We think that it could be 'that time'
Discussion
Just over three years ago we collected Herbie (Retired Greyhound) from RGT Whittingham.
Original thread here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Just over three weeks ago we noticed he was becoming much more lethargic (Greyhounds are lazy buggers), but then he started to become very picky with his food and that then developed into not eating at all.
We took him to the vet and his white blood cell count was so high it didn't register on their machine. The lab report was inconclusive (Could be an infection, or a cancer) At that point he had lost 2Kg of weight since he was last weighed in October.
He then started being sick and he wouldn't eat any of the anti-biotics. Back to the vet for more tests. He had now lost over 5Kg in weight and was less than the race weight when we picked him up three years ago.
More tests and the vets discovered an enlarged spleen (Google suggested this could be treated). They carried out a biopsy and the results were far worse than us or the vet expected.
Herbie has a very rare form of Leukemia. So rare that the vet has told us that a vet would only be expected to see one case of this in their entire working life. We only have two options
Option 1
We give him drugs that increase his appetite, but neither us or the vet know how we will administer them. He has hardly eaten in over a week now and we have been trying to hand feed him. If we can get him to take the appetite increasing drugs, then he could take the chemo drugs, but we have been told the side effects are incredibly severe. They include, but aren't limited to.
- Vomiting
- Nausia
- Hair Loss
- All secretions are toxic including his poo and wee.
The later means he wouldn't be allowed to be with other dogs, as licking them could be dangerous for them. If he wees in the house, he has to cleaned to another level that what you would normally do.
The above means that he couldn't be off lead and we wouldn't be allowed to take him on anymore greyhound group walks (A regular part of our life for three years)
Option 2 is the most upsetting one for all of us.
The vet has given him approxmately two weeks if we 'do nothing' and there is no cure for his Leukemia. The drugs would give him a few months and there is no doubt that they wouldn't improve his quality of life.
The Leukemia is so rare, that there is no data on what the results of the drugs would be.
My wife and I are very upset. We had a dog that used to love cuddles on the sofa with my wife. As soon as she sat down, he would spring up and lie down with his head on her lap. He has stopped doing that. He lies on his bed on the floor and as I type this he is there now and he looks painfully thin.
There was long greyhound thread on here from around 2011 and I found it to be a great inspiration.
I'm not entirely sure what I'm expecting from this thread in terms on replies. I just wanted to write to this to animal loving audience.
Work is currently very busy and I had to go to a colleagues office to settle myself earlier. I have always been once to keep home problems at home, but everyone has their limits.
Hope everyone is having a pleasant evening and cuddling your pet of choice.
Original thread here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Just over three weeks ago we noticed he was becoming much more lethargic (Greyhounds are lazy buggers), but then he started to become very picky with his food and that then developed into not eating at all.
We took him to the vet and his white blood cell count was so high it didn't register on their machine. The lab report was inconclusive (Could be an infection, or a cancer) At that point he had lost 2Kg of weight since he was last weighed in October.
He then started being sick and he wouldn't eat any of the anti-biotics. Back to the vet for more tests. He had now lost over 5Kg in weight and was less than the race weight when we picked him up three years ago.
More tests and the vets discovered an enlarged spleen (Google suggested this could be treated). They carried out a biopsy and the results were far worse than us or the vet expected.
Herbie has a very rare form of Leukemia. So rare that the vet has told us that a vet would only be expected to see one case of this in their entire working life. We only have two options
Option 1
We give him drugs that increase his appetite, but neither us or the vet know how we will administer them. He has hardly eaten in over a week now and we have been trying to hand feed him. If we can get him to take the appetite increasing drugs, then he could take the chemo drugs, but we have been told the side effects are incredibly severe. They include, but aren't limited to.
- Vomiting
- Nausia
- Hair Loss
- All secretions are toxic including his poo and wee.
The later means he wouldn't be allowed to be with other dogs, as licking them could be dangerous for them. If he wees in the house, he has to cleaned to another level that what you would normally do.
The above means that he couldn't be off lead and we wouldn't be allowed to take him on anymore greyhound group walks (A regular part of our life for three years)
Option 2 is the most upsetting one for all of us.
The vet has given him approxmately two weeks if we 'do nothing' and there is no cure for his Leukemia. The drugs would give him a few months and there is no doubt that they wouldn't improve his quality of life.
The Leukemia is so rare, that there is no data on what the results of the drugs would be.
My wife and I are very upset. We had a dog that used to love cuddles on the sofa with my wife. As soon as she sat down, he would spring up and lie down with his head on her lap. He has stopped doing that. He lies on his bed on the floor and as I type this he is there now and he looks painfully thin.
There was long greyhound thread on here from around 2011 and I found it to be a great inspiration.
I'm not entirely sure what I'm expecting from this thread in terms on replies. I just wanted to write to this to animal loving audience.
