I read your July 30 update on Kahuna on your blog, and I was wondering if his lack of appetite is linked to the obsessive licking/mouthing? When my senior dog had the beginnings of chronic kidney failure, he developed nausea. He would skip his regular food but lick paws, beds, furnitures, carpets, etc. He would also venture to eat potting soil - which he hadn't done before in his life. I had joined a kidney failure yahoogroup for dogs, and they mentioned drugs to help with the lack of appetite, but they also suggested slippery elm. Maybe it could be something you can look into?
Interesting blog post by Dolittler recently, her question: Is the use of pain-relieving medication at all responsible for the continued presence of hip disease in our canine population? I’d argue it’s inevitable. If the use of NSAIDs and other pain relievers makes it easier to accept that dogs will all suffer pain as they age, does it not stand to reason that assiduous breeding for best hip conformation might take a breather? http://dolittler.com/2009/08/05/Is-pain-relief-the-worst-thing-that’s-happened-to-hips-since-hip-dysplasia.html
Yea, we have tested his kidneys and they are fine. We think the licking (OCD), not eating, hyper-activity and fearfulness is a mental issue (and maybe due to his pain). He is on Prozac now, and doing better (mentally)... but it's made him eat less, so he is also on an appetite inducer and that seems to be working ok.
His hips are really deteriorating fast, but the docs will not even look at his hips until he has some fat on him, so we are working hard to get him to a healthy weight. Jen actually has to sit 4 - 6 times a day (can be for like an hour at a time) and hand feed him to get him to eat the amount he should in a day.
As for pain meds, that's an interesting thought. I'm sure it has a little to do with it.
Kahuna is on pain meds now in the hope it will help him be more comfortable and maybe help him eat.
It's really horrible guys, he is in a LOT of pain. w/o the pain meds he literally cries when we walk him. ( It's so bad because we cannot do anything for his hips till we get him past this weight issues... on the upside it seems we have beat the GI/Ulcer issues... one more hump and hopefully we can fix his hips and then he can finally have a good go at life. The poor guy is only a bit over a year old and this bad off! (
This is sad. I read that Kahuna had health problems but the poor guy. IMO dogs, animals really, are good at masking their pain so if Kahuna cries trying to walk then times what you think his pain is by 10, and that's probably the level he is at.
Don't want to "humanize" him, but great amounts of pain have been shown to creating OCD type habits in humans while ofcourse inducing trauma symptoms including inability to eat and/or keep food down. OK enough babble.
Tara - you are definitely right about the OCD in humans being worse when there is pain involved - I'm not sure it creates the pain. When my arthritis flares up is when I tend to get just a bit more OCD. I'm on a pain management schedule now and went through many years of therapy to help me on the whole OCD thing. During high stress & tension, the OCD can get quite a bit worse. Just to explain, in my old job, I was under tremendous amounts of stress. It was not uncommon for members of my household to find me (on a regular basis) lying on the floor with a bleach pen cleaning the floor. This, in turn, aggravated my arthritis which then made me focus even harder on what I was trying do. Changing jobs 7 years ago didn't stop me from doing that, but it has lessened the number of times that I have felt compelled to do so.
As far as OCD with dogs, I'm not sure that we can stop humanizing the situation - a lot of OCD is about control. You cannot control certain other areas of your life, but you can control this one thing - whatever it may be. I would love to see more studies on canine OCD.
Brad - I hate to hear that Kahuna is in so much pain. How much weight does he need to gain before the vet will talk about his hips?
I'm pretty new, I didn't know the story of Kahuna. I just saw a handsome brindle akita in the photos. I am so sorry to learn how painful his hips are and how this all goes around into so many areas for him. And that he's so young and all this is happening. Poor poor Kahuna. and Jen and Brad- I begin to understand- only begin!- the story of your pack and what you do for these dogs, and a tiny bit about how you had planned for something far different. I am sure this tale can be cobbled together across many threads I haven't read from before, but my heart is out to you guys and your brindle boy.
Chrystal, there's a thread somewhere with the Anderson Pack story on it, I tried to look but couldn't find it anywhere, since I can't remember what it was titled I can't find it via search, went back a few pages but didn't recognise any of the titles, I'm pretty sure it was started by honeysmom so maybe if she sees this she'll remember, or someone else will. Tis an interesting story.
Brad, Kahuna is a stunner, it's such a shame about his hips and other issues it's great that he's got you guys working with him so hard to help, I hope he gets his weight up soon! Kahuna is quite possibly my favourite of your Akita, it's his markings, beautiful.
Kahuna is such a gorgeous little man and I feel for him being in such rough shape. I hope he can gain some weight so his hips can get the attention they need.
Poor Huna...I just want to come out there and give him a big hug (and Brad and Jen for being amazing people!)
LJ, I didn't mean that OCD caused pain, but rather his pain is causing his OCD. lol. I think I was trying to be quick, and didn't want to get too clinical on everyone.
They won't do a surgery until he has more body reserve? I guess that makes sense for healing reasons. There are some pure fat supplements that are used for working dogs to keep and put weight on, I think it's called RedPaw balanced fat (http://redpawfeed.com). It's used mainly for sled dogs, and does have some corn and such but if used correctly, something like that could help him gain a little weight. Poor Kahuna, do you have to confine him to a smaller area now or does the exercise he gets now keep him from freezing up?
Poor Kahuna, do you have to confine him to a smaller area now or does the exercise he gets now keep him from freezing up? >> Yes, he sleeps on the couch all day and gets a few short (doctors orders) leashed walks only. Jen also does some stretching exercises with him. He doesn't get to "free play" like the others.
There's no 'lazy' games you can play with him to burn off some energy, like playing tug in a down position or have him find the treat under one of three cups or something. Wouldn't stimulating him mentally also help stimulate his appetite.
Poor Kahuna! I also read the info on your blog ...
Sorry to hear about all of his problems. I hope that he will gain some weight so he can get his hips sorted out ASAP. Crossing my fingers that he starts gaining some mass. Good luck, seriously.
Comments
lovely Kahuna!
Lindsay: Kahuna has 11 month old. His 1rst birthday is on June the 22
:-))
Interesting blog post by Dolittler recently, her question: Is the use of pain-relieving medication at all responsible for the continued presence of hip disease in our canine population? I’d argue it’s inevitable. If the use of NSAIDs and other pain relievers makes it easier to accept that dogs will all suffer pain as they age, does it not stand to reason that assiduous breeding for best hip conformation might take a breather?
http://dolittler.com/2009/08/05/Is-pain-relief-the-worst-thing-that’s-happened-to-hips-since-hip-dysplasia.html
Yea, we have tested his kidneys and they are fine. We think the licking (OCD), not eating, hyper-activity and fearfulness is a mental issue (and maybe due to his pain). He is on Prozac now, and doing better (mentally)... but it's made him eat less, so he is also on an appetite inducer and that seems to be working ok.
His hips are really deteriorating fast, but the docs will not even look at his hips until he has some fat on him, so we are working hard to get him to a healthy weight. Jen actually has to sit 4 - 6 times a day (can be for like an hour at a time) and hand feed him to get him to eat the amount he should in a day.
As for pain meds, that's an interesting thought. I'm sure it has a little to do with it.
Kahuna is on pain meds now in the hope it will help him be more comfortable and maybe help him eat.
It's really horrible guys, he is in a LOT of pain. w/o the pain meds he literally cries when we walk him.
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Don't want to "humanize" him, but great amounts of pain have been shown to creating OCD type habits in humans while ofcourse inducing trauma symptoms including inability to eat and/or keep food down. OK enough babble.
As far as OCD with dogs, I'm not sure that we can stop humanizing the situation - a lot of OCD is about control. You cannot control certain other areas of your life, but you can control this one thing - whatever it may be. I would love to see more studies on canine OCD.
Brad - I hate to hear that Kahuna is in so much pain. How much weight does he need to gain before the vet will talk about his hips?
Brad, Kahuna is a stunner, it's such a shame about his hips and other issues
Poor Huna...I just want to come out there and give him a big hug (and Brad and Jen for being amazing people!)
>> Yes, he sleeps on the couch all day and gets a few short (doctors orders) leashed walks only. Jen also does some stretching exercises with him. He doesn't get to "free play" like the others.
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There's no 'lazy' games you can play with him to burn off some energy, like playing tug in a down position or have him find the treat under one of three cups or something. Wouldn't stimulating him mentally also help stimulate his appetite.
I also read the info on your blog ...
Sorry to hear about all of his problems. I hope that he will gain some weight so he can get his hips sorted out ASAP.
Crossing my fingers that he starts gaining some mass. Good luck, seriously.
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