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Great news and I can tell by the sound of your post that you are truly elated. So glad everything seems to be going that well, like you said, her spunk will probably see her through this crisis. meanwhile I'll keep my fingers crossed for both of you.
A little update:
She's holding her own, and making a little progress - in baby steps of course. Her appetite continues to be great, she is socializing more, and not quite so wobbly. She walks more outside - even does her little half run/bunny hop that she does in the grass. We only go out for a few minutes and in a shady spot - it's HOT!!! - in the mid to upper 90"s - humid - and the heat index well over 100. Not fit for man nor beast to be out in that! And yesterday she barked again for the first time in over a week. Never thought that would be music to my ears, since normally she never shuts up, but I had gone out to run a few errands, and when I got back home, I got the barking greeting when I came in the house, and her excited following me around routine.
Med time has become a fierce battle tho - gets worse with each dose. They are all liquids, and one should ideally be given on an empty stomach, so I've been doing all 3 at the same time. Last night it took me, my son (who is by no means a little guy), and DIL to get them in her (or on her :(), and 2 people came away with bites on their fingers (but not me :D). It's just not worth potentially hurting her to medicate her that way, so this a.m. I just put them in with her breakfast. She was fighting us like a wild bear last night, and I've never seen the jaw strength that she has, even in bigger dogs. My concern was that she would smell the meds and then wouldn't eat her food with them added, but no problem, she wolfed it down. Not much sense in continuing that battle and possibly hurting her and most definitely stressing her out, so we'll just adjust our strategy.
So that's where we stand right now. Her next blood test on 7/2 will give us a better picture of what's going on - those #'s just have to come up!!! But for now, I'm just happy to see her getting a little strength and interest back. I pray that it's not just the calm before the storm!
She still needs all the prayers that she can get, so please remember her in yours. I give thanks every day for all that all of you have sent up for her. :love:
I'll try to post some new pics later. You'll see that she still smiles! :)
Well, at least she's fiesty enough to fight the meds-not that it helps getting them down! Keep that feistiness up, Myndi! :)
You know I'm with you on the heat. Princess Pinot the chipmunk hunter isn't even spending much time out there. She cries and cries to go out, we take her, after not too long she retreats to the A/C. WAY too hot!
Prayers continue for little Myndi! Get better, sweetie (and your Mom, too!). :love:
More prayers for Myndi :love:
Glad Mindy is showing so much spunk. At least you know she still has energy left if she can fight that hard against the meds. Doesn't that yapping sound terrific when you stop hearing it for a while? Keeping you both in my prayers, I know what you're going through so I hope everything keeps on the upswing for you and her. I keep looking at her picture in your sig and laugh my head off at the thought of her actually biting fingers...:D
Still praying and sending hugs, Ellie.:)
Feel Better Myndi!!! We want to see you off Mom's worry list. Our's too.:(
Pomtzu, do you have a compounding pharmacy near you that might be able to make them taste like something yummy so she'd lap it right up? You know, liver or bacon or rotten something that might smell yucky to us, but irresistible to a certain princess?
Good idea, but it's already as stinky/yummy as it gets! She loves liver, and the high potency vitamins that are super fortified with liver and iron, smell very strong of liver, and overwhelms the mild to tasteless of the other two. The antibiotic is liquid like is given to little kids and smells like bubblegum, and the pill dissolved in a little water is practically tasteless. So it's just going in her supper again tonight!Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
He hee, THAT is super!Quote:
Originally Posted by pomtzu
If you need to get the meds refilled, consider if you want to keep th liquids added to the food (i she takes them that way, great!), or if you want to ask for pills. I know for me, liquid just goes everywhere EXCEPT in the mouth intended, lol.
Adding them to the food sounds like the best way. You are so right, all that stress is no good for any of you.
Keep it up, Ellie! Stay on the recovery road, Myndi! We aren't forgetting you, Sparky! (did I cover everyone? LOL)
Prayers are continuing for everybody, Ellie. :love:
Good to hear Myndi is doing better.:) Continued prayers.
Did you say "pills", Sandie?? Heaven forbid - absolutely impossible. I thought I'd have it easy with liquids, but Jaws had other ideas. It would take a crowbar to pry that mouth open even the tiniest bit to get the syringe with liquids in. Putting it in her food is working fine, since she wolfs down everything in her dinner bowl. Even Sparky is starting to get with the program, and he knows that every time she gets a bowl of food, that he will get a snack or two. He's being a trooper about it.
