RIDDICK COULD HOLD HIMSELF UP TO DO A #2 AND WALKED AWAY BEFORE NEEDING TO SIT DOWN!! I was there, ready to hold him up, and catch him if I needed to, but I didn't actually have to brace him! YAY!!!
Just caught up on how well Riddick is doing ,you must be delighted,he looks pretty chuffed in the photo with his treat ball too....Taking everything slowly is working.....he's been so debilitated by his condition that just getting back his general fitness will take time ....little by little he's gaining his strength ,keep going Riddick! X
Thank you @MF and @Dexter Today he didn't seem significantly better than yesterday, so I keep telling myself to be patient.
Thanks @SwampDonkey - I keep reminding myself Yesterday afternoon he actually managed to lift his right leg to pee for a few seconds before he needed it to stand on!
I have been away, but just read this great news, Go Riddick, keep on going and you are a wonderful lady
Hi Angel Got your reply in Massachusetts thank you so much! My Daisy is on potassium bromide and we'd like to possibly switch her to something more holistic. She seems different at times such as not listening, choosing rocks instead of toys, and seems less playful at times. Here is the possibility this is just her getting older because she is almost two. I am so sorry to hear about your Riddick. ☹️ He is in my prayers.
Hi Stacie, I know nothing about epilepsy in dogs, sorry, but I do know that Labradors picking up rocks is completely normal behaviour You want to stop her doing it, because of the danger to teeth through wear or breakage, but I found with my girl, swapping it out for a pine cone worked well and, in time, she stopped with the rocks. My boy became a bit rock obsessed at around 18 months or so, but I'd just swap the rock for a treat and carry on with the rock in my bag, until I could find a place to drop it, unseen. He grew out of that after a few months.
Shoowee... Today has been long and hard. As much progress as our Riddick has been making with mobility - and its 17 days with no seizures, his diabetes is out of control... Its almost as if the Pb was helping keep his diabetes sorted, and as it works its way out of his system we've lost control! His evening readings have skyrocketed, and the morning readings we do get are also high (its almost impossible to get a morning reading with cold ears). He is definitely stronger every day - he is now even trying to lift his leg to pee! A #2 still needs a little help if he hasn't had time to have a rest... He has also managed to get himself up onto his feet without help a few times. A friend of ours saw him on June 7th, when he was at his worst, and she couldn't believe the change in him when she saw him yesterday again! But one huge complication of his diabetes is thirst and increased urination - as in a single pee will last over 2 minutes! And he will put away half a 5L water bowl without blinking! He's now also not sleeping through the night again - like when his diabetes was first diagnosed - because he needs to pee, and he's thirsty. And having to pee so much wears him out because he can only hold himself up for so long! And he's lost some weight. I'm guessing close to 2kg, but we'll have to get him back to the vet to check. We spoke to our vet a week ago, when I was first really concerned about his sugar readings, and he said we needed to get him mobile again because the lack of mobility and extra exertion would affect his sugar, and we needed to first fix the mobility before we could change his insulin dose again, else we don't know what is working and what isn't! I just can't win!!!! My poor boy...
Ach man, so sorry. You are trying so hard to help Riddick. I hope he manages to get more mobile soon so that the increased exercise can help him. Are there exercises you can do that don't require his standing up? Like lifting his head and placing it down again -- like a game? Or pushing a ball away with his nose. Do you have any hydrotherapy you can get access to?
I'm battling a bit to keep him moving @MF... He's so worn out after a trip outside, he sleeps like the dead! Even Riggs pulling on his ears doesn't get his eyes open! And as much as I wish I could take him to Doggy Paddle (the hydrotherapy place closest to me), he doesn't like water 'coz he can't see - he never has - although I don't doubt they could get him okay with the underwater treadmill, but we just can't afford it! :'( He already costs us over R3K a month - if he doesn't have a trip to the vet for a sugar curve or for something else during the month as well...
Riddick managed to have a short pee with one leg cocked today! He's walking around more and more, touring the garden a little to check on the smells before he has a pee or has water. He still needs some help for a #2 though. He's also managing more and more to get himself up onto all four feet even on our slippy tiles. We're still seizure-free so the Pexion seems to be working, and he only has one more day of the one Lethyl Phenobarbitone tablet tomorrow morning, and then it will be another four to six days before it is worked out of his system. In the next couple of days we will have to start focusing on his diabetes again, and making a plan to get him to full strength. Its wonderful having my Riddick back to his noisy self!
Ah man! Seeing our Riddick actually getting to some of his favourite places to nap (on his back with his legs up the wall), and walking around the garden a bit before he has a busy... Makes my heart so happy!! He still needs help to get up onto all fours sometimes, and he still gets tired after a walk and a busy, but he's come so far. I can now leave him to chill in the garden for a while, and he barks when he wants help.
