Staffyluv

My heart sank when I read this... I think the heat knocks them around more when they are ill... She is much better tonight, running around with the others. I think the extra meds kicked in to mask her pain. She's always been very keen on food. She hasn't been interested in food at all today and I had to follow her around with the spoon to get her to eat her dinner tonight. Some of the meds must be given on a full stomach. Without food I can't medicate her and without medication she'll be in serious pain. I missed out on two tablets this morning. She's supposed to have them twice a day, she had two with dinner and I'll try and get the other two into her when she has her yoghurt and goats milk later on tonight. I fed her finely chopped bbq chicken in home made chicken broth. She loves it but not tonight. I got her to eat enough to be able to give her the meds though. The tumour is large, blue and angry looking. It looks very painful. This is the first time in her life she hasn't been keen to eat. Even after major surgeries she's had it never put her off her tucker. All in all it hasn't been the best of days around here. I'll see what she's like tomorrow. I won't let her suffer. CnR Ollie has days when he does not eat much. It could be the heat. Do you feed her a few times a day (I do with Ollie - two small meals and a couple of treats). If you do, you could try swapping her meals around, give her dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. I made Ollie some porridge the other night with some yoghurt and manuka honey to sweeten it and he woofed it down (he had not really eaten the whole day either). Then he had turkey mince and apple sauce for breakfast this morning (sounds gross but he liked it)... I have been going nuts trying to get him to eat - his taste has definitely changed heaps and I imagine that Sophie's would have too (humans claim that chemo gives them a metallic taste all the time), especially with the tumour in her mouth. Sorry to hear that they girls are doing it tough at the moment. I must admit there were times, earlier in the treatments when I questioned myself - constantly second guessing if I was doing the right or wrong thing, was I being selfish? I know Ollie will let me know when he has had enough and I am sure the girls will do the same with you. Hang in there, thinking of you both and the girls... Hugs Jodie and Ollie dog

He is quite flat again tonight and I went up to see the vet this afternoon to get more antibiotics and he wants to see him and do the xray on Tuesday morning, just to be sure. He said that he thought Ollie would be a bit further along than he is, so is still concerned that there could be something wrong with his spine. I have seen the improvement in him since this all started last Tuesday and I think he is doing really well, considering he could not even move to begin with. I think the antibiotics are making him better, just slower because he is not as healthy as the average dog (because of the cancer etc). We will have the xrays on Tuesday and make sure - I think he said there is only a 50% chance that anything will show up anyway...

You can get Vit C powder if you want to use it in your dogs dinner or just use normal human grade Vit C from the chemist (that is what I use). Vit C is a great tonic for dogs. Once when Ollie was ill while he was on chemo another DOLer suggested I ask the vet to give it intraveneously (sp). He did and Ollie recovered so much better - he was like a pup again for a while... Ollie also had chinese herbs and five mushroom drops each day while he was on chemo to support his immune system. And another two immune support tablets from the holistic vet. Perhaps radiation might be better than chemo for this type of cancer (Sorry, just grabbing at straws here as I really don't know anything about this type of cancer - will have to look it up)... Where are you? If you are in Sydney, I can recommend a wonderful holistic surgery - All Natural Vet Care, they have a web site, just google it. We are in Canberra and they have dealt with us via our vet, the oncologist and phone. Wonderful vets, with the very best interest of the dogs at heart.

Cuddles given Eridor, thanks. He is getting up himself this morning and walking a bit more - he seems to get tired pretty quick but it is a major improvement on what he has been like. He was so excited and wobbled over to the door when OH pick the car keys up to go and get the papers this morning (I think he thought he was going for a walk). Cheers Jodie

