Tatum is in alot of pain...please help!
 

As alot of you here know, Tatum had LP surgery on both knees in April (so 7 months ago). She is only in pain about once a month or so when she has "flare up's" caused by her Osteoarthritis. However, today is the 3rd day in a row that she has been in pain...and I honestly don't know if it is because of it being colder now or what. I have given her pain meds (Metacam) and also gave her more today, but it doesn't seem to be helping at all, and it normally always does. She had diarrhea earlier today just one time, and I think it is because of the pain. She is going down on her front legs and sticking her little butt up in the air and is shaking some, so I know she is hurting :cry: This is driving me absolutely crazy because I cannot STAND to see her hurting...it is making ME shake and I am becoming a nervous wreck over this. I don't know what else to do because I already gave her pain meds once today and they didn't help...it says on the bottle to only give it once daily.

Please, is there ANYTHING else at all I can do to help alleviate her pain?? I swear I am just about ready to cry...I cannot stand knowing that she is hurting like this! I feel so helpless! :cry:

As I was typing the previous post...hubby just yelled from the other room that she just threw up :cry: He was going to give her a treat and she wouldn't take it (and for those of you here who know her, you know that it is NOT at all normal for Tatum not to take a treat)....and then she threw up :cry:

Please help!! :cry:

Could she be sick from something unrelated to her knees? Have you tried pumpkin or cottage cheese for her tummy? Poor baby :(

Hi... thank you...actually I know it's her knees because when her knees hurt her, she goes down on her front legs and sticks her butt up in the air...she does this to help get some of her weight off of her back legs/knees. She has done this for a very long time now, so I just know it's her little knees :( Also, she is laying in a weird position...it's almost like she doesn't want to "lay" on her back legs when she lays down because they hurt. I'm almost positive the diarrhea and vomiting is a result of her being in pain...she is shaking as well, which is also a sign of pain :cry:

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that little Tatum is in pain. I hope you can get something to help her. I know how horrible you feel to see her hurting and you don't know what to do. I hope someone can help you.

I feel awful for little Tatum. Does having her lay on a heating pad help? Maybe the vet can give you something a little stronger for when she has bad episodes of pain. I hope she is feeling better soon.

I would get her to an orthopedic surgeon ASAP! This isn't good at all and she needs some help here. Poor little thing.

Thanks so much, I hope so too :( I cannot stand seeing her like this...is makes me so scared and nervous!

I just called the surgeon that did her LP surgery....called him at home but his wife answered and said he was out but that he is on his way back home and that she will have him call me back as soon as he gets there. I hope he can suggest something for her...maybe a stronger pain med perhaps? I have no idea but I just want to make this pain that she is feeling go away :cry:

are there pins in her lp repair? is there a chance one of them or both could have migrated? I'm so sorry and wish there was something more I could do. I guess the next step would be a call to your Vet or the ER Vet to see if there's something else you can do.

Thanks Patti, that's what I am hoping! :hands: I have this big soft bunny that I bought her and it has these bags inside that you can take out and heat up in the microwave, then once you do that you put them back inside the bunny...but she won't lay on it :( I wish she would because I know when my knees are hurting me (I have bad knees too) heat always helps.

I would LOVE to do that...but her Ortho surgeon is 2 hours away...we don't even have an Ortho surgeon here :cry: If we did, trust me, I would be there right now :cry:

I'm so glad you were able to get in touch and he will call you back soon. Let us know what happens.

Yes she has pins in both of her knees. I was wondering if possibly one of the pins broke, but her surgeon told me (right after she had the LP surgery) that when they break they will stick out through the skin. Hubby and I checked and we didn't see or feel anything. Her knees feel completely normal, like they always have (after she had the surgery).

When we have bad weather or it gets cold outside, I think she has flare up's from the Osteoarthritis...it's happened before, but the pain meds normally always help, and this time they aren't :cry: I don't know if it IS the Osteoarthritis that is causing the pain, or something else. I am just a nervous wreck. I wish the surgeon would hurry up and call me back! :cry:

Me too, thank you so much...and I definitely will let everyone know what he says.

