Update on Charles, Violet Rays & Emily

This is my darling 83-pound red fawn greyhound, Charles Hobson Booger, III who has been lame for about a year. (Click on the photo for a much better version.) Our latest attempt to make him a bit more comfortable and perhaps improve his condition is the cool laser followed by some physical therapy and then a walk on an underwater treadmill. I dropped him off this morning and retrieved him at about 4pm.

My other goal is to have him expend energy. He is very frustrated because he doesn't get to do anything other than walk very slowly (to make sure all feet hit the ground) five times a day. He has taken to ripping up any paper in sight and lunging at every dog except his greyhound friends on our walks. If Cesar Millan has one thing right it's that a tired dog is a well behaved dog. And poor Charles is never tired these days.

The ocean's been very dangerous for small crafts for the past couple of weeks, so we've been keeping our small craft named Charles out of the water. Hopefully, he'll be able to swim or walk in the ocean, with his snazzy life jacket, once things calm down. In the mean time, I need to tucker him out in a way that doesn't hurt him (like letting him run). The newest vet says swimming won't be that helpful as he doesn't really know how to swim and could hurt himself trying. But he can walk in a lagoon or in a calm ocean, in chest-deep water, says Dr. Newest Vet.

Most impressive was that Dr. Newest Vet, after looking at Charles' hundred-page history, said, "My goal is to relieve his discomfort and straighten his back, hence his gait, but also to find out what started him on this course of year-long lameness." Five vets had different diagnoses and after rounds of x-rays and an MRI, what we know is that because of some injury somewhere, he has himself all twisted and tense. But no one has been able to say what the origin is.

I'm sort of beyond caring, and just want him to be more comfortable. But if Dr. Newest Vet can figure it out, more power to him!

Lest I not mention 62-pound Violet, she did a capital job guarding the door at Dr. Newest Vet's office. Though these photos look very orange, everything in the room was orange or reddish, and both dogs have red in them, as do their collars, so the tone isn't as off as it looks.

Violet's diabetes is regulated and her glaucoma is stable and there has been no further detaching of her retinas (the left one is very detached and damaged and the right one is in great shape). She does have an interesting looking, bulging, blood red tag protruding from her left upper eyelid (the bad eye) which we're going to check out next week.

Emily Fokker, diagnosed as an FIP carrier and having visible symptoms, was told she would have only weeks to live way back when we adopted her and her baby, Lars Axl Fokker--nine years ago this month! Lars was euthanized a mere six weeks later (on New Year's Eve), and Emme is still going strong!

Viva la Emme!

Comments

[Nancy]

Have you ever tried acupuncture and especially chinese herbs for these lovely beings? I have had great success with these non invasive procedures for my family.

[Tracy]

Hi

My dog Bruno has arthritis as a result of a broken elbow when he was younger. I use a natural product called serrapet. Apparently it's an enzyme which 'eats up' inflamed ie dead scar tissue. It might be worth trying him on this to see if it helps. I buy mine online but I'm in the UK. I think you can get it in the States but you'd have to check. You could try a magnetic collar too. Both these have helped Bruno; he is 11 now and is back to running around like a puppy again. Good luck!
Tracy

[Mary]

Hi Nancy,
Yes, I've tried acupuncture. Violet responds well for her arthritis, but unfortunately Charles twitches uncontrollably and the needles, particularly mid-spine, fly out. And I still get charged $95 because the other half of the needles don't fly out (though he works them out somehow and doesn't even appear to be moving for those).

Tracy,
I'll check it out, thanks! Glad it worked for Bruno!