Dog_Horse_Girl

What a wonderful tribute... Rest easy old girl. You did your job, to love and keep those around you, honourably and beautifully. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I should make the next one.

No, it's okay. I'll just try to make the next one northside... I've missed all but one DOL meet since moving here in 09.

Um, since when is Sunnybank northside??? I had Nudgee in my diary for this Sunday... I was willing to go that far, but to Sunnybank it's 73 kms each way by the shortest route! I was really looking forward to getting out with my dogs and socialising with some local DOLers.

There's a real improvement!!! I've done a few things which seem to be helping. I'm giving Lilly the bulk of her food in the morning (2/3) and a smaller meal at night. She eats BARF patties and fresh mince so it's got a high moisture content. She's using towels during the day which is a clear improvement. And no more poop inside! :D The only problem is the cost of the tablets but as I get her food for free I can manage the expense of the medication. I'll make a follow-up time with the vet so we can review and continue the improvements.

I'll do my best to get to Nudgee, it's a bit far (but everything is from Caboolture! )...I really need to get out with my dogs a bit more often.

I can't just stop going to the gym, as I said, waiting for surgery and its vital I keep the fitness. It's not a case of I could just go walking, I have to do the strength training for my health. Unfortunately, I cannot defer a Diploma either. It's a 12mth online cut off. I am more than willing to rent a budget priced property, I'd sleep in a shed if I had to,, but the most budget priced house (to allow dogs) you would find in brissy is around $250pw and there are very few and far between let alone whether they allow dogs. I don't earn enough to be able to afford that. I would love to get someone in to share with me, but again, as I said, I'm not sure ex will leave. I would rather stay miserable myself than have Jessie put to sleep. I will contact you privately on the weekend. But I wanted to say that there are always ways of managing no matter what. I am renting in Caboolture with two dogs and I'm on my own. My rent is affordable at $265 pw so you can find houses for that rent if you're willing to commute. My work hours are changeable from one week to the next (I work shifts between 7am and 7pm and some weekends). My greyhound is 11 yrs old, my other dog is 7. I also had a third dog who has now gone back to my STBE husband because I couldn't rent with all three. They cope fine with my long and changeable work hours and their needs are paramount to me. I don't earn brilliant money either. But it's enough. I manage cooking by: slow cooker (great as you can freeze meals); stir fries (quick and easy plus healthy); salads and soups (fresh salad is great even when it's cold and who can go past home-cooked veg soup?). I joined a gym last week and the membership is $56 per month, which works out to about $12 pw. If you need to do strength training, why not go to Big W/Kmart/Target and buy weights, plus whatever else you need from somewhere like Amart All sports? The prices are reasonable.

And to make it even more complicated, my other dog has to have her epilepsy meds at 12 hour intervals and with food. It's one step forward and two back with Lilly. She's still toileting inside, sometimes using towels (remembering her training) and sometimes not. She's mostly waking me during the night to go outside which is good, but I'm getting sleep deprivation which is bad for me given the job I do. I'm really trying not to worry about it and if the worst symptom is using the house as a toilet it's not the end of the world really. I only want what's best for her. It's a tough thing to watch though.

The dosing half an hour before food is really difficult for me. I'm a shift worker so the dogs are fed when I get up and when I get home.

It's a bit of a roller-coaster this week. Lilly had been clean/dry overnight for a few nights with no disruption to her sleep that woke me up. Last night she woke me (by jumping off my bed) and I instantly knew she wanted to go and managed to dress myself and get her outside before she did it. She then did a wee on command! She's going to the toilet inside during the day which I'm okay about - mostly she's managing to use the towels which means she's remembering her training. It's a long day when I'm working but no longer than previously. It's probably also that we've had a lot of changes in the past couple of years and maybe she's having trouble keeping up. It's a good sign, I think/hope. BUT she still does poo on the floor whenever, even right in front of me. It's as if anywhere is okay to poo...and I don't let it bother me because it's easy enough to clean up.

It's vivatonin. My vet said one of her patients showed improvement within a couple of days but this was advanced dementia so I suppose a noticeable difference is not always going to happen so quickly. I'm worried about Lilly. I don't mind that she's toileting inside but I do mind if it bothers her and when she's not herself, I feel bad for her. It's as if she's "here" sometimes and not others and she's got no idea of what's happening.

Started her on medication a couple of days ago...starts with 'v' but I keep forgetting its name. Lilly hasn't improved any. She pee'd inside overnight, didn't even ask to go out...just got up and squatted. It's not incontinence as she's not leaking/dribbling and is most definitely squatting before doing it. She also stares into space, but has always done that! Has forgotten basics like dinner time...she is constantly going back to her food bowl even if she's eaten an hour before. And she just isn't herself. Sigh. I hope the medication helps.

