Bisart Dobes Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 And BD - I was still there when you rang Carol. You just ring for a chat, or you got current probs too? Nope nothing wrong here (Yah !!! - Touch Wood) - just returning her call. But we are there every week at present as we are getting ready for the specialty run over the next couple of months - conditioning etc starts about 6 wks out for us, physio every week to ensure no probs and they are all on whatever drops they need to make the travelling etc as stressless and happy as possible. Glad to see you've been and are on the right track - keep us updated - look forward to seeing him when he's better. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Sorry to hear Mandela is unwell Erny- hope he is on the improve very soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigsaw Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Hope that your little man is now on the right path to recovery and you see an amazing difference in him in two weeks time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 BD - Glad to hear all is well. I didn't realise there was so much 'leading up' work in a "specialty". Good for you and I hope your brood do well . Cosmolo - thanks for the well wishes. I will be glad for Mandela when he is well but I also know I'll be very relieved of the worry myself. Sometimes the concern I feel is akin to panic (not quite) when I see him looking so thin. Jigsaw - thanks also for your thoughts. I am permitting Mandela to free feed at the moment. Not something I would ordinarily recommend for various reasons, but at the moment, I don't care. Just happy to see food going down his throat. He was a bit more enthusiastic for his Eagle Pack this morning and ate more of it again tonight. Still not up to par with the quantity he would be on if things were 'right'. Thank heavens for the goats' milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs and sardines. These, along with the holistic medications are providing him with sustenance at the moment. Hoping that all of this together will help his system heal and see his appetite and ability to eat improve. It's early days yet but I am hopeful that he'll return to full health and that with Carol's help we'll have thwarted the need for exploration under General Anesthetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisart Dobes Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 BD - Glad to hear all is well. I didn't realise there was so much 'leading up' work in a "specialty". Good for you and I hope your brood do well . "leading up work" Only when you're anal like moi :rolleyes: So glad to see he is eating - even if it is only small grazing amounts. Its all good. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 (edited) Only when you're anal like moi ;) You? Anal? Naaaaahhhhh. I don't believe it!! ETA: Better word - "perfectionist" me thinks . Edited March 31, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 (edited) Small up-date : As at tomorrow morning it will have been one week since I began the holistic treatments. Noticeable change is that my boy seems somehow 'stronger' and bouncier (you should have seen him race around for ages when we were at the beach a couple of days ago!!!) This has a tendency to fluctuate a little bit but I think it is a case of three steps forward, one back. I'm not sure yet - one week is such a short time within which to be able to determine any definite pattern. As far as eating is concerned - he still doesn't much. But that too could be a case of "three steps forward, one back" as on a day here and there he's eaten more of his EP food than he has on others. He grazes - I have been permitting grazing/free feeding in this instance, although normally I would not have it that way - but he generally won't eat it all or sometimes much in one sitting. But he seems to be getting through more quantity through the day than he did this time one week ago. He's still eating under his quota though. On the other hand ............. he goes spare for his goats milk; cottage cheese; and yogurt. An egg a few times a week. Sardines once or twice per week. I've finally purchased a freezer and will be able to begin to stock up direct from the goats' milk supplier rather than depleting Andrisa's stock which she has so kindly been permitting me to purchase from her - a couple at a time given I can't fit much in the ordinary fridge-freezer that I have at the moment. I'll need to source a cottage cheese supplier who might be able to provide the product to me cheaper in bulk. For the time being I've been buying the little containers of it from the supermarket. And another definite good thing has come out of all of this. I've taught him to "take a tablet". He will take and swallow each tablet and does so quite promptly so he can have his piece of cheese after each one. It is so much easier than having to disguise it in food. (Cosmolo - if you get to read this, I found he was becoming suspicious of taking the 'treats' from me once he began to realise a tablet was enclosed, which is why I changed tack on the whole exercise. I know that you too have had problems in this regard with your boy. Have you tried teaching him to "take a tablet"? Contact me if you need some help/hints with what I did.) My boy is still too thin but Carol has explained that what he is getting (her treatment inclusive) is enough to sustain and that trying to ply more (different) food just at the moment will result in his system working to try to deal with the digestive system rather than spending its energy on recovering the digestive system. I'm in contact with Carol and we're taking things a few days at a time. ETA: Oh - and he seems to have recovered his joy for eating carrots and apples. He used to love these but they were 'treats' he went 'off' when this trouble all began a couple of months or so ago. I don't feed much of either, but they are things that he can at least crunch on, seeing as just for this hopefully small moment, I've not returned to feeding RMB's. Edited April 3, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniek Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 So pleased that you are travelling in the right direction Erny. Not sure if this is any help Erny - ignore if it's not - but one product I always keep handy is "Savoury Yeast Flakes". They're available in good (expensive) health food shops and are "specially designed to meet the nutritional needs of vegetarians and anyone interested in a rich source of B vitamins". They have a slightly cheesy flavour and we use them to encourgage speyed bitches to eat if they are off their food after the op. A sprinke on food is generally all it takes to get them going. annieK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 (edited) Thanks AnnieK. At the moment I am being cautious so I'm following Carol's advice as closely as I can. I'll mention these flakes to her though. With regards to my boy's diet (and having spoken to Carol this morning) I am re-introducing meat - gradually, and pretty much one thing at a time. If I don't do things singularly I'll not know what food caused what if I mix it all up too much. Today he's eaten a couple of chicken necks. He took them from me and then dropped them. Didn't rush into them as he would normally do. There's good and bad in that because he used to swallow them whole in his eagerness for them. Today he chewed them up before he ate them. I'm not sure what the initial tentativeness was about though. Cleaning the garage out ( ..... a BIG job I've been putting off for a long time) to make some room for the freezer that is soon to come. When I'm done with that I'll head down to the butcher's to get some chicken wings and see how things go with those as well. But first have to deal with the mess I am making in the process of cleaning up. I've barely made a dint in the job ahead of me Edited April 4, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andisa Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Hey Erny - things are looking brighter for Mandella, hope he continues to improve. No worries with the milk I have heaps of freezer space here so don't worry about it. Just glad that I was able to help out in some small way. lol about the garage though, but it is for a good cause. Once you start filling your new freezer up you will be after another one. One freezer just ins't enough I have 1 commercial and 3 domestic freezers. You ought to see what I bring home when the specials are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 (edited) LOL .... can't 'talk' at the moment - I'm still cleaning up the garage!!! . I won't get it all done tonight, but at least I've nearly cleared space so I can fit the car back in!!! Seriously though, Andisa ..... . You've been a savior. I'm going to need another couple of bottles of goats milk tomorrow, I think. Being a Sunday, I don't like to disturb you and will be able to stretch what I have left out until Monday, unless you're around tomorrow and are up for a visitor ;). Edited April 4, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andisa Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 No problems - just let me know when.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisart Dobes Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Good to read that he is progressing well. So glad for you, it is such a stressful time when they are not well and not progressing in themselves. Looking good so far. Tempting him with food - I found with fussy Darred that warming his food in the microwave or under hot water helped his interest in starting to eat it - once he started he was fine (can't stop him now, but he has matured also). That might interest him - just be sure you dont cook it if using microwave. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zombie Bait Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Erny I just came across this thread and read it all...I didnt know poor mandela was having any issues. I hope he is on the up and up and eating like a horse (or at least like a RR!!!) Good luck and keep us posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 (edited) Mandela has eaten all his meals over the last two days. They are smaller proportioned meals than what I would have him eat, but I didn't want to push my luck. Today he's already eaten the full quota of the lesser amount (if that makes sense) and I'm going to give him another in an hour or so. If he eats that, then he's about broken his record!!! He's also still receiving the goats' milk, cottage cheese and yogurt (I call it the "Lactating Diet"), and still loving it . The egg yolk here and there and almost once a week, a sardine. Carol suggested I slowly re-introduce meat to him, which I did once a few days ago. But his stools went sludgy and I'm not so sure he didn't seem a bit off afterwards. I'm afraid I'm