back/bottom area question.

April · August 06, 2006, 09:45:09 AM

Cajsa has had back surgery and her back is doing fine as far as we can tell. She doesn't try to jump except on very rare occasion and we stop her then. Anyway, this past few days (I noticed it Thursday evening after I expressed her anal glands) that she's walking with her tail tucked and seems uncomfortable. To be honest, she has always walked with her tail tucked for a few hours after I express her glands, giving me "How could you do THAT to me?" looks the entire time so I didn't think much of it that evening. Well, yesterday I noticed she was trying to poop and actually gave a little growl/grunt while doing it, but stopped before she could get it all done. I watched her and she really seemed sensitive around her anal area and wouldn't let me lift her tail to check for cuts/bumps/unusual physical features. She would run away and hide if I tried. I gave her a dose of Rimadyl since I had some left over from her back problems thinking she was uncomfortable. I'm not really sure what else I can do until the vet opens tomorrow. I don't have any pumpkin is there anything I can give her to help soften her stools a little so she can at least poop?
I honestly don't think it's her back although she is kind of walking with her bottom tuckedI think she's done something to her tail or her anal glands are bothering her or something. They were pretty full and starting to have solid pieces in them when I expressed them.

DeeanDave · August 06, 2006, 05:02:06 PM

Try a bit of milk -- whenever our two appear to be having a bit of a problem, we give them a small amount of milk -- gets them moving real good without the strain. I give our two between 4 and 8 tablespoons of milk in the bowl. Dee

Barb · August 07, 2006, 08:28:01 AM

Just now reading this - is she any better this morning? Are you going to take her in?

April · August 07, 2006, 08:51:10 AM

She seems to be a little perkier this morning although her tail still isn't at full wag. It's not clamped tight against her bottom either. She's not thrilled with me moving her tail up to look and she's still kind of cranky about it! I was planning on calling the vet to see if I should bring her in or just 'watch and see' since she is seeming to be better this morning than she was yesterday.

Barb · August 09, 2006, 03:37:32 PM

Did you end up taking her in or did she continue to improve?

April · August 10, 2006, 09:21:11 AM

I have just been watching her since she seems to be getting better. She's wagging her tail, but doesn't want me to look back there so I'm not sure what's going on for certain. I don't think it's something really bad though considering how she's acting. Whenever she'd not feeling well she always comes to snuggle with me and while she's been doing that some, she's just as content to sleep curled up in a comforter on the floor.

Barb · August 10, 2006, 11:46:40 AM

Just want to be sure it isn't the beginnings of something serious. How often do you express her? You may want to try again soon and see how that goes. Rays to the sweet girl !

April · August 10, 2006, 11:49:55 AM

I used to check her about once a month, but I hadn't done it since she had surgery at Easter. I figure that's part of the problem. She's not like being held firmly or put on her back since then (go figure) so I"ve not really pushed it afraid she might hurt herself. I finally had to because she was licking a lot and she's not been too happy with me since. She's not licking anymore though so I am thinking that was why.