Suggestions please

[bria]

I recently sold my house and moved into an apartment. I took it because it's on the second floor and we wouldn't have to use the elevator. My Newfs won't fit in this elevator.

I have been watching Bria like a hawk. Bria turned 10 on Mar.28. She has gone from almost no walks a day to 4 walks a day. I wasn't walking Bria because of her age and because I had a backyard which worked better for her. I have been noticing things like how hard it is for her to walk. She walks on people's lawns because she can't handle the sidewalks and the pavement. In the past 2 weeks I have noticed Bria denning. She's laying in the spare room with her head under the bed. She is also having problems eating sitting up and has several times in the last couple of weeks eaten her meals laying down. As well she has several times in the last couple of weeks not eaten all her food. This past weekend we were out and she peed and pood right away and wanted to come home. This morning we were out at 6:00am and a guy driving by stopped his truck right on the side of the road and jumped out to say hello to Bria and Sherman. He has a black Newf. I noticed that Bria wouldn't get up and he thought it was because he was patting her but when he stopped she still didn't want to get up. Tonight my Bria is limping something awful and though she peed I had to bring her home right after as she could not walk.

I'm hoping that tomorrow morning after she has rested for the evening she will be able to walk. We walk very slowly for her but this means that we are out for at least 1/2 hour every walk times 4. She wants to go for a walk every time I have to take Sherman and I would rather not take her but I can't leave her behind. I don't know what to do. It appears to be her front paw that is causing the problem but the truth is I have been noticing how hard it is for her to walk since our move yet I don't know what to do. I had a horrible feeling that I was going to lose her shortly after the move and then I would associate my new place with the loss of an animal. I also had Bria and Sherman groomed last Friday and I kept thinking stupid thoughts like I was going to lose her shortly after the groom and thinking at least she would go all clean. It's crazy the things we think of.

If she is still limping tomorrow I will of course bring her to my vet though I don't see what he will be able to do.

Suggestions anyone? Please I'm not ready to say goodbye to my Bria girl as she is my heart and soul and I've only had her for just over six years. My heart is aching.

 

[NewfMom]

How is Bria doing with the stairs? If she is having to pee twice as often I would check her for a low grade UTI. Is she already on something for stiff joints? Sorry I know a bunch of questions may not be much help. I hope you find something to help soon.

 

[bria]

Bria is fine on the stairs and she only pees once in an entire walk. You would think she would pee a ton of times like my Sherman does but Bria doesn't. Also Bria is on meds twice a day for her thyroid and she drinks a ton. Funny thing is that I just asked my vet last week why she only pees once on a walk and he said she has good bladder control and that I shouldn't be worried about it. She had her blood tested about 6 weeks ago and everything was fine.

This morning she was slow getting up in fact Sherman was smelling her and when I went to pat her to wake her she didn't move and her body was cold and I thought OMG she's gone but she just sleeps very soundly. Yesterday my Chihuahua was smelling her and he never does that. So out I went with Bria and Sherman this am and Bria peed and pood right away and I brought her back in but she wanted to walk. I just don't want to over walk her to have her lame in the evenings.

Should I be letting her walk even though she struggles somewhat? I should be giving her glucosamine and will start right away. So the answer is no she hasn't been on anything for joints.

 

[jane]

She is 10, and in my eyes a good age for a newf. But..She could be slowing down. I put Roger on Microlactin after Angela mentioned it worked for her seniors. He did fantastic on it! Definitely helped his joints. I recently put Shannon on it because she was showing signs of stiffness. I definitely notice a difference in her, including more playing with Merlin. Something she hasn't done much of in months.
In regards to your dogs sniffing her. They are feeding off her energy...They can tell when one of them is not feeling right.
I would let her walk if she wants to but keep her close to home. My friends newf is now 11 and has slowed down a lot and has a lot of trouble getting up and walking. She just walks her in the yard now.

 

[Brandie&Maggie]

I would definitely look into a joint supplement. Perhaps her thyroid meds need to adjusted too? Perhaps she's just slowing down and going up/down stairs takes a lot out of her. In addition, you say she wasn't walking at all (except in the yard) to now 4 times a day. That's a big increase in activity level. I notice that my Maggie is DONE for almost a whole day after we get back to swimming and park outings in the summer. In the winter, she mostly just plays in our yard. It takes her a while to build up the energy/muscle mass.

How long ago did you move? Perhaps she's a bit stressed with that as well. Could be a lot going on. I hope you get some answers. Give Bria a big hug and a kiss!!

 

[bria]

Hi guys. Boy do I feel stupid. Yes to the joint stuff for sure. Her thyroid meds are right on as I just her blood tested and specifically for that reason.

I took her to the vet yesterday and talk about feeling really dumb, she has a cut in her paw pad. Thankfully that's all it is. I have no idea why my vet insisted that she go on antibiotics which I am totally against and pain meds. So $235 later and all I had to do was check her pads. I had checked her claws because I thought that maybe when they groomed her last Friday they cut one too short. However I foolishly did not check the pads which makes so much more sense. I know she's slowing down but this limping was like an overnight thing which would explain some sort of injury. So I don't know if she stepped on a piece of glass or what but the pad is definitely a little raw and red. I'm just so happy it was something relatively minor, if things are ever minor with our babies.

 

[CMDRTED]

Why are you against anti-biotics? Just Curious.

 

[jane]

Why are you against anti-biotics? Just Curious.

Ted....There are a lot of newf owners and dog owners in general, who are more holistic today. They tend to work with problems holistically, opting not to use antibiotics, NSAID's, etc.....Kind of like people who feed raw.