watching him too much too frequently to be able to be certain of the tiny changes. For the moment I have decided to keep him on the Eagle Pack diet as well as the Lactating diet for the next week or so, seeing how things are looking up. I might then send away another stool sample to see if there is still the presence of blood. Feeding him raw meat (especially red) can influence this I believe and to test for it the Vets want him to not have it for at least a week. So I'll wait for the time being, although I am anxious to get him back to eating bones again as soon as possible, especially for his teeth sake. He is so full of energy and well-being at the moment. A visit to Mum and Dad's property yesterday saw him tearing around like a looney . His coat is rich and lustrous - he could still do with some more weight on but if he keeps eating as he is, that shouldn't take long to put on. I'm going back to see Carol early'ish next week (allowing for Easter). I expect she'll definitely notice a difference. Thanks BD - it is worrying and I will admit to having my moments of panic and temptation to rush to back to the Vets for fear I am ignoring something that I shouldn't. I don't think he's out of the woods yet, but certainly seems to be getting there. Touch wood. How's your "lead up" to the specialty going? RL - thanks for the well wishes. It's great that he is eating more enthusiastically of late. It'll be even better when I can rely on his appetite. ETA: Gave him a 3rd meal (seeing as he ate the 2nd one all up) and he at all of that up too . Been out and just got home. He's looking for more. But me thinks he's had enough for one day . Edited April 7, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniek Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 (edited) Sounds like good news Erny If you can keep him on the same diet with small increases in size, he will be sure to put on a little weight. Then once you start experimenting with his diet, if he does take a little stop back (which I'm sure he won't) at least he will have a bit of a buffer there. Edited April 7, 2009 by anniek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 So glad to hear you are seeing some positive changes Erny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalfriendly Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I'm only pondering (as you do when your dog's not well and the Vets haven't reached a diagnosis and remedy) and am expecting most replies to be along the lines of "they are supposed to be that way". I guess I am thinking on the track such as we do when our finger nails don't grow correctly, or we have dry and/or rough skin - sometimes those things can be indicative of insufficient something. Just investigating the possibilities outside of the square. Skin diseases of the dog and cat I found this great google book when trying to work out what was going on with my girl's pads. It is quite technical but very definitive. PS. turned out that my old girl has nasodigital hyperkeratosis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 (edited) Thanks all. And Animalfriendly for the book reference as well. Would appear to be a good book to have as a learning and reference guide. Expensive, it seems. But good. Will pop that one on my 'wish list' . I don't think my boy has what your dog has, because it isn't as bad as all that. And in fact, I don't think they are as rough as they were when I first posted. I also think I was grabbing at straws back then, as I knew there was something wrong but was frustrated at not being able to determine what or why. Having said that, he has redness in between his pad on one of his pads. At first glance, it was as though something might have bitten him. I soaked it with salt water over a couple of days and when the redness had calmed down, noticed a bit of a split. That seemed to disappear, so I figured something he stood on might have knicked the skin, or something like a grass seed had worked its way out. He stopped licking at it for a bit but I notice he's started at it again. This time there is less redness and some of that redness is lower down, around the edge of one of the toe pads as well. I'm soaking it with salt water again and will refer to Carol when I next go back to see her. He's got a couple of other spots on his under belly as well. Not red. One has been there for a long time. I thought it was just a mark or a bit of dirt at first. But I see another now. I'll be having them checked out also, but for these next few days, treating it with Colloidal Silver. Not through anyone's direction, but just because. I have thought hot spots, but I'm unsure. These things are by the by though (not to suggest they don't warrant checking on) and could be the result of his system being 'down' for a while. I'll keep an eye out. He ate his full quota of breakfast this morning . Edited April 7, 2009 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stolzseinrotts Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 (edited) Erny, I have been watching this thread...............so far so good and things look to be improving which is great for Mandela but also very good for you too! Carol is great with the dogs and she truly has the touch! I will continue to watch this thread for updates and I wish you both the best of luck! Edited April 8, 2009 by Stolzseinrotts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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