TAN #154: What are you TANkful for this time of year? (Page 32)

Hey, AMTRAK.

HAHAHAHA! Now that's hilarious in every wrong and dark way. I love it.

You can just keep your blasphemous pennies, thank you very much.

Hi Sharyn!

It definitely was great fun - but sometimes these whirwind vacations just leave you needing another vacation! 

I feel that way about whirlwind romances and vacations.

Morning TAN.

Finally got to the solution of my dog's problems - hip dysplasia. He's not even 4 yet!

The good news is, he's not a candidate for surgery... yet. And the painkillers are already helping a bit. He was up and moving more this weekend than he has been in a while.

Still, it stinks.

Oh, no! I am so sorry to hear that.

Look, I'm not talking out of my azz here ... is there any access you have to a pool or water that he could swim in (getting him to swim is not a problem)? I worked as a canine aquatherapist in the U.S. and we were able to do amazing things for dogs with hip dysplasia.

Have you talked to the vet about glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM? Again, just lots of anecdotal evidence, but it's one of those won't hurt/might help type things.

My neighbors have a pool that they let Duke swim in - plus they love him! I'm sure in exchange for beer, I could take him over whenever I wanted. He LOVES to swim. Thanks for the idea!!! Glad to hear that it's potentially beneficial!

He's on Zoom (http://www.anmpharm.com/zoomsoftchew) in addition to his Rimadyl. They also gave me an opiate derivitave for bad days. I'm hoping to avoid using those, but won't hesisate if he seems to be in more pain that the Rimadyl can handle.

His hips won't get "better", but hopefully we can slow the process, build some muscle (his legs are already atrophied from about 4-6 weeks of lowered activity), and manage the pain. He's just lucky he was adopted by someone who can afford the medicine

Oh that is great news on the swimming. Take it easy on him, yeah? Think of it in terms of rehabbing a running injury, so not too much swimming--easy 10 min couple of times a week, increase to three times if you can, then 15 minutes for one session, you get the idea.

It helps to strengthen the muscles around the joints without weight bearing, but so that they can better support the joints on land. There's some evidence that the increased circulation from exercise can help lubricate and strengthen the joint itself.

I took my ex brother in law (my ex's sister’s ex husband) to my bar yesterday and I think I created a monster. After I dropped him off back at his car he drove back to the bar and he talking about making more trips back up to visit me meaning we can go to the bar. Oh well we had a lot of fun.

Lab/Pit mix - or at least thats the best guess I can come up with.

No amp... yet. 

I don't speak farenheit - I'm Canadian!  Though you're right about winter. 

I guess if mine has any problems she'll just have to become Labbeque.

Madrid mainly because it's close and relatively cheap to get to from London - and it's one of the places I wanted to go to before packing up and moving in April/May.   THere's also trips to Rome, Paris, and hopefully Barcelona, Scotland, Ireland, and wherever else we can get to (and afford) before moving. 

I really, really liked Madrid and would absolutely go back one day! 

I actually saw something recently on aquatherapy for dogs - though they said it was also important to make sure you have a doggy life jacket for them in the pool so that it's truly just about moving the joints and they don't have to expend a lot of energy and muscle work on also having to keep afloat.  Does this sound right Yanti? 

We did both, depending on the dog and vet's recommendations. If he's used to swimming, no life jacket necessary. Dogs that aren't, that are being taught, or have really regressed in muscle tone or have very degenerated joints or are freshly out of casts, etc. get life jackets.

He's got one of those The lab in him loves to swim. The pit in him sinks like a rock.

That makes sense - the dog they were working with had lots of experience in the pool, but had severely degenerated joints along with other problems that made the life jacket necessary. 

I hope the therapy helps with your puppy Elaine!

(Disclaimer to the use of 'puppy'... I tend to call ALL dogs puppies no matter how big or how old they are, same with all cats are 'kitties' - house cat sized or so-large-that-it-could-eat-me-for-lunch sized)