Here we go again...

[rudyandjjs_mom]

This is long... so sorry...

Since our trip to the vet a couple of weeks ago where JJ was diagnosed with the arthritis in her hip and spine she has had some other problems that are quite troubling. I am taking them both in to the vet today (wish me luck) - Rudy needs his bordatella vaccination and JJ is going to have some bloodwork checked and i don't know what else...
This is what I've been dealing with... Don't know what, if any, are side effects from the Rimadyl or tramodol or if there is something else really going on that we have not found yet. Some of this may be with the food as both have had some type of problems with either diarrhea/loose stools/vomiting since this last bag of Evo... We just pieced that little bit of information together this weekend...
1. This first weekend on the Rimadyl, JJ had 2 large pee accidents, 1 on Friday night and 1 on Saturday night. We attributed this to either the sedation, medication side effect and just adjusted taking her out late in the evening before we went to bed. She usually has a bladder of iron and can hold it forever.
2. Rudy had very loose stools before we put them in the kennel last week but after their 2 days in the kennel both had diarrhea - which JJ usually never ever has - and I fasted them one day and gave them rice and JJ seemed to get better but Rudy's was only minimally better. I will spare you the details of the first evening home from the kennel...
3. JJ has had some minor vomiting during the night a few times. Then on Saturday i was gone all day on a shopping trip with some ladies from church. Chris was watching them - but what he calls watching them is being in his room and coming out occasionally to see if they want out or waiting for them to "tell" him they need to go out. He called me about noon and said that he came out of the room and JJ had peed, pooped and thrown up in the house. He cleaned it up and I gave him a few choice words about how not to just leave them unattended. I couldn't come home because we were 50 miles away on a charter bus.. I call him later in the afternoon to check on her and he said, well, she did it again.. at least she peed and pooped again in the house. He said he had just had them out about 30 minutes before that. I don't know if some of that was attributed to my being gone and she was stressed or what.

I do believe something is going on with her other than the arthritis. Another thing that has been happening since she was on the Rimadyl is that she phantom pees in the yard. She will pee, and then squat again over and over to try to pee. I thought it might be a side effect of the medication and with the death of my aunt and being out of town I just did not have the time to take her in to the vet since it did not seem to be too acute as her appetite seemed fine, she was drinking OK, and seemed generally happy. To both of their disdain, i fasted them all day yesterday. I did given them a few treats during the day but no "food". Rudy wakes me at 3:49 this morning with a lick fit, full blown... he had already eaten a portion of the carpet runner grip pad - ugh... I was up for almost an hour with them until he finally calmed down. Gave him Pepcid, gas-x strips and when he finally stopped eating grass and licking, I gave them a few crackers. I took the time to boil some chicken and rice so it would be cool enough for them to eat at breakfast this morning - which they devoured. I made enough for their evening meal too...

So other than that we've been great!!! Anyway, they are both going to see the vet this afternoon. Hopefully we can get by without breaking the bank too much since we just spent $500 when we were there last. Hooray...Wish us luck... say a prayer... send good vibes... whatever it is that you do... thank you...

[Terry]

I know rimadyl has a lot of nasty side effects. See if there is another anti inflammatory he could put her on. I am so sorry Val, you sure have had your plate full. Hugs and prays coming your and the pups way.

[rudyandjjs_mom]

Yeah, I know that it does - it really did take the pain away. Some days i did not give her both doses but now the prescription is out. she has not had any since Thursday. and I'm not giving her the tramodol either since she seems to be getting up and down, moving around without obvious pain. She is slow which means there is some minor pain but nothing along the lines of how she was when we took her in. I'm really, really worried there is something else going on in her pelvic/abdominal area...

[moondog]

Well this stinks! Baron has been on Rimadyl twice, and both times he had multiple accidents in the house. I hope the vet has some answers for you!

[mezmerelda]

Ugh, I'm sorry Val.

We had Alex on Rimadyl for a short while for her arthritis. I am not sure I will every do that again with any other dog. While she was able to move around better, she was uncontrollable in the house - pee and poop everywhere, and it was not solid poop. She couldn't control it at all. We cut it out until she improved, then tried her on a smaller dose for a while. It didn't produce the ever-so-exciting side effects, but it didn't help her, either. I don't remember her vomiting, but that doesn't mean she didn't. The "phantom pee" in the yard could be related, but I'm wondering if she has a UTI?

Regarding Rudy, if it's been going on for a bit, maybe a general parasite test plus the giardia one would be in order. I'm guessing some antibiotics would fix him up. Lick fits suck.

Sending good vibes.

[Swissies4Me]

Hope the visit goes well today, we're sending out good thoughts and prayers.

You may want to try and get a urine sample from JJ to bring in with you to your appt today just to make sure the accidents and squatting frequently with no actual urination is not a UTI.

Keep us posted.

[sam.i.am]

I'm so sorry, Val.

I would also check on the UTI issue but since others describe similar poop/pee issues on Rimadyl, I hope you can get something else for JJ. We use Deramaxx. We checked Oliver's blood work before starting it, then after 3 weeks and then after a couple months to make sure there is no damage. It's helped Oliver a lot.

You, Rudy, and JJ are in my thoughts today.

[bren]

((hugs)) Val

Hope the vets are able to get everything figured out for JJ and Rudy, and get things back to normal. Poor pups!

[ALDOGMOM]

Wow Val...That's a lot to deal with...

Is it possible JJ could have a stone? Charlotte had one in her later years and the reason I noticed it was because she was squatting all of the time and I realized that nothing was coming out...or it was just a trickle...

Good luck with everybody...Let us know what the vet says..

[rudyandjjs_mom]

thanks for your input... i have already considered the possibility of a UTI ... we will definitely see what we can do about a urine sample for her. Thank God i have old carpet that we will eventually be removing anyway... And the parasite thing we are going to bring up too... Hopefully we can weed through all the variables and come up with something concrete to go with on treatment. I am not ever using Rimadyl again...

BTW, i can't wait for the rubbery stuff to "pass"... I'll let you guys know what we sort out at the appointment.

[Truman's Mom]

Sending good thoughts Val - hope you get answers.

[PurpleRaine]

ALL fingers, toes and paws crossed in hopes that you are able to get everything figured out and appropriate treatments started soon..... Hugs to you...

[Swissy Mom]

Thinking of you and sending good thoughts. Hope the vet can give you some answers.

[rudyandjjs_mom]

Well here is the story... they both have bacteria in their stool probably caused from the stress of being boarded and picking up the bug... he says it is pretty common but usually it only lasts a short time as their immune systems kick it when the stress dies down... I know i'm a medical transcriptionist and all, so i should remember the name of it, but by the time i had sat in that room with the dogs for over 30 minutes waiting for the test results I just wanted to take the meds and run. Spirillum or sporidia... something that starts with sp...

JJ has a UTI... So they are both on antibiotics for 10 days and a bland diet for 3-4 days. Already started that so will keep it up. have to take back another urine sample for JJ in a week to make sure she's getting better.

[mezmerelda]

You have answers, so now you can make them better! I'm glad it's not something more serious.

[ALDOGMOM]

Glad you have answers and it is not more serious than it is...

Geez, you could hire a pet sitter for less than this has cost you!

[rudyandjjs_mom]

yes... so glad it is not more serious... In fact I was very relieved. Now to focus on being ready for my surgery on Thursday....

[Swissy Mom]

So glad it isn't terribly serious and is quite treatable! Hope they're back to normal soon!

[Swissies4Me]

Thank goodness that it's nothing more serious and that treatment should be pretty quick and easy.

[Itsapyr]

That is good news and you just changed my mind about boarding these 2 for a few days in sept.