Firstly H, Huge hugs to you and gentle hugs to Georgie.

I was so sad to read your opening post , and am hoping Elaine is right. I know its not the same really but Ben had quite a bad urinary tract infection when he was about two.

The main characteristics were drinking lots like couple of bowls a day, and weeing a lot, he would want out at night and it was like it was maybe painful for him as he would try to go and then wouldn't (maybe kind of like cystitis in us) and then when he got let out first think he would wee loads - it was unbelievable the anmount of wee.

If you do go to the vet try to take a sample with you of the first wee of the day as it holds all the nastys in it as it has been in his bladder longerthan any normal wee.

I am racking my brains to remember the herbal treatment I gave Ben (on the vets advice) it was Denes and it was green leaf or something similar am going to hunt through the cupboards now as am sure I have some left.

He got anti bios too and it cleared up but he was tierd and weeing a lot and drinking a lot and he panted a bit too.

Hope that helps, obviously not may be nothing like that but maybe Elaine has hit the nail on the head, and with all that hot weather, well that won't be helping if he has got a wee infection (no pun intended) You know what its like if us humans have infections we are tierd and often a bit hot and sticky and just can't be bothered,

Hoping its something really simple H.

Sending yuou love and hugs from us all up here xxx

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Poor Georgie give him a big hug from me. There are times when you wish they could talk and say what is wrong. Lets hope it's just an infection.

Thanks AM, I just feel so sorry for him, he's had a rubbish life unlike my spoiled babies, and I just wanted him to live to a ripe old age like the others have done, maybe he still will and I'm worrying unnecessarily, but I always trust that darn gut instinct of mine!!xxxx

Thanks Lynn. I put it down to the heat until yesterday when Dave told me about the restless night he had had (and Dave!) and that made me keep an even closer eye on him throughout the day, and I noticed the difference, I even had to lure him outside to cool off in the pool, whereas normally when I've just filled that up, he's out there like a shot!

Anyhoo, I've just spoken to the vet and I am going to take a wee sample in tomorrow morning coz that will tell them IF he does in fact have a urine infection. Then I said if all is ok there, then I want some bloods done because that will show them the state of his liver and other organs, and we'll take it from there. I've gotta give this boy a good chance and eliminate what I can, but deep down, I just feel he's giving up, it's getting near his time, and that's because I'm a lot more aware than I ever was before since losing Cassie so tragically with cancer at what I considered to be a young age at 11 and Georgie will be 12, but then, 4 of my others lived to 14 and 15!

Another thing is, when he sleeps in the day, or in the evening, he goes into a really "dead" sleep, very deep for a daytime nap!

aw sorry to hear this, I find the hardest thing is when you can see change in them, but not sure how their feeling
Its only natural that your going to worry about him, hes one of the family, fingers and paws crossed here, that he is maybe just having a bad day and with abit of rest will be back to himself again..
Massive hugs to you xx

Massive hugs to you Helen. I know just where you're coming from and how flipping hard it gets at times. Dylan really lost condition last year, you remember how thin his coat was. He was also looking old and tired. He has picked up and although I have no idea why, I think they do go through these quiet periods when they reach old age.

My old lurcher went very bald on his tail when he got older and I have seen quite afew older dogs with little rat tails so I wonder if it is just an age thing.

Love and hugs to you and precious Georgie. He is my favourite old boy.

Thanks Lynne, especially for all that info. Apart from that very long wee he had this morning, I can't say that he is actually wee'ing more or less than normal, it's quite routine, and he's a lazy b*ggar and will hold it and hold it if he can't be bothered to get up to go out, that I DO know! I've watched him wee'ing a couple of times today and he doesn't seem to be in pain with it either, it seems quite normal He's been panting a lot yes, but we try to keep him cool, I usually move him around the place to lie down where I think it's the coldest spots, morning, afternoon and evening.

Something I remember though and it happened 2 weeks ago Sunday afternoon! I had gone upstairs for a nap, and heard him scream, I thought it was Zena, it was horrendous, so I came rushing down the stairs, only to find Dave outside on the decking with Georgie He said it was him, but he didn't know why he had done it, so we checked him over, he got up and came indoors and seemed none the worse for whatever had happened. I put my thinking cap on, and I came up with the explaination that he had caught one of his claws in the decking join as he had gone to get up maybe, and it had twisted it, hence the sudden scream out in pain I will never know, but you know me, and if I thought for one minute this dog was suffering in any pain whatsoever, then he'd be off to the vets in a shot, but that hasn't been the case since last Sunday, he's just been very tired, but then of course, I put that down to wearing him out in those woods on our little holiday!

Thanks talassie, I'm really hoping that now, but I won't know till tomorrow when I take that sample in, and if not, then we'll have to take it further with blood tests, that's a must for this beloved boy of ours.

Thanks DD, that's the problem, my dogs are the family, especially this one, he was my only rescue and you kind of feel sorry for him because of what he went through before he came to live the life of luxury here, and also because he really is the sweetest, most inobtrusive, gentle boy you could ever meet, unlike my own in your face puppies I've had! Bless his heart, he deserves the best I can do for him that's for sure.xxx

Thanks Claire, and you've seen more than I ever wish to see in any of my dogs, but like you say, just look how your Dylan has turned himself around with his great big fluffy boots and fluffy pants!! I sometimes wish I wasn't so sensitive with these dogs, but they are my life, my babies, and I feel all helpless, just like I did with mum when I couldn't do anything to help her when she was suffering. I'm glad you told me about that tail, but we've never seen anything like it, none of the others had lost their tails like Georgie has, but then maybe it's skin related and maybe because his immune system packed up ages ago according to the vet, strange things are going to happen to him in his old age. I just hope he's not suffering, but you know me Claire, I'm sure I would notice if he was, but then again, a german shepherd they don't like letting on something's wrong you know! I'll just have to do what I can with the vet, and I'll take Zena with us, so she can have the experience of going without being prodded, coz I cannot leave her home alone, she'll think he's getting taken out for a walk without her, and she won't like that!

I'll just let him sleep, it seems to be what he wants, and if he takes a turn for the worse, then I'll be going tonight instead of tomorrow, but I can't see that happening, he's not that bad, it's just this change I've noticed in him, which is leading me down that awful path I know only too well. Thanks Claire.xxxx

awww no Helen I know what you mean about 'the look' been through it so many times, and only we know if our dogs look happy or not. sending huge ((((hugs)))) for you and Georgie I will be thinking of you both. but lets hope it's just a bit of feeling under the (warm) weather.

So sorry to hear you lad is so tired xxxx I hope it's just the weather or like others have said, a little infection.

I'm not aware of a gland there? The only reason I mention it is because my lad has cancer and every gland in his body is inflamed hugely ('hand grenade' sized as quoted from the vet) glands under his chin, front shoulders, back legs, internal - abdomen but the vet had never mentioned his tail, there certainly isn't a swollen gland there? Maybe mention that tomorrow when you take his urine sample in?

((((((Big Hugs)))))) xxxxxxx