Rudy is in the hospital (long)

I am requesting good wishes, thoughts, or prayers for my Rudy. He is spending his second night at the animal hospital tonight.

To give a little history, Rudy is on Denosyl for liver issues, and is doing well - each visit the levels are lower (sorry I don't know all the numbers). He has a lot of arthritis in his backend. He is on Tramadol for pain. During the past several months it is harder and harder for him to get up, down, or walk but he is still doing those things quite well.

Rudy turned 13 in February.

Last night, he came in with Delaney and just collapsed. He couldn't move his hind legs at all. He tried and tried. If I propped him up he could stand for a minute or so. Then he plopped down. I walked away for a minute and he began crying in pain. That scared me to death. I immediately called our vet. She met me there and admitted him. Her plan was to put in an IV with small doses of some steroid, knowing she couldn't do too much with his liver issues. Of course, I hated leaving him, but left hoping for the best.

She thought at first that he might have had a stroke, or that one of his discs had slipped or ruptured.

Today, at 9:30 am, she said he was doing much better. He was walking slowly with them, which is fine, he's been doing that for months now. She now believes it is a disc problem. Maybe slipped, pinched, etc.

After several more checks during the day, we decided to let him stay overnight again. They stopped the meds at 4:15pm and he was eating and drinking on his own. They will monitor him tonight and tomorrow to make sure there is no sign of a relapse or whatever, withought the meds.

Tomorrow we'll decide if he is ok to come back home.

Here's a picture of Rudy taken in March, I am amazed when I see it because now, his poor little back end is much more hunched over.

Please send some good thoughts his way - the house is so empty without him, despite Delaney, Cody, Harley, Huxley and the quads.

Thanks.
Diane

:grouphug:sending my thoughts, good vibes and belly rubs for Rudy and you.

:grouphug::grouphug: we will all be sending thoughts your way!

Thank you to both of you, dogcatharmony and Winston.

Winston, I love the quote you chose. Very nice!

Diane

I am so sorry to hear that, dmc123 :grouphug:. Sending lots of :goodvibes::goodvibes::goodvibes: for Rudy.

I wish Rudy all the best. I hope you can bring him home soon and that they can make him better.

:goodvibes::goodvibes::pray::pray::grouphug:

Sasha asked that I give you and Rudy big sloppy kisses :dog: and get better soon.:grouphug: pbp

goord thoughts and a buddah belly rub for rudy

:grouphug: for you and Rudy and of course lots of well wishes for Rudy!!!!!!!!

:goodvibes: for Rudy's quick recovery and :grouphug:s for you!

Get well soon, Rudy!!

Don't even have to ask. You know we are all saying an extra :pray: for Rudy. Lots of :goodvibes::fingerscr for your whole family. It doesn't matter how many you have. If one is sick or gone you feel it. :2huggers:

sending lot of :grouphug: :pray::goodvibes: your way. hope he comes home tomorrow!

i agree doesn't matter how many you have you always feel empty when one is missing.

:pray: Get well soon Rudy. :grouphug:

I am so sorry to hear about Rudy. I remember seeing a video on here months back about a guy who had a harness strap thing that went around his dog's chest to help him walk. I see Rudy has a harness on, is that to allow him/her to walk with help from u?


I am sending good thoughts and lots of hugs to Rudy and to you. I hope u get good news in the morning so that Rudy can come back home. :grouphug::grouphug:

Debbie

Awww, lots of hugs for your family and Rudy :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:.

You might want to check with your vet as my understanding is that Tramadol has the possibility of problems with Denosyl. I was going to try that with Lucy (13 years who also has liver problems) but was warned off it :shrug:. I think it is more a possible reaction versus a probable reaction.

I have actually been using some homeopathic stuff recently with some good results that you can consider adding. With Riley when he sprained his back I starting using traumeel http://www.heel.ca/pub/datasheet.jsp?product=28 and it really seemed to help him. I just started using it with Lucy in an effort to reduce the amount of previcox (NSAID) that she is receiving. So far it seems to be helping :shrug:. Lucy also does really well using arnica on days when she is really sore.

Good luck, hope Rudy feels much better :goodvibes: :fingerscr :goodvibes:.

:goodvibes: :goodvibes: for Rudy :fingerscr hope he can come home soon :grouphug:

Thank you so much, all of you. The kind words are so nice.

I just called the vet, so far so good, but she want to keep watching him until this afternoon to be sure all is well.

To answer a few questions:

Tundra Queen, his harness is not for support, he's worn one since he was very young - big shoulders, skinny neck - he slipped out of every collar I ever tried on him.

