Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724 
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Post by Marjorie on Sept 27, 2019 4:29:56 GMT -7
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Post by Ann & Louie on Oct 1, 2019 13:35:32 GMT -7
We just got home after a few days away. We board Louie at our vet when we’re gone. It looks like they weren’t able to change his bedding as often as they should have because his undercarriage is covered with what I can only guess are urine burns [from boarding at the vet] It really looks sore! Do you know of any over-the-counter meds or sprays that would ease the pain and help dry him out? The vet had given us something, but somehow i’ve managed to lose it.
I did make him a t-shirt drag bag, but he’s taking a nap, so I haven’t put it on him yet. Hope it fits him!
In addition to his urine burns and sores on his penis, Louie’s eyes are bad again. Doc says it’s dry eye—he gets this thick yellow goo in both of them. We have eye drops for that. His wounds from scooting are much better because we’ve been carrying him everywhere. it’s wearing on my husband and me to care for him. My husband thinks it’s time to let him go now—I just don’t know if there’s a chance that he will ever be better... I’ve thought of contacting Dr. Isaacson to see if he thinks an MRI would give us an idea. We definitely can’t afford another surgery, though.
Maybe I should have started crate rest when he first started dragging his left foot almost two years ago. I didn’t, though, so now I guess we’re all suffering the consequences. I feel so bad!
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Post by Julie & Perry on Oct 1, 2019 14:01:09 GMT -7
Aquafor healing baby ointment is good. Make sure you get the one without zinc.
It's toxic for dogs.
Also, cooled green tea with unscented baby wipes is good for cleaning up.
I'd complain loudly. The boarding facility didn't do their job!
With some help I'm sure this can be managed.
Please don't give up!
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Post by Romy & Frankie on Oct 1, 2019 14:15:28 GMT -7
I can see that you are discouraged now. I don't blame you for being unhappy that Louie came back from the vet with sores he did not have before. For the urine scald try Aquaphor cream for rashes which does not contain zinc or Bayer's A+D® Original Ointment which also does not contain zinc. Make sure it is the original ointment as other A+D products do contain zinc. It can be difficult caring for a paralyzed dog. The most difficult thing for me to handle when my dog Frankie was paralyzed was the incontinence. Once I became proficient at expressing things became much easier. I found it very hard to learn to express. I needed several hands-on lessons from the vet and vet tech. Since Frankie was a larger dog I had to find ways to support him while I did it. I struggled but in time I learned to do it well. There was an occasion during a snow storm when I thought it was easier to express than it would have been to take him out. I know that you, too, struggle with expressing. It takes practice and a lot of experimentation to find the best way to express a dog. When you do, you will become a pro at it.
You should not need to carry Louie around all the time. He should be able to move himself around with the drag bag inside the house. Outside, you could use a dog stroller to take him for a walk. You can also use a cart outside, so he can move around by himself.
If you are not considering surgery, an MRI would not be necessary. MRIs are usually used before surgery so the surgeon can pinpoint where he will operate.
Please don't think back on the past and what should have been done. What you can do now is give Louie the very best care you can.
In a post from mid September you said that Louie had so much more life to live. That hasn't changed. Louie still enjoys life. There is no reason to think about letting him go. |
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Post by Ann & Louie on Oct 3, 2019 15:57:46 GMT -7
Just wanted to let you all know that Louie is much better today! He’s looking and acting more like himself, and i’m thinking he’ll be around for a while longer!
i’ve almost got the hang of expressing him, but never know if I’ve got the bladder completely empty. For instance this afternoon I expressed him, cleaned him up, and let him go. On his way to the living room he left a nice trail of dribbles. Sigh.Avoiding the constant use of diapers isn’t easy because i never know if we got it all! And yet we need to keep him as dry as possible to heal his raw skin.
He started shivering for no reason that I could discern, and kept it up for probably half an hour. I know that’s a sign of pain, but i don’t know what might have been causing it. He seems fine now.
I put him in the bag I made from a size Large T-shirt, and it was way too small! Will have to get to Goodwill and find an XXL, and try again! I’ve been bandaging his feet (knuckles, ankles) to protect them, but I know that’s not optimal.
IN general, he is much perkier than he was on Tuesday, and if I can figure out a way to manage his symptoms...
thanks to all of you for for your encouragement and suggestions!
