Gotcha

 And there was the first Gotcha Day for Liam 1/1/08 and we celebrate it every year

this year on IG and FB and Twitter we posted his adoption Day photo and his current photo

he attains 15 1/2 on 2/1/23

prior Gotcha Day Blog

will give you a history 

it's last year's Gotcha blog

easy peasy a refresher

 https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4302462737248030380/5411280733109274249

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  1/01/08                        01/01/23          

  
  

   

   

   

   

   

This blog post is about another Gotcha Day though

Liam has an issue that arose at his physical in November from his blood work

Extremely high thyroid count 

The vet had us come back and she could not feel a lump 

She then did a T4 test 

This test shows the allowable thyroid range 

The end highest normal range is 40

Liam’s is 39.9

Hyperthyroidism is extremely rare in dogs and it seemed Liam might have it

 

Hyperthyroidism is the condition caused when your pet's thyroid produces an excess amount of hormones. Hyperthyroidism is a very serious but relatively rare condition in dogs, which typically results from thyroid carcinoma, (an aggressive and fast growing cancer of the thyroid).

here is the link with info

 https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/endocrine/c_dg_hyperthyroidism

Common in cats (not contagious) 

Usually indicative of cancer 

With no lump to be felt or seen it could be very early and we could catch it

He had an Ultra sound on Tuesday November 23, 2022 at LIV a special center in Plainview 

This condition explains his insatiable appetite resulting in no weight gain 

And his unstoppable energy and barking 

And frequent trips outside 

All symptoms that are common in older dogs 

At 15 and a 1/2 he has so far been healthy except for the back legs giving out at times

 

 

Got the results from Liam’s ultra ultrasound and talked to the vet 

He does have a mass on one side of his thyroid 

Apparently when there is a mass in a dog on the thyroid, 90% of the time it is cancer 

Gotcha 

 

Options 

Have a full body scan to see if it has spread 

If not remove the mass

 

Another option wait 

We are doing the second 

Liam had the TPLO surgery last year  refresher link

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021/05/surgery-happened.html 

That was major 

Do not want to do anything invasive again 

Because it is so rare there is no data as to whether this cancer is fast moving or slow moving 

I told the vet that on the walk yesterday he galloped along and did zoomies at the end in the backyard 

This hyperthyroidism gives him enormous energy and appetite 

So we will see

we have not noticed any acceleration in discomfort or behavior other than what we have experienced up to now

the appetite, the barking, the shedding of hair, the excessive thirst all of which are symptoms of hyperthyroidism

 

I check every morning to see if he is breathing

 and he always is

he usually has been out several times during the night

It goes on

my tattoo Liam walking by

 

a phrase attributed to Robert Frost upon being asked about what he had learned in his long life

watching and waiting

Happy 15 1/2 Liam

Woof, woof

All Saints Day

 And the un-saintly Liam turns 15 1/4 on All Saints Day

the fact of today being All Saints Day has no relevance to Liam being 15 1/4 today

it provided a title and it is a celebratory event

 if you want to know about it

here is a link

https://nationaltoday.com/saints-day/

 

last blog I spoke of his aging behaviors

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2022/07/can-you-teach-old-dog-new-tricks.html

 more have appeared

unusual poses 

like sitting behind the fan not in front

watching TV through the cocktail table

cocking his head in unusual ways

idling in the living room with no clear purpose

 

following us

 

coming and going all night long has ramped up

at 3 or 4 am Liam now rings the poochie bells hanging on the door knob of the side door

sometimes he goes out

sometimes not

sometimes he produces a pee and a poop

or one or the other

sometimes he eats grass

 sometimes he stands in the yard 

he still loves chasing his kitty sibs

 

see refresher story

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021_09_19_archive.html

and deli food

he has developed a real  obsession for it 

he knows where it is

what bin

he loves it

ham, cheese, turkey

 

here he is resting his head on the second level of the cocktail table

he does ZOOMIES

and races around the 'hood on our walk.

pretty incredible  for a senior dog who underwent TPLO surgery last spring 

see refresher link

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021/05/surgery-happened.html

It must be crazy to see two seniors running full speed around the neighborhood

I can still run at full speed

my only concern is that  Liam stops suddenly to sniff and I face plant on the ground

so far so good

I get a lot of Fitbit steps

and the week's highlight is sharing a Starbuck's croissant with Daddy Paul

and 

resting

with RBG

Happy 15 and 1/4 

Liam

woof. woof

Can you teach an Old Dog new tricks?

no

not in this house

not this dog

but Liam can teach his humans new tricks

My first puppy Liam attains 15 on August 1, 2022

NEW

A new trick on us is sleeping everywhere

many moves

sleeping all over

this  paragraph and link address it

“The older they get, the more sleep they need, and that's OK,” says Dr. Rossman. Just like senior citizens need more sleep, an older dog sleeps a lot when compared to their younger counterparts. On the higher end of the scale, a senior dog can sleep up to 18-20 hours a day, 

  How Much Should Senior Dogs Sleep? | BeChewy

 

 NEW

trying to intimidate the kitties by his beastly presence

see top photo, middle and right photo on the side 

unsuccessful

the fence is the known barrier to the kitties

 

NEW

rolling over

rollies are slower more focused and sometimes unable to be completed

NEW

Liam is barking much more 

 more consistently and louder

there are reasons

this link presents them

Why Do Dogs Bark More As They Get Older - Wag! 

