Who else agrees with me?

[Jeffrey, Lentarian Fire Thrower]

The IRS should allow you to take medical expenses for your pets off your taxes.

My dog, Keeley (the corgi), the one that's on the cover of Bakkian Chronicles, Book II - Insurrection, has been diagnosed with epilepsy. Prone to seizures. Sucks rocks. So she's on some pretty expensive meds to keep them down to a bare minimum.

Now. Several weeks ago we discovered a quarter-sized lump on her right thorax. Not spongy, but hard. Freaked me out. In the meantime, she's been lethargic, having difficulty moving, has loss of appetite. She has hip displaysia (sp?) in both hips and now has arthritis as well.

She's only 5 years old.

So, $950 later, I get the call from the vet that not only does she have this lump on her right, but there's this much larger mass just under her right leg.

Sad to say that I'm now prepping my wife & I to consider hearing the news we don't want to hear: cancer. Poor little dog.

But I digress. Yesterday we hear the news from the vet: not cancer. Valley fever.
Me: excuse me? What's valley fever?

It's a fungus. Prevalent in the southwest. Typically dogs have a strong enough immune system to fight it off. Keeley didn't. On top of which the spores usually attach themselves to the internal organs, namely the lungs (it's an airborne spore). For her, it attached itself to her skin.

Vet admitted she's only seen it twice in her entire career as a vet. The lab testing the biopsies called the vet directly and asked about it since it was so rare.

Anyway, long story short, this damn fungus has side effects: loss of appetite, lameness, lethargy, and guess what? Epilepsy. So now we've included a fifth med, a specific fungus killer. We've already noticed a significant improvement in her behavior. She's still in pain, but she's starting to move around more.

Vet bills are atrocious. I need to sell more books... Vet bills shouldn't be as expensive as people medical bills.

[Mia]

Yikes! Poor Keeley. Yeah, vet bills can be ridiculous, and there's pet health insurance, but is expensive too -- like people insurance -- and doesn't cover everything, so yeah... I'm with you. There should be a break for it somewhere!

Hope your dog does better soon.

[Jeffrey, Lentarian Fire Thrower]

Thanks, Mia. We've already noticed a huge improvement with her. She' still a little wobbly, like a newborn giraffe at times, but at least she's more alert, attentive, and mobile. Her lymph nodes around her neck have even gone down.

I just hope I get the results from the smaller lump and it comes back with the same thing: not cancer.

**fingers crossed**

[Tricia]

Poor pup! Hang in there. We just rescued a puppy a few months ago and found out recently that he has seizures as well. Don't think we're going to do the meds, since he's so young (a year) and only come with the weather.

I hope you get good news on the small lump. *fingers crossed*

[Jeffrey, Lentarian Fire Thrower]

Thanks Tricia! I appreciate it!

*fingers & toes crossed*

[[deleted user]]

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. I know it can be very expensive, and it's heart breaking when you watch your pet suffer. I hope she gets better, and that she won't need the medication any more one day. I'm pleased she's showing signs of improvement already. That sounds like a good sign :)

[Jeffrey, Lentarian Fire Thrower]

Thanks, Mona! Now that the vet has finally identified what's wrong, and she's on the right meds, she's already showing signs of improvement. It can be super frustrating, that's for sure.

Thankfully sales of my books have been extremely well, and can afford it. It stinks, but at least its money well spent.

[Eric]

Yeah, that's tough, Jeff. I think I'd have to be medicated if one of my pets were suffering. Just the thought... ugh.

[Scott, Fabled Reviewer o' Tales!]

Glad that the vet found a less serious reason for the lumps. Hope she is back to running around dragons soon.

Random idea: Make a big or HUGE paper dragon and video tape Keeley playing with it for a live action sequence from the book.

[Jeffrey, Lentarian Fire Thrower]

LMAO!!! There's an idea!! See if I can find a huge stuffed green dragon and recreate the scene where Peanut and Pryllan first meet!

Dude, that's funny!