Forum Post

11 year old Rottweiler

Last post 02-02-2008 1:54 PM by slmore. 12 replies.
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  • 08-01-2007 1:05 AM

    • slmore
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    11 year old Rottweiler

    I need some advice on a fairly controversial issue that a lot of people go through when their dog gets to this age. The rottweiler I am talking about is my sister's dog. In the past few years she has begun to have seizures and act dilusional some of the time. She is also obviously not as good on her feet and her eye sight is worse. She also lays around more and sometimes mistakes objects for food, for example, she chewed up a corner of a nightstand one night. She also has accidents in the house (mostly potty) and has a hard time manipulating the steps down the deck to walk outside to go potty.
     
    On the other hand, she still has a sense of what is going on. She recently was stressed out when she sensed her family were hustling around the house getting ready for a weekend away. Also, she still gets very excited and acts like a puppy when our mom is around. She still allows people to pet her and lay by her and is still very good around my sister's kids (ages 6, 4, and 8 months). And she is still little Maya to me....but its not that easy for my sister, who sees her struggling each and every day.
     
    My question is, do any of you have any experience with older rottweilers? My sister and her husband have been struggling with this for a long time now, and wonder if putting her down is best for her or if she still has some life to live. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
     
    Thanks so much for reading.
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  • 08-01-2007 1:11 AM In reply to slmore

    • sairey
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    RE: 11 year old Rottweiler

    I don't think your question asking if people have experience with older rottwelers is exclusive to rotties. What your dog has sounds like CCD (Canine Cognitive Disorder) to me. That, I've experienced although it was with a collie. To have him diagnosed though you need to have a vet look at him. There are meds that might benefit him.
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  • 08-01-2007 1:35 PM In reply to slmore

    RE: 11 year old Rottweiler

    I absolutely agree!  That's exactly what it sounds like.  Plus, this poor old girl has very likely got some arthritis problems which can also be helped by giving her glucosamine chondroitin.  My vet also recommended 400 mg of Devils' Claw for one of my greys when her arthritis was acting up and I can testify that it works!  She hasn't needed to be put on any of the serious drugs (anti-inflammatories), although she might in the future.
     
    Please don't give up on this dog.  Take her to the vet, explain her problems and get her help.  The vet will likely want to do a geriatric blood panel on her to find out exactly what's going on with her and how best to help her. 
    [image]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p5e50477ef63ae4cdeb62570d23601ebe/e89ec0aa.jpg[/image]

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  • 08-01-2007 2:47 PM In reply to slmore

    • slmore
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    RE: 11 year old Rottweiler

    I agree - I don't want my sister to give up on her either. She just doesn't know what to do. She told me they had her on the glucosomine and nothing improved. Currently she is on 48.6 mg of Phenobarbital twice daily and 3 ml Potassium Bromide twice daily. What I get from her is that her vet has not been very helpful in providing different options for meds. She looks forward to what I find out now that I have posted what meds Maya is on.
     
    Thanks a ton - this is very helpful.
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  • 08-01-2007 3:40 PM In reply to slmore

    RE: 11 year old Rottweiler

    Hi.  How high a dosage of glucosamine chondroitin was she on?  For my 70 lb. greyhound, the vet said he needs 1500 mg daily, in addition to the 400 mg of devils claw.  And the devils' claw made a huge difference in my female, who's now totally pain free.  For the cognitive dysfunction problem, and although I'm of course not a vet, all of her symptoms point to that, there's a drug called Anipryl which is used to treat people with Parkinson's that has been used to dramatically improve the quality of life for older dogs. 
     
    As far as incontinence - is she spayed?  Because there's a hormane-related incontinence which occurs in older, spayed females and there's treatment for that, too.  There's a drug which increases the tone of a dog's urethral sphincter.
     
    I can't comment on the drugs she's currently on because I've never had a dog on them and am not quite sure what they're for.
     
