Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

Delilah’s Annual Check-Up

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Last Thursday I took Delilah in for her annual check-up. As a senior dog, she should probably go in every six months, but considering what a worrier I am, my dogs typically see the vet at least three times per year.

Still this was the BIG one, the one where we talk about subtle health changes, vaccinations, food, supplements, etc.

To start off, Delilah hopped on the scale where she weighed in at 71 pounds. This is up slightly, by about one pound, from her last weigh in. I’m not sure what this is attributed to, because we are walking just as much as we always have. It could just be her metabolism slowing down, she is 10 1/2 after all.

We discussed the type of food she’s on, (raw) and the importance of rotating her proteins. Currently they go three days with two proteins (one at night and one in the morning) and then we change proteins for the next three days and continue on in that fashion. Dr. Soutter agreed that rotating proteins is the way to go.

Then we spoke about her exercise. She currently gets two walks per day, averaging close to 2 to 2/1 miles total. She would absolutely walk longer, but morning time is at a premium and lately it’s been so hot in the afternoon I don’t want to over do her.

We discussed the supplements I have her on, which are very limited. She takes a multi-vitamin recommended by my vet, her thyroid pill, a liver support supplement, a low dose of natural estrogen and just for shits and giggles, I give her 1/2 the recommended dosage of green lipid mussel.

Before physically examining her, my vet asked if I had any concerns. Well they aren’t exactly concerns, but I have made a couple of observations. 1) Delilah now likes to go outside and lie in the sun when I get home from work, 2) she is sleeping a lot more than she used to. Times once were that you couldn’t do anything without Delilah right under foot, and she still is a good portion of the time, except there are actually times when I’m in the kitchen and even though she’s with me, she’s….gasp…sleeping! I know, I know.

Oh and there was one more thing, lately she’s been munching on grass; which Dr. Soutter said, this time of year the grass is sweet. Which seems to be pretty accurate, as Delilah is particular about which grasses she eats.

No I'm not part cow, I just like grass. Thank you very much.

No I’m not part cow, I just like grass. Thank you very much.

The physical exam didn’t indicate anything to suggest there was anything going on that we should be concerned about, so we then went ahead with a blood draw to check for Heartworm, tick-borne diseases and of course, those liver levels that haven’t been checked in a while.

For those who maybe new to the blog, two years ago at a routine exam, we discovered Delilah’s ALT levels were high. After an ultrasound which showed her liver appeared to be the right size, shape and texture, we opted not to do a biopsy. Our vet feels that Delilah has hepatitis but it can’t be confirmed without a biopsy. You can read more about it HERE.)

Delilah was also due for her annual Leptospirosis vaccine (she had her rabies vaccine last year) so we went ahead and got that.

While Dr. Soutter was writing up her notes, there was the loud sound of two dogs having a kerfuffle in the lobby. Delilah stiffened up, head erect listening.

Dr. Soutter said, “She’s trying to decide if she needs to intervene.” We laughed because it’s typical Delilah, she always has to be right in the middle of everything.

When we got to the check out to settle the bill, Delilah stood right up on her hind legs and checked out the treat jar. Dr. Soutter said, “I’m pretty sure she’s not having any issues with those back legs.”

Chocolate Lab counter surfs

Similar to this, except the counter was higher.

Friday Dr. Soutter called to tell me Heartworm was negative, tick-borne was negative and her ALT (liver level) was at 220. Now 220 is in the ‘high’ stage, but it’s at the low end of the high stage, so as long as we can keep her levels from skyrocketing, we’re doing okay.

I’ve just gone back and read the Caring Critter’s post regarding the elevated liver levels and her original levels were at 238. So as far as I’m concerned we’re doing good, but I noticed there were some supplements she was getting then, that she’s not getting now, so it’s something to consider.

All in all though, I’m pretty happy with the visit. Except for the bill. Yeah, with all the supplements and meds I stocked up on, I got a pretty hefty bill.

