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Gae, you once recommended a vet, and I cannot remember his name. Who is it?
One of my dogs has not been well and I'm afraid the issues may be internal. I should have switched from Grady years ago.
<font color="#CC6600" size="1">[ August 11, 2008 11:36 AM: Message edited by: The Big Sexy ]</font>
OMG, Grady up on North Bend Road by I-74? I wouldn't trust a palmetto bug to his care. I have heard bad things about them, but I never had a problem with Colerain Animal Clinic on Colerain Avenue.
Dr. Bob on McMillan. Cincinnati Animal Hospital. he's wonderful.
Dr. Bob could only fit me in on Saturday. The woman who answered the phone had only been there three days, so she didn't seem particularly tuned in to my attempt to convey urgency.
My boy dog has had a long list of medical expenses: bladder surgery, hernia surgery (what, from all that heavy lifting?), mystery illness #1, mystery illness #2, neck surgery for a slipped disc, arthritis and bad legs, prescription dog food...and then last night.
On the way to the vet, I actually wondered if this was "it."
Unlike some of the previous maladies, I couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with him. Was it his back again? At times he seems all stiff and hunched over and he looks like he has difficulty going up and down steps. Or is it his legs again? Nope, he still manages to jump on the sofa.
Is it a digestive thing? After eating he hunches over and acts like he can't walk. I had to carry him outside, where he'd just sit. I hadn't seen him defecate in four days.
Last night he sat on the sofa shaking and making jerking motions. And he was clingy. He wouldn't leave me alone. After several days without improvement, I decided he had to go in.
So instead of going to bed, I'm off to the vet. At 11:30 pm.
The vet takes him to the back and does a physical. The verdict? Abscessed anal glands.
I'm at a vet at 12:30 am because of anal glands?
While the vet talked to me, her helper took my dog outside, where they say he took a massive dump.
In comes the dog, wagging his tail like it's the best day of his life.
<font color="#CC6600" size="1">[ August 12, 2008 11:03 PM: Message edited by: The Big Sexy ]</font>
How old is he?
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">He's about 9. Got him from the pound so I'm not sure.Quote:
Originally posted by Beachcomber:
How old is he?
For the record, I've had a number of people suggest I should have put him down instead of doing the surgery on the neck. Yes...it was expensive. Trust me, I put a *lot* of thought into it.
I got a second opinion on the surgery, but I was assured that the procedure is typically very successful, and this has turned out to be correct.
Ultimately, I couldn't bring myself to put him to sleep. Despite his many problems, he's still got an awful lot of spunk. And if you saw what he was like when I first brought him home (most likely he was abused by his previous owner) to the way he is now, he is a different animal. I know he's just a dumb mutt but he sure places a lot of faith in me.
<font color="#CC6600" size="1">[ August 12, 2008 11:13 PM: Message edited by: The Big Sexy ]</font>
I understand exactly what you mean B/S. People who don't have animals don't understand they are like children to those of us who have (most of us at least) Sounds like he has plenty of good years left, I would say you made the right call.
[img]graemlins/dog.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">After showing signs of improvement he got worse this morning. I had to take him back in.Quote:
Originally posted by Beachcomber:
I understand exactly what you mean B/S. People who don't have animals don't understand they are like children to those of us who have (most of us at least) Sounds like he has plenty of good years left, I would say you made the right call.
[img]graemlins/dog.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]
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Sorry to hear that. Hope he is OK.
The vet thinks it's his neck again. I can't afford to pay for another surgery like that. And I don't know how to keep him from jumping on the sofa. He's a dog. He jumps.
You might consider making or buying something like this, this is from PetSmart:
http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/produ...762975t400.jpg
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I can see him using that to jump up, but he won't use it to jump off the sofa, which is where he most recently injured himself.Quote:
Originally posted by Beachcomber:
You might consider making or buying something like this, this is from PetSmart:
http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/produ...762975t400.jpg
My options are surgery, medication, or euthanasia. He's ten years old and had the same surgery a year ago, and he has had a host of problems. The vet gives medication a 50/50 chance since it's a neck injury; I give it a smaller probability - it didn't work last time. Right now, it's looking like euthanasia.
It killed me to have to leave him home today. He was shaking from the pain. The pills hadn't kicked in yet, so that might help, but he shouldn't have to live that way.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">He's on steriods and antiflammatory medication. I think all this does is mask the problem and enables him to do things he shouldn't.Quote:
Originally posted by Beachcomber:
I understand, you have my sympathy. When Roc went downhill it got to the point I finally prayed that if it was his time to go, please take him quickly. I don't pray often, but he died within 20 minutes of that prayer. Be careful what you pray for I guess... [img]eek.gif[/img]
Aspirin works really well for pain, but can cause stomach upset/diahrea. Hopefully nature will intercede and you won;t have to make the decision.
I understand, you have my sympathy. When Roc went downhill it got to the point I finally prayed that if it was his time to go, please take him quickly. I don't pray often, but he died within 20 minutes of that prayer. Be careful what you pray for I guess... [img]eek.gif[/img]
Aspirin works really well for pain, but can cause stomach upset/diahrea. Hopefully nature will intercede and you won;t have to make the decision.