Vizlsa - Vestibular Disease - Week 6

Today is the last day of week 6 of Lucy's vestibular disease, or is it really vestibular disease??  I'm not so sure anymore...perhaps a stroke??

I didn't see much change in Lucy this week.  Still with the tilted head and bewildered.  She's still leaking, more so at night.  Lucy was diagnosed with a UTI and more meds were given to her.  She's on Cefpodoxime Proxetil 200mg, one pill a day.  It seems like giving the pills smothered in peanut butter is the easiest way.  I've been giving her Dramamine on her real dizzy days.  Her energy level is low, probably from all the meds.  She's eating good and still drinking a lot of water, but I'm limiting the amount.  I bought some doggie diapers in hopes to save time on laundry.  I just use them at night, but they're not working.  Even though I add an additional pad to the diaper, she is soaking through them and leaking from the side of the diaper.  It's a real struggle.

Bewildered...hiding in the closet.

My poor baby girl. 😢😢😢

Sporting her doggie diapers.

Vizsla - Vestibular Disease - Week 5

Today ends week 5 of Lucy's vestibular disease battle.  Really no changes.  She still has the tilted head, vertigo, and little bladder control.

I took both Lucy and Ralphie to the vet yesterday.  What a fiasco... taking both dogs at the same time!  I made the appointment during their slow time, but it was a struggle handling both dogs myself.  Ralphie just needed his heart worm test and Heartguard.  Lucy had her follow-up check-up, UTI screening, and heart worm test.  The doctor is speculating she may have a UTI because of her lack of bladder control.  I'll get the results next week.  But in the meantime, she gave Lucy antibiotics, Clavamox 375mg, take twice a day for 7 days.  Hopefully this will help!  I'll be ordering Lucy some doggie diapers today.  That should help with less laundry.

If Lucy still has the vestibular symptoms in 2 months, the vet recommends tests and more tests.  I really don't think they can do anything if she had a stroke for the after effects.  But we will see.  The vet bills are starting to add up.  🙁

At the vet. You can see Lucy has little control of her head.

Tilted head Lucy. Ralphie was a handful for his doctor's appointment.

Vizsla - Vestibular Disease - End of Week 4

Week 4 is coming to an end and I'm beginning to worry a lot.  I thought Lucy would be pretty much recovered by now.  In some ways she is, like she's walking better and not flopping around. She's eating, however being very picky.  Her head is still tilted and many times I see her just standing with a look of bewilderment.  She has no bladder control.  Urine is leaks out of her when she's sleeping.

I'm going to call the vet tomorrow but I know they will want to start costly tests, which I can't afford. I understand this can run into thousands of dollars and being a one income household I just can't afford it.  I'm praying so hard that she recovers.

I'm scared for my Lucy.

Vizsla - Vestibular Disease - Week 4

Wow I can't believe a couple of days ago began week 4 of Lucy's struggle with vestibular disease.  She's getting better very slowly but sometimes it seems like she's takes a few steps back.  For example, she wouldn't eat yesterday, but today she's eating.  Her head is still hangs low and tilted.  She's able to walk but still loses her balance.  Still can't jump up on the bed.  Today while outside she was standing outside in a daze, tail tucked low, and had a difficult time moving.  It looked like she was having dizzy spell.  I gave her a couple of dramamine and it seemed to help.  She still doesn't have full control of her bladder, but that's getting better too.  She took her last prednisone pill yesterday, so her peeing should be tapering off soon.  On the positive side, Lucy has a lot of energy, eating pretty well, and walking better.  Time and love will heal her to 100%.

Vizsla - Vestibular Disease - Week 3

Yesterday was Sunday, September 23rd beginning the third week of Lucy's vestibular disease.  It was not a good day.  I went out for a few hours yesterday with my daughter.  I came home and found Lucy in Ralphie's crate.  I knew something big is wrong.  Why is Lucy in Ralphie's crate??  I walk in the living to see my heavy floor lamp on the floor shattered.  The ceramic lamp was crushed along with the all broken glass involved.

I lifted the lamp upright, but it was on the
floor with the shattered glass.

Thankfully Lucy wasn't hurt but she was all shook up, very frightened.  It seemed like she regressed yesterday,  back to square one.  She was flopping around everywhere.  Very scared.

I decided to work from home today to watch Lucy after her horrible day yesterday.  She seemed better today.  Still doesn't have her balance, still with a tilted head.  But it was good to be with her all day to keep an eye on her.  She slept most of the day.  

It's a challenge to work from home without all my office things.  At the office I work with three computer monitors and at home I only have my laptop, which makes a few tasks difficult to do.  Plus I don't have all my daily information on hand at home.  But I'll work at home when I absolutely need to...and Lucy is a perfectly good reason.  However, I definitely feel micro-managed at home.  Eyes are on me all day long.  See for yourself in the picture below...LOL

Ralphie...the
micro-manager!

Vizsla - Vestibular Disease - Week 2

Sunday, September 16, 2018
Today begins the second week of Lucy's battle with vestibular disease.  I'm seeing progress but oh so long way to go.  She fell out of my bed this morning landing on her back.  She just jump up clumsily, very startled.  Still very dizzy, disoriented and no control of her head.  She took a short walk around the block this morning and POOPED!  Yay!!  It's been a week since she had a bowel movement.  The pumpkin in her food must have really worked.  We're taking one day at a time...soon Lucy will be good as new!

