# Dog got sick, $1000 so far, more to go!



## Melensdad

Our Akita dog is elderly, but living a pretty darn good life, happy, etc.  

She's had arthritis for years, been treated and generally had little trouble with it as long as we did our part with the meds.  Despite the arthritis she could still catch/kill the occasional raccoon (or cat) that intruded into her yard.  Plenty active, loving, social.  

And then. . . 

She started pooping while she slept.  And leaking pee too.  Obviously took her to the vet to see what was up, diagnosed with a couple minor issues, probably related to the arthritis meds and steroids.

And then . . . she started to pee uncontrollably and it was sticky!  

More trips to the vet, possibly DIABETES, possibly caused by the steroids which we had just discontinued.  

AND THEN . . . she pee'd blood this morning!!!

Off to the 'emergency vet' clinic.  X-Rays showed bladder is enlarged and had a thick exterior.  So some more tests.  Inserted dye into bladder.  More X-rays.  Sent the X-rays off to a university for consult.  Plus blood tests.  Plus urine tests.

Long story short, the dog has a MASSIVE bladder infection that is COMPLICATED by the fact that she is now a DIABETIC.


Looks like we are going to end up spending nearly $2000 by the time we are done with all this, but we are over $1000 into it already.  She is spending a couple days in the dog hospital.  She was up and alert and wanting to get back into the car to come home, but clearly not coming home with us.

On the bright side, the doctors expect a FULL RECOVERY from the bladder issues and a treatable/controllable situation with the diabetes.    And then another year or two of happy life.  


Overall, it was NOT A FUN DAY today, left the house with the dog about 10am, got back home about 5pm.  But glad that my companion and friend is going to be better soon.  Honestly went to the vet assuming she was a goner and wouldn't be coming back home ever again.  *Glad that my fears were wrong.  I'll be glad to pick her up on Tuesday??? and bring her home again.*


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## 300 H and H

As a dog lover, I wish you and Misha (?) another couple of years together. She, and you deserve this. The money is only money, and I am betting you will forget that tommarrow...

She's served you and your family well for years. Time to give a little back.

Best regards, Kirk


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## Melensdad

Yeah Kirk, when it comes to spending money on Misha's health there is no set limit.  If she was in pain, and terminal, then we'd be reading a different thread.  But this dog is one of the best we've ever shared our home with, doubt we'd find another friend who offers such love.  The money, while steep, is inconsequential in the long run, and her pain is infection related and not long term.  Her chances of recovery are very very good.


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## Leni

So glad to hear that.  My Main Coon cat became very ill and no one could figure out what was wrong.  They suspected lung cancer but couldn't find any cancer cells.  It took an autopsy requested by the vet to confirm that he died of lung cancer.  We spent over $2,000 and were ready to spend more if it would have saved him.  My husband is heart broken and is not ready for another cat even after over a year.  Amigo was the first pet that he really cared for.  All others were just tolerated.  I've always had cats and want another one but it looks like it is going to be a while.


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## pirate_girl

Not long ago, Gretchen couldn't walk or put weight on one of her hind legs at all.
Naturally it scared the hell out of me.
Turned out to be a pulled muscle in her leg, but like you Bob, no amount of money matters when it comes to our fur kids.
Then she developed a cough that the vet says is from a weakening of the trachea because of her age.
She doesn't get to take walks with me like she used to.

I am happy to hear things are looking up for your doggie.


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## EastTexFrank

Let me join the club.

I once spent well over $4K, almost five, on a $20 pound puppy.  She was a Lab/Basset mix, long body and short legs.  Out in the yard one day she took off after a squirrel.  She was pretty quick over short distances and batted about .500 on squirrels.  She went ass over kilter and I thought that she had torn her ACL again (that one cost $1200).  To cut a long story short it was her back.  I had to take her to an animal hospital in Dallas and she had to stay there a week after the operation and took a lot of loving care once she got home.  It's no fun carrying a 75# dog outside to potty 3 or 4 times a day for over a month.  In short, I never regretted the money or the work and I enjoyed her companionship for another 6 years.   

I still miss that dog.  It's whole life was focused on being next to me every waking moment, everywhere I went.  She was never more than 10 feet away.


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## Snowtrac Nome

Bob sounds a lot like what Macarthur went through before he passed on. on the positive side all our dogs are young now we should have at least 10 years before health issues come up again. by the way our too little lap dogs were acting like teen agers  a couple of weeks ago we are expecting puppy's if any one wants a mixed breed lap dog. old sarge was having the time of his life I think he was doing it 3 times a day


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## Dmorency

Glad to heard she will get better. Our pets are family too.