I think all you can do today is take her to an ER vet so they can give different meds (what those meds would be, I don't know). :(

Thanks a bunch...this is what I am thinking too. I am going to wait until her surgeon calls me back and see what he says/thinks...if he can recommend a different medication that he thinks will help her...I will have my regular vet here fill it for me and I'll try that. But if he thinks she needs to have x-rays done, then we will be heading to the ER vet. :cry:

I'm so sorry that Tate is feeling bad. While u'r waiting for the call back & she won't lay on the bunny, maybe put one of her blankets in the dryer. Hopefully she will lay on that or in Mommie's arms with heated blankie to help ease the pain. Is she wearing her warm pjs too? Hoping he returns yr call asap!

I was told the pins "could" break through the skin and then removing them would be easier....they'd just require an office visit. If they didn't break through the skin then they'd have to be surgically removed. Ask your Ortho when he calls back.

I know you must be in agony not knowing how to help her. Certain pain medications can be very hard on the stomach, and I wonder if the pain medication could have caused a secondary problem with a upset tummy, giving pain medications with food can help tremendously, or perhaps giving some Pepcid will help with the tummy problem, although, intense pain can also cause nausea/vomiting and food refusal. Also, do you have a heating pad, you could set on warm; I know heat helps with arthritis. So sorry she's having problems, sending prayers your way.

Thank you so much....that is actually a great idea...I am going to do that now!

She isn't wearing any clothes right now actually. I thought of putting some warm PJ's on her but I didn't want to mess with her back legs in order to get them into the leg holes :( I just don't want to hurt her :cry:

Thank you...I am DEFINITELY going to ask him about this for sure.

:thumbup: Great advice. I also agree w/ EllieMay/Crystal.

Brooke, I'm so sorry Tate is hurting :(. Marcel goes down on his front legs whenever his tummy hurts. So since Tate had poo issues and she vomited - it makes me think she 1) might be in knee pain (like you already said) and 2) might be in tummy pain too -- so she may be going down on her knees for a few different reasons.

Maybe she needs both a different pain med and something to help her tummy deal w/ the pain med (sucralfate?). Could your Ortho and/or just call something in to your Pharmacy w/out seeing her, until Monday? Or a close compounding Pharmacy?

Please keep us posted...and know that she will be in my thoughts, and Marcel and Wylie's as well - they send their kisses!

Thanks Nancy. She has taken this pain medication for almost a year now (just "as needed") and it has never caused her to vomit, so I am really leaning towards that being caused from pain :( Also, I always give her pain meds with food (I put it on top of a little piece of cheese, AFTER she has eaten all of her dry kibble). I just gave her some carrots and she gobbled them down...every one of them. Carrots are her favorite thing on earth to eat, so I knew that if she wouldn't eat those, that we had a *real* problem...but she ate them all, thank goodness.

I have this little bunny that I bought her, with these "bean bags" inside that you can take out and put into the microwave, but she won't lay on it. Someone above mentioned putting one of her blankies in the dryer and getting it warm for her and then just holding her...so I think I am going to try that. Maybe I can stick the heating pad or one of those bean bags heated up from the bunny in between her blankie too while I'm holding her. I know that when my knees are bothering me (I've got bad ones too..) that heat always helps.

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions Nancy...you're such a sweetheart.

Oh Brooke, I am so sorry that Tate is in this way. I agree, the heating pad may help. I hope the surgeon calls you back soon and can give her something for her pain. :(

Thank you so much Ann...I guess it could be possible that her tummy is bothering her...but I just wonder why? It's just that she has been on this same specific pain medication for so long now (for almost a year) and it has never caused her tummy to be upset...she's never thrown up after taking it. Also, I gave it to her Friday and Saturday as well, and she didn't throw up after taking it....but she kept going down on her front legs...which is why I think that it was her knees that were bothering her and still is. Because usually this pain medication (Metacam) will work literally within 30 mins-1 hour for her when her knees are bothering her, but this time it just doesn't seem to be helping.

