Re: 5/7 Latte AMPS-367 Cant walk! UPDATE BELOW
Hi Everyone,
Im sorry its taken so long to update personally. This is really hard. :sad:
When I got Latte home,I let her out of her carrier right by her water bowl because I knew she was thirsty. She couldnt stand, fell over,and knocked the container of water over too. Her walking seemed even worse to me. Well, you really cant call it walking. She was laying on her right side and scooted. If she tried to get her legs under her and had ANY success she would just fall and lay there. She did this for about 10 min around the house. I tried to figure out where she wanted to go and help her there, but that just made her more scared. Finally I just put her in the carrier as I tried to move some things around in the apt, including my bed....took it off the frame and put it on the floor. I figured this way if she was under the piano we would be at the same level and I could sleep next to her. I think I started hyperventilating during this process,shaking,and crying a lot. I cant even begin to explain how hard it was to see her frantically trying to get around the way she did. And worse, knowing she needed something - food, water...but couldnt get it and wouldnt let me help.
I gave her a shot of bupe and called Amy (amy's winston) to see if she would come over after work. Bless her huge heart (its making me cry again as I type this)...she dropped everything at work and came over immediately. We tried to come up with a way to make a space for her where everything would be right there (food, water, litter, bed). I think it is finally done, under the piano. Never in a million years did I think I would spend a night or more with my head almost literally in a litter box. But that is the way it is set up and MIGHt work for her, if she can get in it or chooses to use it. We may try to hang a gerbil type water bowl from the piano, LOL. Still, Im sure she will insist on sliding herself and figuring out a way to drink water from her silly cottage cheese containers. Amy ran out to get some stuff for us because I dont think Latte can be left alone. If she gets up, or tries to do anything she could easily make things worse...if in fact she has injured her back.
The vet thought, from the xrays, the last vertebraes from the pelvic area? Tail? has no more space between them. I guess that would be cartilidge or fluids to protect them from rubbing against each other...so its gone now? He said her xrays may have looked like that 2, 4, 6+ months ago, but we dont know because the last one's were a year ago. Its possible its been this way and she moved wrong...maybe a buldged disc? There is really no way of knowing other than MRI. And from there she would need surgery. Neither of these are options for both financial and well...age/current condition. She is wearing down in every which way. she is old. So the best we can do is give her pain meds. Bupe and tramadol are really all I can give because of kidney failure from the NSAID. This is the time that Im not too afraid of the pain meds because this is 100% QOL issue. If she has not improved by Monday ...here come more tears...I need to make a decision due QOL. Amy is really trying to help me not go there, and be in the present. Im really doing my best.
I should note that a similar thing happened at the time of Latte's FD diagnosis. For 2 days she could only scoot on her butt. It slowly got better on the third, fourth, fifth day..but she never quite walked the same since. I would say this time is worse because there is a huge balance issue. ITs like its very one sided. At least she could kind of sit the last time. She really cant this time around. I guess Im holding onto hope that we will have a similar outcome. it was never really determined why or what caused the last episode.
So she spent some time under the piano. She ate a little kibble that I put under her nose. She also ate about 1/2 jar baby food at the vet. And funny girl, was sniffing the treats on the check out counter at the clinic, through her carrier. It was really cute. I gave her a handful (it was actually kibble). She gobbled that up on the way home. She did manage to move from under the piano to the throne eventually. It was an incredible effort. Earlier she tried when I was in the kitchen and I came to find her laying at the bottome of the chair staring up at it. Very sad. So maybe the bupe is helping? She is sleeping very soundly and has appeared comfortable when just laying there. Very gracious of pets and Amy and I oggling over her.
I dont know what to do about her insulin. She went down to 130ish today. Maybe lower, I dont know because it was not priority to check. Her +9.5 was 170. Im not certain I can get a lot of food in her. I have no idea if she will continue to eat kibble from my hand or babyfood from the spoon. She wont physically be able to stand at her food bowl and eat. I guess same dose tonight since she will probably bounce and just be ready to karo her gums if I need to? I dont really want to deal with a hypo situation on top of this. But her high numbers wont help much either, as she will become terribly thirsty with little ability to quench it on her own.
Im so grateful for all the support. My phone was going in/out of service while at the vets. But when I could check, it meant the world to me. I wished each and every one of you could have been there to give her a kiss on the head. Eventually I had to stop reading because I was fighting tears the entire time. I will try to read all of them to her later tonight. Though she is pretty doped up. Thank you soooo soooo much for your kind words. Thank you Venita for calling us. And HUGE thanks to Amy for running our errands so I dont have to go anywhere all weekend, but next to Latte. I hope someday I can repay everyone who has tried to make this process easier for Latte and I.
Regarding the bupe....It is on back order everywhere. The vet said they cant get it straight from the company, but can get it through their compounding pharmacy. So you could have your vet check into that. I was given 2ml, which they put in a vial this time. Now I can draw up my own amount, without wasting half a syringe. I gave her .03ml.
I will keep trying to check in and let you know how her night progresses. I wont be getting any sleep.
