Bryce has been slightly limping on his left leg for about a month now, so we went to Petco and got him arthritis medicine (the miracle cure) which claimed he would be jumping around in weeks.
Well last night he couldn't get up the stairs, so I carried him up and laid him in his favorite chair (the old Papasan)not sure I spelled that right. Well I woke up this morning to Matt crying hysterically and hugging Bryce. I asked Matt three times what was wrong. I though someone had called with news that someone had died. So I yelled at him to answer me for the fourth time, "Matt.. what is wrong"!
(If you don't know what a papasan chair is.. Heres a picture). Apparently Bryce couldn't get down the stairs very well and fell down the stairs. Now his right leg has given out and he was pulling himself across the floor with his front legs trying to get around.
So we headed off to the emergency vet clinic this morning. They felt around and Bryce wasn't wimpering to show any pain, so they sedated him and took X-Rays.
They told us to come back in an hour so we went to Linens and Things going out of business sale.. (spent too darn much money)
So we came back and the doctor told us that he had arthritis in the left leg and that surgery would be best for that leg. (Okay, As far as we know there is no surgery for arthritis)Have your heard of people having surgery for arthritis? Angie? please tell us.. and that would be at a cost of a couple of thousand dollars. His right leg that was giving out, they could find nothing in the X-Rays and told us that they recommended an MRI and a dye treatment that they could shoot into his blood stream to figure out what the problem was. Another $1000.
They did give us joint medication and told us that the problem could possibly solve itself and he could possibly be back to normal in a week or so. So we chose that route to see if it would heal before spending thousands for no reason.
So we have basically gated off the stairs so that he won't be tempted to go up, laid a huge comforter on the living room floor, and placed the outdoor furniture pads on the hard garage floor. Tomorrow morning, I will create a ramp down the back stairs so he won't have to walk down steps to go potty. I am so not ready for him to show signs of age. He is 11, so I knew it would be coming soon.
It really makes you realize how time flies and how short of a time we have to spend with each other. Its so much harder with pets.. I don't think they understand what is going on and why we as owners take them to the vet to go through so much drama.
ON ANOTHER NOTE: Can someone tell me why when I add a picture now, it comes out in this computer bullcrap code that I can't understand instead of just the picture like it used to be? This is what I get when I download a picture now.
What happened to the simple download and the picture shows up as it was intended?
4 comments:
Well, I am really sorry to hear that Bryce is having challenges. It is hard with pets and infants. They really can't tell you anything, so you can only hope and wonder if they are in pain or not.
I hope the meds kick in and work for him. Keep him comfy and cozy and we will cross our fingers for the best.
I haven't tried to download for a few days, so I don't know what kind of trouble you are having with that. I will play with it and see what happens.
Like most anything else they do have surgeries for arthritis. They can replace a whole joint with prosthetics these days. I don't know a lot about it but from my understanding arthritis is usually a chronic condition and it is all about physical therapy (if you are a D.O. there are several OMT techniques to alleviate symptoms and increase range of motion) and pain and inflammation meds for humans.
Jen needs to get on and comment, she is dealing with arthritis herself and her dog, Tick, also suffers. She may have some answers.
I am so sad for Bryce, it is awful to watch the baby's suffer, and my god the cost of the treatment options is enough to knock the wind out of you. Keep us posted on things.
I'm sorry to hear about Bryce not doing very well. I'm waiting for Tick to fall down the stairs and hurt herself any time now. She has fallen a couple of times as she's started to go up the stairs, but it has only been 2 or 3 steps and she hasn't injured herself.
I don't really have any answers on the arthritis for you. My doctor just tells me to take ibuprophen for the pain, and Tick's vet recommends Rimadyl. Ibuprophin doesn't help me that much, and Rimadyl doesn't seem to help Tick that much.
It's hard to know what to do when your pets start to get old and sick. Tick just turned 12 and that is on the high end of the boxer's life expectancy. She had a tumor removed about 2 years ago and after that I decided that it would be the last time I did something like that. From now on I will do my best to make her comfortable, but I think she's at an age where putting her through the pain and fear of surgery isn't worth prolonging her life for another 6 months. That said, Angie will attest to my hysteria last summer when Tick was vomiting blood and I thought it was the end for her. I will keep my fingers crossed that the medication works and he recovers on his own in the next week or two.
Oh my gosh! I can't imagine him falling down all those stairs. Ouch! Maybe Ava's father could give you some help. What do you think Steph. Would it be worth talking to him about? Give Bryce a hug for me.
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