Work is currently very busy and I had to go to a colleagues office to settle myself earlier. I have always been once to keep home problems at home, but everyone has their limits.
Hope everyone is having a pleasant evening and cuddling your pet of choice.
Thanks for the replies and kind words.
He's just been into the garden to be sick and afterwords he stood still and just panted for five minutes. It was almost like he didn't know where to go.
It's funny, I've loved cars nearly all my adult life and I've shed a tear over a couple that I've sold. Buying a Discovery 3 last year was a the realisation of a 25 year dream. However all this insignificant compared to the thought of saying goodbye to my dog.
He's just been into the garden to be sick and afterwords he stood still and just panted for five minutes. It was almost like he didn't know where to go.
It's funny, I've loved cars nearly all my adult life and I've shed a tear over a couple that I've sold. Buying a Discovery 3 last year was a the realisation of a 25 year dream. However all this insignificant compared to the thought of saying goodbye to my dog.
moorx said:
I really feel for you; it is horrendous.
I have seen the following quoted and I think - although it is 'clinical' - it can be useful for those of us struggling to be objective about our pet's quality of life:
From the book "Absent Friend" by Laura and Martyn Lee - and proposed by Andrew Edney, vet and past president of the British Small Animal Vet. Association:
Is the animal:
Free from pain, distress, or serious discomfort which cannot be effectively controlled
Able to walk and balance reasonably well
Able to eat and drink enough for normal maintenance without much difficulty and without vomiting
Free from tumours which cause pain or serious discomfort and are judged inoperable or otherwise untreatable
Able to breathe without difficulty
Able to urinate and defecate reasonably frequently and without serious difficulty or incontinence
and is the owner:
Able to cope physically and emotionally with any nursing or medication that may be required?
If the answer to any of these questions is "No" and treatment is unlikely to help, then euthanasia might be the preferred option.
Sadly the answer to majority of those questions is No. I have seen the following quoted and I think - although it is 'clinical' - it can be useful for those of us struggling to be objective about our pet's quality of life:
From the book "Absent Friend" by Laura and Martyn Lee - and proposed by Andrew Edney, vet and past president of the British Small Animal Vet. Association:
Is the animal:
Free from pain, distress, or serious discomfort which cannot be effectively controlled
Able to walk and balance reasonably well
Able to eat and drink enough for normal maintenance without much difficulty and without vomiting
Free from tumours which cause pain or serious discomfort and are judged inoperable or otherwise untreatable
Able to breathe without difficulty
Able to urinate and defecate reasonably frequently and without serious difficulty or incontinence
and is the owner:
Able to cope physically and emotionally with any nursing or medication that may be required?
If the answer to any of these questions is "No" and treatment is unlikely to help, then euthanasia might be the preferred option.
For the first time since the illness started (only a few weeks), we couldn't get him to go out for his wee last night. I've just come down to see how he is getting on and he is in the same position that he went to sleep in. This is also a first. Usually he changes ends or similar. Since the illness, he has moved beds during the night so he can sleep on one of his dog beds on the floor. We think this is because its cooler down there.
This is a dog that has woken me up with a whine and the rare bark at around 0530 or earlier (Little bugger!) every day for three years and as a result I struggle to sleep in my own bed beyond 5. I used to come down, layout the duvet and he would let me lie down and he just wanted a cuddle. Didn't need to wee or go for a walk just wanted a cuddle.
Took him out for walk earlier. It was like walking a dog about 15 years old. He was very slow and clearly struggling.
Sadly the walk didn't end well. Two pugs ran towards him barking and snarling and it scared my son who was about 20 feet and he started crying and running towards me. The other pug started getting aggressive with herbie and I broke down and shouted at the owner (he knows me) and he came over 'what's the issue'. I told him through tears that my dog has less than two weeks to go. He immediately understood and leaded both is dogs and gave my hound a pat.
It was a difficult moment.
Sadly the walk didn't end well. Two pugs ran towards him barking and snarling and it scared my son who was about 20 feet and he started crying and running towards me. The other pug started getting aggressive with herbie and I broke down and shouted at the owner (he knows me) and he came over 'what's the issue'. I told him through tears that my dog has less than two weeks to go. He immediately understood and leaded both is dogs and gave my hound a pat.
It was a difficult moment.
Sorry I haven't updated this thread. However, I just wanted to add some closure.
We said goodbye to Herbie on Monday 3rd April at 1730. Just a day shy of three years since we collected him.
Saying goodbye to him in the vet was obviously very upsetting, but it was nothing compared to coming home to the empty house.
Many thanks to the people who responded to this thread. I will start another thread as it does seem to be the done thing here.
We said goodbye to Herbie on Monday 3rd April at 1730. Just a day shy of three years since we collected him.
Saying goodbye to him in the vet was obviously very upsetting, but it was nothing compared to coming home to the empty house.
Many thanks to the people who responded to this thread. I will start another thread as it does seem to be the done thing here.
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