Day 13

It was a fretful night. I stayed in the living room with Ruth. Bud & Beth went back to the bedroom. No matter what I did, I could not get Ruth to relax. I'm thinking she slept too much late yesterday afternoon/evening because she exercised more than she had since the onset of this disease. Or, she was upset that her Daddy wasn't in here with her. She also wanted to go outside. Chomping teeth told me clearly what she wanted, but I couldn't get her out there. Finally, she pottied about 4:00 this morning. I changed her bedding and used the baby wipes to clean her up real good but she continued chomping. I gave up about 5:00 and got up. The only time she's chomped since is when I went outside for a break.

Beth came in and greeted me about 5:45. I got the bedroom door shut so Bud could sleep late without Beth running back and jumping on the bed.

About 6:00, I sat Ruth up on her elbow and she leaned against me for about five minutes. All morning, I've been giving her the last of the Pedalyte. Bud will get more tomorrow when he goes into town. After morning meds, I'll start giving her Chicken Broth. I don't want to ruin the taste before she gets the fingerful peanut butter.

Lexi's mom sent me more information last night! It's been a God's send learning more and more how to help Our Ruth Girl.

This morning's peanut butter covered meds were given through the jaw opening and pills were swallowed... a short time later, while Bud was preparing Beth's breakfast, I started giving her CoW through the opening. After only a short time she stopped swallowing... like she was falling asleep, too tired to swallow anymore. We got her up on her elbows, and she finally swallowed... now she's sleeping... could she just be too tired, or is something else going on? Does she really have Coonhound Disease, or is it something else?

9:00 a.m. - we just put Ruth in the Sphinx position and helped her hold it for about 5 minutes. Once she was on the other side, I gave her a couple of swallows worth of water and she's resting now. In fact, she's dreaming - facial ticks and rapid eye movement. I'd not seen that since our journey began!

It's 3:00. We have gotten Ruth in the Sphinx position at least three times this afternoon! Then, we all went outside and got some "Vitamin S"... before we could get Ruth in the position again, she pooped and pottied!!! She didn't poop yesterday at all.

On the way back in, Bud stepped on the scale before placing her back down. Ruth now weighs 51 lbs.... that Monday we took her into the vet's office, she weighed "mid-60's" Bud said.

But... she is eating the "tasty" supplement better, even licking my finger clean! So, hopefully, all the Sphinxing (is that a word?) we are doing, especially at the encouragement of Lexi's mom, will indeed increase her appetite!

5:15 - Ruth just got "Sphinxed" again! This time, she held her own balance for 5 WHOLE minutes! In addition, she moved her back leg a little to adjust herself! She got bunches of swallows of water for this good job!

Supper wasn't much, but a big start on the right path! Since Bud and I are the "vet" (since our vet has no clue what's wrong with her) we've decided to cut back to one time a day for the Prednisone and Doxy. So, for a treat, after the tad of food here and there, she got (very excitedly) a non-crunch fingerful of peanut butter!

We did one more Sphinx before bedtime... again she did wonderfully holding her own balance for about 5 minutes. When Bud picked her up to change her head to face the other direction to get her on the bedtime side, she pottied good! Fortunately for us, it was over the old towels/bedding that were going to be changed out anyway rather than the carpet!!!

Well, Bud & Beth have gone to bed. Ruth has gotten bunches of drinks since her last exercise and is resting well... I pray her rest continues throughout the night. I'm sleeping in the recliner tonight facing her so she will know she's not alone.

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Day 12

We all must have slept well last night because no one was awake when Granny made her usual phone call at 7:00!

After giving Ruth several swallows of water, I tried the peanut butter meds... she didn't want to take them, so I had to put the glob in her mouth! I thought she had swallowed both... but she'd snookered me! When we went to move her from the pad on the floor, to the couch, a pill was discovered!!! She got it this time... chased with some chicken juice!

Before moving her off the pad, we did a series of exerices... first we leaned her up on her elbow and kept her propped up for a few minutes. Then we slowly turned her on her back and I "bicycle" worked the back legs while Bud worked the front legs. When Bud put her up on the couch, she got some drinks and a couple squirts of the "tasty" supplement (it was priceless the other day, the expression on Beth's face when she wanted to smell what Sister was getting!).

I don't think I've mentioned this before... part of Ruth's therapy... I even massage between her toes "getting the toe jam out" and then underneath between her pad and toes. Over the last few days, I always get a reaction/response! I am so prayful that this disease has run its course and she's slowly coming back to us!

