Sunday, January 9, 2011

Rex keeps surprising me



Rex is showing some encouraging improvements, less limping and dragging. He can also walk 3-4 times longer than he was able to last week. I have also lower his weight with 3 lbs.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Great Dane Helps Stop Sexual Assault

Good job!

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Great-Dane-stops-sex-assult-113114484.html

Rex not giving up yet

Rex has over the last few days shown some very impressive improvements. He has tripled the distance he can walk. He is lifting his leg noticeable more with less dragging. He has now been on Cosequin for over a month and I have a feeling this is what's starting to kick in. I have lowered the doze of Rimadyl to 100mg a day, down from 200.
He is also taking a break from his acupuncture treatments.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Rex hanging in there



I have not posted in a few days. I've been super busy with a web design project. In this economy I have to take what I can and sometimes that's a little more than I can fit into a day's work.

Yesterday Rex looked better than he has in a long time. I have plowed a large circle in an open area where I walk him. It's a lot of snow here now and he can't walk through the deep snow. This circle is also a good measurement for how far he can walk. For the last week he could walk this circle one time before his limping became too severe. Yesterday he made this circle twice and still he was not limping as badly as he normally would have done after one lap. That's my boy!

Rex is still on:
Rimadyl 200mg a day
Cosequin DS 4 tablets a day
Acupuncture once a week

What's working or not is hard to tell. I think the combination of the above is all beneficial to him.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Rex a little better

Rex is showing more energy and sometimes gets up off the couch by himself. He has not done this in a long time. He shows signs of walking better at the beginning of his walks. After 5 minutes, he's pretty much done and needs to go back in and lay down. I don't see any signs of pain. I have not heard him make any noises this past week. He has now had 3 acupuncture sessions. I'm still not sure what have caused the improvement, the Rimadyl or the acupuncture. Tomorrow he has been on Rimadyl for 2 weeks. I have not noticed any side effects so far.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Rex not improving

Resting after 2nd acupuncture session
This is so frustrating. We can't seem to get Rex's leg to improve. He has now been on Rimadyl for one week and completed two acupuncture sessions. It pains me to see him limping so severely and not being able to walk for more than a few minutes. In all other areas he is perfect. Very alert, energetic and have so much willpower to keep going. I'm torn between keep trying and to put him down. I don't see any pain and the vet and the acupuncturist agrees. This is the only reason I keep going. The moment pain enters the picture I know what to do. I will try two more sessions and if that does not show any improvements I will have to make a decision.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

More energy, still limping badly

Rex seem more alert, and energetic this morning. He walked out of the RV with more determination that he has had for the last few weeks. He also wanted to walk faster this morning despite his limping. It does not seem to bother him much. It's looks awful to me, but if he can handle it I guess I have to go with it. When he was sick with a kidney infection last year he did not want to get up from the couch and go out. He's nothing like that at this time.