Thursday, September 17, 2009

Arnica

From today's NY Times, "Really?" columnist Anahad O'Connor is beginning a weekly series exploring the claims and science behind alternative remedies. This week is arnica - The Alternative Medicine Cabinet: Arnica for Pain Relief. I am not sure if they will stick with homeopathy or explore other topics, but I thought it might be of interest.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Ike Update

This poor blog has very much fallen by the wayside.

The good news is that it’s not because homeopathy isn’t working – it is because it is working.

Ike has had two minor GI bouts in the past 2+ months. In both cases the bouts resolved in under 12 hours. I have definitely noticed that stress is a precipitating factor.

We are now using his remedy every other day at an increased dose (4x4) to work on his reactivity. I have to say I really do feel like he is less reactive. We rate days on a scale of 1 to 10 and lately most days are 7 or above (mostly 9s actually) versus a couple of months ago when a 6 was the high point.

Homeopathy might not be for everyone, but I cannot deny the success I have seen.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

3/27 - 4/3

3/27/09
AM sm BM
Saw new neighborhood beagle and both dogs were reactive. Ike's reactivity was not responsive to c/t. Lunging at end of leash
AM = 3

4pm Normal BM, Reacted to little girl and mother playing in driveway, but then less reactive to two teen boys. Reactive to mother with stroller, more reactive to to woman walking and kids playing in the yard. Lots of stimuli
PM = 4

3/28/09
dosed 2 x 2
AM solid BM. Non-reactive until woman and child passed on sidewalk after coming out of blindspot. Pounced and barked
AM = 3

11 am sm bm
GREAT Rally class, peppy, alert, and happy

3pm Successfully walked past4 teen sin yard

5pm two bouts of gassy diarrhea. Non-reactive with stimuli
PM Based on reactivity = 9
dosed 2 x 2

3/29/09
Am 1 normal BM, 1 very soft
Mildly reactive to people, then VERY reactive to Dalmatian and owner = hopping, scratching at pavement, growling, but settled quickly after they passed
AM = 2

PM No BM would not walk at first because of thunder. Walked Bug and then Ike after thunder stopped. Pouring. Non-reactive to woman, reactive to little girls who tired to come closer
PM = 6

3/30/09
3am walk
2 normal BM, yellow-ish, second one slightly greasy looking
3rd attempt - no straining, just position and loud gas

6am no BM
Alert, happy, saw no one altho Ike was vigilant
AM = 7

Dosed 2x2

5pm Solid BM
Non reactive
PM = 10

3/31/09
Weighed Ike = 18.2#

AM sm Normal BM
Saw new beagle who reacted - Ike was STELLAR.
AM = 9

Was VERY happy when I arrived home

PM no BM
Walked on GL - nice weather, lots of people, very goof
PM = 8

4/1/09
Slept in Crate - did not sleep in bed. Very happy and bouncy before walk

AM
Sm BM - saw jogger and was NR but kept turning to stare
At home licking bum and thirsty
AM = 8

PM
Sm BM
barked at teenage girl delivering newspapers - no lunging
Surprised by staring GSD-mix - barking and lunging but under control quickly
Saw Paddington (GR) responded well to c/t
Was very thirsty
PM = 5

PM - fell down when he jumped on futon - very odd - possibly balance issue

4/2/09
M
2 sm BM
NR
AM = 8

PM
1 BM
Somewhat reactive to older gentleman who stopped to talk with us but settled quickly.
Barking in bedroom at noises outside the house
PM = 6

4/3/09
PM walk
NO BM , NR
Thunderstorm and lightning - lying on bed not in crate - somewhat unusual
PM = 7

Saturday, March 28, 2009

3/23 - 3/26

Days will be rated on a scale of 1 - 10. 10 being the best.

3/23/09
Weighed Ike - 17.8#
AM large, soft, orangey, but formed BM
Spotted LOTS of teenagers - responded SUPER to c/t
AM = 7

PM no BM
Excellent with three 5-yo's standing at the end of the driveway jumping up and down yelling "doggie, doggie, doggie." Not so good with Paddington (older GR) sighting. Better than last time, i.e. he was able to tune in to me and work for not reacting.
Initiated play with Bug.
Did NOT sleep win bed.
PM = 6

3/24/09
AM, soft, formed BM.
Lots of eye contact, non-reactive
dosed with new remedy potency 2x2
AM = 7

PM 2 soft, formed BM
Super happy to see me.
Generally non-reactive, started to react to Paddington (older GR) from 50" away but responded well to c/t.
Thirsty
PM = 6

3/25/09
Slept in bed all night.
AM small, formed, orange BM
Slightly reactive - we saw multiple people coming out of houses - responded well to c/t.
AM= 5

Spent day and afternoon with in-laws. No BM or "bad" behavior reported.

