Kitz Forum
Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: Weaver on January 09, 2020, 03:06:30 PM
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Ciarán my old greyhound is getting a bit dodgy at his back end - losing control of muscles or something. Sometimes he seems to find jumping up difficult. He messed his dog bed this morning and then left a mess all over the bedroom floor, which Janet analyses as a similar loss of control over something at the rear end of him. Caileag, my much beloved old lurcher, who is no longer with us, went the same way, or similar at least, problems with her rear end, in her last months.
So this morning he came up on the bed and looked worried. I didn’t realise the real reason -that he had had an accident in his bed, and I had been half asleep. I thought he was just being nice to me, coming to see me, or mor like some alternative reason connected with the fact that he might get a corner of M&S hot cross bun which I was eating at the time. Janet tells me the dog is not allowed fruity buns - something to do with the fruit that is in them, not sure why. I forgot this and gave him a tiny nibble or two anyway.
I’m rather worried about him, but taking him to the vet will doubtless be pointless and will only serve to terrify him.
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Sad news to read. :(
Two quick questions . . . How old is he? And how long has he been retired, living with you?
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I’ve had him for ten and a half years, I can’t remember what age he was when he retired. Normally they retire at between three and five years of age, so he’ll be between 13 and 16. I’ll ask Janet. If we’re stuck we can look him up, as all pedigree greyhounds are in a database accessible on the web.
He did the same today, I’m afraid. He then spent most of the day on the bed with me having fuss until Janet came to give him his tea and put him out for a walk. He patrols the estate every day slowly, sniffing, find the perfect spot to go to the toilet, then races home.
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Sad as already said. My pets are my best friends I’m frightful of the future although Lucy and I go walking daily and she is still doing well. Totally deaf but always keeps me in sight. She is nearly 12 and a cocker spaniel. Mind you Albert the cat is now 16 he seems very active despite being a tripod cat ::)
I hope he might recover and enjoy what must be a wonderful loving home.
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We lost our border terrier last Friday. He had bad arthritis, and maybe other things as well. The vet wanted to carry out further tests on him to find out what other problems he had. But when we discussed what other problems would be found, crumbling bones, arthritis, etc, etc, we were told that the only treatment was to put him onto the hard drugs. Our dog had been on metacam, and gabapentin for some time. So we decided that it would not be right to keep him going any longer.............
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@beji09 so sorry to hear about your loss
@burrakkucat - Janet tells me he retired at three roughly and was 13 years old in October.
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Ciarán had a good day today. No accidents, and he stent the day downstairs.
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That is good to know. As long as he is not in any distress or discomfort then perhaps just treat him as one of "advancing age".
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Perhaps like us all ;D ;D
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Thank you Weaver for your concern about our dog. It is a loss to us. Reference your dog, it looks possible to me that he has back problems. I fractured my spine in 1967 in/out? of a car crash. I was lucky that I could still walk afterwards. But it did affect my movement to an extent, but did not affect me enough to stop me doing anything I would normally have done. But I can say, fracture or not, back problems are not a joke. As you probably know slipped discs can cause pain and loss of muscle control. It might be a good thing if your dog took things easy, and not jump, or climb stairs if you can stop him?
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I’m thinking it’s perhaps his hips or something neurological. But I just don’t know. He climbs the stairs at a run every day to come to bed with us - he sleeps in a dig bed in my bedroom or sometimes on the bed if Janet is not in it. He can jump up on to the bed. He shows no signs of pain and eats very well. He even I think has a little run outside when the mood takes him (in my experience, usually after going to the toilet greyhounds run like mad back home, or away from the crime scene). We’re keeping a close eye on him for signs of distress and really don’t want to take him to the vet as it would terrify him. (He’s not a brave animal.)
Again, I am so sorry for your horrible experience. I’ve recently had to say goodbye to two of my dogs and four of my cats in recent years as I used to have seven cats and they were all getting to a certain age at very roughly the same time give or take a few years. My wife and I were feeling destroyed by these losses, so I can appreciate your situation. So very best wishes.
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Worst experience so far. I was asleep one evening and I dimly remember Ciarán the greyhound jumping up onto the bed and snuggling down. I may have stroked him briefly, then fell a sleep again. I should now have realised that he might have had an ‘accident’ in his dog bed, possibly peed in it in his sleep or when he woke up too late. Janet had I believe not put him out recently, which is not a good thing. :( Anyway, Janet later came upstairs and Ciarán had gone. She put her hand into something on the bed and realised it was dog poo, all over everywhere and he had owed all over the bed and on the floor too. Poor lamb. I had missed all of this, as I was fast asleep and I have no sense of smell much, for some reason. It was about nine o clock in the evening and Janet had to start completely stripping the bed and replacing everything, having evicted me temporarily. The result was a much nicer fresher softer bed for me anyway. I had two duvets on me so I donated one to Janet as new sheets arrived. Janet was tired and didn’t need this nightmare so late at night.
I suggested more frequent walks for Ciarán, and when the rain is heavy I don’t thing he is staying out in it long enough to fully do his duty and complete his business, which usually requires loads of walking around and sniffing to find the perfect spot to defile. I recommended sheltered places where he can be outside but out of the worst of the heavy rain, such as behind the house, on the north side, sheltered from the strong wind, and by the front of the garage, again sheltered facing north, where there is an overhang above, by the big main garage door.
I’m still thinking about a trip to the vet.
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That is all rather worrying. :(
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:( indeed. Will have to keep looking after him. He seems happy enough; idle as ever but eating fine and seems comfortable as always.
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Sorry to hear about your dog. Does he take any medication at all. As I mentioned in earlier post, my last dog was on Metacam for years, and gabapentin for the last two years. These two drugs did keep him going for some time, and it was only the last 2 months when he could not even make it around the block. It is never nice to have your pets get old. Sorry, I am not using the correct term, `PETS' to describe our animals is insulting to them, an article in the paper today says....
As of today we have a new puppy in the house. I think our problems have started....................
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No he’s never been in any medication. Perhaps will need to start then?
I definitely think it’s time to get him looked at, but he’s not going to like it much. He always used to go in the car with the other two dogs (now both passed away :( ) and he’s now out of the habit of car travel. He used to shake with fear and was sick at being put in with Rònán our other greyhound who was presumably the ‘alpha male’ and who, by doing absolutely nothing at all apart from invading personal space in the close confines of the dog compartment at the back of the Land Rover, managed to unwittingly intimidate Ciarán somehow. He was ok later when it was just him and Caileag in the back then. But now he hasn’t been in the car for years, so that unfamiliarity probably won’t help. And he will have to be lifted in I should think, as he won’t have the strength to jump any more.
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Janet is going to talk to vet about Ciarán, but not take him down to the vet’s as that would be so frightening for him.
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Had two house rabbits who lived long enough to get arthritis. As heartbreaking as it is in the end having to put them down (as they literally got so bad they couldn't move on their own) its also a sign you loved and cared for them enough to survive to an age where natural causes kicks in. They lived long past the average life span.
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That’s a great idea, house rabbits. Wouldn’t work for me of course, with five killer cats, but have always been a rabbit fan.
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We never intended it but as we learnt more about Rabbits and my mums health deteriorated, it was easier, safer and better for them emotionally to bring them indoors.
Its hard to believe now how I Rabbit proofed my room back then, as its not even human proof now, but I'm glad I had the experience. They really bond quite deeply with you, its pretty much like having a weird shaped puppy nipping at your ankles.
Was also fascinating as I had effectively a bunk bed and the Rabbit was at floor level, but he would go to sleep when I went to sleep.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsj1eP6Xs