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09-13-2010, 12:10 PM | #16 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
Posts: 10,350
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Hmmm, I've never thought about something like that. That could be an idea. I'm going to go look at that website more right now. Thank you!
__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown | |
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09-13-2010, 12:45 PM | #17 | ||
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
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I think I'm going to push the bed so that the other side is up against the wall (with the ramp in between the wall and the bed - the ramp runs the length of the bed). I have a tall headboard and footboard, so with those changes I should be able to keep Alex from falling off. Thanks again!!
__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown | ||
09-13-2010, 12:55 PM | #18 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: S. W. Suburbs of Chicago, IL
Posts: 12,235
| This all sounds just like Truman He started to have accidents in the house too. He'd get up from a nap (which was most of the time) and just kind of stagger around and then out of nowhere pee where he stood~no warning at all. If he was on my lap he would stand up and try to walk off without even thinking about it. He would flinch when I stroked his face~I always thought it was because he couldn't see my hand coming toward him but I know now that was not true. When he walked around the house he always walked against the wall. The vet said that was also part of the dementia. I never allowed him onto the bed because he would have walked off and hurt himself. From the day I brought him home I never trusted that he could be allowed onto the bed but he never wanted to be up either. One time Tom found him chewing on a lamp cord that was plugged in! It was so out of the ordinary for him to chew but there he was chomping away. We knew it was getting serious at that point. He could have been electrocuted! I have to say he loved to be outdoors. He would just trot all over the yard and he seemed to be happy and free! It wasn't until that very last day that he suddenly because really bad. He never seemed in pain just very confused at times. I still miss him. He was such a good boy. Truman was on meds for his arthritis. I don't remember now what it was that he was taking. I'll have to go back and look at his old thread I know it was in there. Bonny don't worry too much about him being in pain or discomfort. Dementia in dogs is pretty much like in people~they don't even realize there is anything wrong. They just live in their own little world that begins to grow smaller. All you can do it love them and make them as comfortable as possible. It's just heartbreaking to see them slowly slip away.
__________________ “Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” Mark Twain |
09-13-2010, 01:12 PM | #19 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
Posts: 10,350
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The only thing Alex still seems to really enjoy is being outside, just like Truman. That's when I can see that spark of life that's my Alex. Alex doesn't like for me to touch his face anymore, either. I also thought it was because he couldn't see my hand coming towards him, but I've learned that's not the case. And sometimes he gets very nervous after I pick him up - he'll start paddling like he's trying to swim and cries a little until I set him back down. This from my little man who could never be held, carried or cuddled enough.
__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown | |
09-13-2010, 01:22 PM | #20 |
Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas
Posts: 21,173
| I just love seniors. I'm sorry he's having problems. I just wanted to lend you my moral support. I have been thru it several times in my life, so I understand how you are feeling.
__________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel |
09-13-2010, 01:55 PM | #21 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
Posts: 10,350
| Thank you!
__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown |
09-13-2010, 01:58 PM | #22 |
Donating YT 30K Club Member | Sounds like Nikki. He is 15-16 years old and runs into things, gets easily confused and startled, will look all around when I call his name like he doesn't know where I am. He is going deaf and his vision is bad. So far he still moves around real well. He goes up the ramp and runs and jumps up on the couch. He does sleep all the time. I have noticed lately in the late evening, he will get up from a sound sleep and just stand on the bed staring at nothing. When my pom Maya had Cushings disease and signs of dementia, the vet put her on the anipril for both conditions and she did really well for about 1 1/2 years. It helped with her getting behind the couch and not knowing where she was. She was only 12. It is so hard to see them age. I would ask your vet about the Anipril as it may help Alexander with some of his symptoms.
__________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : RIP Nikki; RIP Maya;RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html |
09-13-2010, 06:08 PM | #23 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,865
| So sorry to hear about Alexander not doing well. I wonder if maybe a low protein diet might help. If he's having liver problems Lactulose may help lighten the load on his liver. (His symptoms sound like possible liver involvement) Keeping you and Alex in my prayers...
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
09-13-2010, 06:42 PM | #24 | |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ball Ground, GA
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I wish I had thought of this when my 17 yr old IG started getting dementia. She fell out of the bed a couple times. I was so lucky she didn't break a leg. I did start rolling up a blanket and putting it on the side of the bed, but I am going to get one of these bedrails. I still have four seniors, three of which sleep with me. Poppi would stare at the wall, get and just pee where she was, and one time got lost in the yard at night. After that, I never let her out alone and never let her get very far from me. She was also in renal failure and that was really what progressed to the point where her quality of life was so bad. I have to say, it is tough seeing them get old. One of my seniors has mitral valve prolapse and is getting a diuretic three times a day and one of those doses is right before bed. She has peed in the bed a couple times now. I have a waterproof mattress cover, so it doesn't bother me too much. I just can't switch her to a crate or the floor. She has slept with me for 14 years. What would she think if I suddenly made her sleep in a crate or something? I figure I'll just do more laundry. I'd like to know what your vet says, and if he is willing to medicate with anipryl.