She continues to amaze me with the improvement she is showing. She is really getting quite a bit of energy back - was doing her run/bunny hop thingy around the yard at 5 a.m., and then came in and did a lazy version of her ritual dance that she always does while I'm fixing her food, talking (barking) to my son before he left for work. He can get her to carry on the longest conversations I've ever heard - it's so funny.
So we continue on, and hope and pray that all of this is good and she really is on her way back. Only time will tell.
Okay - a few pics that I didn't get to yesterday. These were taken Sunday and yesterday. See - she's still smiling..........:love:
Aw, the cute little fuzz nugget. :love:
Keep smilin', Myndi!! You're adorable!!
So glad that she is doing better!!
Oh my, she DOES look like she is feeling good! Keep at it!
She really does smile...keep on smiling Mindy. Cute pictures Ellie, she looks like she's making a great recovery but we'll keep the prayers flowing to be positive.
Dear sweet Myndi! I am so glad you are feeling better! gentle *kiss* for you and *kiss* one for Sparky, too!
Love the pics of that smiley girl!!! She reminds me so much of my RB Killer. Killer was brown. She looks great, Ellie. Feel better, Sweetheart!! Kisses to Myndi and Sparky please!!!
{{{{{MOM}}}}}
{{{hugs}}} and kisses from Ellicott City -- keep feeling better, sweetie!:love:
Aww, I'm so glad to read (and see) that she is taking her meds well and is feeling better. :D :D Keep it up Myndi (and Ellie)!! :)
Cute pictures.:) I'm so glad to hear that she's doing so well. I hope she'll continue to be happy and healthy for a long time.:)
Thank you all for the nice comments and continued well wishes. I can't begin to tell you how much they mean to us.
She did exceptionally well yesterday, and maybe even over-did it somewhat, since she isn't quite so spunky so far this a.m. I think that maybe this oppressive heat is playing a part in it - it was already over 80 outside at 6 a.m., and even tho we have central a.c., the unit is 20 years old and not working as efficiently as it once did, but it sure beats no a.c. at all. Even Sparky didn't eat his supper last night. :eek: She didn't want to be outside at all this a.m., and didn't eat all of her breakfast and hasn't had anything to "say" so far. She's been walking around some and acting like she wants something - just don't know what. Maybe she's ready to finish that breakfast now??????????
So I'll just keep a little closer watch on her today (without hovering too much :eek:). She's under the desk at my feet, giving herself a little cat bath - washing her legs and feet. Miss Prettiness (another pet name) must keep up appearances, don't ya' know??? :p:D
So please keep those PT prayers coming her way, since she still definitely needs them.
Thanks Friends. :love:
Oh wow Pomtzu, i have just seen this, I am glad to hear that Myndi is doing so much better, I know when they fight the meds means they are feeling better, I hope you have gotten some well deserved rest and eaten a nice meal or two, I will keep Myndi and yourself in my thoughts, hugs from myself and the P.O.D.crew :D
Still wishing, hoping and praying that all is well, Ellie. Get Well Myndi!!!!!
She continues to do well, considering how close to death she seemed a week ago. Appetite remains fantastic, energy level is lots better, not much wobble, if any, to her walk, barking with regularity once more, interacting with people and wanting to be the center of attention, etc.
However, I did notice one thing that has me concerned somewhat. Her vet put her on one week only of the med for her tummy, and she took the last of it Friday. Yesterday I noticed her poop was darker again, tho not black. I need to see what it looks like today when she can produce for me again. I'm going to call the vet first thing in the a.m. tomorrow and see what she thinks - if she should still be taking more of it, or what. It doesn't seem to me that only a week's worth would allow any kind of bleed to heal, but then, I'm not the doctor either. Just talking from my own human experience on this one. She has a couple more days of the antibiotic, and stays on the Hi-Vite drops for who knows how long - quite a while I would imagine.
Myndi goes back this coming Friday for more bloodwork and a weigh-in, so that will give a better picture of where she stands. Those #'s have to come up. She feels like she has gained a little and I'm resisting the temptation to weigh her on my scales, since for accuracy, she should be weighed on the same scale as before. I still remain cautiously optimistic and fully realize that anything could happen at any time. I'm just thankful for every day that she remains with me.
