What to report really? This is all new for me as it's a first for a dog reaching old age and declining. I took the SBD to the vet again today. He wanted to review things before repeating tablets. She's up and down these days and this morning coaxing her the 100 yds or so to the field was very difficult. Once there, though, she perked up and did some running and splashing in muddy puddles. The problem with Labs, however, is they push themselves to do Lab things even when they are very uncomfortable.
I thought it would be her ED that did for her. Actually not. She's got arthritis in both elbows but it's actually pretty well being managed and not troubling her much. What has brought a real chill to my heart is her lower back. Poor lamb is having increasing trouble and clearly a lot of pain from time to time. Our vet has increased her pain meds. Kept the Tramadol as is (2 x 100mg per day) but increased the Gabapentin (from 2 x 300mg to 3 x 300mg). He's also put us in contact with a physio/chiropractor. We're of on a 13 night cruise next Monday so I'm leaving it until we get back to make an appointment.
We discussed MRI scans and stuff but I think this is really not going to be of any use for my 10 1/2 year old girl.
The vet sat on the floor with her for ages cuddling her and SBD gazing into his eyes before flexing her back legs. She wouldn't stand for him but she did from an "up" from me which I think our vet was impressed with.
His prognosis - the back problem is what finishes off most Labs. Bring her back if the increased meds aren't working but otherwise leave it 3 months.
I feel I'm looking at months now rather then years with our old girl but we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime I've built a step at the back door so she hasn't such a big step down, and got her a really expensive memory foam dog bed. The latter she finds to be a useful stepping stone up to her old sofa bed and has flatly refuses to sleep on it until last night. She sleeps in a room at the back of the house but wouldn't settle last night so we let her through to the drawing room. I put her new bed down for her and she was zonked out on it this morning! We've decided she can have the run of the house at night from now on. Also supper this evening will be pulled leg of pheasant!
I think it's the speed of decline that I find the hardest to deal with. She's gone form reasonably fit but slow to pretty much knackered in less than 6 months.
I thought it would be her ED that did for her. Actually not. She's got arthritis in both elbows but it's actually pretty well being managed and not troubling her much. What has brought a real chill to my heart is her lower back. Poor lamb is having increasing trouble and clearly a lot of pain from time to time. Our vet has increased her pain meds. Kept the Tramadol as is (2 x 100mg per day) but increased the Gabapentin (from 2 x 300mg to 3 x 300mg). He's also put us in contact with a physio/chiropractor. We're of on a 13 night cruise next Monday so I'm leaving it until we get back to make an appointment.
We discussed MRI scans and stuff but I think this is really not going to be of any use for my 10 1/2 year old girl.
The vet sat on the floor with her for ages cuddling her and SBD gazing into his eyes before flexing her back legs. She wouldn't stand for him but she did from an "up" from me which I think our vet was impressed with.
His prognosis - the back problem is what finishes off most Labs. Bring her back if the increased meds aren't working but otherwise leave it 3 months.
I feel I'm looking at months now rather then years with our old girl but we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime I've built a step at the back door so she hasn't such a big step down, and got her a really expensive memory foam dog bed. The latter she finds to be a useful stepping stone up to her old sofa bed and has flatly refuses to sleep on it until last night. She sleeps in a room at the back of the house but wouldn't settle last night so we let her through to the drawing room. I put her new bed down for her and she was zonked out on it this morning! We've decided she can have the run of the house at night from now on. Also supper this evening will be pulled leg of pheasant!
I think it's the speed of decline that I find the hardest to deal with. She's gone form reasonably fit but slow to pretty much knackered in less than 6 months.
