Please pray for Pepper!

[Schnauzer]

Pepper is only 7 years old and is wasting away. There are only two possibilities: a pancreatic deficiency OR cancer. He may be the fastest dog that comes to the dog park (second only to a Greyhound), and he may carry 4-6 pounds on his back for 1.5 hours and still have energy to burn, but he's sick. He lost 1.4 pounds of muscle in 2 months. In a year he has lost 4 inches around his neck of pure muscle. He can now fit in his puppy collar. He went from 15 inches around the neck to about 11. You can easily feel the bones behind his eyes and even put your fingers behind them a little. His little hip bones stick up a bit too... but he isn't too thin. When fed more, he gets fat around the waist, but remains bony. He's been loosing hair for a long time too. When I shave him he looks pink. You can see this in a few of my photos of him. When the hair gets longer it looks more normal, but it isn't. His pits are almost completely bald. The last time I took him to the vet was 2 weeks ago to drain his anal glands and they all noticed that he's smaller since then (we took him today because now he won't stop tucking his tail and arching his back). His muscle atrophy (loss) is getting faster and faster and his hair is ridiculously sparse. You can even see his little spots through his thickest patches of hair. We lost Sir William (Willy) the Miniature Schnauzer to cancer. Mum and I can't go through it again. There's no way we can afford radiation treatment, so he would have to be euthanized. PLEASE PLEASE pray it isn't cancer!! PRAY it's his pancreas, because if it is, I can just give him a pancreatic powder full of his missing enzymes in his food, and he'll recover. Please pray... I don't know what mum and I would do without the little guy. He's one of the only things that have kept us going in this hard life. We NEED him. We love him. I really can't stand the thought of going through this again...

Pepper will have a blood test in the morning and we'll know if it's his pancreas or not by Monday or Tuesday. So far his symptoms fit several things including Hyperthyroidism (best fit), Cushings Disease and Diabetes. He's been tested for all of those in addition to Hypothyroidism and Addison's Disease. All tests have come back normal. If this one comes back normal too, it's cancer and it could be anywhere.

In addition, I have an important message for all who read this: If you don't want to deal with UNNECESSARY heartbreak, DO NOT EVER buy a puppy from a pet store, puppy mill or backyard breeder... even if you feel sorry for it... even if your kid is begging for it. They often have fatal health problems that leads to early death or euthanasia. Plus, buying one of these puppies supports the business. The parents of the puppies often never get out of their small cages, are skinny, diseased, attention deprived and killed when they can no longer breed. Pepper is a mill puppy given to us by my late grandmother. His parents were old and bred too many times, then shot when they were through. Since Pepper is from the 2nd to last litter, he probably has some really bad genes somewhere, and this could be what is happening. I know puppies are cute, but don't do it!

UPDATE 11/01/08:
Pepper's test has been delayed until Monday because my mother has whatever is going around (she's sick). I should know about Wednesday or Thursday then... until then, thank you all for your prayers! I appreciate every bit of kindness and support.
Also, I'm starting to see the bones in Pepper's face more, so it's getting faster. He can no longer carry weight on his back for our walks... not even 2 pounds (he carried 6 pounds for months until a couple of days ago). He still has energy to boss all of the dogs at the dog park around though, and he's still the fastest. I'm trying to keep my thoughts high in the meantime.

UPDATE 11/04/08:
Pepper goes for his test in the morning. At least mum had BETTER take him this time! It's been delayed long enough. The results would have been in by now if he was taken last Friday. I'm tired of waiting and the suspense is getting worse. Pepper did act more perky like he had been today, which is good. He was being a couch potato for the past few days.

UPDATE 11/06/08:
I got my boyfriend to take Pepper to the vet with me today because mum's still bedridden. They took quite a bit of blood from his jugular and sent it off. I should know by Monday maybe... He went to the dog park today, and I noticed a little blood in his stool. NOT GOOD. That's exactly what happened to Willy when cancer hit his digestive tract. I could be overreacting to that because of that past experience... let's just hope and pray so. I've never seen blood in his poop before though - not ever. It wasn't much, but it still has me concerned.

