[Furbaby's Mommie]

Help! I need some expert advice on dealing with grooming an old (13), deaf, grumpy, bitey Frosty. I'm to the point of wondering about SAFE drugs??? (for me or him

) Jackie seems to know all the drugs and which are safe on our Maltese.....so I'm hoping to hear from her.

Here's the gist of the situation: He has never been groomed by anyone but me, has always been a handful to make stand still and hated to have his feet touched and would bite if he even thought he might get hurt. (He's not the first dog I've groomed. I had a poodle and a sheltie before Frosty). I've been able to deal with it by using a muzzle when I do his feet or anything I know he will react to. I use a grooming table, sometimes the post with the noose. Now he's deaf and can't hear me talk to him trying to keep him calm, etc., he's uncomfortable because of age related pain in legs and probably back, and seems scared to death and defensive when I even get near his back half or legs. He moves around so much on the table I can't get him completely brushed out! It's like trying to groom a whirling durvish! It takes me an extra week or two after he needs his bath to get up the nerve to do it.

All his life I've done the daily type brushing with him on my lap, now he won't come near me if I sit in the recliner and get the box with the brushes in it! I don't do topknots, and have always scissor cut a style a little longer than a puppy cut. He is afraid of the electric clippers. At this point no amount of "reassurance" or rewarding makes any impression on him. I've tried "Rescue Remedy" natural calming drug and if anything he was worse! I worry about drugs because he has a heart murmur (4) and elevated liver enzymes---but I'm getting frantic here!

I don't want to take him to a groomer I don't know and would fear they could hurt him when he gets violent. It seems like the more restraint we use, like having someone hold him while I try to cut his nails or using the post, the more he fights. Poor little guy just doesn't understand anymore. As soon as you go through one of these fights and put him down he acts like his old sweet self. I hate really short cuts, but at least for the summer thats probably what I'll have to do---I just can't figure out HOW! to hold him still enough to get it done!

Any ideas?? "Safe" drugs? It seems like I just have to bite the bullet and get a grip and go through 2 hours of fighting him. I've got to get it done somehow today, he's about 2 weeks passed time. Before anyone says something about him being abused............and why is he so scared, etc........ No, he's never been! he's always been my dog, he's been our baby, our love, all his life. I love him like part of myself. He's always been difficult about anything he thinks could hurt him and now doesn't hear or understand which makes it much worse. I know I'm asking for help in an almost impossible situation. Maybe I just need to tell someone so I can get up the nerve to go through it today. :new_Eyecrazy:

 

[puppylucy]

oh poor frosty and poor you

i dont know anything about doggy drugs, but i hope you get a good answer

 

[k/c mom]

Do you think maybe something is bothering him physically.... like maybe his ear hurts, etc. and that is causing him to not want to be groomed?

 

[Ladysmom]

Lady has terrible arthritis, too, and I know that grooming can be a painful experience. Fortunately, she's not grumpy like Frosty ( ) so I can support her with my arm underneath her to do her legs or get her to lie down to take the weight off them. I have also looked at one of those grooming slings for when her arthritis gets worse. That might work for Frosty now. It will also pretty much immobilize him so he can't fight back.

http://protectivespecialties.com/clipinsling.htm

 

[Furbaby's Mommie]

Wow, Marj, that's the first practical thing I've seen in a while. I don't know if it would work on him or not. It looks like all you could get to with it on is the feet and legs. No body work.

He fights and slings his head and body violently when I have my husband hold him up like the sling would. It worked a couple of times to trim his nails, then he was on to it!

No he doesn't have an ear infection or anything like that. I'm sure he is uncomfortable standing for long, but he won't lie down and let me brush.

 

[jmm]

With his heart condition, you need to discuss with his vet and maybe cardiologist as to what sedative would be safest for him. I don't know if ace would be okay, but he may tolerate valium or a pain medication like torbutrol that makes them sleepy.

If you tried a groomer, which may well work because some dogs really calm down without mom, I would try one at a vet's office so he has medical care immediately available if he stresses too much.

If you can sedate him, it would probably be fasted to either clip or scissor him fairly short.

 

[Furbaby's Mommie]

Thanks Jackie. What is ace? He had torbutrol after a minor surgery and got very aggitated and panting. Couldn't sleep. Not sure if that was the med or because he was having some pain. Good idea about trying a groom at vets office. I'll see if there is one around here. I'll ask the vet about valium.

Frosty's heart murmur is age related and hasn't yet caused any CHF, although his breathing does sound funny sometimes. The closest cardiologist is 100 miles away and charges around $750. for first visit. He's already had ECG and X-Rays which were good. His vet doesn't think he needs further testing or meds for heart failure as yet, and so far I'm willing to go with that. I don't like to stress him however, and even going to the vet is a major stress for him. He is scared to death in the car now--he used to love going. It may be related to his hearing loss, I can't figure it out.

 

[Ladysmom]

This is what we commonly call "Ace".

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_acepromazine.html

Valium might be a good idea. Lady gets it after she has a seizure since she tends to cluster seizure. She's got a laundry list of health issues, including a grade 1 heart murmur, and that's what my vet prescribed.

If it doesn't work for Frosty, maybe it would help you with the grooming sessions?

Here's a less expensive sling:

http://www.upco.com/cgi-bin/Upcol.storefro...Attributes=1012

 

[jmm]

Originally posted by Frosty's Mom@Jun 6 2005, 01:43 PM
Thanks Jackie. What is ace?  He had torbutrol after a minor surgery and got very aggitated and panting. Couldn't sleep.  Not sure if that was the med or because he was having some pain.  Good idea about trying a groom at vets office. I'll see if there is one around here. I'll ask the vet about valium.

Frosty's heart murmur is age related and hasn't yet caused any CHF, although his breathing does sound funny sometimes.  The closest cardiologist is 100 miles away and charges around $750. for first visit.  He's already had ECG and X-Rays which were good. His vet doesn't think he needs further testing or meds for heart failure as yet, and so far I'm willing to go with that. I don't like to stress him however, and even going to the vet is a major stress for him. He is scared to death in the car now--he used to love going.  It may be related to his hearing loss, I can't figure it out.
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Not knowing the cause of his heart murmur, I absolutely could not really recommend anything. Without an echocardiogram, you don't know what you're dealing with. Many heart conditions can be maintained with medications before the dog goes into heart failure, delaying/preventing its onset.

Our vets are very expensive and an echo runs around $350 here. $750 is ridiculous. I would call and double check that price.