Good thoughts please?

[wishiwere]

My Betsy (one of the twins) is suffering from something we aren't sure of yet

I left town yesterday morning and got a call at 6:00 from dh and dd at the vets. They aren't sure if she has and inner eye problem or back trouble? Seems odd they couldn't tell, but I'm not a vet.

She couldn't get up and was wobbley when she tried. Also, panting and cocked her head to the side like dizzy at times or such.

They gave her a cortizone shot and sent her home on the reducing dosing of steriods and an antibiotic. She can't walk and has extreme difficult getting up. We carry to the yard to relieve herself (which she's done several times since this started, so that's good.).

When I returned home at noon today, she did have her head cocked sideways kinda and does that on occasion, almost as though she's trying to focus from one eye. (btw......they did say it wasn't a stroke).

When I put her down in the yard she takes a couple wobbley steps and squats to relieve, then gets back up to almost straight standing at which point I pick her back up to bring her in. She drinks out of the bowl when placed under her head and I've been propping her head on blankets as I have in the past when her backs given her trouble.

Anyway.........they said 2 days to see if the antibiotics cause relief (thinking ear problem). More if it's back.

Any advice, please offer. Kind thoughts for her health are of course appreciated.

She and her twin Lady turned 14 years on sept 6 Sweet girls!

Thanks for listening......

[caliloo]

I'm so sorry to hear that Betsy isn't feeling well. I hope the puppy doctor can find out what is bothering her and fix it.

Prayers to you all

Alexa

[Ginger]

Ahh poor puppy! I don't have a clue what is wrong, but I sure hope your vet can figure it out quick! It is hard enough to see them hurting etc when you know what is wrong, but double difficult when you don't know why.

Good thoughts and karma being sent your way.

Ginger

[PeggyC]

I'm so very sorry to hear about your sweet Betsy. I don't have any advice for you but wanted to let you know your family (including furkids) will be in my thoughts.

[patsue53]

Aww, poor girl. she's adorable. I'm so sorry she's not feeling well. I'll be hoping they find a solution soon.

[wishiwere]

Thanks Ladies. So far no changes, just waiting and hoping for an improvement

[Dee_dla]

Thinking of Betsy and all of you too! (((((((((hugs)))))))) Keep us posted.

[LucyGoose]

Oh Jane, how sad! I sure hope she gets better!! She is so pretty in that picture! I have no advise to give, either....Give her a pat for me, and Huggs to YOU!!

[wishiwere]

Thanks. She is laying on her side tonight, which is a good sign. She still isn't getting up on her own, or walking, but doing well considering. We've been spoon feeding her canned food and she's eating about 1/2 -3/4 of it and drinking well so I'm optimistic. Tomorrow should be even better I hope. So long as I don't end up screwing up my back lifting her

30 lbs of soil/peat, or whatever isn't the same as a dog that doesn't like to be off the ground. She's deaf completely and lost most of her sight already, so it's been interesting to say the least..........thanks again for the good thoughts and the prayers

[Old earth dog]

Jane, it certainly sounds like an inner ear problem, but have they also done any testing for a possable stroke? The indications can sometimes be similar.

[wishiwere]

I wasn't in town when they took her in. How do they test for either? They have her on Dicural, 2 tablets of 43.5 mg once a day. She is doing much better tonight. They (dd and dh) claimed they were told her ears had too large of growths (?) in them in to see well? Does that make sense? She's been deaf for some years now. Totally now. She's hypothryroid and has been on Thyroxine for maybe 5 years as well as lasix for an enlarged atrial valve for jeepers, maybe 1-2 years? Poor old girl. Till last night, she is loves to walk around in the 2 acres fenced. She can't take the heat of the day now, but still enjoys life very much till this happened.

I did notice the last week, she's jumped up with her front feet on my lap lately, which she hasn't done in maybe 2 years tops. I was surprised and would carefully lower her down everytime, b/c of the past back problems on occasion.

[Snow]

Bless her heart - I hope they can help her feel better!

[Old earth dog]

The ears make a lot of sense. Cockers are prone to ear infections, and over the years, the ear canal can close up, making it hard to see in there. The deafness and lack of sight are just the problems often found in a 14yr old furkid. Sounds like she's being well cared for.

[lazygardner]

It does sound like you are doing everything you can for her.
((((((Betsy and Jane))))))

[wishiwere]

Thanks OED, never thought we'd be blessed with them (either of them) for 14 years, and I must say I am thankful for the health they've had over the years.

But yes, at 14, I know health is something we strive for, but will lose one day. Just don't want her to suffer you know? She's doing much better in my eyes this morning. SHe was waiting to be carried out this morning to relieve herself, then ate 1/2 cup of her hard food she hasn't had since this started. Drank well and is now sleeping on her side, which is her fav. The lino is fav position, but being ill, I've laid her on her blanket on the carpet. Just can't get that 'motherly' thing out of my head, that laying on a cold lino would be okay while ill She's one to do this all winter, so soon enough I'll let her.

Thanks everyone so much for the encouragement, prayers and good thoughts. This list (Thanks Chris) and all of you on it, are God-Sent with your knowledge and caring ways!

THanks again!

[Lionitus]

Oh dear, I sure hope Betsy gets well soon. I know we're talking about a doggie, but when I was 4 years old I fell and hit my head on the edge of our coffee table. Somehow, it messed up my inner ear and I couldn't stand, walk or keep food down for several weeks until it righted itself. Hopefully, Betsy's problem is a simple inner ear infection or something not so serious.

I'm sending prayers and best wishes to Betsy and family.

Lionitus

[newtohosta-no more]

I sure hope your Betsy will be okay, Jane. It's so hard to tell exactly what the problem is with our furkids. Just like babies...they can't tell us what they are feeling and what their symptoms are, so it's a process of elimination. I would imagine that it could be any number of things, especially at that advanced age. I'm sending out my best wishes that she will recover. (((Jane)))

[jay dee]

Try a google search for vestibular disease. If this is the problem, the steroids should help the condition. With a previous history of problem ears, nerve damage is usually what is causing the problem.

jay dee

[wishiwere]

JayDee, thanks. SHe seems to be responding to the antibiotics and steriods, so I'm hoping I'm not fooling myself.

I did the search and am reading very different info on the vestibular disease treatment, and hoping what we are doing is correct. Some say the prednisone isn't necessary, but ........

I also read that they shouldn't be picked up but allowed to keep their feet on solid ground to help compensate for the lack of equilibruim. So this morning, I let her try to walk in alone. It was a success, although she did wobble and act a slight bit drunken, she made it, with one rest period on the way to her blankey.

Thanks so much everyone for listening. My soul is wrapped in this furkid. I'm reading this can be overcome (cured in a sense) with prolonged antibiotics, so that's my next set of questions with the vet today.

Thanks again

[PeggyC]

Jane, I'm so glad to hear that Betsy is doing a bit better now. I will continue to keep all of you in my thoughts!