Loving my Oldies

Gosh - what a hunky gorgeous boy Ronin.

He'll be okay with Little Legs on his case

I've met a couple and while I am not about to invite them home to play with mine (toy breeds and elderly) :laugh: :laugh:, both were really lovely dog. One was an adult from Big Dog Rescue a few years ago, so obviously they do turn up in rescue and one was a pup in the vet's waiting room. ChristineX, poor puppy you met. Result of a very bad owner and the sort of person who should never be allowed within 100 miles of such a breed. Heapha, I guess it is a case of doing your homework and finding a breeder who breeds for temperament and good canine citizenship. The loss of your Rotti x must have been very hard, but what a wonderful age he reached for such large breeds. You obviously have the touch.

I've heard of them being used for other purposes, Yonjuro :D :D Despite my shock at discovering how expensive the compounded liquid medications are, I cannot express what a relief they are. All Danny's meds are via syringe now and (touch wood), so easy. I just measure the appropriate amount, dip the tip in yoghurt and he takes it without any problems. Tamar is on propalin and that is via syringe too, so I have four small glasses lined up on the kitchen bench for each syringe. After each use, they are washed in boiling water and back into the glass :laugh: :laugh: . Yes, I'm a bit anal, but it works for me. Danny's demeanour seems to be improving too, he actually went to sleep on his mat near the dining table when he couldn't see me :eek: and when I came back from walking the other three this afternoon, he wasn't at the side gate. He was at the top of the back stairs wriggling himself into a pretzel and wagging his tail, so I think he'd gone back upstairs and slept until we returned. Almost unheard of. So he is obviously feeling tired from the whole business and giving in to it. Each day is different.

Thanks LabT and RSA. I'll hold off the cuddles for a little while :laugh: :laugh: . He is sound asleep next to the table and I think he must be exhausted as well. I don't even dare move from here because he'd be up like shot following. On second thoughts, I might just join him on the mat LOL.

Thanks for that, StaffyLuv. The biopsy report came back yesterday and nothing conclusive at all just "non-specific gastritis". We have just re-started the carafate and hopefully it will improve his desire to eat with his tummy being eased just a little bit more. He seems to really like (I'll bet I've jinxed it now) the Eukanuba Intestinal kibble. I have a can of this as well, but haven't tried it yet. He seems to have gone right off the i/d slurry and had to syringe some this morning. I hate having to syringe the food as I am worried that it will bring on gags and vomits. I'm off to the chemist today to see if I can find some I can manage more easily. The ones SASH gave me look big enough to feed a horse and you'd have to be able to bench press 400kg to control the flow. At least all the medications are now via syringe, so that is one worry gone and because the syringes are so small, I don't worry so much about this bringing on a gagging fit.

I think my favourite was the dog hiding under the giraffe.

I couldn't even begin to remember half of them, but I think probably the worst is stepping out of bed into diarrhoea. Many years ago, my father was staying with me and he'd been out into the back yard in the morning, stood in a poo and not realised it and tracked it all back through the house. Naturally, he went to god without ever knowing I'd hastily washed up the floors after him :D

First major throw up this morning since last week :( . Apart from a few very minor regurgitations which have been promptly licked up, he has been pretty good, so his vomit this morning is very disappointing - I'm sure he didn't enjoy it either, poor little man. He seems okay though and I guess the day can only improve. Watching anxiously (sorry LG can't help it :D I am a born worrier) to see if he keeps breakfast down. This is one of the emails from the SASH vet from yesterday. So I need to monitor him carefully (keeping a detailed record) for quite some time: If we ‘trial’ the carafate, it would be most useful if you could try to observe a clear ‘cause and effect’ of using a new drug. So, before starting the drug, you want firstly, everything else to remain the same, and secondly, have a general idea of how things are going (for example in this case our goal is to improve appetite so get a baseline of his appetite). I emphasise the GENERAL idea, in that what is happening that day or that moment is not as important as the bigger picture over the past 5-10 days. So you might say, I’m sticking with this general diet, giving these medications, and Danny’s appetite over the past week has been FAIR. Then, start the drug and after 5 days or, make another assessment as to how that general appetite is. So then you might say, I’ve kept everything the same and Danny’s appetite since starting the drug is BETTER. If it’s unchanged, then the drug is not helping and can probably be stopped. If it’s improved, then the drug has helped and we should continue. If you are not sure, then we are not sure, and we won’t know whether to continue it or not.

