I need help

[anitajo]

My 10-year-old whippet had a stroke and is now unable to use his front legs and has limited use of his back legs. I brought him home from the hospital on Tuesday. I am told to do PT every 6 hours. Yesterday I felt some encouragement, but today, I took him out and he won't urinate, defecate and he won't eat. I want to cry but I am afraid to let him see me for fear he will pick up on my sadness and want to give up. I live alone and so I am doing all the caretaking myself, I still have to work and am wondering if I did the right thing. He may just not be eating because he is not expending any energy, but I wonder if I am up for this task. There is no prognosis on how long it will take for him to recover, but they said most dogs do. I am so blue about this, and fear that since this is only day 3, what is down the road for me. For now I am only working six hours a day, but need to bump it up to seven. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Anita

[Bendy Kitty]

hey anita.
the early days of recovery can be very discouraging. Keep on doing what you are doing, three days is not long. If you can't do PT every 6 hours, then do it as often as you can. A lot of people do it twice a day and still see results. You may have to express his bladder & bowels for several weeks. Progress is slow, and is not constant, you'll see progress one day then maybe he'll slide a little or maybe he'll stay the same for a week. all of us here give it our best, and still feel like we aren't giving enough. that's why we need each other.
please keep posting and keep trying!

bendy

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

Your fear and trepidation I completely understand. Your comfort level will grow as you become more used to things.

I would suggest calling doc for the evacuating, eating & etc., though, because those are necessaries, very necessary necessaries ...

Welcome and hugs to you on this journey.

[Shaz]

Hello Anita

I do understand how difficult to cope at first, think many of us have been there BUT remember you should see progress, sometimes you'll up and sometimes down but keep on working together and you'll get there......slow but sure.

Do what you can and don't beat yourself up if you can't fulfill all that is required all the time.

There is some excellent advice on the Incontinence Forum here for help your dog in the bathroom department. It would be good if you could have a word with the Vet about the lack of appetite and other issues and talk to him about your worries, they would have come across this before I am sure.

All the best on your continuing journey and let us know how thing go.
Sharon:)

[jazzybaby]

I know how hard it can be at first when you bring home heer pet. We have all been there is some way. I know when I brought my dog home after she had spinal cord surgery and was paralzyed in her hind legs it was very hard at first. She looked so unhappy which made me really sad and even questioned if I had done the right thing by putting her through everything. But things did get better, and we did start to see improvements. Some small and other bigger but they were improvements. As for not eating our vet told us to try something that she really liked maybe chicken or roast beef because we went through that with our dog she would not eat the dry dog food she normally had. Another trick I learned was but a few some pieces of dog food in the water and they will drink more water. You may need to call your vet and see if you could learn how to express the bladder because if they are not going on their own they will need you to do it so they don't get UTI's and what every you do not get discouraged. Things will get better just give it some time. good luck

[Les]

Yes, we all know the feeling that you are expressing; you wonder "what the heck did I do" and your heart is broken for your pet, but you will get that "second wind" and push on. We did the things mentioned for 10 months with our cat Sassy, but she never did walk again-not on this Earth, anyway, as she is walking and running now in Kitty Heaven, but dogs seem to recover better than cats or so I'm told with these types of injuries. Ask about a product called NutriCal, which is a supplement in a paste form that you can give if your pet isn't eating.

Just hang in there, know that you are doing the best that you can and are trying to help your pet, and we'll all keep you in our prayers...God Bless and good luck....