boo was the last creature other than Mr. B. i said goodbye to before I left for the other hemisphere. She's upbeat, I guess the progress was slow enough that she doesn't seem to mind that much. I dropped some stuff off, took boo out to pee - these days you have to help her with a towel under her belly, then we sat on a couch and talked for a bit. i guess she's as good as can be with her condition.
I love that you did that, Mistress D.
Me three.
Boo is way more upset about the heat than about not being able to use her hind legs. She refuses to sit in our one air conditioned room if it means not being able to hang with her people. She has several towels that work well for helping her walk and a back yard suitable for her needs. No stairs so long as we stay on the property. If she has a wide open space - yard - she tries to run around it. Which is interesting since she can only run with her front legs.
She eats heartily, sleeps well (but wakes me up with sleep running which she didn't used to do) and seems generally happy.
Thanks for asking MsOlga!
I'm glad your furred friend is happy, Miss Kay. I worry about the little ones, who cannot tell us how they feel, and must suffer in silence. All my best wishes for Miss Boo.
I'm really delighted that Bootsie is doing as well as she is, k. No doubt due to your TLC. I really have to admire you for it, I must say.
Every now & then I find myself wondering how Bootsie is faring. And how you are faring, looking after her. I hope you don't mind me being a sticky nose & asking ...
Set, that's a worry of mine. She is as stoic a dog as there ever was. I used to fly her home with me when I lived away from my family. She was shipped off into the belly of the plane. She was nervous, tense, but she didn't bark or whine as she was wheeled away. She would try to curl into my when I received her from the plane. I learned that she got really thristy when she was nervous, due to panting I guess. She used to drink a lot of water after getting off the plane. And, she wouldn't eat for 24 hours. But, she didn't complain a bit. Nor did she complain after her many surgeries.
So. I buy her an outrageously expensive pain medication even though she shows no signs of being in pain. Just in case. She has to hurt from bruises and muscle strains because she drags herself around.
I had a cat die of pancreatitis. I knew she was unhappy and in pain, but I didn't realize how bad it must have been for her until BPB had his bout with it. That breaks my heart.
MsOlga, I appreciate your sticky nose. I should do better with being more forthcoming with updates. Thanks for asking.
How's everything in your household these days, by the way. I haven't been into the catroom for a while.
Much the same here, k. A scare, a sickness ... rushed vet visit & more drugs. A period of good health. Then another scare .... <sigh>
But I'm used to it now, in a resigned sort of way ....
Yep, you do what you have to do.
Have any of you looked into this:
http://www.eddieswheels.com/
Yep, GW, I have seen that site. I found it after speaking with a woman walking with her dog who was in a doggie wheel chair.
She is not liking my being away from her more. She's ok, though, much the same. Thanks for asking.
A synopsis:
The disease has progressed to the point where she can barely move on her own. She has even lost muscle-mass in her facial and cranial muscles.
The disease is non-curable (so far as I know), but it won't kill her. The mast cell tumors which she is prone to are slow growing, she has one (that I know of) right now. The vet said we would not bother to take it out because of the nerve disease.
She's on three different medications which cost me around $150.00 per month. She seems in good spirits, if a little tired at times. She eats well, passes normal waste, still has unbelievable patience with the tiny tots.
I have 2 aunts who have offered (this past summer after Boo had been showing signs of this disease for almost 2 years) to pitch in for a little doggie wheel chair. She wouldn't be able to be inside my apartment while in the contraption, but she could get around outside. I know she'd be happy to go running again. I've been hauling her around with a towel under her belly for months now. The wheels wouldn't help with much of that as it's mostly getting her in and out of houses (with steps) or in and out of the car.
The contraptions are custom made and cost around $350.00 for a dog her size. I don't know how much the aunts are willing to pitch in. I don't earn a lot and am already in heavy debt.
Should I invest in the thing?
Hard question.
How much strength does she have in her front legs? Would the doggy wheel chair work both on and off pavement?
How old is Boo? Dogs of dignified years have less need for slap-dash recreation than pups.
It is hard.
The device would work on and off pavement, but my apartment would be too confined for her to get around in. She couldn't relax in the thing, no laying down. She'll be 11 in february. Being a full-bred boxer, her life expectancy average is in the 10-13 year range.
Maybe ask the aunts what they would be willing to invest and go from there?
Yeah, that was in the works (sort of).
I saw your thread in my email updates list, k, & imagined the worst. I'm mightily relieved, I can tell you! I'm in no position to know whether this device is a good idea or not. It's rather hard to imagine how it works, really. But if she can only use it outside? My guess would be that she'd spend most of her time inside? But maybe I've got that wrong. Anyway, if the aunts are willing to pay the whole prices, well ...?
You are certainly spending a lot of money in maintaining Bootsie. Say nothing of time, effort & a huge personal commitment. It's remarkable you've done this for so long, really. You are truly amazing, k! But, but ... I'm wondering if things could get really difficult for you with further deterioration. I worry about you as well as Bootsie. Please consider yourself too in any decisions that you make.