Thanks...am updating the thread once I get back from the vet tomorrow. Lilly has also had a stomach upset this week. Wednesday night we didn't get much sleep as she was panting/pacing/asking to go outside but then wouldn't or couldn't go to the toilet. I am still rather tired from this but my main concern is Lilly. I hope to have some more answers or pointers tomorrow. I just want the old Lilly back - there are flashes of her now and again - but she's been quite flat for most of this week and the panting has me worried (newer symptom) because the weather is cooler so it's probably pain causing her to pant. She was clean and dry inside yesterday BUT she had no breakfast so I don't know how much of an impact that had. I gave her a half-ration for dinner last night, the tummy was off again this morning so no breakfast again today. I'm hoping for good news and treatment of some sort tomorrow.

I've got to make another time to see Sophie as I think Lilly may have incontinence as well as the beginnings of dementia.

Update: Bloods were clear. Urine was clear. So that leaves either incontinence or dementia. I'm going to book another visit with Sophie after Easter. I'm leaning towards it being dementia. Lilly's behaviour has been a bit odd lately (and I know our circumstances have been too, which is why I didn't want to assume it was behavioural in the first place). She's going to the toilet inside (not normal for her at all, she's trained to go on towels if she can't hold it), she's just going wherever she feels like it. She has started barking at nothing. She has also started whining for no reason. She's not in pain. She's got a normal temperature. Her diet is good. She's 11 so at the age where dementia is a real probability. There is medication available to help ease dementia symptoms...which is good. But I wonder how long we can live with this before it gets too big of a problem -for her, more than for me. She's not the same dog she was even six months ago...and that makes me very sad.

I'm thinking of trying the cranberry tablets...it can't hurt.

We went to see Sophie at Southern Cross vets in Wamuran. She's taken blood, prescribed antibiotics, and given Lilly a complete check-up. I'm very impressed with how thorough she was during the exam: full physical including spinal palpation, flexion of limbs, listened to heart and lungs, checked mouth, nose, ears and eyes, took temperature, and then gave her a full 'undercarriage' exam and palpation. Temperature is normal (good sign!), heart is strong with no murmur (excellent for an 11 yr old greyhound), no lumps or bumps anywhere, and it could be a simple UTI...but it's also possible Lilly has some kind of organ failure, bladder or kidney stones, or even just incontinence. I should have the blood results mid-week. Thanks to Hesa for the vet recommendation, it's not far to travel and Sophie is a greyhound lover...in fact she's adopting a greyhound in a couple of weeks. ;)

I hope it's nothing serious Mel...sending healing vibes Portia's way.

Could be stones, that's why I'm thinking an x-ray might help. She'll be okay once it's diagnosed and treated...I'm just worried that she's had so many in a short time frame.

There's always Albany Creek too...for after hours emergency type stuff. They're supposed to be fantastic.

I love the house I'm renting. Great quiet street, awesome neighbours who are friendly without being in-your-face. The house is still a mess with boxes to be unpacked but there's no rush, I hope to stay here for a while...until I can afford to buy anyway. I'm checking asking prices in the area and if I save for a couple of years, and if the market hasn't picked up, I can do it, at least I can get something which may need a bit of work... I started work on Monday, am in training til the end of next week. I'm catching up with lots of my former team mates and everyone has been so welcoming and happy to see me. I'm so happy to be back there, it's just a lovely place to work and I missed it a lot more than I realised. There have been some staff movements too so some of the people I worked with are now in my new area, which is fantastic! My social life should improve too as there are lots of functions and stuff happening outside the office. Ruby is great; she's thriving as an only dog. I miss her terribly. I think it's doing him good as well - he's already given her two baths and is more interested in looking after her than he was when we were together. She gets a walk most days too, which she rarely got with me - I exercised her in the yard and did some training with her to keep her interested and occupied but I'm sure she prefers a walk! The others are really settled without her as she was the one with a bit of food aggression so meal times were always a challenge. They both get more of my time and energy which is great for them too. :D

Great, thanks! :D I need an emergency vet too...not many places offer a 7 day a week service. How's your puppy?

Thanks Hesa, will give them a call tomorrow. Daisy - I think it's just a recurrent infection. My concern is that she's had three or four in the past six months. I know it's uncomfortable for her and that she doesn't like having to 'go' when inside. The wee is always right near the door. The lovely vet I had in Brissy previously is just too far from here or I'd stick with her. She's fantastic but about 40 kms from home. :D I'll see if I can get a longer course of ABs because it might just be something that needs a month's treatment rather than 7 to 10 days. I just feel bad for her that she's sick again.

I have no idea as to vets in my new area. Lilly has yet another UTI and I need to book her in ASAP. She's had recurrent infections for the past six months so I may need further investigations such as x-rays (can only afford initial consult and ABs this fortnight but please don't flame me for this!). Any good vets or practices in the area you can recommend greatly appreciated. I'm looking for a new vet that I can use whenever I need them but this is kinda urgent as I need to get her seen either tomorrow late afternoon or Saturday. She's been weeing inside yesterday and today so I'm pretty sure it's another UTI behind this. She's normally clean and dry for 12 hours at a time. Lilly's my greyhound, a senior at 11 yrs old. Please let me know if you know who to see or who to avoid. TIA. :D

Sorry that I didn't make it...just have too much to do and starting work tomorrow so extra busy! Will try very hard to make the next one. FM - hope you're feeling better. I hate that feeling...horrible.