CIMDA

Hi everyone,
As most of you know Bizzy, my well dog, Boston terrier, I thought I would throw this out to see if there are any ideas from anyone. For three months in a row she has had one of her eyes swell, the tissue around the eye. No fluid could be extracted from the swelling. Skin appears very inflamed, red. White of eye is red. It begins with what looks like conjunctivitis and quickly blows up. Swelling is above and below the eye. It seems like a cycle now as it has come a month apart each time.

The latest event was last Sunday. On Friday evening before, she vomited her meal at 10:30. It was totally undigested from 5:30 feeding. She vomited about six times during the night, and twice in the morning. Tinged with blood. I took her straight to the vet. No fever, not dehydrated (still drinking) gums pink and wet. She had not eaten anything different. She got pepcid, cerenia and went home with sucralfate.

Sunday she was depressed and then the eye swelled. It never seems to bother her but when examined the two times before, was found to have a pressure reading of high 30's. Treatment the first two times was a shot of Dex. and followed with pred or dex and weaned down. She doesn't present with usual symptoms of glaucoma. The first shot produced results before we even left the hospital. The second one took about four hours.

The emergency vet I talked to by phone on Sunday suggested I try diphenhydramine first, which did nothing to reduce the swelling. So he agreed that I should give her one mg. of dex. which after about 2 hours reduced the swelling. Since this process went on for most of the day, I wonder if it would have gotten better on it's own by evening. I talked to her regular vet Monday. He suggested that this could be an immune system problem, since it happened again after the vomiting. He would like to do CBC now. Not sure what he will be looking for. He did not suggest it was an auto immune problem. But I wonder if that could be next.

She does have something going on with this eye problem for sure. The first two times it was her left eye, but the last time it was her right eye. If anyone has any ideas I would surely welcome hearing them. We have not changed any products or food in the house. It is winter here so it is unlikely it is something outside affecting her. I am stumped and so is the vet. I am concerned that it is glaucoma and not presenting as usual. Repeat eye pressure tests the first two times showed normal pressure.

Thanks you and sorry it is so long!
gail

Hi CIMDA members and Happy New Year. Here in the Mid-West of the US we are hunkering down for the coldest night in many years. Forcast says to expect -30 degrees tonight. Wind chill of -79 tonight and tomorrow. Deep freeze. But we live in Wisconsin and we are tough. NFL football in an outdoor stadium late this aft. in Greenbay. It is sold out. I think these people are a little over the top hardy, or just crazy.

In about a month I am trying a very special dog. I have been following him since last summer when he was rescued in Ohio and transported to a shelter in Wi.  This dog is tracking me I think. I have met him once and soon will introduce him and Bizzy. Then we can see if we can go forward. If it works out for us I will post more about him, special needs. Fingers crossed.

I hope all our dogs stay healthy in the coming year. Congrats Jan on your new puppy!
gail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d91Ol7rui4

I stumbled upon Dean Spanley again on NetFlix. Sharing for anyone who likes comtemplating life, the lives of our dogs. I enjoyed it, again.
g.

Trying to add a picture with PhotoBucket.

Looks like Bizzy is developing a hot spot. I've never had a dog with one. Any suggestions? It is on the inside of her thigh, next to her belly. Not horrible but looking like it is getting raised now.
g.

When Lola was sick with hereditary ataxia, she often stepped on my feet, leaving bruises. In January, a month before I had to make the decision to let her go, she had stepped on each of my feet, leaving not only a bruise, but a small injury from her nails. I have watched them since, and the one on my left foot does not go away. It is healed but the mark remains. Such a small scratch and yet the mark of it remains. So I have decided to get a tattoo of her paw print on that place to remind me of her everyday I really don't need that reminder, but I think it will keep her memory close to me forever. I took her prints long ago with it in mind anyway. This little scar is telling me to go ahead and do that.

My first and only tattoo, my Lola's paw print
Missing Lovely Lola still.
gail

Hi group,
I have not vaccinated my well dog, Bizzy, since I adopted her six years ago. She was vaccinated at the rescue then, at one year of age. Now I would like to take her to a nursing home to visit my husband. But this home requires vaccination. I have ordered and recieved thuja and lyssin. Does anyone know if it is safe or harmful for a dog with a murmer to recieve rabies vaccine? Her vet did not try to talk me into vaccinating her at all. But didn't offer reassurance that it would not pose an extra risk, considering the murmer. This dog is very healthy otherwise, except for still having lyme disease antibodies from her infection 1 1/2 years ago. It makes me nervous to give the vaccine, oviously, after Lola    She has a zero chance of getting rabies, but of course the law doesn't care about that.
gail

Just to let you know...I am sending the package to your son in NY soon. Have you told him to expect it? I forgot to include an explanation inside the box, so he may be a little confused by the contents
gail

Dear friends at CIMDA,

On Monday, Feb. 4th, Lola passed peacefully from her brave imperfect life on earth, to a better place, cradled in my arms.  Just me and Lola, and her trusty loving vet. Nothing about Lola was ever easy. But she was the brightest light in my life. I could not have known her life would be so important to me when I saw her little picture on Petfinder almost nine years ago. Nor could I have imagined why we would come to say good-bye.

Thank you, everyone on CIMDA, for helping me through all the years of caring for this very special little pit bull terrier named Lola, The Lovely One. You all have been a great support to me for so long. Lola and I say "Thank you."

gail and Lola

Is there a post on how to attach photos??

I can't figure it out. Do you just hit the attach button at the bottom? The preview didn't show a picture.
thanks.