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## Melensdad

UPDATE:  She is still in the dog hospital.

Misha's blood surgar is down to about 150, it was over 450.  So the insulin is doing its magic and she is no longer in any risk for diabetic coma.  The goal is to keep her between 100 and 200 from now on.      

She has a catheter for the urine and still is peeing a bit of blood but the stronger antibiotics have only been dripping into her for the past 24 hours and they are very optimistic that that will solve the problems.


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## EastTexFrank

Glad to hear that the prognosis is getting better.  I'm sure she will home in no time.


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## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Glad to hear that the prognosis is getting better.  I'm sure she will home in no time.



picking her up at 7:30am this morning


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## Melensdad

Official total is now approaching $3000.

*GOOD NEWS ~ BAD NEWS*

+1 - As far as the bladder problem and the massive infection, that already appears to be in the early stages of getting a bit better.

+1 - As for the diabetic complications, that appears to be something that we can A) Manage and B) appears as of now to be MINOR and very possibly C) may actually either go away or decrease to be very simple to manage with time.

+1 - She is home again and happy!

But now for some bad news . . . 

-1  The artritis that causes pain may have masked another disorder that could end up leaving her with lame rear legs.  It could progress slowly or rapidly and there is no cure.  There are little wheelchairs that can be strapped to the rear of the dog so the dog can get around easily, but that may be something we never have to explore.  She is 11.  If we are lucky she will see her 12th birthday, and if she is lucky she will pass quietly without the disorder really affecting her quality of life.  But that is just a maybe.

So today is 3 UPS and 1 DOWN.  

Could have been a lot worse.  She goes back for an ultrasound test tomorrow mid-morning.  It is just to check the bladder, they don't expect to find anything new.  While there she will also have her blood sugar double checked again.  We give her an insulin shot tonight.  She had one today at lunchtime.

I made a ramp so she can walk right out the front door of the house and almost straight into the rear of the Touareg without any issues.  She now has carpet laying over our tile floor so she can get up and down more comfortably too.  But she is already much more animated, more energetic, and seems happy/content.


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## Leni

So glad to hear that she is getting better.  I can tell you from personal experience that bladder infections HURT!  It is horrible when it gets to the point of bleeding.  Poor thing must have been in agony.  No wonder she is more animated now.


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## Melensdad

Follow up at the Vet's office this morning.

They did an 'ultra sound' to view the bladder because the X-rays were not able to get a very detailed pictur.  The ultra sound confirmed everything they thought so we are on the correct treatment path.

It is OBVIOUS that Misha is feeling somewhat better already!  She is much less wobbly and able to get around very well once she is up.  Its still a bit of a struggle to get her up, especially first thing in the morning, but she is managing better.

And then there is the diabetes problem we are now facing.  She got some insulin yesterday after lunch, then again at 1am (5 units of insulin).  We had her at the vet at 10, they took her blood again, her blood sugar was about 245.  So we upped her dose to 6 units of insulin and she got that this morning at 10 and will get the same dose about 9pm tonight.  She has to be back at the vet's office tomorrow at 8am for another blood test, and then again tomorrow afternoon.  Thee idea is to find an insulin dose that she can stay with, given a specific diet.  Dogs are not as easy to test as people so the common blood sugar tests we can take with a simple finger prick don't work well with dogs.

Oh, did I mention that it is 45 minutes each way to the Vet's office.  These repeated trips will get old really fast . . . hopefully they will only last another couple of days.


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## Danang Sailor

Our cat Tailor Blue is diabetic but it is being controlled by diet; he hasn't needed an insulin shot for about three years.  The not-so-good news is that it seems his hearing is deteriorating.  I guess he's doing OK for an almost 18 year old Russian blue, but it's still hard to see him begin that slow spiral into darkness.  Most orthodox religions claim cats and dogs don't have souls, but we can't buy into that one.  No creature without a soul can love, and our four-legged family members certainly do love; anyone who says otherwise is a fool.


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## Melensdad

Today is the first day that Misha doesnt hav to go to th Vet for tests.  But she is scheduled for 2 visits on Saturday.  She is very much better and is responding well to her antibiotic treatment.  

