Story of a Long Healthy Life of Grettl
Grettl, our Wirehaired Dachshund, recently celebrated her 17th birthday.
Besides all the love that her family gives to Grettl, a good healthy lifestyle is important. The family is keeping her active with love and attention whilst allowing her own routine of free walks in the garden as well as a strict diet with proper hydration which are surely contributing to Grettl’s long healthy life. As Grettl has lost her eyesight due to an advanced stage of Senior Cataract, walks outside of the house add to her disorientation hence a routine has been found to her roaming the garden at regular times a day. She is happy and confident and sleeps a lot on an extra supportive bed. It is important she is regularly turned on the other side and carried outside to ensure her circulation keeps up. Initially, after asleep she is disoriented, lacking the strength to stand alone and falls over. Some support and placement of her legs in a sturdy position help her to get going and be able to pass stool and urine. Some laxative is regularly added to her food to ensure she can pass the stool a bit faster as it is more difficult now for her to crouch for a longer period. A regular cuddle, brush and some artificial tears help her be even more comfortable. Why artificial tears? As her peri-orbital fat is slowly diminishing (ageing symptom) the eyes sink deeper in the socket causing the eyes to shut not as before, causing the eyes to dry and become irritated. Artificial tear applications (up to 12 x daily) support a better tear film and less irritation of the eyes.
She is a healthy dog till date, however, could see the signs of her old age which started happening some years ago. It all began with shaking and circling out of nowhere, she was usually shaking if she feared strong sounds or was afraid of something, but that time was different. Another sign, besides the shaking and circling, was that her back legs were not so strong anymore. Her walks became a bit slower and her back legs weaker and weaker. Even though she did not have the strength like before she didn’t realize that she was getting older and she kept running and jumping.
She arrived in an emergency in our clinic 2 years ago, presenting paralysis on the hind limb and dragging of her rear legs when walking with signs of pain in neck, spine, and hind legs, and with head tilting (rotation of the head on the median plane bringing one ear lower than other). Routine blood tests were performed in our clinic, and full investigations such as radiographs and echography were performed. All the blood tests were within normal limits, however, the radiographs revealed abnormalities at the level of Gretl’s spine and showed as well arthritis and osteoarthritis.
There are several conditions that can cause paralysis in dogs. Anything that breaks down communication between the brain and body can then lead to a loss of coordination and inability to move. Some breeds are more likely to suffer from paralysis than others. Dachshunds, Basset Hounds, like Grettl, and dogs who have long backs and are low to the ground are more at risk for intervertebral disc disease, a condition where ruptured vertebral discs put pressure on the spinal cord. Unfortunately, this was as well Grettl’s problem.
The recovery period was long, however, she improved very well with the implementation of medication for the vestibular syndrome, glucosamine chondroitin for the joints, anti-inflammatory medication for ongoing arthritis, suitable and proper diet for her age, as well treatment for the cognitive disfunction. And a very motivated home care ensuring to stimulate Grettl and ensure proper and timely exercise and restrictive feeding.
We were so happy to celebrate her 17th years anniversary in a much better quality of life as 2 years ago and we hope more she will be with us much longer. And all of this will be possible with a regular routine checkup, every 3-6 months, blood tests, exams and proper diets and supplements.
Written by Dr. Alexandra Gulinescu, ABVC veterinarian.
