Ringo’s All-Starr Life

Ringo’s All-Starr Life Ringo Starr, an Arkansas-based dachshund, is living his best life.

Update on my Ringo Starr: We’ve had 2 chemo treatments out of 5. We’ve had a cardiologist appt to make sure his little h...
05/29/2026

Update on my Ringo Starr:
We’ve had 2 chemo treatments out of 5. We’ve had a cardiologist appt to make sure his little heart is strong enough to handle what’s coming up (he is). Today we went 3.5 hours south to Portland to go to the only canine radiation treatment center in the Pacific Northwest. He had a fancy CT Scan and they mapped his tumors. We learned these aren’t small tumors - Ringo has had these a while but has been acting fine. We had no way of knowing. So June 10 we start aggressive radiation treatment, 20 days M-F. So we’re going to find an AirBnB and move to Portland for a month. He’ll go under light anesthesia every one of those days, which is why we checked in with the cardiologist. All of this to buy around 2 years more time with our boy. Borrowed time, but time nonetheless. In the photos, you can see the “X marks the spot” on his back for the radiation. In the last photo, you can also see that he and George are not fans of road trips. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Ringo started chemo yesterday. Conservatively this buys him 7-9 months if we can get him to Oregon for radiation as well...
04/29/2026

Ringo started chemo yesterday. Conservatively this buys him 7-9 months if we can get him to Oregon for radiation as well. I have more info for UC Davis now that I’ll send down there.
Ringo is a bit lethargic today, which is to be expected, so I’m glad it’s a day with lots of warm sun spots.
I’ll take any extra minute with Ringo that I can get. I was crying my eyes out last night imagining life without him in it.
I want to point everyone to a group called The Canine Cancer Alliance . My new favorite non-profit. They help fund research into canine cancers of all types, most recently making strides in bone cancer.

Hope is the thing with feathersThat perches in the soul,And sings the tune without the words,And never stops at all ___...
04/25/2026

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all
___
On Friday, we are starting the day with HOPE. Yesterday, they confirmed the diagnosis of carcinoma in both his prostate and his adjoining lymph node. But they also want to do chemo, which can extend his life. I was really surprised by that. Right now, the biggest thing is can he p*e on his own, because the bladder is a little squished by the inflammation.
But they let us take him home, and he’s definitely happy to be here. Georgie is very happy to see him. Not sure if that’s reciprocated.
There has been barking. Nothing has made me happier.
He is doped up on codeine and gabapentin. He’s also on a full-spectrum antibiotic to clear up a UTI, and Rimadyl, which will help with the tumor inflammation. Next steps are to watch him for pain when/if he p*es, keep him comfortable, meet with the oncologist on Tuesday, and make more plans from there. I’m still very interested in this relatively new procedure (PAE) from the doctor at UC-Davis, so I haven’t ruled that out either, once we talk to the oncologist. So let’s all keep HOPE and also, keep hoping he p*es. (Of all things, wanting a dachshund to p*e!)

So much to say. Today we transferred Ringo to critical care at a hospital that has oncology. The original urine test is ...
04/23/2026

So much to say.
Today we transferred Ringo to critical care at a hospital that has oncology. The original urine test is a culture where we wouldn’t get results until 4/30. So here we can get a needle aspiration and more rapid results. I need a definitive diagnosis on whether it is cancer, although it shows all the signs.
I did a research deep dive yesterday because it makes me feel like I’m somehow helping him. I found a study in Pennsylvania, 4 weeks, starting soon, but she said the results from the first round are negligible, so it’s probably not worth the expense the get him out there. I also found a dr down at UC-Davis who specializes in this stuff. He gave me a LOT of information. So now I need to find out if there is a dr here who does the same relatively new procedure or if I need to get Ringo down there. Much closer than Penn.
So let’s hope the aspiration gives us the results we want to hear.
I will fight for him and do everything I can to save him.

