During this week we have all been out at the Hawksbill Cabin, so I have been serializing my wife's diary of Gracie's treatment for canine renal failure here on the blog. We'll be back with unscheduled posts on Monday.
May 19, 2009
One of my neighbors passed on a suggestion for getting more fluids into Gracie
-- mix some electrolyte-enhanced water in with her regular bowl of water, maybe a ½ cup or so. This product is sold under the brand name Smart Water, but Trader Joe's also carries the same thing under its store brand name. Don't get anything flavored, just the regular water. This helps with keeping her hydrated as she's urinating more because of the subcutaneous fluids that are helping to flush her kidneys.
May 20, 2009
I am a little concerned with Gracie's condition in general. Since last weekend, she's been showing signs of weakness again--tripping, slipping on the floor, laying down a lot rather than standing. The vet said that if this occurs, we should increase the fluids to everyday for a few days. We did this the weekend before last and will start her again on fluids everyday for a few days this week. It means her numbers are probably rising again. Not good. However, I am getting her to eat, but she's now responding to turkey "meatloaf" -- pound of ground turkey with two eggs and about a third cup of plain bread crumbs mixed in and baked. She just seemed to get tired of the grilled meat. Turkey baby food (about a teaspoon) mixed with warm water also helps to incentivize.
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