Rickiesmom

Back to not eating. Tried everything that worked (or didn't) yesterday. Tried scrambled eggs. Nada. Still willing to eat some roasted chicken - the stash in the freezer is running low so I'll cook another today and also make broth in case he'll eat food with that on it. His mobility is comparable to last night, which is good. Very loose stools, no doubt the meds / dietary changes. Much more interested in licking - he'll need a sock on which is too bad - I was trying to keep it open during the day. Socks are thin though, so not bad and better than licking.

This morning Rickie's foot is still swollen - not much change from yesterday, but he has a new lesion on one side of the bad toe near the pad. It wept quite a bit overnight, judging from the sock. It looks sort of like a blister but that doesn't seem likely based on where it is. I'll give the foot a good epsom salts soak again today and we see the vet at 3PM. For now I've carried him down to his bed in the kitchen where I can keep an eye on him and give him the next round of meds shortly. The e-vet had said that if anything like this developed we should probably culture but I'll know more after we see the regular vet. Certainly Rickie was feeling better late yesterday. It's a bit hard to tell this morning - he's sleeping right now so I won't be able to gauge his balance and willingness to bear weight until a little later when we go out.

Oh no! I am so, so sorry. Rotten, hateful disease.

Going through a different type of foot problem here too - believe me, I feel your pain! We will keep fingers and toes crossed for a smooth procedure tomorrow - sounds like Arwen will be in good hands!

All day Rickie has been unwilling to eat almost anything (Arlie and I have probably each gained 5 lbs - we split the goodies he wouldn't touch). But tonight he finally ate most of dinner - partly the Pepcid, partly it's late so he's hungry, and partly he's decided he likes Arlie's food (fish-based) better than his own (chicken-based). Fine with me. Our pottying MO has been - I carry him to the back of the yard, set him down, and he wanders with me close by for balance as needed. Just now once he'd done his business he returned to the house without help - the steadiest he's been since Friday. So things are definitely improving in spite of the remaining swelling and bruising. We see the vet tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for your continued prayers and well wishes, I am sure they are helping Rickie and certainly have helped me through the scary and low moments.

Hope Bump continues to improve and can be home with you soon.

Oh no! I was just reading the other thread about Keena having to lose 19 teeth. What an awful, awful shock. My heart goes out to you.

Hopefully he was moving a bit differently due to the glass and simply pulled something. Sending prayers for your Reggie.

Batmom thanks - what you say about being the low point, gravity and fluids makes a lot of sense. Here is a picture of my little man a few months back, resting comfortably on his big sister Arlie's blanket. Sorry about the wires - no photoshop. (The different skin on his back leg is a skin flap from his stomach as a result of a cancer surgery around this time last year.) Editing to add this gratuitous picture from a couple of years ago - still one of my favourites - Rickie and Arlie helping to prepare dishes for the dishwasher.

Poor Bumper. Sending prayers there is a treatment plan that will have him home and feeling much better soon!

The foot has stopped weeping (or virtually, very little staining on the overnight sock compared to the night before). There is still swelling up to his carpus and though not as bad as at the peak, the sore foot is a good 50 or more percent bigger than the other. I was hoping the swelling would be less this morning - perhaps I am expecting too much of the antibiotics too quickly. Have a call into my vet to discuss and will post an update after we have spoken. Thank you for you ongoing prayers and good thoughts for Rickie, it doesn't feel like we are clearly out of the woods yet.

Thank you for the good thoughts. In the interest of full disclosure, Rickie is a whippet - should have mentioned that - I've posted about him so often that sometimes I forget.

Thanks - I forgot to mention we have an appointment for Tuesday and if need be I'll move it up to Monday. Reason for waiting the extra day is to get the vet I like and trust the most. The swelling has definitely gone down somewhat though it has a ways to go. But given the quick progression to worse prior to the e-vet visit, it looks like things are heading in the right direction. I am cleaning the foot gently several times a day, initially with peroxide, now with witchhazel, and will give it an Epsom salts soak this evening and a couple of times tomorrow too. It's bitter-appled so he doesn't lick, and at night that is reinforced with a light sock. He is somewhat zonked with the Tramadol, which for now is helpful. Thank you all for your suggestions (I'll pick up some Pepcid) and well wishes.

Yesterday morning Rickie was limping a bit. It happens from time to time - he's 11 and he has arthritis. By early afternoon I thought one of the toes on his left front foot looked swollen. DH thought I was imagining things. By dinner time there was no question and a couple of hours later the whole foot was huge, with one toe in particular looking especially bad. The underside was bruising and he wouldn't bear weight at all. Off to the e-vet. By the time the vet saw us (it was busy), the swelling was moving up his leg and the foot was weeping blood. X-rays showed no breaks or bone issues, vet felt it was an infection (x-rays showed no bone implicated, thank goodness). Under good light and using a magnifying glass, vet could find no trauma - not a cut, puncture, not even a scratch. The origin of this infection is a mystery. We went home at 1AM with Metacam, Tramadol, Baytril and Clindamycin. Vet chose not to culture - didn't think it was a good idea to stick a needle in the foot at that point, which would have been the only way to get a proper sample - taking from the weeping area on the outside of the foot would be too contaminated. Vet called early this AM to say the bloodwork looked OK - white cell count was a little elevated, but everything else was in proportion, so no sign of real toxicity, thank goodness. Rickie is at least starting to bear weight on the foot and it looks somewhat less awful than last evening, so the meds must be helping, however, we are heading into catch-22 territory - he needs food with most of these meds, but his appetite is gone. I'll call my regular vet in the AM to see if I can get something for his tummy. In the meantime, roasted chicken and vanilla Ensure are still OK. This is so small compared to many worse health issues many hounds are experiencing, but scary how quickly it appeared "out of nowhere".

Same here - reading Brad's story for the first time and very relieved to know MSU has seen him and the prognosis is so promising!!

I keep coming back to this thread, and just can't find the right words. I am so sorry you lost Halo just when it seemed everything was going so well and the outlook was so promising. It seems he was meant to find you for his last weeks here on earth, to bask in your love and care for him before joining the angels. Very hard on you, the best possible gift for him. My heart goes out to you.

Pretty, pretty Elsie. Sending prayers for everything to be straightforward tomorrow, and then clear-sailing.

Run free little one. Magically IG hearts are bigger than they are. My heartfelt sympathy to his family.

Just seeing this and reading through - I hope your pretty girl is feeling better today. Is she at least drinking so as not to dehydrate?

I second that!!

Pat I hope Baby is much better tomorrow. Carol Becker's harnesses are great - can be worn 24*7 and a great help in getting a dog up / keeping him balanced once up and moving.

I am so shocked to see this. And very, very sorry - you must be reeling.

Wow - Rocket, you are one incredibly lucky guy.

You both tried so hard. I am so sorry it wasn't meant to be.

Hoping Penny is having another good day!