Fighting On

My weight has not been improving yet but my appetite is better now.

However, the ouchies have spread to other parts of my body... and this has gotten my hoomans to worry again.

This may not be the way I want to end the year with, but as in life, there are periods of joy and there are times of tribulation. But the love and pawsitive vibes I felt from my furiends, warmed my little pei heart during these dark days. As the hoomans are juggling between jobs, getting ready for the stork to bring hooman puppy home, and taking good care of me, they would not be able to help me update this blog often enough from now on. However, I promise that I would fight my sickie and be healthy again... but can you please promise me that when I'm back, you will still remember me, Hero the Sharpei.

Happy New Year to everyfurry and may the new year brings you truckload of nommies, houseful of stuffies, endless walkies, pawsome zoomies and most importantly, healthy bodies.

Note from the hooman: Hero has developed new lesions on other parts of his body, especially his scrotum. This may be due to on-going infection by more than one bacteria in the inflamed tissue. As advised, we will be administrating a different class of antibiotic to fight off the infection. I hope that by posting about hero's fight with FSF, apart from creating awareness about this dreadful congenital disease in sharpei, such posts would one day be a source of reference for someone out there searching for an answer to their beloved pei health issues.

FSF Complications

Can you tell that I have loss weight? My appetite has not been good coz I'm having a bad sickie.

My hind legs hurt and I'm feeling awful.

I wish the ouchies will go away soon.

I don't want any pressies for Christmas this year... all I want is for Santa to take away my sickies.

Note from the hooman: Familial sharpei fever (FSF) has been well documented as a serious congenital disease in sharpei breed and with each attack, it can lead to other complications such as amyloidosis and mucin infection (hyaluronosis). Hero had an attack recently and unfortunately, this time, complications set in and resulted in mucin infection on his hind legs. This is when the damaged blood vessels and skin tissues (mucin) on the swollen leg breaks apart with blood and pus oozing out, due to the damaged mucin attracting neutrophils. I would like to thank Dr. Linda J.M. Tintle (whom has been doing extensive research on FSF in Wurtsboro NY) for her insightful correspondence on hero's condition and any error herein is mine.

The treatment for infection and damage to the blood vessels from the FSF auto inflammatory reaction is by corticosteroids and antibiotics. However, prescription of such steroids will shrink hero's muzzle and he may lose his wrinkles. A small price to pay for recovering his health, which is priceless.

Dreamy Nap

Guess what am I dreaming of?

Juicy steaks and ice-cream shakes...

... or salmon fillet with cream cheese brulee.

None of the above I dream of...

... but the impending arrival of the white stork...

... that will bring my little baby sister home.

Bali, Here I Come... NOT!

The hoomans jetted off for a holiday recently to the island of Bali and left me at home all alone, can you believe that!... I starved for days without water and food and the house was filled with excrement. Okay, maybe not, the hoomans arranged to have someone over to take care of me but that's not the point here. They said that I don't have this thingy called a passport... well, whose fault is that? Life is so unfair when the hoomans get to enjoy a faraway noseventure and here I am, being sedentary gathering cobwebs. Sigh!

Here are some pics of the hoomans noseventure in Bali... as you know, it won't be that pretty since I'm not in it. I told them my furiends come here to see me, not their noseventures... but since I don't have much noseventures nowadays, I guess they can share some of theirs... but this is still my blog.

A temple atop the cliff in Uluwatu...

... which is regarded as one of the most important temples in Bali.

An ancient pavilion in one of the temple courtyards.

This is the statue of a Garuda at the Cultural Park, a large mythical bird that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.

A statue guarding the entrance to the Royal Temple of Mengwi...

... which was built in the year 1634 by the Mengwi empire.

Whilst the temple ruins tell a story of grandeur and opulence, it also shows evidence of neglect and vandalism.

Another historic temple called Ulun Danu Temple located 1400 meters above sea level in the highland of Bedugul.

The temple is built on the bank of Beratan Lake in the highland that was created from a super volcano eruption many centuries ago.

Hooman puppies having a good time in a puddle of sea water...

... whilst the sun was setting in Tanah Lot.

A romantic dinner for the hoomans at Jimbaran beach during sunset.

Shopping in Ubud and the little pink scooter for the hoomans to do zoomies.

The hoomans donated green papers to this place... hoping to make a difference to the furry friends in the island.

A dead fish washed ashore on Kuta beach.

No surfing as the tide was low in the morning.

Fizzy drinks on a hot afternoon...

... and a cool ride by the beach.

Getting the surf boards ready for the incoming tides and waves.

Traditional Balinese fishing boats by the beach.

Beach soccer, anyone?

Sandy beach, blue ocean, clear sky, sun deck chairs... wish I was there.

Teeth Scaling

Are you sure my furiends go through this every month as well? You're not lying to me, are you?

Why do I need to have my teeth scaled?

There is nothing wrong with having some plague and stain on my teeth. It makes me look ferocious, you know!

Ouch! Hey, watch it... Ouch!

Are you sure you're doing this right, Ms. Hannibal?

Are we done? Do I have a Colgate smile now?

Monsoon Getaway

Hi there my furiends, hope everyfurry still remember me, hero. I really missed everyfurry. First of all, a very big thank you for all the happy wishes for koko and cheche. I was told the white stork would be bringing the hooman puppy in less than 3 months... so I'm keeping a look out for the bird everyday, just in case the stork got lost, you know what I mean.

Sorry for the lack of posting on my blog. As usual, the culprits here claimed nowadays they do not have enough hours in a day but that's just plain excuses, I need to have a bark with the hoomans. But I'm glad to woof that I have been reading my furiends' postings without fail :)

Amidst the hectic schedules, my hoomans managed to squeeze in a weekend getaway to the beach.

It felt good to be away from the city, at the sea side.

I missed the sea breeze and the wide open sandy beach.

But it's the monsoon season here in the east coast, brought about by the tropical wind blowing from the South China Sea.

I did not get to swim in the choppy and rough sea...

... nor did I get to meet any furiends at the beach this time round.

But that's alright, as I got to relax and enjoy the place all by myself.

Checking out an old mooring rope that has been washed ashore.

Finders keepers, and I'm marking it with my pee.

I slept like a log after a fun day at the beach.

A blooming plant at the porch of our chalet in the morning.

Waiting for the sleepy heads to go out for our morning walk.

Hey! I saw something moving.

It's Cotton the bunny having a bun for breakfast.

This is Dino the cat... please excuse my feline furiend who is a bit shy with the flashy box.

*sniff! sniff!* I can smell the salty sea breeze from here.

I got to do zoomies by the beach to my heart's content.

If only all my furiends from afar were here too.

I met this little crustacean buddy... I called him MJ, can you see the white sequined gloves on his claws.

Besides doing zoomies by the beach, I also played fetch with koko.

That's my favourite football... the one my sweet girl Twix gave to me on my recent birthday. You can read about it here.

It was a good escape to the beach... considering all that inactivity for me nowadays in waiting for the arrival of the hooman puppy.