My little old lady-picture intensive

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DeVon
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My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by DeVon »

Raven was my oldest daughter's dog for many years. In April of 2005, I took her in for the last time and told my daughter Raven was here to stay until she passed away.

She was coughing, lethargic, flea-ridden, with a dull dry coat.

She immediately went to my vet and was put on furosemide and enalapril for congestive heart failure.

The vet said we might have a good year with her on the heart meds given the severity of her murmur.

That was over 2 1/2 years ago. The 15th of this month she will be 14 years and 9 months old :D

She has increasing hind leg weakness, so we now have a sling we use for days she has difficulty motoring around.

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Because she has trouble staying warm in the colder months (namely the extremities-ears and feet), my wonderful friend in Canada who makes coats, jackets, and pajamas for greyhounds made a couple pairs of darling pjs for Raven.

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I love my sassy saucy old gal! (she often 'talks' to me quite loudly)
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Traci
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by Traci »

DeVon, love the pics of your sweet girl.

Are you and your vet addressing the hind leg weakness? Maybe a (trusted) joint supplement, or even appropriate NSAID prescribed by your vet?
..........Traci
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by Cleo »

What a beautiful and very fashionable gal!
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DeVon
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by DeVon »

Traci wrote:DeVon, love the pics of your sweet girl.

Are you and your vet addressing the hind leg weakness? Maybe a (trusted) joint supplement, or even appropriate NSAID prescribed by your vet?
Yes, she's on GlycoFlex III which also has the MSM in it, and NSAIDs on an as needed basis as we don't want tummy upset. She's had a lot of good days lately as far as motoring around.

She also gets at least two good daily hip massages from me, and some heat on the hips in the evening.

The poor doll had very little cartilage left when I first took her in and the crepitus was obvious as he manipulated her hips.

We didn't even mess with the first two stages of the GlycoFlex and started her right off on the III stage.
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Traci
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by Traci »

I prefer Cosequin myself, but maybe you should talk to your vet about a dose adjustment, of either of what you're giving her. A different NSAID might also be helpful. (with your vet's direction of course)

Also, make sure you provide a soft, warm bed for her at night when she's sleeping....if she is slow to rise in the morning, that much needed comfort and heat during the night could sure help. They make numerous heated dog beds, might be an option to give her. I think the massage is helpful too.
..........Traci
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DeVon
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by DeVon »

Traci wrote:I prefer Cosequin myself, but maybe you should talk to your vet about a dose adjustment, of either of what you're giving her. A different NSAID might also be helpful. (with your vet's direction of course)

Also, make sure you provide a soft, warm bed for her at night when she's sleeping....if she is slow to rise in the morning, that much needed comfort and heat during the night could sure help. They make numerous heated dog beds, might be an option to give her. I think the massage is helpful too.
She's actually back on the loading dose of the GlycoFlex III, which is the highest we can go, per the vet's instructions.

She sleeps with me at night in bed and actually gets up and around fairly well in the mornings.

I also have 2 large Snuggle Safe heating discs that I use under a couple of blankets during the day when she's sleeping on my bed.
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k9Karen
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by k9Karen »

She's a beauty DeVon. Her pj's are adorable! I love it when a dog talks to you. Mickey would talk to me all the time, and it was just the sweetest thing. He could fuss, cajole, comfort, beg and plead. The range of emotions he could show in his 'words' was amazing. Allie fusses at me and is also very vocal, but not the way Mickey was.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings.
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E's
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by E's »

I love these pictures! So glad Raven is with you... I check in here on such an uneven schedule lately - had got confused, know I missed replying to several great pic sequences. :roll: Please forgive.
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by JUDY S »

What a pretty girl, she looks very wise.
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Tambrey
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Re: My little old lady-picture intensive

Post by Tambrey »

What a regal old lady she is.....and I agree.....ever so fashionable in her PJs!!
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