I appreciated all the interest in Gracie's kidney failure - the thoughts and messages were very touching and appreciated.
This blog continues to get search hits about the condition, so in response to all that traffic, I have started a second blog that will contain only those posts. It will take a few weeks to get them all transferred over, edit them to the new context etc., but if you are interested, here is a link:
http://graciedawg.wordpress.com/
It's about Gracie the border collie.
Showing posts with label canine renal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canine renal. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 12
Today, the final post on our story of Gracie’s canine kidney disease. Best, Jim and Mary
Monday, September 7
After our visit to the vet last Thursday, Gracie seemed to perk up a bit, finding a tennis ball under a table in the sun room and bringing it to me for some play. Months ago, we modified the game to one where she lays down and I roll the ball to her, which she then traps between her front legs and bites soundly to stop. She seems so happy during these moments, recalling perhaps the more rigorous games of fetch we played in her younger days up on the hill at the Masonic Temple here in Alexandria, or, later, the “stairmaster” game when she would stand or lay at the top of the stairs and I would toss the ball up to her, which she would catch, then roll back down the steps to me to start the game all over again. However, this burst of energy and interest is short-lived and she grows weaker.
We are out at the cabin in the Shenandoah for the Labor Day weekend. On Saturday, she had enough strength to walk with Jim around the house, sniffing and enjoying being with him as she explored some of her favorite bushes and trees. During the night from Sunday to Monday, Gracie woke me up and I took her outside to pee. She sniffs in the dark for awhile then returns to me but has a difficult time walking over the black drain pipe leading from the downspout that crosses the back path. I also help her up the step to the side porch and into the house. She wags her tail as I pat her now boney back.
As I clean up the kitchen this morning, Jim has Gracie outside and tries to give her the semi-weekly dose of calcitriol. She is suddenly drastically weaker and can no longer lift her head and can’t seem to swallow, and must be carried back to the house. She can no longer stand-up. We’re not sure if she’s had a stroke or not. She’s conscious and continent but we realize that the time as come to end Gracie’s fight against the disease that has taken her strength and dignity.
We return to Alexandria and take Gracie to the vet, which we have called ahead of time. Jim carries our girl into a pleasant green-painted room with some comfortable chairs and plants and an examination table covered with towels. After a brief consultation, the vet agrees that to continue Gracie’s life in this way would be cruel and we begin the process that we have been dreading for so long. We have a chance to hold and kiss her before they administer the sedative and she is unconscious when the last medication is given. She leaves us quickly and peacefully, a gentle, loving companion to the end. She was three months short of her 15th birthday.
Monday, September 7
After our visit to the vet last Thursday, Gracie seemed to perk up a bit, finding a tennis ball under a table in the sun room and bringing it to me for some play. Months ago, we modified the game to one where she lays down and I roll the ball to her, which she then traps between her front legs and bites soundly to stop. She seems so happy during these moments, recalling perhaps the more rigorous games of fetch we played in her younger days up on the hill at the Masonic Temple here in Alexandria, or, later, the “stairmaster” game when she would stand or lay at the top of the stairs and I would toss the ball up to her, which she would catch, then roll back down the steps to me to start the game all over again. However, this burst of energy and interest is short-lived and she grows weaker.
We are out at the cabin in the Shenandoah for the Labor Day weekend. On Saturday, she had enough strength to walk with Jim around the house, sniffing and enjoying being with him as she explored some of her favorite bushes and trees. During the night from Sunday to Monday, Gracie woke me up and I took her outside to pee. She sniffs in the dark for awhile then returns to me but has a difficult time walking over the black drain pipe leading from the downspout that crosses the back path. I also help her up the step to the side porch and into the house. She wags her tail as I pat her now boney back.
As I clean up the kitchen this morning, Jim has Gracie outside and tries to give her the semi-weekly dose of calcitriol. She is suddenly drastically weaker and can no longer lift her head and can’t seem to swallow, and must be carried back to the house. She can no longer stand-up. We’re not sure if she’s had a stroke or not. She’s conscious and continent but we realize that the time as come to end Gracie’s fight against the disease that has taken her strength and dignity.
We return to Alexandria and take Gracie to the vet, which we have called ahead of time. Jim carries our girl into a pleasant green-painted room with some comfortable chairs and plants and an examination table covered with towels. After a brief consultation, the vet agrees that to continue Gracie’s life in this way would be cruel and we begin the process that we have been dreading for so long. We have a chance to hold and kiss her before they administer the sedative and she is unconscious when the last medication is given. She leaves us quickly and peacefully, a gentle, loving companion to the end. She was three months short of her 15th birthday.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 11
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Gracie seems so much weaker today that both Jim and I take her to the vet. I am steeling myself to the possibility that the doctor may advise us to put her to sleep today.
After the exam, the vet advises us that Gracie is in decline and that she probably only has about a week or two left at the most. As the disease progresses, she may suffer a stroke or go into a coma. The vet also gently answers our questions about the process of euthanasia and also tells us that today isn’t Gracie’s time, that we should enjoy her last days but to prepare ourselves.
When the time comes, we have decided that we want her sedated before the administration of the medication that will cause her heart to stop. We don’t want her to know what is happening and we also don’t want her – or us – to experience the involuntary twitches or vocalization that may occur as that medication takes effect.
Gracie seems so much weaker today that both Jim and I take her to the vet. I am steeling myself to the possibility that the doctor may advise us to put her to sleep today.
After the exam, the vet advises us that Gracie is in decline and that she probably only has about a week or two left at the most. As the disease progresses, she may suffer a stroke or go into a coma. The vet also gently answers our questions about the process of euthanasia and also tells us that today isn’t Gracie’s time, that we should enjoy her last days but to prepare ourselves.
When the time comes, we have decided that we want her sedated before the administration of the medication that will cause her heart to stop. We don’t want her to know what is happening and we also don’t want her – or us – to experience the involuntary twitches or vocalization that may occur as that medication takes effect.
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 10
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
I was away last weekend working on chores at the cabin; Jim had to stay at home to catch-up on some office work. We decided to leave the girls with him to reduce their travel stress and to give me a break from the demanding routine of caring for Gracie. Jim administered the correct meds, fluids, and food but Gracie started to refuse food by Sunday, August 23rd. For probably more than a year she has howled on occasion if I have left her even to run errands and she has always been very close to me, following me from room to room and being my constant companion as I work in my home office.
