westiemum

Thanks dandc - its similar but not the same as as far as I know his swallowing and esophageal motility (movement) is normal. Its the airway protection thats compromised. So if something 'goes down the wrong way' its more likely to go straight into the lungs. Yes I looked at videos of Bailey Chairs - really clever and good management.

Thanks all. Anne the yoghurt is a good idea - its the right texture and consistency. Thanks will give it a go. The vet didn't say anything, except to never put anything around his neck again and to buy him a harness (which I'm doing) And thats not being critical - it genuinely seems to me that canine rehab hasn't kept up with advances in veterinary surgical and medical management. But the small but real risk of aspirate pneumonia in these dogs is all over the net and could kill an old boy like Mac. (he's so damn stoic as I found out over the weekend its easy to miss things with him). So I really want to try and minimise the risk. With Perse's help I have started looking at some videofluroscopy in dogs on You Tube (didn't think of that until Perse suggested it ). While its not completely infallible given I was trained to watch these things in humans not dogs, there are some similarities. When I find a really good one I'll post it so you can see what I mean. But on what I've seen so far in dogs I'm leaning towards elevated bowls making the most sense at this stage - but 'to be confirmed'! ...

Thank you thank you thank you! I've been waiting to hear of the results of this study and didn't realise it had already been published. Mac was part of this study (I think!) as Hannah, the main author was a DOLer but haven't seen her around for quite some time. This is one of the best pieces of work that I've seen on canine dementia. It makes so much sense and shines a lot of light on the confusion around symptomatology (IMHO). Thanks very much for posting Mita. Mac is doing really well. He's bright-eyed and trotting around - albeit slowly. He's snoring (loudly!) in his Mac cave (a big cushion between the bureau and the lounge in the lounge room) at the moment.

Very good news for Mac Do you think that the trachea problem may have been the reason for his night-time troubles WM? Thanks Rosetta. That's a really astute interesting question - and one I've started asking myself now the dust is settling. I think you're right - it's quite possible that his breathing difficulties were gradually worsening and the cause of the increase in frequency of his night wanderings and real inability to settle overnight over the last couple of weeks. I still think he has dementia - those symptoms I think were obvious prior to this recent episode - but I am wondering if he has an additional underlying neurological disease which has just become clinically more obvious? GOLPP? I guess time will tell.

That's a good idea. But do bear in mind that this area of diagnostics IMO is a very inexact science. So one of the things I'd do before you go is keep some accurate notes for a week or so, so you can accurately report to the vet how Maisie's going and what you are observing. 'Cause you can bet your bottom dollar she won't exhibit the symptoms of concern when you're at the vet. I was really embarrassed I was such a poor reporter for the vets on Sunday night during Mac's crisis. Yes I know it was sudden and I was under pressure but I really didn't report well and a few accurate notes would have been really really helpful. Will be really interested to hear how you get on.

As some of you might be aware, Mac my almost 14 year old Westie had successful emergency tie back surgery for laryngeal paralysis last Sunday night. He's been home since Tuesday night and is doing really well. He's back on his raw meat formula but with mashed sweet potato instead of mixed veg at the moment. He isn't coughing or spluttering during or after meals and appears bright and well. He snores while he seeps a little more sniffly but that seems to be the only change. But he now has an essentially unprotected airway, which is a worry to a former Speechie. I've elevated his food bowl and he appears to be managing it very well. But I haven't elevated his water bowl yet as I could only get one elevated bowl on Tuesday night.. I did this as I read it was the right thing to do, but the more I read the more it seems some say to elevate and some say don't. I suppose the questions I'm asking are what do people think of elevating bowls in small dogs with unprotected airways and does anyone know about positioning the dog while eating and drinking to provide some manual airway protection while eating and drinking, like we do with human laryngeal/swallowing patients? Is there anything else I should be considering eg food texture to reduce his risk of aspiration? (Apart from avoiding 'dusty' dry food)? Would be really grateful for any advice (as I don't want to assume how we treat humans is automatically how we manage dogs)! TIA.

kirty when was the last time she had a thorough vet check? If it was awhile ago, I think I'd head back, get them to do a full review including bloods (to check there's nothing else brewing , particularly in an older dog) and see if any of the other dementia drugs or anxiety drugs might help? kayla mentioned selegiline or fitergol, back on p24 so they might be worth discussing with your vet? Up until this last crisis last Sunday we were trying a human generic prozac called Lovan for Mac (the dog one is ridiculously expensive - Reconcile?) - but he'd only been on a the Lovan a couple of days before his surgery so I'm not sure how well it was working. But that might be worth considering too and at least its affordable long-term.

Oh kirty I'm so sorry to hear that. How old is Maisie??? I know exactly what you mean by suddenly seeing them as 'old'. Suddenly Mac is looking old too. I know he is old at almost 14, but its hard to come to terms with the fact that our time is now limited relatively and I need to be prepared. Could you maybe try some different or new meds for Maisie??

For the first time in a couple of weeks, Mac slept soundly all night in his bed next to mine until he got up for a wee at 6.30 this morning. He took himself off to bed last night and was perfectly happy in his bed next to mine all night. He's happy and trotting around with ears forward and his tail up. All good!

