The Humans Are All Right . . .

So, when you have a house full of critters, they perform watch duty in pairs. On Saturday morning, Stella and Maggie had to make sure that everything went smoothly and by the book while I was getting ready for the day . . .

So here's how it goes: when they determine that all is well - that the teeth will get brushed with toothpaste, that the hair will get combed and styled just right, and that somebody will, indeed, fill up the water dish in the throne room with fresh, cold water - well then . . .

. . .  they kick back and snooze through the rest of their shift . . . because the humans are all right.

Stella's Cousins

During Stella's recovery, her cousins, Maggie & Libby, have been staying with us. They've been great for Stella - who likes being right in the middle of things even though she doesn't have much to say.

Maggie and Lib brought along their wonderful, cushy bed. Both of them curl up in it during the day when it's nap time and, of course, again at night. One day Stella wandered over to it to take a closer look. Next thing you know, she had climbed right in and made herself at home . . . .

Tight fit or not, snoozing in this soft little paradise was a lot better than the floor. Maggie and Lib seemed more than willing to share and were totally unconcerned that the big lug had horned in. Which was mighty big of them considering how petit they are.

Suddenly - brainstorm! How about we bring Stella's bed in from the garage. Sure, it's not as cushy and it's not nearly as plush, but what the heck. We brought it in, set it in the kichen near the girls' bed and wah-lah, Stella found it to be, well, let's just say acceptable. Note the girls in the background lying in their reclaimed bed. . . .

But Stella's been pretty partial to the Plush Paradise. Whenever possible, she sneaks a nap, a moment, or the enjoyment of a treat in it. Sometimes she just lays with her butt hanging out so she can take advantage of the coolness of the floor AND the comfort of the cush. And Maggie and Lib just shake their heads in wonder.

  
It's a dog's life.

A good dog.

A good life.

This Oughta Make Her Feel Better

Stella's stitches are coming out today! 7,000 from her belly and another 1,500 from her neck.

Okay, perhaps I exaggerate a bit, but from Stella's point of view, it's probably pretty close. She's ready to be out laying in the rocks, lolling under the bush, and (omigawd) stretching out in the bark dust. It's been a chore to keep her from plopping down in any of these favorite places and moving back into the house after she goes out to peep and poop.

Speaking of poop . . . isn't it amazing how we gauge the health of our persons by the quality of our poop? Just think about it . . . .

Good News & Bad News

The good news: Her incisions look great, she's eating well, peeping and pooping, getting steadier on her feet, and generally doing pretty well.  And the mass that was removed from her intestines was benign.

The bad news: The mass in her spleen is malignant hemangiosarcoma.

Stella's surgeon, Dr. Seguin, told me that the pathologist mentioned an interesting finding while she was evaluating the tissue. Normally the cancer cells are still actively dividing while the tissue is being analyzed. She told Seguin that the cells were not active. While I wasn't sure whether this was really significant or not, Stella's primary vet, Devon Trottier, thought that it could indicate that it might be a low grade cancer. Which would be good and so much better than the opposite situation.

No matter what - Stella's future will include a lot of the following:

Spoiling

Pampering

Chicken

Front Yard Time

Butt Scratches

Treats

Beach Adventures

Walks

Love

Affection

This May Require More Than a Comb-Over, Doctor B