A Woman's CyberSpace - Rigsby Tales - Bichonly Stories of an Old Faithful Website Mascot

Rigsby is still sacrificing subjects to the dark one - systematically ripping to shreds a chosen stuffed toy. The most recent to bite the eternal bullet was Creamy Bear. Rest in Peace, Creamy Bear! As you can see, his heart was ripped from his chest and his stuffings shredded!

August, 2002 - Rigsby is now 10.5 years old. Approximately 77 in human years. Net Worth: $25,000.
Is he slowing down? Nadda chance. Want to hear the continuing saga of Mr. Rigsbert?? Please read below.

Rigsby smiling on his porch.
Rigsby Smiling
Rigsby owns an entire acre of unleashed territory.
(See how allergic and pink he is today?)

Rigsby still chews on toys daily and plays with stuffed animals. I would have thought by this time in his life, he would have departed from those activities. Blind Bear is Rigsby's favorite stuffed animal. He became blind when Rigsby plucked out both eyes. Blind Bear suffers all of the brunt of Rigsby's moods and he is always found amongst the favorite toys du jour.

Rigsby is still chewing on toilet paper, too - grrrrrr. Whenever he feels he is not getting enough attention, he will go into the bathroom and unroll the paper. He slobbers and nibbles on the paper, until he has a long winding trail of it throughout the house! Funny how it never breaks - it is one continuous string of tightly chewed rope. What a devil! Whenever we catch him in the act, he just smirks. I never discipline him other than to tell him what a bad dog he is for doing that.

Rigsby has discovered mirrors! He uses the mirror I put on the floor for him, to watch me when I'm at the computer, while having his back to me. Here is an example of his use of mirrors. Clever devil!

Here is Rigsby partying. Who says animals are any easier to raise than kids?

Then there is that face he uses when he sits in the window pouting, after he is told he can NOT go bye-bye. Uh oh, Mr. Poopy!

Rigsby has developed 18 stones in his bladder and also has hip dysplasia. He also had many stone shards embedded in his eurethra, which will be hard to remove completely. The vet wants $1000 for the bladder surgery - which I am holding off for now. My concern is that he will have one of these stone passing episodes upon urination - which is extremely painful and sometimes critical. What to do, what to do. This little guy costs thousands of dollars to maintain! One reason I hold off on the surgery, which is a gamble, is because I have heard you should determine the cause. If the cause of the stones is not discovered, then they will continue to return - creating the same $cenario of stones in his bladder. If anyone has this problem, please write to me and share your experiences & decisions on how to handle this dilemma. I am not willing to take a $1000 hit on my credit card, until I know it is a solution, not a bandaid.

Well, I decided to do the surgery right before Christmas 2002. It had snowed and as I walked around behind little Rigsby, I was horrified to see him leaving RED snow trails as he marked his territory. I have waited over a year, hoping the bladder stones would miraculously disappear. They have not. Since there is so much visible blood in his urine now, I had to make a decision. The surgery went well, and he is now into one week of recovery. It has been stressful for both Rigsby and his owner. Pain management (discomfort), monitoring/maintaining a low activity level for Rigsby has been challenging. One hour after returning home, he tried to jump 2 feet onto furniture! That would basically either cause internal hemorrhaging, herniation or suture tears. So everything is blocked off to keep him on the floor. He is wearing his lovely Elizabethan collar for a few weeks, to keep him from tearing out his sutures. I won't even go into the caregiver details. It has been an intense post operative week, for sure.

Winter 2002: Here is a look at what they did! Our next step will be a new [expensive] Hills UD diet can & kibble and a urine analysis every month for at least 6 months. Oh, did I mention that traditional tests won't suffice?? They charge $100 monthly to insert a needle into his bladder via his stomach and remove urine for testing, while surveying the area with a laparoscope. He also has had a urinary infection every month since the December surgery and is on antibiotics frequently. A year later, he is now down to urinary infections every 6 months. Prednisone seems to contribute to these infections, as well. If I use one or two doses a week once or twice a year -- [every time] it results in an infection. I hate that stuff !!

