need of homes in your city right now. You can check out rescue animals in AZ and the Southwest by going to Canine Rescue Coalition on Facebook. Pet Finder is a national website that works with many local rescue groups to connect you with animals that need homes. Don't buy, adopt. That way you are not supporting puppy mills and setting up unpurchased animals for abuse or euthenasia.