Guess who is going to be a cone head later today?
Shadow-hunting Sadie, that’s who.
(She was in serious shadow stalking mode last night and could not be distracted.)
Yes, Sadie is going to have one of those big, white cones surrounding her face late this afternoon. I dropped her off at the vet this morning and she is going to have three little lumps removed.
After speaking with the vet last Wednesday about the lumps, I wanted to get them removed (one is growing particularly fast while the other two lumps are quite small and haven’t changed much), but was hesitant to do so when we got the price quote back since the surgery is a lot more expensive than I anticipated. The vet said that the one lump that is growing appears subcutaneous (I guess this is a good thing?) and that typical cancer doesn’t really metastasize with little lumps all over the body, but removing the lumps and having them biopsied is the only way to be sure that everything is okay. He also said that many dogs develop little lumps all over their bodies all the time and that they’re often absolutely nothing.
I talked about it with Ryan and we decided to monitor the bumps closely, so I was surprised when he came up to me on Thanksgiving and said, “We need to get the lumps removed.”
“Okay,” I said, “But what makes you say this now?”
“Go talk to my grandma,” he said.
I went over to his grandma and started talking to her about our dogs. She has the most adorable little maltese but lost her precious King Charles Cavalier Spaniel earlier this year and it absolutely tore her up inside.
She looked at me with tears in her eyes and simply said, “You don’t want to lose that dog.”
Yep, that did it for me. Lumps be gone!
I’m hoping Sadie’s surgery goes smoothly (she’ll be under anesthesia which makes me nervous) and that her lumps are nothing to worry about. I just love that little girl so much. I’ll be sure to keep you guys posted!
Breakfast
After I dropped Sadie off at the vet, I popped into Starbucks to blog and order breakfast.
(Spinach wrap + Vanilla cappuccino)
While I was sipping my hot cappuccino and blogging, I looked up and saw the pastor from our church walk through the door. I felt like he was a celebrity or something and it reminded me of the times I’d see my teachers out in the community when I was younger. It was so weird to see them outside of the classroom environment and I felt the same way when I saw Pastor Tim this morning. He actually leaves the church!?
In Orlando I always saw local news anchors and sports reporters out and about. On 90 percent of my morning runs around Lake Eola, I’d see the man who reported from the court during Orlando Magic games out running, too. I felt like Buddy the Elf because I’d always think, “Paul Kennedy! I know him!”
Question of the Morning
- Have you ever seen a local celebrity out and about?
- Did you ever see one of your teachers outside of the classroom when you were a kid and immediately feel like it was the weirdest thing ever?
Though he’s definitely not just a local celebrity, I am still waiting for the day when I see John Travolta around Ocala since he lives here. I just missed running into his wife when I got a dress altered a while back. Apparently she was at the shop just five minutes before me. So close!
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Hi Julie-
So sorry to hear about Sadie but glad you are getting them looked at! My boxer Laila is the Queen of lumps and I have them aspirated prior to removal (unfortunately she’s had some mast cell tumors that had to be removed). After her second surgery and approximately 14th lump that was removed (if they went in for a mast cell removal, they removed ALL other lumps while she was under regardless of what they were) I decided to start taking her to a holistic vet (in addition to her regular vet). The holistic vet started her on some supplements (sounds quaky, I know!) and I changed her food to Honest Kitchen (it’s raw dehydrated food- super clean/healthy and she LOVES it!). Since then she has had no further mast cells and her coat looks amazing! She still get the occasional lump but none of them are cancerous/mast cells or need to be removed 🙂 Hoping for GREAT news for Sadie!
I hope everything goes well with Sadie today! I totally used to feel that way about my teachers which is hilarious now that I am a teacher. I find myself thinking that way when I see my students out and about!
We just went through the same scenario with one of our Vizslas, Riley! One of her bumps actually came back as cancerous so we had no choice but to do surgery. Trust me, it’s better to pay the big bucks and have peace of mind. After all, our lives kinda revolve around our dogs! I’m so sorry Sadie has to have the surgery but thought I would let you know that Riley is now 100% healthy and cuter than ever. Good luck with everything! We’ll be sending happy Vizsla thoughts your way 🙂 Here’s what Riley looked like post surgery: http://www.foodgarbl.com/2012/10/simpler-times/
oh my gosh, I LOVE RILEY!!!