Yes, Yonjuro. Danny is the polar opposite of aloof too, but he can be very very stubborn and wilful. You have read and commented in my post about him and I sometimes wonder if he is just being plain stubborn combined with some learned behavioural traits. For sure, he has been a very unwell little boy, but I remembered the other poster's reference to her "stubborn Spitz" when I was trying to get him to take some yoghurt with his medication mixed in it. Luckily this has now been provided in liquid form and I will be able to syringe it from now on, but I have to go over to collect it from SASH. I had to get him started on the yoghurt mix by putting some on my finger and then he was licking happily. He stopped to have a little rest and would not start again until the bowl was right under his nose. All his food and water bowls have to be raised and quite often he will not start eating until I am actually holding the bowl. And, again, after another stop, he would not start again until the bowl was at his little snout. He is making me earn every cuddle LOL. So recalling the mention of "stubborn Spitz", I was prompted to enquire.

Danny is far from aloof. He thinks everyone loves him and acts accordingly. I have to watch him around small children (simply because he might push them over) because he backs into people expecting them to scratch his back. Aloof is different from stubborn.

Because my podiatry appointment was next door to the little IGA at Westleigh, I went there. I actually did stand in front of the ice cream cabinet and wiping up my saliva before commonsense prevailed and I dragged myself past. Did find some scrumptious Mersey Valley spreadable cheese though :D

I saw something in a post not so long ago and meant to go back to read it further, but I didn't and now I have forgotton where it was. The poster said something about her "stubborn Spitz". Are Spitz breeds generally more stubborn than other dogs? Are they known to be stubborn? I'm curious and interested because my dog Danny is going through all sorts of problems at the moment and sometimes (no, many times) I think to myself that he is a very stubborn dog. Even before he became ill, I used to think this. Danny is a little Finnish Spitz cross breed, 15 years of age and currently weighs 5.4kg.

Thank you ladies. I am very ready for snuggle time. So last orders, please - means meds for Danny and cuppy for me and crash into bed.

Blimey, I'd forgotten all about Devon, HW. That seems a long time ago LOL. It has been an ordeal, but hopefully running smoothly from now on. I just have to remember he isn't a young spunk anymore, but an elderly spunk.

Thanks Cavs. Yes, if Angus hadn't been around these past few days, I'd have been up s**t creek. He even came out of a seminar to call me after I'd left a message. I him and Penny. Jill McAllister is terrific too.

LG, I am so looking forward to getting home after my podiatry appointment, because that is what I plan on doing LOL. Maybe a bit of shoppping first for a tub of icecream :D :D Perrin, I there are definitely signs of improvement. I guess the "bigs guns" of the medicinal world are kicking in - I would sure hope so at $200 a pop :eek: . I must admit, I am starting to get a silly grin on my face when I look at my little red man. I guess we will have ups and downs, but this afternoon his demeanour is so improved. AND !!! I've just found Gussy in the bushes to bring her inside and she is walking so much better, so she is on the improve as well. Now for me . . . . . . . .

Any colour Dobe would be gorgeous LOL.

You mean like this, Gallomph? :laugh: :laugh: This is actually a photo of Tamar and Bunter playing, but these beds are generally beside the dining room table. Beds or mats wherever I go.