If I had any doubts about how Delilah’s feeling, she put that to rest yesterday morning, when she pulled a container full of meat flavored water out of the sink. The sink which is fully as high as that stove.

Oh Delilah!

What types of things do you have your vet check for?

The Most Important Question You Can Ask Your Vet

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Disclaimer, I am not a veterinarian and any supplements or treatments discussed in this post should not be taken as advice, you should ALWAYS consult your own veterinarian regarding your pet’s health.

I had a question from one of my readers, Alexa88. Typically, I would respond to this during my Follow-Up Friday post, but since I suspect the answer to her question will be quite lengthy, I decided to make it into a post.

Here is her question, “Lily has a vet apt. on june 6th. she is 11 years old. she has days where she gets up more slowly and takes the 4 outdoor steps slowly going up and down. she doesn’t seem to be in pain at all.  any advice on questions for our vet about joint supplements that might help with her joints. can’t stop the aging process but want to help in any way we can.  she is medium size and weighs 60lbs.”

So everyone knows I’m pretty Type A when it comes to my dogs. I routinely go in for their vet visits with a list of questions regarding their care. I think it’s a great thing to have core questions ready, and you can follow up with other questions as you get your answers and more questions pop up.

Probably the first thing I would ask if Lily were my dog is – WHY Lily is slow in getting up and using the outdoor steps? Is it a normal part of the aging process? (Sampson’s back legs tremble sometimes, which my vet says is similar to an older person’s shaking.) OR is there an underlying issue such as arthritis or hip dysplasia? Once you have your answer to the WHY you can then switch to the WHAT, being WHAT can we do to support or help her with this issue?

You say she doesn’t seem to be in pain, but dogs are super stoic. I had no idea Sampson was struggling with his knee until the vet told me he’d lost muscle mass in his back legs. 🙁

Your vet will more than likely have their own ideas of what types of supplements he/she wants Lily on, but here are some of the ones I’ve used for Sampson, in case your looking for a reference.

For his arthritis:

  • Dasuquin –  a joint supplement with glucosamine and chondroitin.
  • Carprofen – (a pharmaceutical) an anti-inflammatory drug that helps both his arthritis and his knee.

For his knee injury:

  • Green Lipped Mussels – (I’m using Super Snouts Lipped Mussel powder)  pronounced Green Lipid Mussels (don’t make the same mistake I made and call it lipped, I felt like an ass when my vet pronounced it.) 🙂 Green Lipped Mussel contains Glucosamine and Chondroitin, it has a myriad of health benefits for joints, heart, eyes, skin, bone and brain.
  • Ligaplex II by Standard Process – With his initial injury we did a bottle of Ligaplex I which supports tissue repair, healthy joints and muscles, bone growth and synthesis of cartilage, and it also supports natural anti-inflammatory response. The Ligaplex II supports tissue and joints, helps feed the muscolosketal system and facilitates freedom of movement, and is also involved in maintaining healthy fluid levels. When I was researching the I vs II, I found out that the Ligaplex I is good for an initial injury to help get the healing process moving along. It was recommended for a six week course and then to switch over to the Ligaplex II for long term support.
  • Gabapentin – I put him on the Gaba because he keeps licking at those front paws. Honestly, his paws are a mess, but I can’t get the damn dog to stop licking them! The Gaba is used for nerve pain and since we’ve been unable to determine WHY he keeps licking those paws, we use the Gaba. But it is a medication I hope to remove shortly.
  • Tramadol – is a opiod pain medication. I didn’t initially start him on this, but I did put him on it for a couple of months, and I just recently stopped it. The main reason I put him on this was for its sedation powers. I really wanted to Sampson to rest more and allow his body’s natural healing process to work, (he kept tweaking that knee) and I felt that would work best if he wasn’t in pain.

