Dog is doing better!

[KingbirdQueen]

My good ol girl lab is walking today and navigating obstacles. She looks like she is walking on stilts with straight legs, but she’s walking all around and navigating obstacles and not falling over.

The biggest difficulty is getting her to take anti nausea meds. She fights me so hard that I think she gets dizzier and now she kind of hates me. She loves to see my husband but she smashes her face against the wall when she sees me.

She used to be an easy pill taker because she LOVES food and gobbles it down never noticing the pill. But now that her tummy hurts she’s not interested in eating. The pill is an anti nausea pill, but she doesn’t understand that. I’m just mean mom .

I am letting her roam a bit outside alone with no other animals so they can’t topple her since she’s navigating obstacles. I’m hoping not being stuck inside all hours except to potty will raise her spirits. She loves outside.

My big boy dog wants so bad to go with her. They are BFFs. He just checked on her these last couple days with his sad eyes and his ears down, but today he got all excited to see her walk outside by herself and started barking and whining with his happy tail to go too, but he’s too wrestle- y and jumpy for me to allow it.

I think when she goes over the rainbow bridge my big boy will be devastated. He’s 8 years her junior and I don’t know what he will do without her. When i used to foster dogs , my labby girl was always the one to help the big fosters and they developed a strong bond when he was a scared 6mo old who was abandoned.

 

[1956BD]

Good News!

I am so glad she is doing better. I wish she did not need to take pills. Poor little thing. I feel for her. It must be difficult to keep her by herself when she goes outside.

Sometimes after a dog passes you need time before adopting another one. But if there is another pet involved you have to move quickly and get them a new playmate because they get so depressed without their previous buddy. At least that has been my experience.

I hope your lab continues to get healthier and can soon get the pills down easily as well.

 

[annie_g]

I'm so glad she's better! I've had good luck with the peanut butter pill pockets. Maybe try those?

 

[KingbirdQueen]

She won’t eat anything right now. That’s how we used to get her treats but she won’t even eat bacon. It’s ironic because the pills are to help her appetite return. But because she has no appetite she won’t take them.

 

[steach]

Hot dogs?

I had to resort to hot dogs to get the medicine in my dog. I just cut them up and put a a slit in one of the pieces. I have to shove the pill all the way down. If he sees it he won’t eat that piece.
My daughter will do this with her dog, but she gently holds her mouth shut and she has no choice but to swallow the pill.
Good luck. You sound like an awesome dog mom!

 

[KingbirdQueen]

We actually typically do hotdogs, peanut butter and cheese bits or even dog treats to give her pills. Unfortunately she will not eat any food at all, which is the problem. Because she is nauseated, she does not eat any food at all not matter the treat. Even if there is no pill I can’t get her to eat anything at all. No exceptions . We tried treats , real chicken, hot dogs, peanut butter, bacon, cheese, hamburger, bread, and even a popsicle bit. I tried to make her a chicken and rice meal with broth to get her to eat and she won’t. Peanut butter - nope. She refuses to eat anything at all right now so we lost that magic trick. She did eat some chicken and peanut butter an hour after her pill goes down. But by the time she needs the next pill she’s back to NOPE!

I do the pill down the throat but she fights me fiercely trying to get her muzzle which causes her dizziness to be worse. The clenches her jaw and shakes her head. She’s very stubborn. It does work, but it makes her miserable as it must make the vertigo worse. But it’s all I can think to do.

 

[steach]

I missed your original post. What’s wrong with her? Honestly, it sounds like you’ve tried everything? Could you raise a white flag and get the vet to give her a shot?
Hang in there. She’s lucky to have you.

 

[KingbirdQueen]

She either has old dog vestibular disease or a brain tumor. We took her in for the original meds and if she didn’t improve over the next 72 hours she would get an MRI or we might have just put her down as her tests have come back with no infection so it would be considered a severe stroke or a tumor and she’s 13 .

But as she is improving it does seem to be a The first thing. She’s supposed to take anti anxiety medicine and anti nausea medicine every few hours while we wait for the episode to be over.

She can walk today and avoid obstacles and her eyes are no longer doing that side to side rapid motion thing so she is improving thankfully.

 

[LazyLake]

So glad your sweet dog seems to be doing better.

Years ago, we had a dog that suddenly had side to side rapid eye movements. Within mins., she had a stroke that left her back legs paralyzed. There was no in between time when that happened, it all happened in only a matter of mins.

 

[BioAdoptMom3]

I'm glad she's starting to improve but so sorry about the nausea. I wonder if there is any type of anti-nausea medicine OTC in chewable or liquid that tastes pleasant that she could take? Maybe Pepto Bismal? I would consider doing a little research and see if there is any alternative out there that is safe for dogs that she would willingly take.

Hope the nausea ends SOON!

Nancy

 

[Aderynbach]

Hopefully encouraging

My parents inherited my grandparents dogs after my grandparents passed. One of their girls (Minnie) got old-dog vestibular disease. My parents were in Hawaii and my sister was watching the dogs. We were sure Minnie was having a stroke. We rushed her to the vet and found out what it really was. Her disease caused her head to tilt dramatically to one side. After a few days of forcing the nausea pills she got better and started eating. That was 3 years ago and she’s doing fine, though her head is still a little tilted.
There’s hope!

 

[klarabelle]

So glad your girl is getting up and walking. She is in my prayers as is your boy.

 

[twin2]

Just read your post

and the previous post about your dog. I'm glad she is doing better. I'm sorry that she doesn't like you trying to give her medicine, but once she is better, she will forgive you again. Maybe her appetite will come back soon and you can at least hide the pill in food. I think the outside time is a good idea too. Could you take the older dog outside on a leash so that he can be near her but not close enough to topple her?