I was able to get her to eat a small bit but her appetite had definitely fallen off to almost nothing. I decided to take her to the vet to have her blood tested to see what we were dealing with and if her meds needed to be adjusted. We saw the vet today. Gracie seems fatigued but her weight seems stable, which may be the result of being weighed in a different exam room.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Gracie’s test results came back and her numbers have risen. Her BUN has gone from 82 to 117, creatinine from 3.5 to 4.3, but most troubling, her blood pressure has risen from 160 to over 200. In response, we have increased her amplodipine dosage from 1 tablet to 1.5 tablets every 12 hours for the high blood pressure, and will begin daily administration of 500 ml of fluids. The doctor has advised us that at this point it is probably best to let her eat whatever she wants just to keep her from starving, even if the food isn’t on the strict diet. The vet also advised stopping the AlternaGel dosages with her food since forcing the liquid medicine down her throat with the oral syringe at meal time is probably not helping her at this point.
I have begun to feed Gracie grilled or fried hamburger, about 4 to 6 ozs. per meal. She will sometimes take penne pasta cut up in small pieces. I also try to entice her with some “maximum calorie” dog food provided by the vet that they give to sick dogs recovering in the hospital. Everything must be hand-fed or given to her in small amounts on the floor as she lies in the kitchen. She will no longer stand and eat from a bowl. Chicken, rice, baby food, even bread are no longer palatable to her. She will still accept small bites of Iams weight control dog biscuits, but it is now a struggle to get her to take her meds in the pill pockets or in the G3 Chews. She seems to have the most problem with the tramadol tablets; I have to break them up and put the pieces in separate pill pockets so she doesn’t have to chew them – their taste is something Gracie definitely does not like.
This situation is not good and I am trying to accept the fact that our long journey with Gracie along this difficult path of canine renal disease may be coming to an end. I will work hard to keep her with us but the disease can not be reversed and it is taking its toll on our dear girl. She still seems engaged and happy and not in pain but she is losing strength by the day.
I was away last weekend working on chores at the cabin; Jim had to stay at home to catch-up on some office work. We decided to leave the girls with him to reduce their travel stress and to give me a break from the demanding routine of caring for Gracie. Jim administered the correct meds, fluids, and food but Gracie started to refuse food by Sunday, August 23rd. For probably more than a year she has howled on occasion if I have left her even to run errands and she has always been very close to me, following me from room to room and being my constant companion as I work in my home office.
I was able to get her to eat a small bit but her appetite had definitely fallen off to almost nothing. I decided to take her to the vet to have her blood tested to see what we were dealing with and if her meds needed to be adjusted. We saw the vet today. Gracie seems fatigued but her weight seems stable, which may be the result of being weighed in a different exam room.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Gracie’s test results came back and her numbers have risen. Her BUN has gone from 82 to 117, creatinine from 3.5 to 4.3, but most troubling, her blood pressure has risen from 160 to over 200. In response, we have increased her amplodipine dosage from 1 tablet to 1.5 tablets every 12 hours for the high blood pressure, and will begin daily administration of 500 ml of fluids. The doctor has advised us that at this point it is probably best to let her eat whatever she wants just to keep her from starving, even if the food isn’t on the strict diet. The vet also advised stopping the AlternaGel dosages with her food since forcing the liquid medicine down her throat with the oral syringe at meal time is probably not helping her at this point.
I have begun to feed Gracie grilled or fried hamburger, about 4 to 6 ozs. per meal. She will sometimes take penne pasta cut up in small pieces. I also try to entice her with some “maximum calorie” dog food provided by the vet that they give to sick dogs recovering in the hospital. Everything must be hand-fed or given to her in small amounts on the floor as she lies in the kitchen. She will no longer stand and eat from a bowl. Chicken, rice, baby food, even bread are no longer palatable to her. She will still accept small bites of Iams weight control dog biscuits, but it is now a struggle to get her to take her meds in the pill pockets or in the G3 Chews. She seems to have the most problem with the tramadol tablets; I have to break them up and put the pieces in separate pill pockets so she doesn’t have to chew them – their taste is something Gracie definitely does not like.
This situation is not good and I am trying to accept the fact that our long journey with Gracie along this difficult path of canine renal disease may be coming to an end. I will work hard to keep her with us but the disease can not be reversed and it is taking its toll on our dear girl. She still seems engaged and happy and not in pain but she is losing strength by the day.
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 9
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Gracie had another blood test to see how she’s doing. Her numbers indicate that she’s stable: creatinine at 3.5, down from 5 at the last test; BUN at 82, which is a little high but acceptable; and her calcium level is at 11.7, 1.2 for the ionized test. This is all very good news. The vet said to do a retest in three months unless she seems to be declining. We have our fingers-crossed that she will meet this milestone.
Gracie remains alert and interested in her toys and walks. She gets a little sleepy from both the arthritis medicine and the blood pressure medication but is still willing to roll the fuzzy soccer ball for a little game of easy fetch. Meal times are still trying – she needs incentives in her food and she has a tendency to spit out the rice as she walks away from her bowl. Grains of rice can be found all over the house.
Mealtimes are time-consuming. She gets her pills first thing, then her food, but she can’t be fed too close to the time she has her pills because the AlternaGel she must receive shortly after eating to coat her stomach must be given at least an hour after she receives her meds. Warming the subQ fluids, then administering them to her takes another 20 minutes or so in the morning every other day. So, her morning meds-meal-and fluids routine can take about 90 minutes to complete. She needs a mid-day dose of AlternaGel with some food, again to coat her stomach and protect against ulcers. Evenings repeat the meds-meals-AlternaGel routine.
Over the weekend the posts will be focused on our story of Gracie’s canine kidney disease. We’ll return to other topics next week. Best, Jim and Mary
Gracie had another blood test to see how she’s doing. Her numbers indicate that she’s stable: creatinine at 3.5, down from 5 at the last test; BUN at 82, which is a little high but acceptable; and her calcium level is at 11.7, 1.2 for the ionized test. This is all very good news. The vet said to do a retest in three months unless she seems to be declining. We have our fingers-crossed that she will meet this milestone.