The diabetes is still not yet under control.  She is hovering between 250 and 350, which is just a bit too high.  The doctors want it dropped down to about 150 to 250.  So we are playing with her insulin doses.


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## Melensdad

With the sad loss of our little dog Snowball, we have to concentrate on helping Misha recover.

And she is recovering from the serious bladder infection caused/complicated by the diabetes.  So Misha is a little stronger each day, acting better each day.  She has been able to control her bladder for the past few days, prior to that she had some accidents, probably not even knowing she had them. 

The urine, when she had the accidents, would mat her fur while she slept in it, I would wash her off in the shower but even with that she got sores under her fur from the urine.  The vet's shaved her 'girl area' and belly and those are all healing slowly but nicely.

ON THE BAD SIDE, it appears that the degenerative hip problem she has is very slowly progressing.  I suspect at some point in the future she will need a doggy-wheelchair?  It depends upon how quickly the disease progresses and how long she has to live_ (she is a very elderly dog and old age may take her before she loses use of her rear legs if the disease progresses slowly enough)_.

When the weather warms up a bit (it is -11F this morning) in a week or two or three, I will probably build her a ramp so she can more easily get into/out of the house at the kitchen door.  We have 2 steps down and they are a challege for her.  So a simple ramp would be a big help.

Now that said, she did manage to climb a full flight of stairs last night to come up to our bedroom.  First time she was in our bedroom in 2+ weeks.  She climbed that set of stairs TWICE last night.  Had a bit of a mishap on one try and slipped, but tried again and made it again.  And that is a big set of stairs.  So she is really showing signs of improvement.


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## Melensdad

Well Misha is holding her own, but its difficult for her to get up and down stairs.  So I built her a ramp.  

Nothing fancy, not pressure treated.  Hopefully she will gain her strength over time and not need it.  If not, and she needs it for the rest of her life, I think it will hold up.  Its 3/4" plywood and 2x4 lumber.  All stuff I had laying around.  I didn't figure she needed hand rails.  Going to get a piece of scrap indoor-outdoor carpet and staple it to the surface so she doesn't slip.  The plywood is not slippery now, but not sure how it would be when it gets wet from rain.  I figure snow would make it a hazard.  

Its all screwed together so I can easily disassemble it if she no longer needs it.

Its roughly 7' long, 32" wide, and set on approximately a 15-degree angle.


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## pirate_girl

Melensdad said:


> Well Misha is holding her own, but its difficult for her to get up and down stairs.  So I built her a ramp.
> 
> Nothing fancy, not pressure treated.  Hopefully she will gain her strength over time and not need it.  If not, and she needs it for the rest of her life, I think it will hold up.  Its 3/4" plywood and 2x4 lumber.  All stuff I had laying around.  I didn't figure she needed hand rails.  Going to get a piece of scrap indoor-outdoor carpet and staple it to the surface so she doesn't slip.  The plywood is not slippery now, but not sure how it would be when it gets wet from rain.  I figure snow would make it a hazard.
> 
> Its all screwed together so I can easily disassemble it if she no longer needs it.
> 
> Its roughly 7' long, 32" wide, and set on approximately a 15-degree angle.



 You're a good pooch Daddy, Bob.


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## Melensdad

BTW, the ramp is now carpeted.

Misha was sort of freaked out going up and down the plywood ramp, but with the carpet she seems to be far more comfortable and confident going up and down the ramp.


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## EastTexFrank

Good job.  

I did the same thing when our dog was having all her back problems and couldn't jump the 8" step at the kitchen door.  Our kitchen door is covered so the carpet doesn't get wet.  Strange thing is that my aging M-I-L thought that I built it in order to make it easier for her to get in to the house.  I didn't have the the heart to tell her.  I just basked in the good son-in-law vibes that she was giving me.  

Our dog lived for another six years after I built the ramp.  We all became so used to it being there.  I put the ramp away away after we lost her but after I fell out the kitchen door twice, nearly killing myself, I put it back in place and it is still there today.


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## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> . . . my aging M-I-L thought that I built it in order to make it easier for her to get in to the house.  I didn't have the the heart to tell her.  I just basked in the good son-in-law vibes that she was giving me.


Nothing like getting credit for doing something nice from BOTH your dog and you MIL.




> Our dog lived for another six years after I built the ramp.  We all became so used to it being there.  I put the ramp away away after we lost her but after I fell out the kitchen door twice, nearly killing myself, I put it back in place and it is still there today.


