Gotta love those seniors (vet checkup)

[Ritz459]

Yeash. Our dogs went to the vet today, and I guess Blackie is more of a senior than I thought. My mom asked about Blackie's runny poo that he sometimes gets (it will be solid one day, then runny the next, without him eating anything strange), and they said that that was just him being old, since his check came back perfectally healthy.
And then Mom also asked them about Blackie's limp that he sometimes has, and so they checked out his leg and shoulder, and they discovered that his elbow was very tender. So they gave us arthrites medicine for a trial. If it is indeed arthritis, then we'd have to give those pills to him every week or day..can't remember, but anyway, then we'd have to get more every month, along with blood work done twice a year. If it isn't arthritis, then he most likely has a chip in his bone or something like that...I can't remember what Mom said.
We aren't totally sure if we want to have him try those arthritis pills because the Vet said that they might cause liver failure in Labradors. Don't know if I want to go there. Plus, that would be like what...an extra couple of hundered dollars every couple of months too.
So you just gotta love those seniors with how high-matenince they are.

BTW, does anybody have any advice about the pills...? Should we try them out or not? I want Blackie to feel comfortable, but since it isn't bad arthritis, and the pills would cost lots of money and may cause liver failure ( ) I don't know if the pros outway the cons yet.

And also, Blackie had really dirty ears, so we have this ear cleaning stuff we have to put in them, which they did at the vet's, and he hated it. lol Mom said he shook his head everywhere and gunk went flying. Ew. lol

[Sheba]

How to give a dog a pill:

Wrap in bacon
Toss in air

How to give a cat a pill:

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Gently force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans; drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and mild soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door on neck, to leave head showing. Gently force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with an elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call fire department to retrieve the **** cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Tie the little monster's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it if necessary. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Arrange for SPCA to collect the "mutant cat from hell" and call local pet shop to see if they have any really small hamsters.

[Owned by Lucy]

Something that has helped me personally with arthritis is Glucosamine, Condroitan and MSM. These are compounds that are found in the cartilage, ligments and tendons of the body. In addition to being bad on the liver typical medications that are given for arthritis are also very difficult on the stomach and esophagus. In dogs to avoid giving pills (and if you are not adverse to feeding at least some raw rood) you can feed items that are have large amount of cartilage. The most easily found item is chicken/turkey gizzards but there is also alot of it in the gullet (trachea and esophagus) of cows and pigs.

[Miss. Chi]

HAHAHAHAHAHA That is so true Sheba. Definately my experience with my cat. He would never be too happy with the whole process and either my dad or I would walk away with several scratches.