Gracie remains alert and interested in her toys and walks. She gets a little sleepy from both the arthritis medicine and the blood pressure medication but is still willing to roll the fuzzy soccer ball for a little game of easy fetch. Meal times are still trying – she needs incentives in her food and she has a tendency to spit out the rice as she walks away from her bowl. Grains of rice can be found all over the house.
Mealtimes are time-consuming. She gets her pills first thing, then her food, but she can’t be fed too close to the time she has her pills because the AlternaGel she must receive shortly after eating to coat her stomach must be given at least an hour after she receives her meds. Warming the subQ fluids, then administering them to her takes another 20 minutes or so in the morning every other day. So, her morning meds-meal-and fluids routine can take about 90 minutes to complete. She needs a mid-day dose of AlternaGel with some food, again to coat her stomach and protect against ulcers. Evenings repeat the meds-meals-AlternaGel routine.
Over the weekend the posts will be focused on our story of Gracie’s canine kidney disease. We’ll return to other topics next week. Best, Jim and Mary
Friday, September 25, 2009
The loss of Gracie Dawg
Readers of the blog already know this, but Mary, Sofie and I lost our beloved friend Gracie a few weeks ago. Gracie, the Border Collie we adopted from relatives in 1995, suffered canine renal failure for about two years, entering the final stage in approximately January of this year.
Mary took on the primary care giver role for Gracie as the disease progressed. She compiled a series of previous entries on the disease; since Gracie passed away she put together her records from the last three months, July to September, 2009. You can follow the story by clicking on the “canine renal” label for this post or in the index in the right hand column.
It is still hard and perhaps too early to look back at these events for us. We definitely still feel the emptiness of loss. But we wanted to publish these notes on the blog for other owners who may be just receiving the diagnosis. I hope that in some way these posts will help prepare those owners for what’s ahead and the decisions that will need to be made along the way during the course of the disease.
For my part, I thought I might have more to add after reading Mary’s eloquent posts, and preparing them for the blog. It’s still too early for that, like it is for Mary and Sofie, although I find that now, more often when I think of her my thoughts are turning to fond memories:
· playing soccer with her on the hillside near the grade school in Adams Morgan, or at several of the other parks there in the District
· fun times we had when we first moved to Alexandria, when Sofie and Gracie would play up at the Masonic Memorial
· the special cove that both dogs liked at Great Falls, their anticipation picking up as soon as they got on the trail
· vacations in the Outer Banks and later at the Hawksbill Cabin, where the girls delighted in exploring the outdoors with us, an alternative to our urban environments – the city wasn’t a bad place for dogs, just necessarily constrained because of the confined populations.
Our vet sent a condolence card after Gracie died. As a near final note, her words:
Gracie was truly a special patient and I will share your loss. Her tenacity to forge ahead and live life to the fullest was admired by all. Your dedication to her these past nine months has been dearly recognized. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of her life all these years. My thoughts are with you, Fondly, Donna.
Thanks to everyone for the kinds thoughts and comforting words. We lost a good friend in Gracie.
12/27/1994 – 9/7/2009.
Over the weekend the posts will be focused on our story of Gracie’s canine kidney disease. We’ll return to other topics next week. Best, Jim and Mary
Mary took on the primary care giver role for Gracie as the disease progressed. She compiled a series of previous entries on the disease; since Gracie passed away she put together her records from the last three months, July to September, 2009. You can follow the story by clicking on the “canine renal” label for this post or in the index in the right hand column.
It is still hard and perhaps too early to look back at these events for us. We definitely still feel the emptiness of loss. But we wanted to publish these notes on the blog for other owners who may be just receiving the diagnosis. I hope that in some way these posts will help prepare those owners for what’s ahead and the decisions that will need to be made along the way during the course of the disease.
For my part, I thought I might have more to add after reading Mary’s eloquent posts, and preparing them for the blog. It’s still too early for that, like it is for Mary and Sofie, although I find that now, more often when I think of her my thoughts are turning to fond memories:
· playing soccer with her on the hillside near the grade school in Adams Morgan, or at several of the other parks there in the District
· fun times we had when we first moved to Alexandria, when Sofie and Gracie would play up at the Masonic Memorial
· the special cove that both dogs liked at Great Falls, their anticipation picking up as soon as they got on the trail
· vacations in the Outer Banks and later at the Hawksbill Cabin, where the girls delighted in exploring the outdoors with us, an alternative to our urban environments – the city wasn’t a bad place for dogs, just necessarily constrained because of the confined populations.
Our vet sent a condolence card after Gracie died. As a near final note, her words:
Gracie was truly a special patient and I will share your loss. Her tenacity to forge ahead and live life to the fullest was admired by all. Your dedication to her these past nine months has been dearly recognized. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of her life all these years. My thoughts are with you, Fondly, Donna.
Thanks to everyone for the kinds thoughts and comforting words. We lost a good friend in Gracie.
12/27/1994 – 9/7/2009.
Over the weekend the posts will be focused on our story of Gracie’s canine kidney disease. We’ll return to other topics next week. Best, Jim and Mary
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Gracie's status
Not to be too much of a downer today, but since I am going to be off-line for a few days, thought I would give a quick update this morning.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted on an episode with Gracie here: http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2009/08/thought-we-had-setback.html.
We've had another of these, a complete boycott on Thursday. Plus, she was visibly weak from not eating. These are typical symptoms of end stage Canine Renal Failure.
Off to the vet for a consultation. We're told that finally, the effects of the disease are piling up, getting quite strong, and the nausea and other symptons may be just overpowering her.
It's most important that we continue to get her to eat. Mary has been so diligent about this - trying something new and different almost every day. We are having success with freshly cooked hamburger right now, and the vets gave us some food that is used to help get dogs back on track after major surgery - very much like chopped liver, with a strong smell and overwhelming deliciousness for canines. To our surprise, during this visit's weigh-in, Gracie had gained back 2 pounds!
The advice from the vet was to keep an eye on things, and recognize that there is not a lot left that can be done. Quality of life is the key now, and with a chronic disease, the one benefit you do get is to spend that much more time with your pet.
It's day to day now, and we are a little more flexible with the meds understanding where we are with this - sometimes she'll take them and sometimes not.
Of course, a visit to the vet was enough to give us a rally. When we got home, she ate very well - and she brought a tennis ball to Mary for a toss.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thought we had a setback
Last weekend, Mary went out to the cabin for an errand or two, leaving me and the dogs home in Alexandria. Mary has been mainly working from home the last few years, and the dogs have gotten very used to that routine, so we had some worries about what might happen with "mom away."