I don't know if this link will work. It is a part of an interview I did a local news station, WQOW, of my artwork. I think the entire thing which is long will be on the website.
I thought some of you who have known me for years may like to see it, if it works.

http://www.wqow.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=7843831&h1=Gail%20Schellinger%2C%20In%20Person&vt1=v&at1=undefined&d1=215600&LaunchPageAdTag=News&undefined&activePane=info&rnd=16314229

Hello group,

I'm afraid that Lola's hereditary cerebellar ataxia is getting much worse. This evening when she got up from her day bed I notice that it is soaking wet. This is a terrible signal, as it is now affecting the contol of her bladder. This is very upsetting to me at the moment. But I have been looking for signals and may indicate that the ataxia is getting the best of her. I'm going to continue to watch her. She will be allowed to go with some dignity when/if it is clear that it is time. I hope this is just a bleep of some sort.

I can't believe how hard this is.
I thought I had prepared myself but I guess it is never easy, no matter the prep time you think you have put in. This disease tops all of her AI issues. Such a long downhill ride.
g.

I think her nasal passages are very swollen. Has anyone had a horse with the disease called heaves? I have. This is what she looks like when she is sleeping, at rest. Big intake of air, then the pushing out of air. Like a person with asthma. There is no easy flow of oxygen. When she is awake it is better. We took a short walk today, since the intolerable heat of this summer has finally broken. She cannot go around the block, only about half way now. I don't think her lungs are involved but sometimes I wonder. Appetite still very good. She is till watching for the mail and still "wanting" to chase the ball. Sometimes more want than chase. Getting up in the morning is not fun for her. I talk and convince her she can do it. There is a lot of clearing of mucus during the AM. Why does this have to be so hard? Why did she beat all the odds with AI and now this? She doesn't ever complain. Such a sweet thing she is.
g.

Penel, Jo and all members,

Thank you for all you do to help people with sick dogs. Your website is a wonderful resource. I hope many owners who are feeling lost and alone...who have sick dogs, will find their way here, and listen to your execellent words.

Although it might seem in vain sometimes, I hope you know that you do so much good.

This group has helped me for many years with my sweet APBT, Lola. We are still working our way through this strange and wonderful experience...living together in a less than perfect world.

gail, and Lola... The Lovely One.

On Aug. 1, I started Lola on a chicken and rice diet. Her nasal congestion, combined with the ataxia was very bad. Mucus was bubbling from her nose all day long for about a month. When your dog is choking on that stuff it makes you think that it needs to end. So even though the vets all tell me that her diet could not be the source of this gunk, especially w/o GI problems or itchy skin, watery eyes etc. I did it anyway. Since then she has improved. She still has nasal sounds coming from her head, but the mucus has almost stopped. Ironically her cough has returned, as has the reverse sneezing. So I can't say yet what is going on.

Another problem is that the chicken and rice is causing runny stool. That seems strange since it is always what I put her on when she had GI problems in the past. So I have started weaning her to Hills z/d ultra. I know why they call it ultra after paying for it, holy smokes! This is the longest she has gone with significant improvement in her nasal congestion since it started last November.

My goal is to get her on this diet as long as she keeps improving or is at least better, like she is now. Then to work with Monica again on adding fresh foods again and come up with a new home cooked diet. If she stays better like this, I will suspect that beef is the culprit. Keeping my digits all crossed and hoping that we may continue to see her improve. I can keep her with the ataxia for a while yet, it's the congestion which is so hard to watch, with nothing that helps.

I hope all your dogs are doing well today.
gail.

How does one send a message to another member privately?

Hi All,
I'm painting shelter dogs in between commissions. You can see my latest work, Henry and Lincoln, on my FB page www.facebook.com/gshcellinger
Feel free to like, and share my page with your friends. My work is affordable is anyone is interested in having a portrait done of their animal.
Hope everyone is doing well today. Another hot day in Wisconsin.
gail.

Birthday girl!! Her adoption date is 8 years ago, when they estimated her age to be one year old. We will celebrate her life tomorrow by taking her somewhere she used to go to, but has not been in a while because of her illness.  She loves that sort of thing.

New symptoms which started late yesterday have me concerned. I find myself hoping for signs she is fed-up with her illness Is the new dreadful hacking cough the sign?  She sounds like a long term smoker, and hacks up white stuff. I will gradually withdraw the additional supplements which I had hoped would help her. I have no idea if they are helping, since she is not better. She is still doing "OK" today. Who knew Lola would live this long )) all the while a determined, uncomplaining, game playing, true to form bully. Truly, she is now not a dog and a half...she is now three dogs, for sure Counting Bizzy, it's like I have four dogs??
gail and Lola.

She isn't getting better. She has better days, sometimes a couple in a row. But she stays congested for the most part. I have her back on some supplements which seem to help some. Now she has this thing where she wants to drink but she won't because she is afraid she will get water up her nose, because of her ataxia. I hold on to her and support her but she is getting very weird about it. She has regular drinking times because she can't manage it by her self and also won't drink plain water. It has to be broth.

She also has decided that if there is any distraction like someone walking through the room, then she won't drink. She has missed about half her watering sessions in the last two days. So I hope she gets over it because she is going to get dehydrated. Tomorrow I'm going to up the stakes and make some broth from liver. I never knew a dog could be so strange as Lola. I think the strangeness is coming from the ataxia. She has many fears now.

As it is generally taboo to promote a business in any yahoo group, I am wondering if I can promote my Painted Pets portraits in general chat, here. Just wondering, not promoting here. I don't actually even know how to post pictures yet