3/26/09
AM sm BM
Reactive
dosed 2 x 2
AM = 6

Spent day and afternoon with in-laws. No BM or "bad" behavior reported.

3/27/09
AM sm BM
Saw new neighborhood beagle BOTH dogs reactive which then increased Ike's reactivity. NR to c/t. Lunging to end of leash
AM = 3

PM normal BM
Reactive to little girl & mother playing in driveway, but then less reactive to 2 teen boys (we crossed street) and reactive to mother with stroller (he whined/cried rather than barked), reactive to woman walking and kids playing in yard. Lots of stimuli will use GL next time.
PM = 4

Monday, March 23, 2009

Dr. F Appt

I mentioned to Dr. F that I think Ike might be "allergic to competition." He said that when we finish all of this he does not want him to be allergic to anything.

Mentioned Ike's weight loss (down to 17.8# from 19# - 6%) and the fact that he has seemed very hungry lately - being forward in terms of sticking his head in bags and places he doesn't usually go. I added an ounce to his food at the end of last week. Dr. F feels like that is a good place to start. Suggested I add oatmeal instead of rice.

Asked that I start rating days on a scale of 1 - 10.

We are going to talk in 3 weeks. In the mean time Ike is starting a new dose of Nux Vomica. Dr. F wants me to does him every 2 - 3 days UNLESS he has a series of 8, 9, 10 days. If his reactivity and emotions are better, that is more important than his stool being consistent.

3/23/09 - so-so verging on good

Ike weighs 17.8 #. He was 19 last time he was at the vets. Hmmm....

AM large, SOFT BM - orangey.
Spotted lots of teenagers on the way to the bus. Was super responsive to LAT c/t

PM no BM
Excellent with three 5 year olds standing at end of driveway across the street jumping up and down (literally) yelling "doggie, doggie."

Not so good with Paddington (older GR) sighting, but better than last time we spotted him. Was able to focus on me and respond to c/t and take the treats.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

2/22 – 3/22 and more

I spoke with Dr. F on 2/23. Gave him a run-down of what has been going on with Ike.

Ike’s major GI episodes have decreased markedly. His last major episode was on 1/20.

On 2/7 he puked up his breakfast and I dosed him with Nux Vomica (4x4). End of story – no prolonged vomiting/illness. I fed him a regular meal that pm.

Since then there has been a definite INCREASE in reactivity. Ike has been feeling well in terms of his GI issues.

Dr. F recommended that I try to give him more information about how Ike IS (drinking more, seeking out warm/cool spots, reactivity, what EXACTLY are the triggers for his reactivity) versus exactly what he’s eating!

The detailed food diary is a default for me – a subconscious part of me feels it is obviously something in the food triggering him – even though that has not proven to be the case.

So without further ado, here is another revision to Ike’s blog:

2/22 – so-so day
Refused PM walk due to rain – very intolerant of inclement weather lately (more so than ever before)

2/23 – good day
AM BM
PM solid BM and smaller soft but formed BM

2/24 – good day
PM 2 normal BM

2/25 – particularly bad day
AM BM
During AM walk was balky (not wanting to walk!), extremely vigilant, scanning for things to react to

Afternoon walk coincided with bus. Ike was OBNOXIOUS. Barking at kids that were more than 100’ away. Lunging from afar. Barking at nothing.

PM soft formed BM
Inside barking at voices he can hear outside (this is not the day-to-day norm). Playing with Bug.

2/26 – good/so-so
AM no BM
Very good Ike!! Still being overly vigilant but willing to play the Look-At-That game and be rewarded for not reacting.

PM normal BM.
Good boy, wanted to react but didn’t, played Look-At-That and was rewarded for not barking at creepy people.

2/27 - good
AM and PM soft, but formed BM. Non-reactive both walks

2/28 - bad
AM BM soft, but formed. Reactive

PM non-reactive
BM1 soft, but formed
BM2 Small, almost diarrhea
Loud gas before first BM

3/1 - good
AM No BM, Non-reactive, Good boy
PM No BM

3/2 – so-so
Refuse AM walk
Large PM BM

3/3 – so-so
AM NO BM – vigilant but not reactive, generally responsive. Very vocal – spotted SS Kody and started squealing like a little pig. VERY happy to see Kody.

