Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / August 2005

HI There -

Zasha is an 11 Y/O German Shepherd. Two weeks ago, she ate an ENTIRE
CHICKEN CARCASS out of the garbage on a Thursday. Being temporarily
very financially challenged, I couldn't take her to the vet, but fed
her full of oatmeal, bread, metamucil and olive oil (and beef broth).
(Thank you usenet.)

I also kept her pretty immobile. No long walks or running. She had one
terrible day on the following Saturday when she was in obvious pain,
but the next day, she improved a great deal, and seemed to be out of
the woods the day after that.

But now she can't stand up by herself in the mornings. This started on
the Saturday when she was having that terrible day.

It doesn't seem that she's in pain now. When she had lyme disease, she
was in obvious pain. This seems to be a lack of strength. I've taken
her swimming a few times since then and after swimming she has no
problem getting in and out of the car or standing up. She moves just
fine.

Once she's up, she's fine. No problem squatting for either #1 or #2. No
problem with walking around. When I take her on long walks, she does
fine and comes back into the house like gangbusters. After an hour or
two, she has trouble getting up again.

It's August now. For most of the summer, I haven't been walking her as
much as I normally would because I was in a car accident and having
trouble walking myself, so she hasn't gotten her normal exercise, which
involved a lot of frisbee play. Before the chicken thing, she was
getting walks about every other day that involved a lot of running and
frisbee.

She has no problem with appetite or attitude, except she's obviously
frustrated by not being able to get up. Her range of expression is
unchanged.

I'll get paid in a few days and will be able to take her to the vet,
but will be grateful for any suggestions I can get.

Thanks,

Lee