Golddust, sounds like Belle is so lucky to have such a caring owner. I give my dogs fresh raw green tripe on occasion, which is essentially a non dairy, food sourced version of a probiotic for them. Smells unpleasant lol, but my dogs go crazy for it. I feed a Prey model raw diet, which is simply a diet of a variety of raw meat (certain bone in meats and boneless) and raw organs. http://preymodelraw.com/page/articles.html I do give them a little bit of veggies, or fruit on occasion, but it's usually just as a treat. As long as a PMR diet is fed with enough variety in meats and organs, it can actually meet the NRC nutritional numbers for dogs without the need to feed vegetables/fruits, or any carbohydrates etc. I have two small chest freezers in my garage and buy meat (sometimes in bulk during sales, or from a raw feeding coop, or I get meat donated from local hunters). Their usual weekly variety includes fish, chicken, beef, pork, eggs, and turkey, other meats they also get include lamb, venison, quail, buffalo, and duck. Each meal is usually just one single protein source. I just cut up the meats and organs into meal sized portions for them, freeze, defrost in the fridge, and feed. Feeding raw is just easier for me because it's far less calculating and less supplementing nutrient wise than most cooked diets. The natural enzymes still present in the food aids in digestion, making food intolerances and allergies less likely. I know some dogs who are allergic to a cooked protein, like chicken or beef, but can still have the raw version of it and be fine. Lola had chronic colitis for 3 years with episodes occurring 1-2 times a week, they cleared up within a few months on the raw diet. I don't usually feed much ground meat, my dogs get more satisfaction and dental/gum cleaning when I feed the bone in meats with the raw bones as a natural source of fiber, and calcium. My dogs are 8 and 12, and haven't needed Vet dentals due to eating and chewing raw bones (properly). Raw bones, fed properly to dogs can be a great teeth/gum cleaner. I've been feeding PMR for over 3 years now, and have had fantastic results according to regular blood work etc. done on them. The difference in health is interesting and my vet is very supportive of it. However, I don't think raw diets are for every dog or owner, and they certainly have their controversy. This post was edited by roobear on Fri, Feb 21, 14 at 15:26

I also am very happy to find websites like this. Never had a problem until 64 and doctor thought I needed some estrogen for "dryness" issues. I was on Estriol compounded as it is not sold in U.S. but is in other countries. 2 1/2 months had to stop using as it made me ill. I realized later it was ordered too strong . My Gyn was also an Ob and specialized in adolescent pregnancy. What was I thinking !! Started very disturbing symptoms about 2 months after the end of Estriol. Profuse sweating, followed by chills, rapid increase in heart rate (over 130), dizziness and nausea in the middle of the night, night after night. I was so exhausted I ended up passing out and in the hospital. First Cardiologist, then Endocrinologist and finally going next week to GYN specialist. Of course went through the "you must be having anxiety" talk. Did I mention I am a retired Major in the Army Nurse Corps and psychiatric trained Reg. Nurse. I only mention this as I was almost starting to believe them. Thank GOD, and I mean this, I started to do my own research. Hot Flashes and Night Sweats with severe vasomotor reaction, very common. Well I say with all my heart thank you ladies for sharing on sites like these. It has been 81/2 months and they are definitely less. I am using magnesium, Vit. E, watching sugar intake, doing deep breathing , trying to control stress and thinking about Remifemin. Good luck to everyone .

