Raven at the vet

Saturday I took Raven to the vet. He has been so miserable, I couldn't stand to see him suffering any more. He would rub his itchy nose so hard on his white blanket that you could see blood on it. He had a cut above his eye from scratching his head with his paw. His feet were beginning to swell because he was licking them so much.

So, off to the vet we went. While we were waiting, I saw a Golden Retriever who came out looking even worse than Raven. The GR was rubbing his face on the ground and looked perfectly uncomfortable and unhappy.

So now Raven is on a drug program. He is taking methylprednisolone tablets (basically steroids) and prednisolone drops for his eyes, along with over the counter chlorpheniramine Maleate antihistamine. I also brought home special vitamins to help his coat, and gave him a bath with medicated shampoo and conditioner.

After two days, he seems to be improved. His eyes are a lot better. He's still rubbing his nose against things, but it doesn't seem to be as frequently. And the only possible side effects of the methylprednisolone tablets are increased water consumption and appetite, frequent urination, possible elevated liver enzymes, weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea. Long time use of the drug could result in potent corticosteriods suppressing the normal pituitary-adrenal axis or something like that. Whew! Raven will need to be weaned off this slowly--right now he is taking two pills every 12 hours--after a week it is once a day, then a week later once every two days.

I decided to get out my old pill box to keep track of Raven's meds. The little steroid pills fit nicely in there. I can't even remember the days when all my medication would fit into that little pill dispenser. Now I have a honkin' big box that accommodates my multi-vitamins, my calcium, my cholesterol meds, my high blood pressure meds, and my diabetes pills.

That doesn't include my before meals insulin shots (insulin pen and needle needed for that) or my nightly insulin dose (insulin bottle and syringe needed for that). Then there's my contact lens solution and cleaner that I need to take care of every night and morning........

Nobody else around here better get sick or old. I don't think I could keep track of too many more pill boxes, let alone medication.......

Till next time,


Suzi

PS My lab results last week were very good, my doctor said. Blood sugar is okay and cholesterol is excellent at 134. Blood pressure was 128 over 70 I believe. A1c 7.1.