It’s March which means my sisters and I need to head to the vet for a check up and to get our heartworm preventative for the year. Heartworm is nothing to mess around with, so we make sure and get our prescriptions filled in time for our first dosage. Our Dr. Valenti and the Inver Grove Heights Animal Hospital are so wonderful. We are always thankful we found such a good place to go to the vet!
My sisters and I go to the vet a minimum of twice a year. We purposely schedule our big physicals in August or September and our small check up for our heartworm preventative in February or March so we have our two visits covered. For humans, once a year doctor visits may be enough, but an entire year is a long time for a dog to go without seeing their vet. I’m thrilled they have nice comfy chairs for me to sit on while I wait for my turn.
I always start with a step on the old scale. Looks like I’m down about a pound from the fall. Yay! I get to eat more treats! Bailie was almost the exact same weight and Katie lost a small amount but has been eating better, so we are not too concerned. I had my check up and was out in no time flat. Everything looks good for me including my blood and urine tests. I had some protein level issues in my last tests, which we were hoping would be gone this time and they were.
Bailie was next up. She loves the vet and thinks it is a fun place to visit. I think she is nuts! The vet tech was playing games with her and she was really enjoying herself in the exam room, until…
it was time to draw some blood. Actually, Bailie didn’t really mind, but she has ants in her furry pants and can’t sit still, so they had to hold her down a bit. Her tests came back looking great too.
Katie was last up. She needed blood work and a heart recheck. You may recall, last fall they detected a low grade heart murmur with her. She is such a good patient. The good news is, her heart murmur is the same, no change. The bad news is she has developed a fairly serious, irregular heartbeat. Mom was given a stethoscope to take a listen and it was amazing, so very fast, and then it would slow again. The super fast rate can be uncomfortable and is very hard on the heart, so Katie set up an appointment for the next day to see a cardiologist. Having discovered this in just the six months since our last visit, we are very glad we get checked twice a year minimum. As a dog becomes a senior every three months is really ideal, but this winter it just didn’t happen with Katie. Unfortunately, the cardiologist did find a tumor in Katie’s heart. We have things to digest and sort out, and will post more about this on Friday.
PS: I do apologize for the poor photos at the vet, but my photographer says she is so busy concentrating on us girls and what the vet is saying, she doesn’t have the time to put into high quality photos. Hope that makes sense.
I hope the cardiologist has good news for you, paws and fingers are crossed… and I’m glad you two got pawsome results from your vet. I solved that challenge last month and I hope I haven’t to see him before august :o) the heartworm treatment is always a challenge here, because the vet says that’s not essential… but my mom said if some dogs are infected it sure is essential… so giveittotheweimaraner :o)
We didn’t take it when we lived in Germany, because there was no need to. I think in Italy you need to.
My thoughts are with Katie. I hope she is Ok and I know she will get the best medical care possible. Please keep us posted
We are just figuring it out right now and will post about it on Friday.
I love you, Emma, but I am sending my hugs and prayers to Katie today. XOXO Sparkle
Katie has a losing battle to fight. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We will all be fine, and as long as she is happy, that is the main thing.
I am glad you all went for your vet check up, Emma. I don’t mind going to the vet even when he has to do all kinds of tests. It’s the best way to know you are staying healthy!
I like the people, but I’m terrified of the place. We don’t know why, but it is the way I feel.
Nothing better than a vet you know and trust to help keep the pups in tip top shape.
We are so happy with our vet. She is super nice and very good, but I really don’t like going to the vet.
We are all sending lots of purrs to you sweet Kaitie!
Thank you. She can use them.
Many purrs and prayers headed your way for sweet Katie…
Thank you.
We are hoping for the best for beautiful Katie. β₯ She is in great paws with you, your mom and the dog-ter. I have to go to the dog-ter this morning for my 6 month “senior” check-up. I hope that I get extra treats. Mom is anxious for them to check my ears too. βΊ Hugs and kisses, Bentley
Oooh. I can’t wait to hear how your ears are looking! I know they will be squeaky clean and healthy like mine! Every 6 months is a good idea for check ups. I think the real senior seniors need every three months, probably because I’m not that senior yet π
Sending lots of hugs to Katie
Snorts,
Lily & Edward
Thank you.
Oh no, not a tumor!! I do pray it’s benign!! Sending healing energy for Katie right now! And Callie is already watching over her as well. Glad you and Bailie got good reports; and glad, too, that Katie’s murmur has not gotten worse and that she’s eating better.
With Katie’s tumor it really doesn’t matter as it can’t be removed. She will live with it until it pretty much kills her. Sad news we had not expected.
I’m so sorry. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Thank you. Katie has had her issues, but we had no idea she could have something like a tumor in her heart.
We’re headed to the vet this month too Emma. It’s our first visit with our new vet …
Hope you like your new vet. It took us a couple years to find the perfect vet when we moved back from Germany. We love our vet now!