Then there is the fun of chasing around after Rigsby outside, while he urinates. Don't I just look like the pervert, trying to stick a piece of paper plate under his urine stream, in order to catch enough to test the urine with a PH litmus paper strip. I have to monitor his PH every few days. The ideal PH for Rigsby is around 7. Rigsby often runs a 6 PH - which is perfect for developing more bladder stones. 8 is high and indicates a bladder infection. Since he loathes the new Hills UD diet, I have to mix some regular food in his can/kibble, in order to get him to eat it. On his diet with supplemental meds, if he starts testing at an "8" - that generally indicates another infection.

In order to maintain a 7 PH, I now have to supplement his diet with 1080 mg Potassium Citrate (Urocrit-K). What fun. They are horse pills that CAN NOT be crushed or broken, because of their time release properties. That means when he bites down on it while I am struggling to shove it down his throat, it has to be tossed and the battle to administer another pill must be repeated. Rigsby has finally mastered the art of the defiant pill swallowing recipient. He can sit for 3-5 minutes and swallow several times, while I hold his mouth shut -- and still manage to spit out the pill after I release my hand from around his mouth. Of course, I assume he has swallowed it. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

I am trying to get the vet to research the use of [compound] Potassium Citrate versus [liquid] Potassium Chloride, but he has suggested *I* call Hill's Diet Food science department, to get an opinion. Ummm, who is the doctor here??? The pharmacist recommended the vet make the call, the vet recommend's Hill's make the decision and *I* do the research. Did I mention my vet now has a new sports car... [which I helped pay for?] In the end, after calling Hill's -- they said they needed to speak with the vet. Go figure. I finally tried the liquid - and it proved to be even more a hassle to administer. Aside from being messy, pink and sticky - and stains carpets, it nearly always made his stomach upset (administered with food) and caused him to vomit (on the carpet, of course).

I switched food from Hill's UD to Hill's KD. After many weeks of "I like it / I don't like it" and many trips to the vet exchanging UD / KD / GD, Rigsby finally decided he likes the KD. He now eats it daily, mixed with a little Mighty Dog Senior, of course. All in all, as of Fall 2003, Rigsby's PH has been around 7, which is good for his condition.

Spring 2003: Rigsby's kitty friend Ivy, has recently undergone the knife. She was declawed and he is very attentive to her needs. He insisted on having his open cage next to hers, so he can sit with her. I think it is camaraderie, but it could also be sibling rivalry -- he wants her bigger cage when she is done using it. *evil grin* He goes into her cage at every opportunity. Ivy must be sedated and kept from jumping, while her front feet heal. Since she likes to jump, this is the only way to keep her calm for a week or less. Sometimes when Rigsby is biting and itching himself incessantly, I put on his Elizabethan Collar. Now they look like twins! Here is a photo of the two in their cages with their lovely "tulip headress" on.

August, 2003: Rigsby has a new house! Well, we still own the other house in the country, which he visits, but we moved to the city. We built a new home that has a very small yard, compared to the country home. Since he is nearly 12, we thought it would be ok for him not to have all of that land anyway. We have a big, brand new home, with all new furnishings -- and his allergies have gotten 100% better! He is still on immunotherapy, but his incessant scratching has been greatly reduced to a few occasional episodes. As far as I can tell, this little Bichon has yet to mark his territory inside the house - which makes me thrilled. Bichons are known for doing that little deed when ignored or not taken outside often enough -- or left home alone without crating. Rigsby has taken over the cat's 42" hospital cage - and loves his new cage. It has double door access from either the front or the side of the cage. He seems healthy (average PH 7), happy and content to be here in the new environment. He has learned his outside yard boundaries very well. He stretches the limits at times, but is very aware of them and looks over his shoulder as he attempts to step into the neighboring yard. What a character.