She refused the thicker CoW for lunch. Just getting more water and the "tasty" stuff!

It's turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day! There is a slight wind, but doesn't feel to have any chill in it so about 1:30 Daddy took Ruth outside!!! Soon as he sat her hind legs down, she pottied!!! He scooted her over and we tried the sternal position for a few seconds, then she stretched out her back right leg. We tried her in the sitting position for a few seconds... When Bud brought her back inside, and settled on the couch, she's konked out! I did manage getting her to swallow several mouth fulls of water first, and she's "sawing logs" right now!

We are so blessed that she can hold up her head. She does especially well when leaning/ propped up on her elbow.

Mid afternoon I emailed Lexi's "parents" and have received several emails full of information to help us help Our Ruth Girl. She explained the "tuck and roll" method of moving Ruth around that will also strengthen her legs and may possibly get her walking sooner! Also, she shared about the peanut-shaped ball therapy and gave me the link to where we can purchase the ball!

She eagerly took her peanut butter covered meds this evening! There was nothing else that remotely interested her. So, she got the "tasty" squirt!

Ruth is absolutely pooped today... I've not seen her actually sleep as peacefully since before this all started. Before "bed" we will put her in the sternal position once again, then settle her in for the night. Again tonight we will snuggle. I have encouraged Bud that he & Beth return to the bedroom and get a good night's rest rather than sleep in the recliner. Ruth and I will be just fine here in the living room.

We have so much to be thankful for today!

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Day 11

Today hasn't started off as well as other days, or how I had hoped after such a good day yesterday. She didn't want her meds, so I had to stuff the peanut butter covered meds in the open space of her jaw (where there is no teeth). I had given her some chicken broth before hand to "wet her gizzard" but it didn't help. Maybe chicken broth and peanut butter tastes horrible together! Next time I'll use plain water! DUH! My bad!

Both Bud & I were exhausted last night and decided to take a "nap" in our recliners before officially turning in for the night. I woke up at 2:00 and made mine & Ruth's beds on the floor. I checked Ruth's bedding and it needed changing. As I lifted her back end to remove the toweling, she drew her back legs up in the squatting position and pottied as if she was outside! That's a good sign.

Since Bud's doing the major lifting of Ruth, taking care of fence work, unloading cattle feed, and the many many other physical stuff around here, I just couldn't disturb him. So, I settled back in the recliner about 3:15. I woke up for the day about 5:30 and he told me he had gotten up about 5:00.

We lifted Ruth up on her elbow and she sat there for about 10 minutes while we scratched and rubbed on her. For the most part, she balanced on her own, still holding her head up nicely and looking around. Also, this was the first time we've done this without her drooling. When we were moving her around to be on the other side, we held her on her back and did "bicycle" exercises for a few minutes with all four limbs. Before totally laying her on her other side, we leaned her up and she sat up on that elbow for a shorter time.

I'm hoping, since she wouldn't eat anything for breakfast, that she was too tired, that we should have waited. We will try something (other than her "tasty" supplement she did get gently stuffed in her mouth!) in a little while.

I just don't know what we are going to do if we can't get her to eat!

YIPPPEEEE!!!! About 9:30 Ruth began eating fingerfuls of Cream of Wheat!!! She ate it slowly, like resting between cleaning off my finger with hard licks! She ate almost 1/4 cup worth!!! That is SUCH a good thing!

She's on Ped. liquid this morning... not doing the chicken juice for a while!

We sat Ruth up again for about 9 minutes... most of which time she held her balance (leaning way over the opposite way)!

Another sit up time! It was just with me helping, so Ruth didn't stay up long, but she thoroughly enjoyed the time looking around from a different perspective!

Bud prepared more CoW, but it was a little runny and took much more energy than Ruth was prepared to exert. It's thickening up and we'll try again after she has her meds. We leaned her up on her elbow for a while. Little bit at a time, maybe she will get more energy and develop an appetite. We can hope.

She was not too impressed with the meds tonight, but I got them inside and she got them down! It was sort of funny, after a while of trying to get her to lick it off my finger she knew I was going to put it in the side opened space area and she lifted her gum up for me!!!

We are having spaghetti tonight. Ruth used to love getting pasta now and then while Bud ate. Again, we can only hope.

Nope, she didn't want that either.... instead she got juice and supplement squirts!

