[nagdu] Update on the old gal

[The Pawpower Pack]

Tracy, we let our dogs on the bed, so a friend built a set of wooden steps so she can get into bed by herself. I'm also going to buy a bottoms up leash, which is a special leash which goes around the dog's back end so that a person can help support the dog's hind end.  She doesn't need this now, but may in the future and I want to have it when I need it. 

Rox 
Sent from my iPhone

On 27 Jul 2011, at 12:33 PM, "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net> wrote:

> Hey Rox.
> Go Bristol!  These old dogs sure are amazing!
> We're going to talk to the vet about cutting the Tramadol a bit, though it
> doesn't seem to having any bad effects on Echo, and we're so happy about
> everything going well.
> Glad to hear this regimen is working well for others, too.
> Tracy
> 
>> Hi Tracy, I am also the lucky care-giver for an old gal. Bristol will be
>> 14 in December and 2 weeks ago we also started her on tramadol. She had
>> started Previcox, an antiinflamitory last month but we think she slipped
>> and strained something so we gave her Tramadol when the antiinflamitory
>> stopped working.  She is also up and around, playing and going for regular
>> walks. We're weaning her from the tramadol to see if she can still get
>> around and be pain free without it.  She's doing great so far!  These old
>> dogs are sure something else!
>> 
>> 
>> Rox
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> On 27 Jul 2011, at 10:09 AM, "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> I thought I'd give an update on my old dog Echo, in case it helps
>>> someone
>>> else dealing with a senior canine.
>>> My retired guide Echo turned 16 in April.  We found a vet who makes
>>> house
>>> calls, which is great, because the old gal gets totally stressed at the
>>> mere thought of getting in a car, and also gets very anxious at the vet.
>>> Now she can be treated in the comfort of her own home.  She still gets a
>>> little anxious, but it doesn't exhaust her for days like the trip used
>>> to.
>>> And it's about the same price, too.
>>> About 3 weeks ago, the vet recommended we put Echo on
>>> anti-inflamatories,
>>> because the arthritis in her hips is getting pretty bad.  A few days
>>> after
>>> we put her on the new pills, she stopped eating.  At least 3 times we
>>> decided to make the call for the vet to come and put her to sleep and
>>> then
>>> she'd rally--eat something my husband found to tempt her appetite, or
>>> get
>>> up and casually go get a drink or whatever when we thought she couldn't.
>>> ("Bring out your dead!" "I'm not dead yet!")
>>> Of course, we were trying to reach her vet, which took a couple days and
>>> did not make us happy.  When we finally got her, she suggested we try a
>>> small dose of a pain pill, Tramadol, which she called in to our
>>> pharmacy.
>>> She said it wouldn't make Echo dopey, and it might help.  If it
>>> didn't...well, we could make the decision you can't unmake.
>>> Echo started to feel better about 20 minutes after we gave her the first
>>> pain pill.  Her appetite came back, and she started walking around a lot
>>> more.  Now she's back to where she was a while back--not bouncing
>>> around,
>>> but walking about, eating well, wagging her tail, and generally taking
>>> an
>>> interest.  It's great to see.
>>> I'm not a big fan of drugs, but the combination of the anti-inflamatory
>>> with the pain pill is making a big difference for our old gal.
>>> It ain't easy taking care of such an old dog, but it does have its
>>> rewards.
>>> Tracy
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
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> 
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