Scottie Is An Old Man

[Scottsmum]

His ALT is actually higher than Amber's. But I've certainly seen dogs with much, much higher ALT readings.

You need to be feeding highly digestible protein to give his liver a break. I wouldn't be feeding the Zwipeak at all. I would be looking to keep the protein % to under 25. He might not cope with L/D due to allergies. So I would suggest things like cottage cheese, yogurt, egg whites. Low fat white fish (eg cod) might be ok.

I've been feeding the VIP to Amber with no ill effects apart from her currently refusing to eat it.

Not entirely sure what the ALT is at the moment. Bloods done monday, they're "normal" but ive not seen them.

[JulesP]

His ALT is actually higher than Amber's. But I've certainly seen dogs with much, much higher ALT readings.

You need to be feeding highly digestible protein to give his liver a break. I wouldn't be feeding the Zwipeak at all. I would be looking to keep the protein % to under 25. He might not cope with L/D due to allergies. So I would suggest things like cottage cheese, yogurt, egg whites. Low fat white fish (eg cod) might be ok.

I've been feeding the VIP to Amber with no ill effects apart from her currently refusing to eat it.

Not entirely sure what the ALT is at the moment. Bloods done monday, they're "normal" but ive not seen them.

Didn't you get a result of 296 U/L?

[Scottsmum]

Didn't you get a result of 296 U/L?

Oldish thread

Sorry - that sounded rude. Was on my phone. :)

Thread is old-ish. He was:

296 in July 2015

260-ish 2 weeks later

125-ish in November 2015(normal but high)

56 May 2016 *have not seen most recent results.

Edited May 15, 2016 by Scottsmum

[Scottsmum]

Well a not all that significant update - Mainly me getting my thoughts together.

He has been... so so all week - but he was pretty feral for hubby on sat morning while I worked but overall this week he's been better than not. We're trying to stick to a strict routine of exercise and meals and meds. We've also set (one of) his beds up in our room and he starts the night there with a snugglesafe & some extra blankies, getting in with us when he's cold. He had been refusing to jump in at night. I thought it might be eyesight but I actually think his jumpers/rugs were restricting him - or he felt restricted. I tried a few and I tried nude. Nude seems to be doing the trick - or maybe he's just so cold its not work stuffing around. Both of us humans are getting a better sleep now that we're not rugging him AND I can start my night not curled up like a paperclip. So win win there! God knows what we'll do in Winter when it's proper cold.

Also read somewhere to do some intensive training right before bed to tucker him out. Seems to be working ;)

Went for our weekly obedience class yesterday - which has morphed into dog walking group. Our beautiful instructor / friend pulled some gadgets out of her Macguyver jacket to see if he could hear them - he pricked his ears at her cheap dazer on the highest setting. So we've loaned that for a few weeks to see if I can train him up and use it to "call" him in at night. I also grabbed one off ebay as it was only $5.50 including post.

Have started playing with it - loading it up with treats - kind of clicker training style. So after saying clicker training "wasn't for me" on another thread this week I now have a very chunky dazer instead. :) At least I am only planning to use it on the back step at 3am when he's pottering in the yard & has forgotten he needs to come back in after a wee.

The other postitive from class was a mention of a cheap online vet pahramacy which appears to do the more expensive meds (quoted at "about $100 a month) at a much lower price ($60 inc postage) - so I'll add that to the list of things to ask the vet tomorrow. We could swing that - taking $15 a week from the food budget.

Consult tomorrow - I kept playing phone tag with the vet and it was giving me the shits. So now I can go armed with my head clear and ask the questions I need to ask.

Preference one is to try the vivitonin and hopefully stay on the Amitriptyline.

Option two is to stop the Amitriptyline and start the selegiline in a few weeks.

Will also ask about supplements like omega 3/fish old etc and Aktivate - which I've found a slightly cheaper suppler of - so hopefully this time tomorrow we'll have a good plan in action.

[Papillon Kisses]

How did the vet appointment go?

