OK ... due to overwhelming requests ... I am here to tell you that I survived, once again. Was a particularily painful session today. However; we don't remember pain clearly. Just remember that something hurt. So; it hurt ... but I'm home now. Ordered to rest today. That hurts too. It's one of those things I've never been any good at.

My impact driver came today - while we were out. yeah. Maybe I can pull the trigger and watch the LED lights go on. Bring in a block of wood and drive a few drywall screws into it. Nah - that would be "screwing around" ... I'm supposed to rest. hummm. Make a paper fan blade attachment? Watch the battery charge?

Added a couple of hours later: I have spent a couple of hours watching uTube how2 videos. Now I have yet additional ideas I want to try! I plan to make my Dodge truck into a lumber cutting sawmill. That should greatly increase my wood supply. I've also relized I've been foolish using steel all this time for my airguns. PVC is where it's at. Oooops ... no the cat is out of the bag! Nutz ......

I'll stop back from time to time. You never know when ... so be good.

Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2013 07:27PM by barnespneumatic.

PVC! Of course! You can use that purple "glue" to seal and decorate the guns. I bet it carves pretty easy too.

You realize that if I first applied a "mask" to the PVC ... prior to the purple primer ... I could embed a design of my choosing!

Hummmmm ......

Man Down! Can we get some meds here?

The vet tells us our Dauchund probably has a bad disc. Is it contageous? Man - we've tried to keep him slim (and we have). There's a 20 pounder that lives behind us that jumps up and down off furniture all the time - and he's just fine. Ours is sleek and in serious pain. Gotta be the Barnes thingie. Spent the evening trying to sort that. Dr. starts talking about surgery before we've done anything else. I dazzled her with questions about possible epidurals, and starting a domino effect by weakening the joints on either side of the site of any operation. Of the potential for pinched nerves from growth of scar tissue - knew the medications she was talking about, and the dosages for humans. Sort of funny/sad. Since all she wanted to talk about was surgery (and since this was the first flare up Fritz has ever had) I asked if a course of anti-inflamatory steriod might reduce the inflamation and a mild pain med might give Fritz relief so he relaxes and heals. She seemed to agree. I plan on sending them a healthy bill tomorrow. Something on the order of their's of this evening. At one point - after a rather lengthly round about explaination of possible horror senerios ... she seemed to be suggesting that the dog would either get better or worse. I wanted to make certain I was following clearly. Yes - that was the professional opinion.

So; I'm bummed to see my doggie son following in my footsteps. Don't DO IT Fritz!!! Save yourself!!!!

Gary

It's a dangerous thing leaving Gary on bed rest for too long. All those creative ideas get backed up in his head and start fighting each other to get out, and you KNOW that's not good. Especially not when he's stuck doing boring old maintenance work on the MD house. Next thing you know he'll be carving mythological figures in the mortar around the basement door, or working up a tool-steel stamp to seal the metal roof flashing joints, or who knows what.

Better have Kelly at least bring him a sketchpad and a soft pencil, might help to relieve the pressure.

A Gary is a terrible thing to waste!!!!

Did you know that if you spell "teeth backwards" you get "sdrawkcab hteet". Yeah ... well, it does ... I'm trying other combinations to see if its significant ...

Your best treatment for you and the dog will be multimodal. Using a small dose of several different types of meds/treatments to get the best effect while limiting side effects. You've got the list of possible combos correct, but I doubt you'll find anyone doing doggy epidurals. I did assist my vet doing a spinal tap on a dog for diagnostic work. Interestingly the only safe place to do the puncture is at the base of the skull. This was a 12 lb dog so the margin for error was small. The epidural space would even be more difficult. So the option of occasional oral steroid for flares would be the alternative. One thing that your creative mind might work on would be a brace. We have good results on humans. My idea would be a "Thunder Shirt" with some added stiffeners along the dorsum to support the back. A lot of vets have the Thunder Shirt in their office, I wonder if you could try one to see if it fits the dog?

Kent

Thank you Kent,

BTW - my new regiment is about a 50% improvement. Even in the cold damp weather.

For Fritz, I've thought of a back brace. So far - I'm sort of stuck with how to "wrap" the hing quarters of a Dauchand without having his ... ah ... business .... in the way.

Round about 1975 ... while a cabinet maker making custom furniture and custom everything else ... I was approached by a lady with a Dauchund paralyzed in the hind quarters. I made a wheeled cart for his hind quarters. Worked a treat. Happy dog - half feet - half wheels. Hope it doesn't come to that with Fritz. He is much improved. A course of anti-imflamatory meds and complete rest. Found another vet that Kelly took him to. This young lady vet wasn't knife happy, in the least. Didn't push for every test known. Yet seemed to give complete information and treated Fritz with a sensible plan. He's much improved - and under forced rest.

We're looking up the Thunder Shirt (I understand you mentioned that for a base to build onto) and there's also a back brace site for Dauchund. I'll figure something.

Thanks Much,
Gary

Glad all are better. Still early in the treatment plan so you should have plenty of happy years in front of both of you.

Kent