Awww I hope everything goes well with Sadie! By the way, you are awesome for relating your situation to Buddy the Elf haha. Also, have you had your date night with Ryan yet where you gave him your cotton anniversary gift? I don’t recall seeing the post on it.
You totally did the right thing! Sending love and prayers to Sadie 🙂
I work as a librarian in my local children’s library, and I often run into children and parents around town – the supermarket, out for a run, at the bar (awkward). My friend who also works at the library and I attended a community Veteran’s Day parade once, and mid procession, a troop of girl scouts stopped dead in their tracks, stared at us and pointed, saying “mom, those girls work at the library.” So embarrassing! I used to always think it was so cool running into my teacher’s when I was younger – not so cool on the other side!
Good luck to Sadie on her surgery!!
Growing up, my family had a Cockapoo, Toby. He would get little lumps everywhere. He had a HUGE lump on the side of his body the size of a softball that stuck out like crazy! The vet said it wasn’t cancerous so we just let it go. He ended up living till he was 13 with that big softball lump! Such a doll. Love your blog, btw…and very jealous of your weather (I’m in chilly WI) :/
I have a King Charles Spaniel, and love her to death! She is turning one tomorrow…did your grandmas dog pass away from any heart problems? I guess they are more relevant in King Charles. Hope everything with Sadie goes well!
My little guy is being neutered today and it tore me up! I bawled the entire way home. Only an hour and a half before I get to pick him up though. I know it is routine, but I know exactly how you feel – it is the anesthesia that makes me the most nervous!
Thinking of and praying for Sadie (and Jerry, my baby) today!!
Oooh good luck to Sadie! My Roxy has cysts on her body (literally all over) but has been checked by the vet and they are harmless- just annoying!
I have run into Paula Abdul in a parking garage in LA which was really cool. I also went to school with country singer Billy Gilman. My mom was his teacher and he was in the classroom next to mine.
I also saw Glenn Close on vacation in Puerto Rico!
Good luck with Sadie! We just had a large lump removed from our Miniature Pinscher. It basically was just a fatty deposit.
When I lived in Cincinnati I almost ran into Nick Lachey a few times. I would miss him by 10-15 minutes. When I went to Disney World in the 90’s we ran into Hulk Hogan and his family several times because we were staying at the same resort.
oh my gosh, i am so jealous!!! i love him. 🙂
i meant i love nick lachey (not hulk). 🙂 i hope you eventually get to meet him in person!
I am from Cincinnati and would see Nick at UC Bearcat basketball games from time to time!
My dogs grow those lumps all the time. We have them taken off but they do grow back. It worried me at first but our vet assured me it was extremely common. 🙂
Hope the surgery goes well!
what kind of dog food does she get? So many dog foods claim to be healthy for dogs but are really filled with crap. This is an easy way for dogs to cancer with all the by products and “preservatives” in their food. The same reasons people get cancer!
we feed her orijen dog food. http://orijen.ca/ i did a bunch of research and it seemed to be a good brand!
Lumps are normal. My dog is covered in them. They are harmless.
Wishing Sadie a safe and easy surgery! I always think it’s so odd to run into my spin class participants out and about. People look so different when they are showered and dressed up. 🙂
I just saw Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick like an hour ago walking down the street. I totally did a double take!
This is so creepy, but I live in Chicago and was out walking by my office and saw the writer of another blog I read! It was the weirdest thing, because though she’s not really a “celebrity,” it caught me so off guard to see her in real life.
Aw good luck with Sadie’s surgery! I know you will feel so much better knowing everything is fine.
I hope everything is ok with Sadie!
I’m a teacher and I always seem to run into students when I’m in gym clothes with no makeup… or the drive-thru at Chick-fil-A… what a special treat for them! 😉
I love how much you talk about your adorable Sadie on the blog and have been an avid reader for about six months now. I hope the surgery goes well. I have a somewhat unrelated question to today’s post but was wondering what your techniques are to keep Sadie occupied while working from home. I recently adopted a one year old American Boxer with tons of energy (his personality seems similar to Sadie’s) and he always wants to play! When I work from home I have a really hard time concentrating on my work and trying not to neglect my sweet puppy. Do you have any tips/tricks on this?
