Landcruiser
Well-Known Member
Our beautiful lurcher Joe is 13 and a picture of health. He has, until the last 3 weeks, had a spring in his step and a zest for life that made him seem half his age. 3 weeks or so ago I noticed a bit of awkwardness in his back end, which rapidly progressed to obvious weakness. He has been a little incontinent recently too, just the odd bibble left behind when he got up. Anyway, his tail carriage also changed to "limp", and he seemed to lose muscle quickly. A vet saw him and gave metacam in first instance in case of pain/inflamation, although both she and I were aware the issue was not going to be fixed by this.
The last few days the weakness is much worse, and he's really struggling. He saw his regular vet yesterday, who knows him well - we had a long discussion about options, and both agreed that investigations such as MRI may well reveal what the issue IS but most likely wouldn't offer a solution, given his age. A possible surgical intervention with associated long recovery, just wouldn't be fair at his age. Last ditch effort is we have stopped the Metacam (which made no difference, there's no pain response to any manipulation or poking or prodding) and started gabapentin, with a view to hitting him with steroids once the nsaids have cleared his system - just in case there's an inflammation in his spinal area causing this.
I'm veering from despair as I watch him wobbling around, struggling to keep his long legs under him, splayed out like Bambi, to hope that the steroids might miraculously work, back to despair as he knuckles on his hinds, trying to get up the step from the garden. This morning I was ready to call it - (although we have a bank holiday and no vets except the emergency vet for 2 days). But then he managed to get into the garden, have a wobbly poo, then get up on the sofa into his usual place.
I'm feeling pretty rubbish tbh. OH is away for a couple of weeks, and our daughter, who's dog he is really, (puppy as 12th birthday present, chosen at 2 days old) is very upset and also suffering. I lost my old horse a very few weeks ago which is still a bit raw (OH away then too!). It's just all a bit sh1t ATM. So this is just a bit of a "get it off my chest, trouble shared" post. If things stay as they are now, we can last until we can try him on the steroids, and if they don't work we'll have to call time, it's just not fair on him to continue, I don't think. If he gets any worse than he is, I think the decision is taken out of our hands
The last few days the weakness is much worse, and he's really struggling. He saw his regular vet yesterday, who knows him well - we had a long discussion about options, and both agreed that investigations such as MRI may well reveal what the issue IS but most likely wouldn't offer a solution, given his age. A possible surgical intervention with associated long recovery, just wouldn't be fair at his age. Last ditch effort is we have stopped the Metacam (which made no difference, there's no pain response to any manipulation or poking or prodding) and started gabapentin, with a view to hitting him with steroids once the nsaids have cleared his system - just in case there's an inflammation in his spinal area causing this.
I'm veering from despair as I watch him wobbling around, struggling to keep his long legs under him, splayed out like Bambi, to hope that the steroids might miraculously work, back to despair as he knuckles on his hinds, trying to get up the step from the garden. This morning I was ready to call it - (although we have a bank holiday and no vets except the emergency vet for 2 days). But then he managed to get into the garden, have a wobbly poo, then get up on the sofa into his usual place.
I'm feeling pretty rubbish tbh. OH is away for a couple of weeks, and our daughter, who's dog he is really, (puppy as 12th birthday present, chosen at 2 days old) is very upset and also suffering. I lost my old horse a very few weeks ago which is still a bit raw (OH away then too!). It's just all a bit sh1t ATM. So this is just a bit of a "get it off my chest, trouble shared" post. If things stay as they are now, we can last until we can try him on the steroids, and if they don't work we'll have to call time, it's just not fair on him to continue, I don't think. If he gets any worse than he is, I think the decision is taken out of our hands
