I need some DU vibes for my precious dog Louise

[Dragonbreathp9d]

She is 13, and up until recently was in high spirits. She is the smartest dog I have ever crossed paths with. Once my mom told her to go back and say good morning to dad, she left the kitchen/den area (the only place she knew she was allowed) went back into my folks' room and "rooroo rouaw". One time I sat with her on the retaining wall, the sun came out from behind some clouds, I told her we should go sit in the shade, she got up, walked over to the shade with enough room for me and sat back down. She knows everyone's names, and different places. She knows me better than most. Now she is hardly eating, she lost 3 pounds yesterday. Unless she starts eating (and I am thinking about trying some "Colorado" medicine) she will loose too much muscle mass for her to support herself. I am truly morose right now, feeling more than I have in a long time, it's just unfortunate it is mournful. I know she is old, especially for a mutt, but I am not ready, and my little sister is still off at college, I need her to at least stick around till she returns. Thanks DU

http://m.flickr.com/lightbox?id=8704292509

UPDATE: she had been in an out of the vet for months- up until this last week they were pretty optimistic- she has been on a restrictive diet for her pancreas but because she's not eating now they said for us to try to get anything into her that's not fatty. She ate some chicken and rice pretty well this morning before she went back into the vet for more IV fluids am some antibiotics for her stomachs in case that's why she's not eating well.

Thanks for everyone's support, the DU community is truly something to cherish.

[Knightraven]

1. Good thoughts to you and Louise.

[Fridays Child]

2. So sorry about your dog.

I hope you can get her in to the vet for a diagnosis.

[eridani]

3. Hold her a lot

She needs so much to be surrounded by love now. Thinking of her and wishing a quick recovery or a peaceful passage.

[zixi]

4. This Story is called "Heaven",,,

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road.

It looked like fine marble...

At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.

When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'

'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered...

'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.

'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'

The man gestured, and the gate began to open. 'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveller asked.

'I'm sorry; sir, but we don't accept pets.'

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.

There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book....

'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'

'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'

'How about my friend here?' the traveller gestured to the dog.

'There should be a bowl by the pump,' said the man.

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.

The traveller filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree..

'What do you call this place?' the traveller asked.

'This is Heaven,' he answered.

'Well, that's confusing,' the traveller said.

'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'

'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope.. That's hell.'

'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'

'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

[In_The_Wind]

10. Excellent!

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[livetohike]

12. Thank you for this and Welcome to DU

[Loryn]

16. Awesome!

[LeftofObama]

5. I'll keep you both in my thoughts.

Please keep us updated.

[lib87]

6. Positive Vibes to You & Louise

I hope you can get a diagnosis from a vet and this is an easily fixable problem.

Either way, we be strong!

[Granny M]

7. Healing thoughts to Louise, and love to her family.

Please keep us posted on how she, and all of you, are. She sounds like a very special dog.

[mimi85]

8. Good vibes from California

I know the feeling, believe me! Our sweet bulldog, Maggie, has been gone almost 5 years now. We miss her every day. Good luck and bestest of wishes!

[Rhiannon12866]

9. I am so sorry, sending all the vibes I've got.

I've adopted older dogs, so I know that fear. Hoping that you take her to the vet and it's nothing serious...


As for uploading a picture from your phone, I belong to Photobucket, have the app on my phone. I upload the pic that I want to post to Photobucket from my phone, then post the direct link on DU. I always preview it to make sure it worked...

[In_The_Wind]

11. Good vibes for you and Louise.

Hold her, love her share your Colorado medicine with her. Cook her favorite special treats to share with her. I hope your vet can help your Louise to feel better.

[livetohike]

13. Sending hugs and vibes for you all

I hope you can find out why she doesn't want to eat. It could be as simple as a sore mouth, or bad tooth. I have been through this many times in my 60 years and it is frightening, but there could be an answer to the problem that is fixable.

[Earth_First]

14. To post a photograph from your phone:

If you have a 'smartphone' you can upload it directly to a photograph hosting website such as Flickr.

You'll have to have a Flickr account, at which point you can look at your photostream where you will right click on the photo and choose properties...copy and paste the url information and paste it into your thread.

If the above does not apply, you'll have to email your photograph to yourself, then proceed with Step 2 where you'll upload it to the sharing website of your choosing...

Good luck, if you need further assistance, let me know!

[Bertha Venation]

15. Dragonbreath

I'm so sorry to hear that Louise is unwell. I'll keep her in my thoughts today. Please keep us updated.

[MrsBrady]

17. take her to the vet?

see what they say.

you might just need to put her on some senior food...

but if she's sick you also wouldn't want your beloved friend to suffer.

vibes to you and yours

[Loryn]

18. So sorry to hear Louise is unwell.

[Kali]

19. aww sorry Louise is not doing well

hope she can be comfortable, I would be careful medicating with that unless you have experience or know somebody that can give safe advice for veterinary applications.

A vet might be able to help with pain relief if that it the problem, or at least give some general advice on the situation.

Good luck.

[Flashmann]

20. Good vibes,BEST vibes

From our 3 very special 4 legged family members,from my wife and from myself.

[RebelOne]

21. Hope Louise recovers. Sending good vibes her way. n/t

[Raffi Ella]

22. I'm so sorry.

I've had a deep bond like that with a dog, I miss her every day- my heart goes out to you. Spend as much time with her as you can.



*When my dog stopped eating my vet put her on prednisone, she regained 8 lbs and it gave her 5 more months.

[narnian60]

23. You are not alone, my friend.

Our Claude is almost 17, and we are taking this one day at a time.

[lunatica]

24. My smart dogs and others I've known

have told me when they're ready to go. There's something about they way they look at you. It's a meaningful look, not a glance. Dogs don't fear death.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

25. vibes for Louise.

[woodsprite]

26. You said she has pancreas problems. Does she have pancreatic enzyme deficiency?

That may be something to ask the vet about.

My shepherd went from 77 lbs down to 54 lbs in a matter of a month or so before we found something that worked for her. She didn't have all the markers for Pancreatic Enzyme Deficiency, but that's what ailed her -- for one thing, she was only 2 yrs old and her numbers from all the tests kept coming back fine. Finally the doc said "Well, nothing we're doing is working. Let's try this." They put her on low fat diet kibble along with a med called Pancrezyme. She gets fed 3x daily with 3 pills crushed and mixed into the food for each meal. She's going to need to stay on that the rest of her life, but in 6 months time, she was back up to a stable 75-80 lbs. She's 6 yrs old now, and seems to be doing great for the most part. The least little bit of differentiation from her regular diet (treats w/ wheat/corn, poo-eating, higher fat food, scarfing down people food) sends her stomach for a loop, it takes a weekend to get her straightened out, but it is working for her.

Sending good thoughts and prayers for both you and Louise.