Well Misha is 11.5 years old and the breed typically lives 10 to 12 years, she is showing her age in ways beyond these new problems, so it would be a miracle if she made it another 6 years, but I could seriously get used to the ramp.  Our door is about 20" from the kitchen down to that small concrete patio.  That would be a seriously hard fall


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## Melensdad

Another update on Misha.

She was getting pretty wobbly on her feet, we took her in for her scheduled blood test and found out her blood sugar was LOW.

We decided, with the doctor, to skip her morning insulin and bring her back in the late afternoon for another blood test.  Again the blood sugar was low.  

So we all decided that she should STOP getting insulin.  Today she is much more stable and seems more alert too.  Last insulin shot we gave her was Thursday evening.

She goes back for another blood test on Tuesday morning.  In the mean time we are just monitoring her.  

She is still on anti-biotics for the massive bladder infection but it appears that those meds will probably be coming to an end in a week or so.


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## EastTexFrank

Thanks for the update.


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## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Thanks for the update.



She seems to have gotten her attitude back too   So she is feeling much better these last few days.  The hip issue remains, and will ultimately be her demise if age doesn't take her first.  She is in no pain but it is a struggle for her to get up.  Once up she gets around pretty well.


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## Melensdad

Well she was enjoying the snow this morning so I think that is another good sign  

Back to the Vet tomorrow for more blood tests.


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## Jim_S RIP

I'm glad she is better.

Jim


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## Melensdad

jim slagle said:


> I'm glad she is better.
> 
> Jim



Thanks Jim.  

Looks like we are over the hurdle on the infection and perhaps the diabetes too.

Sadly we still get to watch her struggle to get up.  And that is slowly getting worse and there is no treatment.  The front half of her body is very strong.  The back half is very weak.  Once she stands up she can walk, but she has a very difficult time getting her hips under her to stand.  The consolation for us is that we have been told that it is not painful for her.  All this time we thought it was arthritis and had been treating for pain, and apparently in the earlier stages it is often diagnosed as arthritis.  

But this morning she enjoyed the fresh snow


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## pixie

My neighbor's Husky had similar problems with his/her back end but still Really wanted to go with the other 2 dogs for a walk. The owner helped the Husky by passing the leash under it's middle and taking some of the weight so the dog could keep going.

It wouldn't take much sewing, glueing/ whatever to make a wide belt with a handle so you or your wife could help Misha stand up. It could have Velcro to hold it on or those two parts plastic clips like on your backpacks. 

Just an idea...


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## Melensdad

pixie said:


> My neighbor's Husky had similar problems with his/her back end but still Really wanted to go with the other 2 dogs for a walk. The owner helped the Husky by passing the leash under it's middle and taking some of the weight so the dog could keep going.
> 
> *It wouldn't take much sewing, glueing/ whatever to make a wide belt with a handle so you or your wife could help Misha stand up. It could have Velcro to hold it on or those two parts plastic clips like on your backpacks.
> *
> Just an idea...



I've been thinking of some sort of lifting harness.  We were at REI (outdoor sports store) a few weeks ago.  They had dog floatation devices that wrapped around the dog's torso, and then had a handle on the back so you could pull a dog back into a boat if it fell overboard.  I think something similar, possibly made of a mesh (she is a big furry dog and it wouldn't get hot like some other fabrics) with a handle on the back would help us assist her in getting up.


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## OhioTC18 RIP

When ours got to that point we just improvised and used a bath towel under his belly.


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## Leni

Are there any exercises that you could get her to do to strengthen her rear?


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## pirate_girl

OhioTC18 said:


> When ours got to that point we just improvised and used a bath towel under his belly.



The times when Gretchen had problems walking as a younger weenie, and now as an older weenie, the vet suggested to put her in a warm bath, while I held her under the tummy to gently exercise her.
It always seemed to work, but now she's gotten older and a little too feisty to care about anything therapeutic like that, although she still likes her 'baffies'..

I am happy to hear Misha is doing better. 


Oh and about that _snow_.. hmmph! lol


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## Melensdad

Leni said:


> Are there any exercises that you could get her to do to strengthen her rear?



No it is not a strength issue but, if I understand it correctly, a brain issue where the brain/muscle/nerve 'connectors' don't seem to 'fire' correctly and the rear end simply stops working properly.






OhioTC18 said:


> When ours got to that point we just improvised and used a bath towel under his belly.


