Golden has one heck of a tumur.

[Anonymous Poster]

Trust me, it is not nice for a human when a dog drops dead while playing. Some years ago I was exercising two pups for my (then) Schutzhund club's training director. He was at the property with us, but was doing something else. His 10 month old import GSD ***** died while chasing me and the other pup. I didn't notice until I discovered that I only had one dog. I found her in the weeds, tried CPR (took K9 CPR from local vet who teaches it), but she was already gone. And I had to carry her back to her owner... I was bawling.

It seems much better to me to do what I can for an old dog without taking "extraordinary measures". I'm dreading the next year or so because I expect to lose the 12 year old ***** soon. Her heart is OK, but she has lung problems (like cystic fibrosis). For now she is on antibiotics and sterioids. I intend to put her down when her dignity goes.

 

[MDNick]

Thanks John,

Yes, it was a really tough time. Knowing that you are responsbile for killing someone (yes that is being put bluntly) is hard on a person, well on a normal person. And no matter how many times someone says, 'Accidents Happen', she is still dead, and I did it.

This happened in FL, 9 mos later I moved to MD, so I flew back down to place a cross at the scene on the anniversary. Even mailed a letter to her 'widow' telling him I would be there. He didn't show. I placed the cross with this note on it "To Marlese, a woman I never knew and can never forget". I got a letter from him a few weeks later, he got back from a long sailing trip that day and got the mail about 1/2 hr after I left.

FL removed the cross the next day. Apparently there is a law in FL about not permitting memorials at crash scenes or some such. They have to be so many feet off the right-of-way. If anyone is familiar with Route 50 between Titusville and Orlando, once off the right-of-way, it's gator country. Dumb law.

Oh well, thanks again. It was long enough ago that I have gotten on as one has too. I remember it quite vividly, but remember Maggie as well.

Sometimes, 'Accidents' don't happen to someone else.

Nick

 

[MDNY]

Losing a lifelong friend and companion is tough. My wife and I currently are apartment dwellers until the house this year. We do plan on adding more four legged children to our family.

My wife lost both of her little guys about a year apart. Rottweiler and a mix breed mutt (not sure what breeds). They loved, played and were best buds to all. When we first started dating and I met Louie (the rottie) she cautioned me that he doesn't like strangers at first. He needs to get to know you and know your okay. I went right up to him, and he licked my face. My wife was surprised, he had never done that before.

When it comes to medical care we are very much like everyone here. Don't care the cost, don't care, just make our family member better, or at least comfortable so they can go with dignity. My cat lives with my parents, he has a thyroid problem and the meds make him sick so my parents have to take alternative measures to keep his weight up. I noticed it and said what is the cost, I'll pay for it.

Pets are our family, and they love us unconditionally. We give to many charities and are long standing members of Farm Santuary (pay to help support and care for a pig named Torre). Animals are our life.

My prayers and thoughts are with you, I only hope for a speedy recovery.

 

[Jeff396]

I also have a cat with a thyroid problem. She takes the meds and seems to have bouts with throwing up. It will be fine for a month and then she will throw up every day for a week straight. It seems to be mostly liquid with just a little bit of food mixed in. What alternative measures are you using to put and keep the weight on?

Both cats are 17 years old and are blind from high blood pressure blowing their retinas out. The one with the thyroid problem used to be the large one at 13 lbs and is now down around 6 lbs. The other had a stroke about two years back which is how we figured out the high blood pressure. Its recovery was astounding! Anyway, medication and vet bills for both cats are huge. I guess this makes up for all those years they cost us nothing except regular check ups.

Jeff

 

[rmorgan]

Dan --

I'm sure sorry for what you and your wife are going through and hoping for the best for you. For what it's worth, we have two 8-year-old Aussies who are brothers and littermates. The alpha was diagnosed in August with stage 3 mast cell tumors, which is a leukemia-like illness. Our good vet, and our own initial research, made clear that it was a matter of time, and not much of that; we thought sure he'd be gone by the end of the year.

