Update on Holly

...continuing on regarding our sick dog.
Since my last post about her condition I found some info regarding feeding hints for dogs with the same condition. We have been hand feeding her with some supplements , one being Nutrigel, a vitamin supplement in the form of a paste you squeeze out of a tube onto your finger and smear on her tongue.... she likes that one! and the other product is Biolac, which appears to be like baby formula for puppies (same look / smell) which we feed via syringe into the side of her mouth. She's not real keen on it but when it's squirted into your mouth when your owner has your nose pointed up at 45 degrees you have no option but to swallow it!
Then last night (Thursday) whilst I was at TAFE, Michelle offered her a couple of McDonalds burger patties (which she herself (Michelle) does not eat) and she (the dog) ate them!....after which Mikey gave her some tinned dog food which she also ate.
Looks like she has some appetite back, but she is still on the pills and still obviously has balance issues.
We're a lot happier here now! and hoping she keeps eating without us having to force feed her.
Cecil :-)

Sick as a Dog

..not me! the dog!

Holly to be precise.
Friday morning noticed one of the dogs had vomited up their dinner from the night before...I assumed it was Holly as there was a thunder storm that night and she is terrified of them!...probably unsettled her a lot.
Friday afternoon we noted she was unsteady on her feet, seemingly not able to use her legs properly.
hmmm I thought, summer, vomit, loss of mobility....must be a tick!....of course I couldn't find one could I !
So off to the Vet....
They were initially thinking along the same lines as we were, but with a closer examination after they failed to find a tick, revealed she is suffering from "Geriatric Vestibular Disease"
Geriatric eh!, yeah well, at 14 human years she probably is geriatric in Dog years!
The vestibular disease affects the dog's sense of balance basically, ...according to the vet she feels like the world is spinning constantly, a bit like seasickness, hence the upset stomach and wobbly walk. (looks drunk!)...Her eyes flicked from side to side and her head was tilted most of the time.
Come Monday we had her back at the Vet as she hadn't eaten any food at all over the weekend but the other symptoms hadn't worsened , if anything seemed a little better.
She's had a cortisone injection which can sometimes increase their appetite (wouldn't hurt her as she's been a little arthritic anyway) and having "Vivitonin" pills twice a day to improve the blood circulation to the brain which may improve the function of the vestibular (balance) system and reduce the sick feeling hence making her feel like she can eat!
...so I'm looking on the web now for ideas to get some food into her stomach...I'm thinking liquid diet at this stage as she still drinks water (thankfully)
The reality is if she doesn't improve the best we can do is "make her comfortable" and make the "hard decision" when it's obviously too uncomfortable for her to go on!
....Of course we are all hoping she improves!

cecil :-(