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PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,541
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Post by PaulaM on Oct 3, 2019 16:42:31 GMT -7
Ann, diapers are really a very last resort thing as they can cause problems. The way to know if you have squeezed out as much urine as possible, is when you reach the optimal level of proficiency in expressing. By that I mean you can actually feel the shape of the bladder with your hands. The very last stage of emptying will have the bladder so flat that one of your hands can almost feel the fingers of the other hand. What do your hands/fingers feel? For those quick clean ups of floor and even carpet do you have a screw on sprayer attached to a bottle of plain white vinegar?  White vinegar in a spray bottle disinfects and removes the urine ammonia smell from floors, etc. It is quite cheap if you buy from Big Box stores like Costco (2 gals for $4.39) Sop up the urine. Spritz vinegar were the urine was. It disinfects and completely removes any urine odor... good on linens, floors and other hard surfaces. |
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Post by Ann & Louie on Oct 5, 2019 18:45:21 GMT -7
Oh, dear—I’m just winging it. Press my hands together around his belly, squeeze gently at the base of his penis and between his penis and anus—I know, this isn’t what any of the instructions have said, but I have yet to feel anything remotely like a plum or a water balloon in him! And, it seems to work. There will be a pulsing sensation, and then he squirts! I’ve watched several videos on YouTube which were no help because they all talk about feeling a water balloon! Further suggestions welcomed.
Also, do you have suggestions for avoiding diapers while still preserving the carpet? (For years my dream has been to have a one-story house with no carpet and a fenced-in yard!) I express him on a puppy pee pad, and use waterproof pads when he is sharing my chair with me. When he’s up and about, though, I just hope i’ve gotten most of his pee out so if he goes it will just be dribbles. When we are not home I either resort to diapering him or putting him in his kennel. Any other ideas?
The good news is that last night Ed and I went to the movies, and when we got home there was Louie waiting for us at the back door, wearing his biggest smile! So, yes—we think he will be around for a while longer. 😊
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Post by Julie & Perry on Oct 5, 2019 23:44:43 GMT -7
It can be difficult to learn to express. Have you tried going to your vets and having a tech work with you hand over hand?
As you get more proficient Louie should stay dry.
Until then, if Louie needs to wear a diaper then just make sure you change him often, like a baby.
You might try putting a human incontinence pad in the diaper to keep him drier.
Wipe between changes with an unscented baby wipe.
If there's any redness you can apply Aquafor baby healing ointment. Make sure it's the one without zinc.
So glad you and Louie are feeling better.
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Marjorie
Moderator~
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
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Post by Marjorie on Oct 6, 2019 6:57:00 GMT -7
Ann, I would take a urine sample in to the vet to have it checked for a UTI. UTIs can cause dribbling so you should rule that out. UTIs don't always show other signs.
Great that you're able to get a squirt out. Just keep on pressing until you just get a dribble out. As the bladder shrinks, it may slip away, and you'll need to find it again. With my Jeremy, I usually find it way back by the pelvic area.
How often do you express? My Jeremy has been incontinent for 8 years. If he's been lying down for a few hours and gets up, I get a small pan that I put under him to express him. Otherwise enough urine may have accumulated that he will dribble. You may try to express more often.
If he's just dribbling after you express, belly bands may be helpful. They can be washed and used again. A sanitary pad can be inserted inside the belly band for more absorption.
Green tea neutralizes the acidity of urine so will help avoid urine burn and leaves a nice fresh scent. Brew up a pot of decaf green tea, let it cool, dampen a cloth with it and then wipe the legs and belly. The remaining tea can be refrigerated and warmed up for future use.
Keep up the good work with Louie. It's obvious how much you care for him and how much you want to do what's best for him. He's a happy boy and that big smile proved it! Blessings to you both.
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Post by Ann & Louie on Oct 27, 2019 12:08:00 GMT -7
Just a final check-in. We took Louie to the vet for the last time on Friday. He was so tired we (my husband, our vet, and I) decided it would be best to let him go. He had lost his spark a couple months ago—I just didn’t want to face it. Of course, I’ve been crying all weekend, and have been physically ill. Perhaps it’s especially hard when it’s an only pet, adopted after the kids had left home. In theory, a family should adopt a back-up pet so that when one goes at least there’s another to lie in lap and soak up love. I just feel so desolate.
I’m still very curious about the question I asked of Dr. Wong, which he didn’t get to. If we have a dog who has suffered one or more bouts of IVDD, should we crate him immediately if he develops a slight limp with no pain involved?
Thanks, my friends, you’ve been a wonderful source of information.
AnnsLouie, signing out
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Post by Julie & Perry on Oct 27, 2019 15:42:15 GMT -7
Ann, it's so hard that you had to let Louie go. You fought for him to have his best life and he was obviously loved very much. Sending hugs to you.
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