NEW

circling

pacing 

Geriatric dogs tend to walk back and forth from one spot to another due to anxiety or compulsive behavior.

link

Elderly Dog Pacing - What Does it Mean? 

 

Dogs get old. No matter how much we take care of their health and well-being and do whatever we can to increase their longevity, old age is inevitable. And it will always manifest in different ways. One common behavioral issue in senior dogs is pacing.

Geriatric dogs tend to walk back and forth from one spot to another due to anxiety or compulsive behavior.

Older Dogs manifesting in different ways

NEW

staring 

mouth open

NOT So NEW  

but more aggressively pursued

hating me in the ccc

 NEW

scary eyes

looking a bit demented because of his senior eyes

Lenticular sclerosis or nuclear sclerosis is the medical term for a bluish transparent haze that develops in the lens of the eye in middle-aged to senior dogs. This is considered a normal change in the lens associated with aging, and is observed as a cloudiness or bluish discoloration on the pupil.

link

 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj2k9Xhwbz4AhW0jYkEHTWeDwMQFnoECBoQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvcahospitals.com%2Fknow-your-pet%2Flenticular-sclerosis-in-dogs&usg=AOvVaw1px9zDbPRqRLsDA1UH2Y6a

 NEW

eating huge 

there is no satiating Liam

link

Help! My Senior Dog has an Increased Appetite - PatchPuppy.com 

we the parents who never gave him human food now do

he shares in whatever leftovers we have as well as currently consumed meals

 

 NEW

panting

thirsting 

 

link

Why do dogs pant? 

 

 

NEW

 going out multiple times a night

for no reason that we can discern

 

NEW

 

  the backyard is his playground

walks in the heat are not good

the backyard has kitties and grass  

mice and birds and smells

and a vantage point to yell at other dogs and owners passing by

 

NEW 

relaxing

 

 and looking out on the world

 Happy 15th Liam

 Woof, Woof

Bionic Boy-14 3/4 Today May 1, 2022

Liam  now

drinking and licking  my Starbucks drink

 

as seen on IG and Facebook

but a year ago

Liam chased one of our ferals and incurred a serious injury

 the injury happened 3/19/21

 https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021_03_28_archive.html

Liam ran after Tabby White Foot making a right angle turn into the backyard a full speed 

the turn was so fierce and sudden I knew an injury had to have resulted

his back legs were bent in a unnatural position, the left leg being the pivot leg ripped

 

 

 https://gardencityvet.com/

our regular Vet Dr Polley saw Liam on  Wednesday and Thursday March 24th and 25th

He did blood work to make sure Liam is okay for surgery 

sedated him for X rays

blood work okay

took two days because Liam was traumatized by the attempts at X rays

It seems like surgery is the way to go

Injury severe yet common and easily fixable 

it is a cranial cruciate ligament CCL tear like the ACL in humans

here is some info

https://familyvetcare.com/cranial-cruciate-ligament-ccl-repairs-faq/ 

 

If not fixed arthritis may set in and really hobble Liam

The kneecap no longer anchored 

Like 

Bone on bone

leg will wobble as he walks 

Will exacerbate further if he runs 

then transfer to right leg as he puts weight on that to relieve his left leg discomfort

and totally incapacitate him

and so it happened 

 

the surgery 4/20/21

 

 

 a refresher link to original story

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021_05_16_archive.html

 and in the year since Liam is still running and the tabbies are still escaping

 

The tabbies

                                                                                                       

  Tabby White Foot                                                                                         Tabby Red

  Tabby Bold                                                                                                    Tabby Pink Nose

  Colin                                                                                                              Tabby Bent Ear

                                                                                      

               

                         an anonymous animal activist had 5 of them neutered,,,we did Colin,,,one or two would disappear for a few days and then return with tipped ears...the sign to the world that a cat has been fixed. 

