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  1. #1
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    I am so Scared and Anxious

    I don't know how i'll get thru the summer. I KNOW my anxiety and fears don't help anything and that I need to relax and enjoy Rocky but I just can't. I KNOW I am being over dramatic/melodramatic but i just can't bounce back.

    We were at the vet yesterday. While Rocky is good in many ways, and we've really done good on keeping him mobile, his LP has quickly escalated.He "pants" at 15 degrees celcius (with cooling vest, under 10 minutes). now, I know panting is normal but the vet saw videos and said that's not normal panting but breathing issues and we want to avoid that. We are gonna be shut in all summer I had him outside today at 25 deg c ((77 F), for under 10 mins just puttering in the shady area on the side of my yard (not a walk i just wanted him to pee). And we're gonna have bouts where even overnight it doesn't go under 20C (68 F)

    I am PETRIFIED he will have a breathing crisis and we'll be at the vet. I live alone with no car so while I've got a list of contacts this isn't a straight forward thing. Even if I have a car, I have to get him downstairs and in the car.

    I am just scared. Can I go back to only worrying about his back end please? LP is horrendous. I don't know how I'll even get him to pee and poop in this heat. and what kind of life is this if he can't go outside?

  2. #2
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Oh, so sorry he is having such difficulty. Have no experience with LP. Sending prayers and mojo.
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  3. #3
    Senior Dog janedoe's Avatar
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    I think that you're putting too much on Rocky's previous schedule. Things have changed. It's fine if he's inside as long as he's comfortable. Go out at night when it's cooler. I know it's disappointing and I'm so sorry. We've had to make a lot of adjustments in the last year and it throws us for a loop every time but they have to be in a space where they're best off. Maybe it's just time for Rocky to become an indoor dog, chilling out on a dog bed in front of a fan.

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  5. #4
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    he is currently fine in the house, the house is being kept at the same temp (i am testing but maybe 1 degree higher) than all winter. with fans in fact i find it cold and my electrix bill will be nice but i prefer knowing he's ok. it's likely for one summer. and i have to ensure he has cooled down to use the stairs. i am learning little things - making hom walk back and forth for kibble = too much exitement = panty. but i can do it with cuccumber or other treats.

    i can try to do some trips to dog stores with ac and walk there though i have some
    concerns (i can cool the car before he goes in to get there but not after we are done.
    i could have his cooling bad and a

    i worry about him peeing. i can probably try a few things there - i'll have to. the vet saod to try benedryl so i'll do that tomorrow.

    we do walk early (5:40am) and i stay up to let him get an evening putter (9:30).

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  7. #5
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    Kibble creates more internal heat than, say, canned or home cooked or raw. (had to contend with overheating with a seizure dog in the past)

    If he's that sensitive to heat just for a potty walk, I'd definitely be considering one of the vests that have ice packs (although I normally don't like those).

    I'm sorry there's so much to contend with to keep him comfortable...I understand why you're so anxious. I would be, too.

  8. #6
    Senior Dog Blackboy98's Avatar
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    Tanya you have been thru so much. Your feelings and anxiety are absolutely understandable, but when you have them, Rocky senses them which adds to his problems. That's one of the trouble with dogs, they can read our emotional state and it transfers to them as I know you know.

    Agree with Sundance to maybe try canned food instead of kibble.

    Sending many arms full of lab board MOJO and prayers for You and your sweet boy.
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  10. #7
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    I really can't afford to feed him canned. The budget keeps being strained in meds and management. He gets home cooked about 2 days a week.

    Do you mean that kibble keeps the body temperature higher overall?

    Finding a coat with the ice packs is hard, all are in the US. Costing almost $300 to get (once you factor in shipping and exchange
    Last edited by Tanya; 06-08-2017 at 01:27 PM.

  11. #8
    Senior Dog
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanya View Post
    I really can't afford to feed him canned. The budget keeps begin strained in meds and management. He gets home cooked about 2 days a week.

    Do you mean that kibble keeps the body temperature higher overall?

    Finding a coat with the ice packs is hard, all are in the US. Costing almost $300 to get (once you factor in shipping and exchange
    Yes. We learned this from our holistic vet when Honey started having seizures (exacerbated by internal heating regardless of the reason for the seizures...Honey's happened to be internal overheating to begin with).

  12. #9
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    hmm...i could test with doing home cooked more but i can't do it 100%. at best i could maybe do half and half.

    Why don't you like the vests with the ice packs?

  13. #10
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    I don't like keeping cold against my dog's body. Just a personal thing...I don't like the idea of ice against the body....not sure it's healthy for organs. I also have a problem relative to my present two with extra weight added to the fact that they get so warm to begin with...walking without added weight is enough for them to want to contend with. They prefer air conditioning over even the best stuff to sniff. [Baffle was the same way and, with his obvious hind end issues, I definitely didn't want to be adding weight to him. He had a Swampcooler but the chillybuddys are even better since they weigh next to nothing even if you soak them in water and can be used in shade/at night (still reflect heat, not just sun).

    I wonder if you could get a "right size" human ice pack vest and get it to fit...shoot, even loose bungee cords for his short forays outside would probably work to cinch it adequately. (I have neighbors who used their daughter's outgrown winter coat as a coat for their still-growing pooch and it worked just fine even with the sleeves.) This, of course, assumes that human ice pack vests might be easier for you to find.

 



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