There was howling and anxious panting. And then, there was a food boycot that started the morning after.
With canine renal failure, this is a sign that you keep an eye on...dog's gotta eat, and if they don't it could signal that something is going wrong.
I tried all the tricks - smearing turkey baby food on some wonder bread (surprisingly looks like peanut butter). Gracie has taken to eating Greek style organic yogurt with honey in a pinch, but that didn't work this time either. At least she was still taking her meds.
By Monday, she was even spitting out the treats that we use to hide the pills, and she'd grown a bit listless. I was worried, and when Mary got home we talked about next steps. We already had a vet appointment to get the dog checked out.
Turns out, Gracie's blood pressure had spiked, and that might have caused a little nausea, keeping her from eating. There are a few new meds to get us through this episode, and we're going to daily sub-Q fluids for the rest of the week, but everything seems to be working and hopefully we'll be back on an even keel by Saturday.
As far as a diet update, we've had to make some changes...this week, there are grilled hamburger patties and ziti pasta on the menu. It doesn't have everything in it we'd like to see her eating, but the important thing is that she is getting some food in her.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Canine Renal Failure - some resources
The number of posts we have now about Gracie’s Chronic Renal Failure (I’ve also used 'kidney failure' to refer to the condition, and notice that that is one of the web search terms readers frequently use before arriving here) is up in the teens.
We certainly appreciate all the interest in Gracie’s progress – for the record, she’s pretty stabilized for the moment, getting about ½ liter of sub-q fluids every other day, along with all the other meds, and the special diet. I also hope that readers who find these entries on the web find some useful, or at least, reassuring information here on the Hawksbill Cabin blog.
One thing I wanted to be sure to highlight is a comment that reader “Linda” left a few weeks ago – it was reassuring and provided additional resources that readers may want to check out. A quote from her comment:
“I have been dealing with my dog's renal disease for three years. I was wondering if you had found the website http://www.dogaware.com/? It has a lot of good articles…”
I’ve spent some time on that site, and there is plenty of useful information here. To get right to the point on canine kidney failure though – follow this link: http://www.dogaware.com/kidney.html#protein .
As always, if you arrived at this page from a web search and want to read more about our experience with this condition, click on the label “canine renal” below.
We certainly appreciate all the interest in Gracie’s progress – for the record, she’s pretty stabilized for the moment, getting about ½ liter of sub-q fluids every other day, along with all the other meds, and the special diet. I also hope that readers who find these entries on the web find some useful, or at least, reassuring information here on the Hawksbill Cabin blog.
One thing I wanted to be sure to highlight is a comment that reader “Linda” left a few weeks ago – it was reassuring and provided additional resources that readers may want to check out. A quote from her comment:
“I have been dealing with my dog's renal disease for three years. I was wondering if you had found the website http://www.dogaware.com/? It has a lot of good articles…”
I’ve spent some time on that site, and there is plenty of useful information here. To get right to the point on canine kidney failure though – follow this link: http://www.dogaware.com/kidney.html#protein .
As always, if you arrived at this page from a web search and want to read more about our experience with this condition, click on the label “canine renal” below.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Gracie's recent blood test - results
Another post from Mary with details on Gracie's progress with Canine Renal Failure. If you are finding this from a web search, click on the "canine renal" label below to find additional posts on this topic.===
Late last month, Gracie had another blood test to see how she’s doing. Her numbers indicate that she’s stable:
+creatinine at 3.5, down from 5 at the last test;
+BUN at 82, which is a little high but acceptable; and
+her calcium level is at 11.7, 1.2 for the ionized test.
This is all very good news. The vet said to do a retest in three months unless she seems to be declining. We have our fingers-crossed that she will meet this milestone.
Gracie remains alert and interested in her toys and walks. She gets a little sleepy from both the arthritis medicine and the blood pressure medication but is still willing to roll the fuzzy soccer ball for a little game of easy fetch. Meal times are still trying – she needs incentives in her food and she has a tendency to spit out the rice as she walks away from her bowl. Grains of rice can be found all over the house.
Mealtimes are time-consuming. She gets her pills first thing, then her food, but she can’t be fed too close to the time she has her pills because the AlternaGel she must receive shortly after eating to coat her stomach must be given at least an hour after she receives her meds. Warming the subQ fluids, then administering them to her takes another 20 minutes or so in the morning every other day. So, her morning meds-meal-and fluids routine can take about 90 minutes to complete. She needs a mid-day dose of AlternaGel with some food, again to coat her stomach and protect against ulcers. Evenings repeat the meds-meals-AlternaGel routine.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Some down time with Gracie and Sofie
It was a rare weekend not heading out to the Hawksbill Cabin, with me just getting back from being on business in San Antonio, and Mary headed up to NJ to visit some cousins preparing to relocate to Germany. Besides getting nine holes of golf in, and catching up on some reading (I’m currently reading Michael Perry’s Coop), I’ve been spending some quality time with Sofie and Gracie.
The girls were recently groomed. Because of the trauma bath time imparts, I haven’t given Gracie a bath in more than five years. We have a service that comes around twice a year in a converted RV, called “Bubble Buddies,” that actually specializes in older dogs, like our two. Gracie, the Border Collie, is 14 and a half; Sofie, the Chow mix we found as a stray in the DuPont Circle area of DC, is older than that. In fact, it has been about 13 years since Sofie joined our pack.
They don’t really get dirty and smelly like younger dogs anymore, so the twice a year schedule works out well for us. They actually seem to like it when the groomer hooks up the leash and leads them into the van – it’s an amazing difference from the “flat Gracie” routine I would experience when I tried to get her into the bathroom. Who knew a dog could actually expand to cover so much square footage, so that she couldn’t fit through a door?
When the groomer leaves, the dogs have been bathed and trimmed, and their nails are clipped. They get a special bandana, and they seem to like the extra attention we give them afterwards.
With Mary out of town, Sofie and Gracie have been hanging close by, mainly snoozing away as dogs at their age do. But at times, I still see glimpses of the old personalities. Sofie is mainly motivated by her tummy (or other bodily functions), so she is up and by my side any time I pass through the kitchen. Gracie has mainly been content to lie on the floor nearby, as she is now while I write this, but when I speak to her I can see the eyes darting around the room in search of a tennis ball or other toy.