TeriM - thanks for the question about the Tramadol - I can't remember what dosage he takes, but it is very small and it helped him rest better. The vet has been very cautious about anything we give him, but I may ask about it. As I said, his liver levels have dropped each test, little by little for several years now. But I appreciate the info.

Again, thanks everyone and I will keep posting to let you know.

Diane

Bless him he looks such a sweetheart :lovestruck:

Sending healing hugs and thoughts for Rudy :grouphug:

oh Diane , I'm so sorry to hear about Rudy :sad:

I'm hoping he gets better real soon , it's hard to see our older dogs get ... older :sad:

Sam was on Tramadol for a while before I had to let him go ... he was doing fine on it.

keep us posted on Rudy's condition and good luck ! :goodvibes: :fingerscr :grouphug:

Diane,lots of wellwishes and hugs from here too:goodvibes::goodvibes::pray:
Like everyone says,it does not matter if you have 15 cats/dogs,if one is sick it's heartbreaking.
Hopefully Rudy will have recovered well enough to come home soon,he is a very pretty pup:lovestruck:

Thank again to all that have posted good wishes.....it worked!

Rudy is home and seems quite happy to be home :). He is just like he was over the weekend - prior to the HORRIBLE episode on Monday. He still walks slow, little steps.....that is ok, that is Rudy now at 13 yrs 5 mths.

The doctor still thinks it was a pinched or slipped disc - and warned to keep him from jumping, going up stairs, running, or slipping. The jumping part is easy - he hasn't done any of that for quite a while. The stairs part is easy, except for the two small steps at the back mini-deck. The running will be curtailed, he only did that out in the dog lot if a stray was running about. He now will be tethered inside the lot, with limited area to explore. We'll walk him occasionally on the leash in the entire area. With the tether, we can reel him in if a dog ventures by. (he can't hear us calling, even if he could he doesn't always obey, LOL)

Now for the slipping - lol the kitchen floor was hard for him to navigate. You should see what the floor looks like right now. I dug out all the old bath rugs (the kind with non-slip backing) that we kept for just such a reason - and have plopped them all over the areas he might walk. What an attractive look I have in that room right now! LOL. Someone should call Better Homes and Gardens for a photo shoot! I think we will buy some that at least match.

Anyway, I can breathe a bit easier for now - I am not deluding myself that this has fixed my boy, I just know this latest episode is history. I wanna keep him around, pain free, just as long as I can.

Thanks again for the wishes and good thoughts.

Whew....Diane

I'm glad he's home and better. A slipped disc is no fun! Hopefully you can keep him from overdoing it.

:highfive: So glad he's home!!!! :grouphug:

So glad to hear he is home and doing OK :thumbs up

Thanks, thanks and thanks! He is so tired! He usually sleeps this time of day in my room, but has been within 3 ft of me since he got home, soundly sleeping.

What a simple joy :) (for me too)

Diane

Ummmm, sooooooo, can we have another pic :o :D please.

I'm so happy Rudy's back home with you and your family. :grouphug: for you all!

Ummmm, sooooooo, can we have another pic :o :D please.


he is sleeping now, so here is one of him sleeping, and one from 1996 :)

Diane

I am so glad he is home! And the puppy pic of him is adorable! :D

Debbie

Awww,that puppy-pic is just adorable:lovestruck:but"mature"Rudy is very handsome and it's great to see him home relaxing:thumbs up

Awww, his puppy picture is so cute!!!!!!

I'm glad Ruddy is home and doing better. I hate our much loved pets growing older. I am sure you will do all you can to keep Ruddy around for as long as possible. :cloud9: He is a very handsome "older" gentleman.

I am so happy Rudy is home!!! :grouphug: and the baby rudy pic is just the sweetest!! :cloud9:

Oh, my! Such a sweet puppy face!! :flirt:

Rudy certainly looks happy to be home :thumbs up Very content to be back on his own turf.

I'm so glad he is home !! :thumbs up:thumbs up

and about the bath matts well it's the new rave right now :thumbs up
hope they are multi colored :D:D

QUOTE You should see what the floor looks like right now. I dug out all the old bath rugs (the kind with non-slip backing) that we kept for just such a reason - and have plopped them all over the areas he might walk. What an attractive look I have in that room right now! LOL. Someone should call Better Homes and Gardens for a photo shoot! I think we will buy some that at least match.

:laughing::laughing:
Cute puppy pic. :flirt:

lol zonked out on da floor!!!

awwwwww so cute. I am soooo glad he is home and doign better :grouphug:

Happy to hear Rudy is home & doing well :thumbs up

Puppy Rudy :lovestruck: so cute! :cloud9:

Awwwwww :cloud9: :lovestruck: :cloud9: what a sweet puppy pic. Thanks for posting it.