Sunday, December 12, 2010

Three Years



It was three years ago this week that Herbie had his last chemo treatment. When we went back after Christmas, I explained that the tumour had in fact grown, and this rescue protocol, his second, was losing its effect. The vet said the only thing we hadn't tried was potentially risky, and given that Herbie had suffered side effects from his last chemo, he wasn't sure it was safe.

It was such a shock to be told that we were out of options. The vet didn't mention survival times without treatment, but the books I had weren't optimistic. Still, three years later, the boy is still here, still eating and running around, just with a lot of tumours. I sometimes think that if he had a shorter nose, the tumours would have outgrown his head, but fortunately he's a greyhound. I've tried to do the right things with his diet, even though he is now standing by the bookcase which has the dog-biscuit tin on top, with what I call his "Bohemian Rhapsody" expression ("I'm just a poor boy from a poor family"), trying to convey to me that he could in fact die of starvation only half an hour after his evening meal if not given an immediate biscuit. Nice try.

He might be lumpy, but he's still here.

5 comments:

Emily and the Labradors said...

What an amazing and beautiful boy you have! To say that he has beaten the odds would be a true understatement! Here's to a few more biscuits and months of happy living!

ari_1965 said...

It's the treats. There's something miraculous in the treats. There--I've solved it.

3 years...good job, both of you.

Hiking Hounds said...

Wow, 3 years, that's great! Hey, everyone gets lumpy as they age, no problem. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Happy three year anniversary Wonder Boy!! I think you're AMAZING!!!

XO

Anonymous said...

"Open your eyes
Look up to the skies
and see..."

Herbie!

We love you, Your Lumpiness. Here's to a cozy winter filled with oodles of scritchies and treats.