Labrador with brain tumor

ChrissyBz · 04-10-2008, 11:37 PM

I'm so sorry, seizures are so scary, and give you such a... HELPLESS feeling.

emmamom2 · 04-11-2008, 12:24 AM

Do you know what makes me mad?- we spend hundreds of dollars on our pets.-even thousands. But let's face it they're animals- And today most people won't spend anything on their children. They expect the government to pick up the bill. They'll spend $50 on a cable bill but not $10 on an antibiotic for their kid- they expect it for free. Why would we think they'll take care of their puppy or have their cat neuterd?

I work. I'm away from my 3 kids. I'm paying a lot of taxes. I can't afford my deductible to take myself and my kids to an annual physical. The vet bills these past 10 days have taken my husbands' whole take-home paycheck for the last 2 weeks.

You may think Im cruel- and cut me down... but when we take our dogs to the vet they usually say... "we don't know. "We'll run some tests.. "

I don't know about all of you, but I'm sick & tired of " know nothings"

All these years of veterinary science have not led us a hell of alot further. We're still just giving animals shots (which may not work-parvo) and castrating them. That is the pinnacle of animal health?

I grew up on a sheep ranch. we were our own vet and though mercy was given out freely, we were also the executioner. Back then there were no tests- there were only symptoms. We stayed up all night with a sick animal, and often many nights in a row. We ran on little sleep and a lot of coffee.

We didn't spend hundreds of dollars to find out what was wrong.

We either figured it out or we lost.

Dogs are a dime a dozen- unless it's your dog....

and I know there are dogs waiting for a home -that may be killed tomorrow. But- I love this dog, these dogs. Please let them be alive tomorrow when I get home.

Dear God, dogs are no less precious than all us other animals, they are in my heart. Please protect the ones i love.

ChrissyBz · 04-11-2008, 12:37 AM

In that way, I'm very, very lucky. My vet charges $5 usd for a visit, I have the clinic #, her home phone #, and both her cell #s

I call her at home, at dinner, at 2, 3, 5 am, on the bus on her way to work,(she doesn't have a car), I've even called her on holiday weekends when she's away from home, if she's near one of her phones, she ALWAYS answers.

If she wants to give treatment, I ask, she explains, if I research, and come up with something that differs from her treatment, she's always willing to listen and try it or explain why it's a bad idea.
Now, THAT is a VET!

But, yes, I know exactly what you mean. I just thank my lucky stars for Jane.

gills · 04-11-2008, 12:50 AM

I'm so sorry emmamom2, you and your beloved babies are going through such a difficult time. I know there's nothing I can offer to make it better, but I do know how painful it is to go through. Take good care of yourself as well as your babies.

Quote:

but when we take our dogs to the vet they usually say... "we don't know. "We'll run some tests.. "

I know what you mean. I think too many vets rely on expensive tests and not on their common sense. Some prey on people's emotions too because it's lucrative. I've been through, I've seen it, I share your anger.

emmamom2 · 04-11-2008, 01:13 AM

Gills, thanks for writing - your poem made my husband cry. the baby Chess is laying at my feet. I can't get him to drink anymore pedialyte. Emma is in the laundry room- sleeping?. I have to go to work in 6 hours.

It's after 2AM and chester just decided to stand up. When i just talked to him he lifted his head- very good sign.

I think I can maybe fall aslep now. Emma seems to be asleep, and puppy has had some Pedialyte and has kept it down.

My baby Heidi · 04-11-2008, 07:24 AM

Wow I know the feeling. Hang in there!

My baby Heidi · 04-12-2008, 08:44 AM

Wow I am so sorry to hear you are going through all of this. I also know what it's like to have two pets sick at one time. It's not fun at all and the worse thing is that they can't tell us what they are feeling or what hurts. My days are getting better since my baby was put to rest this past Monday but she is never ever forgotten. I see people walking their dogs now that the days are getting warmer and it just makes me remember my Heidi even more. She should still be around enjoying her walks I even feel mad at times. My other dog Tyson seems to be missing her to she was like his mom. I noticed that now he won't eat unless someone is near which he never did before I guess because he always had Heidi around.

emmamom2 · 04-12-2008, 11:52 AM

We're back from the vet again. We got to see our regular guy thank goodness. He said there wasn't anything more to do. He talked to a cancer specialist this week and discussed prednisone or other treatment options and the specialist said that there isn't a good option. Steroids don't work, chemo and radiation don't help. Just take care of her needs. I sobbed on his shoulder.
Emma fell down a flight of steps this morning. she is ok- they're carpeted. The vet said that we would see more vestibular problems and that the tumor must be growing rapidly now. It's been exactly 6 months since her first seizure.

