Things, Just Many Things Piling Up... Things Are

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

So sorry you are dealing with so many issues at once. It is a huge stress to begin with & the vet bills make is so much worse. Wish there was more I could offer. Hmmm... does Gus seem to get weaker the more he moves? Is he swallowing OK? He isn't regurgitating is he?

 

Actually, Gus seems stronger when he's moving, but tiring more quickly. If that makes sense. He's swallowing fine, but now that I think of it, he is clicking his tongue when he licks to clear his mouth after biting his food. He does that when he's nauseaous. No regurgitation, but I'm wondering if swallowing is an issue. I'll have to watch, because if he's getting new symptoms, we may have to stop the pred. It may be making matters worse. We'll be watching.

[Fudge]

Oh my! That's a lot to handle

[Guest SoulsMom]

Oh Kerri, I'm so sorry you're having all these worries with your senior boys. I really don't have anything offer, other than good, healing thought to everyone.

[Guest ellieb]

So sorry that you are dealing with all this anxiety. I will be thinking good thoughts for you and the gang.

Ellie

[kudzu]

Actually, Gus seems stronger when he's moving, but tiring more quickly. If that makes sense.

Yep, that makes sense. There are so many forms of polyneuropathy that it is hard to make comparisons between the dogs. Do keep an eye out for the swallowing problems & if he regurgitates, let your vet know. Hopefully the pred will help as well as the carafate.

Edited March 24, 2008 by kudzu

[phall]

Kerri, I'm so sorry for all you're going through. I don't have any advice, but want you to know I'm thinking of you.

 

Pat

[Guest KRKWMU]

No advice here either...except to say that changing to a "human bowl" seemed to help get Bonnie eating again. Good luck with things. We'll be thinking of your pack. Keep us updated on how things go at the appointment today.

[Guest KelseysLackey]

Oh Kerri, I feel so bad for all that is going on with your hounds right now.

 

I can't offer any real suggestions, but you, Mark and your whole crew will certainly be in my thoughts.

 

With respect to Yardman's lump, for what it's worth, during the past several years Kelsey has continually been getting lumps of one sort or another - she has had at least 4-5 different ones biopsied over the last few years. Only one turned out to be anything - mast cell tumor, and it was easily removed.

 

Hang in there.

[Guest fastdogs]

Geeessh.. if it's not one thing, it's another. I know when we were trying to add or keep weight on James we gave him Ensure. He loved the vanilla flavoring. I think it comes in a weight gain formula.

 

Good luck.

[Guest shelbygirl07]

If you have novacaine go ahead and numb the foot.

 

If you don't have any of that, either liquid or gel Ambesol will work just as well in most home applications. I keep both in my first aid kit. You never know when you'll need it. Just use a cotton swab to apply it or use the gel type with the applicator and squeeze it directly into the hole. Rub around the hole with your GLOVED fingers (applying very little pressure to the pad) to ensure that it works itself down into the bottom of the hole. I say gloved hands because in an emergency, i applied it and used my bare hand to spread it and my fingers went knumb. I had some difficulties cleaning the wound because i couldn't feel how much pressure i was putting on the wound. I had to let DH take over...

Each application only lasts about 30 minutes.

 

I know what it is like when your worries pile up, especially when they involve your babies. My thoughts are with you.

 

Keep us posted as to how your babies are doing.

[Xan]

Oh man. You do have a full plate, don't you?

For Gus, have you tried Nutritional (not brewer's) yeas? It has Vit. B12 in it, which is great for stimulating appetite (and increasing vigor in general), and they all LOVE it. Tastes like cheese! I hope you can sort him out so he's comfy...

 

For Battle, we went through that with Brilly the first year we had him. What worked in the end was to soak his foot (wet a rag in very warm salt water, wrap the foot, then bag it and just sit/lay with him for awhile), then with a pin and strong reading glasses, I just went in carefully and dug around. Eventually I worked out a tiny grain of sand (the original object was a pebble, but it left a hole, which then got other stuff in it). Once I was pretty darn sure I had gotten everything out, I put a piece of duct tape on the hole, big enough to almost cover the whole pad. Replace as necessary for awhile, 'til the hole is gone. It worked!

