"Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
Only darkness every day
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And this house just ain’t no home
Anytime she goes away"
Hi - I'm Katie (aka Katrina - when my humans are mad at me!). I was born August 22, 1991 and I rule the house that I share with my special other Shane. I am the alpha dog in the house! Three of our puppies have gone to the Rainbow Bridge (Buddy and Natasha and Gina.)
I have just started doing Therapy Dog work at a nursing home and I love it. Everyone is so happy to see me and can't wait to pet my gorgeous coat. I like to go in everyone's rooms and check out their stuffed animal collections - but I don't touch them as I am a little lady.
Please let me know what you think of my family. Here is a picture of me and Santa - I was about 4 years old in this picture.
MARCH 2002 - Brought Katie in for a bath/grooming at the ALL DOGS GYM in MANCHESTER, NH. Her groomer, Danielle, found a lump on her back side (between her rectum and tail). In checking her further,I found another lump on her back down by her tail.
APRIL 2002 - Brought Katie to Tufts. Dr Mitchell did surgery and removed several lumps. A few days later we found out it was LYMPHOMA. I am heartbroken.
Katie has started her chemo treatments and she has been doing great.
June 28, 2002 - Katie is halfway through her chemo protocol. Overall she is doing great. She has had a bout with colitis after one treatment and low neotrophils (sp?) and low wbc, but they seem to come back up to normal a week later. Currently she is on Reglan and antibiotics to help alleviate any problems.
If you saw Katie, you would never know she was sick. She still runs to the back door when I leave the house, as she wants to go out with me and go for rides.
AUGUST 22, 2002 - Today is Katie's 11th birthday. She received a gift from her buddy Sierra (Pam) from the CANINE CANCER - she just loves her little dinosaur with the babies in the tummy, LOL. Thank you Sierra.
APPOINTMENT AT TUFTS TODAY ALSO. Katie has finished her 21 week VELCAP chemo protocol. She is doing great. Her cbc is almost back to normal - only the platelets are a little low. She continues to do great.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2002 - Katie will have an aspirate on one of her lymph nodes to access remission. Please say a prayer that she is in remission. Thank you.
KATIE IS IN COMPLETE REMISSION - YEA!
DECEMBER 17, 2002 - Katie continues to do well - you would never know she was sick. Went for her 2 month re-check at Tufts and she is still in remission. We are so very happy.
FEBRUARY 27, 2003 - Katie went to Tufts for her 2 month re-check. Good news - Dr Calo says Katie looks great, bright and alert and her vital signs were all good. He says she continues to be in remission. We thank God for each special day He gives us with Katie.
APRIL 2003 - Katie had a complete cbc and the results were off the chart - we did another cbc a few days later and all were normal except platelets were a little low. The following week, we did another cbc and the results were all normal (except platelets). Katie continues to do well.
MAY 22, 2003 - Katie went to Tufts for her re-check. Lymph nodes are still the same and she remains in complete remission - yea!!!! Her cbc was all ok, except platelets were low. We will do another platelet count test in 2 weeks to see where they are at. Katie is doing great - looks wonderful and still wants to play and be held - we love her so much.
06/09/03 - Katie's recheck on her platelet counts - all came back fine.
AUGUST 2003 - Recheck - Katie remains in remission, our regular vet said he could not even feel her lymph nodes - yea! We are all so happy!
FEBRUARY 2004 - Katie continues to do wonderful - she is still in remission. Life is good! Here is a picture of Katie and Santa taken December 2003. She is more interested in the little dogs in the lobby than she is with Santa, lol.
AUGUST 20, 2004 - Went for a re-check with Dr Rooney - he says he could not feel Katie's lymph nodes and that she looks beautiful. Katie remains in remission and is doing great.
DECEMBER 18, 2004 - Katie continues to do great. Still plays and runs like a puppy. We have much to be thankful for.
JULY 2005 - I have started taking Katie to the ALL DOGS GYM in MANCHESTER NH for good dog classes - we go every Friday afternoon. Katie never like other dogs so I was hoping by exposing her to other dogs would help. Her trainer is Shari and she is wonderful. I really learned alot from her.
AUGUST 2005 - Danielle, Katie's groomer, found that Katie's front right leg dew claw looked infected.
Aspiration showed some suspicious cells. The dew claw and 2 other lumps were removed at Tufts. All were benign. Yay!
SEPTEMBER 2005 - Katie took a road trip to Toronto Canada for the Canine Cancer Reunion - on the way there, we stopped at Niagara Falls. We all had a great time.
Here is Katie enjoying a long walk along the beautiful Lake Ontario in Toronto.
JANUARY 11, 2006 - Katie could not standup. We tried helping her up but couldn't. We took her to see Dr Peterson at Daniel Webster Animal Hospital. Katie could move her back left leg but couldn't put weight on it. Dr P referred us to Tufts. Took Katie down to Tufts and that night she walked a little bit with assistance.
On Friday morning, she was standing up and walking on her own. They are not sure what it is. Suggested if it continues, then we could do an mri. Katie is doing great so I am not sure what to do. I took the picture below of Katie when I picked her up at Tufts - I swear she is winking at me!
FEBRUARY 22, 2006 - I think Katie has an uti. Took her to the vets and Dr Peterson confirmed it was. So Katie is on antibiotics for the next 2 weeks. Otherwise she is doing great.
MARCH 8, 2006 - Something was wrong with Katie - every time she moved a certain way, she would let out a scream. Took her to the vet who did xrays and said she has some arthritis in her lower spine but no major problems found. She continues on the antibiotic for the uti and also previcox for pain.
MARCH 21, 2006 - Brought Katie in for an mri and they found a tumor in her spine.
After a week of ups and downs - things do not look good. They were only able to get about 80% of the tumor as it had penetrated the dura of her spinal cord. Turns out the tumor is spindle cell sarcoma and is very aggressive. Katie also developed 2 bedsores, one on each hip. She also had bad kidney readings and was anemic. A feeding tube was inserted to keep her nourished. Katie still has no bladder or bowel control.
On April 25th, Katie's vet said that she was fading and suggested she be euthanized right away; reasons being - "bedsores, a weakened condition, chronic kidney disease, an extremely aggressive cancer, and being 15 years old, her prognosis for recovery was deemed extremely unlikely."
I brought Katie home on April 27th. I did not want her to die in the hospital 75 miles from home. I spent the entire weekend with her telling her it was ok for her to let go. That I would be ok. Here are some pictures that I took that last weekend - I will cherish them forever.
That weekend, I took Katie out to Lake Massabesic as it is one of her favorite places to go for a walk. Two days later, I had to make that dreadful decision to send Katie to Heaven. I am so glad we were able to have that last weekend together.
A sincere thank you to everyone who has been so kind to us - your emails and phone calls have helped me get through the past few weeks. Please keep Katie in your prayers.
