So, your dog decided is was time to take you for a walk and this happened

[babybear]

could sleep ANYWHERE






'specially if with bone




many good times had- seems a shame that our "pack" has different ages
read a book recently that described the human life spam as looking like that of an ant to a tree (who can live hundreds to thousands of yrs)
mind blowing if you really start to think about it (or smoke too much pot)

ok obviously I cd go on forever. this has been my best friend for 15 yrs

[Harry]

Baby bear, sorry to hear about your pup. Great looking dog who looks real happy in those photos. You gave him a great life.

[babybear]

thanks guys- i know you know how it is too

they really do *enhance* life I have to say

[jetski]

My 27 lb male beagle/terrier cross humped some guys male lab, that guy went on a homophobic rant about how my dog was a "faggot" and that I should train it to be less gay. I told him it's only gay if you're taking it.... he was unimpressed.

Hahaha! Train the gay away! Obedience courses for members of Westboro Church...
That is unbelievable. Way to handle it. People are unreal sometimes.

[jetski]

thanks guys- i know you know how it is too

they really do *enhance* life I have to say

Everything is better with a dog

[John_B]

Willie looked like a good one. I'm glad you got 15 great years. Now off to take my stick loving, whiny lab mix on a walk.

[skiJ]

[QUOTE=b-bear;4906954]this thread I like
lost my favorite dog a week ago. Willie- 15 1/2 yo maybe vizsla/lab something mix. anyhow a mutt caliber dog for cloning
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Attachment 197204

super strong in snow. not all dogs can ski with people- deep snow is tough. we didnt always take him bc we knew he would gogogo no matter what. But is fun to do a tour that works for them once in awhile too- the stoke is high
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( I'm ) Sorry 'bout 'Willie' ... looks like your crew had ( / has ) a fine life .

The Good dogs never live long enough...


my sincere Condolences... tj

[AlpiNord]

many good times had- seems a shame that our "pack" has different ages
read a book recently that described the human life spam as looking like that of an ant to a tree (who can live hundreds to thousands of yrs)
mind blowing if you really start to think about it (or smoke too much pot)

All the more reason to maximize the time you can spend with your pets. They like to play too....with you. They are great personal trainers and get you out more often, especially when you don't have the mojo to self motivate.

Sorry for your loss. It's never easy, but worth the pain for all of the gain and companionship. We have 3 dogs and two cats in our 'pet cemetery'.

What started more supervised 'constitutionals' vs just letting the dogs out without watching, was all of the coyotes. One time I had just let out our Malamut-Golden only to see her playing and wrestling with a coyote. This was a ploy and they then try to lead prey to the rest of the pack not too far away.

[t-the-east]

Read through this thread this morning while sipping my coffee, I think it inspired me to take the dog on a hike....


I almost always keep her on a leash hiking, never used the leash today and she was happy as can be and stuck right with me. Thanks all for the dog stoke and inspiration to take her out today.

[esseff]

Probably seen elsewhere at some point, but appropriate............

[AlpiNord]

The personal trainer:



Is your slow ass coming or what?

[ACH]

thanks guys- i know you know how it is too

they really do *enhance* life I have to say

Tuning in late, I'm sad and sorry for your loss Baby Bear.
It sounds like he had a very nice life with you.

[east or bust]

great thread

[hutash]

Hey Flowing Aply, how'd you pups toe turn out?

[Supermoon]

Sorry for your loss BB. It's never easy letting them go. Even when they are that old.

This is the look I get every time we go out for a hike. "Are you coming or not!"





Followed by sprinting back to me






Seen many many cool things out with dogs. Mountain lions (thankfully far, far away), bears, heards of sheep and deer and elk, coyotes, fish, hippies, etc.

Goal for this year is to get her to heal nicely on leash when we are out in the neighborhood. Something about the smells of the city keep her from paying attention to her training.

[AlpiNord]

It's been a week since we thought we may need to put down our dog Dyvot due to what seemed like a series of strokes and minor paralysis. Fortunately, he had Vestibular (aka 'Old Dog') Disease and seems to be getting back to his ole self, except for a slight head tilt.

We had never heard of this before and were quite shaken. So, as a heads up, check out the link and search for more background (quoted below).

For a while, due to major head tilt, he could only make right turns. So, we were thinking his ability to become a Nascar driver was definitely limited.

Canine idiopathic vestibular disease, which is also sometimes called “old dog disease” or “old rolling dog syndrome,” can be very scary for pet parents. To the untrained eye, the symptoms may mimic serious, life threatening conditions such as stroke or a brain tumor.

The good news is that this condition, which is described by veterinarians as fairly common, typically disappears in a matter of days.

VCA Animal Hospitals define vestibular disease as a sudden, non-progressive disturbance of balance.

“Idiopathic refers to the fact that veterinarians can’t identify the source of the balance issue,” said Dr. Duffy Jones, DVM, a veterinarian with Peachtree Hills Animal Hospitals of Atlanta in Georgia. “There are a lot of theories such as inflammation, but as with some humans who suffer from vertigo, we really don’t know the cause.”

Dr. Keith Niesenbaum, DVM, a veterinarian with Crawford Dog and Cat Hospital in Garden City Park, New York, and who has been practicing for 32 years, said that idiopathic vestibular disease is more common in older dogs and there really isn’t a breed that is immune.

“Anecdotally, I’ve seen it more in large breed dogs, but it can also happen with small breeds as well,” Niesenbaum said.