Today is Saturday, September 22nd which ends the second week of Lucy's vestibular disease journey.  Lucy is still taking the prednisone every other day.  It's making her really thirsty and she's peeing a lot.  I feel bad for her because the urine just leaks out or she can't hold it in.  I'm up about four times during the night to take her outside to pee.   I'm using pee pads, covers, and  old towels to protect the sofa cushions and bed.  I've been washing all these coverings every day this past week.  Tons of work!

Lucy is doing pretty good otherwise.  She's walking but loses her balance periodically.  Her head is still tilted to the right which hasn't improved.

She lost some weight but she's eating pretty good now.  She still wants me to pamper her and bring the bowl of food to her on the couch and sit next to her while she eats!  I know she can eat from her bowl on the floor because she drinks her water that way, but she still needs that special attention until she's 100 percent.  I'll do whatever it takes so she eats.

There is something to be said nurturing a helpless animal back to heath.  I feel closer to Lucy than I ever did before.  I think she feels the same.  I just LOVE her so much!

Vizsla - Vestibular Disease - Week 1

Sunday Afternoon - September 9, 2018
I had a fun day today with my daughter and grand baby.  We went shopping and had lunch.  My daughter dropped me off at my house around 5pm.  I discovered that Lucy threw up on the rug.  I thought it was from the grass that she may have eaten.  She went outside and did her business, came back in the house and threw up again.  She didn't eat that evening and threw up some phlegm a little later.

Monday - September 10, 2018
I went to work today figuring Lucy had just an upset stomach and she'll be fine.  She did not eat her breakfast, but she did go on our morning walk and seemed okay.  She walked in a normal way and was in good spirits.
I came home from work anticipating if Lucy ate the food that I left out for her.  Ralphie came rushing to the door to greet me in his normal way.  As usual, Lucy didn't greet me at the door but darts out of my bedroom to the back door to go outside.  And that she did but she was flopping all over the place, she couldn't stand, her head was hanging in a tilted way.
I called my daughter frantically to tell her Lucy's condition.  How can this happen to my 3 year old baby girl!  I rushed her to the vet.  I had to carry her to the car ... 50 pounds of dead weight...ugh.  The doctor examined her and was pretty confident she has vestibular disease by her symptoms.  The doctor recommended to treat her for vestibular disease with medication and see how she feels in a week.  I was given dramamine to help her dizziness, ear drops for an infection, antibiotics, and prednisone.  Poor Lucy is really, really sick.

Tuesday - September 11, 2018
I worked from home today to nurse Lucy through the day.  Her condition is extremely bad.  She's not eating or drinking water.   It's difficult to give her the pills.  I actually have to stick the pills down her throat with my finger.  She can't walk.  She just sleeps on the couch.  It's been a stressful, sad day.  My once active, persnickety Lucy is totally helpless.

Wednesday - September 12, 2018
I went to work today but had a camera on Lucy all day to watch her while at work.  She didn't move from the couch.  She did not eat today...she hasn't eaten since Sunday morning.  I'm really worried.  I don't see any improvement.  I called the vet, left a message for the doctor.  I didn't get a return call.  I decided to start feeding Lucy baby food through a syringe just to get some kind of nutrition in her.

Thursday - September 13, 2018
I took today off but I had to go with my daughter to her doctor's appointment.  The vet called me.  I told the doctor I'm really worried that Lucy hasn't improves and still not eating.  She prescribed Diazepam which should help her with the vertigo and increase her appetite.  I gave her a half pill and it seems to be working.  Yay!!!

Friday - September 14, 2018
Lucy lost some weight.  Her harness is so loose.  I use it to take her outside so she doesn't fall in the pool.  She's still flopping all around, very dizzy with a severe head tilt.  But she is eating...yay!!

Saturday - September 15, 2018
I can see Lucy is improving.  She's still not eating her normal kibble, but she is eating wet dog food and gobbling up human food that she loves.  She is still unstable but able to get around by herself with a flop here and there.  She can jump up on the couch but not my bed yet.  I still can't trust her loose in the backyard because of the pool.  She actually took a short walk around the block today. I was hoping she would poop on our walk...she hasn't pooped since Sunday morning...that's a whole week!  I gave her some pumpkin in her food today, hoping that'll get her to move.

This past week has been a rough week for Lucy and for me!  My arms are bruised and pulled my back out from lifting her and carrying her outside.  It's been so hard. When I lift her she's all over the place, kicking legs, legs up in the air, head hanging down.  I can't even explain how difficult it's been for me.  She's so helpless and I'll do whatever it takes to bring her back to herself.  LOVE.

We Are Family

I love my Ralphie and Lucy so much but why oh why do they follow me everywhere...LOL  If I'm  relaxing on the sofa and they're snoozing...I get up, they get up and follow me to the kitchen, the bedroom, anywhere in the house.  They even follow me to the bathroom and shower...geesh no privacy.  LOL  There's nothing like your pooch sitting in the bathroom, staring as you're soaking and relaxing in a nice hot bath.  LOL  

My inquiring mind turned to Google to figure out this behavior.   I learned because dogs are pack animals, it's their instinct to do everything with their family.  Ralphie and Lucy look at me as a part of their family.  They love me so much and want to make sure we do everything together.  So sweet.

They are the best.   Ralphie and Lucy...follow me anywhere you want, anytime.  I love the both of you as much as you love me.  

In the bathroom.

In the shower.