Might give that a try, just to see.  The problem would be getting it under her?  That is why we were thinking of some sort of thing that she would wear,  it would always (well maybe not always) be on her and then could be used whenever she tred to get up without having to wrestle a towel under her.


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## Melensdad

Misha had a full blood work up this morning.

Got the results back a short time ago when the vet called.

Kidney function = good
Liver function = good
Blood counts = good
Electrolytes = good
Blood sugar = elevated again (244)

So she is back on insulin shots.  But very low dose.  3 units of insulin 2x per day is the new dose.  She was on 8 units 2x per day before.  Good news is we don't have to take her back in for test until next Wednesday.  She will get another blood test at that time and an ultra-sound to check her bladder for signs of improvement _(we all know she has dramatically improved, but we don't know if the infection is gone)_.

So overall pretty darn good news.

Having the diabetes gone was a longshot, we knew it, we just hoped.  Having it easy to manage is the next best thing, and that appears to be where we are heading.


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## OhioTC18 RIP

Melensdad said:


> So overall pretty darn good news.


 That's great news Bob. I hope she continues improving in her recovery.


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## FrancSevin

Melensdad said:


> Another update on Misha.
> 
> She was getting pretty wobbly on her feet, we took her in for her scheduled blood test and found out her blood sugar was LOW.
> 
> We decided, with the doctor, to skip her morning insulin and bring her back in the late afternoon for another blood test. Again the blood sugar was low.
> 
> So we all decided that she should STOP getting insulin. Today she is much more stable and seems more alert too. Last insulin shot we gave her was Thursday evening.
> 
> She goes back for another blood test on Tuesday morning. In the mean time we are just monitoring her.
> 
> She is still on anti-biotics for the massive bladder infection but it appears that those meds will probably be coming to an end in a week or so.



A bit of good news then maybe. I do hope she gets better, even for a few more years.

They are worth it.

I've spent almost a grand on a so called "free" kitten in the last year or so. Little B@stard just walked into our lives out of the woods, took a ride in my friends Mustang(wrapped around the battery for 17 miles) and now just demands royal attention. Can't justify any of it,,,, but there it is

Somehow, they are worth it.


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## Melensdad

FrancSevin said:


> A bit of good news then maybe. I do hope she gets better, even for a few more years.
> . . .
> Somehow, they are worth it.



Well she is clearly better than she was, but the odds of living a 'few more years' are pretty slim.  She is an elderly dog.  Had maybe a year left before all this.  At this point we are hoping she has a good run through the end of summer, maybe into the fall.  

But as you say they are worth it.


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## Leni

Our lives are enriched by their presence.  Love freely given.


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## FrancSevin

Melensdad said:


> Well she is clearly better than she was, but the odds of living a 'few more years' are pretty slim. She is an elderly dog. Had maybe a year left before all this. At this point we are hoping she has a good run through the end of summer, maybe into the fall.
> 
> But as you say they are worth it.


I had an 16 year old cat I didn't even want but, she adopted me. Chinese additives in her premium pet food ruined her kidneys. And yet we spent money at the vet.  Indifferent to me in her youth, she became extremely attached to me for the next 6 years despite the vet's warning she was already beyond her life expectancy when I first brought her in. It was a good six years for her,,,,,, and me.  She spent every night sleeping under the blanket on my chest.  One night last year, she simply said goodbye and was gone.

 I have no idea the money spent at the vet or on allergy medications for me.

But, worth every penny spent. At this point you are blessed with the knowledge that every interaction with your friend is precious. Good luck with your time left.


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## Leni

I keep telling my husband that I want another kitty.  He keeps saying 'no not yet'.  He never had a pet before that he cared about.  Growing up he never had one.  After we were married he tolerated my kitties.  Our Maine Coon captured his heart.  Amigo lived 14 years and died of lung cancer.  DH was devasted.  I wonder if the losshas hurt him so badly that he doesn't want another one.


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## FrancSevin

Leni said:


> I keep telling my husband that I want another kitty. He keeps saying 'no not yet'. He never had a pet before that he cared about. Growing up he never had one. After we were married he tolerated my kitties. Our Maine Coon captured his heart. Amigo lived 14 years and died of lung cancer. DH was devasted. I wonder if the losshas hurt him so badly that he doesn't want another one.




 Leni, I remember your sorrow over Amigo.  Devastating yes but,,,,  that's why God created kittens.


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## Leni

I know that.  The problem is convincing Tom.


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## Melensdad

Leni said:


> I know that.  The problem is convincing Tom.



