Loving my Oldies

Thanks Westiemum. Yes, you and yours have been going through the wringer as well **hugs**. But, hey!! Not all gloom and doom. I've been waiting on an invoice for some financial and legal advice and was led to believe it would be at least $2k ..... arrived yesterday via email and I was afraid to open it. When I did just a while ago it was "only" $660.00. So the difference will almost pay for the car LOL LOL. Danny is hovering at my feet as I am havinng lunch [and breakfast] of cheesy scrambled eggs on toast. Normally, I would give him some, but am ignoring the pleading begging eyes as I don't want any upsets to his delicate system. It is almost too rich for me ........... What worries me, though, is that it won't get better given Danny's age. I just hope that the mix of medications can start making him feel better.

Thanks Sarasparilla :) . I've been having all sorts of internet connect problems, probably due to the storms so haven't been able to get into this forum. We are limping along. Danny is taking all his meds, thanks to vegemite toast and nutrigel mixed in with water for his Carafate and a large syringe. Eating is still not his favourite thing, sadly. He has thrown up through the last two nights, but because I haven't heard him I think he is just regurgitating a bit of food that hasn't managed to get into his stomach. Bunter came out in sympathy again last night and threw up all his dinner. So I'm keeping an eagle eye on him. The washing machine has hardly stopped - but thank god the sun is out today. I went to PetStock yesterday to buy some more beef and chicken raw and had a prowl around the tinned foods. Ended up buying one can of Science Diet Beef Stew. That was a big hit with Danny and he wolfed it down last night. True to form, he wasn't interested in it this morning. But I'm thinking the mornings might be worst time for him in terms of not feeling too well. Can dogs live health lives on vegemite toast, do you think? :laugh: :laugh: On the way back from PetStock (Mt Colah) car was having problems, strugging along, conking out and not wanting to start after stopping at lights. Managed to limp into the NRMA service station at Hornsby. As I thought, the clutch has gone and am now without a car so I am hoping we don't have any emergencies doggy healthwise. However, I have some good neighbours so if the worst happens I will be okay. So, I don't know about my life calming down, Sarsaparilla :( , but we are settling into a routine.

Great to hear how well you are all doing. Poor Zeus - but a good boy to not escalate the tiff.

Well, I don't know about fruit punch flavoured for dogs, but I'd sure like that LOL.

Thanks Yonjuro. I hope things improve too, because seeing Danny in such discomfort is breaking my heart. He is a little rescue from my days of being a volunteer walker at Burwood Pound in Sydney. He has been with me since February 2002, so (apart from Gussy Cat Feb 1999) the longest of all my little ones.

Thanks, BC Crazy. I have managed to give Danny his medications this morning. Carafate mixed in water and Nutrigel and syringed while propping him on my lap. And the others a bit later in vegemite toast. Flowers and chocolates to Gallomph . I know they all love vegemite toast and I always share when I have it. Why I didn't think of it for hiding pills is beyond me. I will be spending a lot of time at the computer over the next couple of weeks as vet wants me to keep a chart of how Danny goes through the day to see if we can pin down anything via his behaviour and what he keeps down and/or brings up.

This: genetics and luck and the quirks of sperm and eggs :D I find the genetics side of one's makeup particularly interesting as I am one of four siblings - I'm the youngest at 68 :laugh: :laugh:. Anyone looking at the four of us and listening to us speak and watching our mannerisms would know we are blood relatives. Yet we are all so different in terms of health, build, ideas, abilities, etc. I am short and plump, the two middle ones (twins male and female) are tall and slim and the eldest woman is short and slim. All my siblings went grey yonks ago and I still have my natural colour. In terms of interests and abilities, it is hard to believe we are even related. And, getting back to dogs, you see lots of difference in temperaments in litter mates. And this. The air we breath and the food we eat is all very very polluted.

Leec - so so impressed :thumbsup: . All dogs should be so lucky. Well done. Just love the cubby house and your dogs seem to be in favour as well. Just terrific.

Sarsa, I'll take all the hugs I can get. Thank you :) Well it is 10.30 here and I have only just surfaced. Insomnia until 5am . I have done a search of fhe house and no more sickies. Danny didn't move the entire night, Ithink. Tamar prowled around the bed a couple of times checking on Jeune who was under the covers, Gussy Cat slept in the second bedroom (her choice - she is free to wander) and Bunter jumped off the bed a couple of times, so I knew something was up with him. Found some more sicks on the deck, but I don't know when they happened as I could have easily missed them in th storms last night and there is a huge and very messy poo all down the back steps. My poor babies. When I see Danny, I just want to cry. He has been to the water bowl in the kitchen twice in the past few minutes and I now have to start the medication routine. Strong coffee first, then shower, then phone call to vets.