Hello. I am currently living with two "old boys", both Rhodesian Ridgebacks, (aged 13 yrs , 5mth and 12 years, 8mths). They both have mobility issues. Two years ago he older boy, Khan had a straight forward operation to relieve a pinched nerve 9 (in the neck area). Unfortunately the neurological surgeon operated on the wrong vertebrae which resulted in Khan being left tetraplegic. The clinic then sent him home (for me to take care of) and did not do a MRI, which revealed the mistake for 3 weeks. We were then informed that the condition was now irreversible (2% chance of recovery) even with the operation being done again, correctly and that they would put Khan down, for free. We raced off to another specialist and were told the same thing, but this clinic understood that we wanted to give Khan every chance and they supported our decision to do the operation, followed by months of physiotherapy. They had a superb physio team and Khan stayed with them 2 nights a week. I worked from home and lived in the kitchen for the next 4 months doing Khan's massage, physio and providing 24 hour care. Now I know I might sound crazy, but Khan was in excellent spirts, engaged, eating and there was nothing wrong with him physically, except his inability to sit, stand and walk. The surgeon told me that he was getting gold star care, and assured me that I was not being selfish in keeping Khan alive. After 5 months of Khan not showing any inclination to start walking, I had decided that we would just continue with Khan as he was, until he was ready to go. Then out of the blue, one day he started to walk, with 4 nurses supporting him in a double harness. But his legs were moving and he was not knuckling (when their foot is curled over so top is touching the ground). He improved steadily over the next 2 months, during which time I figured out how to support a 40 kilo dog on my own, and somehow "walk him" up and down my road. Khan amazed everyone one of his medical team. After he started walking they all felt that they could tell me that according to all of the statistics, given the time he was injured and then the amount of time he did not walk, there was absolutely no chance that Khan would ever walk again. They were all amazed. Khan's case has been presented (by the surgeon) at a European medical conference. It just goes to show that nature does not know about statistics and percentages. Now, Khan is an exceptional dog. He has a huge heart and is unflappable. His spirit was never crushed by his conditional and struggle to walk again. Two years on he is still walking, getting up and down off the sofa and enjoying his life. He requires a double harness and some support (for his back legs) to get up and down steps, and if he is very tired, but he is soldering on. My other boy, Kaiser was diagnosed with polyneuropathy 5 months ago. He had developed a strange walk with one back foot doing a twisting move, was very fatigued, and his back legs had given out completely on two occasion. The condition was already effecting his back legs and his larynx (which would not close properly). He also has a protruding disc (the tail end of his spine). Apparently this was also the reason that he had pneumonia twice in the previous 15 months. We were told that there was no treatment, only pain relief and appetite stimulants. His condition remained relatively stable, with a stiff, shaky and a hoarse bark until the end of January. He still enjoyed his walks (in a double harness) and was determined to walk for miles, even if his legs had given out. He was happy for me to support his back half while he walked. I was not so happy, as carrying 45 kilo's with one arm, while bent over and walking is not easy. But we make do. In the past 3 weeks he has gradually had more trouble standing up, is shakier when walking, and has less appetite. When he lies down, he is on his chest with his back legs stretched straight out, up around his ears. When he tries to stand he does not pull his legs back under and so tries to stand with "splayed legs" Think sliding on the Bambi on the ice in the Disney movie and you will get the picture. He now requires assistance standing, almost every time. He gets into a sitting position and I lift up his back half. He is quite happy with this system and barks (a pitiful wheezy bark) when he wants to get up. In the last couple of days his right back leg has collapsed while he is going to toilet and he ends up stuck on the ground. Obviously he (and I) finds this distressing. We now accompany him on all trips into the garden. Kaiser has a completely different personality (than Khan). He is unperturbed by his legs collapsing when he is on a walk, and continues to sniff bushes and look around. But he does seem to be down at times when he is on his bed. He has always loved sleeping more than any other activity, so I honestly can't say that he is sleeping more. I am taking it day to day now. One day he refusing to eat anything (they have always been on the raw diet) and lies in his bed so long I am convinced he is miserable and that I am selfish to keep him going. The next day he gets up to greet me, tries to run to his bowl and gobbles down 3 meals at once and insists on a walk. I know we are getting to the end, but I honestly don't have a clue if it will be weeks or months. I know that I am very fortunate with my work to be able to provide the level of care that my two boys require. I could not have done this without the RVC, a supportive medical team, a help em up harness, a car ramp, a tuffies bed (the best futon and water proof covered dog bed available), and a supportive local vet. The advise that I would give to anyone with a dog that is diagnosed with a condition (or something remains undiagnosed) is to do your own research, ask lots of questions, and trust that you know your dog better than anyone.

I just squirt Cetaphil lotion on a hot wrung out washcloth and go to town. Most of the old dead skin comes off that day then I try real hard not to fuss at it but once a day. It's a lot like a peeling sunburn. It needs to go but let it come of when it's ready. Moisturize heavily after and put a thick sock on. When I got the casts off my feet decades ago I was delighted when the calluses came off along with all the old skin so look for that. Ask if you can soak your foot, don't submerge that scar unless you clear it with your medical team. And it happened that a talk show had a segment on how to massage feet that week which was heavenly even if I did it myself.