# Having some trouble with my Dru-Dru



## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

I know I haven't posted in quite a while. Between my job and my Dru-Dru boy, it's been hectic.

Dru developed a reaction to Orijen Senior, which I'd bought thinking that I might try a Senior formula. He began scratching and biting himself to where he left bald patches. Changed back to Evo, took him to the vet, and the skin situation cleared up immediately. Lesson learned, Dru does not do well on Orijen.

Then I began to notice a strange gait right when the weather began to turn cold. Took him in and it turns out he has an ACL injury. Might have happened during one of his play sessions, but I must admit I didn't see it happen. Given his age (two months shy of 12) we've decided to crate him and keep him quiet but no surgery. I don't want to put him through a surgery at his age. 

On top of it all, x-rays revealed severe arthritis. Gorgeous hip sockets and hip placement, but the heck of the femur where it goes into the socket has some bone growth. No spurs. Additionally, arthritis is so advanced in his spine that the vertebrae at the base of his tail and moving over his hips towards his back are essentially fused together due to bone growth. 

We are giving him (and Billy) Cosequin. Dru is gettin Rimadyl for the arthritis pain and his movement is improving.

I keep an eye on my guys. I always run my hands all over them to see for anything unusual. I watch their movement....so how could I not have seen an ACL injury when it happened??? And how could his arthritis have come on asymptomatic until it was this extreme. Worse yet, what if I didn't see symptoms and Dru has been in pain for months and I did not respond appropriately?

It's been a rough few weeks. I feel that I failed my old boy and I'm feeling huge amounts of guilt because I think I may have focused so much on Max that I've neglected everyone else. Going through an emotional rough patch at this time.


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

So sorry to hear about Dru Dru...maybe he wasn't in to much pain plus dog are so good at hiding it. Don't blame yourself all you can do is take care of him now. Good thoughts and prayers being sent that he will be fine.


----------



## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

Thank you for being so comforting. I really do feel that I've neglected everyone because I'm paying Max so much attention. Dru is not a companion the day my other dogs have been, he is a working dog, he's always been more aloof. Not to say he isn't bonded to us, but he keeps to himself. I'm afraid I missed signs because he is just "different" and more stoic than any dog I've ever seen. When he degloved his paw I didn't even know until I saw the bloody pawprints, he kept working, I had to physically stop him.


----------



## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Dru does a good job hiding his pain from you, they do that, especially the ones that have that "work" mind set. But you know now, and you immediately took him to the vet as soon as you saw the problem. Try not to feel guilty!


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Melissa wrote exactly what I was thinking as I read your post. Our old aussie girl (at least 14, probably closer to 15) is much the same as your Dru. She is also deaf. She has always been more aloof.... outside she still trots along the fence line. However, her trips out are much fewer than previously and inside she mostly sleeps on a kuranda bed under the piano in the living room.... away from the hustle and bustle of the other dogs, TV, comings and goings. She, too, is on a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement and also a high dose of fish oil ( a wonderful anti- inflammatory). Enjoy your Dru in his own way...... you haven't been negligent. He's in the autumn of his life and it's different. Live in the moment with him, on his terms. He'll love and appreciate it.


----------



## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Copper got an ACL tear the summer before last and my vet didn't even have a clue. I finally had to take him to an ortho vet to find out what was wrong since it was intermittent.

It took him a while, but it did get to pretty good. I hope Dru's does as well.

We had good luck with Duralactin for a few months, Rimadyl for a few months and finally prednisone for his rampant arthritis. I also used a massager and heating pad on him. Dru may not like a massager, but I'll bet he'd like the heating pad.

the last thing we were trying was SAM-e for his arthritis. Both his internal specialist and his ortho vet recommended it. He was moving and feeling better, but we ran out of time and I am not sure just what was making him feel better. You can get SAM-e at wal-mart or target. Get the one that is 200mg and he would get one a day. The only waring I found on it was not to use it with Tramadol.

You're a good mom. give him some extra smooches from me.


----------



## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Please don't kick yourself. I wish they could talk! But they are so stoic, they probably wouldn't say anything anyway!
Selka probably had osteosarcoma awhile before he started limping and then we thought he had just pulled something running and didn't take him to the vet for a week. I felt so bad and still do.


