Very good to see that!
Thanks for the update.
It may be a long haul caring for him while he regains his strength, and he may not ever be back to 100% how he was before this episode. But the steady upward trajectory of his progress at least seems like as definitive of a confirmation that it’s not a life-threatening thing like a brain tumor or stroke as it’s possible to have without a bunch of very costly tests.
I can’t help but think that your love and devotion is a big part of Doc’s recovery.
Just checking in for a Doc update. I’m hoping the news has been so good that you don’t have time to share.
He’s now walking - slowly, hesitantly, but steadily - on the leash. Not leaning against my leg. Not with my hand gripping his harness. Actually on the leash.
He is still very slow, still a little shaky, but his trajectory has been the best possible.
The reason I haven’t been bursting with joy here - even though I’m really grateful for how he’s been doing - is because we’re now up against another, slightly less dire, but still frustrating issue: we haven’t been able to get him to poop in the past 24 hours, even though he has eaten a lot of food. And our vet told us he needs to be eating MORE. His appetite was back yesterday, but today he doesn’t want to eat - I know, it’s only 12:55, but it’s a little concerning.
Could the lack of appetite be caused by the constipation?
I’m so glad he’s recovering so well. The more he walks, the better he’ll get.
I’d guess the constipation probably has something to do with the lack of appetite. Has he pooped while he’s been able to stand on his own yet? That may be the problem - his balance won’t let him squat to poop. When he was incontinent, that wasn’t an issue. Also, exercise stimulates the the bowels, so as much walking as he can to will help, along with the pumpkin, if he’ll eat it.
StG
So glad to hear he’s doing better. Go Doc! Keep up the progress.
My old dog is 13-ish, he was a rescue, so details are a little unclear. So far, (knock wood) he’s ok. Slowing down a bit, but still ok.
I"m late to the thread, and have not read all the replies, but here’s my tale for what it’s worth:
Our old dog came down with this same thing at age 15. Very scary indeed as it looked like she had a stroke (apparently this is very uncommon in dogs, where as vestibular disease is common)
She was stumbling around in a circle when she could even stand. She could keep food down, which can be a challenge for some dogs as they fell like they are spinning in a washing machine.
Took her to the vet, confirmed diagnosis, and basically took her home again. No known cause. She took about a week to be better, and a month to be very much better. We just had to take special precautions so she did not bump into furniture or fall down the stairs.
She’s now over 17 and still chugging along. Much slower now, with arthritis, and lack of one eye from sudden onset glaucoma last year. But the vestibular disease is in the rear view window.
Good luck with your recovery!
I’m so happy to hear he is making progress. I own my own business and have always taken our dogs and bird to work with me, so Ella was never really alone. My gf is working from home, so if I went to the store she was there.
As far as constipation is concerned, we’ve always found Ella will defecate eventually if we walk her. Every so often I have to take her to the meadow by our house and just let her stretch her legs. Eventually, she goes.
Go Doc! Dang about the poop issues, I hope he’s not too uncomfortable.
Can you get a small pen for Doc so he’s less likely move around much while you are gone? You could pad the floor with blankets or towels under pee pads to cushion Doc if he falls.
Keep on Keepin’ on. Doxie was full-on paralyzed, from the middle back, but with rest, steriods and time made a ‘almost’ full recovery and is still going strong today.
Okay, so he’s continuing to make progress in terms of being able to stand up, walk around, not fall, etc. But we’re still having trouble with his digestion. He pooped yesterday, in mushy clumps, still less solid than we’d like. He had eaten some of the rice-and-meat mixture, which also had peas in it; he’d also eaten some wet dog food. It did not firm up in his bowels as we had hoped. Today he has had liquid diarrhea numerous times.
GF called the vet while I was out working earlier today, and told me the vet said that the diarrhea could be caused by the previously-mentioned tumor on his spleen - that he might never get back to normal. Tearfully, she said she was considering having him put down, that if he doesn’t have a sufficiently high quality of life, it might be more humane to let him pass peacefully than to try to keep soldiering on through this constant battle to get him to eat and poop consistently.
I said that given the progress he’s made so far, it wouldn’t be right to not give him some more time to see if his digestive functioning doesn’t recover. He’s walking again, he’s WAY ahead of where he was this time last week - I said there’s no reason to jump to the conclusion that the diarrhea is caused by the tumor on the spleen, that it could simply be diarrhea that clears up on its own.
Kayaker, your comments in this thread have given us encouragement and motivation to try to keep working through this. What I want to know, if you can please tell us, is - how long did your dog’s issues with food persist? Was diarrhea an ongoing concern? Did she ever eat normal dog food again, or did she only have an appetite for “special” food and treats? You elaborated on your dog’s timeline for regaining her motor functions (which I appreciate greatly) - but could you also give a timeline of how her eating/pooping functions went?
I really want to think that there’s not necessarily any connection between the tumor and the diarrhea. In fact we’re trying to schedule a scan for Doc with the emergency vet to get a more definitive read on whether the tumor on his spleen has affected his organs or how far it’s spread, if at all. On the one hand, any tumor of any kind is pretty bad news. But on the other, he’s made such a remarkable recovery of his motor functions, I’m reluctant to give up hope just because of the diarrhea.
Any information or advice you could provide would be appreciated SO much.
I don’t have a dog, but I have had cats all my life. One thing I have learned about both cats and dogs is that a change in the diet can cause poop issues for days if not weeks sometimes. Tumors are scary, but often are benign. If Doc still seems happy (except for the poop, how humiliating), I agree that he deserves at least another week just to see.
Ella was never a “food hound” and has always been lean. She’s also had pancreatitis twice over the years and suffers from bouts of colitis every few months.
Ella is eating very well currently. If she gets diarrhea, I keep metronidazole on hand and getting 500 mg once daily has her normal within a day or two.
A sad update for everyone who’s been kind enough to follow this thread. We had to let Doc go this morning. While he did, indeed, recover his mobility - and we’re grateful for it and glad that we put in the dedication to see it through - in the time since my last post here yesterday, he rapidly went downhill. It was like he just didn’t have ANY fight left in him at all. He wouldn’t poop, he wouldn’t pee, he would just sort of…“leak” slowly. He clearly was under great distress just standing up. It was heartbreaking to see this decline after all of the improvement he made, but upon consultation with our veterinarian, and with virtually every friend and family member we have who has had an elderly dog, we decided it was time to just end it. A guy from the vet’s office came by to our house and gave him a sedative and a high-dose anaesthetic; it was over in about 5 minutes, all of them peaceful and painless.
He lived a good life, and we’ll always remember him with love and happiness. Life goes on. RIP Doc.
Thanks to everyone who’s responded with their advice and support. It’s meant the world to us.
So sorry to hear this.
I’ve been through this several times, and it’s always hard.
With tears in my eyes, I send my profound condolences to you and all who loved, and will miss, Doc.
I feel very confident that he knew, and appreciated, how hard you fought for him to get better.
May your grief be mercifully brief, but may your memories of your sweet boy be sweet and everlasting.
My heart goes out to you. You gave Doc a full life of love and meaning and that isn’t going away. You will always have that.
Please come back soon and often to share your memories of him. I’ll be holding you and Doc gently in the light.
Ah shit. I’m so sorry, Lamoral. No doubt it was the right thing, but it’s so hard.