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greyhead

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    Easing Old Age?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by greyhead

    I have some suggestions from a neurologist we saw the other day. I'll post them when I can figure out how to paste into GT replies (which I haven't been able to do for ages). But for now: B vitamins, with B1 being the most important for cognition, and Sam-e. Those are the OTC things you can do. It sounds like you should use a prescription med, though, which would be Anipryl, if she is getting lost and stuck in corners. We're not nearly there at our house. Can your vet handle this kind of thing?

     

    ETA: It's going to take too long to straighten out my computer problems! So...

     

    B1 is thiamine, or you can use a B-complex. Vet said "Usually one vitamin pill (anywhere from 100-250 mg/day) with food is a good starting dose. This supports brain function." Omega-3 fatty acids; DHA supports cognition more than EPA does.

     

    Also: "Keeping him/her active and engaged with toys and treats is also helpful to prolong normal brain function for as long as possible."

     

    Hope this helps. But really, I'd see the vet and get Anipryl as well as supplementing vitamins.. There are things like Xanax you can try for anxiety, as well.

     

    Anipryl is also called Selegiline, just fyi.

    Pinch Collars

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Forgive me, as I know this isn't the question, but a dog who statues and lies down on walks may be a dog with a medical problem. Our vet said when the dog repeatedly stops, we should stop (and turn for home). We subsequently found several medical problems, including two TBDs, the kinds of things that don't show up in routine blood work. In short, that kind of behavior by a dog on a walk is against type and should give rise to suspicions of physical difficulty.

    Depo Medrol -- How Fast Is Improvement? 2Nd ?, Post 11

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by greyhead

    Shane has been doing much better since the shot! The neurologist says we'll know when to give him another Depo Medrol by when Shane's condition declines again. I'm aware that it doesn't repair nerves per se, but targeted decrease of inflammation is a huge help.

     

    He gave us a bunch of options for things to add, stepwise, including Sam-e and omega-3's, prednisone (no thanks), NSAIDs (probably not), amantadine -- and much more! So far I'm adding the Sam-e, which is for his brain function and may help joints. The neuro isn't sure we don't have cognitive problems too.

     

    He thinks that when we had the terrible time on Trazodone, it was because it combined with the tramadol he'd already been taking, to produce serotonin syndrome!

    Depo Medrol -- How Fast Is Improvement? 2Nd ?, Post 11

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Good idea, Jey! Fortunately, Shane does okay on 50 mg. tramadol at once; don't know if he could tolerate more at once, though. He takes it 2-3 times a day, as he does the gabapentin. The vet that gave the DM shot said to go ahead and keep him on all that, for now anyway.

     

    I just wonder if the steroid shot works so well for some dogs that nothing else is needed or if it's common to continue other pain meds. I'll probably have to go ahead and comb through the archives to get a sense of that. The vets around here mostly haven't worked with a lot of greyhounds.


    Wow, Pam, that's great about Barkley! I had no idea DM was given for that too. And thanks for the info about how easy it was to tell when the DM was wearing off!

    Not Eating/upset Stomach

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Without knowing the test values and ranges, it's hard to know what "high" means for your dog. How high was the creatinine? I can tell you from experience that a BUN in normal range doesn't mean good kidneys if the creatinine is too high. (GH's can have higher creatinine than other breeds without being pathological, but even they have limits -- which tends to vary by individual and the nature of the kidney trouble.)

     

    Did they test for any other TBD's besides Lyme?

     

    Have you done a fecal for worms? That not-eating-early happens at our house when there is a worm resurgence. And there is grass-eating and feeling punky. Poop is not necessarily abnormal in appearance.

     

    You could also have a fecal culture, to see if there's a bacterial overgrowth. (Here the poop should show some abnormal appearance.) That's what we had to do a few years back, because none of the other testing showed it. (Well, in retrospect, the cobalamin/folate test that showed intestinal malabsorption indicated probable SIBO, but my vet didn't quite get it.)

    Depo Medrol -- How Fast Is Improvement? 2Nd ?, Post 11

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Dr. Stack says 48 hours and I've found 48-72 to be true for my guys. Be aware it works great on some dogs and not on others.

     

    Thanks, Pam! We're hopeful, and he is definitely happier and feels better, but the continued stumbling is of some concern.

    Thanks, Jey. I went out and got a DAP diffuser plus their spray. I don't know if that's why, but he has been doing fine since he recovered from that spell. He's able to sleep two floors below us instead of in our room for the first time in weeks! I don't know what else there is left to try of a medicinal nature. But he's seeing a neurologist on Thursday, so we'll ask about that along with everything else.

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