How is everyone in the current situation? General Chat

Update on Katie Mae. She has a small cut in her paw. Soak in antiseptic solution once a day for 5 minutes, antiseptic powder twice a day and light antibiotic, all for 7 days.
She wasn’t cooperating with them to look at her foot. I offered to help but they said they had it. They were trying to lay her on her side and she kicked the vet tech in the ribs and knocked the wind out of her. After that the Vet asked if I had any suggestions... I just lifted her up under her front armpits with back legs on the floor and held out her foot for her... easy peezy. Lol

She hates the cone

Glad it's a simple injury and fix.

Oh Marc, I am not laughing - well maybe a little snigger escaped me! They should have accepted your offer to help in the first place, after all, you know your dog better than they do.

I am glad that Katie Mae's injury is not too bad and hope it heals quickly so she can lose the hated cone. She must be a very good girl if she lets you soak her foot - I cannot see my little horror letting me do that - well, I would not be able to hold her still for long enough to even get hold of one of her paws to do anything to it. She is such a wriggler and although she may be small she is far too strong for me to hold.

How are you feeling now? Still not over-doing things, I hope.

Aw, poor Katie Mae. Those little nicks can be very painful especially as she's walking on it all day.

However, something that will fix itself over the next week or so so there's the up side

Give her a snuggle from me

Well all that I’ve accomplished trying to soak Katie Mae’s foot is to have a cleaner floor. She’s not liking it and not cooperating.

So while we were at the vets I asked if they ever proscribe a sedative for dogs who won’t allow their nails to be done, and they said yes, it’s actually pretty common.

Katie Mae is a strong willed dog and can be very squirrelly. If she doesn’t like something it’s going to be hard to do. Try and brush her bottom, and she sits down. I once paid my old Vet to trim her nails and it looked like they did nothing for the $20 I was charged. I took her to a mobile vet clinic to see if they could do it and they had two people holding her and one trying to trim her nails, to no avail. I should have told them to stop, but instead they involved a fourth person, and flipped her on her side, holding her down against her will. She peed in one of their faces. I really should have stopped it before that happened. It’s cruel to try and forcefully make any animal, or person submit to something that’s obviously making them very uncomfortable and causing obvious stress and anxiety.

So they gave me Trazodone for her, which I personally know is a strong hypnotic sedative, having taken it to try and help with insomnia. They said to try 200mg and see how that works, do it at night so she can sleep it off if need be. Based on how 200mgs works I can go down to 100mgs or up as high as 400mg. I personally think 200mg will make her pretty sedated. I’ve called the vets to ask if I can use it to be able to soak her foot. I’d imagine they will say yes, and I only called to ask because I wasn’t going to be using it for what I was given it for.

I will add here to be careful what you ask for...

I’m honestly a bit uncomfortable having this in my house as a person in recovery from alcoholism. Pills were never my thing but I did really, really like the feeling of that stuff when it kicked in... at that time it helped me sleep some, but not as much as hoped and so I took what was left of the prescription and tossed it out at the pharmacy in the bin for that type of stuff. I didn’t want it in my house because I didn’t want to have the temptation. Well there’s some real honesty for you..

I am a bit surprised that the vet gave you Trazodone as it is usually prescribed for depression, and the normal dose for an adult is 150mg. If it is prescribed as a sedative for temporary sleep disorders the dose would be 300mg, so 200mg for Katie Mae sounds rather high. I would be more inclined to try her with 100mg or even less to start with, to see how she reacts to it.

Katie Mae sounds like she definitely knows her own mind and what she does and does not want to do or to be done to her. I had sort of wondered if she would let you soak her foot and hoped that she would cooperate. At least you have a clean floor but clean floors will not help her paw heal, will it. Little madam!

So, she kicked one vet tech in the ribs when you took her to get her foot looked at, and now you tell us she pee'd on another... but I have to admit that Ram has told Tikva before now that if she does not keep still while he is clipping her nails he will sit on her, so I hope that somehow you succeed in getting Katie Mae to cooperate with both the foot soaking and then, when necessary, clipping her nails.

Marc, no need to worry about being honest - you are with friends here and you have already told us that you are in recovery. As for feeling uncomfortable having having Trazodone in your home, you are strong enough to know that you will not give in to any possible temptation that might pop into your mind. After all, it is only one day at a time and you know that you can do that.

Will she allow a bandage or cotton sock to be put on for 5 minutes? If so, maybe you could soak it in the antiseptic solution and it would do the same job

You might just try benedryl. It won't be a bad thing in the house like the trazadone and will sedate her. 1-2mg per pound.