Sofie is living proof that treating dogs the way you want them to behave makes them great pets. She’s smart, she has a great vocabulary, and with her, we’ve been through a lot. Almost 10 years ago she blew out a disk in her back, a fatal injury for dogs if they don’t receive medical attention. We got immediate emergency surgery for her (we had pet health insurance that helped). To this day, Mary and I both swear that the vet treating Sofie could operate on us; too, he was so well qualified and had such a great manner with his patients.
When our regular vet first met Sofie, she looked at her teeth and the Chow posture and said, “I like this dog. She has good hybrid vigor.” That inspired us to have Sofie’s DNA checked out: the Chow is definitely there, not just because of the purple tongue, but it gets hazy after that. The most significant other breed represented is Poodle. Who would have guessed?
Beyond the parentage, we get a glimpse of her life before she joined us whenever we meet an “intact” male dog on a walk. Even at the advanced dog age of at least 15 (person) years old, these encounters involve a lot of squealing, spinning around, and boxing the male dog. She seems to know what she is doing, but the male dogs are left puzzled by all this, standing there perplexed, worriedly checking with their masters about whether this (spayed) old lady is going to hurt them or not. She probably had a litter of fuzzy little Chow mix puppies somewhere along the way, and she has probably outlived them.
Sofie has slowed down some, but she is still in great health and full of good spirits. Her sister, Gracie, on the other hand, is not in the best of health. Still, she is doing well, in good spirits, and holding her own for now. Having been diagnosed in January with final stage canine renal failure, she is on a full regimen of prescriptions, and she gets a half liter of subcutaneously administered IV fluids every other day. She has lost most of her hearing, although she can hear a loud whistle, or one of her vocabulary words, when spoken directly to her in a loud voice.
Border Collies are widely considered one of the most intelligent dog breeds, and they were very popular around the time of Gracie’s birth, which was when the movie Babe came out. Our relatives had taken Gracie, but seemed to be finding the four-month old pup to be a whole lot of dog, so we offered to adopt her. Or maybe she adopted us, as I do remember the first weekend we met I spent eight or nine hours learning that border collies (1) love to fetch; (2) have incredible stamina, even at the age of four-months; and (3) upon first meeting a new human, have a wily ability to keep the human busy paying attention to them. Even now, despite her health and age, whenever we have visitors, there is a big production that we call the “Border Collie Parade of Toys. “
A few years ago, there was a story about a German border collie, named Rico, who knew the names of something like 200 dog toys. There is a Wikipedia article about Rico here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rico_(Border_Collie). Rico could retrieve articles he’d never seen before, and that he did not know the name of, using a deductive reasoning approach called “canine fast mapping.” There is a second Wikipedia article about a border collie named Betsy who is said to know 340 words, and I like to think that Gracie has a vocabulary around that size.
Sometime during the first year we had her, we took Gracie out for a ride in the Valley. While Mary and I had a picnic on the lawn at North Mountain Vineyard, we played fetch with Gracie. Later, she napped while we drove with the windows down the Old Valley Pike to Shenandoah Vineyard. There were sheep farms in the area, and the scent of the pastures eventually woke her up, at first just enough to raise her nose to the lowered window to sniff.
Slowly, the Border Collie genes took over, and she stood up in the back seat to have a look. When she finally figured out that there were animals over there in the pastures, she let out a long “Aooo-ooo-ooo” and watched the sheep carefully as we drove by.
We’ve had these girls a long time, but it had been a while since I have had to chance to sit with them at home, without the stress (for them) of the drive out to the cabin, and just enjoy them for what they have become as “senior” dogs. I know we may not have much time left with each other, especially compared to the time we’ve had together. But the character of their company is rich with experience and warmth, and there seems to be an innate understanding of all thoughts – verbal and nonverbal – between us as we hang out in the house. And this weekend, that’s been as good a time as I could have asked for.
Post publication clarification, from Mary: "...Thought the blog was good today, but, as I recall, I was also involved in those baths and actually tried to bathe them a few times once you had given up on the process... Also, I'm now trying to get them groomed more often, about quarterly. It's less stressful since the hair doesn't mat so much and it's a less painful process. Sofie also can't groom herself in the rear area any more due to her arthritis so the groomer shaves her back there. No more pantaloons on the Chow-Dalmation-Springer Spaniel-poodle mix."
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 8
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 7
This is the last post of the week - continuing today with Mary’s journal about our dog Gracie’s canine renal failure. Also, this is the last post in the series for now, until Mary writes a new one. Gracie’s next vet appointment is June 6, so we’ll have more news then if not sooner.
May 7
The vet called today with the results of the latest tests:
Gracie’s BUN is down from 79 to 77 but her creatinine level has gone back to 5 from 3.6. It was at 5 when she was hospitalized. If she seems to be lethargic, the vet has suggested we go back to a ½ bag every day for a few days then go back to ½ bag every other day. (Today, Gracie does seem a little tired, but I’m not sure if that is due to the long walk we took this morning in humid weather – she was kind of dragging behind Sofie, which was unusual). More fluids will also help if she starts to lose her appetite
I need to reduce the Calcitriol to 0.65 ml 2Xs a week from 1.0ml. The Calcitriol is to be given 1 hour before or 2 hours after the AlternaGel.
I need to adjust the timing of the meds and eating; giving these at the wrong time could be having an effect on Gracie’s numbers:
Give AlternaGel after Gracie eats or in her food
Pills (blood pressure, Pepcid, tramadol) give 1 hour before or 2 hours after she eats
Again, Calcitriol two-times a week (.65 ml) should be given 1 hour before or 2 hours after she eats BUT not at same time of other pills
I’ve made the next vet tech appointment for an Istat blood test (ionized calcium) in about a month (Monday, June 8th 9:30 am). I will also need to bring a urine sample. (Yes, that’s always interesting – I prefer to do this in the privacy of our back yard since following a dog around with a plastic cup looks odd to the neighbors. The vet provides a sterile set up – latex gloves and a lidded cup but, since the cup is too large to fit under Gracie as she squats, I’ve found that a small, flat plastic container—I use a hummus container from Trader Joe’s – works best for collection then transfer to the larger cup. Since the vet is checking urine content, not bacteria, a sterile sample isn’t absolutely necessary.)
