Alot in a year

[Gail in Ca]

I was kinda waiting for the year to be done with that started with my endocarditis in Nov of 08. The really good thing is that I survived BE and 3rd OHS. But, this past yr has just been a weird/bad one. So, it's getting close to my BE anniversary, and my smooth fox terrier is not her normal self. I take her to the vet, and she is diagnosed with lymphoma at only age 12. I just burst into tears when the echo showed that it had alreadly gone to her lymph nodes. What a yr my family has had. And I was so hoping to get past the date without any more bad news.
So, we have her on cytoxan, which I give her at home. The vet says it could give her a couple of months, really an unknown. But, at least it lets my family get used to the idea that she won't be with us real soon.
Putting a beloved pet down is so hard, even if you know it's coming. I try not to dwell on it, but I know I must face it.
This is just the pits.

 

[Bina]

Yes, this is the pits.....Of some consolation is the fact that at least your Foxie has a diagnosis and will not suffer needlessly.
Hug her and love her more than ever.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Gail,

I don't get here often. Just wanted to say hello. Hope you are doing much better. It's difficult to have a ill pet loved one. My beloved cat was dxed with a autoimmune disorder last year. She's stable....but, I have a feeling she will not live a full life. She's 7.

Hang in there! You have overcome so much!

 

[ShezaGirlie]

I'm so sorry Gail. You have really been through the mill and it's high time you get a good break.

 

[cp172]

Gail,

Sorry to hear all you have had to go through. I am a tough no nonsense guy who cried like a baby as I held my dog while it was put to sleep. I share your pain.

 

[hensylee]

Oh, Gail, I am so sorry. It is so very hard to lose our beloved pets. They are really part of us. Please take care of yourself, too.

 

[KAJ]

Gail,

I certainly understand how you feel about your dog. We lost our beloved female Sealyham Terrier mix (Pongo) a year ago this past Tuesday due to heart failure. I still miss her nudging me at night to go outside to do her business. Even though we adopted a really sweet dog a month after she was gone, I stilll miss Pongo terrribly.

FYI - A good resource in helping to deal with sick and departed pets is petloss.com

Karl

 

[Star54]

I'm so sorrry to hear of the bad year and the prognosis of your pet, I totally understand, I had to put to sleep my shepard last year for prostate cancer, he was my best buddy for 10 great years. My prayers are with you.

 

[Lynlw]

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. Hopefully 2110 will be a muc better year, I can understand how your family must feel dealing with so much in a short time. My Mother passed unexpectantly Mothers Day weekend and we had to put our 14 year old Golden Retriever to sleep the day before Moms viewing.

 

[catwoman]

Gail:

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Some people would just have a pet with a terminal diagnosis euthanized, but I think it helps to wait a little, to spend more time with the pet (of course taking whatever steps are needed to keep him/her comfortable and as pain-free).

Our nearly 14YO Abyssinian cat, Fred, has been DXed with kidney failure. Our vet RXed Tumil-K (potassium) and 200ml of fluids 2X week. She also suggested putting him on erythropoeitin shots, which are pricey and require a blood test each time for red blood cell counts. Unfortunately, that won't work out due to our work hours and the fact that her clinic is 30+ miles away. (We were able to do this with a cat 14 years ago, but my work hours were different and our vet was only 3 miles away.)
However, the shots are not a cure. They only buy time.

So we are doing basically what you are doing, making sure our animal is comfortable, doing whatever it is to get him to eat (he wolfs down food if we add mayo to it) and giving him his fluids and pills.

Please let us know how your terrier does. My thoughts are with you & your family.

 

[tobagotwo]

It's awfully sad to watch your dog's joy fade. We lost our Boston Terrier (in picture) last year to kidney problems, and we each still talk to her. I'm sorry you are going through this loss.

 

[catwoman]

It's awfully sad to watch your dog's joy fade. We lost our Boston Terrier (in picture) last year to kidney problems, and we each still talk to her. I'm sorry you are going through this loss.

Bob:

How is your new girl (the rescue Boston Terrier) doing?

 

[Gail in Ca]

Thanks all for your kind thoughts. My sweet Gracie (Int Ch Marquest Easyaspie, CGC!) is doing surprisingly well the past week. We have reduced the pred and are staying with the cytoxan 3 days a week. Her lymph nodes are no longer swollen, and she actually brought me her mousie toy to fetch yesterday, the 1st time in weeks she even wanted to fetch! I am walking her about 1.5 mi now and she seems to be ok there, too.
But, my vet says it will probably be short lived, so we will see. She's a trooper, and our ocicat has been attacking her playfully as he always does. She just lets him roll off her back! I'm so hopeful she lasts into next year!