Da da da da, da da da da... PETS!!!

[Timothy225]

Feel for both of ya. 18 year old Patch is slowing down, has issues early in the morning where he seems to lose his way a bit until the sun comes up (pretty sure he's got cataracts forming), and is very clingy towards me and Jen.

He's also pooping a chunk or two under our living room window sill, sleeps most of the day, has to be coaxed/carried to his food dish for dinner (he's not a fan of the medically necessary diet), etc.

Hoping he'll be around for awhile yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if he goes in another year or so. Sucks, as he's my littlest bestest friend.

[BillyG]

Hope it works out man. I have to give Spartacus a million medicines everyday now, and some days I can really see him struggling. Shit is killing me.

[Abraham Smashington]

Took Fahey to the ophthalmologist and apparently he has cranial nerve seven palsy in his left eye and his right eye as well. When this happens dogs end up using cranial nerve six to compensate but his right eye is all like fuck that and he can't produce tears in his right eye and blinks sideways now like an alien. Doctor thinks it's super weird to have 2 seperate issues of this but everything else with him seems okay. Since we already took him to the neurologist this doctor doesn't think it's a tumor or anything. He can still see out of both eyes but also has a minor cataract in his left.

We have a new regiment of drops and gel to put in in hopes that the nerve will right it self and allow him to produce tears again in his right eye.

I'm really hoping this is the end of issues with him for a while. It's draining and stressful dealing with Lesley's shit and this shit at the same time during this pandemic mannnnn. I would kill to go back to "normal" in regards to us even if that meant still having a pandemic.

I'm so tired.

[Nathan]

Took Fahey to the U of the MN Vet Neurologist yesterday after waiting for 3 months. Nothing concrete except that he thinks that he didn't have a stroke but instead possibly is just paralyzed like Stallone's bell palsy. He didn't rule out cancer or a tumor behind his eye and they did a complete thyroid workup to check for irregularities. If he does indeed have a tumor behind his eye the doc said there isn't really much they can do. They would totally take our money and try but he said it may not actually do anything. Now we're waiting for his optimologist appt in May (crazy how busy these places are) in hopes we can finally rule out tumors and the like.

So basically his right side is paralyzed and we have to keep drops in his eyes every 2 hours or so to keep them moist. The doc did say that he's not in pain that he can tell and he's mostly normal besides being paralyzed on the right side so that's good.

Damn.

[JLynnCarr]

I feel so bad for you guys! I'm hoping for the best for Fahey!

[Timothy225]

Ugh, I feel bad for Fahey and you and Lesley, Rob. I am glad that he's more or less OK regardless, though.

[Matt]

oh shit...wow. Poor guy.

[Ingrid]

Oh man, Rob, I’m sorry there aren’t any concrete answers yet. I’ll keep the goodest boy in my thoughts.

[Abraham Smashington]

Took Fahey to the U of the MN Vet Neurologist yesterday after waiting for 3 months. Nothing concrete except that he thinks that he didn't have a stroke but instead possibly is just paralyzed like Stallone's bell palsy. He didn't rule out cancer or a tumor behind his eye and they did a complete thyroid workup to check for irregularities. If he does indeed have a tumor behind his eye the doc said there isn't really much they can do. They would totally take our money and try but he said it may not actually do anything. Now we're waiting for his optimologist appt in May (crazy how busy these places are) in hopes we can finally rule out tumors and the like.

So basically his right side is paralyzed and we have to keep drops in his eyes every 2 hours or so to keep them moist. The doc did say that he's not in pain that he can tell and he's mostly normal besides being paralyzed on the right side so that's good.

[JLynnCarr]

Good luck with Spartacus, Billy. He's a good dog.

[Timothy225]

Hope all goes well and you have Spartacus for years to come, Bill. I know how much you love that pooch, and he loves the shit outta you, too.

[gravedigger]

Oh no, Billy, Im sorry. I hope he reacts well to the meds and the checkup is positive.

[Matt]

Best wishes, Billy.

[Abraham Smashington]

Hope everything works out man.

[BillyG]

Had to bounce from work early yesterday, and the day fucking sucked.



Left for work, and Sarah called me to tell me Spartacus has vomited on the couch. Of course, because I JUST shampooed the furniture Sunday. Then she called to tell me he had vomited 4 more times. So she was taking him to the vet. She calls me from the vet, and tells me they did an x-ray and he has an enlarged heart which is a form of congenital heart failure.



So now I am fucking freaking out. And I am leaving work to come to the vet.



They took a bunch of blood and a urine sample. Gave us two medicines to give him. His heart has likely been enlarged his whole life, and lots of things we noticed or considered weird ticks of his were signs of it. So I feel like a fucking idiot. But they were such small things they'd never betray as some kind of actual health issue.



They called me once the blood work was done, and luckily there's no other issues with any organs which is exactly what they wanted to hear. This is best case scenario. So the thing now is to give him the medicine, to help thin the blood and stop the fluid from getting into his lungs causing the vomiting.



We go back in two weeks, and see how he is responding to the medicine. Vet isn't too worried and told me that they have dogs everyday that live years and years and years with congenital heart failure with medication. But the thing that I keep going to, and does make the vet want to take care with this, is they said it is "not early stages" so I am a wreck until our follow up in two weeks.