You and your wife are heroes for what you’re doing for him, no matter what the outcome. Hold on to hope. If he doesn’t make it through, don’t beat yourself up. Doing what you can for him to the limits of your income is an act of love. I hope you are rewarded for it with Riley eventually getting back to his old self.
I’m a pretty tolerant sort, but this is the grossest thing I’ve heard in a while. I mean, it’s almost so bad it’s funny but then not.
Link from Jezebel.
I have no idea why Jezebel devoted the article to why the guy writing it was misguided. I don’t know–am I close minded or is this really icky?
AH! really sorry to put that here. i meant to open a new thread
Yeah, I was realllly looking for context on that one!
Still pulling for Riley. Please update as you are able to. He is in my thoughts.
Yeah, I remember that one. I hope Riley is enjoying sweet dreams today.
Unfortunately that’s all he seems to be enjoying is sleep. He hasn’t managed to get up yet, although he tries. It’s like he can’t get his hind legs to cooperate with the rest of his body. He’ll struggle mightily with his front legs and scrabble around, and then give up and lay on his side again.
We have to allow him to go to the bathroom on our carpet/on himself and clean as we go.
We have to hand feed him. I had to buy a turkey baster to squirt water into his mouth so he won’t get dehydrated. He’ll lick water off your fingers but he can’t seem to be able to/remember how to dip his head so he can drink water out of a bowl (which may be complicated by the fact that he cannot yet ((if ever)) stand up).
He also seems to be blind. He reacts to sounds, but I don’t think he’s recognizing us, or his name. He kinda looks in your general direction when you speak to him, but the eye contact isn’t there.
I think tonight we are going to try to help him get on his feet. Maybe his muscle memory is just gone. I know he isn’t paralyzed because he can move his back legs, but he can’t seem to recall how to swivel his hips around to bring his back legs underneath himself to complete the standing motion.
sigh
It doesn’t look good. The vet said to give him 2-3 days, and if he can’t stand up on his own, then…well, he’s a goner.
Do yourself a favor and get some of those puppy housebreaking pad to put under him. At this point, he’s still drugged, but it sounds like he’s made some progress, if only that he’s lifting his head and is trying to get up.
Good luck to you both, and know you’ve gone far above and beyond what most pet owners would do. You’ve given it your best shot. Sometimes that’s the best comfort you can give yourself, not wishing you’d done a little more.
StG
He actually stood up by himself just a bit ago! Granted, he promptly fell back over on his side and after about 15 minutes to do even that, was exhausted and went back to sleep. But this is a first!
I think that he’s resting more comfortably now that he’s had some fluids other than an IV for the first time since Monday night. He was slurping that water down from the turkey baster…and I bought some soft dog treats for him to eat. Those and slices of ham or turkey breast are all we can feed him right now.
He hasn’t had much to eat or drink, but he’s out of his crate, and he did stand up. I know he wants to, but he tires so easily trying to. It’s amazing, we’re talking about a dog that was so virile just a few days ago that to see him run and jump outside with our other dog…well, it’s kinda sad to see him reduced to this recovery, really.
I hope he does recover. He only has a couple days to get back to a semblance of normalcy before we have to put him down.
Hope continues to spring eternal, at least for now.
I just wish I could take some days off from work (we just took our vacation days) so I could work with him. He’s going to have to do a lot of this on his own.
That’s good news.
The strain you and your family is under is obvious from your posts. You’ve been caring and patient and that’s gotta be tiring. Sometimes it’s easier to be the sick one than to be the caregiver.
Here’s hoping that in a few days Riley is back to his puppy self and wondering why his people are so tired. Hang in there!
These are all excellent signs! Go, Riley, go!
That’s wonderful that he’s drinking and eating. His back end probably is pretty weak. The doggie physical therapy sounds like a good idea. Use a bath towel and make a sling for his back end to help him up.
There is definite hope and we are all pulling for him.
:: skritchies ::
good news. little bit by little bit…
I just hope this isn’t some false recovery illusion that we’re under. I have helped him to his four feet a few times now and he can only stand on his own for a moment before he loses his balance.
Just a moment ago though, I supported his hind legs to help him stand and he tried to do the doggie “shake” like dogs do, and he promptly shook free of my grip and toppled back over.
I guess that’s a good thing.
Oooh, I’m hoping for the best. Get better, Riley, we’re all pulling for you.
:: crossing my fingers for Riley::
I hope he keeps improving.
Get what rest you can. You all need each other right now.
Thank you for doing such a good job of holding up your end of the ancient deal we’ve made with dogs.
Riley, good boy!
Looked in on him at 5:00am, as he was making a racket in our spare bedroom downstairs. He was trying to stand again, but he didn’t succeed.
We are going to work with him some more tonight, helping him use his back legs and kind of “walk them” for him.
I can’t do this for him forever.
You might try a towel under his back end, supporting him as he walks and gains strength. Use the towel as a sling in front of his back legs and let him propel himself with his front legs. At least he’s trying. Considering a day ago he couldn’t lift his head, I’d say this is progress.
StG
We’ll try that tonight. Thanks for the suggestion. He’s slightly well-endowed, do I just roll up the towel and put it just ahead of his, ah…junk? On his belly, as it were?