Hang In There Elsie

We've been having a really stressful time with our Elegant Elsie.

First it looked like a hurt front paw, than a hurt hind-leg,

but than blood test levels were all wonky, just a little but still & they hinted at an infection.

X-rays than showed without a doubt arthritis all over her back end

BUT the worst news was what looked like a huge tumor growing and spreading throughout her chest. Her doctor said he's never really seen a tumor like that so it needed further investigation

which meant sending all the scans to specialists in the States.

Their summary showed a different story possibly,

they saw a lot of air outside of Elsie's lungs which meant a body trauma

which pushed her body into pneumonia!

We haven't faced pneumonia yet in all our years with buns.

I remember seeing her jump off a really high box that she never jumps from and sure enough the day after all these worrisome problems started so it was very possibly that.

But also now and than she gets grumpy with Henrie and she chases him around like a

gremlin at warp speed so it's also possible that she rammed into something than too.

I know I can't put these bun-babes in a bubble but at times like these my

guilt runs high and I sure do wish that I could, ugh!

Apparently even just a jump or fall or bump to the body can cause pneumothorax which is air

outside of the lungs due to an injury to the chest wall and for some reason pneumothorax

can cause pneumonia...SO She was on broad spectrum antibiotics for about month to hopefully cure the pneumonia and it did look like she was getting better BUT after about two weeks off the meds her quick and labored breathing started again, so she's on another protocol and apparently might have to be on meds for up to two months since pneumonia is difficult & long to cure.

The pneumothorax should solve itself over time.

She can also still have a tumor, so we'll have to get more scans done in a couple of weeks.

If it's not a tumor and the pneumonia clears up and goes away we can than look at dealing with

the arthritis which we don't think is bothering her too too much at this point in time.

We at the same time are dealing with hypercalcemia but it's really tricky because she's not eating normally and of course only wants high calcium foods right now

and we must keep her eating as much as possible as she's already lost weight!

Needless to say, if you can, please send our Elsie girl some good strong healing mojo.