confinement

[Helaine Goldstone]

My four year old standard has been confined to his crate for 4 to 6 weeks to recover from disc problems. I try to lavish him with attention and take him out periodically to hold him, but he cries all the time. He isn't in pain, he's just upset. Does anyone have advice as to how to make his life easier while recuperating>

Helaine

[Mark]

Hi Helaine and Welcome to the board! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/wavey.gif

Hmmm, that's a tough one. We had to crate Masse for 5-6 weeks for a Spinal Infarction and she didn't fuss at all. All we did was put the crate where she could see everything going on and act like it was normal. We also took her out periodically to hold her and carry her out for potty breaks.

Maybe some others here have had the same difficulty and will resond.

What is your Dachsie's name?

Please keep us posted,

Mark

[Mandy]

Henry recently had to be confined after he torqued his back. Henry absolutely hates being in a crate and in turns in to a brawl trying to get him in and out of one. We didn't want to add any extra stress to him, so we tried compromises. When we were going to be in the living room, he got to sit in the overstuffed chair with his blankee and baby. We only let him do this when we could keep an eye on him so that he wouldn't be jumping off the chair to play with Jakey. Or if we were going to be moving around in the house or were going out, we put two baby gates up in the hallway to give him a small area where he couldn't run and jump. We placed the flop-upon (a big floor pillow) in with him along with a blanket and his baby. This seemed to keep him happy and calm while giving him the time he needed to relax and heal. If we had put him in a crate, he would have worked himself up and might have hurt his back even more...so we looked for ways in which he could rest while still being a part of the family (in much the same way as putting a sick child on the sofa so that he can watch the teley) and still where we could keep an eye on him. I hope this helps.

[Heather]

Hi Helaine, glad to see you made it here. I hope Ingo is feeling better soon.

Heather

[johargis]

Poor baby. We currently have one of ours confined to a crate also for his back. He is crying sometimes now because he is feeling better. Dave takes him out and holds him on his lap to watch TV in the evenings. We come home for lunch to take him out doors for his potty. But he is feeling better and it is harder on him to be crated than it was when he was sick. We are looking forward to the delivery of his wheels.

[Shelbie]

Mandy - the telly? Do I detect an English accent or have our American cousins started saying it? Goodness, you'll be getting stuff out of the boot of the car next before walking along the pavement to the grocers. I blame Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer!! Oh and get well soon Helaine's dachsie dog

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Shelbie on January 13, 2001 at 05:06 AM</font>

[Mark]

Crimey, Deb! Are you gonna start blaming Giles, as if he doesn't have enough bloody things on his mind fighting blokes like Demons & Vampires. Well, I'm off to get some Petrol and have them check under the bonnet! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/lol.gif

Helaine: How is Ingo doing with the confinement since you first posted?

Mark

[Mandy]

Sorry Shelbie....stems from having learned English as a second language and having grandparents who were immigrants from Slovakia (don't dare talk to me when I'm tired or you might get an odd German/Czech/English mixture...) I do have an accent...my freshman year back in college one guy in particularly teased me unmercilessly (you might know him on this board as Bart - the hubby).


By the way Mark, what do you put into your car? I put petrol...gas is what my husband has (hope he doesn't look under this topic) http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif

Hope Ingo is doing better!

[Shelbie]

No need for an apology - I was just surprised someone was speaking proper Engish like wot I do!!!!<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm26.gif" border=0> That's me, Debbie, by the way, Shelbie would probably have a Welsh/terribly posh London accent as her Dad from from Wales and her Mum from Wimbledon, I'm more your basic slight Daphne from Frasier but generally just plain Brit!

[DoxieJan]

My doxie Boomer went down and also hated being crated. She wanted to be in whatever room we were in and her crate was too heavy for me to carry around. So I went to a baby consignment shop and purchased a used bassinet on wheels and it's a perfect size for her and we wheel her from room to room, she can look all around and she sleeps in it at night right next to our bed. We put her toys in it and her favorite blanket for her to hide under. She seems so much happier in her bed on wheels...LOL than the crate which was on the floor.

It worked out great for us.<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm35.gif" border=0>

[Helaine Goldstone]

Thanks to all of you who have inquired about Ingo. Here's an update:

First, his crate is on a dolly (purchased from Home Depot very presciently a week before his back gave out), so we can wheel him from room to room; it helps, but he still barks the moment he loses sight of one of us. We took him to the vet on Saturday for a progress check. She was very pleased with his progress. His back legs have regained some strength and his spine was not as sensitive to her touch. She thinks the prospects are good for recovery without surgery. She also gave me some tranquilizers for him for those nights when he just won't settle down. Last night was one of those nights. Unfortunately, the pills didn't kick in till about 3:00 AM. Oh well, only another month to go. Forgot to mention, we live in an apartment in Manhattan, so Ingo has to be carried downstairs 5-6 times a day to pee. He's BIG (26 lbs) and pees ALL THE TIME.

Helaine

[Meemoo]

Glad to hear things are improving. I know what you mean about apt. living ...we do too...have you ever received complaints about him barking or crying? If not..consider yourself lucky.. Here's to a speedy recovery and lots of rayyyyyzzzz!!

Loren and Chiefy (Loudmouth)

[Heather]

Hi Helaine, glad to hear Ingo is feeling a little better. I can't imagine carrying him up and down severl times a day!

[Mark]

Hi Helaine,

It's good to hear that Ingo is doing well . . . I just hope you survive carrying him out for breaks! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif

Thanks for the update,

Mark

[Shelbie]

I'm so glad to hear Ingo's getting better - now we've just got to worry about your back with all that carrying!

[Wienergal]

Very glad to hear there has been progress! You have my sympathy about the lugging... I am also a city-dweller, and when Farfie had a calcified disk in his tail, I had to lug him, but only up and down ONE flight! No elevators in your building? Must be "vintage," like mine... Kinda makes you long for one of those character-less boxy highrises, doesn't it?

How about giving him the tranquilizer a bit earlier tonight? Let's just assume he's gonna need it! It won't hurt him to take these drugs short-term!

Best wishes for continued improvement, and many dachsie http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/rayz.gif raaayyyz http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/rayz.gif to you!

Pamela

[Helaine Goldstone]

Pamela: We do have an elevator, but it often takes its time. The real difficulty is negotiating two locked lobby doors and a locked elevator when both arms are full of squirmy dog. (Not to mention the fact that we have a pooper scooper law in NYC.)

I had the presence of mind to strain my own back about two weeks ago, so most of the carrying duty has fallen on my husband. I won't describe the mood he's in.

Helaine

[johargis]

How about using a baby stroller? Might be able to pick up a used one at something like a garage sale or resale shop. Some of them lay flat which makes them long enough for a dachsie. There is room for the "ALL IMPORTANT BLANKIE" too. Hope this helps! Josie and the Doxies

[Mark]

Or . . . my mother uses a grocery shopping cart for her Poodle.

Mark http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/smile.gif