Chester the Molester has recovered! It wasn't a blockage or parvo. Whatever it was made him deathly sick, but he must be hardy! Scrambled eggs, phenergan and Pedialyte is the ticket.

Thanks for all the support. I was in pretty bad shape thursday night. Blogging this at least gives me something to do and I get my feelings out.

Heidi's Mom- take care Girl. It's got to get easier. Keep writing and let us know how you're doing.

ChrissyBz · 04-12-2008, 02:33 PM

I'm so sorry for all you're going through, I'm glad you could see your reg vet, and he sounds like a decent fellow.

My dad died of lung cancer, 3 years ago, and it was really hard, to be strong while he was in so much pain,(we cared for him at home for 1&1/2 years) but we also had some of the sweetest times after diagnosis, make the most of the good moments. You will treasure them in years to come.

emmamom2 · 04-12-2008, 03:59 PM

Tonight we have a beautiful fire burning. Adult malt beverages are flowing and 2 very much loved dogs are happy next to us.
There is nothing more that we could ask than to hug and love these beautiful dogs. In fact i think I'll get down on the floor now.

i need to tell Emma how much I adore her.

emmamom2 · 04-18-2008, 11:14 PM

We had a party for Emma on Wednesday. The kids thought of it, they wanted to honor her and make sure everyone that loves her had a chance to see her.

We thought we were going to have to put her down on Monday night-bad seizure. It was a false alarm thank goodness. (didn't recognize dad- growled and then shook- he took her out and then she stumbled and fell in the yard, then was comatose.) she came out of it though.

She enjoyed her walk with an old friend on Tuesday (although short.) and on Wed. she was very excited by all the commotion. We had hot dogs and pupcakes and everyone brought a present. She was very well. In fact many don't even believe she's ill. I guess they can't accept it- especially my mother.

So many people love her. And we've been very sparing with the details since we can hardly accept it.

So here we are tonight. she's ok.

My baby Heidi · 04-21-2008, 11:38 AM

I'm glad to hear you still have her. Just enjoy all the time you have left with her.

emmamom2 · 04-25-2008, 05:24 AM

It's been 20 days since my first post. Emma hasn't changed much except that she doesn't have any housebreaking left. We mop, pick up, scrub and steam-clean every day now. But this morning we're still looking forward to our walk- even if she doesn't recognize one of her best friends, or her surroundings. She still seems happy. The Spring weather is gorgeous and puppy Chester is excited enough for all three of us. Who could ask for more?

This afternoon we'll go to the garden and plant snow peas. emma will lie in the shade- doing her part. Chester will try to dig things up as fast as I plant them. The asparagus will need to be cut, basil needs to be planted

The gladiolus cormels need to go into the ground. So many things around here need done. Roses to be pruned, fruit trees to be sprayed...

i just asked the dogs if they wanted to go out...and of course they did. it's beautiful here. We're still a couple of hours away from dawn and the frogs are peeping. the night is so warm for a change. The dogs love to run for a few minutes. Just the tiniest bit of pink in the horizon.

I am truly blessed. We all have such incredible suffering and incredible joy each day.

If dogs teach us anything it's to enjoy each day as it comes. Emma has taught me the meaning of "live each day as if it's your last". she can still take such joy in a good brushing, a lovely walk, kisses and hugs, a good meal.

Almost time for my husband to take over. i'll sleep for the next 6 hours.

ChrissyBz · 04-25-2008, 07:34 AM

Quote:

If dogs teach us anything it's to enjoy each day as it comes. Emma has taught me the meaning of "live each day as if it's your last". she can still take such joy in a good brushing, a lovely walk, kisses and hugs, a good meal.

So easy to forget this, so important to remember.

Thank You for reminding me Emma.

LuckyLabMom · 04-25-2008, 09:29 AM

All I have for you is a (((((((***BIG HUG***)))))))

As a new dog owner this is breaking my heart - just thinking about the day that will inevitably come, hopefully a long way down the road, as I am in the process of falling head-over-heels in love with my pooch...