Thanks, grumpette. When I compiled my report, I had 12 points for discussion!! I actually gave a copy to my usual vet for his input as to whether or not I was over-reacting. He said that there was nothing in my report that he would not want to know about if it were happening at his hospital and that I should definitely send it to the hospital. So I have sent the report to SASH's Hospital Administrator and went through them all in person with the SASH vet today. She unreservedly apologised for each and everyone of them, giving explanations in a couple of cases, but accepted that all were unacceptable however they occurred. I was nervous as to how Danny would be treated if I complained, but in the final analysis, it had to be done. Onwards and upwards now.

Just back from SASH (I forgot the Tramadol LOL). I had a long talk to Danny's vet - I had to push for this as I was expected to just sign lots of papers and leave him and no way was I going to do that. Problems have included: poor to no communciation, vet not available to talk with, wrong medications, Danny was discharged to me with a small, bleeding gash over his eye, a dirty bottom, etc etc. Despite the vet prescribing heavy duty medications, one wasn't available until Friday and then it was in tablet form instead of liquid. And despite my asking for them, no instructions as to how the medications were to be given, for example with/after/before food, and how long apart. I even found out that they'd recorded his weight incorrectly. In his discharge papers. his weight was recorded as 4.7kgs and at my vets it had been 5.2kgs. I mentioned this during this morning's meeting and the vet confirmed that the weight recorded was incorrect . A difference of 1/2 kilo is considerable in a dog who weighs 5.2kgs. He has put on 200gms since then weighing in at 5.4kgs this morning Anyway, we have decided to postpone the fluoroscopy until we have had more time assessing Danny's progress on diet and medication. He is sound asleep now. I have to accept that he isn't just old, he is very old. :cry: Lots of cuddles and recliner rocker time to come. :laugh: :laugh:

Thanks, Coogie. Poor Issy and Alf. Issy's surgery sounds horrendous. I'm googling Tramdol in case I can get some for me from SASH :D

Danny would be happy to cuddle all day. He is happiest if I decide to use the recliner rocker and he lies at the bottom between my feet, or resting his head on my legs. I had to go down to the vet this morning, so I took him to weigh him --- 5.3kg so he has put on a little bit of weight. Since last Monday, notwithstanding the couple of terrible days when he was throwing up all the time and a couple of days at SASH where he ate practically nothing. He hasn't had a major throw up for over three days, but I see him licking his lips and thrusting his head forward a little bit, so I think there is a little bit of regurgitation going on, but not to the extent he throws up. I guess I am expecting too much too soon, LG, and following your advice, sat cuddling him for quite some time and he just snuggled in and put his head on my shoulder. I have to keep reminding myself that, afterall, he is an old dog, whether in good health or not. The procedure at SASH tomorrow (Fluoroscopy) doesn't require an anaesthetic, otherwise I would be postponing it. Thanks again for the good wishes. All the elderies, including the Mayoress, of Mooch City need them :) :)

It is such a roller coaster ride emotionally . I am just about ready to slit my wrists. He is taking his medicattions, eating well (but not this morning) showing few signs of bringing his food up and if he does it is just little splats which he licks down again. But . . . . . . his general demeanour is so poor. I honestly don't know what to think any more. Is he miserable? Is he in pain? Is he unwell? Or is he just feeling old and holding his tail up takes up too much energy? I just don't know. I've attached a photograph to show what he is like 99% of the time. He doesn't leave my side: I move, he moves. And quite often if I am in the same spot for a while, for example ironing, washing up, he will move until he is practically against my leg. Quite often as he stands like he is in the photo, he is swaying as well. I think he becomes totally exhausted with his need to keep me in view all the time. And if this wasn't enough, Gussy has hurt her leg very badly. I've taken her to the vet of course and it isn't broken, but it is very very painful to the extent she can't walk on it. She isn't eating and has been hiding under the chair in my bedroom all morning since I gave her her medication. :(

The topic title needs to be changed. He wasn't suspended for not PTS-ing dogs when he should have do so; there were numerous other offences. His licence should be cancelled permanently. The man is 71 - say he graduated at 25, that makes nearly 50 years of god knows how much cruelty by intention and/or neglect and/or arrogance.