Man, thoughts are with you. Two dogs, two cats..lots of vet visits and cone heads!! Seriously though, these can be super duper stressful times. We all got our fingers crossed 🙂
It’s hilarious when I see my students outside of school! They always look at me like they are so surprised that I actually don’t live in my classroom all the time.
Good call. Our Vizsla, Coco died prematurely at 9 years old to cancer. He had two bumps on his side that the vet just called “fatty deposits,” and said they didn’t need to be removed, but I’m still convinced that’s where the cancer started and eventually led to his early passing. Glad you made the decision to treat Sadie.
Poor Sadie – I hope everything goes well! My cat is like a child to me, and I have had some expensive vet bills, but I couldn’t imagine not doing it.
I recently ran into my 3rd grade teacher, who is now my nephew’s 5th grade teacher – we got to talking and she asked me to come in for career day to talk to the students (I’m a 911 operator/dispatcher), and I have plans to go back with my sister to help out with a Christmas craft in a couple of weeks. Her memory of her students is amazing – she would have taught me about 24 years ago – she made a scrap book every year and showed me on my recent trip to her class:) It is definitely strange to talk with her now as an adult!
I hope everything goes well for Sadie!
I’m a UT student and at the football games Matthew McConaughey’s box is above where my section (of the stadium) is! Every so often he pokes his head out and waves at the students below him. Matthew McConaughey isn’t exactly a local celebrity, but he is known locally for attending Texas games. And at one game Natalie Portman was on the sidelines (she and Ryan Gosling–who I have yet to see–are filming a movie in Austin).
I can empathize with you and Ryan completely. Cooper had a lump on his chest removed a year ago and they couldn’t tell what it was without surgery– I was an absolute wreck. So worth it. Glad you guys are going through with it.
Julie, get Sadie a Pro-Collar (petco sells them) it is an inflatable tube as opposed to the cone. It will keep her from getting to the sutures, give her back her perifial vision, make her more comfy and save your sanity and ankles! I worked at a vet for the past 5+ years and they are a godsend! Best of luck and well wishes to Princess Sadie!
Ohh poor Sadie girl, though I know she is cuddled up w you two and filled with chicken jerky. I know she will be fine.
When I was in Jr high I dog sat for some of our neighbors and I found a lump on the head of their poodle. I was devastated and sure it was skin cancer. I wrote out this long letter to them explaining it and how I found it and my worries, and they told me they knew about it and it was benign. I was so worried that I had found cancer on their dog!
Sending Sadie love
Hope all goes well with Sadie! I remember seeing teachers at the grocery store- it was so odd and strangely embarrassing haha- children 😛
What I recently discovered is “pet insurance”. I never knew that type of insurance existed until my dog started having health problems and my vet mentioned it. It has saved us a lot of money!
A couple of years ago I started really getting into college hockey. I was out to lunch and saw a bunch of the players from my local team eating there. I went over and introduced myself and was all giddy like I had just met the president or something!
Also, when you’re a kid, there’s nothing quite as wierd as seeing your teachers out and about. As an adult, though, I find it kind of cool to run into my teachers from when I was young. You’re their peer as an adult rather than their student, so it’s kind of a nice experience.
Oh little Sadie! Julie I can’t imagine how anxious you are to get her back home! Thinking of you
My husband and I are big basketball fans (Mavericks in particular), and when we were stationed in Cali we would always go see the Mavs play the lakers or clippers. One game we waited behind and got pictures with 2 players, then at another game Mark Cuban (the owner) came and sat next to us as he was talking to the people on the other side of us. He winked at me, and I told him “I am carrying a future Mav!” because I was pregnant and he rubbed my belly!! Maybe my son will be a billionaire! I hope Sadie is doing better, we have a goldendoodle, so she is super fluffy, and now I am always taking extra time to pet her and make sure I don’t feel any lumps since I can’t see them!
I was behind John Kerry at the Boston Airport in October. He was one of the random folks that get frisked…you would think that individuals who have been vetted for the presidency would have a special line that gets them through the airport security!
I have a Vizsla and he is covered with lumps. They tend to get them as they age. He’s 12.5 and doesn’t seem to be bothered by the lumps. The vet says they are likely fatty…although we did have a mole -that grew big and was skin cancer, removed last summer…excellent prognosis. I hope Sadie’s lumps are nothing to worry about. Vizsla’s are the best.