Fall 2004: Rigsby had a pretty good year. No notable surgeries. Yay! He likes his new yard - which is way smaller and less uphill walking for him. Rigsby is still playing with his toys, screaming around the house like a 5 year old and making demands of our attention and time. Rigsby's bladder stones (4) have returned and his pancreas is acting up monthly now. He has currently marked his new home. Grrrrr.....Bichon hell !!!

Winter 2005: It sure is looking like 2005 may beRigsby's final year. His health is declining rapidly, the bills are at an all-time high, and he is beginning to slow down. Until January 2005, this little Bichon has been "balls to the wall" - always on the go, playing hard, running hard, living life on the edge. Someone must have told him his real age! He turned 13 years old, January 2, 2005. During that time he was in the hospital with Pancreatitis. His Pancreas flairs up every two months now. On an average, the Lipase enzyme value should be no more than 1800. His are 4800. More medications! Special dietary considerations--no more table scraps or snacks beyond Hill's ID/KD. Rigsby's hearing and sight has begun to visibly diminish.

Spring / Summer 2005: Rigsby is termed by his vet as a "TRAIN WRECK." How fun is that?? Rigsby began having Grand Mal Seizures as of April 30, 2005. Every 2 weeks - sometimes more. So much to learn about medical maladies when having a Bichon. He has even had Cluster Seizures, a Grand Mal seizure that occurred every 5 hours in a 24 hour period. *sigh* He is now on Phenobarbital - and is struggling with all the possible side effects. Ataxia, weakness in the hind quarter muscles, is the worst symptom.

Rigsby still gets his monthly allergy injections. In 4 years, a vial of allergy extract has gone from a retail cost of $97 to $131. The vet's office accidentally left the VET'S INVOICE in my vial box -- and he is only charged $45 for the vial. Rigsby's vet is a very talented surgeon and fairly well known in the city -- but the prices of meds and supplies keep sky-rocketing. He has doubled his staff and technology...and someone's got to pay for it.

The price of Hill's Prescription food is out of the ballpark, as well. You can not buy it without a prescription -- and even with a prescription in hand -- other vets will not sell you Hill's products unless you are one of their patrons. Wassup with that?? The vet near my house charges $35 a case for the Hill's Rx canine canned KD - but this vet is too scary to entrust with my Bichon's health. So I am forced to drive a 1.5 hour round trip and pay $40/case at my regular vet's office. I guess it could be worse - an emergency clinic with specialists charged me $4.45 per can for a Hill's Rx diet.

Nice mark-up. I knew I was paying retail profit margin - but I had no idea I was getting gouged so much. OUCH. Welcome to the Pet Industry, I guess. No different than the pharmaceutical & pharmacy industry's mark-up.

In April, some kittens and their mom showed up on our patio this late Spring. It was really fun being a kitty mommy and Rigsby really enjoyed playing with them, as well as playing babysitter. Here is Rigsby waving at a kitty. Here is a cute picture of Rigsby daring the kitties to jump down from the coffee table. Here are all the kitties and mom nursing. These two siblings were real characters. And this one was a heart breaker cutie. I fed them all gourmet foods - chicken breast, fish, kitty milk, canned kitten food and of course, free feeding of kitten chow. They have now moved on to permanent homes. Animal rescue can be very rewarding, especially when it ends well.

Winter 2006: Rigsby's health has declined again. Emergeny room visits, $1000.00 worth of tests later - all non-conclusive. He is experiencing GI issues - liver problems, gall bladder and pancreatitis flares. After a round of antibiotics and gall bladder medicine, his health has improved. He wasn't tolerating the gall bladder medicine and it had to be discontinued. Surprisingly enough, his bladder stones have not really been bothering him, although they are still present. In previous years, he used to have pain episodes, where he would get up, yelp and run around for a few seconds - then be fine. (from what I gathered was discomfort from those stones)

