Bingo's latest bout of arthritis

[Vally]

Yes just 2 weeks since his last appointment and latest reductions, not to mention the fainting dramas, Bingo was limping this morning.  This morning should have been his second skip day of 4 days, having had 1.25mg yesterday.

There was on sign of pain last night.  This morning he didn’t want to walk at all, seemed very awkward on all fours when he did walk, but definitely favouring one front leg.  With food about it only showed in the front leg and he was moving all the others quite well.

I rang the vet and his vet wasn’t there, nor the other vet that has occasionally helped when my guy wasn’t there, so they suggested I take him to my local vet.  At that point I decided to give him 1/4 tablet – so that’s his second day in a row at 1.25mg.

Vet has checked him out pretty thoroughly and thinks it’s the front shoulder on one side.  His feet didn’t seem to react to any testing.  They’ve suggested, and now given, the first cartrophen injection.  He’s had these before, but I thought for rheumatoid arthritis they didn’t really do much, so I stopped.  This vet said it worked for both types of arthritis so we went ahead and he has one and he’ll have another each week for another 3 weeks.  He’d like me to keep the prednisone where it is, he’s not terribly in favour of going up again for the arthritis because the pred itself is  likely causing the damage in the first instance. A bit catch-22.

He asked about supplements and I told him what I’ve got him on.  I also mentioned I’ve just recently reduced his green lipped mussels dosage because I was worried it was too high – he was getting 1000mg a day, so I had cut it down to 750mg, planning to bring it down to 500mg a day.  He suggested he’d be better with the 1000mg a day, the only problem encountered with too much GLM is gastro issues.  Bingo doesn’t really seem to suffer from them so I’ll put  his dose back up again to 1000 a day.

I also mentioned the turmeric and he was impressed with that as he’s also researched it a lot and it’s also good as a tumour inhibitor.  He said stick with it.

Now what about tomorrow.  I think I’ll give him 1/8th and maybe go back to the last dosage that worked, being 1/4, skip, 1/4, 1/8 and forget about the double skips until I’m sure he’s out of pain again.

Vally and not happy.

[Vally]

Oh, and I had them check his PCV while there, although his colour was good.  PCV was 45 so that’s good.

Love Vally & still not happy.

[Tamara]

Oh Vally, I wish I could say something helpful and enlightening — though it sounds like this vet does know about all these things to me so I’m glad to read that, hope  you feel good about it too.  And so happy to hear about a PCV of 45!

Ashki andI are sending our love and many hugs and scritchies and massages and anything else that may help to  you and Bingo.

xoxoxox tamara and ashki

[admin]

Hi Vally

Sorry to hear about Limpy Dan, poor boy. I know you are the Queen of Arthritis so you know more than I do by far, but I agree about keeping the pred the same until he’s settled. Discomfort & pain is not good – it makes them really unhappy. Congratulations on the PCV of 45 – brilliant stuff Bingo!

Love from all of us to you both

Sheena. Worzel & Ollie xxxx

[admin]

Was going to put this on your other thread then noticed you’d thought it was a bit long!

So, regarding the collar – I really hope that’s what was causing these problems & I am so relieved to hear he’s been better since. It does make sense that this was the culprit.

Cuddles from Aunty Sheena & Co xxxx

[admin]

Well, in trying to catch up with Bingo, I posted to your prior post.  Da.  Here tis:

Oh Vally – I have missed everything with Bingo.  I am SOOOO sorry.  When I got home this time from being with my daughter, in just two days, I was so behind that I haven’t been on the forum.  I do check on my phone, but I have “unchecked” many of the “Notify me of follow-up replies via e-mail” as I was getting so many updates that I couldn’t keep up that way either.  That’s why I was particularly glad you were sending e-mails re: urgent requests.  Again, so sorry.

I think I am caught up on all your posts, but still don’t understand the ‘harness’ thing and the possibility of making the barking worse?  Anyway, I guess by now, that’s more under control (ravenous pooch, Bingo boy!)?  I hope so.

I would agree with Patrice, in trying to elevate the food/water bowls.  I have done this with Sadie and it helps.  She’s now back to the floor and I really do need a permanent elevation, which you can buy – I just haven’t done it as we have NO extra room and it will certainly be knocked over.  My greyhound friends down the street, have all their dogs eating out of elevated bowls.  I need to practice what I preach. 