I have also used a number of different supplements that all worked really well, among them Rejenease and Omagease by Finest for Pets.  And I have also used (and Jen from My Brown Newfies still uses it) Natural Strides. They are all really great supplements and have all helped Sampson at various stages of his recovery.  If you click on the Omegease link, there is a discount code for your first bottle and the Rejenease discount code is in the side bar of the site. The only reason I stopped using any of these supplements is because my vet recommends the Dasuquin.

Adequan injections are also an option. The usual dose is once every four days initially and then it tapers off and is administered dependent upon the dog. Some dogs need it more frequently than others.

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog if you keep giving me short, slow walks!

You’d think getting needles stuck into you would hurt, but it actually makes me feel better.

Acupuncture is also good if there is a veterinarian in your area that does it. At my vet clinic an acupuncture treatment costs about $55. This is another treatment that is dependent on how well the dog reacts to it.

You didn’t mention exercise, so I’m curious, what types of exercise does Lily gets and how frequently? I might consider asking my vet what types of exercise would be recommended for Lily.

That should give you some ideas of what’s available and what they are used for. I could go on and on as I’ve learned so much these past two years working with Sampson, but your head is probably spinning right now. So I’ll leave it here, but if you have any more questions, please feel free to ask, you can even send me an e-mail. (There’s a contact section at the top!) Also, the community page has links to a number of different blogs where you will find a variety of information regarding injuries and illness regarding pets.

So yeah, the title of this post.

After I get ALL of my questions answered to my satisfaction, I always, always, always ask my vet one last question, which in my opinion is the most important question you can ask your vet.

And that is: If it were your dog, what would you do?

Does anyone have any ideas for Alexa? A product you’ve used for your pup that might help Lily? If so, please share.

And thanks for asking that question Alexa, I hope we’ve given you a starting point for Lily’s vet visit. Please update us after Lily’s appointment!

A New Normal

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When Sampson did a partial tear of his right knee, a diagnosed Heart Murmur and Arrhythmia left us with the only option of conservatively managing it.

For us, conservative management is very similar to the rehabilitation we did two years ago, when Sampson had surgery for a full tear on his left leg.

We had to come up with a new normal, so here’s how we are conservatively managing Sampson’s CCL tear:

  • Short, slow leash walks. We started at 3 minutes out and however long it took us to get back and have worked him up to 7 minutes out and however long it takes to get back. We do this two times per day.

    She's the star? You're saying, SHE's the star? Look at how nicely I'm walking.

    Seven minutes? That’s barely enough time for a guy to do his business.

  • Blocking.  Sampson’s favorite spot on the couch is blocked off to prevent him from jumping/climbing up on it. The front window is blocked off with chairs. This it to keep Sampson from putting his front paws on the sill and standing on his hind legs to look out. It’s sort of like baby proofing your house, except never put chairs in front of windows when you have a toddler. Chairs and toddlers, it’s a bad combination.
  • Throw rugs. Any uncarpeted surface has a non-slip throw rug. This is to help keep Sampson from slipping. I have so many rugs, it looks like I’m remaking Aladdin. For dogs.
  • Pain management and supplements. Anti-inflammatories, pain meds, nerve blockers, joint supplements and vitamins have become an integral part of meal time. I spend more money on medications and supplements than an old guy spends on viagra.
  • Gates. Gates prevent him from going into areas where he could potentially hurt himself. Like bedrooms where he could try and jump on the bed, and stairs. Stairs are definitely off limits. We have more gates than a gated community.

    But the BIG bed is in there!

    But the BIG bed is in there!

  • No playtime. This is probably the hardest rule to enforce. As our physical therapist said, “From the waist up, he’s still Sampson.” He still has his mind and in his mind, he’s the same dog he’s always been.  And Delilah is still Delilah, she has energy and loves to run and play. It’s so hard to have to stop them from this small enjoyment. I feel like Cruella DeVille, when I have to say, “NO!”

 

The hardest part in all of this, is restricting Sampson without letting him get depressed. With any type of injury or illness, it’s important for your pet to feel like they are still part of the family and to make their life as normal as you can.

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