Willow's platelets are low!

calliecritturs

There will be times when she *does* have control and times when she just plain does *not*.

She's doing very well.  She's going out often and waking me up if she needs out and I'm asleep.  I've been sleeping on the couch so she can wake me easily. 

It's OK if there are accidents, we know she can't help it.  I sort of wanted new carpets in some of the rooms anyway!  So, if need be we will take them up when she is either off the stuff or her dose is reduced. 

As long as she is OK, that's all we care about. 

I took a few photos with my camera phone so I'm going to see how they look and maybe put them up here.

Thanks for all the support and caring about Willow. 

Lori

I have not been around for a long while, and just read through this thread.  Sending my good wishes and prayers for an ever improving Willow.

Stay strong.

Thank you very much!

Oh Lori, I've been so rarely on the forum in a month or two, and I never visit the health section . . . . I had NO idea you were dealing with this!!  I even missed the Lyme disease issue.  I just re-read all the posts here and I think I aged a year going through the emotions just READING all of them ---- I can only imagine what you were going through each day, and I'm so sorry I didn't offer support as you were facing it.  My heart goes out to you and Willow, and I'm sending plenty of hugs and calming thoughts now that things seem to be on a stabilizing path.

There were so many posts from you and others that I was saying outloud, "Yes!  I agree!"  Everything you said about thinking no vet can totally have 100% committment to our pets like we do - that's how I feel.  I never found a vet that I truly felt looked at the complete big picture based on what I told them regarding Tonka's history.  It annoyed me to have to remind them of things or bring up suggestions based on my own research (God bless this forum for leading me in good directions back then!). 

Becca's comments about a human doctor giving us the "permission" to let some of the responsibility and worry go were so perfectly explained -- I couldn't agree more.  But, I guess the average vet would be a bit more "distanced" from a pet.  If someone like us were to be a vet, we'd be a basket case all the time!

I don't have any advice regarding her diagnosis - I've learned a lot reading these posts.  However, I'm so glad the ultrasound came back clear, and it sounds like the prednisone is helping.  I'm sure you'll be able to relieve some of its risks with the other suggestions from Callie and everyone.

My two stories about pred confirm what others have said.  First, my mother had to take it for a while, and she was stunned by the energy (or "human zoomies";) it gave her.  She said, "I can't stop cleaning my house!  It's never been this spotless!  It's more powerful than 100 cups of coffee!"  Secondly, Tonka had one shot of it once (it was some kind of steroid, anyway) after a bee sting.  The next day he began to drink almost constantly and he lost control of his bladder --- he'd get up and I'd find puddles of urine.  I was sure his kidneys failed from ONE shot.  It took a few days for it to clear up.  Yes, I'm a catastrophic thinker, so I assumed the worst.  I'm also someone who has trouble controlling anticipatory grief, so I'm completely on the same page with you regarding the emotions you've been describing in this whole thread.

I've rambled on long enough -- please give Willow a big hug (or several!), and one for you, too.  Again, I'm so sorry I didn't see this sooner.  I will hold you both in my heart and make a point to watch for updates.  And I'll PM you soon to catch up on other things.  Sending lots of good vibes across the miles!

Thank you Tracy!

Thanks for asking!  She's holding her own nicely I think.  She's eating well, drinking tons and peeing tons.  We aren't getting much sleep at night but it's not too bad.  She seems to be OK, not her usually perky self but not bad.  I think it's harder on me than her to see her with these side effects.  And, I'm sensing that she knows I'm giving her the stuff that's doing this to her. 

As I was reading through these posts the combination of topics, joint health and bladder infections, reminded me of the fact that glucosamine is known to help prevent bladder infections. So that might not be a bad idea.

Hugs and hoping Willow continues to improve. Long terms hopes that she can be weaned off the pred or at least maintained on a small dose.

sl2crmeg

We went out at 12am, 2am, 4am, and 6am for weeeeeeks.

That's pretty much what we are doing too. 

 We had one of our dogs on pred for several months, due to a grand mal seizure he had......he ended up at Cornell Vet School because of it. Anyway, we had no other problems, except the peeing every 2 hours. We were finally able to get him off of it and he was no worse for the wear. You are doing a great job for your Willow boy. I've been very impressed with how well you've done with him right along, with everything. He's got himself a great family. Glad to hear that things are looking more positive.

Thanks!

We had gone to BF's parents house for the weekend, and this was back when Pirate ate all kibble. I left his weekend bag hanging on the door while we went to dinner. He pulled the bag down, neatly opened 7 ziplock bags, with 1/2 c. kibble each, and ate them ALL, plus a bag full of treats. LOL!

I hope Willow's doing OK!

OMG, Pirate!

I'm sitting here with a quart of ice cream--does that pretty much say it all??   I'm exhausted, I've been up every two hours with her and I've had to work over time every day this week.  I'm on schedule to do about 50 hours this week--which I can't give away due to the financial issues.

And, she is defiant--I mean she always was but tonight I wanted her to walk in a direction she didn't want too and she growled at me, I THINK, it was such a weird sound--she's never made before.  I told DH to be very careful with her, she's not in her right frame of mind. 

Overall though, she's doing OK with all of this.  She gave me some licks this morning and DH said she hung out on the deck tonight and she played a little with him. 

She's just making me sooo tired and mentally it's hard to see her attitude because that's how she used to act when we first got her. 

Lori

willowchow

She's just making me sooo tired and mentally it's hard to see her attitude because that's how she used to act when we first got her. 

A few years ago my Dad was on pred very long term for treatment of a condition ... and of course the longer you're on it the longer it takes to wean off it ... My mother said to me at one point "I don't think *I* will live long enough to see your FATHER off the !@#$!$#* prednisone!  Then again, I just may kill him and save myself the trouble!"

Now trust me -- the 'side effects' my Father was having just aren't anything Willow is having to deal with ... *grin* ... but it's just one of those drugs that reinvents the wheel of symptoms -- you just think you got it figgered and nope ... something else weirds out.

Concentrate on that "need new carpeting in those rooms anyway" thot ... and if you want my recipe for chocolate/fudge sauce to go on that ice cream just let me know, Lori!!