After a good belly rub and bicycle exercises while we had her on her back, we got her in the sternal position before settling her in for the night. She was shaky and we had to keep pulling her front feet out from knuckling, but she did very well for the first time in over 10 days! In fact, she slightly repositioned her rear right leg as if to get more comfortable. We only kept her there for a few minutes... baby steps.

Our beds are together, so I'll get to snuggle with her tonight! Beth will get the entire couch to herself! Bud will stretch out in his recliner. Maybe tomorrow night, when it's supposed to be warmer, he and Beth will go back to the bedroom to get a good night's rest.

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Day 10 - A Magical Day!!!

We all woke up late... 6:30 a.m.! It was a more peaceful night last night. I think, because I was able to comfortably snuggle with Ruth, to give her comfort if she began to fret. Which she did fret twice, and I realized that's her way of letting us know she needs to go outside. Bless her heart. I checked about 12:30 and indeed needed to change her bedding, then again about 3:45. Both times were after her trying to hold it as long as she could.

With both eyes clear and focused, when she was presented with the peanut butter med, she EAGERLY accepted it! Then, Bud prepared some cream of wheat and she LAPPED it up (off my finger) a little at a time until about a 1/4 cup worth was gone!!! This was the most tongue action we've seen in several days! She will certainly be offered more cream of wheat for lunch!

Also, today, for the first time in DAYS, we heard from her more than just the clashing of teeth!!! So, it sounds like she's getting her voice back!

Yesterday, she did have about 1 3/4 cups worth of low sodium chicken broth, in addition to some plain water. I've already started her on a regiment of chicken broth and water ... I have two bottles prepared and ready to give her one or the other every 15 minutes.

Another baby step... before we moved her from the floor padding to the couch, we tried to get her to stand (with us holding her of course), but she couldn't... back legs were too weak. So, she squatted like, and let out a good potty! Then she sat (on a dry towel!) for a while... she can hold her head up, but we know it takes a lot of strength/energy so we don't keep her in that position for long.

I pray we continue to have baby steps today!

Bud just returned from town and brought home another round of Prednisone. I had read a blog that said they also gave Doxycycline, along with the Prednisone, so he picked that up from the vet as well. In addition, he got a tube of "Supplical" which is a nutritional supplement that's a concentrated source of calories, protein, vitamins, minerals, Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids, and Antioxidants. The vet said others found it "tasty" ... well, Ruth wasn't impressed, and Beth also turned her nose up to it!!! But, Ruth got it put in her mouth anyway!!! I had also read that Pedialyte would also be good for Ruth, so he bought some home and we'll start working on that!

Oh well, hind sight's 20/20 ... wish we had tried the cream of wheat (CoW) again before giving her that "tasty" supplement. What CoW she did eat was basically either put on her nose so she'd lick it off, or a fingerful put between her jaw & lip! Needless to say, she didn't eat much. At least, she had it "chased" by some Pedialyte!

We sat her up on the appropriate elbow and she looked around, out the window, and then back at us, all the while getting scratches and loving. She gave us both some kisses and managed to balance on her own for a few minutes, too!

When I was changing her bedding a few minutes ago, I leaned over near her nose and got a kiss!

Again we leaned her up on her elbow and she sat up for a while, looking around! This was the third time today!

YES! She took her evening meds! Tonight we started the Doxycycline (100 mg) along with the Prednisone. She wouldn't eat hardly anything tonight. We did get about a cup of Pedialyte in her, along with some more squirts of the "tasty" supplement! Bud tried "taco juice" ... drippings from hamburger meat cooked in the microwave and drains into a corning ware dish that we freeze up and have always given to Ruth and Beth. She wasn't too impressed, so Bud soaked the pancake and put in between her gums and lips... then chased it with some water. After about 3 bites, she totally was not happy.

About 7:45 tonight, she pooped! (She's pottied several several times today... just got tired of posting each time!) I was giving her a kiss and noticed her back leg moving. I did a check and discovered it!!! Apparently, she was in the process, or trying to move away from it! The stool was dark and sort of hard, so maybe what taco juice she received helped to lubricate it. Earlier, when we had her in the sitting position, it looked like she was trying to poop then, but couldn't.

Sleeping arrangements will be like we had last night ...
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Day 9

We all rested a little better last night. Before midnight, Ruth would snap repeatedly to get my attention. No sound comes out of her now other than the clashing of teeth. I checked her bedding, and yes! she did need changing. After a dry bed was underneath her, she settled down and allowed me to fall back to sleep in my recliner. From his recliner, Bud told me he woke up occasionally and knelt down by her and gave her bunches of scratches.