UPDATE 11/11/08
I haven't noticed anymore blood in Pepper's stool, so I'm hoping that was just a one time thing. I STILL don't have the results back from the vet, but I should have them soon. I'm very anxious. Mum and I decided we've had enough of unhealthy breeds that break our hearts, so I went on a hunt to find the hardiest breeds free of genetic diseases. While reading about each breed, I came across the Smooth Coated Wheaten Terrier and a little something called Protein Wasting Disease. Apparently it CAN occur in other breeds, but is very rare. It causes excess drinking and general muscle wasting. They test for it by conducting a visual survey of the muscle loss and detecting excess protein in the blood. I'm thinking I'll have Pepper tested for it if his pancreas comes back normal. It usually shows up around the age of 5, which is about right. I do have a little hope though, because Miniature Schnauzers do tend to get pancreatic disorders... and Pepper already lost ANOTHER inch around his neck!!... We're down to 10in which is just plain sad. He doesn't look it from the side though because the skin just hangs down to about the same length. Also, when he stood up to put his head out of the car window, I could see his ribs beside his backbone... that used to be all muscle. If it was cancer and it was moving that fast, I don't think he'd still have all of the energy and speed he has. He chased the dogs at the dog park, mainly a boxer, for more than an hour and was just as fast as ever. Even the vet has called him a mystery! I'll keep updating you all. I'm trying to keep my head held high.

UPDATE 11/11/08
The results are in. It's not his pancreas... NOT GOOD AT ALL... I'm having trouble writing this because I'm just so sad and worried. I'll have him tested for Protein Wasting Disease, but all of his tests always come back normal, yet he continues to waste away. I feel hopeless. If it's not that last one disease, it is cancer... We can't afford radiation therapy... we'd have to "go home and make him comfortable" until that time comes... I can't do this again... I just can't. What's worse is if it's a digestive or blood related cancer, we probably caused it ourselves with that awful ProPlan we were feeding him because he acted old while eating it. Now he acts young again on GOOD food. Even yesterday, someone asked how long I've had him, and when I said "almost 8 years," she couldn't believe it. That's because he'd been chasing her boxer for more than an hour at top speed. Does that really sound like a cancer patient? Not to me... but that's basically what we're down to. Mill puppies will break your heart. I'm not sure how to be happy or even enjoy being with Pepper when he might not live much longer. I look at him and my heart sinks.

UPDATE 11/12/08
I took some pictures of Pepper so you can get an idea of what is going on from the looks of things. If you have any idea what this looks like, tell me please. In the pictures you can see that his neck is so small that I can easily put the handle of the leash over his head. You can see the knot in his skull, his eye bones, his shrinking neck, his tiny waist... note you can't count his ribs or anything. He is the right weight, but looks awful. He feels bony all over. When he stands up, you can see his back ribs next to his spine, but I don't have a good enough picture of that yet. Again, if any of you recognize this, let me know... even if it's cancer. I haven't talked to the vet today and neither has mum, so maybe tomorrow.

UPDATE 11/19/08:
I'm looking into getting another vet, so there still isn't any news. I can't seem to get this thing straightened out. I'm adopting a dog, but still can't solve the problems of the dog we have right now. He doesn't seem to have deteriorated anymore for a little over a week, so that's good. He's been getting some freshly cooked food and extra love.

[Schnauzer]

Thanks Bragger... We'll know which one it is either Monday or Tuesday. I'm praying for him... Mum and I are extremely worried. I wish there were more possibilities. I'm so worried it's the big C because the vet said a pancreatic deficiency could account for his muscle atrophy, but not the hair thinning.
*hugs*

[PetBrags Pet Lovers Paradise]

Oh goodness Lacey. I'm so sorry to hear that Pepper is sick. And that you are so worried it could be Cancer. I will definitely pray for the little guy, and for you and your Mom. Please keep us posted.
Hugs,
Bragger