Visiting the Vet

Maggie thought a vet visit was not near as fun as a walk in the desert or by the lake, but unfortunately life can’t just be fun stuff all the time.

Even with our scheduled appointment we had to wait a while in the lobby.  It was a packed house.  Like an old pro, Maggie sprawled out on the floor for the wait.

We had noticed her runny nose and her nose had pealed and looked almost blistered.  We thought maybe all this Arizona sunshine had done a number on her, but the vet said it looks like she has Discoid lupus Erythematosus.  The treatment for her at this time is Tetracycline/Niacinamide.  An antiobiotic and a Vitamin B supplement.  We are hopeful the combination of the two will be effective.

Since we are traveling and this is not our vet she needed Maggie’s history.  She said we were very fortunate to still have her with us after all this time since her cancer diagnosis.  We know every day we have with her is extra special and we never take them for granted.

I remember being in Florida on vacation a year ago and Ohio State University Vets calling to check on Maggie’s status.  The girl calling was glad to hear Maggie was doing well.  She said it is difficult to be calling, because most often the status is not living.  Maggie was in a clinical trial at OSU and she was the only dog still living from the study she had been in.   This year I emailed OSU to let them know she was still with us and we were traveling.  I sent them pictures of her in our travels and a heartfelt THANK YOU.

We visited Florida at the end of 2014 and we were talking with a man there who asked why Maggie was missing her leg.  When we told him we knew we were on borrowed time with her, he told us he didn’t see any expiration date on her.  I loved that.  What he said was so true.  Nobody on this earth really knows when her end will be or for that matter the ends for any of us.   Maybe life should just be fun stuff all the time.