Max is just 13 years old and 2 1/2 years ago was diagnosed with spondylitis and two slipped discs he has been under the care of our orthopedic vet who performed a myelogram on Max to confirm the problem, Max has since been on steroids, but has now been taken off them and is now on Tramadol, Metacam and joint tablets. The main problem is that he doesn’t seem a comfortable boy.
He is often whining and if he sits anywhere and there is something touching his back (or he thinks there is) he gives out very loud barks which really goes through you. He has never been an easy dog to handle when it comes to being treated for anything by us or the vet, we obtained Max from the local rescue kennels when he was just about 3/4 months old he is a Staffie x and weighs 16.5kgs.
I wondered if anybody performs hypnotherapy on animals? Another thing that has happened to him is that he will come and lie with me with his head across my knee, something he has never done, as he has never been a loving dog, although we all love him to bits. He would never hurt anyone and is marvelous with children, he will even attempt to play with my three-year-old Jack Russell but it is his discomfort that worries me, hope you can assist.
Mrs Josephine Glenton, Notts Tel: 01623477822
If you are looking for a complementary therapy,you might want to look into Canine Bowen for Max. Bowen is a very gentle hands on therapy, and it can be very helpful in these kind of situations. It helps to rebalance and realign the dog,but therapists do not force this to happen, they just work with very gentle moves over the dogs body. With animals especially dogs Bowen has been known to "remind" the dog about how to use his limbs. It can also help to relieve the discomfort Max is aware of in his back, which may be a sensation of pressure or tingling and why he thinks there is something touching his back. Bowen can help put him back "in touch with his body" (I know it sounds wierd but I have witnessed this myself with one of my own dogs)and help to make him less worried and anxious.
ReplyDeleteI also think that his desire to be very near to you is also a symptom of how upset and worried he feels, we are similar too if we feel ill and worried, we are unlikely to feel happy left on our own when unwell and your presence is obviously a great comfort to him, but it also denotes that he is not happy and needs some extra help. I advise that you contact a local Canine Bowen therapist and have a chat with her/him and they will give you a lot more detail and information than I can give you here. You can find a directory of Canine Bowen therapists on www.caninebowentecnique.com
thank you very much for this advice everything you have said makes very good sense especially the bit about him not wanting to be left on his own, I just want him to be comfortable in his old age
ReplyDeleteHi Josephine
ReplyDeleteThis must be very distressing for you. I agree that he is seeking comfort when he comes to you, and he is obviously still in pain. What I would suggest you try for poor Max is acupuncture - it is absolutely brilliant for pain relief. My old girl has spondylosis and arthritis and she is a different dog when she has had a session.
You would need to find a vet who practises acupuncture, and then ask your own vet for a referral. Tasha is very accepting of the needles, obviously some dogs might find it harder, but it is most certainly worth a try.
I would also speak to your vet about the pain relief Max is currently on. Maybe the dose of the Metacam could be increased, or a different NSAID might work better for him. I did try Tramadol on one occasion for Tash and it made her very disorientated. Is it possible he is reacting badly to the Tramadol? There are other possible drugs your vet will know about.
Is the vet you are seeing an actual orthopaedic specialist? Maybe a second opinion could be of benefit.
It goes without saying that no dog should be in constant pain. I would certainly look at acupuncture, perhaps in conjunction with the Bowen described above, or canine massage.
It is horrible to see a dog you love suffer. My heart goes out to you. I do hope these suggestions help.
I agree with the previous suggestion about acupuncture. Much of the pain is caused by muscle spasm and acupuncture can relieve that.
ReplyDeleteI keep harping on about this but it is also worth considering a hypo-allergenic diet in case he has a food allergy or intolerance. Also cut back on the amount of food you give him. he is getting older and not exercising much so he needs less food anyway.