This evening has comnpleted bypassed subline and has just simply gone from the totally ridiculous to the absolutely completely and totally ridiculous. :cry: Getting ready for bed, toss on a couple of throws and a couple of dog beds because you will all be familiar with how dogs love to "dig to China" and organise their bedding. Bunter goes up the steps and I see that he has had diarrhoea. Gloves, scissors get to work and Bunter hates having his bottom clipped but manage to get most of it. Go to get an old cloth that I can throw away to wash him, come back to the bedroom and someone has done a huge wee on the bed. Luckily it hasn't gone through to my bedding and I just wrap up all the throws to take to the laundry and some of it runs off onto my shoe and the floor. :cry: On the other hand, I am close to laughing hysterically. But I stay calm, put on another load of washing, wipe/wash the floor, change shoes and get car keys to drive to the nearest motel. Good night.

I had a long post typed out but my iPad froze. Been doing that a bit lately. Danny has been throwing up all night . He came running into the kitchen when I started to get their dinners all eager and happy and I thought: well that's a good sign, only for him to start a great heaving and throwing up session. Not that there was much to bring up, but he has been drinking more water than usual, so some of his carafate would have been in that including a few bits of liver treat that he had while out walking late afternoon. Then Jeune ate too much and threw it all down the hallway - one hallway rug in the wash to be followed when that is finished by the lounge rug. Into the second bedroom to get Bunter's bowl only to find a huge which was obviously his because he in on a VAN diet. I've never known Bunter to throw up, at least I can't remember that he ever has. So maybe he thinks he isn't getting enough attention. Darling Bunter that is NOT the way to do it. :D After everyone had settled down, I decided to try to give Danny his meds and he was happy to gobble them down in some vegemite toast that I made. I can't remember who suggested that, but it worked. Since then, I have found about four more large throw-ups and several little ones just about a teaspoon size. One bed has gone in the bin (old and would cost more to wash that replace LOL), one bed waiting for the second rug to finish and then into the washing machine. Also one pair of shoes on deck waiting for the morning to be cleaned because I stood in some. My poor babies. I am at my wits' end really. Danny is obviously not well and unhappy, but vets are at a loss too and have advised just to keep on with the medication and to sit him on my lap to keep him upright to try to help his food go down and stay down. That of course assumes that he will eat. I will be discussing with them the possibility of compounding his meds. The chemist I patronise is a compounding chemist and, over the years, I have had lots of scripts filled by them for dogs. Their prints out say: Danny Dog. LOL. All I need now is for the Propalin that Tamar is on for night incontinence to decide not to work and I be ready for admission somewhere.

The problem with Danny is that I am trying to medicate a little elderly dog who often doesn't feel very well. I just went into the kitchen to start getting their dinner, Danny came running eagerly in and I thought, "That's a good sign. The meds must be making him feel better." With that he started heaving and brought up a lot of sloppy sick which contained a couple of the treats I gave them all while walking this afternoon. So I don't know whether to try to give him the meds he is due now or what. Poor little man. The vet was at a loss too this afternoon and she was going to have a talk with her colleagues and get back to me.

:laugh: :laugh: Yonjuro. If I threw anything (even a ball) at my dogs, they'd be complaining to the RSPCA.

Delta Charlie, I have already mixed up Danny's evening carafate in a measuring cone and put in a dob of nutrigel as well Sure doesn't take much to amuse me. I think the carafate the vet gave him via syringe and the meds I managed to give him in the salmon and Philly have made him feel better as he has just happily cleaned up my little bit of left over pumpkin soup. HazyWal - devon in on the shopping list. I think I led a deprived childhood as I never had devon and tomatoe sauce sandwiches. I do remember lovely slabs of mums mince pie, though. Stellnme, do you mean canned salmon?

This concoction used to work fine for me too, LG. Unfortunately, I cannot now accept as a given that Danny will eat it. With the conditions he needs his meds for, he often doesn't feel like eating. He still presents himself as eager and ready to eat, but I think that is just a habit of a lifetime. Same as racing to the side gate to go off walking and then putting the brakes on because he doesn't really want to go. I actually found what Woolies calls Chicken Strips the other day when I was contemplating a roast chicken as a pill disguiser. These were disgusting to my eyes, more bread crumbed coating than chicken, but the dogs loved them. Of course when I give Danny his meds, all the others want treats as well.

Righto. Demo called upon please. Is Devon mild?