Most people don't know but there are a couple of different types of anaesthetic used by vets. There is the general one that is used all the time and another that is a bit more expensive but dogs tend to wake up better and have less issues with it - sorry I cannot remember the name but if you ask your vet about it, they can help. My boy has MCT and he needed to go under a few times and we used the more expensive one, he was great coming out of it and was not sick once. Have you considered holistic therapy at all. Ollie was not given the best diagnosis (no clear margins) but we treated with chemo and holistic therapy and he is still here more than 2.5 years later and doing very well (the cancer has been in remission for more than 18 months now). Some ideas to treat cancer in dogs are in the palliative care thread at the top of the health section. Increase or start them on 1000mg fish oil per day as well as vitamin C (500mg per 10kg of weight). Change of diet (gradually so you don't upset their tummy) to a diet based around fats and proteins with veges for carbs and fibre. Ollie eats lean or organic veal/turkey/beef/chicken/roo/venison and he is favouring sweet potato and zucchini at the moment as veges. Raw meaty bones are good as well to keep their jaws and teeth healthy. Make sure you ask for all the implications of having chemo - Chemo damaged our lads thyroid gland and now he needs to take drugs for life to help. He also has stomach issues which could be from the chemo or the cancer. Wishing you and your dog the best Please keep us updated Jodie

Oh dear the poor baby. Not sure if dogs are like humans but: If it is anything like a human joint that has come out a couple of times, she will need surgery to pin it. My son had to have his shoulder joint pinned a couple of years ago after dislocating it a few times - it used to come out when he was asleep sometimes and was painful until put back in. I hope she is better soon...

Thanks all, he has flattened out a bit tonight but he has not had any pain meds today, so I might give him a half a tablet in a little while. He was trying to roll onto his side earlier (he is desperate for a tummy rub) but could not quite get there. Poor lad is so bored that he has managed to destuff two more of his stuffed toys and he spent a good 20 minutes squeaking one of the squeaky toys (I put his toy basket next to his day bed). He had a bit of a play with OH and has said hi to so many of number 2 sons friends (who have popped in to see how he is going), I think he is a bit tired tonight. Cheers J

Just checking up on all our favourite rotties. Wishing them all a great day with their owners. Jodie

He got up himself this morning - he can only take about 10 steps before he wants to be carried (no mean feat, if you have ever met the boofer). But at least he is trying to get up now. He has been up since early, so is snoozing at the moment.. Have you ever tried to play tug-o-war with a stationery staffy - I am so relieved this morning when he got up and took those steps on his own. Thanks so much for all the well wishes Jodie and Ollie dog

Have you seen a vet? Maybe it is mites and she needs medication. This would be my first priority. I would be adding some fish oil to her diet too. Either tablets or just give her a tin of sardines a couple of times a week. And some yoghurt too would not hurt. It could be diet related, a lot of commercial foods are high in cereals that some dogs have reactions to.

It is amazing how well they do when they get hand fed! Glad to hear it. How is the adorable Sophie doing today CnR? I hope she is keeping well.

The antibiotics must be starting to work, he is sittin up much better this morning and he even tried to take a few steps when I carried him out to go to the toilet this morning. He is still the biggest sook in the world (next to the boys and OH when they are sick)... Thanks

I am so glad that it is the least dangerous illness that he has but it is so hard seeing him this unwell. He still cannot stand up but he has sat up a couple of times, he just can't move once he does sit up. He can also drag himself around to a different position if he gets too uncomfortable in the one spot. Poor baby. He keeps crying everytime I leave the room (I am so glad that number one and his GF have moved back in again at the moment). At least GF can sit with him while I do some work... Not sure how he is going to go when I have to go out to clients tomorrow and Monday (all day); he still needs to be carried outside to go to the loo - we are doing it about 8 times a day/night at the moment. Just hoping he gets better soon.

Do you have a cool mat for him? if not you could give him a clam shell or kiddies blow up pool with a bit of water in it that he can lay in? Let him inside so he can lay on the bathroom tiles? Freeze containers full of water overnight and put them into his water bucket during the day to keep it really cold. Freeze some juice or stock and give to him as a treat (in ice cube trays)... Good luck, this heat is bad for the dogs.