I'm glad to hear that you have found some ways to help manage the CCD, like the before bed training, and finding a cheaper pharmacy is awesome!

The Aktivate sounds very interesting, too: it seems to have a number of the same ingredients that are in Hills B/D. Good find. x

[dogbesotted]

with regard to the cold and warm bedding maybe have a peek here:

http://www.snooza.com.au/indoor-beds/hidey-hole

the Snooza people are wonderful and the products are EXCELLENT as is their service.

Scottie is blessed to have you and no doubt he has added many blessings to your lives as well... sort of seems to go that way.

adding with my old Dennys Dog I used memory supplements for him and also placed movement detecting lights around the house... they helped him find his way about at night which was when he became most confused.

h

[Papillon Kisses]

with regard to the cold and warm bedding maybe have a peek here:

http://www.snooza.com.au/indoor-beds/hidey-hole

the Snooza people are wonderful and the products are EXCELLENT as is their service.

Truth. We have a snooza bed that is still around and kicking after 2 dogs and at least 15 years.

It does need a replacement insert, except they no longer make the style of bed. That's how old it is.

[Scottsmum]

with regard to the cold and warm bedding maybe have a peek here:

http://www.snooza.com.au/indoor-beds/hidey-hole

the Snooza people are wonderful and the products are EXCELLENT as is their service.

Scottie is blessed to have you and no doubt he has added many blessings to your lives as well... sort of seems to go that way.

adding with my old Dennys Dog I used memory supplements for him and also placed movement detecting lights around the house... they helped him find his way about at night which was when he became most confused.

h

I adore him I've gotten so much from him and he's taught me so much. I'm very very lucky to have the stinky little basket case.

Which supplements did you use?

Also don't think he'd use that kind of bed. He's not real flash at snuggling and burrowing. He missed the class on blankie mechanics. When we first got him / our first winter with him he'd sleep on the bare floor all night shivering for ages because he wouldn't get back into his bed.

We've sorted him out now - he understands body heat and some of the properties of blankets but a jacket is the best way to keep him warm. Anyhow... I hope we'll OK - I plan to try him in his jumper again at nights after he's been on the drugs a few weeks / if we think they're working, otherwise he can always get under the doona if he gets really cold.

Um re: other stuff.

Vet appt was fine. She's a funny one. I usually ask for a certain guy but didnt last week - just assuming it was a routine check in so I booked back in with her for continuity. She was very casual I kind of got the impression she doesnt do dementia / ccd all that often.

When I asked about omega 3 / fish oil she shrugged and said "can't hurt - it's supposed to be good for dogs". The student was enthusiastic and knowledgeable (as you'd hope from a final year)

Got a script done up - they hit me up $20 for that privilege but ... what can you do? Still saving $100 a quarter even with that built in. The online pharmacy appear to be great too. I noted they're in the same town as me so I asked if I could drop my script into them saving me the time of posting it as they won't process until they have the original. They said no to that - but let me drop it off at the house of one of the staff members - which I thought was nice (I assume they don't want people knowing where they keep their drugs - LOL). The vivitonin should be here (via free courier) tomorrow.

So he starts the vivitonin and stays on the ami. I'll grab some omega-3 when I can and ... Scottsdad and I will just have to resign ourselves to eating fish fingers and rice one fornight a month while he's on it (I partly joke :laugh: )

Got a hard copy of the bloods. Not perfect but much much better. ALT is down to the 50s. Two others are a bit off - one slightly low and one slightly high but not any cause for concern. :)

Thanks for checking in. Will keep you all posted.

[dogbesotted]

I used'

Memory by Fusion

https://www.fusionhealth.com.au/products/product/memory

it really did result in less confusion. Before he started he would get lost and stand in a corner making little confused barks until i came a rescued him.. after 5 days of the supplement this activity stopped completely as did his wandering about at night.

H

Edited May 16, 2016 by dogbesotted

[Scottsmum]

I used'Memory by Fusionhttps://www.fusionhealth.com.au/products/product/memoryit really did result in less confusion. Before he started he would get lost and stand in a corner making little confused barks until i came a rescued him.. after 5 days of the supplement this activity stopped completely as did his wandering about at night. H

Thanks H.

