Need Help/Information on Brain Tumors and Strokes

[Aimee]

Since loosing his way around the house, Baxter constantly is bumping his head. He has busted open both sides of his mug from bumping into the walls and such. I cannot get these sores to heal and he just keeps reopening them. I am going out to purchase some bubble wrap to wrap the corners of my walls. We're going to try gating him off from the dining room, where he gets tied up in the table and chairs. He doesn't like to be crated and I don't want to stress him out, I'd rather find alternatives if I can. If anyone has any other ideas we sure would love to hear them!

Aimee

 

[MizBev]

Aimee,

Poor Baxter. lovicon I think the bubble wrap is a great idea and you could probably use blankets if you can find a way to attach them to the walls. I think gating him off of the rooms that seem to give him the most trouble is a great idea too. Have you tried putting aloe on the sores? Maybe if you can keep him for breaking them open some more they will heal, though I imagine his healing powers are probably pretty low now. Hang in there Baxter Boy. Tyson and Five and I are continuing with our healing vibes.

Bev

 

[Austin's Mom]

What about trying Babies R Us? They usually have stuff to keep kids from bumping into things and hurting themselves. Just a thought.

 

[Holden's Mom]

Poor Baxter. It must be frustrating for him too. Bubble wrap secured with the low adhesive painter's tape should work and be kind to both Bax and the painted walls. Can you remove the dining room chairs for a short time? I put mine away whenever serving a buffet from the dining room, store them in the basement. Then it would be easy to wrap just the table legs with bubble wrap.

Hope the guy is feeling better soon.

Pam and Pete

 

[ljnash]

Poor precious Baxter!! I think bubble wrap sounds like a great idea! It sounds like you are doing everything you possible can to make him as comfortable and safe as possible. Do you ever use an antibacterial ointment on his wounds?? That seems to work with my two.

Please give Bax hugs and kisses from me and my two furkids!

 

[Aimee]

Thank you all

Bev, I hadn't thought of the aloe but am going to get some for him on my way home. I have been using neosporin and he just licks it off. I even tried to douse him while he was sleeping, he's smarter than that though. The aloe is nonharming if ingested so that is a GREAT idea, thank you.

Chris, I checked out Babies R Us and they have great products for those sharp table edges. Thank you!

Pam, that is a great idea about removing the chairs! Thank you!

Lenore, Bax thanks you for the hugs, kisses and good thoughts!

My co-workers are collecting baby gates for us so we should be able to block of any areas that we need to without any troubles and without having to spend a fortune on gates.

I went out at lunch today and purchased black foam in the plumbing department at Lowe's for the corners of my walls. It is pipe foam, the kind that you put outside around the pipes that attach to your air conditioning unit. It is a very thick foam and since it goes around pipes it is in a convenient shape! The bubble wrap they carried was thin and the bubbles were small, not the extra large and thick kind I envisioned. I'll let you all know how the piping foam works out. I just hope the girls don't tear it down and eat it, that's my worst fear.

I received Baxter's vertigoheel this afternoon. I can't wait to get home and dose him! I increased Baxter's pred up to 10mg from 7.5mg this morning in hopes that it also helps. I still am hopeful that we can wean Bax off the pred but in the meantime, we need to play with his doses and his new medicine and see what happens. I don't want the wasting to kick back in but I don't want him suffering either. His time is limited so I want only the best for him.

Again, thank you for your support. You all are always there to help, offer ideas or even just a kind word. Thank you!!!!

Aimee

 

[Lizzie]

Aimee

I have been following this thread and I just wanted to add some good healing vibes. The foam on the doorways sounds like a great idea and it won't make any strange noise like the bubblewrap may have - I know my two don't like that rustling sound of plastic bags and rustling plastic in general.

Anyway, I hope Bax is doing well today and I am thinking of him - there is something very special about the seniors for sure.

Liz

 

[Aimee]

Don't everyone rush out and buy outdoor pipe foam, the indoor pipe foam works much better We purchased indoor pipe foam for the corners of our walls and it works like a charm! The outdoor foam gives too much, it was way too soft. It does however work good on furniture! We are alternating between aloe and bag balm now on Mr. B's mug. I hope we can get it cleared up soon.

Baxter appears to be on a slight decline. He is much wobblier in the rear than he has been and still very confused about where everything is in the house. We are on 7.5mg of pred a day, given in the morning. I had upped his pred back to 10mg for a couple days but I didn't see a difference. We have an appointment with one of our holistic vets on Monday the 11th. This is Dr. Verna, the vet where Baxter did his hydrotherapy and the first holisitic vet that Lexi ever saw (who is the one who finally convinced me to make the leap of faith to a raw diet). Dr. Verna is familiar with Dr. Kruesi and is willing to work in conjunction with him. Dr. Verna and I discussed accupuncture, chiropractics and Reikki. Anything to help Baxter's quality of life. She also talked with us about a homeopathic medicine for hind end weakness and another type of steroid to rebuild muscle mass. I remain hopeful. I realize there is no cure for Baxter and often wonder if it's fair to prolong the inevitable. I simply cannot watch him decline without feeling I have left no stone unturned. To let him suffer would be cruel, but to attempt to ease his decline I don't feel is. I've been battling with myself lately with all of this but for now, I think I am still making decisions for his benefit and not mine. If at anytime I begin making them for me, I do hope that someone here or my vet will gently let me know.

Baxter still greets me at the door with his nub going 100mph, he eats like a champ, he enjoys his walks, chewing on bones, and he sleeps like a log. Overall, I think he is doing well considering his circumstances. It will be 5 weeks tomorrow since we learned of Baxter's diagnosis. I think we are doing pretty darn good!

Again, thank you all for your support!

Aimee

 

[ljnash]

Aimee,
I think you are doing pretty darned good, too! You are an amazing mom to Baxter!! It sounds like he has a good quality of life if he is able to enjoy all the things you mentioned! I think that's wonderful!

 

[Cindy Creel]

I too think that you are a great mom. I am so glad that Baxter has you.

Cindy