She slept on the couch, and is still there. For the day her head, neck, and upper arm are propped up on a pillow with wedges underneath that brings her head up better. She's had some water this morning and I've set the timer to give her another swallow or two or three every 15 minutes. Her eyes still look off, the left one usually stays rolled back. Only when she's stimulated by one of us will she look through both eyes. Sometimes her right eye does the same way.

Just a second ago, when I gave her a swallow, she stretched all fours! I'm praying continously she accepts her peanut butter med this morning. She's not too excited about anything right now.

6:15 a.m. YEA! Praise God! Bud was able to get her pill down! And, some more water! She even finished licking the peanut butter off his finger!

8:10 a.m. Ruth was certainly not interested in eating anything. I put some warmed low sodium chicken broth and water mixture in a water bottle and Bud managed to get most of it in her without spilling too much! It was only about 1/2 cup worth. But, added to the water she'd already been given this morning, it helps to keep up her liquid intake and gives her some calories, too. What do we do if she won't eat? She refuses her "normal" treat "pancakes" and we scrambled an egg, but she won't have any part if either one. Bud will call the vet and leave a message for him today, hopefully he will call back with some suggestions how/what to feed her. I'm thinking a liquid supplement may be needed to help keep her strength up during this "time will heal" period.

Baby Beth is such a trooper. She knows her sister doesn't feel good. Every now and then, Beth will come up and give Ruth a kiss. She's also been very good in the "protection" mode when cows stroll along in the pasture out front. When she barks, Ruth so wants to help out and "take charge" but the ole body is just not cooperating right now.

When Bud prepared us some cream of wheat for breakfast, Ruth really perked up, as if to ask, "Where is mine?" the "normal" routine has always been Bud sharing his with Ruth and Beth... dotted fingerful at a time. I sat next to Ruth and offered her the same as Beth was getting from their Daddy.... Ruth LOVED it! She wouldn't, however, have anything to do with the scrapings out of the pan... because, of course, it didn't have any butter or sugar in it! This small step to us means she still has her sense of smell!

Bud called & spoke with the vet about 10:00 this morning. The plan is, Bud will pick up some antibotics tomorrow (the initial injection was a stronger dosage of another "family" of meds) and also some "tasty" gel that will give her some calories!

We raised her up and managed to get an elbow underneath! Leaning against her Daddy, Ruth managed to keep her head up, give us some kisses, and nuzzled our face with her nose. This lasted for about 7 minutes before we put her back down. I found a website on how to give her massages and will study this afternoon! Any information is greatly appreciated!

About 12:15 this afternoon, I was chatting with my sister via Y!M and she suggested beating up a raw egg and giving it to Ruth. Ruth LOVED it! This was the first time she's lapped in over a day! She tired out before finishing, but when Bud gets back (from repairing a fenceline) we'll get her up on her elbows and give it another try!!!!

Well, that didn't go well. Bud propped her up, but she didn't have any interest in the egg. We both did receive bunches of sweet kisses from her. As we were moving her around, we tried helping her in the sitting position, but she has no strength whatsoever and it lasted about a half second.

Bud mentioned, and a friend, Robin, emailed me with the same description... this is such a roller coaster ride filled with emotions. It's so hard seeing Our Ruth Girl like this. We are coming up on the evening med time... I'm not holding my breath that she will accept it.

5:45 p.m. - Bud lifted her up and she leaned on the appropriate elbow and took her peanut butter pill!!! We kept her sitting up for about 10 minutes, until her head began getting lower and lower ... it was a good thing she held it for so long!

About 6:30 we sat down in front of Ruth (she was on her pad on the floor) and we started eating our "usual" Sunday night dinner... Pancakes. Ruth lifted her head with perky ears and chomped her teeth as if asking, "Where is mine?" I gave her a pieces until she stopped wanting any! She only took about 3 small pieces... another baby step!!!

Instead of putting my pad down in front of her, I placed it along her back side and snuggled with her all night. There is nothing wrong with her neck muscles! She would press her head against mine off and on all night long!

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Day 8 - Ruth is officially 10 1/2 years old today

6:30 a.m. - Ruth is hanging in there. She is still moving her head up and down against the pillow... I don't understand why she can't just lay still and sleep peacefully. I'm sitting right next to her and am watching her, trying to figure it all out. She has not cried out in pain whenever we rub/massage over her, or when we do the passive range of motion exercises. That's a good thing.

