Lightning&Stomps

This morning I made an appt. for 4 p.m. to talk to my vet about Lightning's ever-increasing clinginess and agitation. At about 1:30 I walked into my living room, which has brand new carpet, to find fresh blood spots sprinkled here and there. Turns out Lightning had blood dripping from his nose. Well I panicked! I called the vet to see if I could bring him in earlier, but the vet was out doing surgeries. The blood flow slowed down, and I agreed to wait until my 4 o'clock appt. I also was taking the cat in for an issue he would rather I not discuss. So I cleaned the blood from the carpet (stainblocker is GREAT!), and kept Lightning in the kitchen until his appt. When I grabbed the cat to put him in the carrier, he peed on me and on the carpet. After I got him in the carrier, I tried to find where he had peed on the carpet to clean it up, but couldn't. Then I loaded Lightning up and off we went. After I got Lightning into the vet's lobby, his nose started bleeding again. It was awful. I was already so upset about his behavioral changes, and then to see blood flowing out of his nose, I just lost it. The poor vet techs could hardly get any info out of me, I was crying so hard. Turns out he just had a scratch or something in his nose. The vet thinks it is because his nose is super dry. Then we started talking about his behavior changes, and I totally lost it again. He thinks it is primarily due to his failing eyesight and hearing and his arthritis. So he gave me some pain meds to add to what he's already taking for arthritis. If alleviating the pain doesn't help his behavior (which I don't beleive it will), then we'll add an anti-anxiety med to the mix. He's almost to the point where he has more pills in his food bowl than kibble. I love older dogs, but I've never had one go through something like this. Anyhoo, just wanted to whine to people who understand. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

roostershmoo

Oh, i am so sorry! I understand what you are going through. It is so hard once our pups get old and ail.

Get well, Lightening!

murraysmom

Oh, I'm sorry- it sounds like a horrible day. I understand how you feel about Lightning. As Murray ages and I see him deteriorate physically (he's recently started having mild seizures) I've cried over him too. I hope Lightning has a better day tomorrow.

miss.abbey.road

i hope everything evens out for him and he is comfortable.. goodthing he has such a loving careing mommy. hope for better days tomarrow and beyond!! hugs drools and belly rubs

__________________
Fetch? Sit? Stay? Those are some weird names for a treat... Can I just have it already?

Ed's best friend

I am so sorry for your bad day. I know you will have some good ones to even things out. Two weeks ago, Louie had peed on the carpet. I only noticed as I was walking barefoot in the living room. He was on 80 mg of prednisone. I just lost it. I cried and cried, and he looked so guilty. I know now that I was crying not because of the carpet at all. It was my frustration that he was so sick. Somehow I think he knew that and I think Lightning knew it too.

Orion

Hugs for you and Lightning and hoping for a better week!

bubbad

I don't know if I can give enough of the information to help but my next door neighbor's 16 year old boxer mix was having behavior issues such as Lightning's and he looked up" canine dementia" ,I think,and found something that made him think this was the problem,went back to the Vet with his info and they agreed .Whatever meds he was given helped him for a short while before other health issues took over. I know I 'm not helping much, since I rarely see my neighbor,unless he has his new dog out (too cold for now)I can't ask him what that was exactly that he came up with but maybe if you checked out about Dementia it may give you a clue or point you in the right direction.Maybe.

Wworm

that does sound like a bad day. my person wouldn't like it if i wuz dripping blood on the floor. and i wouldn't like it if my person wuz dripping blood on the floor. glad to hear it wuz only a scratch or dry nose!

sorry 'bout ur bad day. wehopes the rest of the week gets much, much bettah.
--Worm

__________________
see what the Worm is up to: http://bassetworm.blogspot.com/

Princess Buttercup

Poor Lightening & Lightening Owner/Caretaker/Lover. Happy healing to Lightening & Keep on Whining on to Lightening Owner/Caretaker/Lover, we will ALWAYS keep on listening on. Besides it wasn't whining at all... more like show & tell... well more tell, less show really. Hang in there & Lightening told me he loves you.

jaleely

I'm sorry hun. I do not envy you in this. It must be so, so hard to see him going through all of this. It's just getting older, unfortunately. He has you, though, and he loves you. If he could tell you he appreciates all you do for him, i know he would.

My mom...who is older, and has tons of medical problems (yes, relating my mom to a dog here...lol which is okay because i love dogs!) has a super dry nose *lol* and when she gets nosebleeds, she sticks a q-tip with neosporin on it, up her nose!
You could try that for lightening...or use a bit of tissue rolled into a long twist, and put some vasaline or neosporin on the end and twist it up his nose, if you can get him to let you.

What other meds is he on? I know Bowser (who's not yet 2) was on adequin shots for his knuckled over knees. It really helped him, actually. Is that something your vet has recommended yet?

__________________
Baby Bowsah's Bwog