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mrsmcd7

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Posts posted by mrsmcd7

    (Starz Lee) Max Acting Strangely Again

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    No smurfette that's not crazy. I'm more of a traditional medicine person since I'm an RN but I don't totally discount homeopathy.

     

    Max's T4 is less than 0.50 so they're running a panel. Anyone with a hypothyroid hound? I know that can be normal for a lot of hounds but I'm wondering what symptoms your hypothyroid hounds have displayed, especially neurologically.

    (Starz Lee) Max Acting Strangely Again

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by mrsmcd7

    You mention a possible swallowing problem. Is he eating and drinking ok?

    Yes he is, but in the last year or so he gags occasionally nothing severe.

    Some thoughts:

     

    Can he raise and lower his head easily and without pain yips? Neck issue. When exactly is he yipping?

    Yes he can. The yipping is occasionally while laying down he yips and jumps up.

    Does he get up and down easily from his bed? Neck and/or back

    He never has gotten on and off furniture. He stopped going up our large flight of stairs after he got a neck strain last year. He's done the stairs once or twice with no problem since then but prefers our downstairs. We think he pulled the neck on the stairs possibly causing a fear/aversion.

     

    Does he pant *super* hard for an extended period of time after walking or exercise? Does he seem to be hot? Have you taken his temperature? Does he seem to gag more when eating and drinking? Could be laryngeal paralysis.

    He does not pant too much after exercising unless its hot out. He gags occasionally after eating.

     

    Does he wander at night, or seem *more* agitated after the sun goes down? Does he seem to forget what he's doing? Does he act anxious in general? May be the beginning of dementia or sundowner's syndrome.

    He did seem like that last night which is why I took him to ER vet.

     

    Is he eating and drinking normal amounts or has he become a "picky eater?" Kidney and/or liver issues can cause nausea and make them not want to eat.

    I would say normal for him which is some days he's hungrier than others.

     

    Have you tried restricting his access to the backyard and only let him out with supervision? Let him do his business and immediately call him back inside (reward with a yummy treat so it's not a punishment)??

    No but I think I'll try that! I responded inline to your other questions. Thank you!

    What about rheumatic issues? Sometimes the cold lessens the pain in the joints.

    Yes I'm starting to lean toward that reasoning. His tramadol and gabapentin seem to have really helped now that he's had 3 doses of each. Took him on an easy 1 mile walk and he seemed fine. Let him sniff a lot more times than usual. He's getting old. Sniff.

    Possibly something behavioural like an early onset dementia, and the yips may be more to do with worry?

     

    I'm remembering now we once had an old cat (17) with slowly failing kidneys and dementia and she would go out and sleep under the hedge in the rain too. Fur started coming out. We tested for Vitamin K.

    This is a possibility too. He seems better during the day than late afternoon/evening. I'll see if he acts weird again tonight.

    His labs came back normal except possible low thyroid. She didn't tell me the number but she said she's aware greys run a lower T4, she's sending a thyroid panel next.

    Thanks everyone for your help. Do you give your dog glucosamine-chondroitin or other joint supplements? I was thinking of starting something for Max

    (Starz Lee) Max Acting Strangely Again

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I was out of town over the weekend by my DH and teenaged son were home. 9 year old hound started going outside and not coming in despite cold and rain. He would just lay In the grass. Seemed OK Monday and Tuesday if a little off. Yesterday again constantly going out, occasional yips. Laying in rain. Took him to vet who could find nothing wrong. (Last year he had a probable neck strain or disc issue and did steroid taper and pain meds for 5 weeks and recovered though still refuses to go upstairs). Waiting on senior panel and other blood and urine tests. I'm a people nurse and my instinct is diabetes or a swallowing problem but who knows. Any thoughts? Giving him his old GABA and tramadol that I have on hand and vet said ok since we don't know what's bothering him. It has calmed him. Could he be having more neck or joint issues? Same time of year as last year when he starts walking a little further due to better weather here in Chi-town. Thanks!

    Neck Strain?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Just thought I'd give an update. Continued to rest him for a total of 4-5 weeks. Not crate rest but he's lazy in the house. Made a world of difference. Finished steroid taper and required no more than 2 weeks of the pain meds. Has been fine ever since. I gradually increased hm to walking one mile a day. Afraid to do more than that and he seems happy with that amount. Thanks everyone!!

    Neck Strain?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by mrsmcd7

    So he was treated w IV fentanyl. When they stopped it he was in more pain so they started on gabapentin, tramadol, and steroids. He came home Tuesday afternoon and has been doing much better. On strict rest. He lost 8# since November but now appetite increasing again. While there, he cut himself on their crate necessitating staples so he's also on antibiotics to prevent infection. All in all doing well!! Sorry I didn't post earlier, it's been crazy here!!!!!

    Also she said mri would be $3000, wouldn't change what they're doing much. Neuro thinks either disc or spinal tumor. Spinal tumor would be non-operative and disc may be operative but apparently it's like humans---frequently can heal w conservative treatment.

    Neck Strain?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Have him home now and they gave him hydromorphone to make him more comfortable and still for the X-rays. Now he acts quite drunk. He really has me worried.

    Have him home now and they gave him hydromorphone to make him more comfortable and still for the X-rays. Now he acts quite drunk. He really has me worried.

    Neck Strain?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    He's never been walked on a regular leash, always a harness. He has always had raised bowls. Got much worse today, was walking in circles only to the left and panting and shaking. went back to vet . X-rays shows nothing. Now has fentanyl patch. Sees neuro tomorrow. I'm stressed bc don't know if I can afford mri which I'm guessing they'll want. Spent $950 today and $250 yesterday. Does anyone know what an mri costs in Chicago burbs?

    Also the muscle relaxer, NSAIDs, and tramadol didn't make any difference at all.

    Neck Strain?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    My 8 year old grey started limping and whining 1.5 w ago and I gave him tramadol as needed and rested him. He was favoring his right foreleg. He got worse so I took him to vet Saturday. Vet thinks neck strain or cervical disc. No painful areas in leg he's favoring when vet manipulated it. He determined the neck is the issue bc of posture and he resisted having neck manipulated up and to the right. He said its most likely a strain. Now he only turns neck to left, limping worse. Vet said to give him nsaid and muscle relaxant this week and tramadol for breakthrough pain. He hasn't improved since Saturday but vet did manipulate him which could have aggravated the pain? Anyone else have experience with healing time for neck strain? I REALLY hope it's not a disc.

    Thanks,

    Kathy

    Help! Night Barking In 6 Year Old Greyhound

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Interesting! I did "bark it out" method, like I did with my kids. It took 2 nights and now he's fine. He even starts ib there after we open it in the morning. He's always been especially lazy in the morning.

    Doc's doctor: yes, it was definitely him "trying it on", I believe. I think I will get him jammies anyway, just to be sure he's not cold. Where did you get yours? Thanks!

    Aimeebee. We tried seeing up 5 different needs in our room. He's an attention seeker, lol. He shakes the bed because he wants to play at am.

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