Thank you for asking @charlie. She has declined both walks today - we will see if she wants to come out when I take Red early evening. She is also not as keen to play with Red. I am still worried about her but less so than the weekend.
It may not be anything to do with her meds. After looking after one chronically ill oldie and another in everything failure I would get her checked and her bloods done to assess her a little bit closer. The pain meds are increased to help with pain but it maybe that this particular medication can't give her enough pain relief without her feeling groggy. I've had to periodically change meds combine meds in order to get the maximum benefit without making the dog unable to enjoy life. Pain meds used carefully and correctly actually enable one dog live a happy pain free life for 18 months . I also had an ultra sound of his organs xrays and various other tests in order to rule out any other problems. If you are not happy with her I would speak to your vet it could be something totally unrelated they get all sorts of things as they get older just like us.
Thank you @SwampDonkey - we won’t leave it too long if we continue to be concerned. DH and I are watching her carefully. It did cross my mind today it might not be her arthritis and the medication. In typical fashion, her appetite is not affected .
A few more worrying days where Sky has not wanted to go on either of her walks. I took her out last evening and she was so slow. We didn’t go far but her head was down and at one point I had to pull her to get her to move which I hated doing but we needed to get home. DH and I were extremely concerned by last night but hey ho - this morning she was at the front door, tail wagging and obviously ‘up’ for the long morning walk.
Oh darling girl, it must be horrible to see her having off days . They put us through the wringer don't they? It's a bit like when the kids were small and were upset about something that had happened -- you get all het up yourself and then they're fine and off to go leaving you in a heap!
Well she lay around all day after the long walk but fair play it was roasting hot here. She then wanted to come out for the short evening walk with Red. We got to the corner of our little road and she just refused to move forward so I had to take her back. Can’t put my finger on it but there is something going on with her - an occasional strange shake/wobble of her head - I have seen it a few times recently. Nobody else has noticed. She hasn’t gone for a walk this morning. She is eating fine.
If she's eating well that sounds positive. I wonder if dogs get the inner ear infection that humans have, making them feel giddy and disorientated? Today's probably a day for not doing much anyway, as it's hot already!
Could Sky maybe have a seed or something in her ear? This hot weather must make her feel a little under par too. I hope she is OK, you too xx
When Belle started to refuse walks - she'd stop and not want to go on, or if off-lead she would turn to head back to the car - she was anaemic so not getting enough oxygen around her body making her really tired. Perhaps consider asking your vet for some blood tests?
Poor Sky and poor you, it is so worrying when something is not quite right and you can't put your finger on the problem. Good luck with getting some answers. I must admit Casper for the first time didn't want to go out tonight..but I think he was too hot.
I'm so sorry Sky is still feeling under the weather, and I hope you find out what is troubling her soon. In the meantime, I'd let her set the pace - just sniff around the garden, if that's all she wants, or a short toddle to the end of the road and back. But I'd see the vet this week, just to check what's going on. Xx
Well after a couple of days of refusing her walks, Sky has been out the last two mornings on the early walk. DH has now noticed the wobble/shaking of her head. It’s very slight but he is very worried about her too. She is eating and going to the toilet fine, gets excited when the frozen kongs come out, still appears in the kitchen when she knows meat is going to be got out for human meals - how does she know this ! I will take her to the vets if anything gets worse but for now loads of cuddles and lots of love.
Sky has not wanted to go out on either of the walks DH does daily for a couple of days. Therefore I have started taking her out on her own. She is very slow and has developed a ‘fear’ of certain parts of the walk. She puts the anchors on and I have to change direction to get her to move. This is new strange behaviour. I have described it to DH and he is baffled too. We are both wondering what’s going on with her. As I don’t need to muzzle her - it’s a pavement walk so she is on lead the whole time, she is doing a lot of sniffing on the grass verges - I let her sniff as long as she wants. I am pleased she is getting some pleasure from that. I feel we have entered a new era and I am not sure we will have the ‘old’ Sky back.
