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Monday, July 9, 2012

Pupdate and wildlife

K is about the same as yesterday. We went to the vet and isolated the problem to her left hind limb (that's not the one that had the original tumor). It could be several different things: a sprain or a tumor on a leg bone or her spine. We are giving her more pain meds and doing acupuncture, and we'll see how she feels in a few days. In the meantime, she's okay, just a bit more subdued than usual and not enthusiastic about walking.
Cancer can be so immune to our attempts to stop it. We've tried all the best therapies for K, and none of them has slowed it. I feel like we've been lobbing boulders at a brick wall, and they just keep bouncing back at us. K has been so brave in the face of it all. She's braver than I am.

A distraction from my heartache has been lots of activity at my wildlife cameras. I'll just show you footage from one of them. Here I am, leaving the other day after I set it up.
Here was the next photo on the camera - a bedgraggled looking mountain lion moving fast past the camera.
A few hours later, a bear passed the same spot, ignoring the bear marking tree in the background. I think that mating season is over.
Here's the last photo of that bear. Notice that it was at almost 1:08 PM.
Seven minutes later, a mountain lion appeared in the same spot as the bear had just vacated. The agile lion hightailed it up the hill. He'd approached from the same direction as the bear had been traveling toward so I wonder if they crossed paths or if they just avoid each other.
A half hour later, the lion came past the camera again. This is not a big lion. I suspect that it's a sub-adult male or a female. Yet, when I was standing in the same spot looking at this photo, the lion looked huge to me!
This time, he turned downhill and disappeared for a while.
Later that night, lion was still in the area and passed the camera yet again. Upon seeing so many photos of a lion in one small area, I got nervous, wondering if s/he was still nearby and perhaps had a kill cached in the forest close to me. I took out my pepper spray, and I finished my "camera work" quickly.
There's nothing like the chill that runs up my spine when I realize that I'm standing in a hotbed of lion activity. My guess is that this lion killed a deer near this spot and hid it. If I'm right, I may be getting some more photos of the lion in the coming days.

Of course, all of that was merely a distraction, I'm watching K with an eagle eye, hoping that her leg starts to feel better. Improvement would mean that it's a normal injury to her hind leg rather than the scourge of cancer spreading still further.

In either case, we'll enjoy what we're capable of doing together. Yesterday, we took a long relaxed nap on a dog bed together.

31 comments:

  1. Those lion photos are amazing. Don't ya just love napping with your best friend. I know that I love it when MOM does that with me. I sure hope K's new leg thingy is just a soar leg and it feels better soon. Well I want all of K to feel better and be better. Big Awe from both me and MOM at the last photo. I think I'll go snuggle with my MOM now.
    Blessings,
    Goose

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  2. Pepper spray handy seems a very,very safe idea.I would be very hesitant to go there, you are so brave, with the camera setup places, and with K. Sleeptime together is so comforting. The last photo is so full of character. Cheers from Jean

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  3. The number of lion sightings are a bit frightening. We have seen a first-year black bear just outside our community twice now in two days. Both times he was headed in the direction of the recycle center on another hill. I hope he hasn't found a food source there.

    Glad K is getting more pain relief. Wonder if she has somehow been compensating for her weaker front leg while she has been running and walking and that is what is causing the increased pain in that rear leg. If so, it should improve with rest. Snuggle, hug, and love. We are with you in spirit.

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  4. Paws crossed for K. That lion looks big to me!
    Nola

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  5. I think I'd have been a little nervous, too, based on some of the things you've said about the lions before. He does seem to be sticking very close to that specific area. I wonder if the photos will solve the mystery for us.

    I'm sorry K still isn't feeling better. I'm hoping it's just a muscle strain as well! She looks gorgeous in the sunshine and now I feel like joining her for a nap myself!

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  6. Two Goldens and one Siberian will keep K in their dreams tonight!

    Of course, the Siberian will also be dreaming of 'khytties'

    Thanks for the K update

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  7. That last picture brought lots of tears
    Benny & Lily

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  8. The lion looks huge to me! His legs are just so long!
    A nice long nap sounds perfect for both of you!
    Sending good vibes that K is just nursing a sprain at this time:)

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  9. I'd guess that pepper spray wouldn't be a bad idea! Is it actual "pepper spray" or stuff that I've seen referred to as "bear repellant"?

