Rickiesmom

I like Trupanion. They are expensive, to be sure, although you can control that somewhat by adjusting your deductible. They have unfailingly done what they say in the contract they will do, and generally process claims quite quickly. My regular clinic can submit a claim and Trupanion reviews it on the spot, pays them their part of the bill, and I pay the difference. No waiting for reimbursement. Any time I've called them for any reason, they've been very pleasant to deal with. As with all insurance, rates depend on many factors, including where you live. I live in a very large metropolitan area, and vet care is very expensive. So are the premiums. Makes sense to me.

Happy Birthday Miss M No virus and no rain can ruin your special day! Pretty good caterer for the party too!

OK, someone needs to dust of Skeletor - she or he (it's a bit hard to tell) can certainly outdo a St Bernard!

Although I never met Trolley, my heart sank when I saw this thread. Sending heartfelt condolences to all who were close to her, and are missing her deeply now.

Raineysmom, Vonnie was on amantadine for over a month before it began to bother her. I still don't know why, but she threw up 3 mornings out of five one week. There was no change in her diet or meds. I took her off it and there has been no vomiting since. On the weekend just past, I decided to try the amantadine again as she needs a boost in pain meds - it had been several weeks since the vomiting episodes. First day was fine, second day she threw up. We are therefore done with amantadine. FWIW I gave it to her immediately after breakfast, wrapped in wet food, kind of like dessert : ) Rimadyl is indeed an NSAID. From what I understand, amantadine is most effective when used with an NSAID, so I hope your Larry can stay on it.

Thanks. The issue isn't her tummy but her kidneys. We have a recheck with the IM vet on Thursday and I will ask about Galliprant, and options in general. The weather here is pretty messy right now, so it isn't easy for me to tell whether / how much the boost in Gabapentin is helping.

Thank you all. I had thought it was Galliprant, then decided I must be mistaken since it was an NSAID. However, based on your comments Greysmom, I will ask about it next time we see her vet.

Vonnie, who is 11, is unable to take NSAIDs. She has some tendon issues and is currently on Gabapentin, and until recently also Amantadine. We've had to stop the Amantadine because it started to make her vomit, even though she was getting it with a meal. I am almost certain there has been discussion here of at least one other pain relief medication that is not an NSAID, but I can't remember the name. If anyone has had a successful experience with such a drug, please share your it here. Thank you so much for your help.

I also had a hound with IMHA on a high dose of Pred. We had frequent rechecks, and the internal med vet looking after him ended up reducing his dose a little and also accelerated the step-down timeline as much as he safely could as a result. Every case is different but in Jeff's case there were no negative health consequences from those changes. He lost muscle mass and weight - truly was pretty much skin and bones. I put a light coat on him when we went out in part for his comfort, and in part because I was afraid someone would report me to Animal Control for cruelty. He gradually returned to good condition as the dose tapered slowly down, and the disease came under control. All of which is a long way to say, if you haven't already, perhaps talk to Max's vet about changing the dose. Why is Max on Pred?

If you decide to go the amputation route, the Tripawds website has useful forums and reasonably priced guides. I bought Three Legs and a Spare before our first amp and it was incredibly helpful, including advice on how to prepare for those first days after your dog returns home. The books can be downloaded. No affiliation, just passing along a resource that I found useful.

Glad it all went well Cletus, and you were able to advance Preston's knowledge and appreciation of Chikkens!

What a handsome fellow! Love the big boys. Welcome home Ned, and congratulations to your family!

" . . . our bossy, foot-stomping, whining, talking broodie. " She sounds absolutely, perfectly, totally delightful, coat or no coat. Happy Gotcha Day Petunia, no doubt extra treats all 'round today!

Safe to say, you cannot possibly post enough pictures of this bunch and their mama!