What's Wrong With Beau?

[Guest ss556]

I don't know what to say except thinking of all of you and hoping for the best.

[gryhndsr4us]

Hope your Beau feels better soon.

[RobinM]

HAd the vet rewrap the foot/ toe today - much less swelling -shorter bandage - but he is still holding it up and TRIPODING. She said if the hips don't improve in 2 weeks with the acupunture. we will have to re-xray.

 

I don't want to know, I really dont

[2NOFLEAS]

ReRun used to go to therapy to help him...... it really worked: may there's a place close to you like this:

http://www.sendaishi.com/rehab.shtml

 

He also used to get shots - like a glucosmean (sorry about the spelling) I can't remember the name - but it turned him from a 10yr old slow pup into a 10yr pup that no one could keep up with in a couple months!

 

FOUND IT~~ http://www.adequancanine.us/ Vet wouldn't give it to me so I could keep up with him!

Edited March 18, 2009 by 2NOFLEAS

[RobinM]

Here is the letter I got from OSU the last set of x-rays they saw of Beau's right side in July.

 

Now, it's the left side. If it goes from side to side, it's prob not "C"-- right? Please let me I am right.

 

Hi Robin

 

Sorry for the delay.

 

I am not sure if Dr. Vilar contacted you regarding Beau radiographs. He is out of the country and I thought better to be sure and email you. We review Beau's radiographs, with an orthopedic surgeon and one of the Radiologist. Basically, there is no evidence of any lytic or proliferative lesion neither on Beau’s hip or stifle joints of the right leg.

 

Dr Dyce (orthopedic surgeon) also observed a possible increased soft tissue opacity of the right thigh, and right muscle atrophy. He recommended an orthopedic consult. Otherwise no abnormalities were found.

 

Hope this helps

 

Please keep us posted and don’t hesitate in contacting us if you have any question.

[Jackandgrey]

Robin I know you can't help worrying about osteo. None of us who have had it rob of us of our hearts can but really you are right. It is very unlikely this time. His poor skeletal system is being thrown completely out of whack with his toe compounding his previous problem. Just like someone who injures a knee and begins to hurt in the opposite hip from compensating. Add to that his grief, his tummy issues and he is one sad puppy. He will improve. Try to remember how very desperate and low you were with him In the depths of his IBD and how very far he has come. It's so unfair that he is going through more. But you will get your boy back.

[Guest IrskasMom]

Robin and Rich ..... I don't know what to say ! I am always so stunned to read more about Beau ,that poor Fella. I

hope ,you will get your sweet Boy back with all his antic's . You deserve :grouphug for being the

best Mom and Dad.

Edited March 18, 2009 by IrskasMom

[RobinM]

I was going to tell you what I think is going right (including the weight gain), but I don't think you want that.

 

Just one thing that you may not have been told: pred can flatten a dog. Minnie was on pred for many months after her IBD was diagnosed. Granted that, compared to Beau, she was smaller (especially after losing an even higher proportion of her body weight) and was on a much higher dosage, but the impact of the pred on her mood was substantial. She was flatter on the pred than she had been through repeated--even life-threatening--bouts of HGE. (She also leaked like a seive and had a startling increase in appetite.) The impact can be gradual and cumulative. Even if it wouldn't have been apparent on it's own, it might affect his ability to handle all the other matters, including the grief. The "good news" is that his mood will improve as his dosage is reduced.

 

And StriderDog makes a good point--Piper had that happen too.

 

I know about the pred and the moods.

 

This newist change in him happened right after we lost Polli which was similtaneously the same time he caused trauma to the toe so we don't know what exactly is causing the depression, we have to assume it's a combo. Never before and there have been several "befores" has he not wanted to walk, no matter what the siutation and weather. This is a dog that lives for walks and he doesn't want to now.

 

His right hip is definitely misaligned, I can see when he walks, he fish tails. The reason he leaks, is that he (recently) does not want to go out when he HAS to pee so he leaks a bit.

 

Over the past 2 weeks he pred has been lowered 20mg. He was up to 50mg and now he is at 30mg.

 

he's got a lot going on, my poor boy. I love him so and sometimes that is not enough.

[lovinggreysslp]

My first thought was that Beau is grieving. My second thought was the toe. Two days after we lost Train, Larry badly dislocated a toe. Between the grieving and the wrap on his foot, Larry barely moved an inch for several days. He was pitiful. After about a week though, he started hobbling around more and more. He really did act himself though for several weeks.

I will keep you and Beau in my prayers Robin.

[Guest Carla]

Robin,

 

I'm sorry you are going though all of this.

 

Sending you positive thoughts - please give Beau a gentle hug from me.

 

[RobinM]

My first thought was that Beau is grieving. My second thought was the toe. Two days after we lost Train, Larry badly dislocated a toe. Between the grieving and the wrap on his foot, Larry barely moved an inch for several days. He was pitiful. After about a week though, he started hobbling around more and more. He really did act himself though for several weeks.

I will keep you and Beau in my prayers Robin.

 

I think this boy misses his momma, not necessarily his momma, but "the momma". He is like a vegetable. It;s very scary.

 

It will be 2 weeks on Sunday. I don't have many options of what to do but be there for him and love him. And I do.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Always in our prayers

[carronstar]

Keeping you in my prayers.

[Guest greytexplorer]

Hi Robin,

What would you say the atmosphere in your home is right now?

Rate it: 1(dark mood) to 10(bright and happy)

What can you do to make it a 10? Think about it.

 

Is it possible for you to take Beau swimming?

I'm wondering if a therapy swim would be beneficial to his atrophied muscles.

 

On the other hand, don't want to stress him out...........

 

~Pat

[RobinM]

Hi Robin,

What would you say the atmosphere in your home is right now?

Rate it: 1(dark mood) to 10(bright and happy)

What can you do to make it a 10? Think about it.

 

Is it possible for you to take Beau swimming?

I'm wondering if a therapy swim would be beneficial to his atrophied muscles.

 

On the other hand, don't want to stress him out...........

 

~Pat

 

Atmosphere is prob a 9 for Beau at home. Pretty much back to "normal;" without the mommy. Our routine is back on target. We have a very structured routine. We find that helps our dogs. they basically know what happens next. We got right back into the routine in short order.

 

Beau is afraid of the water, won't even stick his feet in the kiddie pool.

 

We will give it another 2 weeks of acupunture. When the bandage is off, hopefully, he will start using that leg more and take the pressure of the hips. he is probably trying to over compensate for the use of the front leg but his hips can't take it.

 

If there is no improvement, we will have to break down and re-x-ray. The thought of that makes me sick.

[2NOFLEAS]

April 19 will be 2 years ReRun has been gone....... every now and then Cofax will get depressed and go look at his picture or snuggle a toy that they would share. Christmas was the worse..... made me cry........ she would lay under the tree - under his ornament with his picture on it. What I have to do........ take her out of the house to see other pups.