Video from the other night after she tried to lay down
IMG_7175
The vet did pull from the lump and look under a microscope. I forgot to add that to the post above.
Last night she was up every 2.5 hours uncomfortable.
Posting on my phone sucks; I’ll add more Tomorrow
Yes, dogs can stay on rimadyl and gabapentin long term, especiallyif you are clear that this is palliative therapy. Your vet may want to do regular screening bloodwork in order to continue the rx.
Looking at the video, she is toe-touching, which would instantly make me think CCL. Given that surgery is not an option for your situation, crate rest for several weeks (if she’ll tolerate it) seems like a reasonable option to try to get things calmed down. Bluntly speaking, she’s overweight, and that’s adding stress to the situation. Getting ~5-10# off her may really help her quality of life (speaking as one who should really lose 20-30# myself!).
I also think that this dog would be a candidate for figure investigation for a CCL repair. Odd that they don’t see any changes in the ligament,
The clinic I work at fixes them frequently, and honestly for us, she’s at the average weight and age that we personally see. We rarely have surgical complications during the procedure. What we see is reoccurrence or issues on the other limb due to clients not being willing to follow at home instructions.
While I’m not a vet, a second opinion may be in order as well as a realization that she could indeed be a surgical candidate. Needing a lot of anesthetic medications could simply be because the pre medication was not at the proper dose to allow the propofol (or other drug used) to properly take effect. But I’ve had 110lb 10 year old Danes go to sleep easily due to proper procedures.
I’m certainly not saying your vet is doing things wrong, but there are many factors that go into anesthesia. But I do agree, that much medication should not be used for 2 molar extractions, especially because they should take minimal time for extraction.
Amantedine and fentanyl patches are other pain meds you can ask about. Fentanyl patches have to be applied by the vet every 4-5 days and small clinics don’t always carry them.
7 vets at the clinic sounds like a big clinic, but send the x-rays off to a radiologist to review to rule out cancer. My local vet didn’t see a bone lesion that the radiologist picked out. You could also do a CT but that’s really pricey and requires anesthesia.
I wanted to add this to the video post, but the phone app was being funny.
That video was taken on Tuesday night after she tried to lay down. She got nearly all the way down and then shot back up.
She does not walk like that any other time, other than when she tries to lay down and she feels pain from her R hind end.
I hear you all when you say:
get the weight off - we walk every day and she gets less calories than she has ever had. She gets roughly 1000 cals a day split into two meals.
(we have not been walking since she has been uncomfortable.)
I did show the above video to the vet and we also walked her around the parking lot to watch her move.
Putting her in a crate. I work from home and she is shut in my office with me. She WILL NOT lay down. Not sure if having her stand in a crate is any different. She stands on the bed as if to say, see momma, I am on the bed.
@clipclop12 I am in an area where Lyme is. she just had her annual which was 4 ish weeks ago. (which is when they saw her teeth needed extraction) and she gets tested for Lyme (blood draw) as well as the Lyme vax and is on Nexgard monthly.
@SonnysMom I am about 3 hours north of you in Lycoming County. But I grew up in Montco/bucks county and you are not the first person to express their dislike for Metropolitan.
@S1969 it was determined CCL/ACL were good via palpation, manulipation and visual accessment of her gaits.
@anonevent There was fluid withdrawn from the lump and nothing was seen that would indicate further evaluation. Its just a fatty lump.
When she walks, she does not graze her foot along the ground. In the video you see that because she just tied to lay down and it hurt. Buma has always moved in the backend with a swing. She swings from the point of the hip, and does it with both legs. When she squats to pee, she extends her right hind leg in front of her, she has always done this and I just chalked it up to her being quirky.
We gave her 5mls of full spectrum CBDs last night to see of that would help. It did not, she still cries and just stands there.
I just got off the phone with the vet to ask for a different pain reliever.
Sweet Burma!!! I can only add my healing vibes and jingles.
Sounds like you are really doing a lot. I can’t think of anything else from my past dog experiences. Buma has a great home with you - jingles:heart:
@ThreeWishes Thank you ! Buma can use all the jingles you can spare.
@clipclop12 I am doing the best I can. Thank you!
The lastest addition to her pill regimen is Amantadine Chlorhexidine. I also found some anti anxiety meds that I am dosing her (I am giving her half a dose) that I was given for fireworks for her. Thank god she is good about taking pills. I have spread them out; AM, Lunch and PM.
do you have orthopedic vets in the area? my dog tore her achilles but local vet thought it was ccl.
On Friday the day after Thanksgiving I had an appt with one of the 7 vets at the clinic I use who focuses on senior dogs, arthritis, and degenerative diseases.
She and the other vets came to the conclusion based on Buma’s rapid decline, her shoulder soreness (she got monthly Liberla for that), and the muscle atropy in her right hind and along her spine just before her flank, that Buma had Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).
I had picked up the Amathadine Chlorhexidine was prescribed that day as well. She had a good Saturday and then on Sunday was back to not laying down, panting and pacing, staring at the wall, hiding under tables, my saddle rack, and had two episodes where she tried to lay down and sprang back up in pain. She had a hard time traveling in the car since she would not lay down and I decided on Monday to make her pain mine.
Buma was not going to get better and having to wait weeks to see a specialist, only to tell me that she would only get worse; I felt like I was torturing her. Keeping her alive for my sake. I called the man that gifted her to me and he agreed that releasing her of her pain was the best thing for her.
I had 6 wonderful years with the most kind, loving and caring dog ever. She was my shadow, a great big sister to Lilly, a wonderful little sister to Riley, & only had eyes for me and I truly feel like Buma. I were soulmates. She went quietly in my arms at the vet’s while I whispered how much of a good girl and how loved she was.
Lilly is looking for her. She searches the house a few times a day looking for her big sister. It breaks my heart.
Little sister to Riley
Big sister to Lilly
I’m so sorry about Buma! Just an internet stranger here, but I 100% would have made the same decision you did, because we can understand our pain, but they don’t have the same ability and we have to think of them first.
Sending lots of healing thoughts for you and family!
Godspeed Buma. {{{{MunchingonHay}}}}
Susan
Oh I’m so sorry for your loss. Buma was a stunner. Godspeed, girlie. You were so well loved.
Enormous hugs to you @MunchingonHay
Run free gorgeous girl, you were well and truly loved and will be missed beyond measure.
I’m so so sorry. Having just lost our Victor last week suddenly, I know your pain. You did everything you could and made the right decision to take away her pain. Sending you and Lilly big hugs.
I’m so sorry for your loss 
.
She was welcomed by a couple of Very Good boys who arrived recently too
So very sorry.
Thank you all so much. It was a difficult decision, I only had Buma’s best interest at heart.
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