[Dailydrool] Rupert Update, Cowboy's Back and Drool to All

[kacy green]

Thanks to those who have inquired about Rupert and to everyone else
whom I just *know* sent a good thought his way. He is doing great, no
more bloat scares since last week. We ended up taking the dogs to Napa
for the weekend while we attended a wedding so we were a bit worried,
but Rupert was a champ and other than being anxious about not being in
his home and routine, he had no problems.

He did puke twice since the bloat incident but both times his puke
contained string cheese, so I am guessing/hoping that was the issue,
and the kid who was at our house dropping string cheese has since
left.
--
Cowboy has a recent back issue which I never even had time to post
about since Ru scared the crap out of us with his bloat scare. Cowboy
is a slim, 40# basset who is very agile and energetic. About 2 weeks
ago, he stopped jumping on furniture... he still continued walking,
running and playing, but would no longer jump on the couch and he
seemed weird when going up the 1 stair we have out of the sunken
living room. Well we were going into Memorial Day weekend and I didn't
want to incur an outrageous vet bill just to be told rest and Rimadyl,
so we created a ramp to the couch and gave him a rimadyl that we had
leftover from the past. He remained about the same through the weekend
- not getting worse, but also not getting better.

Finally on the following Tuesday James took him to the vet for xrays.
They basically said that he is having some degenerative disc disease
near the base of his tail, between his pelvis and hips. They gave him
a rimadyl injection and prescribed more rimadyl tabs. Now about
another week later he is doing fine - (the stair has not been an issue
since the first day or two) and he is trying to jump more but we are
discouraging it and have kept the ramp in place. Overall I don't know
what to make of it. He'll be 6 in August, but always has been so much
more agile and slim that I figured it would be big 68 pound Rupert
who'd have a back injury, not Cowboy. It came on so sudden that I
can't help but wonder if he got rolled wrong at the dog park or
something. Can arthritis-like issues really come on overnight?
--
We have been so sad to read of all the recent bridge departures. As
always we are sending warm thoughts and heart healing drool to all who
are missing their houndies.


Love and drool to all,
Kacy with Cow and Ru