May 7
The vet called today with the results of the latest tests:
Gracie’s BUN is down from 79 to 77 but her creatinine level has gone back to 5 from 3.6. It was at 5 when she was hospitalized. If she seems to be lethargic, the vet has suggested we go back to a ½ bag every day for a few days then go back to ½ bag every other day. (Today, Gracie does seem a little tired, but I’m not sure if that is due to the long walk we took this morning in humid weather – she was kind of dragging behind Sofie, which was unusual). More fluids will also help if she starts to lose her appetite
I need to reduce the Calcitriol to 0.65 ml 2Xs a week from 1.0ml. The Calcitriol is to be given 1 hour before or 2 hours after the AlternaGel.
I need to adjust the timing of the meds and eating; giving these at the wrong time could be having an effect on Gracie’s numbers:
Give AlternaGel after Gracie eats or in her food
Pills (blood pressure, Pepcid, tramadol) give 1 hour before or 2 hours after she eats
Again, Calcitriol two-times a week (.65 ml) should be given 1 hour before or 2 hours after she eats BUT not at same time of other pills
I’ve made the next vet tech appointment for an Istat blood test (ionized calcium) in about a month (Monday, June 8th 9:30 am). I will also need to bring a urine sample. (Yes, that’s always interesting – I prefer to do this in the privacy of our back yard since following a dog around with a plastic cup looks odd to the neighbors. The vet provides a sterile set up – latex gloves and a lidded cup but, since the cup is too large to fit under Gracie as she squats, I’ve found that a small, flat plastic container—I use a hummus container from Trader Joe’s – works best for collection then transfer to the larger cup. Since the vet is checking urine content, not bacteria, a sterile sample isn’t absolutely necessary.)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 6
Continuing today with Mary’s journal about our dog Gracie’s canine renal failure.
April 1
The test results are back. Gracie’s BUN is down to 79 and creatinine is down to 3.6, both very good numbers. Her phosphate numbers are also down, to 6, which is within normal range but the vet wants to bring it down to 4 or 4.5. ALT is 136. The vet has taken Gracie off the carafate and put her on AlternaGel (a phosphate blocker), which can be ordered OTC at the pharmacy. She gets 7 ml 3Xs a day (2100mg). She’s also now on Calcitriol – 1 ml 2Xs a week. That has to be obtained through a compounding pharmacy (I use Wedgewood Pharmacy 1-800-331-8272 and the Calcitriol is $90 for a three month supply, plus $10 shipping.) Gracie is now on 500ml of fluids every other day but her other meds are the same.
May 6
Blood and urine checked again today. Gracie’s lost a pound, unfortunately. But, she seems interested in food. She gets a cup of brown rice in the morning and evening with 1 ounce of grilled turkey pattie (she loves it grilled), ½ of a very finely crumpled hard-boiled egg, and, as incentives, a ½ to 1 crushed Iams weight-control dog biscuit, ½ a crumpled Greenie pill pocket hidden in the rice, and as a plate-cleaner, some torn pieces of baguette not to exceed the nutritional amount in the original Hills recipe. She also gets no more than a teaspoon of turkey baby food either slathered on the bottom of the bowl or mixed with warm water to create a sauce. Normally, she would get 2 ounces of grilled turkey per meal but I’ve reduced the amount slightly because of the protein-based incentives. She also gets about a ½ cup of rice and maybe ½ ounce grilled turkey with some of the incentives as a small mid-day meal.
Feeding and fluids can take up to an hour in the morning to administer. Also, I have to allow time during the week to cook her food.
April 1
The test results are back. Gracie’s BUN is down to 79 and creatinine is down to 3.6, both very good numbers. Her phosphate numbers are also down, to 6, which is within normal range but the vet wants to bring it down to 4 or 4.5. ALT is 136. The vet has taken Gracie off the carafate and put her on AlternaGel (a phosphate blocker), which can be ordered OTC at the pharmacy. She gets 7 ml 3Xs a day (2100mg). She’s also now on Calcitriol – 1 ml 2Xs a week. That has to be obtained through a compounding pharmacy (I use Wedgewood Pharmacy 1-800-331-8272 and the Calcitriol is $90 for a three month supply, plus $10 shipping.) Gracie is now on 500ml of fluids every other day but her other meds are the same.
May 6
Blood and urine checked again today. Gracie’s lost a pound, unfortunately. But, she seems interested in food. She gets a cup of brown rice in the morning and evening with 1 ounce of grilled turkey pattie (she loves it grilled), ½ of a very finely crumpled hard-boiled egg, and, as incentives, a ½ to 1 crushed Iams weight-control dog biscuit, ½ a crumpled Greenie pill pocket hidden in the rice, and as a plate-cleaner, some torn pieces of baguette not to exceed the nutritional amount in the original Hills recipe. She also gets no more than a teaspoon of turkey baby food either slathered on the bottom of the bowl or mixed with warm water to create a sauce. Normally, she would get 2 ounces of grilled turkey per meal but I’ve reduced the amount slightly because of the protein-based incentives. She also gets about a ½ cup of rice and maybe ½ ounce grilled turkey with some of the incentives as a small mid-day meal.
Feeding and fluids can take up to an hour in the morning to administer. Also, I have to allow time during the week to cook her food.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Hi from Gracie and Sofie - on Vacation!
There are still a few posts to come on the canine renal failure series, but in the meantime, the girls are at the HawksbillCabin enjoying a well-earned vacation. 
Here's Gracie, the border collie, near some zinnias and flags, and then Sofie in one of the spots where she keeps an eye out for deer.
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 5
Continuing today with Mary’s journal about our dog Gracie’s canine renal failure.
March 17th
Another follow-up vet tech appointment with blood and urine tests. I’m at the vet’s office so much that I jokingly tell the patient coordinators that I should have a reserved parking space. I’m getting to know some of them by name, and all have been very caring toward Gracie and me during this ordeal.
I’ve shifted Gracie to homemade food based on the Hill’s diet: white rice, white bread, hard-boiled egg, calcium from ground egg shell, but have replaced the beef with boiled or baked chicken. She’s still not eating very much of it and it takes a while to get a full serving into her, using incentives and tears. I’ve switched the blood pressure medicine prescription to Costco from Target – I’m now paying around $6.00 for the same amount I paid $57 for at Target.