My love. After a tumultuous 3 days at Urgent Care and then , Ringo is finally home with us. We took him in for what we t...
04/21/2026

My love.
After a tumultuous 3 days at Urgent Care and then , Ringo is finally home with us. We took him in for what we thought was a bowel obstruction and what was found was an enlarged heart, and more pressing, an enlarged prostate.
Prostate cancer is rare in dogs, especially as young as Ringo (6.5). But it happens. We won’t know if it’s benign or, heaven forbid, cancerous for about a week. Regardless, prostate surgery is not an option.
So we have a week of waiting and wondering what we missed, what could we have done sooner. A week to try and remember that just last week he was barking wildly at the delivery guy. And I need to stop crying because we don’t have the results yet. He is still here, to be loved fiercely.
But this dog is my best friend. He is my heart. Send up a prayer, if you don’t mind, that Ringo will be ok.

I’m worried about Ringo. Yesterday he vomited twice, and that included toy fluff. He wouldn’t p**p, p*e, eat, or bark. H...
04/19/2026

I’m worried about Ringo. Yesterday he vomited twice, and that included toy fluff. He wouldn’t p**p, p*e, eat, or bark. He always barks. So we went to the urgent care vet. That vet took x-rays and nothing could be seen that would cause an obstruction. What was shown, and is a separate issue, is an enlarged heart. So a doggy cardiologist is in the near future. The vet hydrated him under the skin and sent us home with probiotics.
I fed him pumpkin and rice last night (he’s allergic to all but novel meat products) and this morning. His bowels are back in order, he’s eating, but he’s still so lethargic, too uncomfortable to jump between the furniture or take the stairs, and still not barking. You can tell he wants to do all these things but doesn’t have the willpower? Lack of energy? I’m going to slowly add his rabbit patties back into his food today. Maybe he just needs protein.
I’m really worried about him. I’m calling the cardiologist Monday morning and his normal vet tomorrow if he’s not more peppy.
He’s only 6.5 years. He’s my best friend and I can’t lose him.

Georgie got another glow-up! (Although he’s not happy about it!) His last one was shortly after we got him in June. He l...
12/21/2025

Georgie got another glow-up! (Although he’s not happy about it!) His last one was shortly after we got him in June. He looked more like a tiny sheep than a mountain goat then. That was a full groom, which helped us to learn about his dilute coat, alopecia, and vasculitis - all from overbreeding in the puppy mill.
We’re countering the vasculitis with meds, but I think it will be a lifelong challenge for him. His demeanor is so sweet, but he lives with a bully (Ringo is possessive of us), and I worry he’s stressed a lot. That said, when he and Ringo are alone or at , they get along beautifully!
We’re going to the vet around the first of the year to talk about the vasculitis. But in the meantime, his curious (Curious George) personality p*eks out, and given a chance, he’s the biggest cuddle bug I’ve ever met. We love our little Georgie. Cheers to 6 mos out of the puppy mill/hoarding hell and on to growing stronger and more curious every day. ❤️
Thanks to our mobile groomer, , for always taking such good care of our little guy.

George saw his reflection for the first time. He stood there for about 3 minutes, just staring. I’d love to know what he...
10/16/2025

George saw his reflection for the first time. He stood there for about 3 minutes, just staring. I’d love to know what he was thinking!

Yesterday (Aug 10) was Ringo’s 6th birthday! I can’t believe this little boy has been in our lives for 5.5 years. He is ...
08/11/2025

Yesterday (Aug 10) was Ringo’s 6th birthday! I can’t believe this little boy has been in our lives for 5.5 years. He is my best friend, my confidant, a source of frustration and of comfort. In his 6 years, he has lived in 4 states, gotten drunk, broken a femur, and climbed new heights to reach chocolate chip cookies. He has led us on merry chases around the neighborhood and positively refused to be potty trained. He is our guard dog and in-home security. We have watched him gray over the last two years and that makes us cherish every moment with him. We have done everything wrong with him and still, we love him unequivocally.
Happy birthday Ringo Starr!

This is the face of a dog who has a full basket of chew toys at the entrance to his underbed cave. (Who needs a crate wh...
08/09/2025

This is the face of a dog who has a full basket of chew toys at the entrance to his underbed cave. (Who needs a crate when there is the entire under bed area?)
This is also the face of a dog who somehow managed to jump on a small, covered vanity stool and somehow managed to get on the bathroom counter, and then somehow get down with his mom’s expensive new eyeliner in his possession.
Thank goodness I have covers on the furniture because it looked like a box of “oyster blue” crayons exploded!
His fur is coming back in randomly - in scattered places on his chest and on his elbows.
He’s so lucky he’s adorable. 😘🤣🤣

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Bella Vista, AR

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