December 2013 – Bojangles

A Bo By Any Other Name

Bojangles has many nicknames we call him. I was reminded of them by the surgeon this morning who asked me if there was anything else he needed to know before he went off to perform the surgery. I said, “Yes there is one last thing, Bojangles may be his full name but please call him Bo or puppy. He responds to those best. I only call him Bojangles when hes in trouble.” To which Dr. Danielson replied, “My mom does that too.”

So here are all the nicknames Bo has accumulated over the years:

Bo, Bo-licious, Boo-jee, Bo-nus, Bo-ster, Bobo, papa (accent on the last “a” otherwise it sounds like that Barbara Streisand song in Yentle), puppy, puppy power, pup, moosh, monster, monster truck, oso mio (my bear in spanish), oso feroz (ferocious bear in spanish).

Yes, he actually responds to them ALL, especially when they are said by me in only the way his mama can say it.

Home Made Treat

GRAIN-FREE PEANUT BUTTER APPLE DOGGY CAKE

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 1 large doggy cake
Serving Size: Varied. Depends on dog’s size.

Ingredients
1 egg
3 Tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 apple, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Grease a ramekin or a jumbo muffin tin. Fill with batter.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for a couple minutes, and then slide
the cake out of the baking container.
Cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes before serving to your dog.

You may frost with extra peanut butter, if desired.

in memory of beautiful Angel Roxy, thank you for this recipe.

Weekend before surgery

Saturday my sister and her family came of to visit Bo before his surgery. Though not yet scheduled, it is all but certain that it will happen this coming week. In light of the diagnosis, I’ve not felt much felt like getting into the holiday spirit. With the arrival of my two nieces and nephews (all under the age of 7) they did the best job of bringing holiday cheer to my home.

Bo tagged along for the tree purchase from the corner vendor and he lied patiently in wait as the lights and ornaments area all hung. It was really nice to enjoy my family’s company, as chaotic as it can something be. The reality of what lies ahead was forgotten for an afternoon filled with love and laughter.

Sunday was a bonding fest mixed with naps, snacks and football. I love hunkering down at home on cold snowy days cuddling up to my “oso feroz”, spanish for ferocious beast.

Diagnosis

“Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in dogs. It can affect any dog, and seems to be quite prevalent in certain breeds. The cause of bone cancer is not known, although several theories have been postulated.”

Was it something I did? Was it his food? Was it where he played? Did something bite/cut him? His innocence, his total reliance on me to look over him, how have I failed him now?

“It occurs most often in the long bones, particularly the distal wrist or ankle, or proximal hip or shoulder bones.”

Physically, he is striking and fit, even at nine years old. Regal, yet soft and tender. A good candidate he will make to withstand the surgery; amputation of the front right leg. Along with several courses of chemo, they will give him the best chances to survive the longest. We have much yet to do he and I.

How did we get here?

Over the course of the past few months, he had developed a limp. Initially treated by our local vet with pain killers, persistent lameness, pain and swelling resulted in xrays being taken.What we saw was difficult to believe. His bone appeared to have been eaten away leaving only one.

Get him to a specialist stat! How, I can barely get off the floor after receiving what feels like a sucker punch to the gut!