Marlin's turn to the vet. Status #9

[Freedom]

About an hour ago, Marlin got up from a donut bed on the floor. His right rear leg wouldn't extend, and he was squealing and hollering while hoping about on 3 legs. With his bad hips that didn't last long before his entire rear end went down. The Drama King continued with his yelping.

Unfortunately, when this happens, Willy moves in to attack. We had a bit of a dog fight, with me hollering too and kicking Willy away. After that was sorted, Marlin was under an end table and refused to come out. I had to reach in and slide him out. (Dad was holding Willy by this point.) That darn rear leg was still up, so I quickly phoned the vet and off we went.

After a good check over, the result is: Marlin has severe arthritis. I knew his hips are bad and he has lots of arthritis there. He gets monthly Adequan shots, and an aspirin morning and night. I did not know his knees are quite thick with arthritis as well. I also didn't know arthritis could cause what happened: his leg just locked up and wouldn't move when he wanted it to. So we are adding a pain reliever - Tramadol - to his meds. The aspirin is the anti inflammatory, and there really isn't much more to do in that line. We can try a different med to see if it works better for him, but they aren't any stronger than the aspirin.

On the ride home, I had Marlin in the back, where I have the hammock. Trust Marlin, he got to the edge of the hammock, got his front legs down and ONE rear leg. Now he was stuck and hollering again! I pulled over as soon as I could to help him, gosh I don't know HOW he got the way he was, it really was doing a "split" with his rear! Goofy boy.

I've really had it emotionally. And if things come in 3's, this makes 5 so I have one more to come! Willy is slowing healing, still wearing the inflatable collar and taking antibiotics twice a day. I'm hand feeding Sugar and carrying her outside to do business every 3 hours. Now Marlin's taken a turn for the worst. ENOUGH!! I'm ready to start crying the minute any little thing goes wrong. Like going to the fridge to get a drink and finding I have to make another pitcher of iced tea. GAH!

[Varga]

Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear all the bad things that have been happening with your crew lately
Poor Marlin, that sure sounds like a painful experience for him and I imagine it's made infinitely worse by him panicking.
Hopefully things will get better soon for all of the sick ones

[Roxyluvsme13]

I'm so sorry your little fluffs are all getting sick lately. Please give them some hugs and kisses from me.

I hope things work out and everybody continues to heal.

[chocolatepuppy]

Hang in there Sandie, when it rains it pours. Hopefully all will settle down at your place soon.

[cassiesmom]

Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear all the bad things that have been happening with your crew lately
Poor Marlin, that sure sounds like a painful experience for him and I imagine it's made infinitely worse by him panicking.
Hopefully things will get better soon for all of the sick ones

I agree completely with what Varga has written. I am so sorry to hear about Darlin Marlin. Hoping everyone gets much better soon!

[Scooter's Mom]

I am so sorry, Sandie. (Hugs) for you and the rest of your pups.
I do understand about how "when it rains, it pours".

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I know you feel very overwhelmed and I hope that things will improve and all of your fluffs will heal up and start feeling better. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent their way.

[robinh]

It is so emotionally draining to have your babies sick. Especially when you love them so much. Hope things get better soon.

[Freedom]

Marlin had a rough night. At times, he kept one rear leg up, at times the other. I got the impression he wanted to hold both up with no weight on them. By the time we went to bed, his entire rear end was down and he couldn't get it up for anything. I had to carry him outside for his final pee, then in to my bedroom and get him settled in a pet bed for the night. (Then I had to do the same for Sugar! Of course Willy had to be locked in another room while I did all this so he wouldn't attack Marlin.)

Marlin got up at least once during the night, and hobbled around a bit. (This morning I see he flooded the kitchen again. Yeah, THAT is still going on as well.) When he returned to bed, he sat for a long time, and when he put his front end down he gave a loud groan.

Part of me thinks I best have x rays done tomorrow - Friday -- because other wise I will be having them done at the ER over the long (3 day) weekend. AND I get this awful thought that I will be called once they do the x rays, that he needs to be PTS (remember my one week foster, Ben).

The Tramadol helped only slightly; and of course it makes him sleep at the high dose he is on.

What to do, what to do. All very sad at this point.

[pomtzu]

Oh no - not my Marlin Darlin too. Sandie - you must be an emotional wreck at this point. We are sending out mega prayers and good vibes to him, to overcome this, and of course for Sugar too.

I feel your pain Sandie. It's so hard to see our furkids get old and get hit with all the problems that comes with it. {{{HUGS}}} to all three of you. Darn - this screen is getting so blurry..........

[Taz_Zoee]

Major LES here. I am so sorry this is all happening at once Sandie. Just stay strong and you will get through it. I am hoping beyond hope that the x-rays will be helpful in Marlin's recovery and not the alternative.

Big HUGS to you and gentle loves to the sick "kids".

[lizbud]

I am so sorry that Marlin is feeling so bad & everything seems to
be going downhill for you. Do you think a stronger pain med would help
him get around easier? Major (((Hugs))) from Indy. This too shall pass.

[pomtzu]

Sandie - how is my Marlin Darlin doing? And Sugar?

Still sending lots of prayers and good vibes to both.

[Freedom]

Sugar is making progress - slow but steady. I am so glad she has a positive prognosis!

Marlin is hanging in there. I decided not to do the x rays for now. I hate making decisions in a rush, and realized that there was no need to this time around.

We know he has bad hips, from x rays 3 years back (or maybe it was 4 years?) The socket of the ball and socket joint is not deep enough. We know he has major arthritis in those joints. The vet said, if we assume that is all (no tumor, no cancer, the only other 2 possibilities), then we just treat the pain. At some point, the pain will be too great, and we won't be able to keep him comfortable. She tried to extend his leg back, as it should move in a normal walking movement, and it won't go. The night he couldn't put it down, she surmises the ball came out of the socket completely, which will also happen with time as the socket continues to deteriorate. So he had a dislocated hip, until it shifted back. And this would explain his squealing in pain.

I can no longer walk him down the street, he is only allowed in the back yard. It is too much for him. (I had stopped taking him to the Farm and on the other 2 mile walks back in June, he couldn't do those any longer.)

You can read about hip dysplasi, here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_dysplasia_%28canine%29

When he was first diagnosed, he was already beyond surgical repair. Now, he is older and has other issues, so he is not a candidate for complete hip replacement.