Monty isn't doing so.. hot right now. He is 12 now, and we brought him into the Vet last week because he seemed to have a very narrow window of comfortable temperature- below 72 and it was too cold, above 74 and he was panting. His blood tests came back with liver issues. An X-ray and an ultrasound later, and they are pretty sure he has Hepatocellular Carcinoma. A biopsy would tell for sure, but even if it is not Carcinoma, it would be lymphoma, which while more treatable might only buy him another couple months. It has pretty much spread all over the liver, so surgery isn't an option.
We decided not to do the biopsy, as Monty has never done well post-anestesia (e.g.- acting very lethargic for a week or two afterwords), and the prognosis either way is not good. The Vet gave us some steroids, and liver support drugs, and said he might have 3-6 months.
The good news is, other than the temperature control issue (and we can keep the house at 73F
), he is perfectly fine. Still eating well, plays with Roscoe, enjoys trotting around the property, wags his tail a lot, etc..So now we start the delicate dance of trying to figure out if he is comfortable, happy, etc.. and if not, when the time is to let him go. Ugh..
Jen is doing great.. loving being at home with Quinn and the dogs during the day.
