Throwback Thursday - Christmas Edition

Otto, Ruby and Bart - December, 2013

Happy Holidays from

All of Us

Even From the Bridge!

~ Bart, Ruby and Otto

Run Free, Ruby!

Ruby went to the Bridge on Friday.  She had been living with her mega esophagus since March and it was only getting worse.  She was keeping almost no food down, and had lost at least 25 pounds.  There is no cure for this condition in which the esophagus stretches out and no longer pushes the food into the stomach.  We tried many medicines and combinations of medicines, but nothing really helped.  

Friday the vet told me that she thought that the bond between Ruby and I was the only thing keeping her alive.  Well, that's no good.  

I've been going through pictures to try to put together this blog post and have enjoyed seeing Miss Ruby in her healthier, happier days with her brothers Bart and Gizmo.  

my absolute favorite picture of Ruby - the lobster was a present from Bert

Ruby was rescued at 4 or 5 and this became her Forever Home.  She was loving, sweet, gentle and had the softest fur of any rottweiler I've ever met.  She held her own with Otto who outweighed her by at least 30 pounds.  She loved her mom.  She refused to be trained. She was a very good girl anyway.  I miss her.  I miss Bart.  I am enjoying spoiling Otto, spending more time with him and training him.  It will be nice to have an 'only dog' for a while. 

~~~~~~~ 

 Gotcha Day, Mar 29, 2010 - December 18, 2015

sunday selfie and update...

by Otto

I'm so bored.  It's raining.  Despite my love of swimming, I REFUSE to go out in the rain and get my paws wet.  No way!!  Also, mom is working a lot and I haven't been able to see my girls as much as I'd like to.  Butt I'll survive.  

The other big bummer is that Ruby doesn't seem t be getting any better.  She and Dr. Ann have tried all sorts of different food/med combos and Ruby just keeps barfing.  If you don't remember, she has mega esophagus which means her esophagus is all stretched out and it doesn't push the food into her stomach like it should.  So it just sits there.  Most recently mom has just started feeding Ruby like she used to - same amount, same proportions of canned and kibble, and that seems to be helping.  She just barfs saliva.  But lots and lots of times a day.  I feel really bad for her.  

Dr. Ann has a new thought about a diagnosis

myasthenia gravis.

It's a neuromuscular disease which is an autoimmune disorder which sometimes effects the esophagus.  Ruby will start a new med, mestinon, tomorrow.  

Ruby has good days and not so good days.  Today is a good day.  Good energy and very little barfing.  Our house is pretty stinky, though, I gotta tell you!!  

This is Ruby in repose...She has a double-high bed with lots of blankets and towels and comfy stuff on it.  She is in really good spirits, her tail works really well, and most importantly, she loves to EAT!!  She gets SO excited and jumps up and down.  

~~~

We hope you are all well.  We visit you all, butt don't always comment.  We saw some really delicious-looking tacos this morning and were extremely impressed that Bertie found tacos in Aberdeen, Scotland!!

Please keep Ruby in your thoughts and hope that next time mom makes her schedule she doesn't over commit like she did this time.  Weirdo...

Have a good week!!

Rottie Kisses,

-Otto

sunday selfie

by Otto

Playing with my girl Aria makes me feel tired and goofy.  I just felt like wearing this comforter...

She's really something.  

Happy Sunday!

rottie kisses,

-Otto and Ruby, too

sunday selfie

This is my beach nose!

I had fun.

Happy Sunday!

Rottie Kisses,

 Otto - and Ruby, too

PSA

Easy's dad needs extra-strength POTP!!

https://easyweimaraner.wordpress.com

  

Rottie kisses,

Ruby and Otto

wordless wednesday

Otto and Aria

Otto and his stick by CreekHiker

Rottie Kisses,

Ruby and Otto

Sunday Selfie on Monday

by Otto

this is my special Beach-Dog smile!

Hi Everybloggy!  Otto here...Sorry we've been MIA.  I've been really busy going to the beach, going on my Jungle Cruise hike, hanging with my girls...Butt you know, it's just never enough.  Somehow mom thinks she should be working and that makes me SO bored!  

The other thingy is that Ruby has been pretty sick.  Her megaesophagus makes her barf several hours after she eats and then mom has to race Ruby to clean up the barf.  There are towels in the washer and dryer ALL the time and Ruby can't seem to kick her pneumonia.  She has a new, stronger anty-biotic, which, if she can keep it down long enough, should kick the pneumonia in it's butt...

The other stress for mom is that our vet, Dr. Sarah, left the practice right near our house and so we've been seeing Dr. Ann who comes to our house!!  Unfortunately for us and fortunately for Dr. Ann, she is on Vacy up in the Peuget Sound cruising around in boats visiting with ORCAS!!  How cool is that?  Well, not very, in case Ruby needs IV meds or fluids or something.  I'm telling mom to get in touch with Dr. Sarah, and that maybe Ruby is going to have to leave the 'hood to get the care she needs right now.  Sheesh, mom...

This is me using Ruby as a footrest...

Well, mom says I barfed all over the blog, butt I just wanted to tell you all what's been going on.  I'm great - no more visits from the seizure monster, and I'm getting to have lots of fun.  If you can send some POTP to Ruby, we'd really like it, cuz our house smells like barf. 

We hope you're having a fun summer!

Love and special rottie kisses,

Otto and Ruby

{this moment} See Beautiful

We are joining the See Beautiful blog hop this month.

This is an old, and favorite picture of Bart from 2009.

We're posting it today in honor of our friend Goose, who always saw beautiful.