Tornado-dog was on it for two days when he broke out in hives. It was a very peaceful two days. . He does not like his nails clipped either - I may use the benedryl myself.

I'm not very good at clipping dog nails, but I am amazing with cats. I learned early on that setting the cat in your lap like it's a baby ( butt in your lap, cat's back against your stomach) eliminates the need to pull on the feet. Using regular finger nail clippers, I just snip snip snip away. If the cat gets a bit stressed, I stop and pet them for a while, and then start up again.

Whenever I went to my Mom's, she would have me clip every cat's nails, including her boarders. Over the years, I have only had one cat whose nails I couldn't clip easily - he was one of mine and he just freaked no matter what. I'd have to do 1 or 2 nails per sitting, instead of all 18 (or the 26 of my Toed).

No wonder it didn’t really help me sleep like it should of. I was told 50mg, if I was still up another 50mg after an hour, and once more again after an hour if it hadn’t helped..

I read online that the recommended dosage for dogs is 2.5-3.5 mg per lb. Katie Mae is 71 lbs so 200mg is in-line with that.

As far as being among friends, there are far more people who read these posts than actually post regularly. I wasn’t worried about it. Maybe my honesty will help someone else be honest with themselves or someone else..

Since I’m on the subject, although the one day at a time thing is true, I don’t use the AA model. I don’t find it to be self empowering. In fact I find it to be just the opposite. You are asked to believe that a power greater than yourself helped you to get sober, that you were literally powerless with whatever substance you abused. There’s a fair amount of shame in that program for people who have relapsed. It’s also very Christian based, and very misogynistic. Google the cult of AA. The amount of people who remain sober through that program is actually pretty low..

I have found a peer led group called recovery Dharma, which is based on the teachings of Buddha. I find it to be so much more relatable, for me. Empowering. I have a choice. You are shown that we all create are own suffering, and we can choose to not suffer. Lessons on how to be mindful. Meditation practice. Wise speech, wise action, etc.. In any given situation it’s how you choose to react or experience it. Through this program I have watched my thought process change. I really love this program. I wish more people knew about it. It hasn’t been around very long. Ok, off my soapbox...

The wound is up in the paw so I’m not sure the sock would get it up where it needs to go. And no, I’ve had no luck soaking it yet.

Someone elsewhere had also suggested Benadryl too.

I like to identfy as Buddhist though I haven't visited a temple in over 20 years. I embrace the philosophy but I'm afraid that I no longer practice, - though it has helped me through some dark days. I do miss being connected to a Buddhist community. For a philosophy that preaches non-attachment, how's that for a paradox.
I second Chris's suggestion of soaking a thick sock in the solution, and trying to get Katie Mae to wear it for gradually increasing periods - hold in place with a band, and use bribery if necessary.
Pleased that it is nothing serious though.

I agree with you about AA. I never understood the concept that our failings are ours to claim, but our successes are due to something beyond us. If I'm responsible for all the bad in my life, then I am also responsible for all the good.

Maybe a cotton ball soaked in the solution and stuffed up into the paw. Even if it only stays there a couple moments, that's more than she'd have otherwise.

I think I will try soaked cotton balls held in place with a soaked sock, and feed her blueberries that were towards the back of the fridge and I forgot about. They are still ok, but I’ve got fresher ones now too. Thanks for the suggestions

So.... I ended up sedating her. She would not let me soak it. That was not ok. A sock was definitely not happening, maybe I picked the wrong color.. However..... @Toedtoes had the winner and gets the prize!!! The prize being my thanks. She begrudgingly allowed me to press the soaked cotton balls in there. I periodically re-soaked them, and got fresh ones after one reuse. I don’t think she’d have allowed this without being sedated, but I’ll try in the morning to see if I can do it without doping her up.

I was explaining what I was going to try and do to someone and they said I should try a muzzle... not really understanding the situation. Katie Mae is a licker but definitely not a biter. They thought I was drugging her so she wouldn’t bite... nope, just to get her chill enough to let me treat her. And speaking of treats, no interest in a blueberry. Must be the drugs because she loves fresh blueberries, and she’s lucky I love her and share them with her, because they are far from cheap.

Oh and now that I used the trazodone for its intended use I don’t feel quite as weird having it in the house. At least now, I’ll see how I feel in the morning. If this does allow me to clip her nails I will in the future ask the vet only for the amount I need, not a supply for the future. Or I may ask my neighbor friend if she’ll hold onto them for me. They just make me uncomfortable having them around, at least for now. Funny thing is I’ve had a bottle of wine in a cabinet for 1.5 years that the landlord of the house down the road gave me as a way to apologize for his really crappy tenants, not knowing I don’t drink. It’s on its side and I turn it periodically. Not tempted at all. Not an issue. I have a friend I plan on giving it to, but because of covid I haven’t seen him since I got it.

