Hogan Update

Oh Samantha.... about the growling in his sleep... Coal was doing the same thing yesterday when he was laying on the floor by the couch... i called his name and he woke up and i asked him if he was chasing bunny rabbits...it was pretty funny his feet were even moving....lol

Glad Coal is doing well on day 7.  I understand what you mean about not having a life - we don't right now, either.  Went home on my lunch (which I normally do anyway, it's about an 18 minute drive) to see Melissa, Hogan, and Emma (and the cats, though they don't hang out much in the main living area).  He stands in his crate wanting out.  Melissa said he's been whining more today and crying about being in his crate.  He has more energy today.  I need to call the dog trainer and ask her some questions.  He does this little tap dance thing and while it's slower than his normal tap dance, it can't be too good for his little body.

I'm glad you called the vet!  We called on Saturday evening because he was trembling and the doc said that it sometimes happens as a reaction from the shot and to just keep an eye on him.  With how much 'fear' is involved in this treatment (especially since they drive home how dangerous the treatment is so you'll keep your dog on preventative meds) I'm sure the vets can't help but expect to receive their fair share of worried phone calls.  Again, they get paid enough, so I'm consciously deciding not to feel guilty or bad about calling.

Ah, yes, bunnies.  They do love to chase 'em.  Especially Hoho's - he's part sighthound.  

Thanks for the compliment on Hogan.   He's a debonair fellow.

Do you have pictures of Coal?

here are pics of Coal and Casey... Casey likes to play soccer and brings the ball back even though its almot bigger than he is... its a foam ball that my sister bought him one day... i kick and he fetches and drops by my feet...  easier on the back since i just had back surgery and not supposed to bend over...

Awwwwwwwww... how cute!!!!

Well, Coal, you are adorable - you make sure you stay calm and relaxed, okay lil guy?

They're both so adorable.

I gotta tell ya'll - I don't know how Melissa does it all day at home with these guys.  I love our dogs dearly, but Hogan is wired for sound right now and really freaking me out.  I'm home by myself with them right now while Mel is coaching.

I tried giving him treats in a kong - he went berzerk and got himself worked in a tizzy so I had to take it away.  His little heart was racing.  Then, when I opened the crate to get it out, he ran out of it.  Yes, ran out of it.  (We're locked up in a room right now, so it's not like he could run far, but still.)  So, then he was panting.  I gave him some water.  I've got him on leash attached to my chair and so he's laying down, but gosh, I just don't know how Melissa does it.  He is getting very antsy in his crate.  I need more kongs so we can do better rotation with the frozen stuff.  He doesn't go at those as visciously as he does the kongs with biscuits in them.  It's only day 4, but it feels like it's going to be forever, for both of us.  Anytime he makes a leap or runs or goes berzerk in his crate with tap dancing or the kong, we both get so scared that he's going to give himself an embolism.



Robinsegg - is Coal doing the same stuff?

I just posted on the other thread for you and sent you an email -- yeah, more Kongs is a good idea. 
 
You may want to go ahead and give him the Calms.  Truly - it is NOT going to hurt a thing and keeping him sedentary is far far more important. 
 
If I were you I'd also keep his protein levels way down -- don't give him rocket fuel and no where to go. 
 
He's just a 'kid' -- and expecting him to be sedentary means he's gonna need some serious help with that.  For a couple of months reducing his protein way down will help but not hurt him at all.  The Calms will help and do try the Rescue Remedy and valerian as a last resort -- they won't hurt but it will be better than you guys getting all riled up. 
 
You may also want to try Dr. Fox's books on pet massage -- massage can be super calming -- in particular, put your hand right behind his skull on his neck -- your thumb on one side and your infex finger on the other side -- and immediately behind the skull just kinda rub and squeeze very gently -- that's a trigger point for relaxation.  It's a very very "natural" place that we all use to pet them, but it is a very 'calming' place to pet.
 
Don't hesitate to call me if you are tearing your hair out -- ok??

ok, thanks!  he finally is asleep - I leashed him up to my chair, he realized he wasn't going anywhere, laid down, and went to sleep.

How do we keep from giving him so much protein?

I will chech the other thread and the email.  Thanks so much!

Coal is doing about the same still panting  a good bit...  He didnt want to go in the crate this morning at all.  He has always been so good about going in when I tell him to but this morning he stood in the door way and had his head and tail down and I had to repeat myself several times before he would finally get it.  I stuff a kong with treats but not sure if he will even try and eat it...
 