Thanks coogie and bianca - yes its marvellous to have him home (and my lovely boss who let me work from home today - I got a stack done! ). Coogie Mac has taught me sooo much too as have my extraordinary DOLer friends. And there's so little for dogs with dementia that I think practical threads like this might help those doggies that come after him - and people have been so extraordinarily generous with their ideas, support and advice. Mac seems comfortable today - bright eyed, with it and more stable. He's pottering around and his new elevated dog bowl appears to be working well. Wish I'd thought of these years ago - they make intrinsic sense. For anyone who is interested I bought a Dogit 900ml elevated dog bowl from Petstock - not cheap but works well for him and is easy to clean. His 'grandmother' very kindly arrives in the morning to take over Mac-sitting duties for the next two days, so he's not unsupervised until I'm confident his now permanently unprotected airway is not going to cause him a problem. (As a former Speechie, these things make me very nervous!). Bedtime. Here's hoping for another peaceful night.

I'm so sorry ness. I can honestly say I have some idea of how you are feeling. I adore Mac yet don't even want to think about what I've spent on his health - suffice to say 3 ACL repairs (one failed), full ear ablation, now a laryngeal tie-back and a couple of dentals... and I'd do it all again in a heart beat. But it doesn't make it financially or emotionally easy for me, or physically easy for him. Big hugs.

Fantastic - just what I needed after a difficult week. Thanks for posting

I believe the Poodle Club of NSW has two young toy poodles looking for homes at the moment. They are listed under rescue on the DOL main pages.

All good westie wishes coming Kenz' and your way ness. I really feel for you. Mac's surgery on Sunday night was worth every cent but gee its going to hurt financially for a long time.

Similarly, without actually seeing the legislation, this looks like a huge step in the right direction.

rogue I seriously looked at becoming a registered breeder about seven years ago. After doing the investigation you're currently doing, I decided breeding wasn't for me. I'm single, have no back-up and became seriously concerned about how I would manage a whelping bitch, work full-time and manage any difficulties and complications. Never mind manage the first six to eight critical weeks of life of a litter of squealing puppies. As part of my research I also spoke to one of the best westie breeders in the country. She checked my girls pedigree and said it was fine, but she did herself out of a stud fee by questioning Sarah's age to safely breed (she was five) and asked if I prepared to lose her? She said if Sarah was her dog she wouldn't do it. That for me was the bottom line. I wasn't prepared to lose my lovely girl. So I think there are some questions in there for you to ask yourself. I strongly recommend you have a chat and make friends with a registered beagle breeder and hopefully find a mentor. That way you really go into registered breeding with your eyes open.

rogue6901 I really hope you take the excellent advice offered here and join this fantastic community. I'm not a registered breeder. I leave that to people who are registered and know what they are doing. Instead I'm a breed rescue person, mainly for west highland white terriers. I have two desexed rescue westies of my own and foster westies as needed before finding them brilliant homes. This is what I'm good at. Learning rescue is incredibly rewarding if you decide that registered breeding is not for you. I implore you not to backyard breed and potentially add to the number of unregistered beagles who end up in overflowing rescue services needing homes or worse, being killed in pounds. Rescue and registered breeding are incredibly rewarding. Before you make a decision, lurk around here, learn lots and make a good choice between desexing your pooches as special pets, rescue and registered breeding. Good luck and will be really interested in what you decide.

Thanks Rosetta - he was very restless to start with last night and I thought 'oh no, here we go again' So I put him on the floor and he paced for a while. Then he seemed to stop so I put him back on my bed and he went 'bang' , lay down and slept through the night. He was sleeping like the dead when I woke him for his pills this morning. So heres hoping for more relatively peaceful nights,

and all different colours .... :) SO glad he's back home :) Thanks Perse - he's got a belly full of good dinner and is snoozing next to me. Its soooo good to have my beautiful old man home. Yes choosing colours for the three of them will be fun!!! What do you suggest?? Red, Purple and dark blue? Yes I think Red for Mac, Blue for Andy but maybe pink for the girl!!!

and all different colours .... :) SO glad he's back home :) Thanks Perse - he's got a belly full of good dinner and is snoozing next to me. Its soooo good to have my beautiful old man home. Yes choosing colours for the three of them will be fun!!! What do you suggest??

You're a gem ness thanks.

A westie would work well too. ... said without bias!! (Much...)

I too suggest a greyhound - understand they are the perfect apartment dog. Quiet smoochy lounge lizards!

Well we're home! He's animated, trotting around, tail up and seems very pleased to be here. As a former puppy farm boy I don't think he likes the vet cages much. I picked up an elevated dog bowl on the way home to get his neck into a better position to help protect his open airway. It worked really well and he looked very stable and comfortable as he ate his dinner. I've cooked up some mashed sweet potato and with some mince and he ate well without problems. So much so I'll give him a small piece of his favourite blue cheese for dessert! The other two got gourmet dinner as well. He's lying quietly and comfortably on the lounge next to me with the other two westies. All is right with the world.

Thanks so much everyone. You've made the choice really tough. I'll sit down after I've fed the hungry hordes and have a really good look. Really like the look of the ones with plenty of padding and wide strap areas which distribute the pressure on an old body. I'm not for one moment suggesting that their collars produced Mac's injury. We genuinely will never know the cause. But given I'm a number of thousand dollars poorer tonight I think a little bit of prevention goes a long way - and now I look at it closely I think harnesses will be much more comfortable for all of them. Thanks so much for all your suggestions - they all seem to have their advantages.