Here I go

Well, i've been thinking about starting a blog for awhile now, and I finally found an excuse.

My dog Wookie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma
last week. Wookie is a Level 'A' avalanche search and rescue dog. She started her career at The Canyons
in 1999, and has worked there ever since. I will be updating this each day for those of you who are interested in her progress.

The timeline so far:

10-28-2006 - Wookie shatters her leg near Horseshoe Canyon in the desert of central Utah, after an agonizing 5 hour drive to an animal ER in Moab, her leg is x-rayed, splinted and she gets some pain meds.



10-29-06 - Wookie gets back to SLC for examination by an animal orthopedic surgeon

10-30-06 - Wookie has surgery - no initial signs of cancer, but a biopsy is performed just to be sure. Early prognosis - the joint will be saved, but in all likely hood, her working days are over.




11-01-06 - Wookie comes home. After the effects of anesthesia wear off, she seems to be returning to normal.

11-06-06 - One day to the year Bailey (another Canyons avalanche dog) is diagnosed, Wookie's biopsy comes back positive for Osteosarcoma.

11-14-06 - After alot of research and soulsearching, I have decided to amputate the leg. Following surgery she will undergo chemotherapy. This is where we start. Surgery happens Thursday, I will update as much as I can from here.