Also, about the collar being too tight – I don’t have a collar on Sadie, day or night.  For walks, I grab the leash which has the connected collar, so only for walks does she even wear a collar.  I originally worried about her getting it caught and me not being here, but then it became an issue of it’s just too restricting to even have on her at any time, other than for walks.  I know they are needed to have their tags are on them, but as I don’t have a “call if lost’ tag on Sadie (dumb, I know) and since she has no vaccines (Rabies) – no tags.  I keep saying I’ll have her micro chipped, but I haven’t.  And as she does not go far from my darn side EVER, the worry of her ‘running away’ is not an issue either.  I am a big promoter of micro chipping, however, a small, additional problem with that is, if you move – you do have to update the address or it’s useless.  Maintenance IS needed.

Since this last weaning with Sadie, she is on a pretty low dose, 5mg of prednisone a day, once, in the AM.  Since taking her off the Atopica (10mg) several weeks ago, and then lowering from 6mg to 5mg of prednisone daily, in the last week I have noticed Sadie’s clicking joints being worse and today she missed the step and slammed right into it.  She’s done this before AIHA too, but not for a while.  Today, it may have been a combination of being asleep downstairs and running to stay on my heels as I went up the steps, but she definitely slammed into the bottom step.  And her creaking/clicking is definitely worse.

I still have not put her on the gelatin or GLM’s, but have it on order from my local, wonderful, health food store down the street.  They just called and said they have the gelatin capsules but the GLM’s are still on order.  Did your vet think this was doing good for Bingo.  Sheena – what about Ollie?  I’m still a bit afraid to add anything to Sadie’s diet, but will give it a try when it comes in.

The cartrophen injection that has been mentioned, is not currently available in the US?  So, again, I have looked into (and mentioned on this forum before) the Adequan Canine (started out being used on horses).  I found this about Adequan, and it looks like the main downfall is thinning of the blood.  Anyone use Adequan?

http://www.k9magazinefree.com/k9_perspective/iss3p17.shtml

Also, apparently Adequan is quite expensive and there is a strict loading dose necessary in order to for the treatment to work.  From my understanding, the injections start twice a week for a month, then once a week for the next month, then every other week for a month, to the maintenance dose of once a month for the rest of their life.  But if it works – it’s less that two visits to the holistic vet!!! 

I sure hope Bingo is doing better.  Let’s stay close through all this.  Again, so sorry I missed so much and were not here for you.  Hanging my head. 

But you know – we love the dickens out of you Bingo boy and want you feel like the rock star that you are, please!!!  Vally, you two hang in there.  We’ll do the same.

Lots of love and huge hugs, Linda and Sadie

[Vally]

Linda, I have your email, don’t ever worry about that.

Touch wood, no sign of any drunken behaviour from Bingo since the last time.  He’s been barking as usual at meal times and I’m just a little less stressed about it since nothing has happened (in that regard).

I know I should probably take the collar off, certainly at home, but that collar is actually yet another supplement – yes, it’s a magnetic collar which is supposed to help with arthritis.  Does it help? Who knows but do I risk taking it off – ummmmm I don’t know.  If he has more dizzy spells, then yes I’ll probably try taking it off, but it is fairly loose.  The only reason I suddenly noticed it was tighter was because it had a longer tail at the end. I don’t know when it was tightened.  If it was tightened at the vets after his blood test, that doesn’t explain the first episode which was a week before that.  I had washed him a few weeks before but I can’t believe I would not have noticed it in that time, but maybe I did.

I’m not sure about elevating the bowl because he’s so short (shhhh).

Microchipping here is actually compulsory.  Also because he was a rescue, he came to me all chipped up.  The chipping is imposed here because that’s how rangers can catch you out if you’re in an on-leash park with a dog off lease – they carry around little scanners.

I’d like to upload a video of Bingo last night with him wrestling with his blanket. Dragging it everywhere.  Getting his ball to play with.  I videoed it because he could only manage to drag himself to food yesterday morning.  By lunch time, there were still signs of a limp on that front leg but when he started walking it all disappeared.  We went for a walk in the afternoon and there were no signs of anything – my nephew saw him at that point (not knowing about the morning at the vets) and said “Gee, he looks good! – grrrrrrrr. Of course it could have been the extra pred which kicked in and left him feeling happy again.