PM No BM – generally responsive but VERY reactive to Paddington, Older GR – Attempting to lunge at him. Completely disregards clicker and treats

3/4 – so-so
AM no BM, non-reactive to dog charging boundary of its electric fence. Good Ike!

PM 3 solid BM, reactive to people

3/5 – bad
AM no BM, non-reactive to joggers

PM – Dh arrived home around 4:30 – diarrhea in kitchen. On walk loud, gassy, straining, liquid
Dosed 4x4 at 5pm

I came home from class, Ike asked to go out at 9:20pm – loud, gassy, straining, liquid
Dosed 4x4 at 9:40pm


3/6 – bad
3am – Ike asks to go out – loud, gassy, straining, liquid
Dosed 4x4 at 6am

5 pm happy on walk – soft, soft but semi-formed BM

3/7
2am – Ike vomiting bile
Dose 4x4


4am vomiting bile

6:30am vomiting bile
dose 4x4

7:15am vomiting LARGE amount with pink tinge (blood)
dose 4x4

Dinner – ground rice and ground hamburger

3/8 – good
AM soft, but formed BM
Non-reactive, responded well to c/t
Ground hamburger/ground rice

Afternoon walk – put GL (Gentle Leader) on – weather was very temperate. Given Ike’s illness and the amount of people that would be out walking I anticipating a reactive dog. Ike was SUPER. Responded well to c/t.
No BM

6:30 pm walk – normal BM!

3/9 – so-so
Refused Am walk (raining); brief walk at 10 am. Still super balky.

PM walk – normal BM, good boy

3/10 – so-so

AM walk – non-reactive, minuscule, soft, formed BM

PM walk – soft formed BM
Saw jogger and responded well to c/t
Saw toddler in driveway across the road, responded well to c/t
Ike reacted to combination of woman shambling up street with multiple bags and two children approaching him at the same time. Barking and lunging to end of leash. Cookies, clicker, and I do not exist.

3/11 so-so
Raining. Ike is extremely balky. Barks and pounces at jogger on main street more than 50’ away. Reach main street and Ike continues to stop every 3’.

11 Am – no rain – responds well to c/t – surprised by woman as he rounds a corner
PM – no rain – solid BM – Ike is tense, aggressive in front of Buddy’s house (GR that rehearses aggressive behavior in bay window), but no sign of Buddy. Surprised by man outside smoking, responds to c/t. no barking or reactivity.

3/12 – so-so
AM no BM
Person came out of house suddenly and surprised Ike – non-reactive

PM BM
Slightly reactive to children

3/13 - bad
Am?

PM solid BM
Saw his friend SS Kody – not as playful as usual. Reactive to beagle Snoopy, then did appropriate smelling, body language
Reactive to school children (2 buses let kids off during walk - super stressful!)

3/14 – so-so
Am no BM
Reactive to some people but checked in with me on other “less scary” people very well. c/t

11 AM class – barky – normal BM. Excellent sit/stay/walk around dog (this is a hard station for Ike).

3/15 - bad
AM solid BM. No one in sight – uneventful walk

Afternoon – Rally Obedience Trial. Solid BM. SUPER stressed in ring. Imposing male judge. Man in corner with hat and video camera – def. Ike triggers

3/16 – so-so
AM 3 LARGE SOFT BM
Non-reactive with neighborhood boy who lumbered by
Dosed 4x4


PM solid BM
Reactive to owner of corner house (male)

PM half-hour class – Ike was stellar. Slightly reactive when FCR Glory arrives

3/17 - good
AM No BM, non-reactive

PM solid, normal BM
Ike was excellent with child who insisted on getting too close to him,

3/18 – odd day – so-so
AM normal BM
SUPER sniffy on walk

PM no BM
Pulling on leash (unusual), non-reactive after sighting groups of people

3/19 – so-so
AM no BM, non-reactive

PM no BM – heard gun shots and refused to continue walking BUT DID NOT SHAKE!

Saw GR 50’ away and started reacting – barking, bouncing, lunging

3/20
AM?

PM no BM; slightly reactive to dog aggressive lab

3/21 – so-so
AM – 2 soft but formed BM

PM – no BM, wore GL, barked a little at strangers but not too bad. Did not react to jogger who ran by.

3/22 - good
AM – 2 soft but formed BM; mildly reactive to man and loose dog in driveway

4 PM Soft, large orangey BM – non-reactive given the amount of people out and about? Hooray!

6:30 PM soft BM