Meristo Chocolite Escort
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Josh
aged 3 months. | Josh.
07.08.06 |
The below black & white portrait was completed of Josh 01.02.07, as you can see Julie (the artist) has captured Josh perfectly.
Black & white drawing produced from the colour photo below.
Click Josh's drawing to be taken to Julie's Website.
A Special & Deserving Tribute To One Very Special "One In a Million" Much Missed Canine Friend, who touched so many people's hearts through-out his short life. What more could I have asked for, from such a devoted boy as him.
Rest In Peace My beloved Joshy.
Mum misses you so terribly much. You gently fell asleep in my arms & will now suffer no more pain or upset.
You'll awake at Rainbow Bridge in full health better than you ever have been through-out your life.
Guided to the Bridge by your Kim (Gsd) whom will be by your side with Mish and Wispa till I indeed see you all again.
Sleep well my lad !
Joshua 31.10.1998 - 07.08.06
Peacefully given his guided light to help him on his way to Rainbow Bridge gently closing his eyes for his final peaceful sleep, whilst being hugged and cuddled in my lap. Josh was given his dignity before he started to feel pain from the Mast Cell.
He will be sadly missed, his funny little smile and grin, his little horsecoat tail that span around like a spinning top, the yards of slaver and form enough to stick your shoe soles together :0)
Sweetheart you will be missed so terribly much, you rush on towards those Rainbow Bridge gates, awaiting you there is Mishka and Wispa and not to forget Kim (GSD) to guide you over the bridge, until we all meet up once more my faithful friend.
Enjoy the pleasure of pain free play with your Mish and Wippy Woo & Kimbo all your pain will be a thing of the past.
LOVE YOU ALWAYS JOSH.
Mummy.
Sleep tight my chocolate button.
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Josh becomes Karisto's 3rd Veteran, 31st October 2005, (7 Years old)
Glad you made it to see your veteran years my lad, this is a real achievement given all your health issues. We hope you go onto have many more Happy Birthdays, you are truly one special boy.
D.O.B.
31st October 98
Chocolate
Horsecoat Male
*Castrated*
Due to many of his extremely bad health issues
Josh's latest health issue reared its ugly head at the beginning of April 06.
His entire head, down to where his collar would lie, started to become Firey red in colour this also appeared on his hind legs and along his under belly. He had also had what was being treated as a "Hot spot" on his head for about 3 weeks. Normally hotpsots on Josh respond very well to Flowers of Sulphur etc, but not this time. I resorted to using Futiderm ointment from the vets practice., This started to show an healing effect, so didn't think much more to it. Until I took Josh to see Paul (Sharpei friendly Vet) re the glowing red issue and what looked like another possible "FSF" episode (without the temperature).
Our Vet seemed to think Josh was having a allergic reaction to something, so was given Piriton (antihistamine tabs, a small shot of steroid and antibiotics) and just keep an eye over him. Paul mentioned if the "hotspot, that now looked like a "Lick Granuloma" hadn't healed in the next 3-4 days he would want to take the mass out.
4 days later Josh was under general anesthetic, and having the mass removed, which looked & felt like the size of a ladies little finger nail in size (under the skin) the mass was sent out to the Laboratory for analysis. Josh has an incision cut of approximately 12 cms in length across his forehead, which suggested the vets has taken a broad margin of "good skin" around the mass.
5 days later (24th April 06) Josh was back for his "checkup" and Lab results/report.
The report suggested that the mass was an Eosinophilic Granuloma, very rare in canines, but quite common in felines.
This didn't surprise me in the least knowing what poor Josh over the years has had to endure re health issues. Apparently the prognosis is good, and Josh was given a weeks course of antibiotics to help heal the ulceration lesions, and Steroids for a two week period, then a further update with the vet.
Unfortunately within 10 days two smaller masses could be seen appearing infront of Josh's right ear opening, two further ones around his right side of his muzzle are now appearing, and the ones that were ulcerating under his right leg (arm pit area) are showing to not be responding to treatment. 28th May 06.
I have been exceptionally lucky to have Dr Jeff Vidt look into Josh's case and he has suggested I have further biopsy's taken from the masses forming and have pathology testing again, as he mentions that some Eosinophilic Granulomas have read out as actually being Mast Cell Cancer, This is what I feared from the start, in my own heart of hearts I have always thought this maybe the case :@( with poor Josh.
With it being Bank Holiday Monday I will be making arrangements for Josh to see Paul ASAP Tuesday 30th May 06.
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31st May 2006 Paul (Vet) took several punch type biopsies and they were sent to the Labs for testing, these biopsies again came back showing nothing but Eosinophilic Granulomas. And Josh was given antibiotics and Benadryl. I also had Josh's hips X-rayed as he seemed to be showing a little pain, I saw his x-ray plates and since his first x-rays at 4 months of age, he has grown nearly two inches of arthritis on each femoral head, so pain meds are now given in high dosage daily.
Since the 31st May Josh has had several more large lumps appear, one has formed into a large mass, from which three lumps have grown together to form this one mass, this is down Josh's Right hand side of his cheek, Again all lumps/ Masses have always been on his right hand side only. Over the weekend of 17/18th June 06 a large mass has formed under Josh's lower jaw, again on the right, I took Josh upto see the vet 19th June, and saw Sarah, as Paul is on vacation for two weeks, she was very concerned and I explained again if she thought it tobe Mast Cell, then I will not be treating it, Josh doesn't need further upset and heartache not with all his ongoing health issues, of which see agreed, and said lets just do a couple of NEEDLE biopsies of which she did there and then, so no GA was thankfully needed. Sarah said the results should take 5-7 days, but said she'd push them through, and she wanted to see Josh Friday 23rd June 06 just to see how he was going.
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Today 22nd June 06 I received a phone call from Sarah, whom has seen the results of the needle biopsies and it does indeed show Josh has aggressive mast cell, from a) the results and b) how quickly the tumours/masses are appearing. Josh was started on Pred at 10mg for tonight and we are off to see her on our original appointment for further consultation on how to manage Josh's conditions and to make his fast running out of time he has left with me as comfortable and as happy and pain free as indeed I can make possible.
Its with great heart felt grief and pain I can only see Josh being with me a matter of weeks if I am lucky, due to the aggressiveness of the tumour growths.
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Josh will have every precious moment spent on him, as tomorrow or the next day etc I may have to make the dreaded decision to send my precious boy to Rainbow Bridge to meet up with his much loved Mishka and Wispa.
Joshua I love you so much, its killing me to write this, thinking what a short period of time we have left, to spend together, and for the bastard so called breeders that think breeding dogs from proven hereditary conditions and like wise isn't their problem and brush it under the carpet. At least I can say with my head and my heart you wanted for nothing my boy and this is how you will eventually leave me wanting for nothing. I thank you for my much precious 7 years we have had to date together, I just wish it could/will be more.
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Until the time arrives my beloved Josh, I will make everyday so terribly special for you.
LOVE YOU ALWAYS JOSH
Karen
xx
New Photos added and taken Friday 23rd June 2006.
Mum loves you Joshua.
xx
Information on Mast Cell Cancer Links below.
