Lame lurcher

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
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17 August 2005
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My lurcher is old now, a rescue so we don't know exactly but about 14. She is on trocoxil but it doesn't seem to be working so well now. Last night she started biting her stifles again, which she did before she went on it. She also peed in the house which I think is a reluctance to squat when out.
She is really well apart from that (always the way, isn't it) and loves her walks.
Is there anything else I could try her on? Any success stories? She isn't having surgery.
I will take her to the vet today. Rimadyl doesn't work at all. She had NSAIDs before (can't remember what they were) which worked well but the vets don't like her having them long term. I am having trouble getting across that I would rather her innards packed up after 3 pain free months than she went on for years hurting.
 
Nothing to add but just wanted to say sorry; it's always sad when you can see the end approaching; it's even worse when you have to convince your vet of your decision to not prolong any pain.
FWIW I thoroughly agree with you and it makes me mad that vets can't accept what they see as their failure if they can't prolong a pain free life without drugs or surgery and have to go through the rigmarole of making an owner feel worse than they already do.

Thinking of you both, x
 
I totally agree - far better 3 months pain free than a longer period of time hurting :( Have they x-rayed at all to find out what is causing the problem?

I have had a few conversations with my vets where I have said that (in my cases) I would rather PTS than continue with fruitless treatment, it is always a difficult experience :(

I hope you can enjoy the next few months with your girl :)
 
Thanks both. I love her so much although she is generally a complete liability and PITA.
She can still jump out of the garden and last night didn't come back when called, so I spent ages trawling the yard with a torch. I just went in to get the tractor keys for a proper drive round when she turned up - she had been next door, lying on their sofa eating cake and he had fallen asleep so forgot to kick her out at 9pm like usual (he lives in a rental in our farmyard).
We haven't x rayed, vet doesn't think she has done her cruciate but that it is damaged and just thinks arthritis.
I might go to my horse vet, she does small animals as well although is too far away for day to day stuff, she is a bit more practical.
 
No advice and really nothing to say, except that I applaud your stance and your principled approach. There are so many who will wring the last 5 minutes of life out of an animal with no real concern for the animal's quality of life.

Better a day in the sunshine than a week in the rain. Well done you!

Alec.
 
temgesic, tramadol, carprogesic, there are lots and lots of pain relief options available-tramadol is often used to treat animals in their final times/after very traumatic surgery/severe trauma-my lurcher has one or two if she has a crazy deer chasing hooley and aggravates her stifle where she had surgery it does knock her for 6 though-she is on metacam all the time and tramadol can be used as a top up, one of my other dogs cannot tolerate metacam so is on rimadyl and for him it has been revolutionary. Pan relief is a real minefield as what works for one has no effect on another and some can be given alongside others and some cannot. just remebered there is also PLT I have never used it but know a few people who have sworn by it for certain dogs.

I can suggest a vet local to you who will listen and medicate older dogs for quality of life not length of life, PM if you would like their details
 
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Clodagh said:
Thanks both. I love her so much although she is generally a complete liability and PITA.
She can still jump out of the garden and last night didn't come back when called, so I spent ages trawling the yard with a torch. I just went in to get the tractor keys for a proper drive round when she turned up - she had been next door, lying on their sofa eating cake and he had fallen asleep so forgot to kick her out at 9pm like usual (he lives in a rental in our farmyard).
We haven't x rayed, vet doesn't think she has done her cruciate but that it is damaged and just thinks arthritis.
I might go to my horse vet, she does small animals as well although is too far away for day to day stuff, she is a bit more practical.
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I hate worry-mongers (if that is a word??) but I am always concerned about the possibility of bone cancer for undiagnosed lameness in older dogs. I have been sitting dithering about whether to say that or not, probably it is nothing like that but it is such a vile painful disease that I would always rather know that not know if it were one of my own dogs :(
 
Lets hope not Levrier. As soon as her pain becomes more than she can cope with (or me) she will be PTS, so perhaps the cause doesn't really matter, if you know what I mean.
Twiggy, will pm you, I generally hate small animal vets so would be nice to hear a positive recommendation.
 
