Vertigo

 

On Saturday, April 14^th, when we went to bed, Rowdy was just fine. Sunday, the next morning, he couldn't hardly walk, without stumbling. He would stumble and fall on his face with his front legs, and had great difficulty walking on his back legs, with them constantly slipping out from under him. When he looked at you, his head seem to be locked in a odd angle and could not hold it level. It's like he tried to focus on you, but then his head and eyes would wander slightly off, with loss of control.

So Monday, I called the Vet, but could not get an appointment until the next week, even though I deemed this to be somewhat of an emergency. This is the second time I have been put off by this Vet, or their office, when I deem it necessary for an immediate visit.

They have a sister clinic an hour's drive away, that take walk-in's, so I took him there instead. I should also mention, that I had to drive by the first clinic on the way to the other one, and very few cars were out front. Didn't look like they were that busy, unless the Vet was out on call with farm animals. Either way, I'm still not happy with them.

The Vet did an extensive blood test, checking for organ functions and infections. Everything came back normal, so she decided that he probably has vestibular disease, as in dog vertigo. She said, this can come on all the sudden to older dogs and he may, or may not totally come out of it.

He also wouldn't eat his normal food, but would only eat something that tasted real good, like his wet food I treat him with every two weeks, or with his treats.

Over the last month, he has got much better. His head is held much straighter, and he doesn't stumble near as much. His playful attitude is back in full force and he is finally back to eating his normal dry dog food. However, now in the evenings, I still put a half serving of his wet food, on top of it. I guess this will be a permanent thing from now on, as I just don't have the heart, to totally remove it from him. It's sort of my way of providing him some extra comfort and excitement, in his old age.

Not A Squirrel Chaser Anymore

 

With Rowdy's age, even when he notices a squirrel in the back yard, he only lunges at it for a few steps and then quits.

I think the thing that most effects I this is his partial blindness. I don't think he can visually tune it in, or follow where the squirrel moves to. It is like he looses site of it after it moves a little, so if there is not a substantial opposing background, he can't seem to follow it.

Of course there is the thought that he no longer figures it is worth the trouble, to chase them anymore.

I haven't seen him actually chase a squirrel for some time now, so I guess his squirrel chasin' days are over.

Arthritis Attack

 

Poor Rowdy had a terrible night a few months ago. I don't know why, but his right rear leg started bothering him. To my knowledge, he did not have any kind of accident or injury, but his leg was hurting him something awful.

It started in the evening, as he was laying beside me, while I was on the computer. He kept getting up and laying down and could not seem to get comfortable. I watched him as his right rear leg would slowly start shaking and then get worse, until he couldn't stand it any longer and had to get up and lay back down. He just couldn't find a comfortable position where he didn't hurt. When he got up and walked, he couldn't hardly put any weight on it and hopped on his other rear leg.

The only thing I had to give him for pain, was a Tylenol PM, so I gave him half a pill, in hopes that it would help. Human pain relievers are not good for dogs and can cause liver damage, if taken in volume, so I wasn't going to give him any more.

This went on for most of the night, as he was groan breathing, because he couldn't get comfortable. He kept me up for over an hour and a half, till he finally found a sweet spot and went to sleep. However, if he moved, the process would start over and it would take a little time before he found that sweet spot again. This also woke me up off and on, so I was aware of what was happening to him.

By morning, I decided to take him to the vet, but none close to me were open and the one I take him to was also closed, because it was the weekend. The only ones open were an hour drive away, and I was short on cash and my local bank branch was also closed. (I do not use bank cards)

He did however, start showing signs of improvement, as he was putting a little weight on his leg. Monday, I finally got a hold of my vet, and made an appointment, but it was for several days later, on Thursday. By this time Rowdy was progressively better and by appointment time, he was back to using his leg, but favoring it a little.

The vet thoroughly checked his leg and found no evidence of injury. At his age, he thinks that it was just an arthritis flair up and the he could have just stepped wrong and caused a disc or something, to slip or strain, causing the pain. He gave Rowdy a shot for the pain and some pain pills to give him, if he has any more problems.

What he prescribed, was called Vetprofen 75mg and I am to give him one half pill, twice a day, if he has another flair up, or if he seems to be suffering form pain.

