Parenting-Furkids

Yesterday I remembered my old "coconut oil on the bottom" trick. It was so funny.  I had a smidge of it on my finger as she was getting her Fly Swatter Game in. As she turned I swiped her bottom with the oil which by that time had turned to liquid, she didn't seem to notice,  then continued to pat her for a second or two, until she suddenly started smelling the coconut.  Her nose started sniffing the air and she kept looking down her side to her bottom hee hee. At that point I dropped the fly swatter (the finger I had used was poking out to not touch anything) and went and washed my hands.  When I came back to the bedroom she had discovered the source of the coconut smell and was busily washing the area. Washing and washing and washing, which was the whole point. She clearly did not associate me at all with it.

later I got a good look at her and it was all clean, and the little dots were very faint, but still there, so I repeated the psyllium last night, including the Reveal broth chaser..

Early this morning I was still in bed and she had just been in for her undercover tummy massage and cuddle. After she left me I heard her jump in the litter box and pee. Then a lot of digging, prolonged silence, then a lot more digging and kicking (sounds which often indicate a bigger than normal poop).

When I got up I had a look and she had a longer firmer poop,  but it didn't have the odor I would expect with clearing anal glands though. I had a quick check and things look better but I'll try later to get a closer look. She's still skittish in the mornings, because I was giving her the pred by syringe. It goes in her food now, but she's still waiting for me to grab her and squirt it down her throat. Plus I did grab her and weigh her this morning, much to her annoyance.  I better cut back, she's gained another two ounces. I don't like her to go over 7 pounds.

We're five days in on the lower dose and she's still playing her active Games, and eating, so fingers crossed! last time I reduced it she had relapsed in only 3 days. But it's the pain benefit I am most concerned about now.  I love seeing her so active again, asking for all her old body-flinging games, and trotting around the house with a free and easy gait. It makes my heart lift to see her move like that.

First sign that's stopped, I'm putting the dose back up.

A closer look later yesterday, it looked like one side was emptied but not the other, so I gave her another psyllium dose last night, instead of the lactulose, again. I used a little bit more psyllium I think. I put plenty of water in the meal, but she didn't eat it right away, it sat for an hour and by the time she ate it, it already looked like I should have used even more water. That psyllium does soak it up! Inside their bodies too.

So I wanted her to have more liquid after she finished the meal.  I looked at the cans of Reveal (single protein/broth "complementary" products, no other ingredients) and decided to try the broth in one of those. I didn't need to give her any of the actual meat, I just wanted her to drink, so I opened a can of Reveal chicken and poured off the broth, it gave her about half an ounce(by weight) of liquid and she drank it right up!

Another tool in my arsenal, yay.  I threw the meat away. Small price to pay. There are six more cans of it already purchased, and if she only needs this procedure once a month, it isn't as extravagant or wasteful as it sounds, because I would have to trhow them away after they expire anyway. They are good until 1/2026. .

Well hell. I suspected this would happen. Last night as I was doing a check on her bottom I saw two little brown dots, indicating her anal glands are getting too full. I've had a lot of experience with blocked anal glands and I know what to look for.

I was afraid the problem might present itself, with the softened stools from the lactulose. Last night I gave her psyllium instead of lactulose to try to bulk her up temporarily. She had a poop this morning that was much firmer, but a bit small, and didn't have the telltale anal gland clearing out odor. I've just taken a peek at her bottom but she scooted away so I can't tell if she just needs to wash or if the dots are still there.

I may have to repeat the psyllium a time or two for good results. It's all a balancing act.  this is day three on the reduced prednisolone dose and she is still Thundering around the house with her poop run and eating without trouble.

Started the 0.1 reduced dose today, per vet instructions.  I tried adding it to her first meal with her lactulose (dusted with forti flora), and she ate it that way.

After she ate it up she did the "I know you are going to grab me and shoot something down my throat" crouch, and then was surprised when I didn't.

I don't like adding meds to food, especially such a tiny amount, because there's always the concern if she doesn't finish it she doesn't get the whole dose. But this is only a minuscule amount of raw 0.3 ounce, with the lactulose and forti flora already added, so I thought it worth a try. She does hate being grabbed and squirted.  I had to add a tiny extra dust of forti flora to make her lick the last the bit of residue left in the dish.

 However at the first sign of deterioration in her appetite or activity level I'm going back up to 0.2. I don't know if she'll take that dose in her food, but I'll see if the time comes. The prednisolone has very little taste, to me, just sightly bitter.  I know because I tasted it. It is not flavored. But my taste buds are probably not the same as hers.

PS I want her to be able to take it in her food, in case I have to be in the hospital again. it's unlikely, but still, better to have the routine in place as normal, just in case.

The prednisolone is starting to help with her arthritis too. She's playing more, old Games she hasn't played in a while, and she is moving so much better, trotting around the house in a free and easy gait.