Mojo Update

We got back from our trip Sunday afternoon and it was strange being home with just Pepper and not Mojo. Unfortunately our vet is not open on Sundays - they just come in to check on the boarded dogs so I couldn't pick Mojo up until Monday morning. It was SO good to see him and more so, to see him happy, excited, and "smiling".

I had set up an appointment with Dr. Johnson that morning at 9:30 and stopped at home briefly before heading over there. Bob and I let Mojo out in the backyard and he was posturing again after having a bowel movement. This went on for a few minutes and he walked all the way from the back of the yard back to the house while posturing.

We drove to Blue Pearl to meet with Dr. Johnson who was pleased with how good Mojo looked. She was thinking about just seeing how things go until I told her that Mojo is still posturing without producing a bowel movement. So they did another ultra sound and there were still swollen lymph nodes on his lumbar spine. Because these lymph nodes had not responded to the chemo, they kept him for a round of vincristine while I went to Costco to get a few things and Bob went to work. Half an hour later I picked him up and took him home. We had another appointment set up for the following Monday but Dr. Johnson said to keep an eye on him and if anything seems off, to let her know immediately. She said normally when dogs go out of remission they present the same way they presented when they were first diagnosed. For Mojo that was "just" swollen lymph nodes but obviously this time he presented differently since it all started with constipation.

Since then he sometimes goes out an has a bowel movement without a problem and other times he is still posturing and nothing happens. He also hasn't been that interested in his food which is unusual. However, he seems happy and is playful and energetic. I sent an email to Dr. Johnson with an update and she said she would like to see him today since she is going out of town for the weekend. So I went back to Blue Pearl this morning and Dr. Johnson and I took Mojo to a fenced area in the back. Luckily he did what I have been describing and she said that's definitely not normal. Dr. Holste, the vet who did the ultrasound and chemo two weeks ago, happened to come out and Dr. J asked her to take a look as well. Dr. H is an internist and she did feel that the posturing could be caused by the lymph nodes.

So we took Mojo back in for another ultrasound and Dr. J asked if I want to come in with them. I was really glad she offered because Mojo is really clingy right now after being left at the vet for 10 days and I hate leaving him. Dr. H did the ultrasound while Dr. J and I were making sure Mojo wasn't jumping off the table. He's such a good boy...didn't really try to turn or jump and just let Dr. H do her thing.

Unfortunately there are still swollen lymph nodes on his lumbar spine and some of them are bigger than before. That was very disappointing and obviously not what I wanted to hear. After the ultrasound Dr. J explained that the lymph nodes are not obstructing his rectum, but to Mojo it feels like something is "back there". That explains why he does have normal bowel movements every day, but then also is still posturing other times without a bowel movement. Poor baby.

Since he just had a round of chemo on Monday Dr. J said she couldn't give him another one. She said she would like to start him back on Prednisone, just like last year when we first started the chemo, and he also got a dose of steroids via IV today. Dr. J said to bring him back next week and since we already had an appointment set up for Monday she said that was perfect. She said sometimes it just takes a few extra rounds of chemo for a dog to go into remission and stay in remission. So now all we can do is hope, pray, and wait.