Gutted :(

noodle_

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Dosent even cover it tbh.

Remember my thread the other day asking if i should get my dog blood tested as shes been on metacam for a couple of years? (on and off).

She has been drinking far more water over the past few months than normal, as well as urinating more etc..

So im sure your all aware what im so gutted about.

The metacam has already started to affect her kidneys and liver :(

Vet has asked for a urine sample (Well two), and then we are going to have a chat about millie. :(

Been told to now slowly wean her off metacam, however trouble is, with her hips shes doing so well on this.... i want to know about other options?? However the vet did say most anti-inflams do the same damage...

My dogs quality of life is always my priority, even if this means a shorter life span, but i didnt realise how much this would affect her so quickly.:( Shes 5... just. :(

Gutted.
 
am i seriously naieve in thinking theres a way to "mend them", or am i prolonging the inevitable once the damage has been done??

Im a tough cookie but this dog is my baby and my whole life evolves round her wellbeing :o
 
Sorry about that news which is a big shock, I would have thought/hoped the vet could have offered an alternative to Metacam to begin with. Short term its great but unless a dog is quite old it does seem to be a double edged sword. I may be naive here about an alternative to Metacam and I quite understand you being gutted given your dogs young age.
 
theres defiantely alternatives i know that....but they are all the same affect except morphine but apparantly it dosent have the same anti-pain effect


I have a good vet who i trust,, so will do a urine sample as requested and then go from there

This dog dosent deserve all this... shes been through it all since she was a pup

just highlights "crosses are NOT (always) healthier" !!!

shes a springer x collie.... she has mild hip displasia, bad wrists and a mild back issue.
 
I am so sorry to read this - you must be so upset :(

I too have a dog with severe joint problems, initially cartrophen injections were brilliant but now I just keep him at a level of exercise to suit him (and watch his diet!) and feed him Cod liver oil. He potters, he has a stilted gait, he will never go out on the shoot again but he is perfectly happy and has reached the age of 8 whereas at first diagnosis when he was 6 months old, vets told me he wouldn't reach 5 :(

I wish you lots of luck with Millie, I know just how stressful it all is xx
 
ravenwood thanks :) and im sorry about your dog :( but he sounds happy and thats the main thing with them isnt it?

yes im completely gutted about Millie, :(
shes such a happy dog - she adores me which makes me feel awful everytime she goes the vets!...she goes in with a waggy tail then realises where she is!!

Im just honestly glad (as sad as it is) that I did bloods.

It made us wonder though - our last dog was pts because of a tumour found when he was peeing blood.... he was on metacam for a long time before....The tumour was found under x-ray.... he constantly drank loads of water and asked to go out tons. Makes us think we just got to him in time. He was 13 though.... much older than Milz.
 
Sorry to hear this news. I hope the vets have something they can offer instead of the metacam. These NSAIDS are great at treating the pain but the side effects are a bummer :( Fingers crossed for you. My collie is 7 and has been on Metacam 2yrs so we know pretty soon, we'll be in your situation. Tho her last blood tests were fine, it's always a worry. xx
 
I think thistle supports the hepatic (liver) system (could be wrong, will check later) so would be handy. You could go the natural route with glucosamine, chondroitin, turmeric, green lipped mussel, in hand with limited exercise as Ravenwood says and keep her lean and mean but with enough exercise to keep the muscle to support the relevant joints.

You could ask about Trocoxil or similar, which is still an AI, but is only once monthly. They like an annual blood test with it to check liver function. You do a six month course, one month break, back on.

I feel your pain: with hip dysplasia with one youngster and a hopping older dog, it's a constant battle to balance meds against negative effects.
 
You give horses milk thistle for liver damage, don't know if it would help with dogs.
There is a human painkiller, begins with T...can't remember name, our vet has just offered it to us as our old dog has just started developing a resistence to rimadyl.
 
Sorry to hear this news My old GSD was on Cartrophen injections for more than 2 years and it really seemed to help her back pain, it might be worth asking your vet about it When Saffie had her pre op bloods done before having mammar lumps removed they showed a slight problem with her liver. The op delayed and the vet gave me some medication for her, and i gave milk thistle, and about 3 weeks later the bloods came back fine and she had the surgery. Her liver problem was only very slight so it may not help your dog but certainly worth trying milk thistle.
 
Could you try Devil's Claw for dogs? It is a natural anti inflammatory painkiller (used in No Bute) - I use it daily for my horse.

I don't know the exact nature of your dog's complaint, so this maybe no good, but have you tried a bioflow magnetic collar? My old swedish vallhund had crippling arthritis in his backend and was on daily painkillers until I started putting a magnetic collar on him - it took 8 weeks to fully work and then I took him off his meds completely. It was brilliant and the difference in him profound for several years.
 
