NeylasMom
-
Posts
7,849 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Store
Articles
Everything posted by NeylasMom
-
I'm so so sorry Lori. My heart is breaking for you guys. He is clearly so loved and lucky to have you guys. We're about the same over here. The massage definitely helped and the diligence with the toe wound is paying off. I almost skipped his morning soak, but decided to do it to be safe. Even after soaking the wound is pretty dried up so that's good. I'm not letting up though. Once accidental nail rubbing or licking episode and I know we could back to square one. So it's just the question of the leg and the Zoledronate. Trying not to think too much about it for now. I really wish x-rays were possible without the likelihood of increasing his pain. Still manage plenty of time to berate myself daily for delaying the Zoledronate though. Going to be a lot of what ifs if we don't bounce back from this. Lori, what time is your appt tomorrow? And where do you live (what time zone)?
-
ETA: I had to switch over to the full site (on my phone, mobile app doesn't show siggies) to see Crouton. Just like people, not what I thought she would look like. I think I expected Crouton to be fawn. But she's a beauty.
-
No idea on the warmth. I thought I noticed some at one point and then decided it was my imagination. Can I just say, what I wouldn't give to be able to give Zuri his meds now and just roll into bed and sleep until I woke up. I had big plans to watch the last episodes of Game of Thrones and drink lots of wine and just have a mindless sort of fun evening, and instead I can barely keep my eyes open. The girls have been fully pottied and medicated so I am just waiting to potty and medicate him at midnight. Of course once I do that I'm sure I'll be awake. Seriously, not complaining really, I'm so grateful he's here and I would make any sacrifices I could to keep it that way, but man am I tired. Doing this alone really sucks sometimes. Tomorrow is my day off though so hopefully I can get a good nap in.
-
I'm so sorry Lori (it is Lori, right?) I really hope you're able to turn things around. Thanks for checking in on Zuri. We are doing as well as we can be I suppose. No sudden shocking improvements, but he's a tiny bit better than he was yesterday and yesterday he was a tiny bit better than the day before. So I'm at least a bit more comfortable with this as a brief holding pattern until we see if the Zoledronate works and maybe a *tiny* bit more hopeful that it will. Miniscule may be a better word. He had his massage today too so that should help. And we are making good progress on his toe. I literally worked from home yesterday solely to be able to do wound care taking. Its quite the process between soaking, then needing to keep him from licking while his foot dries, then once the foot is dry I do the bandage with the strip of cotton filled gauze running between his toes that goes on to keep the nail from rubbing and I apply the Trypzyme gel to the wound and then I let that soak in for a while and sry and only then can I put the sock on. But since I stayed home, I was able to leave it sockless for much longer and just let it get air and dry out. So it's about half its original size. I didn't have time to soak it this morning, but they cold lasered it while we were in for his massage and I will soak and treat later tonight. Far too much info I'm sure. Anyway, point being, we're hanging in there and holding out until Tuesday. By then the hemp stuff will be here too so I can try that if I want. Zuri's physical therapist told me she had a client that used a product from CannaPet who was able to take her dog off NSAIDs after starting the hemp product. This was a lab with arthritis. Crouton update?
-
It sure is! I have taken Simply Sleep the last 3 nights and that has helped a bit. Doesn't help me to get to sleep so I still sometimes lay awake for quite some time worrying or doing some sort of often overkill internet research (last night's Canna Companion order was placed at 1:37 am ), but once asleep I am sleeping more deeply until Zuri's med alarm goes off. But my IBS is a mess from the stress. I already take l-theanine for anxiety and when Zuri was diagnosed doubled my dose. I am planning to try triple (the max dose) today just to get me through this rough patch. But I have learned that my stress and anxiety is directly related to how Zuri is feeling so I keep telling myself this is temporary. I'm glad I could be of help in any way to either of you. And Roux, it makes me really happy to hear that you were able to take what was recommended in your thread and go to your vet and see some improvement as a result.
