Miss my Baby
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chosehim01
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 7:49 pm
Miss my Baby
I need a bit of encouragement that I will be able to express my beagle when I get her home. I am so discouraged because yesterday I was able to do it in the vet's office but today her vet was gone and she was more stressed than usual. Needless to say, I was not successful and felt it was best to try again tomorrow. We agreed to try Acepromazin yesterday but this stand in vet took a while to agree and in the meantime her stress level increased. She had surgery on 2 discs Monday and I miss her so much! I know that when we get home her stress level will greatly decrease. Any pointers would be most helpful! Thanks! Cindy
you can do it!
welcome,
so sorry about your baby, my cricket is paralyzed with ruptured disk, surgery 2 and a half years ago. anyway, his bladder still has to be expressed. pal, i was so scared, they trained me at the vets, but after a few hours at home with him it was useless.
he wouldn't let me, i had to go back to the vets for 2 days to get him empty till cricket and i came up with our own system.
afte that it was a piece of cake, can't believe i spent all that time crying. i believe i stressed him out.
so don't be like me and get afraid and stressed. you can do it, if i can learn , anyone can. lol
my only trouble is, cricket won't let no one, not a single person express him but me. makes it hard.
i express him every 4 hours , then once at bedtime, he has never had a UTI, and never dribbles. after months i think his bladder got stronger so he could hold it better.
we're here to help, just ask if you need us. but have faith in yourself, it will get easier in time. keep us updated on your babys progress, and i will keep you both in my prayers. also make sure you 100% crate rest your baby till she is healed, so very important, no dragging. just out to potty and do R.O.M on legs. muscle mass will return after you start P.T. cricket was crated for 8 weeks after surgery and he is amazing on spinal walking and running. it is so so important to crate till healed.
hugs and doggie kisses,
connie and cricket
so sorry about your baby, my cricket is paralyzed with ruptured disk, surgery 2 and a half years ago. anyway, his bladder still has to be expressed. pal, i was so scared, they trained me at the vets, but after a few hours at home with him it was useless.
he wouldn't let me, i had to go back to the vets for 2 days to get him empty till cricket and i came up with our own system.
afte that it was a piece of cake, can't believe i spent all that time crying. i believe i stressed him out.
so don't be like me and get afraid and stressed. you can do it, if i can learn , anyone can. lol
my only trouble is, cricket won't let no one, not a single person express him but me. makes it hard.
i express him every 4 hours , then once at bedtime, he has never had a UTI, and never dribbles. after months i think his bladder got stronger so he could hold it better.
we're here to help, just ask if you need us. but have faith in yourself, it will get easier in time. keep us updated on your babys progress, and i will keep you both in my prayers. also make sure you 100% crate rest your baby till she is healed, so very important, no dragging. just out to potty and do R.O.M on legs. muscle mass will return after you start P.T. cricket was crated for 8 weeks after surgery and he is amazing on spinal walking and running. it is so so important to crate till healed.
hugs and doggie kisses,
connie and cricket
Actually, expressing usually takes some fumbling and some practice. Are you close enough to a vet to be able to get more lessons? Have you seen the red sticky on the Incontinence bb? My best teachers were from this bb, but some vets are better at teaching stuff than others.
We all do the best we can when we are first learning to express. You are actually way ahead of most people, because you have managed to do it once, which means you can definitely do it again. You might want to ask the vet about sending her home on preventive antibiotics to help her avoid a urinary infection while you are learning to express. Also, ensuring she has adequate pain management will help her not to tense up (which will tense up her abdomen and make it rigid). Jean has mentioned the effect that cold has on her cat, making her harder to express. That is worth considering, as I remember my dog was constantly cold following her spinal surgery, only I didn't realize it at first. Don't know if it was from stress, inactivity, blood loss, or why, but she was cold. It is natural to be more relaxed when you are warm.
How did it go today?
How did it go today?
Hi Cindy,
Since it is Sunday I imagine that your baby is home now? I know that with her coming home that things are likely overwhelming but please post with any questions and do let us know how she is doing.
I have used Acepromazine on my dog Angel who has terrible storm anxiety. But, it caused him so many neuro problems that he is currently using Alprazolam and I'm not seeing any neuro symptoms. (Angel was paralyzed when I got him and has disc problems. He has since recovered but still had neuro problems with Acepromazine. For example staggering and dragging himself.) Personally, I use a low dose of Robaxin which is a muscle relaxant to keep Jaime relaxed enough to express.
As Carol mentioned make sure that your baby is warm. Jaime my cat with posterior paresis needs her enviroment kept at 78 to 80 degrees or she shakes and is nearly impossible to express. I use a radiator heater with a temp control on it. I couldn't adequately express her if she wasn't warm.