I kept covering him with his blanket last night – he kept coming out of it – we both persisted  – in – out – in – out.  This morning I massaged him all over which he loved.  He doesn’t like to get out of bed in the mornings (it’s winter here and the nights are cold – probably not cold like your cold, but cold).  He just lays there waving his arm for me to keep rubbing and massaging.  I was really scared to put him on the floor, but he was fine, stretched out everything and then trotted into the kitchen, ready for FOOOOOOD.

I’ll stick with the last dose that he was on for about a month that was working for a while before trying to drop down to every second day (sort of) again.

Love Vally & happy.

[admin]

Hi Vally.  So glad he’s up to his wonderful shenanigans again!!!  Love you Bingo, you wild boy you!  Keep us laughing okay?!

Okay – wow – really neat that they have the magnetic collars like that for dogs.  I did not know.  I have heard of people wearing the magnetic bracelets, but this is really awesome.  I wouldn’t take it off either.

That’s right about the height and the bowl.  It’s not as if he’s leaning over a tremendous lot.  I think though, it’s more the bending of the neck, especially for Sadie with her long-for-a-cocker legs.  Tonight, after reading your posts and Patrice’s comments, I put Sadie’s bowl on the first step (yep, the same one she slammed into earlier!).  She actually did well with that – just the right height.  I put a paper towel under it, sort of a placemat for crumbs, and she of course, gobbled it down.  She did seem to eat better though.  Perhaps it’s my imagination, so the first step it is.

So glad about the micro chipping.  They do it here to shelter and adoptive dogs, but it’s not mandatory.  Wish it were!  Although, most vets promote it here and in the last years, the price has come way down much.  I remember when Sadie was a pup, I was quoted around $200.00, and that was because I was having her spayed at the same time.  I don’t remember why I didn’t do it – it wasn’t the money.  I was just unsure about having ‘something’ put in her – dumb.  Should have done it.  And now they have specials and it’s more like $35.00.  I will most likely do it for Sadie soon – just want to be sure she’s well on the road to remission and wellness.  I’m glad Bingo is micro chipped.  :)

I would LOVE to see the video of Bingo.  That would be a great diversion for all of us!  What a little star – his first ‘movie’ – we should charge and give the $$ to the forum.  :)  Work on that in your spare time, okay?!!

I can see him uncovering himself and you continuing to cover him.  Too funny.  Sadie has just now begun to curl up with me again.  Her breathing is almost back to normal and she is bringing me her toys to play keep-away and throw.  I love seeing her edging normal.  I almost hate to relish in it for fear that the glow will be a bad omen.  Fret, fret, fret.  ;)

I was massaging Sadie so much when she had the palsy.  I thought maybe I could ‘push’ it out of her (gently).  Nope.  But I do think it helped.  I kind of got away from it, but I think you’re right – it should help much with the arthritis/joint pain.  Bingo, you are one lucky dude!!

It’s so weird to think of it being winter there, when we ‘chat’ almost daily.  It’s boiling here, but there is a breeze, thank goodness.  When the breeze stops – it’s stagnant, hot and humid.  Gee, how I love Florida.  :)

Okay – you’ve made me realize – Sadie needs a massage.  Right now she’s stretched out on the floor next to me.  Speaking of massages, I sent this to Mary about cat massages, How to Massage Your Cat by Alice Brock.  Too funny.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Massage-Your-Alice-Brock/dp/0811840697

This is Alice that the song, Alice’s Restaurant, was written for by Arlo Guthrie.  Mary wanted to know who Arlo Guthrie was.  Youth – love ya Mary!  And I guess that I knew the song and who she was REALLY shows my age!  :)  But the book was in the ‘cat’ room that Sadie was put into on her last visit and I read it (fast reading, between laughing).  Supposedly, it really does work.  :)  You should do one Bingo – yet, another theme for the star!!!

I don’t blame you for going back to the little extra on the prior dosing.  I can’t with Sadie, as she’s been on way too much for way too long, but I’ll be anxious to see how Bingo gets along.  I hope he does better.

We’ll stay on top of finding out about the medications that can help too and see where we can go with that.  There has to be some relief, somewhere – that WORKS.

Okay Sadie, massage time.  Love and hugs, Linda and Sadie