March 30th
More follow-up blood work. Gracie’s up to 43 pounds. In desperation regarding her food, I’ve consulted a holistic vet regarding Gracie’s diet. I’ve switched Gracie to brown rice and turkey, and replaced the white bread with French baguette (not through the holistic vet – I accidently dropped a piece of French bread on the floor one day and Gracie gobbled it up.) I don’t put the calcium in her food any more because she doesn’t seem to like it but otherwise I’m trying to keep the nutritional amounts from the substitute foods relatively the same as in Hill’s recipe.
March 17th
Another follow-up vet tech appointment with blood and urine tests. I’m at the vet’s office so much that I jokingly tell the patient coordinators that I should have a reserved parking space. I’m getting to know some of them by name, and all have been very caring toward Gracie and me during this ordeal.
I’ve shifted Gracie to homemade food based on the Hill’s diet: white rice, white bread, hard-boiled egg, calcium from ground egg shell, but have replaced the beef with boiled or baked chicken. She’s still not eating very much of it and it takes a while to get a full serving into her, using incentives and tears. I’ve switched the blood pressure medicine prescription to Costco from Target – I’m now paying around $6.00 for the same amount I paid $57 for at Target.
March 30th
More follow-up blood work. Gracie’s up to 43 pounds. In desperation regarding her food, I’ve consulted a holistic vet regarding Gracie’s diet. I’ve switched Gracie to brown rice and turkey, and replaced the white bread with French baguette (not through the holistic vet – I accidently dropped a piece of French bread on the floor one day and Gracie gobbled it up.) I don’t put the calcium in her food any more because she doesn’t seem to like it but otherwise I’m trying to keep the nutritional amounts from the substitute foods relatively the same as in Hill’s recipe.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 4
Our dog Gracie was diagnosed with early stage canine renal failure last year. She had some issues earlier this year – lethargy, declining to eat or drink – that indicated her condition had progressed to the final stage. During this week week, while we are at the cabin on vacation, without regular internet access, I’ve scheduled for chronological posts of my wife’s account of the events since Gracie was diagnosed as being in this stage.
March 11th
Gracie’s about the same, eating a bit more but it's still a struggle. I'm getting used to sticking in the needle between her shoulder blades after pulling up some skin to form a “pocket” but I've got needle pricks in my fingers from my learning curve. Occasionally, she will bleed if I hit some capillaries. It’s a huge bore needle and Gracie flinches when I stick it in her flesh. Jim has become adept at holding the fluid bag and pushing the fluids to regulate the flow. But, Gracie’s a very calm dog and takes the pain stoically. Jim sits on a chair to hold the bag up and I sit on the floor in front of him with my knees up around Gracie, sort of forming a corral. She sits between us and only gets restless towards the end of the treatment. She gets her G3Chews and Pet Tabs as a treat as we begin the treatment and after is rewarded with a few tosses of her fluffy soccer ball. The fluid collects under her skin and forms a big mound which eventually seems to move down around to the front of her neck. To make her more comfortable, we warm the fluids bag in a pot of warm tap water to bring it closer to her body temperature, and we warm a bath towel in the dryer and lay it across her back and sides as we administer the fluids. This acts to keep her calm and also helps keep her warm.
The carafate and blood pressure medicine are costing a small fortune for a one or two week supply, which is disheartening. I’m also buying five bags of fluid with set ups and needles from the vet every 10 days. The fluids cost about $10/bag. The medication regimen is fairly rigid, administering the carafate an hour or so after the others since it will prevent the other medications from being absorbed in the stomach. We have a follow-up with the vet next Tuesday. Hopefully, Gracie’s numbers will have stabilized—that’s about the best we can hope for at this point.
She's still a trooper—enjoying our walks and the small fluffy soccer ball tossed up to her as she waits at the top of the stairs to catch it. She the rolls it down the stairs, starting the game again.
March 11th
Gracie’s about the same, eating a bit more but it's still a struggle. I'm getting used to sticking in the needle between her shoulder blades after pulling up some skin to form a “pocket” but I've got needle pricks in my fingers from my learning curve. Occasionally, she will bleed if I hit some capillaries. It’s a huge bore needle and Gracie flinches when I stick it in her flesh. Jim has become adept at holding the fluid bag and pushing the fluids to regulate the flow. But, Gracie’s a very calm dog and takes the pain stoically. Jim sits on a chair to hold the bag up and I sit on the floor in front of him with my knees up around Gracie, sort of forming a corral. She sits between us and only gets restless towards the end of the treatment. She gets her G3Chews and Pet Tabs as a treat as we begin the treatment and after is rewarded with a few tosses of her fluffy soccer ball. The fluid collects under her skin and forms a big mound which eventually seems to move down around to the front of her neck. To make her more comfortable, we warm the fluids bag in a pot of warm tap water to bring it closer to her body temperature, and we warm a bath towel in the dryer and lay it across her back and sides as we administer the fluids. This acts to keep her calm and also helps keep her warm.
The carafate and blood pressure medicine are costing a small fortune for a one or two week supply, which is disheartening. I’m also buying five bags of fluid with set ups and needles from the vet every 10 days. The fluids cost about $10/bag. The medication regimen is fairly rigid, administering the carafate an hour or so after the others since it will prevent the other medications from being absorbed in the stomach. We have a follow-up with the vet next Tuesday. Hopefully, Gracie’s numbers will have stabilized—that’s about the best we can hope for at this point.
She's still a trooper—enjoying our walks and the small fluffy soccer ball tossed up to her as she waits at the top of the stairs to catch it. She the rolls it down the stairs, starting the game again.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 3
Continuing today with Mary’s journal about our dog Gracie’s canine renal failure.
March 6th through 8th
Gracie is in crisis—lethargic and weak – and has had to be hospitalized for three days with IV fluids, antibiotics, and a host of other medications. Her BUN and creatinine levels are through the roof. She’s down to 39 pounds, a loss of more than 12 pounds over the past year. The crisis has forced Jim and me to face the fact that Gracie may not be with us much longer. We are discussing how much intervention we think is appropriate for our dear girl. Our other old dog, Sofie, is anxious and nervous, looking for her missing friend.
