LaFlaca
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Posts posted by LaFlaca
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Vet took her temp on Thursday. I don't have a have any thing to take temp with. I only gave her the gabepentin once today. Will talk to vet on Monday if she is in. She does not do well on a lot of medications, really don't know what to do with her. Still not eating well.
You can use any digital, rectal thermometer lubricated with Vaseline or KY jelly.. After the incident with Wendy, I immediately got one exclusively for her use. Normal temps. run from about 100 F to 101 F. Some sites say 99 F to 101.2 F. Ask your vet. Wendy was at 106 F when we arrived at the EV. Her internal organs were starting to marinate. If I had known how to take her temp. earlier on we would have avoided it getting so high. Never again.
The lack of appetite is very distressing. They'll eat one meal and then spend two days barely eating at all. Have you tried bone broth? Cook meaty bones (turkey necks, chicken feet, beef neck bones, etc.) with water and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar low and slow (in a slow cooker if you have one) for 24 hours. Feed the meat, NOT THE BONES, and the broth with or without her regular food.
Why the gabapentin only once today? Are you afraid of overmedicating, like I was? I have to tell you that I hesitated given my girl the gabapentin (I detest drugs!) until I realized how much better she does with the gaba on board.
My heart goes out to you and Snow. I just went through a very similar nightmare of indecision and the fear and pain of watching our beloved hound doing poorly. Praying for a breakthrough. Please keep us in the loop. We really do care and empathize.
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She does not act like she is in pain. I knew when my other two were in pain. She is just mush. Three months ago she was doing one hour walks. She is due for yearly blood work next month. Maybe her protein loosing neuropathy is getting the best of her now. I really don't feel these meds are helping her. And she is a horrible pill taker.
Poor baby! By any chance, have you taken her temperature? Wendy was "mush" for a couple of days before she got really sick. Turns out she had a fever.
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The outbreak in Miami is so widespread that my vet's office has put big STOP signs on the doors warning anyone who is bringing in an animal with respiratory issues to ring the intercom bell and wait outside. A staff member then comes out and lets you in through a side door that is always kept locked. You and your dog are then placed in a separate little waiting room away from other pets and their humans. This current outbreak is no joke. I feel like putting a mask on my pup every time we go out.
Be careful out there. -
No now she is really not eating well. Maybe I should just stop all meds and let nature take its course. At least she ate before.
Oh, kar! I've just been through a similar situation so I know how frantic and disheartened you must be. It's so hard to know what is the right thing to do. My suggestion is to go to the vet right away and have your girl assessed. That way you can make an informed decision. It could be she's not eating because she's in pain and needs her meds upped or a different "cocktail" of drugs. Don't be shy about advocating for your dog. Respectfully offer the vet literature or links to Greyhound health sites. My vet, God bless her, will actually go online right then and there to see if there is any "Greyhound weird stuff", as she calls it, to help her treat Wendy. Sending healing thoughts and gentle hugs. Peace to you and scritches for Snow.
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My nearly 11 y. o. boy has no interest in going for a walk. We walk a couple of houses in each direction and he's had enough.
Maybe just getting your girl out to potty and go back home. Let the meds kick in and start working. Then try walking a bit longer.
My 11 year old girl has never been an avid walker, even when we got her at 2 years old. We go walkies in the evening because she can not handle the Miami heat. She has her regular route which encompasses half of our block westbound, cross the street, go about another half block eastbound, reading all the p-mails as she goes, pee 5-6 times, one giant poop, then cross the street again and head west towards home. Follow me into the kitchen for a cookie. I've never timed it but it's probably a 10-15 minute routine which hasn't varied in 9 years! I love my little weirdo.
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Did any ones grey ever get loose stools from gabepentin. I came home to an accident.
Wendy had diarrhea at first and, for the past few days, loose stools but I blamed it on the antibiotics she had been taking. If it continues, I'll discuss it with the vet next Saturday at her follow up appointment and let you know. Hope your precious girl is improving otherwise.
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I appreciate the thoughts and suggestions about her being returned but I would rather work with her instead of dumping her.
Please don't think that you are "dumping" your girl. Rehoming her, if it comes to that, would be an act of love both for Paris and Fancy to keep them both safe and happy. I am praying for a good resolution to this dreadful situation.
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And Don killed DaVid. For no reason.
So very sorry...how awful. However, IMHO, there's always a reason, we humans may just never be able to figure it out.
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How awful! Best wishes for healing for Fancy. Maybe Paris would be happier with another family as an only-dog.
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You'll do fine! Snow will do fine! Good job, both of you.
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Look up lumbosacral stenosis in dogs. Also, see here: http://www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/cauda_equina.htm
Fabulous resource...thank you! This certainly sounds like what's going on.
