Night Rituals

Last night he was barking! He's barked before so why is that good? He was outside, at night by himself and barking at something, who knows what, along the fence line which he hasn't done in months. And when I let him and the girls (Olivia and Kobie) out before bed, they raced to the door making loud whiny (hard to explain but fun noises) to go out which, again, is something they haven't done in months!!

Walking in the Yard!

Another walk in the yard with Brita running circles around us!!

He's feeling BETTER!

Ari is still doing well... keeping my fingers and toes crossed. Today we were outside so I took a short clip and then when I was sitting in the living room and his food was soaking in the kitchen he picked up a tug and started tossing it around! That's the first I've seen that kind of behavior....says to me he's feeling better!

Not the greatest video but I am so happy that he is moving like he is and that's what I wanted to show.

More good days!

Still good today!

He asked to come up on the couch to sit next to me and was able to get up on his own! I don't know when was the last time he did that!! :):)

Every healthy day is a good day!

I was walking last evening with the dogs and took these shots of Ari.

There was a time not so long ago that he didn’t have the strength to walk to the back field and but this day it was no problem!

He got to take a bite!!

Some folks were training in the yard and he was doing so well that I brought him out... and here it is on tape!

...one day at a time...

Three days since my last post and Ari is still holding his own and doing well. Some limping but nothing that a person would look at and say is unusual for an older GSD... I'll keep my fingers crossed that his continues...

....just like old times!!

So I wake up to a dog barking this morning and wonder "whose dog is THAT?" And then realize that it's Ari outside at the fence line!! I'll enjoy every day of this...

11pm... what a good day he had... barking at whatever when by.... running the fence line.. getting his coat blown out and rolling on his back cause it felt so good!

Better and Better!

I'm amazed at how well he is getting around. He and Kobie found something pretty exciting in the weeds and then he came trotting down the trail. He appears better than he has been in a long time!

Progress!

Ari had a good weekend. He gets around and goes in and out. I took 2 video clips of him walking since I usually take them when he is bad, I thought it was about time I took some when he gets around. This is also a great example of how he tries to "keep the girls in line"! As you can see in the second video... they really don't care.. lol

He apparently does stairs also. Normally, I close a door so he can't go outside by going downstairs, through the basement and up to the garage and out. Last night I forgot to close it but remembered sometime in the middle of the night so I got up and did it. Apparently, he was already out because when I opened it in the morning, there he was at the top of the stairs sleeping on the wood floor....so much for the comfy mattresses I have available for him!! :):)

What this journal is all about…

It started out as a place to log Ari’s health problems in the summer of 2009 as he struggled to walk. It seemed like the severity of his problem was directly related to the seizures he was having and there were times when I thought he had days left but a day or two later he would rally.

Then it expanded into a place to record his conversations with Marilyn and that’s when I decided to add photos and videos to pages.

It has since evolved into a site to record memories of our life together. Ari was my first competition dog and as such we struggled together to learn and grow. He was tough but very forgiving and was affectionately called by some a “butthead”. At one point I thought I wouldn’t be able to train him but with the help of many friends and trainers, we succeeded in achieving a PSA 1 title and participating in the PSA 2 level in 2006.

It was devastating when I almost lost in him in 2007 during an Addisonian Crisis. We then participated in his last trial on July 7, 2007.

He adjusted to retirement life better than even he thought he would and for 2 years happily ran and played in the yard.


Then in 2009, he started limping and losing the use of his rear legs. The diagnosis through process of elimination of other things was a brain tumor. He was having seizures and was now 10 years old so I chose to not put him through additional testing but rather to make him comfortable.

As I write this on August 16, 2009 (pay no attention to the date of the post on the front page.. that's my way of keeping this post first), he is walking on all four feet but very wobbly. His great attitude never waivers. He pulls himself outside to bark at Brita and Kobie running the fence line and watches over the yard from a favorite place where he can see everything that is going on.

The rest of the story will be recorded in future posts. When it is his time, he will tell me but as for right now… he needs to stay to take care of the girls!

