Sandy pup is not well

My sweet pound puppy, Sandy, is sick.  A few weeks ago I took him to the vet for his yearly physical.  I asked for blood work because my vet in Tennessee used to do that as a matter of course.  Well, his liver enzymes were 10 times what they should have been.  The vet, Dr. Gail, suggested we wait a couple of weeks and do another blood test with Sandy fasting.  So that's what we did on Monday.  Tuesday she called and said I needed to bring Sandy in for X-rays and an ultra-sound.  His liver enzymes were now 100 times higher than normal.

Turns out his liver is really small, has some lesions and appears to have a mass in it.  So now he's on antibiotics and anti-nausea pills as well as some medication that aids in liver function.  Dr. Gail provided a couple of Pill Pockets to see if they would help Sandy take the pills.  What a wonder they are.  They look like soft Tootsie Roll segments but they have a hole inside where you stick the pill.  The beef flavored ones smell really strong.  The best thing is Sandy takes it like it's a treat so there's no hassle getting him to take the medication.

And what a difference the pills have made.  Just one day after starting the medications, Sandy was trying to play with Liz, gnawing at her legs, nuzzling her stomach to push her off balance.  He's bouncing around like a puppy again.  I hadn't realized he was so sick.

I don't really know how sick he is or how long he has.  Dr. Gail did not offer a cure so I suspect the medication is palliative care.  He's such a sweet, affectionate dog, it's hard to think I won't have him much longer. I rescued Sandy from certain death at the pound in Chattanooga and he has been my devoted companion since 2001.  Since he's a small dog I really thought I'd have 15 years or so with him.  He's only about 9 years old now, maybe 10.