Clodagh said:
Lets hope not Levrier. As soon as her pain becomes more than she can cope with (or me) she will be PTS, so perhaps the cause doesn't really matter, if you know what I mean.
Twiggy, will pm you, I generally hate small animal vets so would be nice to hear a positive recommendation.
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received and replied-for what it is worth the vet I recommended used to do equine and smallies
 
Have you looked into turmeric? I know your girl is older and has different issues but I was very impressed with how my horse responded so decided to try my dogs on it as well. My 9yr old GSP is sounder than he's been in years!
I know it's not a curd but might be worth looking into?
 
There is a new natural alternative called "yumove" I'm not a fan and it did not work on my elder bitch but alot of our clients swear by it at work as well as some of my own private clients using it for exactly the kind of problem you describe. May be worth a try as it's pretty inexpensive.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions. If nothing else the herbal ones won't do any harm, so I can certainly try them all.
 
Yumove have just got clinical approval (if that's correct terminology) which is very impressive. And turmeric is apparently the most effective natural anti-inflammatory. Lots of claims from people who are taking it for pain and been able to reduce or stop their conventional medication.
 
Had a set back last night, she was attacked in the farmyard. A terrier got hold of her hock and dragged her, puncture wounds up her leg and pulled muscles too. Poor old girl, her first fight ever in her life, if you can call screaming and trying to get away a fight.
 
Dear Oh Dear, the poor old thing. Poor you too, it's horrible when we see the innocents being beaten up, isn't it? Sodding terriers! :p

This morning, my FiL's cat, almost as old as he is, came to meet me at the yard. In 15 years, I've never seen him there. He's been struggling with life for some while now, but through my FiL's problems, removing his friend was always going to be a problem. We'd recently sort of discussed the question. When Archie was en route to heaven, I went over to break the news. "Do you know what" he said "I've been meaning to ask for some while now if you'd help me out"!

Anyway, sorry for the hijack. Sometimes doing what's right is the hardest thing. I understand.

Alec.
 
I think perhaps Sash started it, well she growled at the terrier when it sniffed her and all hell broke out. She has bitten the terrier quite badly across its back, well done her!
I haven't been to the vets today, but think I will tomorrow, the worst wound is still oozing, although I suppose that is keeping it clean. She is a bit swollen around it, but only a tiny amount.
 
Have you tried Previcox,also you could add some Turmeric ( along with the Black Pepper and Olive Oil.).

I have a 13 year old Springer Spaniel who was diagnosed with Arthritis in both his elbows and hocks in 2004. Along with other health problems,( Thyroid and Bronchitis) he has a quarter of a Previcox (227mgs) this was reduced from half a tablet since starting the Turmeric. He also goes to hydrotherapy once a week.

He still goes for 2 nice walks a day as well as spending time in the yard with me.

I would try the Turmeric if you have not done so.
 
twiggy2 said:
How is Sash Clodagh?
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Thanks for asking. I took her to the vet as it felt a bit warm. She has got strong ABs and vet said she may need two courses. It was a vet at the practice I haven't seen before and she was great - if all vets were like her I would go more often! She asked how far I wanted to go treating it and I said ABs were it. She even said that if Sash was her dog she wouldn't put her through an op. Wow! So, Sash has got a couple of weeks to see how it goes. It will be horrible if she ends up being PTS through no fault of her own (turns out 'bite marks' on the terrier were a bit of dried saliva.) The anti inflammatories she is on already should cover the pain and in fact she is pretty sound and will even come for a short walk if you make her get up.
Sorry - this is now very long. I didn't take her to see the vet you recommended as she came quite bright again and went back to jumping the gate to go hunting, so I decided she was OK for now (before all this happenend).
 
An update - I was upstairs this morning and OH let the dogs out, Sash was charging and bouncing round the garden in the snow. She is like a new dog. The only thing I changed, long term, was to put her on yumove, as Cayla suggested and it is amazing stuff. Sher comes for walks, bounces around and looks great, I recommened it. She is still on vet stuff as well.
 
Great news :) we gave yumove to our arthritic shepherd and it made a huge difference within a week - I've since recommended it to 2 or 3 people at the yard with older creaky dogs and all have seen a similar improvement, tempted to start taking it myself!!
 
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