Help Needed: Helping Bailey Navigate *PIC*

[Christine]

My 6-year old terrier mix has recently been diagnosed with idiopathic vestibular disease after treating her for arthritis both traditionally and homeopathically. We are starting her on a round of antibiotics which hopefully will bring her back to normal. It is so heartbreaking to see her trying to walk and keep turning in circles and knowing that her whole world is spinning while she is trying to stand. We have built two ramps for her (the first ended up being too steep so we built another one on the back porch which works a little better. The most difficult thing for me is that she weighs 50 pounds and even with the assistance of the hip sling and a harnass, getting her to walk enough to do her business is so difficult for both of us. I never thought I would be so obsessed with my dog's bathroom schedule, but I know that if she does not go before dark, she either won't at all or she will go in the house (this is a totally last resort for her and makes me feel all the more guilty.) If she does not go before I leave for work, she will try during the day and end up sitting in it.
I am just wondering if anyone has any tricks to help with this situation. Bailey has been through so much in the past year or so, unexplained blindness, low thyroid and liver disease - all reversed with the help of some wonderful vets and lots of prayer and now this. Did not mean to be so long-winded, but any advice would be greatly appreciated. One last thing...without Stephanie's generous offer of the hip sling, this situation would have been impossible. My promise to her is when Bailey is better, I will pass it on to someone else who needs it.

[CarolC]

Hi Christine,

I can put in my two cents. I think what you really want is a trick to encourage your dog to do her business when she should, and I don't know a way. I had the same problem with my dog when he was getting heartworm treatment and I had to leash walk him in the yard to prevent running. He was used to pottying in private and we could walk round and round with no results. All I can suggest is, if you're worried she'll go indoors, you can feed her a quality food that produces quality stools. I fed my old dog Science Diet w/d and it produced low odor, well-formed, non sticky stools. Even if he sat or laid on one, or one rolled under his hip in bed, it didn't get gummed up in his coat (long coat like your dog) and if it fell on the rug no carpet cleaner was needed. I just picked up the stools with a tissue and you couldn't tell anything had happened.

Maybe his GI tract is slower because of lack of exercise. Perhaps the vet could prescribe something to make moving his bowels easier for him.

[Stephanie]

Your beyond kind!! Thanks and we are all praying for Bailey. I love this site, it seems like no matter what the situation or animal, everyone is willing to help!!