[pyrnet] CHAT: Molly update

["Barb Bowes" <bamb@monmouth.com>]

I went to the Vet's this afternoon and spent from 4 PM-5 PM with
Molly. I went to see if she would eat her dinner. I wanted to
take her own food in as they feed canned food and any radical
change in her diet , at her age, has dire consequences (you know
what I mean). She ate a little, more to please me I'm sure, than
for any other reason. She was never one to eat if she was away
from home. I was hoping to get her to eat more, as her
supplements that I have been using to help with her problem were
in the food. She was no better, no worse. We did put a sling
under her and take her out to try to potty. She must have stopped
to rest at least a dozen times in the 30' we walked her, and, no
pottying. She would not go back inside. The Tech wanted to pick
her up and carry her back but I tried an idea I had and asked
her, "Do you want to go home?" In she walked (her rear legs were
moving as walking but I needed to support the back end with the
sling) she did not want to make the turn at the surgery door to
go back to her kennel, but we managed it. BTW, she did not stop
one time to rest. I sat with her for a while longer before I
left. When talking to the Vet about her condition, he said she
may still bounce back somewhat as she's a fighter and does move
around in the kennel run. She is able to move her legs, just not
support her weight. He seems to think she's at a fine weight, I
still think she is still 10 LBS. overweight. BTW, she has lost 17
LBS. since May of 1999. Good thing, too or she would not have
made it this far. Anyway, I have decided to give her until
Monday. If there is no improvement by then, she will go to the
Bridge. The only things that will make her departure sooner is if
she loses all bladder control (which will mean that the nerve
damage from the DM has progressed beyond any reasonable hope for
recovery) or she starts experiencing pain beyond what she can
comfortably deal with. Evidently the Vet's are more encouraged by
the fact that this was sudden onset (suggesting some sort of
injury that may pass) rather than gradual decline. Tomorrow we
will think about an x-ray to see if there's more going on than
what is apparent. She seems to be accepting her condition much
better now and is not as stressed by the fact she can't walk.
Just not too happy she's spending her birthday at the Vet's. She
did manage to eat the 3 cookies I brought for her!

Barb Bowes
Bo, Molly, Chelsea (Pyrs) & Flopsy (Pyr Shep)
The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!
bamb@monmouth.com