-
Yes, that all makes sense and echos everything I'm feeling. My mom asked today about an x-ray, but right now I'm in the same boat. The ortho we see is very good about being gentle when taking x-rays, but there is always a bit of discomfort afterward. If this isn't his tumor progressing, that would be the worst thing we could do. I am thinking it will be apparent either way within a few days and if not, we'll consider the x-ray more seriously. It's funny, my biggest fear since we got on track with the Zoledronate has been that something stupid would happen that would mean I'd have to let him go sooner than expected. Which is why the toe has been freaking me out. I guess maybe it's a control thing. A reality check that just when you think you have things managed and under control something bad happens. But that's the reality of this disease - it's unpredictable. Regardless of the outcome with Cecil, I hope you don't blame yourself for this. I've said all along if we can't let them do the things they enjoy, it's not worth it. Perhaps you could have been even more careful. You could have kept him in a crate or pen anytime he wasn't leashed and under supervision, but what kind of life would that be long term? Of course, this is easier for me to say. If this whole debacle is because I waited too long on the Zoledronate when I had a choice to do it sooner, I will have a hard time forgiving myself. Waiting past 4 weeks was okay. But whether to do it at 5 or wait one more week I really waffled, and because of the timing of when he started to seem like he needed it I knew we were pushing it but I thought, well at least we'll know moving forward. But I didn't think we'd end up here.
-
Oh right, I totally missed that that's what it was, I think because the initials didn't make it obvious. I wasn't aware you could buy straight oil form either. Do you mind sharing which product you're using? I ordered the Canna Companion capsules but they are $$$. I totally get where you are coming from with the injury. I'm in the same place. If this is just a set back because he slipped on the stairs or something odd happened during his treatment and we just need a few more days to get back to normal, great, but if his tumor is progressing and suddenly seemingly more quickly I don't want to prolong things. Thankfully he seems a lot more comfortable today, though certainly my not where I'd go back down on the meds. Its such a freaking guessing game. Do you think there's any chance when he fell he did get a hairline fracture? They can sometimes be hard to see on x-ray. Really hope that isn't the case. Or that he tweaked something else, like his neck? Is the pain obviously coming from his leg? Of it were something like his neck, a muscle relaxer might help. Zuri does take 500 mg Robaxin every 12 hours. He's been on that for a while for his LS because his muscles get so tight. I wasn't sure it was doing anything until he missed a dose. I actually talked to the vet about going to every 8 hours but it's one that is processed through the kidneys so she said she "wouldn't be excited about it". ETA: Thank you both for checking in regularly and sharing what's going on. I'm hesitant to talk too much about the details of all of this with most people. It's nice to have people who "get it" to talk with. And I'm really rooting for both Cecil and Crouton.
-
Here are a couple of videos of Zuri. This is at the cabin a few weeks ago before his Zoledronate wore off. This is at the end of the weekend on pretty uneven rocky ground so the limp is a bit more noticeable: And this is a typical day with the Zoledronate on board:
-
So sorry Cecil is having a tough time. Zuri's allowed to go up to 150 mg Tramadol every 6 hours (we're doing every 8). He weighs 70 lbs for reference. Fentanyl or Tylenol would both be options to add in. There's also something called Amantadine. Not supposed to do much on its own to relieve pain but supposedly enhances pain relieving properties of other meds, including NSAIDs. We actually filled a scrip for it to have on hand, but haven't tried it. At this point I'm hesitant to add new things because of the unknown, both with side effects and kidney stuff. But I believe others on here have used it with success. There's one other option. I just ordered marijuana pills. Okay, it's not really marijuana, it's a supplement made using the cannabinoid from hemp. There is minimal THC so they don't get high. There's a thread on this forum about it if you want to check it out. I decided a while ago that I was willing to try it as a last ditch sort of thing so provided things don't get worse before, I am giving the Zoledronate until Tuesday since it took a full week to start the work the first time around and if it doesn't seem to be working, I will try the pot. Roux, Zuri's tumor is in his left humerus (shoulder), which is where Neyla's also was. For some reason I think that's where Cecil's is too, but I might be wrong? And yes, Zuri is and has always been weight bearing. Because of his LS I don't think he really can 3 leg it, which I think is what has made pain management tougher for us at times (especially because I'm in a 3rd floor condo so he has to do a lot of stairs). He basically has one good leg at this point. But I have a very low tolerance for what I think is acceptable in terms of discomfort with a terminal disease. So aside from these few rough days here and there he really doesn't seem bothered by his leg. I say he has a slight hiccup in his giddyup, but it's not really noticeable most of the time. What is noticeable is his muscle spasms from his gait being out of whack, which is why we're doing the massages and they really help.
