Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[SageHill]

My men were home around 3:30 today. They ran into very bad winds on the way back, which increased gallon consumption.

Had a busy day today. Started with feeding, then shower for doctor appt. Took 1.5 hours to get to doctor in traffic. Arranged with doctor that he order a chest x-ray for DH before his appointment on Thursday. Only took half hour to get home. Tried to pick up mail but had to go back to house and exchange keys since I had the wrong set for mailbox. Got mail, then picked up DGD1. Packed more tools, got phone call from DS1 to make sure that driveway was clear. Packed more tools. Decided to take 2 more base cabinets to Texas since they have pullout shelves. Handy for heavy tools. Will have to remove them at a later date since I need to install the heat barrier before taking anymore cabinets to Texas.
Tomorrow bridge.
Thursday 9:30 am vet appointment for Rika. I have been giving her pain killers instead of the arthritis meds and she seems in less pain. At least she is not crying. I told them she needs x-rays of her neck. I can't let her suffer, but we will see if anything can be done for her. I wondered about a dog chiropractor.
Thursday afternoon lung x-ray and doctor appt for DH. Then traffic all the way home.
Friday laundry day with all DH's dirty laundry from trip to Texas.

DH just read an article about a liberal woman from Oregon who moved to Texas for her job. She hated the conservative politics, the in-person voting process, gun policy, schools, etc., etc., etc. She moved back to Oregon. Good riddance. Don't come back.

Good luck with Rika’s vet appointment Thursday, wonder if rymadil would be something that would help. I’m sure you’ve got a line on a dog chiropractor there. I’ve got a great one down here - all the dog sport people take their dogs to her. If you need a name of one by you let me know. I’ve got a lot of dog people friends up there.

 

[Ridgetop]

.. . . dog chiropractor there. I’ve got a great one down here - all the dog sport people take their dogs to her. If you need a name of one by you let me know.

Yes please, I don't know any and was going to go online looking but a referral is better.

I am getting x-rays tomorrow and was wondering about Rymadil since it is stronger. DH said maybe they could do some surgical thing, but if we have to keep her from all activity, it won't work. These Anatolians don't do "light duty". I talked to Erick this evening and he said that Rika is the last but one of her litter of 10 still alive. He and I think she may have injured herself years ago and now the arthritis has gotten too painful. The way these dogs fight is they run into the predator from the side with their chest and knock the other animal sprawling. Then they seize it by the neck when it is on the ground and kill it. If she hit wrong, she could have done something to one of her neck vertebra. She can't seem to lift her head up and acts like she is having pain walking in her shoulders. She is not terribly interested in eating. I am giving her pain pills 3x a day. Maybe it will turn out to be a cyst in her spine which could be removed, or something simple.

DGD1 Elizabeth has never known life without Rika and has been crying after she overheard me talking to DH about her. I am hoping that it is something that can be taken care of with stronger pain meds, and possible chiropractor but depending on what the x-rays show, I can't allow her to suffer. It is my last responsibility to her.

DS1 says we will separate pull rams on Friday and separate ewes into 2 groups to work on weed control.

 

[SageHill]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for her and her appointment tomorrow.
Starting the dog hotline network now. Hopefully have something for you tonight.
Edit - messaged/conversationed you with info.

 

[Baymule]

Please keep us posted about Rika.

 

[Margali]

Sorry to hear about Rika hurting so bad. Show sheep people use magnawave and cold laser to alleviate pain and swelling. I was looking into them for Hera. Maybe you can schedule a visit for Rika to see if it helps?

 

[Ridgetop]

Got x-rays today. Only thing they can do for her is pain relief and steroids. She has compressed discs in neck due to possible old injury which has resulted in bad arthritis. Today they gave her a pain shot before x-rays. It is possible that she is suffering from muscle spasms in neck due to these injuries. Vet bill was over $800. Possibility of surgery but not recommended because outcome is iffy, surgery dangerous, and base cost would be over $10,000+.

We have decided to keep her on the medications the doctor has prescribed to try to make her life as pain free as possible for as long as possible. When the time comes that the medications are no longer working, I will be with her as she goes into that long sleep. Hopefully, the meds will give her another couple of good years. My Perfect Harika will be 11 years old in May.

 

[Mike CHS]

I have been there enough times to know how much it hurts but all I can say is that I know that you do all that you can. Love you for it since they always give us much more than we give them.

 

[SageHill]

Got x-rays today. Only thing they can do for her is pain relief and steroids. She has compressed discs in neck due to possible old injury which has resulted in bad arthritis. Today they gave her a pain shot before x-rays. It is possible that she is suffering from muscle spasms in neck due to these injuries. Vet bill was over $800. Possibility of surgery but not recommended because outcome is iffy, surgery dangerous, and base cost would be over $10,000+.

We have decided to keep her on the medications the doctor has prescribed to try to make her life as pain free as possible for as long as possible. When the time comes that the medications are no longer working, I will be with her as she goes into that long sleep. Hopefully, the meds will give her another couple of good years. My Perfect Harika will be 11 years old in May.

Oh man. Chiro may help, and acupuncture too. I used both and arnica pills on a pup I got back with a horribly broken femur (all on a vets advice).
Rika is in the best hands - yours.

 

[Mini Horses]

Agree with both above.

 

[Finnie]

Tearing up as I read this. I’ve sat with a few dogs.