March 9th
Thankfully, Gracie’s rallied and is now home. We must now give her 500 ml of subcutaneous fluids every morning, plus carafate for her stomach, amlodipine besylate 2.5 mg every 12 hours for high blood pressure, Pepcid, plus her tramadol (1 to 1 ½ tablets twice a day for arthritis), G3 Chews for glucosamine and Omega 3 fatty acids, and a Pet Tab vitamin once a day. The pills are given in a Greenie Pill pocket, which she loves. She’s also still interested in Iams dog treats (weight control variety which is lower in protein than other varieties.)
March 6th through 8th
Gracie is in crisis—lethargic and weak – and has had to be hospitalized for three days with IV fluids, antibiotics, and a host of other medications. Her BUN and creatinine levels are through the roof. She’s down to 39 pounds, a loss of more than 12 pounds over the past year. The crisis has forced Jim and me to face the fact that Gracie may not be with us much longer. We are discussing how much intervention we think is appropriate for our dear girl. Our other old dog, Sofie, is anxious and nervous, looking for her missing friend.
March 9th
Thankfully, Gracie’s rallied and is now home. We must now give her 500 ml of subcutaneous fluids every morning, plus carafate for her stomach, amlodipine besylate 2.5 mg every 12 hours for high blood pressure, Pepcid, plus her tramadol (1 to 1 ½ tablets twice a day for arthritis), G3 Chews for glucosamine and Omega 3 fatty acids, and a Pet Tab vitamin once a day. The pills are given in a Greenie Pill pocket, which she loves. She’s also still interested in Iams dog treats (weight control variety which is lower in protein than other varieties.)
Friday, May 22, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 2
Continuing today with Mary’s journal about our dog Gracie’s canine renal failure.
February 27th
Another follow-up visit to the vet for blood and urine testing today. Gracie’s been shivering and she’s still not eating enough. I’m trying hard to find prescription food that she will eat. She doesn’t like the Hill’s k/d or the Royal Canin Renal, canned or dry. I’ve tried to incentivize with small amounts of regular dog food, boiled chicken, fresh chicken broth, but she’s not interested. I’m trying her now on a homemade diet based on Hill’s canine restricted protein diet (from our vet via the internet):
¼ lb ground beef, not lean
2 cups cooked white rice without salt
1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped
3 slices white bread crumbled
1 teaspoon (5grams) calcium carbonate (ended up grinding up eggs shells for this)
Cook beef in skillet until lightly brown, add rest of ingredients and a little water if too dry. Keep in refrigerator. Yields 1 ¼ lbs
(Analysis: 6.9% protein, 5.5% fat, 21.1% carbohydrates, 65.5% moisture)
A 40 lb dog such as Gracie should eat 1 ½ lbs of this mixture per day. So one batch is slightly less than one day’s worth of food. (Daily amounts according to Hill’s: 5 lb. dog, ¼ lb of food; 10 lb dog, ½ lb of food; 20 lb dog, 1 lb food; 60 lb dog, 2 lbs food; 80 lb dog, 2 ½ lbs food; 100 lb dog, 3 lbs food)
February 27th
Another follow-up visit to the vet for blood and urine testing today. Gracie’s been shivering and she’s still not eating enough. I’m trying hard to find prescription food that she will eat. She doesn’t like the Hill’s k/d or the Royal Canin Renal, canned or dry. I’ve tried to incentivize with small amounts of regular dog food, boiled chicken, fresh chicken broth, but she’s not interested. I’m trying her now on a homemade diet based on Hill’s canine restricted protein diet (from our vet via the internet):
¼ lb ground beef, not lean
2 cups cooked white rice without salt
1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped
3 slices white bread crumbled
1 teaspoon (5grams) calcium carbonate (ended up grinding up eggs shells for this)
Cook beef in skillet until lightly brown, add rest of ingredients and a little water if too dry. Keep in refrigerator. Yields 1 ¼ lbs
(Analysis: 6.9% protein, 5.5% fat, 21.1% carbohydrates, 65.5% moisture)
A 40 lb dog such as Gracie should eat 1 ½ lbs of this mixture per day. So one batch is slightly less than one day’s worth of food. (Daily amounts according to Hill’s: 5 lb. dog, ¼ lb of food; 10 lb dog, ½ lb of food; 20 lb dog, 1 lb food; 60 lb dog, 2 lbs food; 80 lb dog, 2 ½ lbs food; 100 lb dog, 3 lbs food)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Diary of Gracie's Canine Renal Failure - 1
Our dog Gracie was diagnosed with early stage canine renal failure last year. She had some issues earlier this year – lethargy, declining to eat or drink – that indicated her condition had progressed to the final stage. Starting today and over the next week, while we are at the cabin on vacation, without regular internet access, I’ll chronologically post my wife’s account of the events since Gracie was diagnosed as being in this stage. As of these postings, Gracie is still with us - pretty happy and comfortable.
January 9th
Gracie, our 14 year-old Border Collie, has been diagnosed with canine renal failure. Her kidneys have been weakening for about a year. In retrospect, one of the first signs was weakness in her legs; she wouldn’t stand for any length of time, preferring to lie down even if we stopped for a short time on our walks. She’s also lost a lot of weight. She’s not eating, and really hates the renal prescription dry and wet foods. (And, it’s very difficult to get this special food, too. It either has to be ordered through a vet or bought on line – a big waste of money if the dog won’t eat it. Petsmart sells canned Hill’s k/d and Royal Canin, but a prescription card is needed.) Loss of appetite is another symptom of the disease. Apparently, the toxins built up in the blood by failing kidneys makes the dog nauseous and can even lead to stomach ulcers.
January 9th
Gracie, our 14 year-old Border Collie, has been diagnosed with canine renal failure. Her kidneys have been weakening for about a year. In retrospect, one of the first signs was weakness in her legs; she wouldn’t stand for any length of time, preferring to lie down even if we stopped for a short time on our walks. She’s also lost a lot of weight. She’s not eating, and really hates the renal prescription dry and wet foods. (And, it’s very difficult to get this special food, too. It either has to be ordered through a vet or bought on line – a big waste of money if the dog won’t eat it. Petsmart sells canned Hill’s k/d and Royal Canin, but a prescription card is needed.) Loss of appetite is another symptom of the disease. Apparently, the toxins built up in the blood by failing kidneys makes the dog nauseous and can even lead to stomach ulcers.
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