 Thank you to whomever did that.

they have evolved in their coexistence

the kittens have given him a new found love of exploring the yard and using his hound sniffing talents and they have worked out their own early warning system for when Liam propels out of the side door. He actually is slowed down in propelling by me.his warning is that he banged his head, they hear it and scatter in several directions

front fence, backyard, side

Next photos

1-Liam looking for the tabbies figuring if he waits by their bowls he will eventually catch one 

has not happened 

in fact Tabby Pink nose has refused to move from her perch on the backyard bench and Liam has approached then turned away

I think if everyone stops running there will be a calm accepting coalition

2-Liam trying to stick his hard head in the newly acquired tabby cabin  he cannot and they know it

we have my creation out front and this prefab Amazon special on the side

Liam waiting by the tabby bowls

Liam looking in the tabby cabin

 

I know the tabby presence joy enhances his day and adds quality time to his senior life as the search is part of it

some Liam current life photos

he now watches TV through the lower ledge of the living room table

we include in his food whatever we have are having and mix with his dog food 

he also occasionally get special lamb treats from our Fridays at Crabtree's

here he is with a lamb shank

Lamb shank from Crabtree's

 

March and April 2022 photos

    

 

 

 Liam outside

mistaken for a puppy again this week

 Liam, RBG and his wolfie

howling with joy of life

celebrating being 14 /34

being a TPLO poster boy

"The lone wolf dies

but the pack survives"

Game of Thrones

Woof woof

Half Birthday

Liam has had them for 14 years...birthdays...

they have been announced, documented, celebrated

his birth date is August 1, 2007

and

when I attended school those with summer birthdays observed what were called half birthdays...those who had birthdays during the school year were feted with cakes, singing, corsages from classmates... those with summer birthdays were left out...an event device was introduced to fix that...

The half birthday-

mine is February 9th

wrote about it before...3 years ago in 2019

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/birthday%20half%20feb%202019

skipped 2020 because we tributed his cousin Buddy who had passed away in January 2020 

 https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2020_02_02_archive.html

we got back in during the midst of the pandemic last year 2021

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021_01_31_archive.html

 

and here we are in 2022 at 14 1/2

 

the pack joins in

RBG

the direwolves

and our new painting on top left

from our friend 

https://leannelainefineart.com/

 there is no reason for this trio...other than I liked the photo and played with it

Liam is quintessential Liam in this pose

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate"

Oprah Winfrey

woof woof

And Just Like That...

JANUARY 16, 2008...TWO WEEKS AFTER ADOPTION

It has been 14 years since we made the trip to North Shore Animal League and found a muscular black puppy no one wanted; the light colors and spotted and white being the preferred canine colors.  I was not aware of the black dog syndrome. The black dogs are the last to be selected in shelters and average a much longer stay. I did not know I was supposed to prefer other dog colors. 

If my dog were a male, I knew his name would be Liam ...after actor Liam Neeson.  Not Liam Hemsworth. We are baby boomers here. 

From the beginning Liam was his own person, as my mother Ruth said. On the ride home from Animal League he sat in my lap and looked out the window. He did not snuggle, lick my face or get cozy. He sat erectly and curiously watching the passing scenery..

Liam would not sit, roll over or fetch a ball. NSAL instructors came and tried.  We had a 9 week training course at Best In Show Pet Resort. Liam failed. In fact, the last week the instructor said "lets be like Liam and do what we want.'

Liam is my first dog. I knew little about dog world.

What I should do or expect.

As an illustration of my ignorance, have a look at this vignette.

I thought dogs pooped only in the yard and that was it.  Liam and I went out on a late winter's afternoon in 2008, a month after his adoption, and walked a lot... as we neared our house on the return walk, Liam crouched down.  I thought he was sitting and I stopped with him...we then crossed the street to our house and entered our side door...a few minutes later my neighbor knocked. He said "your dog pooped in front of my house." "No, my dog would not do that." I indignantly replied.  I walked back across the street with my neighbor to prove him wrong. Sure enough there was a poop where Liam had sat. I came back with a bag and retrieved it. 

People later explained to me that one always must expect pooping to occur on the walk. That's the point of the walk. Oh, did not know. I had only had turtles, fish and parakeets. They don't go for walks.

 

Liam was 5 months old when we adopted him. His birthday is August 1, 2007. So he is approaching 14 1/2 on February 1, 2022.. DNA has shown he is equal parts Irish Setter, Doxie, Beagle, Dalmatian. A rescue from Tennessee.

 BABY YEARS

 chews on everything

 hides under the bed

terrified of storms and of fireworks

licks

 MIDDLE YEARS

Chases squirrels and birds

 

loves Starbucks

 

does not play with dog toys 

 

licks

 CURRENT YEAR 2021

chases kitties

 

 grooms his wolf plushies

 

runs incredibly fast

 

licks

 

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY ANNIVERSARY LIAM

JANUARY 1, 2022

Liam

does not fetch

does not cuddle

does not wear sweaters or neckties

  

does like rolling in the grass

does like sniffing on walks

does like to snuggle

licks

 "He is his own person"-Ruth McNiff

WE LOVE HIM

woof, woof