 

Yardman...The doc will tell you more.

 

For all and sundry, chanting: *Get the heck better! What are you thinking, stressing your mom!? Get the heck better! What are you thinking, stressing your mom!? Get the heck better! What are you thinking, stressing your mom!?*

Edited March 24, 2008 by Xan

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

Hi ya folks.

 

Ok, Battle's foot. I took a trusty rusty (ok, it wasn't rusty) probe, anbesol and a heavy duty flashlight.

 

I iced his footie for good measure. The danged thing was bleeding so much, that it was hard to even see what I was doing. But I did feel the edges inside the hole and it's rough. I gently swept along the edges working my way out untilI had felt the whole thing. I flushed it a couple of times and gave it another go with the probe. Flushed it, packed it with antibacterial salve,cleaned off the outside and dabbed it with blue lotion.

 

Battle is currently napping with his foot elevated on 2 shoes. (It was easier for me to work) When all was said and done after the probing, and the bleeding stopped, it seem to look better. It was probably all in my head, but it did look less angry.

 

 

Xan, I have nutritional yeast for me, so I will sprinkle some on his food tonight. Thank you for the idea! Mashed potatoes are cooling as we speak.

 

Brian, I just picked up some Ensure plus (the weight gainer stuff). Gus is going to get a little of that too. Thank you for the suggestion.

 

Thank you everyone. I'm feeling a bit better now. I guess the totality of the whole situation just hit me this morning. I feel kind of like a boob for posting as I did, but I guess I was stressed.

 

George et al, thank you for the reassurance on the lump. I am hoping to have some kind of an answer tomorrow.

 

thank you all. The boys send whisker tickles.

 

(I'm chanting, chanting)

 

Well, I have to hit the hay, because I have to work tonight. I hope to update by 11 am or so tomorrow. Vet appt is at 7:45.

Edited March 24, 2008 by MomofSweetPotatoes

[Guest PhillyPups]

Kerri,

 

Never apologize for "letting it all out" you are so supportive of all here on the board, sometimes you need the support and we are here for you. Glad the PUPDATE is improving ~ rest well lady.

 

 

I know after I lost The Queen so suddenly, every time one of the boys moved in their sleep I was up checking them out. BUT I get goofy like that.

[MP_the4pack]

re pred: get him on carafate asap (generic is sulcrafate). Vets do not understand how much it is needed

I thoroughly agree with this. When crickie was on pred, pepcid clearly didn't work and the vet wouldn't give carafate. I wish i had been more aggressive about this.

 

Pepcid is an antacid. That's all. It doesn't do anything for an upset tummy.

Pepto bismol would be better than pepcid (I just don't know if it interfers with anything else at this point)

 

 

 

Hi ya folks.

 

Ok, Battle's foot. I took a trusty rusty (ok, it wasn't rusty) probe, anbesol and a heavy duty flashlight.

 

I iced his footie for good measure. The danged thing was bleeding so much, that it was hard to even see what I was doing. But I did feel the edges inside the hole and it's rough. I gently swept along the edges working my way out untilI had felt the whole thing. I flushed it a couple of times and gave it another go with the probe. Flushed it, packed it with antibacterial salve,cleaned off the outside and dabbed it with blue lotion.

 

Battle is currently napping with his foot elevated on 2 shoes. (It was easier for me to work) When all was said and done after the probing, and the bleeding stopped, it seem to look better. It was probably all in my head, but it did look less angry.

 

 

Xan, I have nutritional yeast for me, so I will sprinkle some on his food tonight. Thank you for the idea! Mashed potatoes are cooling as we speak.

 

Brian, I just picked up some Ensure plus (the weight gainer stuff). Gus is going to get a little of that too. Thank you for the suggestion.

 

Thank you everyone. I'm feeling a bit better now. I guess the totality of the whole situation just hit me this morning. I feel kind of like a boob for posting as I did, but I guess I was stressed.

 

George et al, thank you for the reassurance on the lump. I am hoping to have some kind of an answer tomorrow.