    The nap picture is gorgeous and adorable.

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  10. Hoping, hoping for a better day tomorrow for K!

    Remembering last years lion with a cache nearby and betting you have another one now!

    Prayers and hugs,

    Jo

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  11. Never give up. Run when you can. Walk when necessary. Rest when it is needed. Love always.

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  12. I hope K has just a "normal" leg sprain. It still must have felt wonderful to curl up with her and nap. Hold her while you still can! That lions paws look huge. Such amazing pictures right from your own back yard. Awesome!

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  13. The lion pictures are amazing and also a little scary. Sometimes a slow day with a nice nap is all you need. I hope you have a good day tomorrow.

    Loveys Sasha

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  14. A nice snuggle on the dog bed is the best medicine there is.
    love
    tweedles

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  15. Thank you for sharing K's story with us. Time to go to bed and say my prayers ~ which include both you and K.

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  16. Great wildlifecamera pictures. What a lots of animals go by your cycling way?? The lion has a collar on? Do they involve in a program to know how they live or so?
    Hope K is feeling better today and you maybe can go out for a short hike....
    Hugs from us

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  17. We love your nature pictures and the last one of K is adorable. Thinking of you and hoping for the best.
    Best wishes Molly

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  18. The camera captures are amazing!

    You're both true outdoor girls but you know, sharing naps is wonderful too!!!

    Woofs,
    Tommy

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  19. After seeing all those lion pic's, I hope you have more than one can of pepper spray! You got guts girlfriend!!

    We continue to pray for K and your family. Sometimes I wonder if our prayers are ever heard.

    Muffin and I just petted you on the head K, did you feel us sending you our pets, hugs and love?

    Hugs,
    Lily Belle

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  20. you scare me. just sayin. heebie jeebies scare me.

    i love that last photo of K...i don't think i've ever seen her with eyes shut and chillin. it's nice.

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  21. You are stronger and braver than you think. To go through this with K - the good days as well as the bad and just being there for her - that takes a lot of courage. I'm lifting all of you up in prayer as you continue this hard journey together.

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  22. This is the first time I have visited your blog and just wanted to say hi. K is a beautiful dog. I'm so sorry to hear that she's not feeling well. It is so hard to have a dog that is sick. We had a lab that had liver cancer and it still breaks my heart to think about her. It is a hard thing to go through...I'm sending prayers for you and K and I hope she is feeling better.

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  23. I just love pics of sleeping dogs - they make me want to relax and slow down. Glad you both got a good rest. Feel better K :)

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  24. You are brave in your own way....I just want to reach in my pc screen and give you guys a hug.
    ♥hugs for you♥
    Bev

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  25. Lovely photos! Especially like the last one of K relaxing. We are constantly thinking about you and K and admire your courage as well as K's. The love you so clearly have for each other is beautiful. We do hope that K's leg is something simple and not connected to her illness and wish you both the very very best.
    Casper Bear & Mum x

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  26. I'm glad you have the wildlife distractions, but even those wonderful photos couldn't distract me for very long from what K is going through, so I know how much more trying this has to be for you. I'm glad you both are getting the best out of the time you have together.

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  27. Those wildlife pics are amazing.

    Mom wants to smooch K's sweet face right through the monitor. We hope her ouchie is something simple and normal and that she's feeling better soon.

    The Florida Furkids and Lexi

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  28. are those ear tags on the lion?
    radio collar?

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  29. Anonymous,

    Yes, ear tags, GPS collar, and radio collar for an endless study of how mountain lions behave in the region where people and wilderness overlap.

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  30. First, what a beautiful photograph of K. Second.... whoa, I know I am not brave enough, to venture to an area where you KNOW a mountain lion is strolling multiple times a day. But I am kind of excited to come back here and see what becomes of this reoccurring visitor of yours!

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  31. Hi y'all,

    Dear sweet K. Oh what comfort she must have felt when you napped with her.

    BrownDog's Human

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