[Dailydrool] Holly the Dolly update - not great but not awful, either

[AWoodrum]

Sorry not to get back yesterday everyone, but I was too busy trying to get
medicine down Holly the I’m Refusing to Eat Dolly to do anything else.  We
really do appreciate all the drool and good thoughts.   Okay -- I took Holly
in to the Vet who took one look at how she was semi-walking with her back
legs turning in and dragging and flopping, and said oh yes, definitely back
problems.  They did an x-ray, and it showed that Holly has two
vertebrae/discs in her lower back where calcification is occurring.  No
discs blown out or bulging, thank doG.  Holly is what I call my firecracker
dog, she may be 12 or 13 but she has always run around like she was much
younger.  Vet said she probably twisted her back somehow, and because of the
degeneration and her age, she’s having problems. 

 

We came home with a muscle relaxer that I can’t remember the name of,
Tramadol and Rimadyl.  First day she refused to eat so I had to cram the
muscle relaxer and Tramadol down her throat.  (Rimadyl instructions say with
a meal and she wasn’t eating.  And why two pain pills?)  The amount of
Tramadol they said to give was too much, she was in zombieland all day and
into the night, so next day I broke it in half and that did better.  She
finally started eating a little last night.  This morning I gave her the
muscle relaxer and ½ of the Rimadyl instead of the Tramadol just to see what
would happen, and she has been doing a lot better today.  Tramadol is in the
refrigerator for emergencies and we are now using the Rimadyl instead, it’s
working better for Holly.

 

She’s not right by any means, but I’m seeing a little improvement every day
so far (this is day three).  Her back is still a little bit humped up, back
legs are working a bit better and she’s a little more stable, but she can’t
lift the back feet or legs, so they hang on the pet door and she has to drag
them over the lip one at a time unless I’m there to help.  Fingers crossed
that we continue to see improvement and she gets back close to normal.  I
don’t imagine that we’ll be doing any more long walks, just short up and
down the block ones from now on, but that’s okay.  The Vet seemed to think
that Holly would be okay with a little luck.  I’ll send an update in a few
more days.  

 

Oh by the way, Sister Gracie has been suffering back and leg problems this
year because of very severe arthritis, and wow did the meds from the Vet not
help at all.  Metacam?  So I’ve been giving her some natural/homeopathic
stuff, and she is doing better.  Not great mind you, but better.  Gracie is
14 or 15, so we’re not going to get miracles, but you can tell she is
feeling better.  Now we have to get the toebones trimmed again.  Hers are
big and thick and grow really fast, and she has Brudder Elwood’s attitude
about toebone sawing.  And she can get out of muzzles.  So we go to the
groomers and pay them, much easier on poor old Mama’s nerves.  We were going
this week but then Holly went down, and that was that.  Maybe Monday.

 

A question for Dale Rutz – do you think the stuff you give your doggies
would help Gracie or Holly?  The Triple something or other joint stuff?  

 

Anita Woodrum

awoodrum at clear.net

 

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