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Old August 13th, 2013, 08:23 PM
zigggy zigggy is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Vancouver canada
Posts: 3
Caught between a poop and a wet place. (New Member)

I apologise for the length of the post but I didn't want to leave out any info that may be the one clue needed to resolve this issue. Also, this was laboriously written in my cell phone, so please excuse any words that don't fit or make any sense, it is the result of my phones word auto compete prog called swype.

Although the title is an obvious attempt at humor there is a very serious side to this.

-Background-

Female mix breed dog, estimate 13-14 years old. Rescued animal, was about 6 y/o and abandoned at vets by owner who didn't want to pay a vet bill. She'd been hit by a car, both back legs broken one amputated the other required its knee surgically repaired. There was also some spinal damage as she seemed to have difficulty making her remaining leg do what she wanted it to. Ie-walking with the top of the foot to the ground rather than the pad, and also not being able to use it to scratch her ear very well as it just sort of flops around rather than the rapid movement dogs do when they scratch their ear with a hind leg. This did improve somewhat though and she eventually started to walk on her pad again 6-8 months after the accident.

Current issue

- About 6-8 months ago she developed diarhea. Extremely liquidy diarhea. It was wet season and giardia was suspected and she was put on metronidozole. cleared the diarhea right up. 4 or 5 days later the runs were back. Into the vets for testing, giardia still suspected but not found positive for. More metro diarhea gone. This started a cycle of her being on metro more often than not since then as the metro cleared up the poops, and medical wise the next steps were to be colonoscopy and ultrasound and the money was running thin since as my partner (my mother) in the house we purchased passed away about a year ago, I'm paying the full mortgage and until it is finished in 2 more years money is and will be until that time, very tight. But I digress....So I kept her on the lowest dosage of metro that worked which is 1/2 of a 250mg tab morning and night. All was well until 2 weeks ago at which time she started to have the odd accident in the house (peeing). It was very hot a Vancouver lower mainland summer 30-35 celcius/95-100 farenheit, and I chalked it up to her drinking extra water due to the unusual heat. Unfortunately this doesn't appear to be the case as the temperatures are now much more moderate and the accidents have become much more frequent. At least one a day. Today though I saw something that really put me on the alert. I had just woken up, and was out of bed about 10 minutes. Just gathering my bearings so to speak and getting ready to bring her to the back yard to do her business as I have to help her, at least with the steps. She was laying there, awake, in front of me on her side and urine began gouting out of her full stream. No whining to "hurry up dad, I gotta pee." As she normally would, not really acknowleging she was peeing at all. When I said in a disapointed voice "ohhh Farah!!." she even wagged her tail at me a bit. So she may not even know it's happening. The accidents are not close together in time. Usually when I'm sleeping, or during the 9 hours my job and travel to and from require me to be away from home. An amount of time she had no trouble holding her urine for. Actually, on occasion I've had to work overtime, a 12 hour shift and an hour total driving time, at least twice a month and she has never messed the floor.

I'm worried that it may be the metro but I fear the return of the diarhea more than the pee. I need to have as much info as possible before I go to the vets as I won't be able to afford a bunch of trips to them. I hope you all have some suggestions, of what might be going on here and what should be done about it.

In closing I should say that although this dog is a rather old gal she remains very happy, alert, enjoys her food immensly, and loves the company of myself and even the 3 cats I inherited from my dear old mum. I love her alot and rue the thought of having to put her down. On the other side of the fence, the cold Canadian winter is coming and the days of open doors and windows are quickly coming to a close. I intend to do a good carpet cleaning but if this isn't resolved it won't be long before the place smells like hell again and I'll be locked in a smallish 1100 sqft rancher behind closed doors and windows with a noxious odor and 3 litter boxes to boot.

Thanks in advance for any replies.
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