Spring 2006: Rigsby is hanging in there. What a Bichon Trooper! He has started on liquid Potassium Bromide for better seizure control. With it, brings horrible side effects, similar to Phenobarbitol - only worse for him. After 8 weeks of stupor and severe ataxia (muscle weekness, predominantly in the hind legs), I have dropped his dose from 2ml to 1ml to .50 ml -- which is no longer a therapeutic level. But, his quality of life is a little better - the symptoms have abated somewhat within the first week of a lower dose. Rigsby's pancreatitis seems to be flaring more often with the Potassium Bromide. He is still falling and stupor-like. With the little time Rigs has left, this simply is not quality living. As of May 6th, 2006, Rigsby's Potassium Bromide has been discontinued and his Phenobarbital increased back up to 120mg/day. This was done slowly and he seems OK during the transition of meds. He is now bright-eyed, alert, playful and walks with an energetic gait --- and OMIGOD! ...he is now actually sleeping through the night!!!! . I HAVE MY BELOVED BICHON BACK.

At close to 15 yrs old, starting Potassium Bromide was not a good choice. Rigsby simply was unable to recover from the acute side effects of the drug and was completely miserable. At this stage of his life, we are no longer in curative mode --- palative is now the plan. Rigsby has many medical issues: liver mass w/ occasional enlarged liver, gall bladder and pancreas flares, massive tumors - large & small fatty types, benign and suspected malignant tumors and unknown masses in his body cavity, some organs and possibly the brain. Amazingly, he is still sharp, devious, demanding, playful and good hearted about it all. Add back his loss of hearing and sight --- and he would be a force to be reckoned with, at nearly 15 years old.

Rigsby doesn't play with his toys as much, but can still be seen dragging around a stuffed toy - in order to use as a pillow along the way. How cute :)

Even know he can only see and hear 10% -- he still plays, finds and brings me Kongs, wants dog cookies and has a pretty good attitude. He manages to navigate the house and his yard pretty accurately. He does not fall down anymore - yay! After two months of severe ataxia, at 14.5 years old ......it simply wasn't worth it to add any more seizure meds.
His seizures still run anywhere from 1 to 3 per month -- grande mal and/or cluster types.

His Milk Bone treats have been replaced with the pricey Hill's Canine Treats - but it seems to be better for his health issues. However, he no longer wants to dig his treats out of the Kongs - because it is too much work. LOL. So *I* have to dig them out of Kong -- or give them directly to him. ---He sure has me well trained. I spoil him even more than ever now that he is getting along in years. He is amazing. He is getting tumors everywhere. One is growing so big that it will soon impede his stride. It is located behind his right from leg and is currently a fatty tumor the size of my hand! He has not been stable or well enough to undergo surgery - at which time a dental and large fatty tumor removal would be performed. A cool $800 charge, no doubt.

Rigsby can not see very well and does not hear well, either. He is at approximately 90% loss of sight & hearing. I am having difficulty finding resources regarding older dogs who lose BOTH senses at the same time. I have deaf dog books and blind dog books -- but no geriatric (mostly) deaf & blind resources.

Anyone needing more information (than most vets can provide) regarding CANINE SEIZURES or are looking for a good Seizure Control Support Group should subscribe to the Epi-K9 email list on this website: www.canine-epilepsy.com.

2007 - Rigsby's final year.

Winter:
Rigsby is slowing down and winter was pretty tough on this old guy. Being blind in the snow was confusing and frustrating for him. I would go out back in our fenced yard and SHOVEL paths and large areas for him to navigate. At times when the snow was a foot high and frozen crusty on top, I would catch Riggy jumping out of his shovelled area to go on walk about. Blindly navigating, he would fall through some of the weaker areas of the snow and have to be rescued. He has always been a dog who wants his own way and acts upon it.

Spring:
Rigsby is really beginning to slow down now. His sight and hearing have diminished to the point of isolation.

His favorite spot to hang out is in the corner of the bedroom facing the door, sitting on his canine cooler. He is beginning to lose interest in the world around him. Who wouldn't be depressed when two major senses were no longer functioning? He still loves going bye bye and eating cookies! I spend a lot more time now on the ground with him on his level. His seizures are beginning to change again and he is now up to 9-10 seizures per month! They are horrible and he is growing tired of them, as well.