__________________ Kristan Lizzy's mom | |
09-13-2010, 06:44 PM | #25 |
Ringo (1) and Lucy too! Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: On the Edge of Glory
Posts: 3,447
| My maltese went through this for his last two years of life. He was also deaf and blind; so that didn't help any. Poor thing; he would pace and pace and pace aimlessly. He would get stuck in corners. He no longer liked to be outside and would just stand there not knowing what to do. Probably he could not see or hear us and got scared. It was not good; I'm not going to lie. We tried the Anipryl but it did nothing. He lost all his housetraining and slept all the time. I don't think he even knew we were home unless we touched him. I hope you have better days ahead.
__________________ Mommy to Lucy, Ringo, and Matthew |
09-13-2010, 06:50 PM | #26 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 5,891
| This is all so heartbreaking for me to read, and it is what I experienced with Ashley. I didn't understand all of the symptoms at first, and it started very slowly. These are all of the symptoms of Canine Cognitive Disorder. Before I go any further, I want you to know that Anipryl helped Ashley a great deal, so there is hope. It helped most with Ashley's anxiety, and I those symptoms were why I kept questioning her doctor about the quality of her life. We couldn't bear the thought of Ashley suffering, and we needed to be sure that we were doing what was right for her and not us. I held Ashley close a lot, like a baby, to help her feel safe and secure, and I would try that with Alexander. I truly believe she was a happy little girl once we were able to control her anxiety. Ashley loved her daddy, but she cried if I left the room for even a second. I wish I would have known about the bed rails because that was a huge problem for us. She cried if she wasn't on the bed with us, and we had to watch her every second to make sure she wasn't falling off or that she wasn't forgetting to go to the ramp. It was very rare that she was left alone, at most a few hours a month, and our anxiety was through the roof when we did. The Anipryl helped with her getting lost in corners and reduced the amount of pacing. Still, if she was left alone, she would exhaust herself with the pacing. Both her doctor and another doctor at the practice assured me that, because of how responsive they saw her be with me. that I the quality of her life was very good. It's something we agonized over, but there were still a lot of things that made her happy, and she felt safe with us. It completely turned our life upside down, and there was not a second that we didn't worry about her, but I believe we made the right decision for her. Without the Anipryl, I just don't know what we would have done, because the idea of her suffering would have been unbearable to us. I can't express to you how sorry I am that you have to cope with this. We only had Ashley, so we were able to give her the care she needed. My husband was able to sit by side keeping her safe every day until I came home. I am so upset with myself that I didn't mention the subtle symptoms to Ashley's doctor sooner than I did. We had been there several times over a period of a few months, and I just didn't think there was anything that could have been done to help her. My husband had a kidney infection and refused to go into the hospital for a few days because he was terrified, just as I was, that she wouldn't survive it. She was having problems with gas pockets in her stomach, was very needy, and needed medication for it. When he had no choice, he finally relented. Ashley survived it, a little exhausted from it, but it was then that I realized how confused she was when I got home from the hospital. She didn't react the way I expected her to when he came home, and I thought it was just too much for her with him being away from her. I took her to the doctor and described the symptoms. When he told me what it was, what I described were exactly the symptoms of CCD. That was in October. I took her for long walks, many in the middle of the night, and also took her places that she always enjoyed doing, and I think all of those things helped her a lot. If there is anything I can do, or if you just want to talk about this or have questions, I'd be happy to help. This has saddened me so much, and I understand everything you are going through. I know most people didn't truly understand why we centered our lives around meeting Ashley's needs, but we were able to do it, and we completely adored her. I know you feel the same way about your babies. As much as we loved her before she had CCD and I didn't think it was possible to love her more than we did, we grew to love her even more. I don't know if she knew that we were her mommy and daddy, but she knew we loved her, and I know she still loved us.
__________________ Lisa and Katie Ashley 6/10, Gracie 2/04, Kiwi 10/03, and Jolie 7/93 . |
09-13-2010, 06:59 PM | #27 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 5,891
| I'm sorry. I didn't realize you wrote about Alexander not wanting to be picked up, and I wrote about holding him close. My husband would say that about Ashley also, and we had to be slow with our hand near her face so she wouldn't get frightened. With me, when I held Ashley close to my heart wrapped tight in my arms, it seemed to help her. Anipryl isn't a miraculous cure, but it helped enough for Ashley, that we could feel secure in our hearts that we were doing the right thing for her. Although we agonized over it, we never could say that she was suffering. I wish I could do more for you but offer you hope.
__________________ Lisa and Katie Ashley 6/10, Gracie 2/04, Kiwi 10/03, and Jolie 7/93 . |
09-14-2010, 04:08 AM | #28 | ||
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
Posts: 10,350
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Alex has not peed on the bed yet, although I wouldn't be upset if he did. Years ago, my elderly cocker spaniel had congestive heart failure and was on lasix for a long time to help keep fluid from building up. At first he was so upset with himself for not being able to hold it, but after enough reassurance we both got through it together. Thank you for sharing your story. It's already helped me so much to be able to talk to others about Alex, others who understand.
__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown | ||
09-14-2010, 04:12 AM | #29 | ||
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
Posts: 10,350
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Thank you for the prayers. My little man & I need them right now. Quote:
__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown | ||
09-14-2010, 04:18 AM | #30 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
Posts: 10,350
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Alexander's symptoms seemed to come on so slowly that it took my a while to notice things were different. Recently though, his deterioration has been more rapid. I just need to know he isn't suffering, either from this dementia or from his arthritis, which seems to have gotten so much worse as well.
__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown | |
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