Pets

[peter]

My 12 & 1/2 year old rescue dog has had us on an emotional roller-coaster the past week and a bit.
He's a 32Kg German Shorthaired Pointer, we got him via GSP Rescue Services and 11 & 1/2 months old, we found that out because we had early issues.
He had been woefully underfed, his hips stood out like the mounting pads on the Antonov 225 and every bone was visible, the food that came with him was still puppy food.
Plus they'd exercised him while riding a bicycle, so he was probably running way too much before his limbs were fully linked.

Didn't set him up for good old-age mobility.
Couple of years ago a limp set in, which got more pronounced with time. He went onto EuMove to start, then veterinary jabs Librella was added once a month, slowed the decline but couldn't stop it.
His stubby tail no longer tries to fly a flag, it's curled down, his back legs don't always do what he wants them to do and he can walk or canter, with occasional trotting, throw a ball a little way and he tries to pounce and grab it and more often than not he falls over.
He can still get on the sofa and armchair, but getting into the car needs to be lifted in, front then back.

Any way last Wednesday I was driving home and my wife rang to say he just could not get up off the floor and walk, even with her helping him.
We though that was it, but by the time I got home he was staggering along and I took him for a very short walk, he coped, back legs gave out a couple of times.
Next morning he was walking ok.

From the weekend every meal seemed to bounce out the front shortly after he'd downed it, no other apparent symptom.
Then he refused everything he was offered.
So off to the vet on Thursday for tests, it's so dam difficult leaving a pet at the vets for tests.
Picked him up in the evening, temperature up a couple of degrees, blood tests showed glucose a bit low - probably lack of food and antibodies up a bit, probably an infection, no blockages on x-ray, a fair number of gas pockets in his guts, but no twists or anything ales visible.
So we ended up with an antiemetic jab and off home we went, he was pretty miserable.
He did eat a few small slices of pre-cooked sliced chicken breast around ten pm and they stayed down.

He was subdued, but after I fell asleep on the sofa and woke around 2am he was keen to go out, did a big wee and a man-size single turd.
So I offered him some half a tin or dog-food, which he ate, carefully spitting out the pinch of dry kibble it was sat on top of.

Come morning I zipped out to Tesco and bought raw chicken to cook and a pack of four roast chicken breasts, he ate one chopped up an spat out the pinch of all-bran, we did get a YuMove tablet down on the chicken and two in the previous tinned food.
That all stayed down and we went for our appointment at the vets half eleven.
Bloods all ok, temperature back down, so we leave with three days of antiemetic tablets, he's done more wees, finished the sliced chicken and about to get another whole breast.
I'm working from home and the gas he's letting out would clear a stadium!
Fingers and toes crossed ATM.

We've got insurance and I've paid around £170 in total, the insurers will be paying about £1,200.
But the annual premium is £2,300+

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Peter, sounds like you have been having a tough week….hope the old boy keeps improving….they really do become part of the family!

[Westi]

Sorry to hear about your dog Peter, it is hard to see them grow old, but your guy had a bad start in life as well so you must have been extra anxious. My WH Vizsla passed about a year ago but did make it to 15 1/2 yrs which is a good age for a big dog. It got to the stage that I left the vets out of the picture, despite being fully insured as I just felt I had to reduce the visits which she didn't like & I had focus on her growing old & doing what we liked to do with appropriate reductions in fun times & increase in rest times & add real food not dog food. I did buy things off the vets like pain killers still as even though we had reduced times mucking around their was the odd time she met a dog friend & went a bit crazy & was a bit sore. The day she died we had a visit to the woods & she had a paddle & lay down in the stream; came home & settled into her bed by my desk. Slept for a while but then woke & looked a bit disorientated so I laid with her, she relaxed & died peacefully about 1/2 hour later with the normal home sounds & smells around her. I can tell you have the instinct to met your boys needs to both keep him comfortable & keep him at home to die naturally if possible, but that is still in the future so you might have to stock up on a lot of air wicks! I sincerely hope you can see him through this bad patch & create more memories - hopefully without the excess gas! Best wishes!

[Myrkk]

Oh Peter, that’s so tough. I can completely empathise. Our Lab is 13 and a half and on borrowed time. He’s had Addisons since he was 7 and gets a monthly injection and daily tabs to keep him alive. Two weeks ago he couldn’t walk in a straight line and he had trouble getting up on his back legs. Because of the meds he’s on there’s little extra he can get so he’s on paracetamol and an extra steroid in the am and he’s bounced back. Some days better than others.

It’s a complete emotional rollercoaster and I’ve spend many a day recently wondering if I’m doing the right thing and having a wee bubble to myself. He however is loving the extra treats, cuddles and general fuss. Our insurance is now £85/mth with £150 excs and we pay 20% of all treatment. It’s not cheap when they get old.

You’ve given your boy an amazing life and the ones who’ve had such a rough start generally appreciate it more, they’re not daft. I hope it’s just a wee virus and he bounces back fully for you, although you may need some oxygen therapy to clear your lungs post wind lol.

[Stravaig]

I'm really sorry to read this. Very best wishes to you and your doggie. I don't know much about the subject but it seems to me that, given the problems, you did darned well to keep his life going for all these years. Hats off to you.

[peter]

Update.
He's pretty much recovered, eating well and happy again.
Still able to get on sofa unaided but not the bed unless his rear legs are picked up.

The anti emetics combined with antibiotic ointment on the leg lump helped him turn the corner. Now convinced the home made burger lump under the oddity on his rear leg was the cause. Basically an infection as the burger vanished as he improved
Now has a 500mg paracetamol morning and evening, one Eumove in the morning and two at night with more tinned dog food in place of kibble.

Auto wag and excitement mode are restored for lead being taken off hook, high interest mode is activated for everything anyone eats.

He's better now, but still slowly declining.
So long as he's mostly happy I accept he can't do stuff he used to do all the time. Not eating was more red flags than were waved at Chairman Mao!

[Westi]

Brilliant to hear Peter, you must be relieved! Yep not eating pretty much creates the most anxiety - nice analogy with Chairman Mao red flags!

[Myrkk]

I’m so pleased for you. The acceptance that their happy and content is different as they age is a key thing. Here’s to many more tail wags