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LSS
Lumbosacral Stenosis?
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Borrowing from kar's recent thread "Splaying of Back Legs", what are the possible causes of back-end issues in Greyhounds? My 11 year old Wendy has begun to have back-end symptoms:
1) Occasional shaking of hind legs, most often the right leg.
2) Occasionally seems as though hind legs are about to splay. So far, she's been able to self-correct.
3) Difficulty rising from prone position, as if her hips are very heavy.
4) Slight difficulty going up stairs, again as if her bum is too heavy. I can relate to this!
5) Pain, not sure from what part of her body. 200 mg. of Gabapentin daily is working great, so far.
She has an appointment with the vet next Saturday following up on her recent near-death, mysterious high fever experience and I'd like to be ready to address the back-end symptoms intelligently.
Any input would be most appreciated.
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Hey LaFlaca Love the sound of chicken hearts. What a great idea. Off to the supermarket tomorrow!!
Glad I could help! I'll be shopping for hearts today, as well. Hope your Schnookie is doing well. Best name ever!
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I meant 2 100 mg.. bottle states twice a day. That would be 400 mg is that a lot? And what is the spacing?
Twice a day would be every 12 hours. My Wendy gets hers at 6 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. with breakfast and dinner.
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I'm so grateful for all of these great tips. Here's another one I just learned; boil chicken hearts in water until tender. Let cool and stuff pill/capsule into the center of the heart (apparently there's a natural opening). Use left-over broth to moisten kibble.
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It's really simple:
4 parts flour
2 parts peanut butter
2 parts milk
But you can use any kind of flour, any kind or nut butter or canned food, and any kind of wetness - milk, water, broth, etc. If you changemthemungredients though you'll need to experiment a little to get the proportions right so it's not too dry or too wet to form a nice covering.
Many thanks!
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I make home-made pill pocket dough out of peanut butter for her.
Would you mind sharing the recipe?
I did ask our vet if repeatedly shoving this down her throat would hurt her, and the vet said no. They can swallow something much bigger on their own, and as long as you don't scrape the throat with your nails, or otherwise hurt them, a dog should be fine. The pill pocket dough really helps it go down, as it sort of gets wet and slippery once you put it in! I use it for the huge Trifexis pill for the other two, as well.I'm so glad you shared this! I was wondering how big of a pill they could swallow.
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I'm so sorry that you and your girl are going though this. My 11 year old girl is starting to display back end weakness and shaky legs. When she gets up it seems as though her back end is too heavy...poor baby. She's on 200 mg of gabapentin daily and will see the vet for a follow up next week. She also seems a little "down" mood-wise. I'm hoping that will pass as her body becomes used to the medication. I wish you both all the best. I know how very difficult this can be.
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The less fussing the better. Please remember she is not a vengeful toddler. She won't suddenly dislike you if you have to give her pills. That's one of the MOST AWESOME things about dogs!
I got with the direct approach. Open the gob, toss the pill in, smooth throat. Never fails.
I agree...I don't make a fuss. It's all very matter of fact. Open, shove, massage. I do worry she'll start to avoid me whenever I approach her thinking it's pill time. Can you say anthropomorphize?
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It looks like Wendy will need to take medication (capsules) twice a day from now on. So far, she has been very docile and has allowed me to easily push the capsule into her throat. I really dislike being the one to cause her discomfort for fear that it will negatively affect our relationship. Hiding the medication in food rarely works more than once; she catches on very quickly!
How do you pill your Grey? Have you used a pill-pushing syringe? Any tips are welcome. -
What a heartbreaking time for you. I'm so very sorry for the loss of dear Lou and the horror of having to make this final, loving decision. You did the right thing.
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Glad to hear that she is improving. Amen !!!!!!!!!!!Amen halleluiah!! She's almost back to normal.
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Wendy has been taking Greyhound Gang's glucosamine and chondroitin since she came home to us almost 10 years ago. I figured an athlete, even a not-so-great one like Wendy, took enough hits to benefit from supplementation. I've recently added Greyhound Gang's MSM and Vitamin C since she has developed a bit of arthritis in her elbow. She takes gabapentin for pain. Have the supplements helped her, over the years avoid a worse case of arthritis? There's probably no way to know. Her vet is on board with it and it can't hurt.
I tried the Springtime products but she appeared not to like the flavor.
Be careful out there.
Glad to hear that she is improving. Amen !!!!!!!!!!!
Splaying Of Back Legs
in Food and dietary discussion
Posted
It would be unusual for the gabapentin to affect her appetite negatively. My feeling is that she's not eating because she's in pain. If you think her tummy might be upset, ask the vet for Famotidine (which is actually Pepcid). I'm sure someone on GT can suggest the dosage for OTC Pepcid for a dog of Snow's weight in the meanwhile.