Then, going through websites, I found reference to treatment with a chemotherapy drug, Lomostine, which the vet hadn't heard of being used for this disease. The vet did his own research and then gave two doses, the second of which almost killed Cyrus--his white cell count plummeted, he developed a raging blood-borne infection and had to have IV antibiotics.

Like Boondox, we will try be sure Cyrus doesn't suffer just for us, and so we were a few hours away from putting him down. But he pulled through, and the chemo apparently worked: Last week we got word that his blood is wholly free of the expected markers and so he is in remission. So I'm not trying to give any false hope, but don't underestimate your own ability to help the docs come to a treatment plan--no matter how much the vet cares, he has a zillion sick dogs to worry about and you just have one.

Good luck.

 

[dmccarty]

rmorgan,

Thanks for the info. I'll let my wife know about the Lomostine. Chase had
stage 3 mast cell tumor(s) a few years ago and I think we were giving her
pregnazone(sp?) which worked wonders.

The vet said it would take three to five days to get the second biopsy
results.. We should hear the results today or tomorrow I hope! Everything
turns on the results I guess.....

Chase is doing better. She was very quiet for the first couple of days but
she is getting back to normal....

Thanks...
Dan

 

[jasonf]

My cat Stormy has the exact same problem, She is on 5mg Tapazol. I have to give it to her every night by mouth. She has been fine for about 1 year then she couldn't keep anything down. Now that she is back on the Tapazol things are finally settling down.

 

[Jeff396]

I'm getting to be quite the ace at carpet clean up! If you want to see something gross, take a black light and take a look at your carpet....all of the places you thought you completely cleaned will glow green.

So you're saying that your cat started having a problem after being off the medication for a year? I have never had mine off the medication but she still seems to go in these cycles. She's been fine now for the past few days after about a week of getting sick. I sure would like to see her put some weight on but she just seems to hover around 6lbs. She goes back to the vet in about a week or so and I will ask if I can do anything else to bulk her up a bit.

Jeff

 

[jasonf]

Yeah I had her on the Tapazole for 8 months, she seemed to get better, so I stopped the Tapazole and a few months later she started pukng again. I now have her back on the Tapazole and she seems OK. The Vet gave me some Anti Nausea medication that seemed to help. I gave it to her 3 times a day 1/2 hour before feeding. Has the Vet tried this type of medicine? Stormy had to have some IV fluids put into her since she was dehydrated from the vomiting. She looked like a camel with a hump on her back when they got done putting the fluid into her ! But it did seem to help. Hope the Vet has some answers/good news for you, It is amazing how quickly/deeply you become attached to an animal....By the way the vet said that they have Tapazole chewables, so it is easier on the cat when it is time to give the meds. They say that it tastes like a treat so no more fighting with her at Med time. I am going to pick up the meds thisi week, I let you know how it works out....

 

[Jeff396]

My cats have always been odd and I would be doubtful the chewable would work. These cats don't even get excited about tuna. The blood pressure medicine I am giving them both is flavored with fish and they will lap it off the syringe which makes it easy. One time there was confusion and I accidently got it in chicken flavor and they wouldn't touch it. Of course I had to get a double dose which ran me $50.00 down the drain. The other problem is that my cats don't have a "feeding time". I'm just happy that it's not her sister that needs the tapazole pill. That cat can squirm and contort even more than I would expect of a cat. The one who gets the pill is really no promlem. Both our cats and dog just have food down all the time and never seem to over eat. I just wonder if the reason she is getting sick is due to an empty stomach. It always seems to happen in the morning and there is very seldom any food in it. I will definately ask the vet about an anti nausea medication. At this point I'm not too worried about her leaving us, she's 17 and has had a good life. My bigger worry is what it will do to her sister as the two seem to depend on each other. We have several pictures of the cats where you can't tell where one stops and the other one starts. Many accuse of of posing them this way. Oh well, all part of the fun of having pets.

Jeff