Rough day

LivingAlmostLarge · #1 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 12:44 PM

I just dropped off my dog at the Vet to be hospitalized. He really took a turn for the worse this weekend. He had been losing weight, but was okay and still eating and moving. At the end of last week he seemed more lethargic than usual.

We took him to the vet on Saturday and had x-rays, blood draws, and urinanalysis. They suspected he has cancer. We were trying to book an abdominal ultrasound. So today when we got up, he had really deteriorated overnight. We went to bed after he had eaten dinner, walked, still been semi-coherent.

This morning he was disoriented and not hungry and just not there. He's getting his ultrasound, biopsies, blood, etc and probably staying overnight.

I just need some moral perspective. We refused to have extraordinary measures taken if something should happen and we're not there. He will have cpr and other measures, but I just don't know what to think or do.

I feel like I'm not ready to let him go yet. I don't know what to do. What can I do?

It's not a black and white financial decision either.

wincrasher · #2 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 01:06 PM

I've been thru the end stage with several pets. It's not easy as you know.

If the dog is fairly young and the illness is sudden, then it's proper to take some measures to save them.

If the dog is pretty old, then you have to weigh that decision against how much time they have left. Books on dog breeds can give you an idea of life span. Mutts are a bit trickier to figure out.

You can't prevent the inevitable. But a diagnosis as to what is really wrong is imperative to decision making.

Saving pets is strictly for the benefit of people. A dog doesn't really "want" to live. So how self indulgent do you want to be? That's the hard question.

When my dog got ran over by a car, the initial estimate was $3800 to put him back together. At that point, I said no, put him down. My sister was watching the dog (I was out of town) and she said no. The bill ended up at $6500. Was it worth it? The dog suffered 2 surguries and 6 months of convalencence in his crate. He's fine now and runs around like nothing ever happened. He's 3 and will probably live to be 8-9 at the most. I think that it was very self-indulgent of us to put the dog thru all that, never mind the money.

LivingAlmostLarge · #3 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 01:27 PM

He is older. And I had hoped he would be able to see 18 years, he's 13.

And yes I'm being extremely selfish, and I know that. I am just not sure.

creditcardfree · #4 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 03:58 PM

((Hugs)) Its okay to let him go and know that he didn't suffer any more than necessary. Its okay to want to hang on. He is your pet, who has loved you unconditionally. If you feel it is his time to go, maybe it can be in peace with some dignity. I think not giving extraordinary measures is fine. Your dog will be okay, too.

What a blessing to have had his life in yours...even if it was less than you had hoped.

LivingAlmostLarge · #5 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 05:42 PM

I think I want to buy my year or two with the remission. There is a 85% chance of remission and a year or two.

He is my first child, the dog of my adulthood. Until this moment I think I hadn't quite felt grownup in many ways.

I know the chemo will be hard, but afterwards his life if it works would be good. He's been in excellent health until now and had a rapid decline.

creditcardfree · #6 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

I think I want to buy my year or two with the remission. There is a 85% chance of remission and a year or two.

He is my first child, the dog of my adulthood. Until this moment I think I hadn't quite felt grownup in many ways.

I know the chemo will be hard, but afterwards his life if it works would be good. He's been in excellent health until now and had a rapid decline.

Definitely do what your gut tells you. I'm sure it will be worth it. ((Hugs))

wincrasher · #7 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 08:29 AM

Good luck with your decision. Don't know if I could watch a dog go thru chemo - that's gotta be tough. There aren't any guarantees they'll live thru the treatment, so it's more or less a crapshoot I suppose.

LivingAlmostLarge · #8 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 10:36 AM

Chemo is not the same in dogs as in humans. There are less side effects, no hair loss and nausea. It doesn't extend life long, a year maybe a bit more. The biggest drawback is solely cost.

I talked more with a friend whose a vet on the west coast about it. Not invested financially as what she recommends and does and would do.

dana67 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 03:04 PM

I am so sorry. Having a sick pet and losing a pet is always such a tough thing to go through.

LivingAlmostLarge · #10 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 05:35 AM

We're just going to bring him home, hopefully to die in peace.

terces · #11 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 08:45 AM

{{hugs}} to you and your pup.

It's never an easy decision no matter what the situation. I had to make a hasty decision for our dog last year who was suffering from an incurable nasal tumor. She took a turn for the worse the same day Ike was brewing in. It hurt to let her go but I didn't want her to suffer through the storm and the aftermath. Still miss her terribly but I know we did the right thing.

creditcardfree · #12 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 10:23 AM

((Hugs)) Give him lots of hugs and petting while you can.

FrugalTexan75 · #13 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 04:36 PM

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. {{{LAL}}}

LivingAlmostLarge · #14 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 06:48 PM

Thanks. he is so improved he might be coming home tomorrow. And while it's a matter of time, I'm okay with that and whatever time I have. I am doing treatments for now until it doesn't matter.