I have no words of wisdom for you. Just sending best wishes and strength.

But as a fellow lab-named-Chester owner (!) I can give a tip - my friends were worried that Chester would start being known as 'the Molester' so they nicknamed him "Chester the Bester in the Midwester"

Since you're in Ohio you can use it too if you want.

emmamom2 · 04-25-2008, 09:52 AM

no our Chester is definetly the Molester. And i'm proud of it- he's so full of life that he's just bursting.

You can't look at him without smiling. ah He's just so Bad. (in such a beautiful body.).... but we all know that he will someday be a "quality" dog. No other people could love this monster like we do. He's single-handedly destroyed hundreds of dollars of leather goods, Berber carpets, and many baked goods.

and we stlill love him and respect him. We love this pup- he's a good lab- L

bindoux · 05-01-2008, 12:54 PM

Hi, I know what you are going through and my heart feels your pain. Raffles our 10 year old Boston had cluster seizures (13 before I got him to the hospital) - 3 were grand mal. This happened in mid January. He stayed a couple of days. His MRI showed a unoperable brain tumor on his left side. Radiation and chemo were not an option for him either. He was doing well for 2 months on the phenobarbital, but last month he started having small seizures and we kept adjusting the medication. Now he is blind in his right eye, his right legs aren't working very well at times. Like your precious one, he is ravenous and is very vocal about it. When we upped his PB a week ago he started having accidents in the house. Last night he urinated on the rug about a foot from me. I don't know if that is from the medicine, but I'm afraid it's because it's getting worse. He leans against things and the nights are the worst. I started sleeping with him all night about a week ago. (My husband loves that) He's very restless and uncomfortable and we get up about 3 times a night. This is so hard to see him go downhill. We are not the kind of people who think only of ourselves and would let our buddy suffer. When his quality of life is gone, it will be time for him to go to a better place. But, it is so hard to know when that time has arrived. Yesterday afternoon he was out chasing his ball. I'm hoping he will have more sunrays to soak up - he loves that. We are in constant contact with the vet. Raffles is like Norm on Cheers. When he walks in the vet's office, everyone knows him. It's breaking my heart and I fear we will lose him soon. SO, hang in there and love him until he tells you he needs to move on. You will see it in their eyes.

emmamom2 · 05-23-2008, 07:55 PM

Hello Everyone,
Emma died on wednesday. We're having a very tough time, so excuse me if I have to cut out. she had a bad seizure on tuesday night (Kevin and I were holding her) and then through the night she had another bad one. She had 300mg of phenobarbital on board and couldn't have any more. We knew that she was severely brain-damaged. so when I came down in the morning and she was lying in her own pee, I said this is it. I don't care about anything else, but I do care about her dignity. I love her and she should never lay in pee with her face soaked in urine.
Even though she was is no pain that we could tell, we decided that morning to put her to sleep (kill her.)
I will not go through any euphemisms. We decided to end her life, and I wish she had died peacefully in her sleep, but not so. I have more to say, but I don't want to lose this post, so more in a few minutes.

JenTN · 05-23-2008, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emmamom2

Hello Everyone,
Emma died on wednesday. We're having a very tough time, so excuse me if I have to cut out. she had a bad seizure on tuesday night (Kevin and I were holding her) and then through the night she had another bad one. She had 300mg of phenobarbital on board and couldn't have any more. We knew that she was severely brain-damaged. so when I came down in the morning and she was lying in her own pee, I said this is it. I don't care about anything else, but I do care about her dignity. I love her and she should never lay in pee with her face soaked in urine.
Even though she was is no pain that we could tell, we decided that morning to put her to sleep (kill her.)
I will not go through any euphemisms. We decided to end her life, and I wish she had died peacefully in her sleep, but not so. I have more to say, but I don't want to lose this post, so more in a few minutes.

I am truly, truly sorry for your loss. You did what is absolutely best for your girl. After reading your posts, it seemed dignity was one of the few things she had left, and I bet if she could she would have thanked you for letting her keep it.

ChrissyBz · 05-23-2008, 09:03 PM

I'm so sorry, My thoughts will be with you in the coming days. You did the right thing, never question that.

Run free Emma...