-
Medical Marijuana For Dogs
NeylasMom replied to CharlieRhea's topic in Health and Medical discussion
The Treatibles are actually dog treats. Take care of the self-medication and munchies in one. -
Armadillo poo, that's a new one for me. How are Cecil and Crouton today? I had to increase Z's Tramadol again after he bounced around like a nut the day after his treatment. He's usually on 100 mg 3x/day, sometimes 125, without issue. I bumped it up to 150 and holy cow did that knock him out. But he seems to have adjusted. Funny how that works. Hoping we can go back down soon though. Still not sure what's going on - whether he is really sore from something he did or if his tumor has gotten worse, but the meds are doing their job now. He also has his massage tomorrow so that should help. In the meantime, I've gone back to Epsom salt soaks for the toe as those seem to help the most. I haven't tried aloe, but after trying a bunch of stuff, I've settled on Trypzyme, which apparently isn't made anymore, but I have an old bottle. It's a thick gel that supposedly promotes granulation and has anti-bacterial properties. It has done the best job thus far of drying out the wound and making it smaller. I also made some improvements to our bandaging method. So I am staying on top of this thing - no more set backs!
-
Coconut oil would be a less controversial choice if you're just looking to improve coat quality.
-
Another Epsom Salt Soak Question
NeylasMom replied to NeylasMom's topic in Health and Medical discussion
Thanks. I have no doubt his immune system is overtaxed for some reason related to his cancer and that's where we got the infection from, but I think now it's just because he won't leave it the f alone! At least the infection has cleared up. That was giving me nightmares about some weird strain of AB resistant bacteria that would spread to his bloodstream and kill him. -
Medical Marijuana For Dogs
NeylasMom replied to CharlieRhea's topic in Health and Medical discussion
Well I just ordered the large dog capsules from Canna Companion. I looked at the Treatibles too - they actually appealed to me a little bit more - but they are SO expensive. A bag of the large treats, which was going to last us around 3 days according to their dosing instructions was over $30 + shipping! The Canna Companion isn't inexpensive either, but at least $80 gets me a month. -
Another Epsom Salt Soak Question
NeylasMom replied to NeylasMom's topic in Health and Medical discussion
We'll be good through the night. Its what to do tomorrow when I expect/hope it will look good again, but will just be the beginning stages of healing over that would be very easily rubbed open again. Soak and let dry again, or just leave alone? -
So the soaks were working really well for Zuri. Between that, the antibiotics, and some fancy new bandaging magic on my part by Tuesday night things were looking really good. The sore was dried out and all signs of infection were gone. So yesterday I did not do soaks thinking it would be bad to wet the dry sore and for whatever reason - bandage slid and nail rubbed or Zuri licked through sock - we had an oozy sore again by last night. So I did another soak tonight and he's now passed out so the toe is getting some air. So my question is, if by tomorrow morning the sore looks good and dried out again should I still do soaks for a bit longer? It's no simple process to soak the foot, then let it stay unbandaged for a good length of time to really dry out, then apply ointment and let that dry before bandaging without him licking, but I will work from home to make it happen if I have to. My bigger concern is whether it's counterproductive to soak a wound that has just dried out, at least on the surface? We need this to be done with!
-
Don't think it's greyhounds so much, but yes, they're immune systems are taxed, which makes it more likely these things won't heal as easily. I'm pretty sure that's why we ended up with an infected toe, though I can't be certain. I think the Epsom salt soaks helped us more than anything. You might try that with a soaked washcloth. I should have done one this morning, but I will tonight.