I just don't know and I am so confused :(

I did some research online one day...I spent just about all day doing it and I am seriously thinking of starting her on this: Products

Here is some more info on it:

"Dear Dr. Shawn:
”I’ve tried using glucosamine and chondroitin for my older Labrador Sam. However, his arthritis is getting worse and the supplements don’t seem to be helping. Since I don’t want to give him medications, do you have any other suggestions?”

Answer:
”While glucosamine and chondroitin work in most arthritic pets, some pets don’t respond as well as others. Hyaluronan is another natural joint supplement that is often used to help pets with arthritis. It is so effective that I often use it when other joint supplements fail to work. The proposed mechanisms of action of hyaluronan are to reduce swelling at the site of injury by decreasing white blood cell migration and infiltration into the affected tissue. Secondly, hyaluronan inhibits the inflammation pathway, resulting in decreased pain. The 2 commercially available hyaluronan products are very helpful in treating many pets with arthritis. Cholodin Flex (a chewable treat for dogs and cats which also contains choline to decrease the chances of the pet developing cognitive disorder) and Chologel (a potent gel form that should only be given to dogs,) have been shown as effective as NSAID medications without the side effects often seen with this class of drugs.
I would suggest you talk with Sam’s doctor about trying either of these supplements, possibly with homeopathic (using the remedy Zeel) or herbal (Flex SC, Nutriflex) support.”












Also, this is an e-mail that I sent directly to the CholoGel company:

Hello,

Can you tell me if Chologel has Glucosamine or Chondroitin in it? The reason I ask is because I have a 2 and 1/2 year old Yorkie girl who just went through major knee surgery and has already developed Osteoarthritis in both knees. So, she needs Glucosamine and Chondroitin for the future, to help make sure that her Osteoarthritis doesn't get even worse as she is still so young, however, I would also like to use the Chologel to help with pain when she has it, and to help with the stiffness as well.

She is currently taking Cosequin which has Glucosamine and Chondroitin in it...but I didn't know if Chologel has Chondroitin and Chondroitin in it as well? If it doesn't, do you think it would be ok to give both the Cosequin AND the Chologel, daily?

Thank you so very much for your help and time,

~Brooke


This was there reply back to me:


Hello Brooke,

CholoGel has HA which is the precursor to Glucosamine in the body. HA must bond to a special 'receptor' called the CD44 in order to get into the bloodstream. There are CD44 receptors in most parts of the body including the mouth, throat, esophagus, almost every cell EXCEPT in the stomach and intestines. A pill bypasses every location where it could be effective and ends where it can't work at all. Additionally, any HA that is released in the stomach is broken down by the acid into such small pieces that they are not effective.

The oral gel held in the mouth for at least 10 seconds lets the HA move through the mucous membranes of the mouth and directly into the bloodstream where it can help support joints and, eventually via metabolism, break down into a very powerful form of Glucosamine, about 500 times more bioavailable than Glucosamine pills can offer.

If you use the CholoGel, you do not have to use the Cosequin, but if you use both of them on a daily basis it does not harm. CholoGel is natural to your dog's body so there can be no interference with other supplements.

For information on how well it works, check with the folks at www.fluffybutts.com since they have a lot of experience with Yorkies.

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any additional questions!

Best regards,

hht

Oh no! I'm so sorry! I wish I had some great advice but I don't :( poor baby!

Thanks so much girl. I just got a call back from his wife saying that he is going to be a little longer than expected, so he was going to call me back from his cell but something is wrong with his phone and it isn't holding a charge (and it's almost dead), so he called his wife to tell her to tell me that he will call me as soon as he gets home...which will be in about an hour or so.


I hope the hour fly's by! :(

I know :( I feel soo soo sorry for my sweet angel :cry: This is just breaking my heart..you have no idea :( Thank you so much for your care and concern anyway...I really do appreciate it so much.

Oh hon, I am so sorry that Ms Tatum is not feeling well. I hope the hour goes by fast for you too and the OS calls back quickly.

It completely SUCKS when they dont feel well. Me and Sam are saying a prayers for you and Tatum.

It sounds like you are getting some good advice on here already. YT is so good about that:thumbup:

Big hugs! Text me if you need ANYTHING!

oh no poor little tator tot. i hate it when the little ones are in pain and we cant relieve them. i hope she gets better really soon.