Up and Down

Yesterday was Scout's last day on doxycycline--an antibiotic she's taken for 6 weeks just in case there was an underlying bacterial infection that set off the immune-mediated reaction. So please pray that if there was a bug, it's dead and long gone!
Some days Scout really acts back to "normal" (and if you know Scout at all, you realize that means something a little different from your average dog). The day after we saw the vet who thinks Scout has lymphoma, Scout was running around like a banshee--jumping and yipping with joy when she saw me come home from work--bringing her toys over to engage in play (I haven't seen her do that since she got sick), running in circles, generally seeming fat and sassy. The only think that Scout can't do since her illness is jump up on thigs--like the couch, bed, back of the CRV. She just doesn't seem to have that kind of strength in her hind legs. But she can run like the wind when she's chasing her ball around the field!

But then there are days like yesterday--she's limping on her left back leg (where this illness seemed to originate), listless, lethargic, somewhat depressed. It was a beautiful day and I wanted to take her on a short hike, but she didn't seem up to it. It's like she takes two good steps forward, but then a big step back. This cycle has repeated itself a few times, so I'm not so worried about her "back-step" this time. We are just going to be leaving town for a week tomorrow and my prayer is that she'll be doing OK in our absence (my daughter and her husband will be Scout-sitting).
She's doing well on the new, lower dose of prednisone and when we get back from our trip the plan is to switch her to every other day on the 10 mg.
So please pray that she thrives while we are gone (helping Lindsay and her cat move up from LA). Pray that she doesn't get too sad and will continue to easily wean off the prednisone and continue to grow in health and strength.
Blessings, my friends!