Sienna Zen-Cat and Rio Visit the Vet 9 2011.AVI

It's true that sometimes nobody has a medical condition to address but more often than not in rescue, somebody needs medical attention for something. Sometimes there are multiple dogs needing attention. It can range from anything as routine as verifying that a Sheltie is on the correct dose of thyroid medication --- something that needs to be updated regularly to the more serious, as in today's video where our very old mill girl, Sienna, wasn't keeping any food or even tummy settling medication (sucralfate administered via syringe) down and also having diarrhea. For a senior, this is serious. For Sienna, who hadn't had a recent senior wellness blood panel done...even more so because if something is brewing, we don't have a clue about it.

Then there are the more obscure medical issues as with Rio. We know he's straining when he urinates...but he can get a full flow of urine to come out eventually. So he's not blocked. Sometimes he strains hard enough that he poops simultaneously. Since he too is a very senior boy and he's only recently been neutered, we're going to have his prostate gland examined.

If it's not Rio's prostate gland that's enlarged, the alternative possibilities are related to poor bladder muscle or poor nerve feedback. So even when his bladder is full, he doesn't know it until he accidentally finds himself urinating or perhaps when it gets painfully full...he then becomes aware of it. It's not clear. The sophisticated tests needed to discern what's going on are available if we want to travel to Colorado. As much as Rio might enjoy the road trip (as would Jim) I'm not sure we've got the time or funds for that. Rio does not show signs of pain. He does get a little frantic if HE thinks he has to go potty and we can readily see he needs to be let out.

Anyone know of any herbal or other remedies for helping a senior bladder perform better? I have ordered some cranberry and d-mannose supplements. Licorice bark extract is also in the mix.

Zen-cat, who is our personal cat, must have had a bad time with some of the dogs here. We came home to find computer equipment knocked off of tables and Zenny hiding...which is not normal for her. She's also eating less (although losing a little weight wouldn't hurt her). The exam turned up nothing for Zenny so we're thinking about going with a kitty calming pheromone kit and of course, spoiling her a bit.

It was decided that Sienna would stay overnight at the vet's which is a 24 hour facility with people there round the clock. There they could provide her with IV medications such as antibiotics and fluids. I can do subQ fluids but not IV meds, at home. Sienna is back home now and back to her bouncy, little girl ways...which we love. She's on metronidazole, amoxicillin, anti-acid, and I am giving her sucralfate 3 times a day just in case there's a stomach ulcer going on that was part of what triggered her GI difficulties.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• intestinal problems
• Shelties
• rescue
• adopt
• dogs
• subcutaneous fluids
• metronidazole
• amoxicillin
• anti-acid
• famotidine
• Zen-Cat
• Sienna
• Rio