# Sheba



## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

Sheba is not doing well. I woke up at 5:30 this morning to her whining downstairs. Over the last year, when I go to bed she is usually asleep on her bed in the family room, and she willl wake up sometime during the night and come upstairs. This morning she was at the bottom of the stairs just whining. She had urinated on the rug. She has been pooping in the house occasionally over the last few months, I don't think that she is aware that she is doing it, sometimes its been right after she came in from the yard.

I managed to get her outside and get the rug cleaned up. She can barely walk, I had to carry her up the deck stairs. She is staggering around the house this morning, and for the first time ever she refused breakfast. She is drinking water. I finally got her back to her bed and she is resting. I have to go work today, we have 2 people out so there is no option. She has been going downhill steadily over the last year, but this is the sharpest decline.


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## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

Sorry to hear.

How old is she?


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## VALIUM (Nov 15, 2007)

I'm so sorry Nina.


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## acurajane (May 21, 2008)

I am sorry. You will do what is best. I am praying for you


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## LadyHawk (Jan 19, 2005)

My Timer has been like this for awhile- not to the extent of not getting into the house (only two steps) but he's starting to lose his bladder here and there- I wish there were something that we could do about it......

I am equally sorry to hear that Sheba is slacking too.....I know it's hard. I wish they could be with us forever... and a day....


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

Thanks. She will be 12 in June, if she makes it that long. I'm trying to get her into my vet tonight or tomorrow morning. If not, then I'll take her to the ER vet. I'm dreading what I might find when I go home at lunchtime to let her out.

She did eat a couple of dog buscuits before I left this morning. Hope thats a good sign.


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

It turns out that she has Vestibular syndrome, which we just need to wait out. I'm giving her some pepsid and dramamine to help her balance issues. This is supposed to clear up on its own over a few weeks.


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

That is really good news Nina.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Hi Nina,

So sorry to hear that Sheba's having a hard time. The people who own the store where I buy my dog/cat supplies have a senior lab who recently had al bout of vestibular disease. I know she (Maggie, the dog) did recover from it after a little while but it did seem to affect her appetite for a while after that and she hasn't been quite the same since. 

I wonder if there's a homeopathic remedy you could give? Do you want me to find out?

I hope Sheba recovers quickly!


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

Ruth, thank you. I would appricate it if you can find anything homeopathic that can also help. 

Sheba seemed a little better this afternoon and I managed to get her to eat 1/2 cup of food with some canned Wellness Venison. Tonight she took a couple of sniffs of the same food and turned her head away. 

The vet also ran her yearly senior wellness tests, so I'll find out on Monday or Tuesday if there is anything else going on. When she checked if Sheba would correct her rear paws from knuckling, she didn't. While I've had my suspision for a few months, I hadn't tested that. I doubt I can blame that on the Vestibular syndrome. <sigh>


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Ok, found one: Vertigoheel http://www.zooscape.com/cgi-bin/maitred/GreenCanyon/questp418778

I also found a very interesting vet website that documents treating a 14yo lab with vestibular disease using chiro, acupuncture and the stuff listed above.

http://www.crvetcenter.com/vestibulardisease.htm

And here's a blog, also recommending acupuncture. This blog has many comments from people whose dogs suffered from vestibular disease. 

http://lassiegethelp.blogspot.com/2008/01/vestibular-disease-leave-light-on.html

And here's another homeopathic remedy http://www.nativeremedies.com/products/vertifree-vestibular-inner-ear-balance.html


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

Thanks Ruth. Sheba appears to be doing a little better today, her eyes have calmed down somewhat a bit and when I brought her in the backyard earlier she walked around a bit. Still has no appeitite, but if I hand feed her she'll eat a little. 

Unfortunately, Sheba is quite fear aggressive so acupunture or chiropractic treatments aren't an option for her.


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Lady Jane wears a muzzle for her chiropractic appointments. She must know that they help because lately she goes in and puts her head on the vet's lap.


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

How is Sheba? Was her thyroid checked as part of the senior panel? I just read that knuckling/foot dragging can be caused by autoimmune thyroiditis.

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/ThyroidDisease.htm


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

She's actually doing a lot better. The jerky eye movements have stopped and while she still stumbles sometimes and has the head tilt, she is getting around fairly well. I've been taking her for short walks again and she does ok on them. She still can't do the 3 steps going down from the deck to the backyard, but she can go up them. 

The biggest issue is food. She won't touch her food even adding canned venison didn't entice her. I had given her boiled chicken for breakfast yesterday and she vomited it all up later on. Last night and this morning I made scrambled eggs for her and so far she is eating that and keeping it down.

I spoke to the vet yesterday and her blood work all came out fine. I believe they do the thyroid check with the profile, but will ask. She has been shuffling on her back legs, especially her right rear leg, for months now and also has a lot of muscle wasting. Watching her get up is painful.


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## LandosMom (Nov 30, 2005)

Lando had that same vestibular problem when she was older. It actually took a month or two for her to get over it. Her eating came back slowly... but did take some time. She is probably feeling nauseous from the eye nystagmous. Don't give up hope! 

Hang in there.

Paige


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

When Niko wasn't eating, the vet gave him a B12 shot. It really helped. I'm glad she's doing better.

LJ has been shuffling her back feet since we got her 3 years ago. She's my first GSD and I had no idea that wasn't normal.


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

Thanks. She is doing alot better, won't touch her dog food though. I've been making scrambled eggs for her meals (and then of course I have cold cereal for breakfast), but thats not a complete meal. But its something and she is getting protein. The only other thing she'll readily eat is her OMH dog biscuts. I may to to entice her with some canned cat food in with her food today.

We walked a little further last night, compared to some stories I read on the web she is doing really well.


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

What a difference a week makes! Sheba is still stumbling a little but the worst of the Vestibular appears to have past. I took her off the Dramimine yesterday, she had started drinking a lot of water and while I don't know if it was related, I didn't want to keep her on that so long. She is also back to eatting normally.

Last Saturday morning I was sure it was the end for her, yesterday she tried to play ball. She's still not up to that but its more because of her weak rear legs than the Vestibular.


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

I'm really glad Sheba is doing well. 

I've been gauging LJ's recovery by how Sheba is doing. LJ's Vestibular symptoms started late last Sunday night. Monday morning I had to put her harness on to get her to the vet. I was nervous about the Antivert so I cut the dose in half a couple days ago. She's doing much better but her hind end is still wobbly. LJ saw the chiropractor for an adjustment Friday. I feel she is now well enough that we can resume short walks.


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

Glad that LJ is doing better enough to start going for walks again.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I'm so glad to hear that both Sheba and LJ are doing better. That is very good news, indeed!









Chama is falling apart bit by bit but her spirits are still very good and that's what counts at age 14!


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