Glad to hear the girl has had a good day Shekky. I hope all the other ill Rotts are feeling well too. Cheers Jodie

Thanks guys. I am so relieved that it appears to be just and infection in his joints - it really was the best case scenerio for us. He is laying on the floor next to me at the moment, staring at me because I have a cuppa and a biscuit - he loves milk arrowroot but he has already had one... He does look much brighter tonight and he has attempted to walk a bit. he is so wobbly on his legs. Cheers Jodie

He is home.... I think he was a bit vocal up there, when I arrived I could hear him complaining about his accomodations. He had the joint tap but when that was checked they decided not to worry about xrays as the joint tap gave a good indication that it is in fact an infection in his joints (someone is watching over us, somewhere!). He has to have anitbiotics for about 3 weeks as well as some pain meds - he still cannot walk properly but at least he is trying now (He looks like an old drunk, he wobbles all over the place). So it looks like I still have to carry him out to the toilet as it really does seem painful when he attempts to take steps (he cries). Thanks so much to everyone for all the good wishes - I think they worked (again) :D

He had to go to hospital this morning - fingers crossed he will be fine to come home soon. J

Thanks again to everyone for all the moral support. The lad is in hospital this morning, he went down hill overnight a bit and we took him up first thing. His white blood cell test did not reveal anything, so now he is going to have some xrays and a joint tap. Hopefully he will pick up a bit today and he can come home but for now the vet wants to keep an eye on him - I miss my smelly guy already... Fingers crossed he perks up today (I think it can take about 36 hours for antibiotics to kick in, so that would be around lunch today). Jodie

There is a post in the unwell rotties thread on around page 24 (I think) and it is a diet for cancer dogs. Basically you increase fat and protein and decrease carbs. Alternatively you could contact a holistic vet and get them to draw up a diet for him, based on his health etc. Ollie does not have any commercial food, other than the occasional treat, like a denta stick. He eats, lean turkey/roo/venison/chicken/beef/lamb and he has mashed veges as well - at the moment he is preferring sweet potato and zucchini but I do add other veges to vary it from time to time. He also takes 1000mg fish oil and 1000mg vitamin C a day as well and he has 5 mushroom drops from the holistic vet daily. He is no longer on chemo but his protocol sounds similar to yours. We had to have bloods taken each time we had the IV chemo to make sure his white cell count was OK. Dogs do well on chemo because they cannot give it to them like they do humans (they have much smaller doses) because they cannot give them a bone marrow transplant if they ruin those cells as well (chemo attacks all rapidly dividing cells - both good and bad, do it attacks cancer and bone marrow cells as well as others)... They usually don't lose hair like we do either. Best of luck and don't hesitate to ask questions - that is why we are all here... To learn from each other.

Thanks again. I have spoken to the vet and he is happy (well probably not happy) for me to call him on his home or mobile number at any time if Ollie goes down hill overnight. There is no real change, he still can't walk and seems to be in pain. The vet assured me that the pain meds he gave Ollie are enough and the only other option is to give me an injectable opiate (sp??) for him - which I have declined at this point. He has to go back to the vets in the morning for blood test results and another pain injection if required. We will also decide what to do next - joint test and xrays etc. I am hoping that he pulls up a bit better overnight (and I am quietly confident that he can). The whole pack is home now and his eyes are a bit brighter seeing everyone around him.

Thanks guys, I was hoping he would be up at least trying to walk by now but he can't even sit up now. My heart just breaks watching him try to sit up. I will call the vet around 4pm and let him know what is going on. I did get him to drink some water (about 250ml) earlier but he still does not interested in food. He is not dehydrated but his temp is still up a bit 39.4C Thanks again Jodie

A vet visit is needed to ascertain what is going on with your dog. It could be any number of things - when my lad lost all energy, it turned out to be his thyroid. But it could be heart worm, a virus, an infection, worms etc... Lots of things, that is why you need to see a vet. Best of luck

Kangaroo is great for most dogs but it is stronger than beef etc, so I would try weaning her onto it or she might get the runs. Try giving her half roo and half chicken for a few days then 3/4 roo and 1/4 chicken, until she accepts it without getting the runs. I would say the vet meant sweet potato, we use the pink/orange one and zucchini too. Just boil it up and mash it well. Glad to hear she will be fine

I agree... Only you can know what avenue you are willing and able to take with your dogs and based on what you have told us about Sophie, I would most probably do exactly what you are doing. I hope she is having a good day. Give her a big hug for us. Ollie is not well ATM - I won't clog up the Rotty thread with the MCT stuff but if you are interested there is an update in his thread. Jodie