Our poor dog
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion Archive: Archive November 2005:
Our poor dog
is not doing well today. She is 13. We know she has problems with her hips. She can't jump on the bed anymore, runs like a rabbit with her two hind legs together, is slow to get up.
However today, she laid in a different place for a couple of hours and then she tried to come outside with me but laid down by the door in our sunroom. She wouldn't come back into the livingroom. She laid for a few hours in the same spot. Only wagging her tail when I tried to coax her into the main room.
About 3:30 she tried to get up and peed on herself anf the floor. Poor thing.
I carried her into the car and took her to the vet. They did an xray and ruled out any problems with her back. They gave her an injection of steriods/pain meds. I am to call the dr. tomorrow morning with how she is doing.
She usually sleeps under our bed but I set up bedding in our kitchen and leashed her to the chair. She is right next to her water bowl. (I leashed her because she tends to have accidents in the livingroom and I don't want her to finally get up in the middle of the night and have another one.)
She could also have internal problems. At this age, who knows. I'll keep you posted. She is a beloved member of this family and would hate to lose her.
 I don't know what to say. I dread going through that with my dog *when the time comes*. What is your vet saying??? Does he have any ideas?
Poor doggie. I hope she's better soon. Hugs.
Ame
A friend of mine is going thru the same things with her dog, an older lab. She has been to 3 vets and the dog has had two surgeries on each hip, all kinds of x-rays and shots. She finally had a vet tell her to try accupuncture.
She has taken her dog once and already sees results. Her dog can walk better and doesn't have such a hard time with the stairs. They are recommending accupuncture 2-3 more times. I didn't ask her the cost but I know that $$ is no object when it comes to her "baby".
Maybe you can look into that?? Good luck!!
Awww...Annie...how is she doing???
Awwww, How is she?
Annie, you need to know that steroids increase thirst and urination, and your dog may have more accidents because of the steroids. We had this problem with Scott's dog, Keyla, when we were trying to deal with the recurrance of Lyme Disease.
13 is old age for many breeds of dogs, especially the bigger breeds. I am guessing that if your dog has hip problems, she may be one of the bigger breeds.
It is always heartbreaking when our dearly beloved pet is in pain and we can't seem to solve the problem. But, sometimes the problem is not solveable, and then we are faced with the very hard choice of ending the pain or struggling to control it for a little while longer. I think the most heartbreaking thing about giving one's heart to a pet is that they don't live as long as we do, so we are faced with these decisions. I don't envy you that choice - I've been there and dealt with it all too many times. I can only tell you that I will be thinking of you and your four-legged child (our pets are very much our children in many ways), and hoping for the best.
Annie--being in a similar situation I absolutely sympathize. I hope your doggie is doing better! (((hugs)))
Thanks everyone. She is a bit better today. Ican help her get up and she can go outside for short periods of time. Today she has been laying with her head up, at least, when she is not sleeping.
We started her on a tablet from of a steroid. I am still keeping her tethered to the kitchen table on bedding with a waterproof pad underneath.
We'll watch her for the next few days. Hopefully she will continue to regain her strengh and mobility. We haven't considered any other options or treatments thus far.
Ginny, she is a golden mix and weighs about 50 lbs. She is overweight mainly do to her cortisol problem.
We are hoping for the best, but at her age we won't try anything heroic. We do want her to be happy and painfree. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for your kind words! 
As I think about it, do you think her drastic change in mobility was caused by a stroke?
Gypsy is coming around with a speedy recovery. Almost back to normal. I really thought she was on her last leg, so to speak! LOL
We'll keep up her meds and check in with the vet in the am. Thanks all for your words of support. I'll keep you posted.
Taken another turn for the worse.
She was starting to bounce back. Sunday she started having accidents because she couldn't stand up. This am she was staggering when walking. She refused food and water. She had a bloody bm movement and threw up twice.
Took her to the vet at five. They gave her fluids, antibiotics anti-nausea meds and inflammatory meds. I have to give her Pepto-Bismal twice tonight. I am to bring her back to the office at 9:00 am. And she was running a temp of 103.4 normal dog temp is 101. or so.
I'll keep you posted.
Have you in my thoughts and prayers!
Well, Gypsy is starting to perk up again. On a scale from 1 to 10 , she is probably a 4. She can get up by herself, drink standing up, stool is blood free, is more aware ie; sits up to bark at a knock on the door, has been under the bed; her special place and can stand by herself to drink water.
It's been such a rollercoaster ride these past two weeks. Hopefully she'll continue to gain her strength and her health.
Oh, I forgot to add that I took her back to the vet the next day. She had thrown up again and still had very bloody stool and temp. We are thinking that she had a bad reaction to the steroids she was taking for her bad hip. Who knows.
Thanks for listening and your prayers.
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