Jasper's diary

Just back from the vet's. Jasper was a star, he even let Auntie Kate examine his paw and his joints... Until she stretched out his elbow, when either she'd found the source of the pain or he'd just plain had enough. Maybe having Mr N there helped keep him calmer.

She doesn't think there's any infection in the pad and that if it is the source of pain, it could be a corn/thickening under the surface. But as he also had a reaction when Mr N felt his elbow a few days ago, that could well be the source of the pain. She agreed that we should simply let J do what he wants to do rather than restrict his walks, though suggested keeping him on lead. The last two times he's had a limp come on suddenly were after spotting a friend in the park and running over to them, so I'll probably keep him on lead in places this might happen but let him off if we go exploring off piste.

As far as his dementia is concerned, we're going to try giving gabapentin in the evenings as it has a relaxing, but not sedating, effect. She thinks sedatives would have unwanted side effects - though I'm fine to try 'natural' calmers like YuCalm.

So I'm happy - we know he's not going to be with us for ever, but can just get on with letting him enjoy his life as much as possible. And for the time being at least, I'm coping with the nights. When he goes, I want to be able to say, 'But at least we had a great walk together yesterday' rather than 'That past week of enforced rest, which made him miserable, was a waste of valuable time.'

 

Three nights on gabapentin now...

The first night, I didn't notice any difference. The second night, he had one brief out, bark, in and slept through. Last night I gave it a little earlier - 7pm instead of 8pm - and he slept through again

 

An update on Jasper:

He's been on gabapentin for just over a fortnight now, and is sleeping reliably on half the dose the vet originally prescribed He's calmer rather than 'sedated' - he goes out for his bedtime wee without needing rousing.

But he's started getting more needy during the day, often whining & barking, and I can't work out why (he probably doesn't know himself). Sometimes he'll be OK once he's got up and had a drink, or inspected his holes in the garden, or I've chucked a few tennis balls at him (he won't move to catch them - I have to pretty much aim at his mouth, and even then he sometimes misses them and looks at me accusingly for throwing them wrong). So we're going to try gabapentin up to three times a day to help with his anxiety - the vet says that dogs were generally anxious in their younger tend to develop worse anxieties as they age

We had an odd encounter in the park this afternoon - a couple up ahead had a greyhound and a lurcher, and Jasper usually greets any sighthound like an old friend, but he stopped a few yards away and looked really unsure. He did come over a while, but he seemed very... tentative. Later, on the field, he seemed much more his normal self when he met another lurcher, and I'm wondering if his eyesight has declined - we met the first group under trees. He also later thought of going up a narrow path under trees, but changed his mind and turned back. His sight still seems fine in the house, though, even in the evenings, and he's not worried about going into the garden after dark.

 

Thanks RGC - though he still notices if, say, the dishwasher door is open and blocking his route past the table, or my footstool is pushed further out than normal, and he also responds to hand signals or notices if I pick his brush up (he loves being groomed). I'll have to experiment in different light levels... Maybe shadows from trees make him feel as disoriented as I do when I'm driving at night - in which case no wonder he's anxious!

 

It's rubbish, isn't it Mayblossom? I really hope the gabapentin works because yesterday he was more sad than happy

 

He's 12, Mayblossom - so not that old, but he is a big dog. How old is Lily?

Yes, I'm grateful that we don't have bowel/bladder problems... yet!

 

He doesn't sleep any more than he used to - maybe less, because of his anxiety. Though, touch wood, he's been OK this morning so we've not needed to dose him up. And being a sighthound, sleep is his natural state when not out walking!

There are so many places I would love to take him - the heaths he loves, to visit my mum, whom he loves - but he began to really struggle with the car, and there's no way we can lift him in and out. Fortunately we still have several good walks we can do from the door, though.

Poor Lily, that's not that old for a terrier Though I think in a way, we suffer more than them because we know what inevitably approaches, whereas they just live in the moment.

 

Mayblossom, Jasper's never been able to walk on stony beaches! We once stayed in a holiday cottage with a large gravel driveway where the gravel was in very large stones, and he hated it - presumably he thought he should have a red carpet rolled out for him!

Tinytom, I do hope Tom has many more happy days to come - I can't imagine losing two dogs so close together :-(

I gave Jasper a gabapentin just before midday, and he's been much better than he was yesterday, but then he's had Mr N on hand too.