Well done. It should heal quickly so you won't need to be doing it for long.
Blueberries are expensive here too. I share with Merry, six a day each, but I nick the best ones. Glad to say that Chas and Eddie don't like them.

Yea!!! I'm glad that worked.

I think once you get her through this medical need, you will have a better handle on why having the trazadone in the house makes you nervous when the bottle of wine doesn't. It may be because you need to "serve" the trazadone to Katie Mae, so the bottle isn't just a prop in the background to turn every so often. Our minds are just weird like that.

Funny about the blueberries. Tornado-dog and Cat-dog aren't big fruit and veggie eaters. They prefer goldfish crackers...

My Bat-dog loved food in general. She would eat most everything and her stomach was as tough as a goat's (she stole and ate more chocolate - foil wrapping and all - than any kid ever did).

One time while camping, Aunt C brought a big bowl of mixed fruit. Moose-dog had a couple pieces of melon and then was done. Bat-dog kept coming back for more. She had the canteloupe and the honeydew and the watermelon. Then Aunt C gave her a piece of pineapple. Bat-dog was so polite. She took it politely from Aunt C and you could see her move it around in her mouth (instead of wolfing it down like the others). Then she very gently put the piece on the seat of the picnic table. She looked at it, then put it in her mouth and tried again. Then she again very gently put it back on the bench. Then she just kept looking at it. She did not like it at all - but she didn't want to be rude about it. I finally threw it out and told her she didn't need to eat the pineapple (I hate it too). She then happily ate more of the melons.

Major success. Tonight I was able to use the cotton balls on the wound without drugging her. I think she understands I’m trying to help her. I’m wondering if after I mess with her paw for a week like this if she’ll just let me trim her nails... Maybe I’ll do the cotton ball briefly on all her feet, just to get her accustomed to my hands on her feet, and holding them how I want, within reason. I’m very pleased. Kitchen floor is also pretty clean.

So now that I used the trazodone for its intended purpose it’s not such a big deal having it here. I still don’t like it but I’m not quite as bothered. I do look forward to being able to get rid of it though. Perhaps once we don’t need it maybe the local animal shelter could use it. I’ll call and ask when I’m ready, which would be if I can get her to let me trim her nails.

Good girl Katie Mae! That is a good idea about getting her used to holding all her paws Marc and hopefully that will lead to her letting you trim her nails.

It is also a good idea about giving any unwanted Trazodone to the local shelter although I would be inclined to keep some in case it is needed in the future. A couple of months back when I went to re-order Tikva's multivitamin pills they were out of stock, but iHerb had a new brand in which appeared to have identical amounts of everything, so I bought those instead, and because they were on special offer I bought two x 90. They are soft chews as against the huge round pills which she has always had [and happily chombled] - and she would not touch them. They did not crumble well to mix with her food, which was a nuisance [and sticky] so I was very pleased [so was she] when her usual ones came back in stock.

So I ended up with one unsealed tub of these multivitamin chews plus a nearly full opened one, and last time Ram came for her shot etc I asked if he could find a home for them. I had made a similar mistake with the hip & joint supplements previously - Tikva definitely does not like soft chews, whether they are supposed to be chicken or liver flavoured or whatever, but is more than happy with the huge pills! So Ram happily took the lot.

This is what I think Katie Mae would be singing if she could, and if she liked Jimi Hendrix’s.

Howled to the tune of stone free

Hey, You can’t cone me now
I don’t want to be coned
I got to move
Aw

Cone free, to do what I please
Cone free, now I can feel the breeze
Cone free, now I can scratch
I got to, got to, got to lick my ....
Yeah all right

Listen to this canines
A lick here, a lick there, he tries to keep me in a plastic cone
But he don’t realize how stuffy and hot it is
Oh but sometimes, I can howl
When I feel him take the cone off
That’s when I got to move, before I get caught

And hey, that’s why you can’t cone me now,
I don’t want to be coned now
I got to be free
To do what I please

Cone free, to do what I please
Cone free, so I can feel the breeze
Cone free, so I can lick and scratch
Cone free, I got to got to get away

Yeah Aw
Turn me loose baby


She no longer needs the cone and we are both happy about that

Cone free, as free as the wind blows
As free as the grass grows
Cone free to follow your heart

I would give you a thousand plus Likes for that if I could Marc - and a big hug! I will have to check YouTube for that tune [but better wait until Madam decides to get up - gone 11am and she is still in the land of Nod!]

Please give both Katie Mae and Bandit ear twiddles, tummy rubs and hugs from me.