 

thank you all. The boys send whisker tickles.

 

(I'm chanting, chanting)

 

Well, I have to hit the hay, because I have to work tonight. I hope to update by 11 am or so tomorrow. Vet appt is at 7:45.

 

 

Did you actually pull something out? Tweezers work fine for that.

[Batmom]

I've probably already posted a dozen times, but for feeding an uninterested pupper, some of the things that worked for Batman were: A goodly spoonful of molasses or honey mixed in, and/or a blob of vanilla ice cream on top; scrambled eggs; tripett (canned green tripe); poached chicken livers; spaghettios; lean cuisine sesame chicken; pepperidge farm cinnamon swirl bread; packaged cheese slices. The spaghettios and sesame chicken -- he seemed more attracted to strongly flavored/slightly spicy things.

 

Warming his food and feeding just a small portion at a time out of a people bowl worked well on bad days.

 

Sitting down with him and doing "bite for me, bite for you" also worked well. I used graham crackers and the cinnamon bread for this, not tripett! :lol

 

Feeding something any time he expressed an interested in food -- usually when people were eating/cooking. Normally he got 5-6 small meals a day.

 

Hugs and much luck with all your pups.

 

 

P.S. The pinhole sounds like a corn in the making -- that's what Zema's look like when they're just starting.

[Guest HersheysMom]

Okay, I can help you some with Gus. Vet diets (all canned) Eukanuba Maximum Calorie vet diet - 340 calories in only 6 oz of food - specifically for nutritional stress/weight gain. Hills n/d - 569 calories a can. IVD Royal Canin Recovery RS - not as many calories but designed with extra nutrients for recovery situations and extremely palatable.

 

DOGSURE:

 

linky

 

I think you can get DogSure at Petco if you don't want to order online but may want to call first.

 

Solid Gold Barking At The Moon kibble 469 kcal/cup

 

These have all been tested by picky skinny Hershey and he will eat all of them. I've even given the Max Calorie a few times in a row and he still eats it.

 

You have probably already picked it up, but if Gus will eat the Nutri Cal please pm me your address and I will mail you an almost new tube that I have. I just bought it and put a bit on a spoon but Hershey won't touch it. I can send it to you along with a can of max calorie if you want to try it.

 

ETA: Once more thing in my bag of tricks - Wysong Daily Dream treats - been giving Hershey one a day. The label says it can even be used as a meal replacement.

 

Dream Treats

Edited March 24, 2008 by HersheysMom

[GreyWrangler]

ETA: I'm thankful I have a job where I can work OT. I've managed to get 7 ot shifts this month, but again, I don't know how long that will last either.

 

especially if get asked to ride along to NJ and back in a day.

 

to the hounds and you and mark

 

[robinw]

oh Kerri, that's way too much for anybody to handle at once

 

I'm glad Gus and Battle seem better. Yardman's lump could be anything; Loca had one removed from her face last year and it turned out to be harmless.

 

Just to let you know, I'm chanting for you and your hounds so loudly that my neighbours are starting to complain

[Guest Naty]

Kerri - sorry to hear the floodgates to have opened like this. I have no words of wisdom or experience to offer. Just wishing hard for the best for your boys.

 

 

Take care.

 

[Guest GiJenn51]

Kerri I'm so very sorry that you're going through all of this. If you need anything, I'm here. I'm in FL but I'm here OK?

 

And give that snake tongued boy a smooch from me?! Your others too. for everyone

[4greyhounds]

[Greys4Us]

It never seems to fail when one thing goes wrong, a lot of other things go wrong at the same time. You are not alone in this and "this too shall pass." Please know that there are many of us who have had to deal with the same types of problems. But you should know that we care and will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

[nyGreys]

Oh Kerri, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I know how frustrating

and scary it is to have sick hounds. You and your boys will be

in my thoughts and prayers.

[Devotion]

positive thoughts coming from my house to yours. You have been hit with a lot. Every day is a new day thank goodness.

[Guest Ohiogreymom]

Sending prayers for healing for your boys.