Dog Updates

Xoco's eyes are settling into being green. Rhapsody's eyes are silvery.Itzl's eyes are brown with a red overcast.

Xoco is still very much the smallest dog, finally tipping the scales at 1 pound.  Rhapsody id approaching 3 pounds.  Itzl's weight has been stable at 4.3 pounds for three years.

Rhapsody's skin condition is clearing up nicely and she's growing fur at last.  It's growing in patchy,so she's starting to look mangy when she no longer is. Xoco's fur is falling out - she suffers from the same skin condition Rhapsody had, but had a much milder case.  Or so we thought.  So she's developing bald spots along her spine and on her legs in spite of the medicine she and Rhapsody share.  Itzl has no skin or fur issues.

Itzl and Rhapsody are otherwise healthy dogs.

Xoco has hydrocephaly and patellar luxation in both hind knees. Her right knee is a 2 and her left is a 4.5 on a scale of 1-5.  The vet said she'd start having seizures and would have neurological and intelligence issues, but so far, her fontanels aren't bulging,which means there's little or no fluid build-up on her brain.  This in turn means few or no seizures and little neurological or intelligence damage.  Her knees, however, are clearly already causing her problems. She falls easily, her back legs are splayed most of the time, and she runs oddly (and oddly cute).  She likes to bounce, but when she lands,she almost always lands on her tush instead of her feet. At some point, both knees will require surgery. I can't start her on joint medication until she's heavier so for now, all I can do is keep her from climbing or jumping on things.  She's already learned the commands to be picked up ("To my hand" and "Up") and will arch her back so I can slide my hand under her easier and lift her up.  Her intelligence level seems unimpaired.

And that's the state of the dogs right now - 2 healthy critters,1 with issues.