May 01, 2014
Breathing easier
We never heard back from the vet until 8:00PM last night. They were swamped and then she had to go out on a horse emergency. Meanwhile we waited. Carmeh is responding to the Metacam which is great as she is not in as much pain and it is helping to reduce the pressure on her spine. However as she feels better she wants to do more and is becoming more difficult to control. We don’t have her in a kennel nor do we need to said the vet, besides she would do crazy with trying to get out and likely do more damage. She is allowed to walk around, just not jump up and down nor do stairs. Now she is doing things like suddenly jumping up and putting her two front paws on my knee while keeping her back legs on the ground, not good for her.
Finally the vet did call and didn’t have much to say. Both her and the pathologist are puzzled with the low white blood count but can’t find a reason. All other blood tests and urine are normal. Part of the concern is that she has lost a lot of weight in the past month. The plan is to redo the blood work in 6 weeks. This is a separate issue from the back problem. Meanwhile our concern is keeping her quiet for 2 weeks and then see how see moves in weeks 3 and 4. It will become more difficult day by day as she wants to go for walks and she wants to jump up on the stool by the window so she can see outside. She also wants to be held most of the time. Of course that means only one person can walk with Caeli while the other stays with Carmeh who doesn’t understand why she is being kept inside. Hopefully her back problems will settle down within the month. She will be 11 in August and I suspect that this is just the beginning of reoccurring problems with her discs.
As we have windows down to the floor on the lakeside she can watch the ducks but she isn't interested in them.
Carmeh's favorite place to nap and hang out during the day is on our bed but that requires two stools to get up there so she is banned from the bed. She just sits where the stools used to be and looks up and then at us. Poor thing.
Caeli has been good at keeping her company. This new bed arrangement is just a few feet from our desks.
Thank you for your comments and emails, your support and suggestions were much appreciated. Just about 10 years ago we lost a doxie, Channel, she died on the operating table during back surgery but she was just three years of age. A friend’s blind dog has stepped on Channel’s back while she was sleeping precipitating her back problems. We won’t be doing surgery with Carmeh and plan to get her well and back to walking and hopefully no running nor jumping but we won’t restrict the rest of her life. She deserves to live it doing what she likes but pain free.
Finally saw some babies, we don't have many any more as they addle the eggs.
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I’m so sorry to hear about Carmeh, but glad she’s stabilized and not in pain. I had to smile when you said she likes to be cuddled. My Cali puts up with that for about two minutes and then jumps off the sofa to be on her own.
Sending Carmeh healing puppy hugs and kisses…
Nice to hear that Carmeh is beginning to feel better and is pain free. Hopefully a speedy and full recovery for her soon.
Sucks when yer doggie is not well. It’s a character flaw of mine I realize, but it’s one of the reasons why we’re pet free. When they get sick (or worse, etc.) it’s really hard to deal with.
My daughter and son-in-law have a dog who has some sort of knee problem. Thankfully he’s small enough that he can be picked up and carried up the stairs when it acts up on him. “Goes out” or some such thing. Doesn’t help that he likes to be active. Telling him to “just sit still” doesn’t seem to work.
One of our previous dachsies, Heidi, had a very bad bout with her back and we feared it was the beginning of ongoing problems. We did the steroids for a week and then baby aspirin and were so lucky as she never had another problem. Willy and Gretchen were eleven this month. Gretchen has aged very gently and people often think she is Harley’s age (6 in July). Willy lost a lot of muscle and weight last year but he is happy and otherwise healthy, eats everything he can get his mouth around and loves to go for walks. So his aging is just a little more noticeable. When he is out on the trail, he struts around bouncing along like a two year old. Hope Carmeh recovers quickly.
When Luci had her back/neck issues my vet did chiropractic adjustment and acupuncture, it worked wonders for her, fingers crossed that this continues to help her and do watch what she does. Never has jumped up onto things due to her weight, but she jumps down, sometimes she waits for me to lift her down, whines when she wants down, such a baby, but feel that is better for her than to jump down, so don’t mind that 🙂 the incessant whining that you don’t know what it is for, drives me crazy and gets on my last nerve 🙂
Here is hoping Carmeh does well and there is nothing else going on….
Take Care
We have ‘duck/geese’ issues in Bend by the Deschutes River and they do that to the eggs, know they have to keep down the population, but hate that.. the poor things, just trying to do what is natural to them and babies are a part of that….
Sorry to hear about Carmeh, hoping she is going to recover.. Sending hugs!
wow, can’t believe that you have baby ducklings already, our ducks aren’t even nesting yet here