Summer:
Rigsby is very depressed these days. He no longer enjoys hanging out with us in the gazebo - he prefers the dark bedroom on his canine cooler. His seizures are more frequent and becoming harder - up to 13 seizures a month now - including clusters. In June, I engaged the services of a wonderful Animal Communicator (Jeri Ryan), in order to communicate with Rigsby about how he is feeling these days. He had a lot to say and there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd. He admitted to being depressed and after giving it some thought, Rigsby told us he was not really wanting to stay around anymore.

His life was lonely and painful, especially just prior to the seizures. He complained of pain in his stomach, joints and severe headaches prior to seizures. No wonder the little guy was depressed. Sensory deprivation and pain is enough to lose interest in living. After a long conversation, and complete explanation of what euthanization involves, Riggy agreed he would like to leave. We spent several days eating cookies, talking, singing, playing and just being together before the procedure. The day before, we went went for a final bye-bye ride and saw a few friends, to say good bye. The procedure was set for Friday, June 29th at 3pm. It was hands down the HARDEST time. Saying good bye is always tough.

The morning of Rigsby's departure, he got up at 2pm! I fed him some ice cream and made him some chicken and noodles for breakfast. He had a hard night - full moon seizures had begun and he was a little manic. He also knew it was time to go. He ALWAYS wants to go bye-bye ----- but not today. He parked himself in the hallway and had to be carried over the threshold - he wouldn't come out to the garage. He knew and he was scared. Who wouldn't be? You make a conscious choice to let go and then scramble to change your mind at the 11th hour. But I promised to be there with him until the end and hold him until he left.

He fought the procedure to the end. He was in a high manic state that day, and was due for another seizure that afternoon. I had them give him a calming dose of Valium before the procedure and that barely phased him. Manic states are horrible and difficult to navigate with those you care for. With an unsettling amount of struggle to find a vein in both front paws, the doctor finally was successful in his neck. These things just never go as planned. Death is never a welcomed plan :(~

Finally it was over. He is at peace. No more seizures, blindness, deafness, aches and pains.

I waited a couple of weeks and contacted him again; this time in the spirit world. It was a wonderful conversation and he had much wisdom to impart to us. I will attempt to transfer these recordings to a web-based media, for anyone interested in hearing some of his conversation.

We all deal with life and death in our own ways. Our belief systems may vary, but you do whatever gives you the most closure and peace. In life, Riggy and I were inseparable and went no where without one another. Why not ask him his opinion and what he would like for us to do in the end? I would have waited if Rigsby said he wasn't ready. I would have gone to whatever lengths to make his final months and departure as pleasant as possible. He grew to be such a full spirit in life. He will be sorely missed, but his memories will always be with us. His ability to think things through in a calculating manner will never cease to amaze us. He will always remain in our hearts... SPOILED ROTTEN RIGGY!!!!!

Happy Trails, Rigsby!
January 02, 1992 -- June 29, 2007

Rigsby - 6/24/07 -- Click to view larger image.

Final Photo: June 23, 2007

Rigsby: April - June 2007 (15.5 yrs old)

Rigsby - just woke up from bed!	Rigsby -- just chillin!


Rigsby finds a hidden pill and refuses to eat!



Rigsby asleep on his Canine Cooler
Rigsby awakes from camera flash
Rigsby goes back to snoozing...his attiutde is whatever!

Rigsby loves to sleep in his cage with blankets & pillows.




Rigsby panting and in a post-ictal manic state	Rigsby with KONG June 24, 2007

Rigsby: May - June 2006 (14.5 yrs old)

Rigsby relaxing on the patio	Rigsby on one of his many beds

Rigsby in his new Doggles

Angel....	Favorite Pet Links	Devil....
	Fevers-in-pets.com Normal body temperatures for animals
	About Bichon Frises Stories, facts and helpful Bichon links


Rigsby - May 2002 (10 yrs old)
Rigs & Blind Bear	Rigsby and his toilet paper fetish



13.5 yrs - 2005		13.5 yrs - 2005