We always do 3 monthly check ups – Mom just likes to keep on top of things
We rarely have any reason to go more than every 6 months unless we have an injury or illness which often happens once a year or so.
OMD you just reminded mom! She forgot to give us our March heartworm pills.Thanks! Love Dolly
Whoops. Day, I mean, month saved. Now I know my post helped at least one pair of pups!
I had to go to the vet on Friday too Emma! The doc said that I am in great shape (hooray!). I don’t really mind going. Lilly hates going. She gets all quiet and shaky and sits on top of mom. I hope you guys give Katie all of our love and hugs and kisses. We are sorry to read that she isn’t well right now.
I always shake like a leaf at the vet, even though they are super nice to me. Bailie and I are super healthy so that is good. Katie is almost 14, so it is not a surprise she has health issues but a tumor in her heart is not something we would ever have expected.
I’m glad your vet visit went well! I hope Katie will be okay!
Sadly, Katie won’t be alright, and time is limited, we just don’t know how fast the tumor will grow.
Our thoughts are with Katie. Mr. N is also going into the vet this week for a heartworm check.
We always expect something might come up with Katie, being a large breed and almost 14, but this was not expected. It does explain things that are happening with her lately, though. I’ll go over more of it Friday.
Hope all comes out well with your visits. We see the vet regularly. With 3 dogs and 4 cats, that’s quite often. It’s good to have a vet you can trust.
βWags and purrs from Life with Dogs and Cats
We all go together once a year, then the dogs break off and go all one more time in six months, and usually we end up going at least one more time. Lots of pets, lots of vet visits.
Sorry to hear about Katie’s tumor and irregular heartbeat. I are sendin lotsa POTP and hugs. Bein an old pup shure are tuff.
Katie is having a tough time, and there isn’t much we can do for her. We just hope she keeps feeling pretty well.
We are so sad about Katie’s tumor, and have been thinking of you all. At least it’s good you and Bailie had good checkups, dealing with one thing is tough enough. Your Mom does well to get photos at the vet at all, I’m always too busy trying to reassure my Nervous Nellies, I’m sure I couldn’t get any pictures that wouldn’t be blurry, because they won’t stay still when we’re there!
We are all sad about the tumor, but it has given us answers as to the cause behind her different issues that have been popping up. She is comfortable and happy and that is what matters. For being a large dog and almost 14, she is doing well, even with her tumor.
We agree that twice a year visits are especially important for the fur-kids. Pawsome pups thoughts for Katie. Hope she continues to do well in spite of her age. α¦
Twice a year is really the minimum.
My thoughts are with you and Katie.
And thank you so much for pointing out the importance of heartworm preventative. When I volunteered in rescue it was shocking seeing how many of the animals came in with it – and the most frustrating part is it’s preventable (and not to mention how hard the treatment can be for animals).
It’s one of those must have things for dogs in this country. When we lived in Germany, it didn’t happen, so no one took a preventative unless you were taking your dog to Italy or other countries where it was a problem. We never want to see dogs have it, so we try to remind everyone once a year.
Congrats to you, and Bailie, on good check ups, my Bay-Li loves the attention at the vet, Hay-Li and Car-Li are nervous nellies but Car-Li shouldn’t be because our vets saved her life two years ago. At least our vets get kisses of appreciation!
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express proper thoughts on Katie, she’s so beautiful and her face shows such personality I fell in love with her quickly… I can’t imagine how your mom feels, but, Joy, no one needs to tell you that Katie has probably had the best 14 years a dog could ever imagine, think of all the adventures. We will pray Katie keeps those positive thoughts in mind, and stays comfortable. It’s never enough time.
Katie has had different health issues the past couple of years, but we have been able to manage if not fix most of them. This came out of the blue and really took us by surprise, but we are doing well dealing with it. It explains a lot about what is going on with Katie and why the things that are happening are happening. It is very sad, but she is still happy and has had a great life. We just keep loving her every day.
Glad the girls had great checkups, praying for Katie.
We are not surprised to find something wrong, just never had heard of a tumor in the heart before.
I’m sorry to hear about Katie’s heart tumor, I do hope the cardiologist is able to help her with it. How is mom holding up? Have you all been giving her extra love at this stressful time?
We are all doing alright. It has taken a bit of time to figure out, but now we know why things are happening and since there is nothing that can be done, we are just enjoying every day.
So sorry to hear about Katie’s heart. I know she is in good hands and is enjoying lots of love and you will all help her feel as comfortable as possible. Take care and will be thinking of your family. Lots of love to sweet Katie.
We still can’t believe she has a heart tumor. It is just something we had never heard of or even thought about.
I would’ve never even thought of that or considered it ether.
Now we know it exists and it is pretty much something with no treatment. We hope it progresses slowly and Katie has a lot of time left.
We just finally finished all of our heart worm tests. Freighter does not care to hold still for the blood draw so they usually take it from his back leg and he holds more still. Sorry again about Katie.
We all do well with the blood draw. Bailie only can’t hold still because she wants to play and snuggle.