Buger-Man (AKA Ruger)

About three weeks ago our dog Ruger started to go down hill, he stopped eating and started swelling up in his neck area so I took him into the vet.  The vet took one look and him and said he probably has Lymphoma (cancer in the lymph nodes).  After taking a biopsy of his lymph node and testing it he said that it was defiantly cancer.  Of course we were all devastated and we started to look at the best option for our Buger-Man with the least amount of suffering.  The vet said that the best option for him was to put him on Prednisone a steroid that often causes the swelling to go down, for his appetite to increase, and to give him a few more months of quality life.  We decided that was the best option for us and within 12 hours Ruger was back to his old self.  I mean literally he is 12 years old and likes to lay around, eat, and gets lots of love. 

(Ruger Likes to Sleep in Weird Positions)

So far Ruger is doing really well and we feel very thankful to have him for a while longer.  I just hope that I can make the right decision when it is time for him to go on.  Ruger has been part of our family for almost nine years and was our first baby.  We got him and Mesa from the Humane Society of the Palouse where I worked while Monroe and I went to school in Moscow.  We all four lived in a little apartment and spent much time going to the dog park and walks in the nearby hills.  He has fit into our family so well and Mason and Madelyn love him so much.

Mesa our other dog and Ruger are inseparable and worry the affect on Mesa when it is Ruger time.  We have decided that another dog is in our future to help all of us morn Ruger.  But for now we are so thankful to have had him in our family and count the days that he remains with us.

(Mesa)