Recuperation
I haven't written in a while. I meant to, but you know how it goes. We've been dealing with Carter's health issue for a while now. Back in early/mid January, the temperature dropped 40 degrees in one day, and Carter decided that was the last straw. he wasn't going to pee outside any more. And then at all. And right after that happened, Ray left to go to LA for 12 days, and I had to take care of all 3 dogs myself - with Carter not peeing outside, or even walking much, or wanting to eat.
I took him to the vet, and they gave him a ton of medicine and pumped him with fluids. It looked like he had a urinary tract infection, so I got antibiotics for that. I got him a laser treatment for his back, which didn't do much. the vet said he seemed depressed. He stopped taking his medicine from me, so I had to force his medicine down.
When Ray came back, he started eating more and taking his medicine. He still wasn't really walking on his own, but when we'd take him to aquatic therapy, all of a sudden, he'd walk around by himself in the lobby.
I had to buy a bunch of Belly Bands, which are like reusable diapers for male dogs, and I started going to the dollar store every week now to buy a bunch of packages of incontinence pads to put in the Belly Bands to make them last longer.
Yesterday, after weeks and weeks, Carter finally started walking around some on his own. It's getting brighter outside, and the temperature has warmed. i think he has severe seasonal affective disorder. But Ray is set to leave for 5 weeks in April, and I don't think Carter is going to take that well. My mom is going to stay with me while Ray is gone, but hell, it doesn't matter when I'm there, Ray is Carter's PERSON, and he is now getting depressed when Ray isn't there...or in the room... I think we're going to have to get him some Prosac for when Ray leaves.
Our acupuncture vet seems to think Carter has a stroke, because most times when he's walking, he turns to the right only. Actually, when he lays down, he twists himself to the right into a tight ball. I'm having to massage him a lot, which seems to help.
But all of it is very time consuming. He takes 10 minutes to half an hour to eat a meal. He has to be taken outside by himself, because I have to hold him up most of the time, and try to squeeze his bladder.
But he still keeps trying to get up and get better. He still gets excited when he sees Liza, or when we come home, so I know we're not at the end just yet.
But I really will not be able to deal with making end of life decisions on my own while Ray is away at school for 5 weeks. CANNOT. HANDLE. THAT.
I took him to the vet, and they gave him a ton of medicine and pumped him with fluids. It looked like he had a urinary tract infection, so I got antibiotics for that. I got him a laser treatment for his back, which didn't do much. the vet said he seemed depressed. He stopped taking his medicine from me, so I had to force his medicine down.
When Ray came back, he started eating more and taking his medicine. He still wasn't really walking on his own, but when we'd take him to aquatic therapy, all of a sudden, he'd walk around by himself in the lobby.
I had to buy a bunch of Belly Bands, which are like reusable diapers for male dogs, and I started going to the dollar store every week now to buy a bunch of packages of incontinence pads to put in the Belly Bands to make them last longer.
Yesterday, after weeks and weeks, Carter finally started walking around some on his own. It's getting brighter outside, and the temperature has warmed. i think he has severe seasonal affective disorder. But Ray is set to leave for 5 weeks in April, and I don't think Carter is going to take that well. My mom is going to stay with me while Ray is gone, but hell, it doesn't matter when I'm there, Ray is Carter's PERSON, and he is now getting depressed when Ray isn't there...or in the room... I think we're going to have to get him some Prosac for when Ray leaves.
Our acupuncture vet seems to think Carter has a stroke, because most times when he's walking, he turns to the right only. Actually, when he lays down, he twists himself to the right into a tight ball. I'm having to massage him a lot, which seems to help.
But all of it is very time consuming. He takes 10 minutes to half an hour to eat a meal. He has to be taken outside by himself, because I have to hold him up most of the time, and try to squeeze his bladder.
But he still keeps trying to get up and get better. He still gets excited when he sees Liza, or when we come home, so I know we're not at the end just yet.
But I really will not be able to deal with making end of life decisions on my own while Ray is away at school for 5 weeks. CANNOT. HANDLE. THAT.