Need advice............again!!

[Gwenoakes]

Thanks guys.

We have kept the breeder in the loop from the beginning of this, so she is fully aware of everything that has happened.

Wendy would you PM me please? I would try to PM you, but every time I try with someone I cannot get a message through. Thanks.

[Gwenoakes]

Just had the results of the biopsies and Lexi has a form of IBD called easinophilic which apparently is quite uncommon in dogs! They can treat with antibiotic and corticosteroids but the vet has explained that they would prefer not to go down that route because if she needs pain relief for her hips then the two types of medication do not agree with one another, so we are going to carry on with the total diet change and liase with the local vet who referred her. The vet from Herts said that anytime we needed to discuss anything then to just ring which I thought was very good of them.

We have booked Lexi in for hydrotherapy starting this Thurs evening and also going back to Herts vets for physio on Fri morning. We may have to do up to 3 trips to Herts unless we can find a 'good' physio more local. This is the start of her journey which if nothing else looks to be costly and time consuming to say the least, but we will do everything we can to make her life more comfortable and face the hip problem as and when it is needed. Not sure if I said this before but we have stitched 4 Bioflow magnets into her collar and she now has on her bed, under the cover a Bioflow horse rug with lots of magnets in too. Our way of looking at it is, it definitely cannot do her any harm and it may help as it has done us and the horses in the past. Heres hoping.

Thanks for your support over these past weeks, you have been great.

[mrs boodles]

So glad its sorted, Lexi very lucky dog to have such super owners who are so caring. Hope she continues on the upward road to good health Gwen

[aishakali]

Fingers crossed she will go from strength to strength now

[Benny&Co]

Oh bless her heart.

I guess it's good that you now know what you're dealing with Gwen.

How is Lexi in herself, is she still eating and drinking/etc?

We're crossing all our paws for you all Go Lexi, Gwen and family

[madmum]

Hi there........Have you thought about getting her looked at by a Bowen Therapist?I have seen some great results with this sort of treatment which allows the muscles and ligaments to do there work the best they can......!

[wendy]

Good that you are now on the road to making her life easier.
All the dogs I have known that have had hydroptherapy have loved it. So I am sure she will too.
Never heard of easinophillic I am about to goggle it.
Magnets are a good idea, I have known them work on dogs so for little Lexi.

[wendy]

Mmmm interesting. As I said I have never heard of this in dogs [or people] before.
On line they say parasites can cause it or an allergy to hay, etc. etc.
You and the family have had problems haven't you ? and your chooks also.
Makes you think doesn't it.
Oh dear. More questions than answers.

[Gwenoakes]

Thanks. We have thought of other alternative routes that we can take, MM, just that we have to start somewhere, but if those we start with do not work then we will venture further to others. We hadnt thought of Bowen, but had thought acupuncture, so thanks for that, MM.

As far as I know, Wendy there is no prob with hay and the chickens were nowhere near any hay, anyway, well poss some that had been dropped on route to horses, but very, very little.

The vet did say it was important to worm her regularly and thats what we will do, especially if it helps. I was kind of thinking that worming might aggravate the problem, but vet says not, so ..........

She is still eating and drinking, so a good sign for which we are grateful and her motions are quite normal now, sorry cant remember who asked that.

Dont get me wrong she is a long way from being right, but now we know how we can try and help her, the vet did say he can see no reason from the IBD side why she shouldnt have a good quality of life once we get it properly under control.

[wendy]

and that is the key, Gwen. A good quality of life

[Gwenoakes]

Well......I dont know how to tell you this, Wendy, but Lexi hated the hydrotherapy tonight, panic wasnt the word for it. She is booked in for next week but how that will pan out is anyones guess. She lady measured her hips and she is 2" less on her left hip than on her right. In her panic she bumped her left hip and yelped!!

She loves paddling in water up to her chest, but really hated having the water any higher and spent the whole time (10 mins) that she was in the water trying to get back to Clare on the sides. I feel so, so sorry for her, we all know it would be good for her, but we dont want anything we do to her physically to affect her mind. At the moment we seem to be between a rock and a hard place.

She has the physio at Herts vets tomorrow and I cant go with her and Clare because I have promised my other daughter that I will go with grandaughter Chloe to hospital. I really hope that doesnt affect her so badly, but deep down I feel it will because she is still so sore on her left hip.

Any answers/suggestions on a postcard pretty please.........

[wendy]

Whoops, there is always one. Just a shame it is poor Lexi. She may get better once she realises she isn't going to drown.
Physio always hurts to start, but usually works. Poor baby.

[Benny&Co]

Oh poor Lexi

I've no experience of hydrotherapy with doggies or what happens, but could Clare perhaps get in the pool with her? Is Lexi given any buoyancy aids?

Here's hoping that she'll get used to it and it'll help her hips

Hope you get on okay with your grandaughter today at hospital too Gwen

[aishakali]

My Welshie Kali had Hydrotherapy after rupturing her cruciate ligament.She was only in the water for 5 mins the first session. Have to say she didn't like it at all but she gradually got used to it (although she was never very keen). Hopefully Lexie will start relaxing a bit when she knows whats going to happen isn't that bad.

[Gwenoakes]

She has a harness on that they provide, plus something to keep her from sinking. LOL

Grandaughter has been discharged from the hospital outpatients, so another place we dont have to go again. It was for her eyes, she has a nasty squink in the right one and has worn glasses to correct it since she was just under 3 yrs old. She will always have to wear glasses, but she doesnt seem to mind as bother her Mum and I wear them too, so seems quite natural for her.

Lexi had the physio, was very, very mardy for want of a better word as she is obviously sore, so much so that they had to muzzle her and she got it off twice! The physio lady, Clare said was very nice and Clare has decided to go back in 8 weeks to Herts for a progress check. She has lots of exercises to do - from sit to stand, walking over poles which we have to make up, gradually highering the poles, continue with the walking on lead, walking for short periods up slight inclines (we have to find these as we live in quite a flat area), massaging her hips, holding her front end up so the weight is on her back legs, but not too high. Then getting her to step up onto something fairly low to the ground and when she gets stronger gently making her stand on one back leg at a time. She is to wear a figure of 8 elastic band for want of a better word to give some resistance when she is walked, it is a lovely fetching yellow colour, then move onto a red one which gives slightly more resistance. Looks like Clare and I are going to be pretty busy. We have been told to apply cold when she is in pain and a wheat bag that is heated up in the microwave to warm her up before any gentle workouts. Someone is going to be busy, eh? LOL Thanks for still asking about her, it really is appreciated. XX