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arf777

arf777

No longer dogless
Soooo....my dog has recently begun having seizures, has now been diagnosed as epileptic. According to the veterinary neurologist, a lot of the behavioral issues I've had with him (difficulty housebreaking, freaking out when anyone comes over) are probably related to the epilepsy.

And now a new thing. My guy just tore up the carpet in my bedroom while he was locked in there for all of 90 minutes. I wasn't even gone, was just putting together a bookshelf, had to put him away so he wouldn't interfere.

Now I don't know what to do with him. I usually leave him loose in that bedroom when I'm not home. But now I fear he'll eat bits of carpet and hurt himself. I don't have the money to have the carpet fixed, as I am saving up for a major spinal surgery I'm having in January. And I have to figure out what to do with him when I have that surgery.

I am starting to fear that, with my health issues, and now his health and behavioral issues, I cannot keep him any more.
 
arf777,
momofthegoons

momofthegoons

vapor accessory addict
arf777 said:
Soooo....my dog has recently begun having seizures, has now been diagnosed as epileptic. According to the veterinary neurologist, a lot of the behavioral issues I've had with him (difficulty housebreaking, freaking out when anyone comes over) are probably related to the epilepsy.

And now a new thing. My guy just tore up the carpet in my bedroom while he was locked in there for all of 90 minutes. I wasn't even gone, was just putting together a bookshelf, had to put him away so he wouldn't interfere.

Now I don't know what to do with him. I usually leave him loose in that bedroom when I'm not home. But now I fear he'll eat bits of carpet and hurt himself. I don't have the money to have the carpet fixed, as I am saving up for a major spinal surgery I'm having in January. And I have to figure out what to do with him when I have that surgery.

I am starting to fear that, with my health issues, and now his health and behavioral issues, I cannot keep him any more.
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Oh arf777... I am so very sorry.

First things first.. do you have a crate he can be in while you aren't home or need him contained? Or did you not crate train? That would be a safe and secure place for him.

The carpet will have to be torn out eventually. Maybe just bite the bullet and take it out now?

As to what to do with him during and after your surgery; that's a tough one. I'm assuming you have no one to watch him near by. Family? I would imagine you wont be able to care for him yourself while you recover. It's a tough one because boarding would cost an arm and a leg.

God... I feel so bad for you. I know how I am with my little guy and it kills me to think of going through that with him.
 
lwien

lwien

Well-Known Member
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arf777

arf777

No longer dogless
momofthegoons said:
Oh arf777... I am so very sorry.

First things first.. do you have a crate he can be in while you aren't home or need him contained? Or did you not crate train? That would be a safe and secure place for him.

The carpet will have to be torn out eventually. Maybe just bite the bullet and take it out now?

As to what to do with him during and after your surgery; that's a tough one. I'm assuming you have no one to watch him near by. Family? I would imagine you wont be able to care for him yourself while you recover. It's a tough one because boarding would cost an arm and a leg.

God... I feel so bad for you. I know how I am with my little guy and it kills me to think of going through that with him.
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He was crate trained, and I still have his crate. But he's almost 80 pounds now, and when I'm in my office I tend to be gone for 12-14 hours. Feel like it'd be cruel to crate him that long. When I first crate trained him I had a dog walker who came in the middle of the day, then I found out she stopped coming but pretended she had come so I had to fire her. Short-term I'm looking for a new walker. I'll have to replace the carpet ASAP if I ever want to leave him uncrated, which I don't have the money to do, since all my $$$ are going toward my coming surgery.

In terms of when I have the surgery, I just don't know. Last time I had surgery I had family right around the corner who walked the dog I had at the time when I couldn't. Now my nearest family and friends are about 30 minutes away, over an hour round trip.

I could maybe find the money to kennel him for 7-10 days. Beyond that I'd need to foster him. And between at least one person in each family member's household being allergic to dogs, my guy's seizures and related behavioral problems, I just do not know if I can place him with anybody. Even worse, I do not know that I can find him a home if my health and his issues will not permit me to keep him long-term. Not many people want to adopt an epileptic dog who occasionally destroys things, no matter how friendly and cuddly he is otherwise. I've never, ever allowed an animals life to end unless they were seriously ill, but I am terrified that is where this is headed if my surgery goes poorly and nobody wants to take him. It is extra horrifying as he truly is the friendliest, cuddliest dog I've ever lived with. He's a sweetheart when he isn't having a seizure or one of his rare behavioral flare-ups, which are themselves neurological and not under his control.

This HAS decided me that I can never have a dog this large again, and that I will never get a dog from a breeder again without much more info on the bloodline than I got on his. I'd had olde english bulldogs before and they were all very healthy, but it turns out some of the bloodlines have serious neurological issues.
 
arf777,
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momofthegoons

momofthegoons

vapor accessory addict
@arf777 I just can't like your posts.... :cry:

I know this has to be one of the hardest things you've gone through.

Have you talked to your vet about this at all? He may have some solutions for you; even if short term. And has he discussed any type of medication for your dog?

You know... I had a thought just now. They are using medical cannabis for epilepsy in humans... You don't suppose it would help your puppy do you? They sell CBD dog biscuits at the dispensary I go to. I'm thinking you could bake him something? Not sure but I think it would have to be whole plant for it to be beneficial. But small doses?
 
arf777

arf777

No longer dogless
momofthegoons said:
@arf777 I just can't like your posts.... :cry:

I know this has to be one of the hardest things you've gone through.

Have you talked to your vet about this at all? He may have some solutions for you; even if short term. And has he discussed any type of medication for your dog?

You know... I had a thought just now. They are using medical cannabis for epilepsy in humans... You don't suppose it would help your puppy do you? They sell CBD dog biscuits at the dispensary I go to. I'm thinking you could bake him something? Not sure but I think it would have to be whole plant for it to be beneficial. But small doses?
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Spoke to the veterinary neurologist about CBD and other cannabis-based treatments. His concern is proper dosage. Apparently the research on it is being done now.

My vet is making enquiries in the local pet fostering community for me. She is also talking to her staff to see if anyone there might be able to take him for a while. He's really popular there so I have hope. She is also trying to figure out a way to make kenneling him cheaper if that is necessary (the boarding kennel is part of the large vet practice his vet belongs to). She is relatively confident that, if he has to be placed permanently, she could find somebody.

I really do not want it to come to that though. I'm handicapped, live alone, have had no significant other in many years, so my dog is very, very important to me. At the same time, he is draining my funds so much it's affecting my ability to pay my medical bills. All very stressful. As it is, I'm having a steroid epidural on Wednesday and am afraid I'll have to crate him the whole time I'm gone, probably 12 hours or so.
 
momofthegoons

momofthegoons

vapor accessory addict
arf777 said:
Spoke to the veterinary neurologist about CBD and other cannabis-based treatments. His concern is proper dosage. Apparently the research on it is being done now.
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I can understand the concerns. I've seen what eating abv can do to a dog and it isn't pretty.

But I have to believe CBD wouldn't have that kind of effect. We don't feel any type of high from it. It would be worth a try imo.

I'm wishing for the best of outcomes for you.
 
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