We know Bart and Goose are saving drowning sticks together and

are running, and chasing and getting to know our many, many friends at

The Bridge.  

Have a beautiful day.  See the beauty all around you.

Rottie Kisses,

Ruby and Otto

Sunday Selfie and an Update on US

by Otto

Happy Sunday everybloggie!  My Auntie Creekhiker took this picture of me while she was tossing me treats for a Chewy Review.  Aren't I the cutest???  I'm not licking my nose because of a facial focal seizure though. Dr. Sarah started me on a pill called zonisamide.  I have been completely seizure-free since starting the full dose.  How totally pawsome is that?  I'm in excellent health and have been walking regularly with either my girl Aria, the 10 month old rottie girl or my girl Macy Blue.  I'm a pretty happy guy.  I have also taken over Bart's spot on the bed!!!  Life is good for the Otto.

~

Below is a picture of my sissy Ruby schooling Macy Blue in the fine art of restaurant dining.  Ruby has developed a sort of weird condition called "mega esophagus."  Basically, her esophagus has lost it's muscle tone and is all stretched out so it doesn't really push the foodables down into her tummy like it should.  If the food sits too long she barfs it up.  She can and has aspirated some of that liquid and has gotten pneumonia a couple of times.  Mom and our new vet, Dr. Ann, have been working together to help Ruby be her most comfortable.  The last couple of days she has gotten to have a crushed carafate mixed with baby food which sort of coats and soothes her esophagus and tummy and THEN she gets to eat!!  On top of that, she's getting to eat three small meals instead of two.  That's like 6 meals a day!!!  OMD!  The medecines seem to be helping her not cough and hack and barf so much.  I'm so glad.  Sometimes mom sneaks me some of the baby foodables.  It's very yummy.  

Me and Ruby both miss Bart very much.  He was a wonderful, gentle and kind pack leader to both of us when we came to live here at Casa de RottRover.   Mom, especially misses him.  She says that he was the most "attuned" dog she's ever had.  They could sort of read each other's minds.  I'm working to learn that skill.  I'm a very good boy - especially when I'm off-leash.  I always come when called.  Mom sings out OTTOOTTOOTTO!!!  I'm right by her side zippety quick.  We're also going to the beach about once a month which is awesome.  

So that's the update.  We send special rottie kisses to all of you!

-Otto, with help from Ruby

wordless wednesday

with Otto

Sometimes I just like to lean on my bed…

untitled

~

look for a new star in the sky tonight

Bart

4 December 2004 - 20 March 2015

God's speed, buddy.  You were the best!

~

I'll write more in a day or so and do a proper tribute to this beautiful dog.  In short, Sunday night I found a huge lump on his chest.  Monday he was diagnosed with malignant melanoma.  His chest cavety was full of fluid around his heart.  Tuesday I took him for a visit to his stream which he loved.  He declined rapidly.  Last night he could not get comfortable, was having trouble breathing and stopped eating.  The vet came to the house this afternoon.  Ruby and Otto both got to say good by to him.  I'm a wreck and I'm relieved that he's no longer so uncomfortable.  He told me with his eyes that it was time.  

~

Otto Update

Hi my friends!! 

 Otto here with a quick update on ME.  

After just two doses of my new medicine, Zonisamide, I am like 85% better.  I'm still licking and smacking a little, but I'm SO much better.  Dr Sarah chose it for me because it's fast acting, doesn't make me drowsy and pretty inexpensive.  Also I only have to take it twice a day.  

I know it was the Power of the PAW from all my Blogville friends that did the trick.  I even heard from  some new friends I haven't  even met yet, and some kitties!!  And guinea pigs!!  And of course a bunny!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  It really helped mom feel better, too.  She saved all your comments in her phone, even though they're all on the blog, she looked at them all day yesterday.  Dork.  

I'll see you soon with more adventures with me and my girls!  

PeeeeeS:  Bart and Ruby say, "hi!"

POTP Please...

by Otto

Could you guys please send me some POTP?  Yesterday I began having facial focal seizures.  I'm gonna start a new medicine today and I hope it works.  Focal seizures happen when there's a burst of electrical activity in just one part of my brain - in this case my licker-area.  I don't want them to spread to my whole brain.  That's where your POTP comes in.  I'd really appreciate it.  Mom is very sad.  I know the medecine will help me be my usual happy, bouncy self.  Thanks guys.

sunday selfie

by Otto

I'mgoingtothebeachI'mgoingtothebeachI'mgoingtothebeachI'mgoingtothebeachI'mgoingtothebeachI'mgoingtothebeach!!!!

Sunday Selfie

by Bart

I just got back from a shoot.  I used to work at Disney, butt my boss was Goofy!  BOL!!!

{this moment} See Beautiful

by Otto

I know we haven't posted often lately, butt there is so much beauty in our world that I drag mom out to see that I wanted to share some of it with you~

 First, a beautiful sunset.  Mom took this from our front yard with her iPhone in the panorama thingy.  Sorry about the street light, butt Close Encounters, anyone?

Next, a super-fabo shot of ME at the beach.  I'm thinking new header picture, right? 

Last butt not least, my beautiful Senior Sibs.  That is RUBY'S bed, and so when she came in and found Bart on it, she just got on, too.  Sorry about mom's blue jeans, butt I just love their beautiful senior spirits. Not so mobile as me, but always happy and full of rottie loves...

Part of our jobs as dogs, in addition to curing flu-like symptoms in humans, is dragging them out to see the beauty all around us.  Happy Weekend!

minimal words wednesday

by Otto

The Publicist (mom) was sick and I had to provide care for her.  A rottie's protective duties are many.  She's better now…

Love ~