Have you thought about hydrotherapy? Our border terrier had hip dysplasia in both hips, so bad she was lame as lame at 6 months old. Vets wanted to chop off the end of both her bones, but instead we used MSM/glucosamine and hydrotherapy which was in theory to help pre op but actually seemed to cure the lameness; a before and after x ray showed muscles supporting the joint where the bone wasnt, previously nothing was supporting it. After 3 months she was sound with no drugs and has remained so since even after stopping the hydrotherapy after the 3 months and the supplements after about 5 years. She is now 7 years old and sound as a pound :-))))

She does a small amount of regular exercise but nothing too much and she is fed accordingly to keep her slim as extra weight might be too much for her joints.
 
thanks for the suggestions :)


her problem hjas just been noted, so minor yet in comparison to what it would be if i didnt insist on the test!!


many things to think about.... I will be chatting to my vet and asking for the best advice :)

hydro - im afraid shes not insured for it :( its £25 a pop here (£100 a month) however i am graduating uni in spring and will work full time so hopefully i can fund it.... short term I will find a way if it helps her :)

I keep her weight light (shes put a bit on) so it helps her. however i do think she could do with loosing a little if shes like this going into spring! shes NOT fat but i prefer my dog/horse leaner :)

thanks again all :) x
 
Ask your vet about tramadol
Buy the best quality glucosamine supplement you can afford
Lose the weight
Steady exercise
Speak to the vet about how bad the kidneys and liver are
Ask your vet about cartrophen injections - not a painkiller - minimal sideeffects - help the joint fluid and cartilage.

Hope she improves
 
Rimadyl and herbal remedies such as joint supplements.

I can't believe that the vets prescribed metacam long term it is known for causing these issues.
Good luck and hope she improves
 
^ ive nothing against the vets.

Admitidly when she started on it, we were not sure how long term she was goign to be on it - and i didnt question my vets.....



We are now under a diff vet whos lovely and never dealt with her before, however im put at ease with her honesty and being upfront with me... :)
 
Noodle is there a horse pool near you. Hydro can be stupidly expensive (no harm, people have to make a living) we go to a guy who is the dad of a vet and a racehorse breeder/trainer and he lets us use his horse pool for £5 a time (and I mean, we have some dogs at our club doing hundreds of metres of conditioning work).
Keep her lean and mean, skinny is no bad thing, the less weight she has to bear, the better.
 
Noodle is there a horse pool near you. Hydro can be stupidly expensive (no harm, people have to make a living) we go to a guy who is the dad of a vet and a racehorse breeder/trainer and he lets us use his horse pool for £5 a time (and I mean, we have some dogs at our club doing hundreds of metres of conditioning work).
Keep her lean and mean, skinny is no bad thing, the less weight she has to bear, the better.

no idea but I will check it out :)

many thanks for that idea - it hadnt even crossed my mind!! :)
 
I had a dog with very bad HD found out when he was around 1 and told he my have to be PTS around 5 or 6 :( we lost him at 18 years !!! we managed him really through his exercise only short walks on the lead and a little run about he soon adapted very well and learnt to go to bed after a run he had half a paracetamol when bad.
We only had him on one lot of metacalm towards the end of his life and had him on glucostomine and ch ( sorry dont know how to spell it ) .

Really hope you get sorted try and limit exercise now it will really help in the long term.
 
Lots of good suggestions but can I add acupuncture for pain relief. Had an amazing effect on my Collie. Usually covered for in insurance as long as carried out by a vet.
 
updated today;

This morning we woke up to a terrible stench.... mils had pooed in the kitchen and back room, bless her she aimed for tile and not carpet (she is a very considerate dog believe it or not)! Her poo was like cow pat, dark and brown :/

Throughout today, she has thrown up twice, weed a very orange juice looking wee, and loose poos.

Im hoping its coincidence and nothing more..... shes fine in herself, happy etc. We are starving her except for dry toast (am i doing the right thing??)

Shes going the vets monday morning.... I dont class this as an emergancy else she would be there today no question.....

thoughts pls.... am i doing the right thing by starving her?? shes ok in herself...withdrawn but not awfully upset (except for me...i am)!
 
Poor you and poor Millie :(

I agree, I would do the same thing if it were me but I am no expert at all.

But I have every confidence that if her symptoms persist tomorrow you will give the vet a ring to be on the safe side :)

Good luck Monday morning x
 
just posted another thread....

ive just found some blood (a lot) in her poo and wee.



Our 13 year old collie had this....and we lost him 3 days later from a tumour.

:(
 
I would have taken her to the vet today. she may need supportive care to get her through this. Take her in first thing tomorrow, or tonight if she deteriorates at all.
 
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