Rickiesmom

Thank you, I haven't been able to see people's pictures and couldn't figure out why.

No secret. I mix about 1/4 can of Tripett (any flavour) with a scant 2c water, then add a diluted-per-directions sachet of gelatin. Sometimes I add little bits of chopped veg or apple for added texture. You could use more tripe if wanted. Since tripe stinks so much has such a compelling aroma, the advantage is that you don't have to heat the water or the tripe. Just combine everything really, really well, cover and put into the fridge. More recently I've started using a bit more more of the total water to mix with the gelatin - it makes it easier to blend everything together. The dogs are more than willing to pre-wash the main jello dish when empty, so all you have to do is swish with water and put into the dishwasher. As an aside, you can use the same approach with unsalted chicken stock, either on its own or to enrich the tripe version. If your dog needs extra collagen, you can double or triple the gelatin (just use extra water to dilute it). The more gelatin the bouncier it is.

Vonnie is on a restricted diet, but was treated to tripe jello. Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Barney had some too. Mom's lunch included cheddar cheese, so we cheated and each of them got a little of that too. Happy hounds!!

24th on our calendar too!

I am so sorry for your loss. This disease is responsible for so much heartbreak.

Good thoughts for your girl. *Many* years ago a shelter dog we adopted had a good part of his tail removed - at time of adoption the end of his tail was missing and the stub just would not heal no matter what we and the vet tried. So the best option was to take about 2/3 of it off. Bearing in mind this was a long time ago and techniques and bandaging options may have changed, the biggest challenge, even with a short tail, was to ensure he didn't hit it on anything and cause it to bleed. He had a ton of bandaging around it for cushioning, was always on leash when outside, and we were careful to make sure he didn't bump anything or get bumped. It took awhile, but it healed perfectly.

Happy birthday to a sweet, pretty girlie!!

Another Chilly Dogs fan here. As long as you take time to measure according to their size chart, the coats fit well. They come in a good selection of colours and they wear very well. We still have one of their original design coats (like a horse blanket with the velcro underneath).

Trevor, double heart, doubly loved and incalculably missed.

I am so sorry. Your tribute to your quietly extraordinary girl was beautiful.

What pretty girls. Two years old - they should keep things interesting for you

Just making sure you aren't putting things in the trash that should be recycled. Honest!

I checked with Trupanion at one point, and they would have covered it, although we have the Recovery and Complementary Care rider, which may be why. So the coverage may be different for pets than people. If Gabe is insured, it would be worth looking into.

If anyone's hound decides they don't like or are tired of KD, I recently learned, thanks to needing a kidney diet for one of my hounds, that Royal Canin makes their renal diet in three different "aromas", i.e., flavours, so if one doesn't suit, immediately or over time, there are others to try. Only difference among them is how they taste, and maybe calorie density not sure. Minor downside is the largest bag is only 8kg. Easy to handle, but I buy two at a time as we go through it quicker than the larger bags most dry food comes in. I use the canned to wrap meds in. RC doesn't have renal dog treats, but Hill's has treats compatible with several prescription diets including KD, so we are going to try those. No affiliation or interest in RC, just thought this information might potentially be useful.

FWIW, this past summer I looked into PRP for one of my dogs, and there is really no agreement about how effective (or not) it is. Our issue was not as severe as your Gabe's, and we are managing it with meds, but as you appear to have exhausted most other options, it might be worth a try. If you do move forward with PRP / Stem Cell, please let us know how it goes. A few people here have used the Assisi Loop with success, and they will probably post to this thread, but in the meantime, you might want to search the H&M forum to find information.