Dispensing Doggie Medications
If you’ve been visiting here for a while, you know that I share my life with three dogs. In case I didn’t have enough to deal with, they have been keeping me occupied with their health concerns.
Almost eleven years ago the Sugar Beet Baron picked out a puppy and named him Ty. About eight years ago, Ty had a run in with a sickle mower. Thanks to our vet, Ty and his leg were saved. If he gets nervous Ty has a tendency to bite on that leg. When my husband was sick, all of the dogs sensed that something was wrong. Our friends took good care of them while we lived at the hospital. I would come home to do laundry and pick up the mail. The dogs would be thrilled to see me. When when they realized that I was leaving again - they’d get upset. Right after my husband’s funeral, Ty began limping badly on his front legs. The vet started him on an arthritis medicine. Within days he stopped limping, and seemed to be less stiff. But he continues gnawing on his back leg. Nothing stops him. He has grown accustomed to wearing his Elizabethan collar.
I took the collar off him for a bit the other night. While I was talking to him and scratching his neck I noticed that he had an ear infection. I cleaned his ears and by the time I put the collar back on - he had chewed his leg bloody. I packed some gauze with ointment and taped it up. The next morning the bandage was still on. I gave him his arthritis medicine and his anti-anxiety pill. Then I saw that Lucky’s toe was bloody and swollen. I soaked her foot in an Epsom salt bath and fooled her into taking her daily incontinence medicine. It was too early to call the vet. When I came back in from irrigating, Ty had the tape on his leg, but he had eaten most of the gauze. I called the vet and managed to get an appointment for both of them. After putting leashes on them, and sheets on the car seats - we were ready to roll. I don’t like to take Ty for rides because he barks constantly. Lucky is quiet and polite, so she sat up front. Ty was in the back - swinging his head wildly, slapping plastic into the headrests, barking through his megaphone. I drove the twelve miles as fast as I could. Not out of a medical urgency - I was afraid that I might wreck the car due to eighty-eight pounds of maniac dogflesh in the back seat. At the vet’s office his behaviour didn’t improve.
Lucky went first. She has an infection in the nailbed. We’re hoping that it responds to the antibiotics. Ty’s ear isn’t serious, but I do have some ointment for that. He had some x-rays, which showed that there’s nothing new (or bad) going on. The combination of scar tissue and anxiety are more than he can resist. We drove home with more medications and the same amount of noise.
July 8th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Sounds like when I am driving with my boys to CHLA! Constant noise!
Not many more days left until we are in Montana~ 26 I think. I have been so busy, I lost count. Can’t wait to meet up with you!.
July 8th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
As my Dad use to say when he was practising medecine give “them” the medication if it works great..if it doesn’t you take it!Hope everybody including poor Maggie are on the mend!
Linda
July 8th, 2006 at 10:10 pm
Fortunately, Sheba has managed to make it to old age with very few physical problems. (Mentally, well that’s a different kettle of fish altogether…)
As Moos well knows, The Dog Who Ate My Home has several phobias, the worst of which is separation anxiety. After breaking several windows and literally chewing three holes in the walls of my trailer to escape (I’ve had to liberate her from the pound twice, and good samaritans have managed to bring her back to my house on several other occaisions), the vet has her on Prozac (two capsules in the morning) and Valium (up to three pills every four hours — I only give her two). The Valium is for days when I go to work, but the Prozac is an everyday thing. Even with that, I’ve still had to leave her chained up outside — which, given AZ summers, is soething I do with great reluctance.
To get her to take her meds, I’ve found that putting them in a glob of peanut butter works best as the pills stick to the peanut butter so she can’t spit them out.
She’s been licking on her hind legs lately, because of allergies (she itches pretty much all the time between March and September — I believe she’s allergic to spring and summer — and her eyes are watery). Unfortunately, none of the allergy medications seem to work (for either of us), so she has to live with it.
I regret that I wasn’t able to meet Los Tres Lobos Locos when I was up there in May. But all three are in my thoughts and prayers. Along with their “Mom” (who may need Prozac and/or Valium herself soon).
Sheba & Her Person (who answers to the name “Kirk” from time to time)
July 9th, 2006 at 9:27 am
Sounds like you need health insurance for dogs? bonnie
July 10th, 2006 at 11:02 am
Poor babies, I hope they adjust soon. My dog goes through anxiety everytime hubs travels and any kind of storms or fireworks. Luckily that’s where the mild sedation comes in
July 11th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Shelly - I’m looking forward to it, too.
Linda - I’ve been tempted.
Kirk - I started using ice cream. Ty knows that his pills are in it, but - he eats it any way.
Bonnie - Yes, but I’m sure they’d be uninsurable, too.
Leesa - Thanks - I think that the vet & I are at mutual wits end with Ty.