I'm thinking my wife is going through what your husband went through now that we lost her little Snowball.  She occasionally just cries.  We both loved that little dog, it was a first for both of us as we never had a palm sized dog before.  Not sure how to plug that hole in her heart.


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## Leni

Usually it's getting another one.


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## Leni

Now I'm going through the same thing.  My son and DIL have a little doxie that is a rescue.  She was a show dog and then they tossed her.  They don't have much money and Lilly needs to have her teeth cleaned and maybe some pulled.  She may have an abcess also.  Guess who's footing the bill on this one.  Not about to let an animal suffer.  She's a cutie and only 7.


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## Melensdad

Interesting, _and positive,_ development last evening.

I was at the fencing club and the lovely Mrs_Bob texted me to say that Misha was upstairs in our bedroom.  This is a dog that has a very difficult time climbing 2 steps.  Yet she managed to climb a full flight of stairs?  I got home an hour later to find Misha sleeping by the side of our bed.  She got up and we carefully walked her down the stairs, she never stumbled.  It was a nice (but scary) surprise.  

This morning she joined me in the living room, that is down a half flight of stairs.  For the past 10 days the only way she could get into that room was to go out the front door, walk her around the side of the house and down a mild slope to the living room patio, and then into the living room patio door.  Now when I had to get her out of the living room she pretty much refused to climb up the stairs to the main level.  But still, she is now using the stairs, if only a little bit.

I really don't want to see her up in our bedroom again.  If she goes down that staircase there is just too much potential for injury.  But it is nice to have her go down that half-flight into the living room without the need to go outside and around the house.


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## Leni

That great!


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## Melensdad

Leni said:


> That great!



Yes and No.

Her hip issue is degenerative and there is no cure.  She is unstable.  So stairs are a big risk.  I told the lovely Mrs_Bob that I thought it was a pretty bad idea for Misha to risk that staircase.  Now the shorter flights we have I will encourage her to use on her 'good' days.  But as I am not sure I can carry such a big doggy down a full flight of stairs if she hurts herself then I think its best to keep her on the other levels of the house.

Below is the flight she went up/down last night.  Maybe you can see why I'd prefer why she avoid it?


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## Leni

A friend has two Akita's.  They are a very big dog.  You might think about getting one of those baby/child expandable gates to keep her off the long flight of stairs.  I think they make them now for dogs also.  

Still glad to hear that she is feeling better.


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## Leni

A friend has two Akita's.  They are a very big dog.  You might think about getting one of those baby/child expandable gates to keep her off the long flight of stairs.  I think they make them now for dogs also.  

Still glad to hear that she is feeling better.  I don't think that you would feel so good after trying to carry her on the stairs, as in my poor aching back.  That's assuming that you didn't fall.


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## Melensdad

We have used baby gates for years to block off area, there is now one at the base of those stairs.


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## Melensdad

So here is the update...

*Misha is about 80% DEAF*, probably caused by a combination of getting so sick with Diabetes and a massive infection.  She can hear only loud noises.  We do not expect her hearing to return.
*
Her infection is GONE*.  Tonight she will take the last anti-biotic pill.  But the recent ultra-sound showed a clear bladder with no infection; that is good news because that was causing all sorts of problems.

*She is SLOWLY losing control of her rear legs* but is in ZERO pain.  This is a brain disorder, it happens in any age dog, we are lucky that she is an elderly dog and honestly hope she dies before losing total control of her legs.

*The DIABETES is under control* and she has to have blood tests every other week, when we adjust her insulin level.  She is currently on a fairly low dose, takes 2 shots per day, and that seems to be working well.

On a bad day for her she will fall down for seemingly no reason and has a very difficult time getting back up.  On a good day she just has a tough time standing but it is less of a struggle and once she is up she seems to be pretty stable and will walk around her fenced yard, help us with spring clean up chores in the yard, etc.  

I have ordered a folding ramp to help get her into/out of our SUV.  Amazon says that will be delivered on Monday.  






I also ordered a glorified towel (towel with 2 handles on it) that can slip under her torso to help lift her.  It is for use when she is not wearing a collar/harness combo that has 2 handles to help lift her.  


