Update 2_2_10

I've made inroads over on the calendar (linked on the right), and should hopefully be able to keep more medical notes. I really should have done this a long time ago, but I didn't think about it. I've also uploaded a number of photos, and I'll add more later. Since the blog is more chatty (even with medical updates), it's harder for me to find things if I have to go back in time and see what happened. The calendar should help me there. If you click on the link and can't get to the calender or see the pictures, post a comment in here and I'll go over and try to figure it out. This is a new site to me, so it's always possible I've not got it set up right.

Elvis definitely has a reaction to the heartworm pill. We gave that Sunday night around 9pm, and yesterday morning I had to give him 1/2 a Torbutrol to calm the coughing, He was still coughing some 6 hours later, so I gave him 1/4 of one. That seemed to handle it, and he didn't have to have another dose before bedtime.

This morning Randall said he was still coughing a bit more than normal, so when I dished up his breakfast, I gave him 1/4 of another one. Knock on wood that that's done it. I'm not hearing any coughing right now, so it's possible that's all there is to it. I'll want to keep in mind that the 48 hours after a heartworm pill seems to kick off a reaction. With the Torbutrol here, I don't have nearly the fear of the serious coughing reaction he had the first time we gave it to him in early December. I know Dr. Walthall will be happy to hear that, since I'm sure she doesn't like midnight clinic visits anymore than we do.

I have also added a bit of canned pumpkin to his diet. He's been constipated some for the last several days, and while I've been able to add some fiber (lettuce ribs, etc) to his dinner, that hasn't been enough. So now with his breakfast, he gets 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin. With any luck this will help straighten him out. A lot of medicine has this as a side effect, and while I've not noticed it before, the Prednisone may be causing it.

The other problem I see is that he is still having the behavior problems. Spookiness is an issue, but I'm hoping when I get him moved into his own crate that will lessen. Pred may also be contributing here, and if it is, we'll just have to live with it. There are a lot of benefits from that steroid, and we can deal with a bit of spookiness if it means Elvis can breathe without wheezing and coughing.

If all goes well I plan on cutting his toenails tomorrow morning. I want to do that while the clinic is open because I'm nearly 100% sure that he'll have to have a Valium, and I want to be sure I can get to help if he has a reaction. Once I see how that goes, I'll hopefully be able to move Skeeter back into his crate at night. I won't try that until some time this weekend since rain/wind is in the forecast and I would rather not have extra trauma ladled on top of separation anxiety...and I know there will be some of that.

I'll post a quick update after I've had a chance to see how he handles the Valium.