Guest weisster Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Thank you. You've all been very helpful and caring and I appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyPoopon Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Another thought: Methocarbamol (Robaxin), the muscle relaxant in Robaxacet. It's helped my two girls with hind end weakness. Both were already on NSAID (Metacam), but I did notice an improvement in each when we started Methocarbamol. Quote Standard Poodle Daisy (12/13) Missing Cora (RL Nevada 5/99-10/09), Piper (Cee Bar Easy 2/99-1/10), Tally (Thunder La La 9/99-3/10), Edie (Daring Reva 9/99-10/12), Dixie (Kiowa Secret Sue 11/01-1/13), Jessie (P's Real Time 11/98-3/13), token boy Graham (Zydeco Dancer 9/00-5/13), Cal (Back Already 12/99-11/13), Betsy (Back Kick Beth 11/98-12/13), Standard Poodles Minnie (1/99-1/14) + Perry (9/98-2/14), Annie (Do Marcia 9/03-10/14), Pink (Miss Pinky Baker 1/02-6/15), Poppy (Cmon Err Not 8/05-1/16), Kat (Jax Candy 5/05-5/17), Ivy (Jax Isis 10/07-7/21), Hildy (Braska Hildy 7/10-12/22), Opal (Jax Opal 7/08-4/23). Toodles (BL Toodles 7/09-4/24) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatricksMom Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 (edited) Dealing with a lot of the same issues. Home cooked meals have turned around the appetite problems and seem to have really improved quality of life. Is that a possibility? Now if we could just figure out the digestive issues. It really is hard seeing them get so old in front of us. Eta: Fish oil supplements have been suprisingly helpful with arthritis pain (on top of tramadol and cosequine, but still a noticeable improvement). Might be worth trying as well. Edited June 23, 2012 by PatricksMom Quote Beth, Petey (8 September 2018- ), and Faith (22 March 2019). Godspeed Patrick (28 April 1999 - 5 August 2012), Murphy (23 June 2004 - 27 July 2013), Leo (1 May 2009 - 27 January 2020), and Henry (10 August 2010 - 7 August 2020), you were loved more than you can know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bernadette Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 This reminds me of a question I had regarding acupuncture. We don't know what's wrong with Vinnie... NO arthritis evident in xrays. I suspect LS- bit there is no official diagnosis- yet. Should acupuncture even be a thought until we figure out a cause? How can you treat without knowing what you're treating..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Frustratingly, sometimes no matter how much diagnostic work is done, an answer is never found. BTDT. I would give the A/P a reasonable try, it can't hurt and it might help. I hope it does for Vinnie. Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M, Ebbie, HollyBeeBop (Betty Crocker). Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bernadette Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 It can't hurt? I am so hesitant to do anything like that until we know what exactly is going on. I feel like I'm the only one close to the situation that feels that way. Yes, the Rimadyl is helping him a bit, but I still don't know what 'it' is and I would like to. I want full understanding and to know what to expect. I'll probably have him back into the vet soon with this new lump. =( Seeing these guys age stinks, especially when things creep up so suddenly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Acupuncture won't hurt but it has no substantiated effect -- it's a placebo thing for the owner, for the most part. Chiropractic is the one you really want to avoid if you don't know what's wrong. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FreddyGirl Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Adequan helped Tommy's LSS a lot. I was able to buy the bottle from the vet, and inject myself. It was easy to do. It started off slow then given near the end every 4 days. Hope you find something to help Darrell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Flaco25 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Hi I am new to the forum but greyhound mother for many years. We lost my boy Flaco this past february, he got a horrible cancer in his chest and it was a matter of 1 month. Something that REALLY helped us was prednisone...I do not recall how much and pepsid. Our vet view before we found it was this cancer was that he needed to eat to stay strong. Also I started spoiling him and cooking for him everyday...I was so desperated trying to make him eat. Yogurt also helped. I miss him desperately... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 My Missy is nearly 13. has had a bad back for years. always panted too.. she is currently taking tramadol, metacam (human version), we recently added in gabapentin. acupuncture has been very helpful for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissn333 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I started taking Carrie (age 13) for acupuncture after she did something to injure her lower back. We didn't know if she'd just strained it or if maybe she had a bulging disc. When NSAIDs and tramadol did nothing and she got to the point where she could not even stand in place, we switched her to pred and I took her for acupuncture that afternoon. The next morning she not only was able to stand in one spot, she was able to STAND UP and WALK. I know that the pred did a lot of the heavy lifting there to begin with, but, she's now off the pred but still going for acupuncture every 2-3 weeks. Truthfully, she gets around better now than she EVER has as long as I've had her. She can now run mainly like a normal greyhound (she had a stroke before I got her, which has caused some oddities in her gait, especially with her right rear leg). She seems to be aging in reverse, which is the most precious gift I could ever receive with regard to a 13 year old. To some extent I can understand placebo effect in people, but, dogs' brains don't work that way, so really there's no way that the improvement she's shown is a placebo effect. But, my mom also went to an acupuncturist for a bulging disc and for the first time in MONTHS, she has been able to take less pain medication instead of more. The treatments help to allow blood to flow more freely to the area, which promotes healing. Her results were not instantaneous, but the next day she looked at the clock and realized she'd forgotten to take her pain meds, but then also realized that she wasn't experiencing any pain. Considering she was skeptical when I pushed her to go, I also have a hard time believing that she is experiencing placebo effect. She'd done the cortisone shots, physical therapy, rest, etc...everything modern medicine recommends for a bulging disc. She got zero relief...so she thought I was nuts to suggest she try acupuncture. So, moral of my long story is, acupuncture has done great things for my friends and loved ones...it's worth a shot Quote Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13. A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 (edited) To some extent I can understand placebo effect in people, but, dogs' brains don't work that way That was part of my point . There is likely a placebo effect on dog owners, however. Here's the easy to read version of the most recent study: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110324104147.htm Edited June 23, 2012 by Batmom Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Darrel turned 13 last month. There are two main issues. Constant panting (only stops when he sleeps) and 0steoarthritis that's resulting in very weak wobbly legs and back. Yes, I've been to the vet often. Drugs like deramaxx, rimadyl, pericot , tramadol cause him to lose his appetite and within 3 days he stops eating. Five days ago his back legs got extremely wobbly and I knew I could no longer walk him as he'd not make it. He is on benazepril for his heart and the vet put him on veymedin. His panting never got better and once again he stopped eating so I took him off that too. Vet saids his pressure is good and the rest of him is in good shape. I realize at 13 Darrel's days are numbered but I'd like him to be comfortable.I'm no longer going to drag him to vets unless absolutely necessary. I will not cause him anymore unnecessary stress. If you have a thought that would help, I'd greatly appreciate it. Sucralfate is an amazing thing to give before meals/meds. It coats the tummy so it won't be hurt by this stuff, which will allow you to give him oral meds that will help him without his losing his appetite because his tummy hurts. It's working like a dream for us. Costs much more than Pepcid and such, but it's so much more effective that it's worth it. Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grey_dreams Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Darrel turned 13 last month. There are two main issues. Constant panting (only stops when he sleeps) and 0steoarthritis that's resulting in very weak wobbly legs and back. Yes, I've been to the vet often. Drugs like deramaxx, rimadyl, pericot , tramadol cause him to lose his appetite and within 3 days he stops eating. Five days ago his back legs got extremely wobbly and I knew I could no longer walk him as he'd not make it. He is on benazepril for his heart and the vet put him on veymedin. His panting never got better and once again he stopped eating so I took him off that too. Vet saids his pressure is good and the rest of him is in good shape. I realize at 13 Darrel's days are numbered but I'd like him to be comfortable.I'm no longer going to drag him to vets unless absolutely necessary. I will not cause him anymore unnecessary stress. If you have a thought that would help, I'd greatly appreciate it. The panting can also be because of his heart condition and/or the heart medicines the vets prescibed. Zuki could not tolerate enalapril or benazepril, he stopped eating and was feeling worse and worse. I developed a treatment regime for Zuki's mitral valve insufficiency and heart murmur: CoQ10, hawthorn, dandelion, ginkgo, carnitine, and taurine. We will be adding cayenne and turmeric, and upping the CoQ10 and hawthorn, if needed. If you are interested in more information just let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 To some extent I can understand placebo effect in people, but, dogs' brains don't work that way That was part of my point . There is likely a placebo effect on dog owners, however. Here's the easy to read version of the most recent study: http://www.scienceda...10324104147.htm Sam and (angel) Jacey were the demo-dogs for sessions that trained vets to do acupuncture. The dogs would stand on tables while the vets used fingers-only to learn to locate pressure points. But we were able to request sessions from the trainers. Sam had a brief session and it did make a difference. That night, he came home and curled up in a tight ball to sleep--like a curled up, sleeping cat--for the first time in months. The increased flexibilty lasted at least a few days. And when they did the final session, where the trainees actually used needles, both dogs participated. In Sam's session, they said his pulse went noticeably lower a few needles into the session--as if he'd gotten some pain relief. On the other hand, Jacey's session didn't do anything. And while she had loved standing on the table getting petted and handled during the training sessions, she wasn't nuts about the actual needle part. Jacey was one of the few dogs actually wagging her tail through all the training. Other dogs were a bit nervous. But I agree that chiropractic adjustments are to be avoided unless you know what you're dealing with and have good x-rays and stuff. The closest Sam has ever come to biting someone was during a painful chiropractic adjustment, and his pain was back in less than two weeks. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trevdog Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Acupuncture has helped Ossie tremendously with his hind end weakness. He turned 12 in March and is getting around much better. It does take 4-5 visits to see an improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LindsaySF Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 I would suspect that the panting might have more to do with the heart, since it is constant. Did the vet give the all clear with the heart issue? No fluid build up or anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jenmm Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 I'm right there with you. It's hard. My Hines is 13 and he has hind end weakness. He has good days and sometimes really bad days. I take him for acupuncture and he gets Chinese herbs, it seems to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greytexplorer Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I would suspect that the panting might have more to do with the heart, since it is constant. Did the vet give the all clear with the heart issue? No fluid build up or anything? I agree with Lindsay. Our chihuahua, DickCheney, has been on vetmedin, benazapril, lasix, carvedilol for 4 years, and just added spironolact recently. When he is panting, and it's not heat or bad weather-related, it's time to go to the cardio vet. Do you have the expertise of a cardio vet, or does your regular vet handle his heart meds? I feel your pain. Watching the aging process advance in my 3 elderly dogs is not pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickchick2000 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 My boy is 12 and he pants a lot too. He's on Rimadyl and occasionally muscle relaxers for his back end. We recently went through an eating issue as well. I was basically force feeding Milky Way, I would put down food soaked in chick broth or cooked hamburger anything to get him to eat, even then it was just a nibble here or there. I looked in his mouth a ton to make sure there wasn't a bad tooth or something. Well after a few weeks of the food battle I took him to the vets and the only thing the vet could think was that maybe there was a small infection under his gums that we could no see since his teeth looked fine. So she prescibed an antibiotic and within 3 days Milky Way was eating normal meals again. We finished out the antibiotic dose and he's been eating fine ever since. Quote Alicia and Foster Yoshi ( pit bull) Always in my heart: WV's Milky Way 6/25/2000- 4/22/2013, Hank ( St Bernard/Boxer) ???? - 10/3/2017 and Sweet Pea (English bulldog) 2004 - 6/19/2019 www.etsy.com/your/shops/MuttStuffnc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragsysmum Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 A bioflow magnetic collar seems to really help some older dogs with arthritis. Quote Sue from England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustyroo Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 He only stops panting when he sleeps. I ask the vet if he's in pain and I don't get a definitive answer I haven't read all the replies and I can only share my experience. Rusty was doing a lot of panting like you have described at the end. I could not figure out at the time what was wrong, but in the end it turned out he had osteo and was in a lot of pain. I just did not know it until he broke his leg and had to rush him to the emergency vet. He never showed any other signs that there was anything wrong, so I never had the choice of putting him on any kind of pain meds. Quote Jodie D (hope to have another grey name her soon) Missing my Bridge Babies: Rusty (Cut a Rusty) 10/18/95-06/09/09 Solo (Tali Solo Nino) 01/10/98-03/25/10 Franny (Frohmader) 02/28/04-08/31/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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