All of the above brings about another question: How did I ever find time to work LOL? Of course, nearly 10 years ago when I involuntarily retired, my dogs and I were 10 years younger and didn't have a multitude of ailments. Have just come back from and vet with Danny and then a little bit of very necessary shopping (undercover parking so he was okay LOL). I bought some Philadelphia and smoked salmon spread. Greater love hath no mother yukk yukk. Even before I was a vegetarian, even the smell of smoked salmon turned my stomach. It took a while, but eventually all the meds were safely (I think) down the hatch. Okay - many many thanks for all the responses. He loves yoghurt and icecream, but would simply lick around the tablet. I haven't tried peanut paste because I can't be trusted with it. But if all else fails, I will be trying it. I've never liked the pushing down the throat because my dogs have always been littlies ie 6kg and under. I have been actually reduced to this a couple of times lately with Danny because it is so important that he gets all his meds. Once he gets the taste of the pill disguiser, he generally takes the rest of them from my hand. I have had to give meds via syringe before and have been thinking of doing that with the Carafate as that has to be either mixed into a paste or made into a slurry. This med is to line his tummy to stop any burning from reflux, so I will start to give that via syringe. From time to time, he is happy to lick this up when mixed into a paste with liver or chicken spread. Apparently it is quite sweet and obviously tastes okay to him. Confession time again: I didn't link the fact that he thinks he is getting something he loves, but then discovers the taste of a bitter pill. So that is definitely something to remember and a reason to alternate between food he loves hiding his pills. He is obviously an unhappy little chappy from time to time with his tummy problems, so I need to help him. Thank you all again. Oh. Just remembered the suggestion of a pill popper. Many years ago, I saw a vet give my cat a tablet like that. I didn't believe in magic until I saw that. :laugh:

Monday 27 October 2014 The following daily regime has all been superceded since Danny's tests and procedure at SASH on Tuesday 21 and Wedneday 22, but I've left it in in case it helps anyone else. Danny now gets all his medications in liquid form syringed, but getting him to eat is still a problem. Can't feed him anything with too much fat. Danny is a 15 years old Finiish Spitz cross. He has recently been diagnosed with oesophagitis and hiatus hernia. He has had a mild heart murmur for some time and has been on medication for that. His daily medication routine is as follows: AM: Eyedrops both eyes Aminyllin (heart) Losec Carafate Metomide MIdDAY: Carafate Metomide PM; Aminyllin Carafate Metomide Despite all this, Danny still picks at his food and giving him his medication is no mean feat. I have been through cat food, liver paste, chicken paste, cheese, roast chicken and on it goes. I don't have meaty treats on hand because I am a vegetarian, but more than happy to try whatever anyone suggests. I haven't given processed meats (cabanossi and the like) consideration because of their spices. Again, despite this medication regime, Danny throws up regularly and this morning, I found a throw up of undigested dinner. Because of this, I wonder how much of his medication is actually going down. I am making a veterinary appointment for today for another check up, but was wondering if anyone had something that never failed with tempting their dog's or dogs' appetites.

That sounds like my garage, PooMother which, as I said, is a furnace in summer and takes ages to cool down even at night. Check what sort of roof yours has; mine is some sort of corrugated metal.

A bit off topic, but take note of the temperature of your garage. Mines heats up like a furnace.

Where I was a volunteer walker, some dogs were called Marilyn Monroe dogs for this very reason LOL.

Ooooh!! I have changed someone's life :laugh: :laugh: I am doing much better in quartering pills now that I am using tweezers, thanks to Griff.

:eek: Great pix, Roova. Loved the "spikes" on one of the diver's vest. :laugh:

Well this might be seen as controversial and provocative, Starkehre, but I think one of the best things in terms of how Rottweilers are viewed was the banning of tail docking. There is no doubt that a soft and noticably wagging tail creates a better image and givesd a more obvious intent than a little hard to see knob albeit furiously trying to show how friendly its owner is. :laugh: :laugh: Again, an enduring image and tale (pun intended :o ) I've told often. In an off leash park (Hawthorn Parade Leichhardt), a large black and tan dog ambles into the midest of a dozen or more littlies and owners continue to enjoy themselves watching the dogs interact instead of fearfully racing around gathering up said littlies. Large black and tan was a Rottie but with the benefit of being able to show her amiability by having a tail.

OMG! That photo of her sitting there, so regal and majestic. The best thing that ever happened to me in terms of getting to know a bit about dogs was becoming a volunteer dog walker at a small pound. From someone who had never been within 100 metres of a Rottweiler or, in fact, many dogs and from my years of being a morning jogger, actually extremely wary, even afraid, I came to feel that you would be hard pressed to find a better dog than a well bred, well brought up Rottweiler. I still remember a female Rottie we had, I think her name was Shannon. We'd come back from our walk and were standing on the footpath chatting to a woman who'd approached us. The children were racing up and down the footpath passing Shannon within inches and she never batted an eyelid (and yes, we were watching carefully to ensure she was comfortable :D :D ).