----------



## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Don't be too hard on yourself. Old age and it's problems seem to sneak up on our dogs.
Life goes on and all of a sudden our beloved companion is a senior.


----------



## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

It doesn't sound like Dru would have shown any signs of pain reguardless of you focusing on Max. He must ba a very stoic and dedicated boy. 

Don't feel guilty. Even if you have been busy I doubt you would have missed obvious limping/yelping etc. As soon as you did you helped him.


----------



## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

Thank you, ladies, for your words and support. They really help.
I'll take the suggestions offered. I have been. Thinking of heated pads....the vet mentioned the shots if the Cosequin doesn( work.


----------



## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

Sorry for the typos. I'm on my Bberry....


----------



## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Copper would just fall asleep with the heating pad on his hips/shoulders/back etc.
I hope Dru gets to feeling better quickly.


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Yes, don't kick yourself too much, i had a golden, that also had osteosarcoma, bone cancer, did not know, until the day she fell, her leg split into, i have that guilt, forever, to think of how much pain she was in.


----------



## Chelseanr (Oct 3, 2010)

Aww, they are really great at hiding pain after just about losing my Zedd this weekend I understand the guilt you are feeling though. My boyfriend had a dog that was so arthritic that they ended up having to amputate one of his legs since it was bone against bone and they didn't notice until he wouldn't jump up onto the couch.


----------



## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

Thank you everyone. I took him back in today so they could do a recheck on his itchy areas, which are nicely healed, and to see his movement. He's improved a lot in his movement.
I asked for a full blood panel. Everything. I'd like to get him on Etagesic but we need a base line for his blood chemistry. Let's see how it goes.


----------



## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

How is Dru-dru doing? Results from the blood tests back yet


----------



## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

You sound like a very loving dog mom to me. Please don't kick yourself for not having psychic insight into your stoic guy. We do the best we can for our fur kids.

Adequan injections helped Sabrina with her arthritis. It actually helps to reverse the damage in some dogs and definitely helped her move better.

Sending healing thoughts and prayers for Dru and for you.


----------



## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

Thank you ladies.....

Yes, got the results back. Dru's liver is normal, kidneys are normal. T4 came back beautiful, no anomalies. All bloodwork is fine. Dru is simply getting old.

He's very unsteady in the rear. We're going to try either Rymadil or Etagesic. There are also shots that we can get.

Right now he's becoming more unstable and now, over the last couple of days, unable to make it up the stairs. When we went through this with Cassie towards teh end of her time with us I crated everyone at night so she wouldn't feel left out, downstairs when everyone else was upstairs in bed with us. I'm still doing that now, because of Max.

Dru is simply getting old, and his old injuries and knocks may have contributed to the arthritis. I'm trying to baby him the way I babied Cassie, but he's too into himself for that, too independent. 

Right now his quality of life is good, but not great. He can't play Frisbee like he used to. It's that question I've always dreaded - is it better to have Dru with me even if he's not himself, or to let him go while he still finds pleasures in the things he likes to do? Right now he can't play and he can't get in bed with us. I'm dreading this time.


----------



## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I wish we could make time stand still and they would never get old.


----------



## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

I know. It's very strange with Dru. Sometimes he moves fine, sometimes his rear end seems to give way and actually gets ahead so he ends up walking with his rear end almost at a right angle for a moment of two. Don't know how to explain it, almost like he's drunk.
He was doing well right before Christmas. Then he started to walk very awkwardly right after we got back. I wonder if getting in and out of the car might have bothered him.


----------



## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

What is it with this time of year? It's like a lot of the elderly and weak somehow make it through Christmas, and then let go...I'm sorry for Dru, Liliam. I hope he makes a comeback somehow. We are praying for the same thing with my father in law...before Christmas he was fine ( as fine as you can be, as a Parkinson patient), but right after Christmas he fell in some kind of delirium and hasn't come out yet. Sorry, don't want to highjack your thread, but it's like more people and animals are getting worse during this time of year.


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Sorry to hear Dru isn't doing great. Good thoughts and prayers and lots of strength to help your Dru in whatever he needs. I hope he comes around and you have lots more time with him.


----------

