Trifle's Diagnosis

Ok. So here's the goods on Trifle.

She has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Essentially, it's emphysema for dogs. There is no cure.

However, it can be moderately controlled (for a while) with corticosteriods, bronchodilators, and cough suppressants.

Although it is a technically fatal disease, the vet says she really never sees a dog actually DIE from just this. She says more often than not another disease or old age ailment gets to them first (organ failure, etc.), or works in conjunction with it.

So, while this is still not *good* news, it's not anywhere nearly as bad as what they had first thought it was - cancer.

We have to limit her exercise, and not let her do anything that makes her cough. She will be on medication for the rest of her life, and she needs to lose a couple pounds. This will shorten her lifespan, and possibly cause heart trouble because of the stress on her heart, but we hold out hope that she will still live into her teens.

She was an exceptionally well behaved dog today during the ultrasound. Both doctors were very pleased with how good she was, and they didn't have to sedate her at all - even for the tummy shaving!





Lookit her belly!!