After the shot took full effect, he was like a new dog. Though still favoring that leg a little bit for a week or so, he has now come totally out of it and is doing fine at the moment.

Getting In The Car

 

Rowdy had never had any trouble jumping up in the car, whenever we would go places. Now, with his mobility reduced at his age, he has been having a little more difficulty, but I think that part of it is mental and not physical. His inability to jump in the car, at first varied with location. It started when we would leave the house and he would need help getting in the car. I don't know what started it, but all the sudden he wanted help to get in. However, whenever we were out somewhere, he could jump in the car without any problems.

Now, he has started to want help, almost every time we get in the car. The last several times he got in on his own, he would stumble and catch his feet or land face first into the seat. So he has started wanting help all the time now. I just do it, like I do getting him up on the bed and I grab his hind legs and give him a little boost.

Joint Supplements

Since Rowdy had had some difficulty in getting around in his old age, I have been trying some joint support supplements with mixed results. 

The first one I tried was Revive Mobility.  Though he showed improvement and I was happy with it, he apparently was not.  About halfway thru the first bag, he quit eating them.  Something in the taste was off-putting to him. 

The next thing I have tried and are still using, is called Joint, by Imperial.  These are in a stick form and so far he really likes them.  I give him half a stick a day.

A couple of others I have, are VetIQ, Hip and Joint and one supplement I use with the Joint stick, is Hemp, Hip and Joint.

The Joint sticks seem to help with him getting around and he can do more, like he did when he was younger.  If I notice that he is in some pain, then I will give him the Hemp product. 

I find the Joint brand product at Atwood's.  It comes in a green bag, that either can stand on a shelf, or be hung up depending on the store.  VetIQ is found in many locations, like Tractor Supply and Atwood's.

The Hemp product, I found at Pet Smart. 

On The Bed, A Permanent Fixture

Ever since I was sick with the covid, recovered and finally moved back home, I have allowed Rowdy up on the bed at night. His blanket that he slept on, on the floor, is now a permanent fixture on the bed and he knows his place whenever he jumps up on the bed. I don't exactly remember when the transition took place, but he now always joins me on the bed at night.

For a while, I still wouldn't allow him up there during any other time, except when we go to bed for the night. So I would shut the bedroom door, when I was away at work, or for other reasons and he would find somewhere else to lay, while I was gone.

Now, Rowdy's age and corresponding aliments, has hampered his ability to jump up on the bed, or even into the car. Now he gets up and puts his paws on the edge, waiting for help to get up. So he is no longer needing permission to get up on the bed. He waits for me to lift him up. It is so cute how he raises up with his paws on the edge waiting for me to lift him up. Then, I simply grab his hind legs and guide him up on the bed. He immediately crosses over and lays on his blanket and I take my spot beside him.

One night, a funny thing happened. Whenever he puts his paws up on the bed, waiting for me to lift him up, I usually ask him if he wants up here and I pat the bed. Fro some reason, on this particular night, he jumped up and I asked him and patted the bed, then he plopped his head over to one side and laid his head sideways on the edge of the bed. It was soooo cute the way he did that, as he sometimes drops his head against you in the same fashion, like a hug. 

 

 

A Long Time Since My Last Post.

 

It's been a couple of years since I have posted to this blog. To spite his age, Rowdy is still going strong. To estimate his birthday, or time of year he was born, he will be turning 15 years old, during the first two to three months of 2024.

He is showing his age, with his face hair graying. Now, he is having a little trouble getting around whenever he gets up from a rest and he has lost some of his hearing, estimating about 50% loss. He's also only half motivated to chase squirrels in the yard, when I let him out.

To explain most of our absence from here, in March of 2021, I came down with Covid and was in the hospital for 10 days and in recovery for several months after that. During that time, my cousin took care of Rowdy and then me, after I got out of the hospital. After recovery this blog was mostly out of mind and even though Rowdy did some things worthy of recording on here, I only posted a few times and then got too busy to post any more, after being back on my feet.

While staying at my cousin's, Rowdy picked up a new habit, which I am not certain to label it good or bad. He never barked at the door to let him back inside before, but somehow he learned to do that at my cousin's house and now he does that every time I let him out and he is ready to come back in.

I'll try to post a little more often, when Rowdy does something new or funny, or when I remember something I haven't posted in the past.