Sending more positive vibes for you all Lynn, I hope the meds turn up today so you can get Ollie started on them.

Another (((hug))) attached for him, if you would kindly do the honours xx

Thank you both.

I really hope they turn up today too so we can start the next leg of the journey and hopefully a positive one.

He is ok in himself but I have had to have the back door open as he wants to lay there and sniff the air.

I have been looking at dog mobility carts just in case the steroids don't work. They are not overly expensive but looking at them I just don't know if I could put him in one. To me it just doesn't look right and doesn't sit well on my conscience. I know for some people they work well. He hates anything near his back side so that would probably spook him and we did all agree it wasn't the right thing for us to do for him.

Nadia also expressed they try to discourage people with dogs as large as Ollie to not use them as they can cause stress on his front joints and his heart. I will get Gorden to take a look at them and see what he says.

I know they are down to personal choice and a lot of people recommend them but for me I just feel he needs to be able to use all his legs together to have a decent walk or run. don't ask me why they just do not sit comfortably with me.

Oh dear I have to agree that mobility carts don't sit well with me either, especially with a dog of Ollie's size.

I am keeping everything crossed that the meds arrive and provide the mircle you all need

Thank you. Gorden just looked at them and was umming and arrhing and said if he had had an accident and was having difficulty maybe but he feels his ataxia is so bad still that it wouldn't really help. Plus we are not sure Ollie would take to one anyway and again he is like me they do not sit well with him either. I watched that lovely video I think it was SLB who posted it watching those dogs jump off the floor all done in slow motion it brought a tear to my eye that is another reason I think I have a problem with them Ollie never really jumped only in excitement to see you but even then it was more of a big bounce but for him never to be able to do that again and be in a mobility cart don't know doesn't feel right. If he could walk relatively easy again that would be acceptable.

No steroids today so feeling a bit gloomy and Ollie is having a bit of an off day too.

Am sorry Ollie's not having such a good day and hope the steroids arrive very soon. Sending big cuddles n hugs ((xx))

Its a shame the steroids haven't turned up. Is there any way you could get them from your vet now (via the specialist)?

When my dog had a spinal problem at one point she only had one good front leg. After her surgeries we were given a 'sling' to support her backend and this gave us and her the confidence to keep her mobile. You can make your own by cutting a canvas shopping bag down the sides slip it under his tummy and you have the handles to support his backend with.

As my (arthritic) mum says if you dont use it you lose it and you don't want Ollie losing any more muscle tone.

I hope the steroids turn up tomorrow. I wonder if it would have been easier for Nadia to just phone your vet and ask them to dispense them to you, thats what the specialist used to do for Milo, it saved relying on the postal system and you could get them the same or the next day. Sorry thats not helpful now at all is it, I should have used my brain and suggested it before Nadia posted them
You know my view on carts as we have discussed them before, but as I have also said many times you know Ollie best and whatever you decide You will have my full 100% support as I know how much you love your boy and would only ever do whats best for him. (((hugs))) to you, Gordon and Ollie

Oh blimey, no steroids yet then??!! There aren't that many different kinds of steroid tabs, what about phoning your own vet and seeing what has been prescribed and see if he has any in stock at his surgery? then again I suppose you don't want to go above Nadia's head do you, it might not look good Hopefully, they'll be there tomorrow Lynn with all the instructions for them. Sorry to hear you're both having a bit of a downer today, but then that's only to be expected with all this up and down going on with Ollie. I hope he's still happy and eating well though even if his mobility isn't quite so good today, all the best Lynn, still thinking of you all there.

Hopefully they will arrive tomorrow.

The longer things are left the more difficult it will be for him to recover if he is going to.

Gorden says if they do not arrive tomorrow we will ring and drive over there and collect them. Nadia ordered them Thursday and I thought she thought they were posted that day or Friday we have had New Year and Bank Holiday so that is more than likely the delay.

She has not returned any e-mails today but it is her first day back and I expect she has been busy or could of course of got that dreadful flu and be off sick.

I think we have to run everything by her now and through the vet hospital. To be honest I would rather do that she knows Ollie's symptoms and him so well and they have all the notes on him.

I do know she has sent a copy of the diagnosis or not as the case is at the moment to his regular vet but I still feel more confident letting her or the vet school deal with things from now on.

No disrespect to his regular vet but this is hardly a cut and dried case and I think they would be out of their depth with it anyway.

The steroids have arrived. Thank goodness.

I have e-mailed Nadia with a video from today we took him out for the little walk down to the patch of grass he likes to get a better video for Nadia to see and to relieve his boredom for him. I am posting it for you to take a look too if you don't mind.

We feel there is some improvement but both agree he needs some help with the steroids to get past this stage it will be 5 weeks tomorrow that whatever it is struck him down. He has only got to this stage although better not enough to lead a decent life for a walk even every other day. This little stroll takes no more than 2 minutes and you can see on the way back he is beginning to struggle a little and it wears him out.

Do not worry we will not be doing any more for now till Nadia gives the go ahead. It was purely to get a video for her of a decent walking situation with him. The garden does not give enough now to get an idea at where he is at.

We also fear we are getting use to seeing him walk this way now and may not be seeing things objectively. He is moving around the house more now but you can hear him even though there is now carpet or rugs everywhere as his front paws hit the carpet loudly and hard that is how much they are compensating for the back leg situation.

This is on the way down.

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...=5Jan2011a.mp4

This is on the way back.

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...t=5Jan2011.mp4

Excuse my attire.