-
So I didn't talk to the vet directly, but the receptionist asked for me and claims he just laid down on his own for the treatment. So I don't know what to think at this point. Except that I'm a total idiot for not doing the Zoledronate last week. Deep breaths, I'll keep him on the increased Tramadol for now and he gets his massage on Saturday, which should help a lot as well.
-
Petey de Foie Gras, I love it!
-
Thanks. I will try to take your advice. It's just a crappy situation thinking there are several things I could have done differently to prevent this. A few rough days here and there while we sorted out what worked for him was okay. This totally unnecessary bit though, I'm just not comfortable with. But presumably the Zoledronate is starting to take effect. He was so good when I got home yesterday. Clearly even though I was trying to limit his bounciness I didn't do enough. So he is going to get a lot of rest today and I will be more careful when he starts feeling better until I'm sure we're back to normal.
-
We had a rough evening. I upped Z's Tramadol even further so he did well through the night and is sleeping now. But he is more painful than I would like. I'm waiting for the vet to call me back to find out of they did indeed manipulate him onto the bed for treatment. If they did, then I have my confirmation that thats likely the issue and not just his tumor progressing. Very frustrated with myself for multiple reasons right now. And could this damn toe just heal please?!!
-
Springtime Stress Free Calmplex Chewables
NeylasMom replied to sarabz's topic in Food and dietary discussion
Both if it's not cost prohibitive. Collar all the time, diffusers where he spends most of his time. Usually the bedroom and living room. You may be able to back off later. Much cheaper to buy on Amazon FYI and if the puppy size is cheaper they for most greyhounds (measure to be sure). Can take up to 4 wks to work though. -
Springtime Stress Free Calmplex Chewables
NeylasMom replied to sarabz's topic in Food and dietary discussion
If you're looking for something to help with Kirby's issues when you leave, I would start with DAP and either Composure or l-theanine. There are studies backing the efficacy of all of them in reducing anxiety. -
I'm so sorry Cecil is having a hard time. It really truly sucks when things are going well and then one stupid thing causes a problem. Just try to remember that it was an accident and be kind to yourself. Unlike my case, where I stupidly decided we could go another week without treatment. Dumb dumb dumb. But lesson learned. I think I got a little overconfident. I also started to think maybe the radiation had a very delayed reaction and that's why we weren't seeing the Zoledronate wear off as quickly, but that obviously isn't the case. Oh, and thanks, Skye's lady parts are MUCH improved. Was much happier with my vet's recs over those of the other vet we had to see when she was out of town.
-
Regarding the Zoledronate time, my impression was more that the shorter time wasn't better, just that the longer time wasn't necessary or didn't offer additional benefits. Did your vet give the reasoning from those that think longer is better? Thanks for the support. I am going to ask what went on before our next appt. My regular vet's office is the same. They go straight toward restraint, but they're also very good about working with me and accommodating my requests for gentler handling. However, it's rare that I let them do anything without me present bedside I know the minute I do they'll resort to what they're used to. It happened with Skye just last week. Her lady parts are irritated. The vet immediately starts telling her to sit repeatedly and pushing on her butt. This is ridiculous because Skye, who is my mutt and is also my demo dog for training classes sits on cue every time. Like every single time. She didn't even give her a chance to respond, she wad pushing on her the minute she said it so Of course she resisted. I just jumped in and said she didn't have to do that, called Skye away, asked her to hop up into the couch, told her to lie down and then nudged her leg so she'd spread them wide open. The vet then proceeded to poke and prod down there while we talked for at least several minutes with me feeding Skye treats and absolutely NO resistance. It makes me crazy to think about how unpleasant and stressful an experience she would have had for absolutely no good reason versus the positive one she did have if I hadn't been there to intervene. And their response is "most dogs aren't like her", but if you never give them a chance to be like her, you'll get dogs that are increasingly difficult to deal with! Anyway, end rant. Glad Crouton is continuing to do well. The grass eating could be mild GI upset. I give probiotics daily and Vetriscience makes a really nice GI supplement for problem times. Its called Probiotic BD I think.