canine epiphany
When i arrived after class to let the dogs out, the older one (who is on phenobarb for sezuires, and asprin for arthrytis) didn't come to be let out after six or seven hours of me being gone. After searching the house i found him curled up next to one of the arm chairs. I coaxed him out of his bed, but he wouldn't walk down the stairs. This, despite having been obnoxiously active (yep, at um 14+ i think he's 16) the last couple days, even engaging in his sometimes pasttime of destroying a foam doggy bed. I picked him up and carried him down the stairs and he walked around a bit did his business and came back to my feet (not usual, he normally just goes up the steps) and i carried him in. After eating, and getting meds and a rubdown of his obviously stiff back legs he asked to go out again. (1/2 hour elapsed between eating and going out, longer than mother waits but not much) and waited to be carried.
Having watched him limp around and make small shaking motions of his head and not the usual canine lets-see-if-i-can-get-it-all-the-way-around motions, and then watching him come up the stairs the second time out i realized (i don't know if the vet or Mom know this) that he's very dizzy when he acts this way. Given that the weather wasn't too bad today, and the house was left at normal occupied temp i think the dizziness and lack of movement for seven hours caused the stiffness.
Poor Pup, must tell mom this when she gets home.
Having watched him limp around and make small shaking motions of his head and not the usual canine lets-see-if-i-can-get-it-all-the-way-around motions, and then watching him come up the stairs the second time out i realized (i don't know if the vet or Mom know this) that he's very dizzy when he acts this way. Given that the weather wasn't too bad today, and the house was left at normal occupied temp i think the dizziness and lack of movement for seven hours caused the stiffness.
Poor Pup, must tell mom this when she gets home.