What if the Coonhound Disease is not what is wrong? Although the sites I've found give us hope, because of the similar symptoms and method of onset and that there is a very good chance of recovery, albeit long, what if something else is wrong?

6:45 a.m. - She pooped! She never did yesterday, but she also didn't eat anything other than the peanut butter. Maybe that's why the stool was hard and black. A little part of it was "normal" ... which indicates to me that it's a change in her diet, or the meds, that caused the hard blackness - not blood in her system finally coming out. Will have to see on the next one.

7:30 a.m. - We barely got her meds down, she wasn't too excited about the peanut butter. Now Bud is hand feeding her Cheerios. At first, she refused, but now she's eating!!!

It's noon. We haven't received any kisses today. Because I was typing, rather than touching/rubbing her, I received the first yelp for the day!

1:15 p.m. BROUGHT KISSES!!!
Bud had helped lean Ruth up on her elbows, and after a few minutes of looking around, even stretching to check out her bottom, she sniffed his nose, then gave him a kiss! Then bunches of hard kisses!!! Of course, I had to put my face down for bunches of kisses, too!

One of the main reasons we decided to sit her up (she's on her right side) was because her left eye seems to have rolled back. When we lifted her up, it did come back... for a few minutes. It was great seeing her "look around" for a while!

We leaned her up again about 3:15. She wasn't as excited this time around because she couldn't/wouldn't get her elbows underneath. I continue with the massage over her entire body and even put her to sleep for a little bit! I'm also trying my best to get fluids in her.

About 5:00 we leaned her up again and I was able to move the appropriate elbow underneath her. She leaned on her Daddy, however, the entire time because she wouldn't/couldn't relax her other leg. It's confusing ... for her to be paralyzed, but will stretch and stiffen, seemingly, at will or with some sort of stimuli, I guess the nerves are not firing correctly when she gives a mental command... or does she remember she's suppose to give a command?

While exercising her hind legs today, her toes would curl and press into/against my hand. I guess that's a baby step in the right direction... that's a "new" event anyway!

I so pray that she accepts the peanut butter covered med tonight. She's only taking the Prednisone now and it's critical. I also pray we can get her to eat something tonight.

Ruth took her med tonight, not very willingly, but Bud managed. She wouldn't eat anything else.
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Day 7

Last night, we had a slight progress/change... Bud lifted her head and she was positioned to rest on her elbows. She had relaxed her legs (sometimes they are stiff, straight out, and this is a trait of hers since she was young). After leaning on him for a few minutes, she did take over and was on her own, keeping her head up nicely, if only for a minute.

The night went by without too much fretting, either by Ruth, or us!

This morning, we have not received any kisses from her at all. She's rarely yelped for attention. She does track us, mainly with her ears. She accepted her peanut butter covered meds, but refused anything to do with a pancake or bread or chicken broth... We have managed to get a small amount of water in her. Basically just enough to "wet her gizzard".

Bud just went to town ... Ruth is not fretting like she would have yesterday and the preceding days when he would leave the room, much less the house... actually, she's not doing much. Her eyes are not perky like they've always been. Her ears are alert and tracks me and Beth by sound, rarely does she move her head. She is sleeping more. She's just not our normal alert girl today that, has so far, carried through this ordeal and brought us hope.

11:10 - I JUST GOT A KISS!

11:50 - She pottied!

At 1:00, when Bud got back from town, I called out "Daddy's Home" as normal. She perked up tremendously, stretched her legs, and pottied!!!!

About 1:15, we moved her up on the couch and placed her on her other side.
It's 2:01 and I just did passive range of motion exercises to her front and back legs. I "tickled" the hairs on the bottom of her back pad and her muscle twitched!

While Bud was in town he stopped by the vet's and picked up some Prednisone 20 mg. We start that tonight. The original meds have one more day left ...

She refused any noodles from the chicken noodle soup Bud tried to share ...

Fortunately, she is still eating the peanut butter scoops, so we can get her meds in her, but she refuses any other food substance. She tries to bark/yelp, but nothing is coming out... I can see her make the motions and hear her teeth hitting. It is only when we lift her head higher to accept the peanut butter that we get any sound.

She constantly moves her head up and down against the pillow. I was able to get about 1 cup worth of water in her periodically throughout the day/evening.

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