So keep those prayers coming please - they're working wonders so far. :love::)
I'll update again when I know more.
Pomtzu - I will await the results from the vet visit for Myndi. I will continue to keep you all in my thoughts. ;)
Quick update - poop looks normal. :D
I'm thinking maybe it's just dark from the liver and iron overload. She's starting to lose her taste for the fresh liver that has always been a favorite - but too much of a good thing maybe? :confused: She's still getting a lot in the Hi-Vite drops. Now she wants fresh cooked chicken. I try to shred it and mix it with her canned food, but she would prefer chicken with a little dog food mixed in. Does she get it? Guess........:p:D
I bet she does! :D
I'm glad to hear things are improving. This is wonderful! She's eating, poop is looking good. Way to go! :)
OF COURSE!!!!! What baby wants baby gets.:D
Keep on feeling better Myndi Girl!!! You're making us all happy!!! YAY!!! Hi Sparky!! More hugs for Mom. :)
(steals lyric from "Damn Yankees")
Whatever Myndi wants, Myndi gets!
Yay, Myndi! Big hugs for you and Sparky!!
Of course Myndi gets what she wants - and THAT has nothing to do with her being under the weather, lol! That is just being a PT pet is all ha haaa.
Keep up the good work.
Do you have a set amount of the liver she has to eat? I would think even liver would get "old" after a while (it's a treat I buy out at a restaurant for myself a few times per year). If you can, cut back on it a bit? Maybe just mid day treat or something? So it is about 24 hours apart. Dunno what the doc had prescribed on that one.
Sparky, we love you too dear, and I know I think of you daily with all this happening around you. I am sending hugs and belly rubs to BOTH of you!
Oh I am happy to hear this, keep getting better Myndi and I think she got hr food as well. Hugs to you all :D
Today was Myndi's recheck at the vet to see if there was any progress. The news couldn't have been better - it was almost unbelievable! I'm doing the happy dance, and calling my little girl - "Miracle Myndi", and grinning like a Chessie Cat. Two weeks ago today, she was at death's door, and I really didn't believe that she would live long enough to keep today's appointment. When I told doc this, she said she kind of thought the same thing, considering her age and how sick she was. She credited me with catching the signs and symptoms, and getting her in, in the nick of time. I just had a gut feeling that it was a bleeding ulcer brought on by the aspirin, and appears that's exactly what it was.
The #'s that needed to come up, came up in a big way in only 2 weeks: :)
Hematocrit was 13 (a very critical level), and today it was 37 (just within normal range). :D
Her weight was 8.8 lbs, and today it was 10.10 which is perfect for her. :D
I can still hardly believe that she came roaring back so quickly. So she got a clean bill of health and can go back to her normal routine. Doc wants her to stay on the Hi-Vite supplement for another 6 weeks, and I can cut her food back to twice a day, since too much is not good for her heart (murmur) or her bad knees.
Thank you all for the prayers and support that saw her thru this ordeal. I have no doubt that they helped immensely, and she's sending out thank you doggie kisses to all. :love: Of course, I'm sending out my sincerest heartfelt thanks too.
So with all that being said, and Myndi back to her almost normal self, I guess we can close the book on this chapter, at least. I'll update from time to time. BTW - I'm sure Sparky will be elated that his life too, can now return to a more normal routine!:p
She heard that there would be lots of fireworks everywhere this weekend in celebration of this accomplishment! :cool:
Yay! Such good news for your little girl!
Yay, Myndi!!:D So glad!
Great news for Myndi.:) Keep on keeping on little lady.:D
Excellent news, Ellie! My RB Charmin took aspirin w/Maalox mixed in, Ascriptin it was called, but she had a cast iron stomach that one. She lived to be 18 1/2 and it looks like your Myndi is going to be an old gal like my Charmy. Atta girl! I know how relieved you must be, El. You can breathe now. ;) :love:
OH MY GOSH! Doing the happy dance here for all of you as well! WOO HOO!!!! He hee, what a relief I can't imagine how YOU feel!!!!
You said so back to the old routine, but I suspect the aspirin will be eliminated or cut back.
This is wonderful news.:D Thanks for keeping us updated about her.:)
Absolutely no more aspirin for this girl. If only one or two per day did such a number on her, then obviously she can't tolerate them. I'll get some of the buffered that are made for dogs, just to have around in case she needs any. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedom