Mik is gone...

[Tikobird]

Re: Mik is gone...

Thanks All!!

[Dollydog]

Re: Mik is gone...

Well Bob it certainly sounds as if the two of you are taking VERY good care of each other!
Lady's been gone 7 months and I still check sometimes to make sure she's not under my chair.
Jo-Ann & my Dollydog angel

[robertpri]

Re: Mik is gone...

Well Bob it certainly sounds as if the two of you are taking VERY good care of each other!
Lady's been gone 7 months and I still check sometimes to make sure she's not under my chair.
Jo-Ann & my Dollydog angel

Well, it's only been about 10 days or so, but at night, I still begin to prepare Mik's meds for the am feeding.

Mak has become a sort of phantom. I very quietly go into the kitchen, and then turn around to look down. There is Mak at my feet.

Amazing.

[robertpri]

Re: Mik is gone...

I have nothing to add about k9 diabetes, but wanted to update Mak's condition. People here have asked about him.

It's been six weeks since Mak lost his brother, and his "clingy" behavior has not changed. He is my shadow. He had two bad days of coughing so off to the vet for a shot of Torbugesic to calm him down. Vet said it would make him sleepy.

Well, sleepy was an understatement. Mak almost became comatose, barely able to walk. He would crash in one place and try to hold his head up.

I called the vet for a 'call back' and meanwhile googled this medicine. It's a pain reliever, but with very short life. Vet called back and confirmed this, but many hours later, Mak was no better. Off to the vet and he gave another shot, something to offset the Torbugesic. That worked well enough, and I was given Tramadol to help Mak's pain.

That seems to work, but it's so bitter I have to force the 1 CC of liquid with a syringe. Of course, Mak is smarter and stronger than me, so it's an adventure. Once he swallows it, Mak goes into the other room and sulks for an hour before returning to eat.

But he seems better.

I've reduced his meals so he is down to 13.5 lbs, and his coughing\hacking is better. Less pressure on his heart and lungs. He also has a new "spring" in his steps which pleases us both.

bob

[peggy0]

Re: Mik is gone...

Nice to hear from you Bob and glad to hear Mak has a new spring in his step!! The old guys are always a challenge but have alot to give. I'm sure you are enjoying your shadow!

[CarolW]

Re: Mik is gone...

Bob - thanks for reporting! Hope Mak continues to do a bit better! It can get scary when medication makes them so sleepy!

Please keep us posted!

Great to see you back. you wonderful DogDaddy!

Sun, 16 May 2010 18:27:21 (PDT)

[k9diabetes]

Re: Mik is gone...

Yikes! That must have been scary!

I am very happy to hear that some things are going better for Mak.

Would he take a pill wrapped up in something like a Pill Pocket?

Tramadol comes in tablets. They are kind of large but I'm trying to get 1/4 of one into my cat. Currently he's refusing all of his pills but generally I've been successful by putting the pill into a clear gelatin capsule (I got them at www.capsuline.com) and then putting that into something like cream cheese or, in Mak's case, peanut butter or a Pill Pocket would be good choices. But as I recall you've tried some of these things before so I don't know if it would be any better.

My problem with liquids, as you know too, was that we wound up wearing most of it. I remember well your story of being covered in... pink, wasn't it?

I know Mak must be so happy to have you there to care for him.

Natalie

[robertpri]

Re: Mik is gone...

Would he take a pill wrapped up in something like a Pill Pocket?

Tramado comes in tablets. Natalie

Mak can 'sense' medication as he enters the kitchen. Or, so it seems.

I have not had much luck disguising pills from Detective Mak, but did have some success with stuffing them into Cheerios' holes.

I read that tablet form is perhaps the most common, but vet gave me liquid. He wants to see if Mak's hacking and coughing improve, and it's really hard to say.

He hacks as much, but maybe not so intense. Vet is leaving to me [and any possible improvement] to see if the meds are worth the effort.

[Patty]

Re: Mik is gone...

Glad you posted Robert. I'd been wondering how things were going too. I do hope the Tramadol helps the hacking some.

Patty

[Patty]

Re: Mik is gone...

Hi Robert,
Just wanted to leave a note for you if you stop by. Wondering how you and Mak are doing.
Take care,
Patty