The collar/harness combo is not yet on order, and is not designed to be used 24/7.  So while it appears to be a great solution, it has to be periodically removed.  >>>  http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showthread.php?t=70927


*Overall* she seems happy.  She will bark if she wants to come in, will walk to the door to be let out.  She loves to come into the living room to watch TV with us . . . which includes going outside through the front door, around the house and down a small slope then inside through the living room patio doors.  She cant make it down the 6 stairs that it takes to come down into our living room so the outside route is the only option.  She has NO CLUE that her back legs are not working well and there is apparently NO PAIN involved in that issue.  As for the DEAFNESS it causes her to be surprised sometimes as we wake her up by petting her, or sometimes when she is awake she doesn't realize we walked up near her and gets a bit of a 'shock' when she realizes there is someone next to her.  She is clearly feeling and acting like a normal older dog (she is 11.5 in a breed that lives about 12 years) and shows love and affection and gets the same.

Not sure how much all this has cost us so far, but its in the many thousands.  And we would do it all again.


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## Kane

Melensdad said:


> Not sure how much all this has cost us so far, but its in the many thousands. *And we would do it all again*.


Yep.  Silly humans.


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## Melensdad

Kane said:


> Yep.  Silly humans.



But if this was a cat. . .


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## Leni

Melensdad said:


> But if this was a cat. . .



I already have done that more than once.  

An update on Lily, my sons doxie.  She had to have 12 teeth pulled.  There were abcesses and loss of bone.  My vet said that she'd never seen such bad teeth.  This is about nine months after a teeth cleaning.  She wasn't sure that she'd be able to do everything that needed to be done.  However Lily tolerated the procedure and Dr T was able to clean everything up.  

When she got home she refused to leave their bed.  They wanted her to sleep on the couch just in case of bleeding or other accidents.  No way.  They gave in and put plastic on the bed and covered it with blankets.  

It will be two weeks before she can have anything other than soft food.  My son brought her by yesterday and she was back to her old self.  Lily wanted to go for a walk.  She had me going at a fast walk.


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## Melensdad

Melensdad said:


> But if this was a cat. . .
> 
> 
> Leni said:
> 
> 
> 
> I already have done that more than once.
Click to expand...

You have served cat tacos too


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## Leni

You must be friends with Don of Duelling Bubbas, a BBQ competition team.  He's convinced that cats are evil.  We have an ongoing debate about that.


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## Doc

That ramp is just what I need for our dane.  Do they list a weight limit for the ramp?   She's 130 pounds.  I've struggled with getting her up in our SUV.  If you still have the link for the ramp handy please post it, if not I'll search for it later today.


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## Melensdad

Doc, I did an Amazon search and they had several different models.  The one I got supports 200 pounds, they also had 150 pound ramps, and they had some that looked strong enough to support Harley.


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## Melensdad

Ramp arrived.  I stepped on it, and I weight just a shade over 200# and it flexed a bit too much to make me happy.  Its clearly strong enough for Misha at 85# but I think for a 130# dog I'd want something a bit more sturdy.

Its also a bit narrow, I estimate it at roughly 24" wide.  

Also, the tred surface is similar to a nail-file or emery cloth.  I think it would be much better with a bit of carpeting on it because its just a bit too slick for a big unsteady dog.  You can see from the photo that her toe nails were really trying to dig in and she still was slipping a bit, but some of it was also fighting against using the ramp.  I will probably glue down some indoor/outdoor low pile carpeting to it to make it much more grippy for her.  In fact, *I think it would probably be pretty scary to use without a more grippy surface.*

Misha does NOT like it.  But that was not a surprise, she also does not like the ramp I made out the kitchen door.   She uses it because it is much easier for her than struggling on the stairs.  

My use for this ramp is for coming into/out of the SUV.  I only put it on this patio step for her to get used to seeing it and occasionally using it.  So far she walks around it up/down the step.


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## FrancSevin

Leni said:


> I already have done that more than once.
> 
> An update on Lily, my sons doxie. She had to have 12 teeth pulled. There were abcesses and loss of bone. My vet said that she'd never seen such bad teeth. This is about nine months after a teeth cleaning. She wasn't sure that she'd be able to do everything that needed to be done. However Lily tolerated the procedure and Dr T was able to clean everything up.
> 
> When she got home she refused to leave their bed. They wanted her to sleep on the couch just in case of bleeding or other accidents. No way. They gave in and put plastic on the bed and covered it with blankets.
> 
> It will be two weeks before she can have anything other than soft food. My son brought her by yesterday and she was back to her old self. Lily wanted to go for a walk. She had me going at a fast walk.


 
 Me too.  My "free kitten" has cost over a grand at the age of two. Except for a tangle with another feral cat, ($600 at the vet) he has been relatively healthy. 