The pictures below were taken today. I went outside and, of course, they all followed and the girls started running the fence line, Ari picked up his ball and joined the fun for just a few minutes before retiring to watch near Josephine’s sign.

Not so good... maybe a seizure...

Yesterday and today he got up and down on his own and was in and out. He has trouble sitting because he can’t move his tail out of the way so most of the time when he stops it is to lie down. He has gotten a little whiney – not in a “I’m hurting” sort of way but rather in a “I want something” way. The negative event was that when I came home and went toward the back room where he sleeps there was the overpowering smell of urine. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled it so strong BUT I couldn’t locate it except by smell (yuck) because it was clear… the comforter was wet but not yellow and same with the cream colored rug. He’s drinking lots of water, so much so that I made note of it.

……..just some findings… I don’t think he drinks enough water for this…

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/canine-diabetes-insipidus-symptoms-and-treatment.html

<<< Central diabetes insipidus can also be caused due to a tumor in the brain >>>

<<< The most common symptom of canine diabetes insipidus is frequent urination with discharge of dilute and clear urine and excessive drinking of water. Sometimes, dehydration may occur due to excessive urination and inability to conserve water. Disorientation and seizures have also been observed in dogs with diabetes insipidus>>>

Emailed Marilyn and told her what happened… Here is her response….

Ari said there was a trembling/tremoring and then he urinated, I feel like he left his body during the seizure - it was not uncomfortable for him, although he has a far away expression and inability to make his body do what his brain tells it to do... (so yes, a seizure). He felt relief at the evacuation of urine, but some unpleasant discomfort after the fact (as in, he got the pee on himself). He is still not it terrible pain, mostly tightness/achiness in muscles and joints. He is still enjoying laying and watching things and being close to you and his girls. He loves you very much.

Oh so sad........

Today he was really wobbly and was outside when I got home. At one point I watched him try to throw up and not be able to. Whenever he came inside he went back to the darker bedroom. Twice he whined like he wanted something so when I went to him and said “show me” he wobbled to his water bowl so I put water in the room. There is something different today and I can’t put my finger on it.

Chart of Ups and Downs.

Walking on his own today. Needed help getting up when he was not on carpet but otherwise getting around. I started a graph of his ups and downs.

Graph of Ari's Ups and Downs

He needed my help... :(

Friday was not good – both legs wobbly and needed help in and out. Saturday he needed help out in the morning but as the day went on he got better and by evening he was walking with a wobble but nevertheless walking. Today he was walking but I found some poop in the living room on the rug and I know it was his.

It's really sad....

The last few days have been so-so but today when I went to work he had the frightened look and didn’t want to go out. I can’t figure out whether he understands what I’m asking or is just frightened. I left the door open and when I got home after work he was outside. When I went out to get him immediately I noticed that his good leg was wobbly and he could barely walk into the house.

I took this video that shows the extent of his limping. Since I'm adding this on August 16th, I can add that he got better, then worse and then better again and the last few days he has been going in and out on his own... wobbly - yes - but nothing like you see in this video.....

Knows to Walk on Rugs

Ari got up this morning and wouldn’t walk unless there was a rug in front of him – smart guy! He went out and then came back in when I called because it was raining and has been laying on the same rug for the last 5 hours. His feet are huge. ….2pm… he walked outside on his own but stumbled a lot. Went from the house 20 feet or so and laid down at the fence for a bit and then another 20 feet to be in the shade.

Here is a much younger Ari …. hanging out on the rugs on the couch…

I Watched a Seizure.

Ari started to limp a bit yesterday and this morning when I was sitting on the couch I observed his whole body trembling. This afternoon, he walked crooked and laid down as often as he could. He still sat outside along the fence so he could bark at the others. Marilyn was here for the weekend and he was telling her last night that he could use some pain pills so I added some to his food which he then didn’t finish. Today at the workshop, a number of people talked with him and he said the same thing he’s been saying: pain not unbearable, loves me, likes it out in the sun; etc.