Lola's latest

[gschellinger]

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.

[shawkyelisabeth]

Thinking about you and lola hoping things will improve.HUGS AND ALL THE BEST elisabeth

[annee]

Hi Gail,

I'm sorry to read about how difficult it all has become for Lola. is there any way you can maybe syringe water slowly into her mouth ?

I know i've had to do that with Prunella in the past.

Big hugs to you both.

Annee x

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi Gail

It must be very difficult trying to drink or eat without being able to breathe through your nose. I know it might sound strange but have you tried inducing a sneeze to clear the 'stuff' from her nostrils?  Did you ever try a steamy bathroom to clear her tubes?

I do hope things settle soon and she is more comfortable again.  She is not going to give up easily.

Jo

[annee]

Thats a good idea Jo.

How about Olbas oil in a steaming bowl of water and left in the room...works for me so cant see why it wouldnt work in some way for Lola too.

Annee

[gschellinger]

We have tried the steam and the olbas oil, which does help some. But the mucus seems trapped in her sinus a lot of the time. Not sure how to induce sneezing?? This bull-headed (literally) dog is still focused on playing ball till she drops. Several times a day. And she still is getting a walk, sometimes two a day, complete with boots to protect her nails and the webmaster harness. These walks are more difficult for her but she just plugs along, happy to join the 'pack' and get out. She gets very thirsty after that like any dog, then she has to be helped to drink.

The problem with drinking is the ataxia, which makes her have intention tremors when she concentrates on drinking or eating. Picture a rocking horse only faster. So I have to hand feed, and hold her while she drinks. The day this started (the fear? of drinking) she did a little dip into the water with her nose, that did it and she refused her drink. Later that day I cleaned the floor and moved her dish a little to the left. She also didn't like that. So after those two things she became suspicious of her water in general. I'm trying other things now like taking her dish to where she is, which worked once. She is one smart cookie and learns things on the first experience, even negative things.

She has drinking after her games and walks and before bed. Yesterday I noticed her eyes seemed a little recessed in her head and she didn't want to pee right off when she went out. This morning I added water to her food which takes it right up since it contains potatoes. I guess we will muddle along and keep trying. I just hope we don't get some sort of condition from being dehydrated. How strange that her 'fear' could overide her thirst. Then again maybe she will just get 'over it.' 

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Penel CIMDA moderator]

Hi Gail,
she sounds very anxious and fearful, have you ever tried TTouch on her? I work with a lot of anxious dogs and they benefit hugely from TTouch sessions.
You can read more about it here
http://www.tilleyfarm.co.uk/TTouch1.shtml
TTouch people often recommend something called a body wrap, just worn for a short while every day can make a difference too.
I'm sure there are practitioners in your part of the world as TTouch was started by an American lady called Linda Tellington Jones.

[gschellinger]

Thank you for reminding me of that Penel! It's something I meant to look into a while back. So many things to try to sort out with Lola that I forget sometimes what I meant to do. She is fearful and generally anxious when she is on uneaven ground or in situations where she anticipates something falling on her. She makes a lot of associations and hangs on to them. The first year I had her, a storm blew up and doors started slamming. I was running around closing windows. Even now I can't go near the windows w/o Lola high-tailing it out the room. But now her fears are part of the ataxia. Sometimes when we talk about Lola, my husband says she 'been snake-bit' meaning everything bad which can happen, has happened to Lola. Of course that isn't true, but sometimes it feels like it. I still have the wide elastic bandage I used to wrap her in for storms. I can try that. Thanks.

[Penel CIMDA moderator]

Lots of bull breeds we see have these strange connections you're talking about - it's interesting because we don't see that in other breeds.  I wonder also if doing small TTouches around her snout and muzzle area and her head might help the congestion.  There's also something called a headwrap
http://www.ttouch.com/downloads/CalmingBandsFaceWrap.pdf
this one has a great pic that shows what I mean
http://ttouchwales.co.uk/tellington-touch/ace-wraps/

theory being that some gentle pressure on the area releases tension - and I would imagine that this might help Lola's congestion in these areas.

[gschellinger]

Thanks for these links, Penel.  I will try them for Lola.

Why do you think the bully breeds have this strange association trait? I've had a lot of dogs and never seen anything quite like what she can put together. She keeps my mind sharp as I try to out-think/keep ahead of her, on her "issues." My friend calls her a dog and a half. Now, I call her a good, solid, three dogs.

[Jo CIMDA]

She has drinking after her games and walks and before bed. Yesterday I noticed her eyes seemed a little recessed in her head and she didn't want to pee right off when she went out. This morning I added water to her food which takes it right up since it contains potatoes. I guess we will muddle along and keep trying. I just hope we don't get some sort of condition from being dehydrated. How strange that her 'fear' could overide her thirst. Then again maybe she will just get 'over it.' 

****Hi Gail, as Lola is a very smart cookie do you think she could be taught to drink from a rodent bottle, like the ones you would have in a rabbit's cage? She would be able to breathe and drink at the same time - maybe? Adding water to her food is the most sensible thing to do.

Jo

[gschellinger]

Hi Jo,
I decided against the rodent bottle since she can't be still when she drinks. Not enough control of herself. We had better success yesterday with taking her bowl to her, rather than having her go to it. Something about when I moved it bugs her, even though I put it back  fussy fussy. If it gets worse I can feed her in smaller amounts and add water more often that way. Whatever Lola wants...she got the perfect name for sure.

[Sandy W]

Hi Gail, sorry to have missed your updates... just catching up (still finding my way around).
I don't have any clever suggestions... wish I did, but I just want you to know that I'm thinking of you both and sending positive thoughts and love to one special girl.... 
Absolutely right..... "whatever Lola wants"   
Sandy, Bronte & Blanche
Lola FC, UK

[Lovemedogs]

Hi Gail
I use a lambing syringe for Charlie if she won't drink the amount of glutalyte she needs each day. I sit down on the floor next to,her and gently hold her mouth so it doesn't just squirt out the other side and gently press the syringe so it goes slowly into her mouth and down her throat. When she was first ill she had a feeding tube in and I would put the glutalyte in through the feeding tube. You could use the syringe for plain water.

Just one other thought, if you think she may become dehydrated, would it be appropriate to give her fluids sub q every now and again ?

She is amazing in still wanting to play and go for walks. She isn't ready to give up yet is she ?

Take ca,

Pam.

[gschellinger]

You are right. She isn't ready by any stretch of the imagination. You should see her when she challenges my husband to a ball game. She stands up and every inch of her says lets play ball. She is strong and her muscle mass is good, better than most dogs. She is alert and smart. She just can't control all of what she has    If it were just the ataxia or just the nasal problem, it would be so much better.  Being fit and strong like she is makes her even more dangerous when she is careening around and smashing into things, flipping over, or rolling across the floor. She is a train wreak, but a strong and determined one 

She is having a good day today with the congestion. I suppose in a couple of days it will get worse again. Today was better for drinking. She teaches us what she wants. Now we hold the water dish and she likes that. I tried a syringe one day when I knew she was dehydrated and she took the first one. Then she got very resistant and almost looked mad at me for doing it. She never gets mad at me so I llistened to her and backed off. If it gets to the point of needing subQ fluids I'm afraid that may be the day we say "farewell, until we meet again." She walks a thin line now. Today is good though. Well, relatively good