Griffin had his second round of chemo yesterday and breezed through! Dr. Camps (his oncologist) said that based on his lab work and her exam, Griffin continues to do quite well. She remarked that his weight has stayed exactly the same in his 3 visits to AMC since surgery (60.4 lbs) and that he is by far her most active tripawd patient. We discussed gradually adding the supplements that Dr. Wolf recommended in a week to make sure that he does not exhibit any side effects from the chemo and then monitoring his reaction to each supplement. We also briefly discussed the possibility of using Auranofin, which some clinical studies have shown might reduce lung metastasis, a huge concern with osteosarcoma, and continued that discussion via email today. I am so grateful to the entire staff at AMC for being so responsive and caring for Griffin so well!
Summer visited NYC yesterday, bringing temperatures in the mid 80s. Today is a gorgeous spring day with bright sunshine and a breezy 75°. Both days were perfect for spending time outdoors, which Griffin and I did. As the temperature rises, I have been mindful of offering Griffin longer and more frequent breaks, hence the video of him resting under a tree today after walking about a mile (with shorter breaks along the way). Please take note of the pretty yellow flower adorning his harness (2nd photo)! The first video was taken 2 days ago and makes me laugh because the setting is so serene but then the sound makes you remember that we are still in NYC! And the last video shows the Hudson River today with “waves” crashing that actually were very serene to watch and hear!
xoxo Stacy
Stretching out in the sunshine!
Standing strong and sporting a pretty yellow blossom!
Today was a great day to be outside – if you don’t have seasonal allergies! It was sunny and warm, allowing Griffin and me to spend over 2 hours outdoors between our morning and evening walks. Griffin continues to make new friends wherever we go and continues to amaze people that he has been a tripawd for only 6 weeks.
I had a phone consultation with Dr. Anna Maria Wolfe, a holistic vet who practices in Washington (thanks to Ziva’s dad, Steve, for the referral!). She and I discussed general nutrition, including ways to incorporate home-cooked meals with Griffin’s regular dog food. She also recommended a bunch of supplements that are going to force me to purchase one of those pill organizers in order to keep Griffin’s daily dosages straight! Those supplements include a general vitamin, fish oil (which Griffin already takes), a mushroom blend, colostrum, and 2 Chinese herbs. She also recommended CBD oil, but as Griffin is not experiencing any mobility issues, I’m going to hold off on that for now so I can gauge the effect of the other supplements and ensure he tolerates them well.
Griffin is wearing a new harness today, although I find anything I use starts to shift/slip if attached to a leash which eventually pulls it to one side. This new ThinkPet No Pull Sports harness has a handle, padding across the chest and back, and both front and back clips for the leash. I originally bought a RuffWear Web Master harness which fits Griffin well, but I find it a bit bulky and it has only a clip on the back for the leash, but I’m sure it will come in handy in some situations.
It was much less windy today than in recent days, so you can really hear the birds in the videos below. You can also see Griffin snacking on some weeds – weirdo!
xoxo Stacy
Happy boy!
Griffin is my sunshine, so this photo is quite appropriate!
While today was a bit chilly in the morning, the day was bright and we spent a few hours outdoors enjoying the sunshine. As you probably know, Griffin is a rather charming fellow. So charming, in fact, that he often steals the balls and humans’ affections of other dogs, and they love him nevertheless. Such is the case in the video below. Kyna’s ball was evidently more interesting than our own and her mom simply can’t resist Griffin. Both Kyna and Griffin must have passed kindergarten with flying colors because they took turns fetching the ball quite nicely, giving the other a much needed breather in between rounds. Our evening stroll was markedly different from last night – warm and sunny without a hint of hail!
Happy Mother’s Day to all!
xoxo Stacy
Silly, happy faces while the wind blows.
Striking a pose among the trees.
Griffin enjoyed an evening stroll as the sun was beginning to set.
So I guess Mother Nature read my earlier post and decided she would show off her power a little this evening. It snowed for a bit late this afternoon – nothing that was sticking, but you could see the flakes in the air. Afterwards, the sun came out and Griffin and I headed out for a walk in our favorite place.
This was recorded at 6:16pm. Note the abundance of sunshine!
This was taken at 6:18pm after a short game of fetch and a few rolls in the grass that was wet from the snow. Still sunny!
This was taken at 6:29pm when ominous clouds started rolling in and we started heading home. At one point, all the sky I could see was literally split in half – sunny to the south and a huge bank of clouds to the north.
And this video was taken at 6:39pm. As I’ve said before, rain or shine – and I guess now hail – are perfect conditions for Griffin’s rolls in the grass!
CanSpringpleasearrive and stayforalong visit soon?
The weather in NYC the last few days has been ridiculous – 67° and sunny on Thursday, rainy and cooler yesterday, and bright but 36° with the wind chill making it feel in the high 20s this morning. What the heck, Mother Nature?
The past few days we have been lucky to meet up with dog friends on our morning walks. Griffin loves fetch all the time but loves it even more when he has friends to race for the ball and their humans dole out well-deserved scritches. Over these last few days, I have noticed Griffin running faster, playing longer, and requiring fewer rest breaks. Today we hung out with Griffin’s buddy, May, who was rescued from Morocco and lives in our building. Check out the video below to see how fast and far Griffin is running (that’s May in the background).
The outside photo below was taken the other day when something caught Griffin’s attention. Doesn’t he look like a giraffe? In the other photo, I joined Griffin on his very comfortable bed, which he was only too happy to share!
xoxo Stacy
Long legs and long neck – must be a Griffin Giraffe!
Snuggles make us happy – and look how much Griffin’s hair has regrown!
Griffin sometimes runs so fast his front leg can’t keep up with the back ones!
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