 That said, he has saved me some big bucks in roof, soffit and attic wiring repairs because since he joined the family the squirrels, birds and feral cats have avoided  invading and eating our house. 

 They did eat my lawn mower over the winter and all of our plastic pots and garden tools.  Don't buy one of those plastic sheds if you have a large population of squirrels.    My neighbor lost his roof to squirrels this year.
 Yes, they ate it.


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## Doc

Melensdad said:


> Ramp arrived.  I stepped on it, and I weight just a shade over 200# and it flexed a bit too much to make me happy.  Its clearly strong enough for Misha at 85# but I think for a 130# dog I'd want something a bit more sturdy.
> 
> Its also a bit narrow, I estimate it at roughly 24" wide.
> 
> Also, the tred surface is similar to a nail-file or emery cloth.  I think it would be much better with a bit of carpeting on it because its just a bit too slick for a big unsteady dog.  You can see from the photo that her toe nails were really trying to dig in and she still was slipping a bit, but some of it was also fighting against using the ramp.  I will probably glue down some indoor/outdoor low pile carpeting to it to make it much more grippy for her.  In fact, *I think it would probably be pretty scaring to use without a more grippy surface.*
> 
> Misha does NOT like it.  But that was not a surprise, she also does not like the ramp I made out the kitchen door.   She uses it because it is much easier for her than struggling on the stairs.
> 
> My use for this ramp is for coming into/out of the SUV.  I only put it on this patio step for her to get used to seeing it and occasionally using it.  So far she walks around it up/down the step.


Thanks Bob.
I like the width of that one over the ones I saw on Amazon.  They were 17 1/2 to 20".  Comments said the walking area was actually 16" on the 17 1/2 one due to ridges on the side.   Bailey would need wider.  She had a bit of trouble with the stairs on the deck last night, but this was after our daughter and her dog visited and Bailey and Roxie played a little rough.  It always gets to her hips.   She turns 10 in May so I know it will get worse before better.
Thanks for the ramp review.


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## Melensdad

I better put a tape measure to mine.  I guessed it at about 24" wide, but it may be narrower.  I'll report back _(probably tomorrow as I'm heading out for the evening)_


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## Melensdad

Doc, my ramp is about 18" wide.


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## Melensdad

Well today we went to the vet's office for Misha's 8:00am blood test.  It was the first time she used the folding ramp since I glued some carpet onto it.  The top 2 sections of the 3 part folding ramp are the only 2 sections with carpet because I ran out of construction adhesive!!!  But it worked great.

In past attempts Misha slipped on the top section of the ramp and panicked.  

With the carpet glued to the top 2 sections she didn't slip when coming out of the back of the SUV and was able to walk down without a hitch.  I think the ramp should come with carpet instead of the sand-paper like tred material, which is a total fail.  But with carpet this ramp is a wonderful thing for an aging dog.


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## EastTexFrank

I'm glad that Misha has got used to the ramp.  They are a Godsend.  I got a folding one somewhat similar to yours from a friend to use with the van.  It's the dog's van and they love to travel in it.  He got it for his aging dog but had no need for it once the dog passed.  

To get them used to it I put them on a short leash and walked them up and down it for a while.  Once they got used to it, they loved it.  In fact, once I opened the doors of the van they would sit there patiently until I got the ramp in place and then you better watch out because there was going to be a log jam of dogs trying to get up the thing.


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## Melensdad

Misha is sporting her Help Em Up harness while sticking her tongue out at the camera.  I dunno why.  She looks a bit skinny in the photo but I think that is camera angle.  Her weight hovers between 81 and 85 pounds, so she is not losing weight/mass.  

Damned expensive, $120 for the harness but it is very well made and very nicely designed.  

The instructions say to  take it off at night, which makes no sense to me.  She has been wearing it 24/7 and has no complaints.  I plan to alternate between this and her "glorified towel rear end lifter" in about 1 week intervals so she doesn't get any rubbing spots/sores but honestly I doubt she will.


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## Melensdad

Misha was happy to see us when w got home from our trip.  

The lovely Mrs_Bob had not seen Misha for a full month and was very worried that she'd come home to a dog that was unable to walk.  I have to admit I was pretty worried too, despite the fact that I was only gone for 2 weeks.  

Misha was sound asleep and I think I scared her when I woke her, but we found a very happy dog who is still managing to get around.


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