Cindy is is normal for you to have anxiety associated with expressing. But, you can learn to express your beagle girl and since you are her mom she will be the most relaxed with you since she already trusts you because you already share a bond. If it takes you going back to the vet many times don't hesitate. It took me weeks to learn to express Jaime (She has enough feeling that she can tighten her bladder spincter.)
Remember how much you are paying this vet clinic. It is their responsiblitity to teach you and be aggressive about having them teach you. It is not a skill you learn over night but once you learn it it will be like you have been doing it all your life. I have been expressing Jaime for over 9 years and I honestly think I could express her in my sleep.
Connie Jaime must be similar to your Cricket in temperment. Over the years (since Jaime does have some control) she is getting more and more difficult for even my vet to express. I am a teacher and I occassionally have to leave Jaime at the clinic when I have a field trip and can't express her on my lunch break. Last time, my vet said he felt like he nearly had to pop her bladder to express her. SIGH Needly to say, I seldom leave her there although it does create scheduling problems.
Make sure that you check out the Expressing pages on this BB they will be of tremendous assistance.
Cindy You can express your baby. Half the battle is just caring enough about her to learn. Please write and we will help you any way we can./Jean
Since it is Sunday I imagine that your baby is home now? I know that with her coming home that things are likely overwhelming but please post with any questions and do let us know how she is doing.
I have used Acepromazine on my dog Angel who has terrible storm anxiety. But, it caused him so many neuro problems that he is currently using Alprazolam and I'm not seeing any neuro symptoms. (Angel was paralyzed when I got him and has disc problems. He has since recovered but still had neuro problems with Acepromazine. For example staggering and dragging himself.) Personally, I use a low dose of Robaxin which is a muscle relaxant to keep Jaime relaxed enough to express.
As Carol mentioned make sure that your baby is warm. Jaime my cat with posterior paresis needs her enviroment kept at 78 to 80 degrees or she shakes and is nearly impossible to express. I use a radiator heater with a temp control on it. I couldn't adequately express her if she wasn't warm.
Cindy is is normal for you to have anxiety associated with expressing. But, you can learn to express your beagle girl and since you are her mom she will be the most relaxed with you since she already trusts you because you already share a bond. If it takes you going back to the vet many times don't hesitate. It took me weeks to learn to express Jaime (She has enough feeling that she can tighten her bladder spincter.)
Remember how much you are paying this vet clinic. It is their responsiblitity to teach you and be aggressive about having them teach you. It is not a skill you learn over night but once you learn it it will be like you have been doing it all your life. I have been expressing Jaime for over 9 years and I honestly think I could express her in my sleep.
Connie Jaime must be similar to your Cricket in temperment. Over the years (since Jaime does have some control) she is getting more and more difficult for even my vet to express. I am a teacher and I occassionally have to leave Jaime at the clinic when I have a field trip and can't express her on my lunch break. Last time, my vet said he felt like he nearly had to pop her bladder to express her. SIGH Needly to say, I seldom leave her there although it does create scheduling problems.
Make sure that you check out the Expressing pages on this BB they will be of tremendous assistance.
Cindy You can express your baby. Half the battle is just caring enough about her to learn. Please write and we will help you any way we can./Jean
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chosehim01
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 7:49 pm
Miss my baby
You are such precious people to take your time and try to help me! I appreciate each and everyone of your comments. Mandy has had some diarrhea today. Vet thinks it may be the change in her food but wants me to bring her in immediately if it continues or worsens. Mandy and I are working on this expressing issue. I am headed back to the vet tomorrow for more lessons. Thank you so much for truly understanding what it means to love and care for an animal as much as I do my Mandy! Cindy 
Hi Cindy,
I'm so glad to hear that Mandy is home. I bet she is so happy to be in familiar surroundings with her mom near by to care for her.
I'm glad you are going back to the vet tomorrow for lessons. Please remember that it takes time to learn how to express but you are fully capable. Think positive but also be realistic and let the vet work with you for as long as it takes.
Could you take a little time off of work so you could have time to practice with less pressure?
Please keep us updated. /Jean
PS: Make sure you check out the expressing page. I think everyone finds their own technique for expressing. Try the vets way but realize that another way might work for you. I have always expressed Jaime on her side because I never could support her weight and express her at the same time.
I'm so glad to hear that Mandy is home. I bet she is so happy to be in familiar surroundings with her mom near by to care for her.
I'm glad you are going back to the vet tomorrow for lessons. Please remember that it takes time to learn how to express but you are fully capable. Think positive but also be realistic and let the vet work with you for as long as it takes.
Could you take a little time off of work so you could have time to practice with less pressure?
Please keep us updated. /Jean
PS: Make sure you check out the expressing page. I think everyone finds their own technique for expressing. Try the vets way but realize that another way might work for you. I have always expressed Jaime on her side because I never could support her weight and express her at the same time.