What other stuff do you guys stuff kongs with???  hes not really chewing on the rawhide bones.   Unless of course Casey chews it up first and walks away to drink water then he walks over and takes it....  and then Casey does the same thing later... pretty funny actually..
 
Coal gets a little excited when Casey first comes in and when I get up to take him for walks.  But havent noticed any coughing yet...
 
I think I am more stressed out than he is... trying to figiure out how to keep him entertained and how to keep myself from yanking out my hair... trying to figuire out how to pay for all this too...  its hard when you live by yourself... thank goodness for my dad he has been awesome the past week driving to my house every morning and staying to about 4:30-5:00 and I am home by 6 so Coal isnt in that crate long....will have to find a special something for him when this is all over to say thank you... 
 
Hope Hogan is doing better... NO MORE coughing HOGAN.... you are worrying your mommy....
 
have a great day everybody!
 
LIL

I can only imagine how tough this must be.  Every time I read about someone going thru this, I imagine trying to keep one of my labs quite and I know it would be super difficult.  It's gotta be done though, so just try to keep looking to the future.
 
Have you ever used raw marrow bones?  I can give those to my labs and they will work on it for a few hours and are exhausted when they're done.  I wouldn't leave them alone with one, but if you're home and watching, it should be fine.  Also, I think you can stuff the kong with almost anything you can imagine, so maybe something more scented, like buying some yummy canned dog food and then freezing that in there? 
 
 

thanks Cathy.... will try the can food and freeze it tonight.  He got can food for the first time ever at the vet so now I have been buying those small pouches of ground up chicken or beef (they dont like the gravy ones) and mix half a pouch with their food just go give them a little something extra.... 
 
well hope Hogan is doing great today....  catcha later

Where do you get raw marrow bones???

I can always find them in the frozen food section at my grocery store.  They come from the butcher department, but that's where they keep them.  I didn't know that at first though, so I asked the butcher.  I give them straight out of the freezer, so it takes longer to get thru them.  Some folks caution about the marrow (the white stuff in the center of the bone) being too rich and maybe causing loose stools.  Since mine were frozen, I couldn't scoop any out though and there were no problems.  If there is one favorite thing in the world my dogs love, it is those marrow bones [].
Oh - and the bonus is that they're super cheap.  I think I paid $3 or $4 for a pkg of 4 or 5.

Our vet said we couldn't give Hogan raw marrow bones right now because he has a compromised immune system, so we're not giving them to him, but we're giving them to our little Emma Velvet Midnight, the black lab from sweetheart land.   That way they keep her occupied and she's not trying to rile up Hogan.  The first time we gave them to her was a few days ago and the next day her stools were looser, whiter, and had a baby carrot in 'em (we had put a carrot or two in the bone! LOL)  So, don't be freaked out if that happens.  We scooped out about 2/3 of the marrow, but she LOVES 'em.

As for Hogan, since he was coughing last night, Meliss took him to the vet this morning and the vet heard a little fluid starting to develop in his lungs, so he gave us some steroids to give him to clear up the inflammation and all.  I am working from home for the rest of the day cuz I had allergy testing and bloodwork this morning and it wipes ya out.  He's asleep in here which is a good thing.  The doc said that he was happy Mel brought him in because we could catch the fluid/inflammation early. 

I guess on this stuff ya gotta err on the side of caution rather than the opposite. 

And, as for quietting labs... Yikes.  Emma, our 3 1/2 year old black lab is usually wired for sound.  She's such a happy girl and poor little one isn't getting her full share of appreciation from everyone!  LOL - everyone gushes over Hogan, they used to gush over Emma... So, we're going to make sure she gets some extra attention because she needs it, poor angel...

Samantha

Samantha did you say if he was panting or not?  and when you say cough... deep hacking cough or just an occasional one like he might be chocking on a piece of food?   Coal chocks on his food if he eats too fast but hes always done that... and then once last night i heard a quick cough like he was clearing his throat... he is still panting a lot... going to call vet in the morning if it continues tonight..

Hmm. He was panting some yesterday. His breathing was loud - like, you could sell it sounded rough/fluidy. The coughs weren't necessarily deep hacking, but it wasn't the choking sound - kind of in between if that makes any sense whatsoever. Some coughing is normal, at least that's what they said. But, Hogan also probably was coughing several times throughout the night. The panting would freak me out a bit.