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~~~sigh~~~ Oh, Wes.... ((breaks out worry-beads))

3K views 47 replies 39 participants last post by  lisa 
#1 ·
I'm concerned about Wesley.

Since coming home from the kennel, he hasn't been the same. It's like all the stuffins was knocked out of him.

He's on two heart meds. And he's starting to refuse one of them. Cheese. Peanut butter. NOTHING will get that boy to take his meds.

His eating is slowing down in general. He'll just padder away from the bowl looking..... dejected.

He's still got pep and vigor; the prep for walkies has him jumping around like a hop-toad.

But this morning, in his excitement, he fell down the friggin stairs!!!!! THUNDERCRASH!! He was sprawled at the bottom in a black blur. HOLY HELL!!!!!

He's okay. I think. No limping etc.

He's 9.5 years old.

9.5....

That's not THAT old.........

is it??
 
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#4 ·
:( Wes, try to contain that excitement until you're down the stairs! No need to get your Dad's heart in trouble too!

Have you tried Pill Pockets Dan? My Mom has had good luck with them for her senior (13 years old this October) who recently started to refuse his thyroid medication. Pill Pockets

Hope Wesley perks back up and it's just a post-kennel "hangover" slowing him down.
 
#7 ·
Oooo, I hope he is okay.

Have you tried Liverwurst? We wrap Windsor's meds in it and he never refuses them! In fact, he always asks for them! That may not be a good sign in some respects but as the vet expected him to be in doggy heaven by now it is a great sign!

I just drop Fanny's pain meds into her food and she laps them up!
 
#12 ·
Pill pockets. Liverwurst. Excellent ideas both.

Cataracts -- Hadn't thought of that. I blamed the fall on the darkness. It's getting dark again in the mornings, and I'm thinking ((HOPING)) that his back wheels just got ahead of his front wheels today.

Kennel -- He was there for a week. He's been going to this kennel for years, now. And he loves it and they love him. Win-win. This year, it was hotter than hades, so I attributed some of his behavior to recovery from the heat. But it has taken him longer this time than any other to bounce back. Will need to re-think the kennel for future vacations.

They break our hearts, don't they? I spend so much time wishing they had words..
^ this.
 
#10 ·
Has his eyes been formally checked by an ophthalmologist? A few years ago you mentioned he was having problems going to dark places, going up the stairs at night, etc. Those are all symptoms of PRA. Problems with stairs is one of them.
 
#23 ·
Oh gosh Dan. I still relive the horror when 15 year old Boomer fell down all 15 of the basement stairs and just laid there for a few minutes. *shudders*

9½ is NOT old for the average Lab, but unfortunately Wes is not average and is dealing with a major disease. I pray it's just a stage he's going through at the moment.
 
#24 ·
Oh Dan. I'm so sorry. I can feel your frustration.

OK, this only comes to mind because there have been a flurry of emails going around the dog club distro on this last week, but...have you considered the possibility of a tick-borne illness?

A lot of the symptoms, IIRC, sound like what Wes is experiencing. Decreased energy, decreased interest in food, etc. Several of the people in the dog club have had dogs diagnosed with TBIs, and are absolutely fanatical about having dogs checked who begin to just "not act right."

One of them specifically said, "If your dog starts to act "old" for no reason, please have him checked."

It would be something to rule out, anyway. If you'd like more info I can find the emails they sent and get you some links.

Poor Wes. I know also that being at a kennel can "take the stuffin's" out of them for a few days. Hoping that's all it is. Give the big galoot a kiss from me.
 
#25 ·
Thx Connie. He did test positive for Lyme -- I dunno -- six months ago or so. Was treated for it (antibiotic, IIRC) and bounced back. He's got none of the symptoms now that he had then (limping!). But it's all grist for the mill and worth looking into.....

Frustrating? Yes. And a little heartbreaking, if I'm to be totally honest.

I think the hurt to his pride was the worst. When he picked himself up out of a tangle at the bottom of the steps, he shot me a look that said "Jesus. What the eff was THAT?!?!?!"
 
#28 ·
I still relive the horror when 15 year old Boomer fell down all 15 of the basement stairs and just laid there for a few minutes. *shudders*
That was the very first thought that popped into my mind when I read this.
:(
 
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