DesiRayMom

Thinking of you both today.........

Not the news we were hoping for. I'm so sorry.

Desi was 7 when I adopted him (he's 13 now). He's black. He was slow, low energy, heat intolerant then, and it has only progressed with age. He's on joint supplement & pain med......he's happy.....just happy to be in the a/c when it's hot (like Annie, above, anything over 50 is hot to him). He is how he is, and I'm happy to oblige.

& for Lizzie. Strength for you. Please keep us posted on how she's doing.

Best wishes for Lizzie.............hoping for better news.

My 13 yr old hound has had progressing rear end weakness for the past year. xrays show bony growths around/under lower spine. We've tried lots of stuff, I have finally come to accept that he will never be young again, all I can do is manage pain. He's still a happy boy, but walks are seriously shortened. Sometimes he even has trouble standing long enough to eat. Getting old is not for sissies.

Beautiful tribute for your special man. The love shines through. I'm so sorry he's gone, but what a blessing to you he was while he was here.

Handsome lad..........lovely family, great pic of you altogether!

Just my opinion, but I'm thinking you'll feel better yourself if you have your trusted vet check the wound. If she tells you all is well, it will relieve your angst, and that in itself will probably do Leo's anxiety some good.

The front part works great, but he doesn't need the handle up there. It's his rear that goes down. The Help-em-up people were great, I ordered the wrong size & they quickly replaced it. It's very well made, easy to adjust. Overall, it's a good product, except for hounds that are very sensitive around groin area. Those straps "lift" around the rear legs & put pressure around the groin, which is what he can't take. The only way I can get him up when his rear goes down is to put both hands under his "buttocks" and lift from there.

Desi has a very weak rear end......I bought him a help-em-up harness last year. It's got a bit of a learning curve, but once you've got it, it's easy to put on & so handy with 2 handles. HOWEVER, Desi is really sensitive around his groin, so when trying to "help" him up when he goes down, he screams like a little girl. He really loves to go walking to visit the neighbors, & I thought this would be perfect, but he's having none of it.

One of my biggest pet peeves......neighborhood cats using my flower beds for their personal toilette.

You've gotten excellent (and calming) advice....now I'll just welcome you to the forum. Let us know how you're doing with your new companion (and photos are appreciated).

Bless you for all you are doing for the hounds (and especially Verdasco). It is sincerely appreciated.

Hurray for good news!

Charlie was my hero. He won't be forgotten here, either.

Desi is taking Rimadyl & Gabapentin, with a couple of Tramadol thrown in on the really bad days. Plus the joint supplement and omegas and we're even trying the "new" thing......powdered elk antler velvet. He's 13-1/2. You're right......I spend way more on meds for him than I ever did for myself.

Happy Trails, Brendan..........my sincere condolences to those who are missing you so much.

Thinking of you................

Please give that handsome man some more love.......from his cyber family.

Yes......yes, we have. We know what you're going through, we know how bad it hurts. But the agony of watching him suffer is many times worse. I think our collective advice would be to hug him, kiss him, tell him what a good man he is, tell him you'll love him forever & never forget him......... and then be there with him when your vet helps ease his path on to the next path. That spirit will never leave you, only that failing body. Would that someone could do that for me when my time comes.

Spud...........I had a boy like that, too. The bane of my existence. Trouble with that boy every single day. But isn't it strange how once they are gone, there is the biggest durn hole.......and you miss him, oh how you miss him. Happy Trails, Spud. May your life in heaven be just as quirky & special as it was on this earth.

Desi had miserable nail beds for a couple of years. He actually developed bloody sores around several. We soaked, we cultured, we treated with antibiotics and then treated for fungus. Then tried treating it as a food allergy & the next year spent on food trials with little to no success. Finally, out of desperation, we tried treating it as an immune issue & he took cyclosporin. His feet were much better within a couple of weeks and by 30 days had cleared completely. He stayed on twice a week cyclosporin for over a year, then weaned back to once a week, then at that low dose, I started to forget and eventually he wasn't taking it at all. Knock on wood, those lesions have never come back. I'd continue wish your vet's recommendations for the time being, but if you get really desperate in the future, it's something to consider. Best wishes for Ken, I know from bitter experience how frustrating treating feet can be.

Desi's is "go potty." He always poos first, looks to me to tell him what a good man he is, but he needs to "go potty some more" and then comes the pee. I've had dogs all my life, but this one is the only one who's ever come close to doing it on command.