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MerlinsMum

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Posts posted by MerlinsMum

    I'm Afraid Something's Not Right With Lydia

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    You know how you can be so finely atuned with your dog that you are sensitive---probably TOO sensitive---to every little nuance? That's what I'm feeling today.

     

    I know exactly how that feels (in fact I am feeling it today with Merlin, who isn't even 8 yet, but has a lot of medical issues.) And I totally understand the anxiety. I hope that the vet was able to fit you in. Thinking of you and Lydia, I hope she is just having an "off" day.

     

    Sending lots of hugs :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

    Cash

    in Remembrance

    Posted · Edited by MerlinsMum

    I am so terribly sorry that you and Cash had to be parted :cry1 I just read your beautiful, heart-wrenching tribute and I am in floods of tears. Clearly he was a very special person, a sweet and true friend who will be impossible to forget and who will hold a special place in your heart forever.

     

    :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

     

    Rest well, Cash. :gh_run2:heart

    Belly Trouble With Dustin - Need Advice

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by MerlinsMum

    Oh, Robin, I'm so sorry to read that Dustin vomited again today :cry1 How worrying for you. At this point, since he is not holding anything down, I would take the vet's advice and fast him. His system is clearly rejecting food at this time. If he doesn't have a gurgly tummy, then that's one less thing for you to worry about (I know how scary it is to fast a dog with IBD and worry about that loud gurgling and the discomfort and anxiety that accompanies it)

     

    Did the vet recommend continuing with Sucralfate and Metronidazole even without food being administered?

     

    I am sorry your vet couldn't see you today. I have Dustin tucked in my thoughts, please keep us posted :goodluck:bighug

    Confused And Concerned - Merlin's Platelets

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Thanks, I'll ask about a manual count :thumbs-up

     

    Merlin is not on fish oil. Used to be years ago, but not anymore.

     

    I made an appointment for next Wednesday, so I guess I'll update then... very relieved that I don't need to worry though. It's bad enough getting him to eat, I feel constantly deflated where his health is concerned. Every day is a struggle not to worry about him. :(

    Confused And Concerned - Merlin's Platelets

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    So I am rather confused and would really appreciate getting other people's input.

     

    Last month I took Merlin to the vet for his annual Lyme/Erlichia/Anaplasmosis and HW test. The test was negative across the board. We got back home at 3.30pm and I left to go back to work. At 5pm DH and I returned to find Merlin standing at the door holding his leg up (same leg where blood was drawn). His leg seemed extremely painful to the touch, he screamed and cried if I even touched it very lightly. Upon closer inspection, it was obvious that there was not just a swelling on the upper part of his leg, but subcutaneous bleeding. He had a sac of fluid just hanging there and was unable to bear any weight on the leg. I called the vet right away and made an appointment for the next morning, and was told to give him some Deramaxx. The meds helped with the pain, and by the next day when I took him in part of the fluid had been reabsorbed by his body, but his leg started to swell up further down, at the joint (no fluid but actual swelling).

     

    The vet took another blood test and declared that his platelets were low and suspected a tick-borne diseases despite the test being negative, so she put him on Doxy. We were there from 1.30 to 4pm and it was hot, the A/C wasn't working well, so both dog were fed up and I was distracted. As a result, I didn't check the platelet levels with her. It was only several days later that I looked at my copy of his test results and and noticed that his platelets were within normal range for a greyhound (141k). So then I started to worry that he was on Doxy unnecessarily, etc. but I know that my vet is grey-savvy so I figured there must have been a reason why she put him on Doxy anyway. I called my vet yesterday and asked her how his platelets compared to previous levels over the past year or so. I just heard back with this information:

     

    July 14, 2010: 232k

    April 8, 2011: 239k

    May 23, 2012: 191k

    June 12, 2012: 141k

     

    That's quite a substantial drop sad-smileys-emoticons266.gif (it also tells me that my vet was right to put him on Doxy.) I am going there this afternoon to pick up some more I/D for him and I will make another appointment to have his blood drawn. I hope the platelets have gone up. I guess that if it was a tick-borne disease and he's been on Doxy, they should be higher...?

     

    I was supposed to go back after a week to have his blood drawn again. I didn't for a number of reasons - including the initial concerns I mentioned above. She had mentioned that if the Doxy didn't help we would need to consider putting him on Prednisone and doing more tests.

     

    Does anyone have any idea of what could be going on? When Merlin was attacked he developed bruising almost immediately, which the emergency vet was concerned about as it can be a symptom of hemangiosarcoma. The bruising coupled with this sudden weird bleeding worries me. He has been fine since his last visit (he's nearly finished his course of Doxy), but I don't know what's going on and I'm worried.

    Ekko, July 4 1997-June 28Th 2012

    in Remembrance

    Posted

    I read about this on Facebook and I am so, so, so sorry, Claudia :cry1 :cry1 Ekko was such a character, I have lost count of the laughs I've had reading about her and her antics (especially with toilet paper)... she will be so missed. Your heart must be grieving so much right now, what a huge hole she leaves behind.

     

    Keeping you in my thoughts :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug I am so very happy you found each other and that she ended up in the life that she deserved.

     

    Rest well, Ekko...

    What Garbage Kibble Should I Buy?

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted · Edited by MerlinsMum

    I used to be all about the best ingredients and expensive food. And when we adopted him Sagan used to eat a really expensive food mixed in with a little Iams (large breed chunks) and didn't do well on it the most expensive food once we tried to wean him off the Iams. In the end we gav eup and just fed him Iams. He got an upset stomach on the Iams mini chunks for some reason, one time when I bought the wrong kind by mistake, but he's always done so, so well on the Large Breed chunks. That's when I decided that I would never again be a food snob :P:lol His poops are amazing. Every single time. :colgate AND it's cheap and easy to find everywhere, which is refreshing since buying Merlin's I/D every 2 weeks or so is expensive and inconvenient (my vet office is not around the corner from me.)

     

    PS the title of the thread made me :rofl "Garbage kibble"! love it :lol

    Nadia, Duchess Of Blackwood, May 11, 1999 - June 4, 2012

    in Remembrance

    Posted

    Mostly, I am at peace, but there are times when I can feel the shards of my heart rattling around in the hole she has left behind.

     

    Nadia, my beautiful duchess, I will miss you forever.

     

    Dad

     

    :weep :weep :cry1 :cry1 Can't even see through the tears to type properly. I am so terribly sorry, Marc, with all of my heart I am sorry. She leaves such an impossibly large, tremendously deep, perfectly heart-shaped hole in this forum - impossible to quantify. I will miss her so much. I can barely even take in that the beautiful, wise, proud Duchess of Blackwood is no more. It just doesn't compute. But she will remain in our hearts forever.

     

    :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

     

    Rest in peace, Nadia, thank you for sharing your beautiful self with us all :gh_run2

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