 

[victoria1140]

Susan prefers holistic medicines rather than traditional western meds.

Glad its only a cut pad but would definetly suggest microlactin as well as glucosamine/chrondrotinin sulphate plus omega fish oils.

The microlactin has worked wonders for my dodgy joints

 

[R Taft]

Great newfs it is the pad.......Katy had a similar incident a couple of weeks ago, but I found it. Initially PANIC! ...but phewwww only pad. I use my beloved Paw paw ointment (Papaya) and salt baths. Salt bath first, blow the foot dry, I use my purple spray and put the ointment on top....Works well

 

[bria]

Yes I prefer the holistic approach as I see some members have pointed out. BTW that applies to me as well. I will not take antibiotics either. I did ask my vet if the antibiotics would give Bria the runs as I have seen this happen in both dogs and cats and he said no it shouldn't. I pointed out to him that being an apartment now and with Bria's age and of course her pad issue, having to schlep her up and down stairs because she has to get out quickly is not going to work for her. I gave her the antibiotics last night and again this am and sure enough her second poo today (which was at about 10:30) was very loose. I will not be giving her anymore antibiotics and had I not been so upset yesterday at the vet's I would have told him she doesn't need pain killers or antibiotics for a small cut in her paw pad. I'm mad at myself.

Wow I like that Papaya idea. I always have epson salt here and what better way to cleanse a wound. Of course tea tree oil also has a natural antiseptic in it and works wonders on fast healing.

Jane well put.

Vicki yes I'm doing the glucosamine now and will see if I can get microlactin. I could it for myself as I am so sore now doing 8 walks just for my dogs alone and then there's the clients' walks.

Thanks guys.

 

[DAWNMERIE]

Do not use the tea tree oil, I think Meg had a major issue with that. Maybe try the coconut oil instead.

 

[bria]

I heard things about tea tree oil being toxic to dogs and yet I have seen it listed as an ingredient in every dog shampoo I checked out. It was the holistic healer that I saw many years ago who told me about tea tree oil. I haven't used it in any case. I prefer to cleanse wounds with peroxide or the epsen salt and water or my favourite is actually apple cider vinegar diluted with water as that is the best anti-fungal/bacterial.

 

[DAWNMERIE]

This is a quote and previous post from Meg "Tea tree oil is bad for ALL NEWFS/DOGS/CATS. My Riggs had a severe paralytic reaction to it and was at the emergency vet on IV fluids/steroids for 24hrs. We are very lucky it didn't kill him. As little as 4 drops can kill a dog." http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/tea-tree-oil/

Here's a video about coconut oil...my pups won't eat but I do use it for their ears and I also started using it for their elbows.

 

[jane]

My guy's love the coconut oil!!!

 

[bria]

Wow Dawn what a great video. I had no idea. So it's in kind of moisturizer form? I was trying to see the bottle she was using and it looked like a paste almost more than an oil. What one should I be buying? I have a really good health food store nearby. Also since Bria takes thyroid pills twice a day and now the glucosamine I think I would like to administer these in the coconut oil.

One more question for the experts here. I have glucosamine with chondroitin and the pills are 900mg. How many a day should I be giving Bria? She weighs 133lbs.

Susan

 

[Brandie&Maggie]

Wow Dawn what a great video. I had no idea. So it's in kind of moisturizer form? I was trying to see the bottle she was using and it looked like a paste almost more than an oil. What one should I be buying? I have a really good health food store nearby. Also since Bria takes thyroid pills twice a day and now the glucosamine I think I would like to administer these in the coconut oil.

One more question for the experts here. I have glucosamine with chondroitin and the pills are 900mg. How many a day should I be giving Bria? She weighs 133lbs.

Susan

For coconut oil, I got the one from Trader Joe's. The form is more of a solid (like bacon grease that has cooled) than a liquid like olive oil, etc. Maggie would eat it on her food, but definitely not take her meds with it.

It seems from past reading here that most give 1000-1500mg glucosamine. Maggie gets 1500mg glucosamine with chondroitin/MSM. She is 125lbs. I give her the high dose because she has an unrepairable torn CCL and severe arthritis. (I recently switched to the dog version - Cosequin - because the got smart and stopped taking the human version. I get a good price on Amazon.)

 

[jane]

One more question for the experts here. I have glucosamine with chondroitin and the pills are 900mg. How many a day should I be giving Bria? She weighs 133lbs.

Susan

I used to give Roger Cosamin DS. It worked excellent for him. Due to his bilateral knee surgery, I gave him 1500mg 2x a day.

If I were you I would give Bria at least 1 2x a day....Though I would actually give more due to her age. If you try the Microlactin, she would probably do fine on the 1 2x a day...

 

[bria]

Brandie that's exactly what I thought when I saw the video. It looked like lard. I'm in Toronto though and we don't have the same stores as you do. I will start giving Bria 2 pills a day.

Jane I think I will start upping her dose but slowly as I don't want to upset her system. I have been giving her one a day for a few days now and tomorrow I will start on 2 a day and then I'll see from there. Is Microlactin available in Canada as I know a lot of the stuff in the States is not available here? Can I get it at WalMart?

 

[OodlesOfNoodles]

Brandie that's exactly what I thought when I saw the video. It looked like lard. I'm in Toronto though and we don't have the same stores as you do.

You can get the coconut oil at Costco - I'm in Toronto as well and we get it at the one at the Gardiner/Islington. It's around $18 for 1.5kg

Edited to add - I'm not sure if this is the stuff to use as we don't use it ourselves, but well.ca has some MicroLactin. We ordered something from there the other day and it came super quick: http://well.ca/products/swiss-natural-sources-microlactin_2095.html