liver problems all around??

If you have met Otis, you know that he is a very sensitive pup.  He loves his people and he hates being left alone.  They say that dogs can sense the emotions of their people and I definitely believe this is true. 

Otis was with me through my first round of treatment in 2005.  He took care of me as much as anyone did -- laying on the floor by the couch as a healed from surgery or recuperated from chemo.  When I was sick in 2010, Otis became really anxious.  He knew something was wrong and it really wore on him.  He has always been a picky eater, so when he stopped eating last week, I figured it was related to the stress that Mike and I were carrying around as we waited for the results from this round of scans.  When he started vomiting over the weekend, we knew it was more serious.

After 8 1/2 hours at the oncologist Monday, Mike spent 7 1/2 hours at the vet Tuesday.  Dr Slavin saw him first.  She ran bloodwork and noticed a difference in his liver function.  After an xray, she sent him to a specialty/emergency vet hospital in Robbinsville.  They did an ultrasound which confirmed that his liver is extremely small.  This is a sign of chronic liver disease -- the extent of which can only be confirmed through a biopsy.  They admitted him overnight to try to control the vomiting and get him eating again.  Thankfully, Steve and Ami were still in town -- Steve was able to go with Mike and Ami  (and the kids) kept me company (this chemo hit me much harder than the Abraxane did -- more on that tomorrow).

We were able to go up to visit with him today and he seems to be doing much better.  He is finally eating and keeping food down.  He seems a bit tired, but he was happy to see us.  They want to keep him overnight again to make sure he is healthy enough to go home. 

I get that he feeds off of my emotion... it's kind of cute, actually!  But does he really have to copy me and develop a chronic liver condition?!?