Will put that in the memory bank to ask about next time I see the vet. I'm a little concerned about contradictions at the moment - long story - but I'll try the omega-3 and the new meds and ask the vet.

I hope things start improving for Scottie with the new regime. :)

Thanks Snook. Us too - we're all getting better sleep even without the new drugs (at the moment) which is the main thing for us humans. So lucky Hub is a morning person and happy to walk him in all conditions- it takes about 4 hours for me to fire up and wake up ... hate mornings :D

[Papillon Kisses]

Another enrichment thing which might help? I suppose it depends whether Scottie still has his sense of smell or forgets what he's doing and wanders off. If he's not at that stage though, it might help calm him and promote better sleep.

https://www.dog-games.co.uk/sprinkles-tm/

[Scottsmum]

Another enrichment thing which might help? I suppose it depends whether Scottie still has his sense of smell or forgets what he's doing and wanders off. If he's not at that stage though, it might help calm him and promote better sleep.

https://www.dog-games.co.uk/sprinkles-tm/

Not food driven enough. Snuffle mat was a fail, kong is a fail. He'd happily go days without food. Little poo.

We do play this:

It's a good game. (We met Peta through nosework)

[Scottsmum]

Started the vivitonin last night. He was pretty stoned for the rest of the evening. I hope he perks up a bit - if not will speak to the vet about dropping the Ami down a bit - but he was also pretty zonked for the first little while on Ami too.

He's being a complete sook today. Not entirely sure whats up. Back door is shut. It's bloody cold and rainy - I think he wants to go out and potter in the yard / in the rain. But I'm not up for a wet dog today. Plus a neighbours two cats have been coming in - which is fine but I'm not up for annoying kittys either and I don't want to encourage them. One is black and slept in his crate util I turfed him out yesterday. Black cat in a covered crate = hard to see! I hate the thought of scottie trying to get into bed and being met with a face full of cat - would shock them both and only end badly - who'd come off worse - I don't know. It' only a little cat..But I'm not up for finding out for having a negative experience in the crate.

Have realised that the next (small) challenge will be swapping from free feeding to a more structured offering. At my laziest I usually give him his daily allocation of dry in the morning and 1/2 his meat allocation. Then he grazes on it as he likes - with it usually all being gone by the next morning. Sometimes if he hasn't eaten enough dry during the day I don't give him over half of meat for dinner - or if I give him a bone I also don't give him extra for dinner but the vivitonin needs to be given 30 mins before food on an empty stomach. So I taken his left overs away over the last few nights. No midnight snacks here anymore - Should have seen him wolf down his food this morning. LOL!

The second part of that challenge will be ridding the yard of secret stashes of food - as I've said - he loves to bury treats and other things. He often goes out and digs up something if he's a bit peckish. And possibly not feeding frozen - defrosting his meat the night before - he tends to be more likely to bury frozen meat. He cant / hasn't mastered the art of burying fresh mince :)

brrr....

[shirra]

He often goes out and digs up something if he's a bit peckish.

Coffee splurk moment here

[Papillon Kisses]

Thanks for the update. :)

The sookiness is possibly just him feeling a little thrown about internally by side effects from the new medication.

Did your vet say what side effects might be seen? If vivotonin doesn't have sleepiness as a side effect, then it's probably potentiating the Ami. If it is a side effect, then it may be one that wears off as his body adjusts.

Good luck on the bone hunt.

:D

[Scottsmum]

He often goes out and digs up something if he's a bit peckish.

Coffee splurk moment here

LOL. Glad it make you

Just makes me want to

He's such a gross boy sometimes.

[persephone]

Not gross - a d o g :)

[Scottsmum]

Not gross - a d o g :)

Ok. OK. Sometimes he's a gross boy DOG

he he he

[persephone]

:) :)

[Papillon Kisses]

How's the dear little man?