[nagdu] Update on the old gal

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Rox.
So that's what Sheila was asking about!  Pays to read before I reply.
We could really use that bottoms-up leash.  Where do you get it?

Also, Echo is quite resistent to taking her pain pill.  I stick it way
back in her mouth, but if I don't hold her good, she starts jerking her
head around.  She's dairy-intolerant, or I'd hide it in some cheese.  I've
tried hiding it in a little piece of canned dogfood, or peanutbutter, but
she licks off the cover and spits out the pill.  Any ideas welcome.
Tracy

> 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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