    Since I've started taking my aging greyhounds with their myriad skeletal problems to a vet who does chiropractic and acupuncture treatments on dogs, I swear by them.  The difference to my guys is dramatic.  Is your sister maybe amenable to finding a vet who's more proactive in helping this dog, and if so, perhaps she could benefit from some of these treatments as well.
    [image]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p5e50477ef63ae4cdeb62570d23601ebe/e89ec0aa.jpg[/image]

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  • 08-02-2007 6:11 AM In reply to slmore

    RE: 11 year old Rottweiler

    Cholodin - supplement for old dogs
    http://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=334530 
     
    Particularly good arthritis/pain sites are:

    http://www.dogaware.com/arthritis.html
    http://www.dogaware.com/misc.html#opcare   (surgery)
     
    Here are a couple of posts about the natural treatment of pain, arthritis and skeletal repair:

    http://forum.dog.com/discus/messages/46/111961.html#POST378364 
    http://forum.dog.com/discus/messages/46/107801.html#POST369263 
    NOTE: The BowChow sites are now the DogAware sites above.
     
    Proin (PPA - Phenylpropanolamine) may help with the urinary incontinence.
    http://prnpharmacal.com/products/proin-i.htm
     
     
    You may be able to lessen the seizure problems with diet changes.
    http://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=409356
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  • 08-09-2007 12:03 PM In reply to slmore

    • slmore
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    RE: 11 year old Rottweiler

    Is Devil's Claw safe to take with other drugs? Her vet said that it is not a veterinary drug - and she doesn't even really know what it is. Maya is already on potassium bromide and phenobarbatol. Can Devil's Claw be used with other drugs?
     
    Thanks guys!
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  • 08-09-2007 4:06 PM In reply to slmore

    RE: 11 year old Rottweiler

    Devils' Claw is a human herbal.  A traditional vet wouldn't likely know about it because they don't know anything about herbals - they stick to traditional drugs.  My vet recommended it, in conjunction with the glucosamine chondroitin, because by itself, it wasn't helping my greys bad limp.  The Devils' Claw was something to try before the last step, putting her on a drug like Rimadyl, or one of the others, for the rest of her life.  The Devils' Claw, fortunately, has worked.  She's been 100% limp free now for at least 3 months.
    [image]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p5e50477ef63ae4cdeb62570d23601ebe/e89ec0aa.jpg[/image]

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  • 09-07-2007 5:21 PM In reply to slmore

    RE: 11 year old Rottweiler

    Devils' Claw is a human herbal.  A traditional vet wouldn't likely know about it because they don't know anything about herbals - they stick to traditional drugs.
     
    Um.....actually...traditional vets are not complete idiots when it comes to holistic meds...they don't often recommend herbals because many herbs have not been tested for toxicity, effective dose vs lethal dose, therapeutic index, margin of saftey, and we have no idea how they effect different stages of health and disease, whereas"traditional drugs" have been tested as such...
     
    Remember, whatever is causing the effect from a herb is a chemical, just like any other chemical....and unfortunately the vast majority of these "natural" chemicals are untested/proven (not to say they aren't effective in many situations...I just wouldnt trust them enough to throw the weight of my medical advice behind it). So its more of a "use at your own risk" thing....
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  • 09-13-2007 9:53 AM In reply to slmore

    Re: 11 year old Rottweiler

    Hi, Our 10 year old GSD has arthritis and he's a big boy. We tried him on all kinds of things to help him out.  The only thing that has helped him immensely is Previcox.  He runs like a young dog now. They run almost 2.00 a pill but he's worth it. We've never had to invest any major money  in him. He's been happy and healthy up till last year when he was diagnosed with the arthritis. Good luck. Def. take that sweet girl to a GOOD vet and see what they say!

     

    The more people I meet the more I love my dogs!







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  • 01-27-2008 10:28 AM In reply to PyrfectlyPyrenees

    • slmore
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    Re: 11 year old Rottweiler

    Thank you everyone for all of your thoughtful advice about Maya, my sister's rottweiler. They did everything they could to keep that girl healthy and held off on putting her to sleep - it didn't feel right. They knew deep down until they KNEW it was time, it wasn't. This past Monday, Maya passed away very peacefully. The whole family was around and I truly believe it was meant to be that way. It is still so sad though. Thanks for all your advice - I relayed everything on to my sister and it helped her to keep going and not give up on Maya too soon.

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  • 01-27-2008 11:06 AM In reply to slmore

    • ottoluv
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    Re: 11 year old Rottweiler

    Run free Maya.


    Here I am stuck in the middle with you
    I practice societal sanctioned assault

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  • 02-02-2008 1:54 PM In reply to ottoluv

    • slmore
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    Re: 11 year old Rottweiler

    ottoluv, THANK YOU for your last post.

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