Symptoms of Idiopathic Vestibular Disease

Deb Hipp of Kansas City, Missouri, was preparing to go out of town for a few days when her 17-year-old dog, Toby, suddenly had more trouble than normal getting up.

“He has some mobility issues, so I thought he was just tired, so I waited another ten minutes and tried to get him up,” Hipp said. “On the second attempt, he was having trouble placing his paws to stand and I immediately took him to the emergency vet.”

Hipp thought Toby might have had a stroke, but the veterinarian made a note of Toby’s eyes, which were darting back and forth. After some blood tests and a more thorough exam, he diagnosed idiopathic vestibular disease. By that time, in addition to not being able to stand and the darting eyes, Toby also displayed other symptoms of the disease, which include:

• Head tilt, which may be slight to extreme
• Acting dizzy and falling down, which may remind people of someone who is drunk
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Dogs may also turn in circles or roll

“The symptoms are acute, or immediate,” said Jones. “The symptoms will not be a slow progression but happen all of a sudden. There really aren’t any symptoms that can be a sign this is coming on.”

Medical Treatment for Idiopathic Vestibular Disease

Jones said it is important to get your dog to its veterinarian as soon as you see any of the signs, as the symptoms are similar to that of other more serious conditions, such as an inner ear infection, stroke, brain tumor, or seizure.

Jones said idiopathic vestibular disease is confirmed by a veterinarian upon a complete physical examination, such as checking the eye movement, which would be rolling in cases of a stroke, and lifting the paw and flipping it over to see if the dog puts his paw back. “If the dog can flip his paw over, it typically isn’t a stroke,” said Jones.

Niesenbaum said that once the condition is diagnosed, the dog is typically treated at home unless the dog is vomiting and is at risk of dehydration, at which point he will hospitalize the dog so it can be put on IV fluids.

“If the dog goes home, we will typically prescribe an anti-nausea medication and something to help with dizziness,” Niesenbaum said.

Home Treatment for Idiopathic Vestibular Disease

Jones said that dogs can eat, but due to the nausea, they may not want to eat. He added that it is important to watch for hydration issues. Other concerns include keeping the dog in a confined area, and not allowing them to climb stairs or be on the furniture.

“The dog will really be off balance and if there are stairs or he gets on the furniture, he may fall and break bones,” said Jones.

Another consideration, especially if it is a large dog, is getting the dog outside to go to the bathroom. This was a big concern for Hipp, whose dog, Toby, weighs 60 pounds.

“Toby had mobility issues, so I had bought a special harness to help him up,” said Hipp. Still, when Toby was in the first days of idiopathic vestibular disease, he was dead weight, not being able to stand or walk at all.

After conferring with her veterinarian, Hipp was advised to hospitalize Toby.

“I was leaving town and didn’t want to leave him with the pet sitter. Although we were convinced Toby would recover, I didn’t want her to have to pick him up and take him outside,” said Hipp.

Niesenbaum said if you don’t have a harness, you can use a towel as sling to help your dog stand.

The good news is that like most dogs with this condition, Toby completely recovered within a matter of days and now even goes on his daily short walk. “It can sometimes take a couple of weeks, but if they’re not improving after 72 hours, we know it could be something more serious,” said Jones.

Some dogs do not recover completely from the head tilt. Even if your dog has appeared to have completely recovered, it’s important for the dog’s veterinarian to see the dog again just to be sure.

“I don’t get to give a lot of good news to owners of geriatric dogs when they have serious conditions, but this really is the ‘good news’ condition in that most dogs will survive and recover completely,” Jones said.

[BmillsSkier]

It's been a week since we thought we may need to put down our dog Dyvot due to what seemed like a series of strokes and minor paralysis. Fortunately, he had Vestibular (aka 'Old Dog') Disease and seems to be getting back to his ole self, except for a slight head tilt.

We had never heard of this before and were quite shaken. So, as a heads up, check out the link and search for more background (quoted below).

For a while, due to major head tilt, he could only make right turns. So, we were thinking his ability to become a Nascar driver was definitely limited.

Glad you and your pup got some good news!

Too funny, your article cites my vet, Dr Duffy Jones!

[Danno]

Glad to hear the dog is alright! Our old boy who passed last summer also had a couple of episodes of that vestibular condition, and yeah, it's scary and seems WAY more serious than it is.

I have also had my own issues with vestibular disorders, and let me tell you, for something non-serious, they SUCK.

[AlpiNord]

Thanks guys. It's great seeing him smile and go about his normal routines.

Sorry to hear that Danno. I can't imagine having to deal with those issues. Hang in there. Antibiotics don't help like for dogs? What's the treatment?

[Danno]

Thanks guys. It's great seeing him smile and go about his normal routines.

Sorry to hear that Danno. I can't imagine having to deal with those issues. Hang in there. Antibiotics don't help like for dogs? What's the treatment?

I haven't had it bad enough to need treatment in years, but the things that helped/cured it are these weird head maneuvers that can be done by a doc, a PT, chiro (not neck cracking!), anyone medical who has had the training. But I don't think those maneuvers could be successfully performed on a dog.

[AlpiNord]

I'm gonna miss those walks with my best bud.

[John_B]

Aww fuck. Sorry to hear Alp.

[liv2ski]

Yep, sorry to hear that. The one fact of life I dread, likely the most.

[liv2ski]

Was looking at Tumblr and saw this photo. I want to see this place someday with my guys.

[The AD]

Very sorry to hear. I lost a pet two weeks ago. It sucks.