Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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If I read you post on the 11th right, Monty was doing just fine on February 8th, taking long hour long walks and was happy.
Now, approximately five or six days later, he appears to be nearing the end of his journey. The Vet has done no bloodwork or xrays and has given you no indication what's going on.
Certainly you know your Monty best and love him very much. You would not want him to suffer and that is clear. Obviously, I don't know the diagnostics your Vet has done to support the drugs he's prescribed or how he determined that nothing else can be done for Monty.
Has Monty's temperature gone down at all? Did he offer fluids to at least possibly help him feel better? How is the color of his gums? Was the Vet saying that his vital signs were in such bad shape he couldn't even draw blood or do an xray? Not sure why they still couldn't be done (unless he had to be put under sedation for xrays maybe?).
I do not in anyway want to "muddy the water", but just wonder if a second opinion would be helpful.
Obviously if he is in pain and unable to walk for some unknown reason, you love him enough to give him the gift of release. Your love for Monty is strong enough to get you through this rough time. And we are here to support you. We understand how difficult this part of the journey can be like no others can.
Again, I didn't mean to bring up the "second opinion" suggestion to make this anymore difficult than it already is. I just thought if you had any reservations, this would be a good way to put those concerns to rest.
Continue to make every moment count with Monty. He is with you NOW and, as hard as it is, don't waste one second grieving ahead of time. There will be rime for thst, but not now why you are together.
You let your love for Monty give you the strength to carry on and you lean on us. Thst is where your strength will come from. You will remain strong and you will be calm and as upbeat as you can around your precious Monty. You love him that much!!
Surrounding you with our love and our strength
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Hi. I had a second opinion today, which only confirmed the first: that's it's time to let go. A vet is coming to the house on Friday to do the deed. I've managed to get the day off work and most of the day before. It's going to be so hard, but I know it's the right thing. He's not eating at all, not even sausages and ham, so I can't give him any meds, and he can't stand up and is just shaking and looking absolutely wretched. I can't believe it's got like this so quickly. Thank you for your support.
I am so sorry to hear this. We will all be thinking of you - this is such a difficult decision to have to make.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Yes, it is agonizingly hard, but you are doing the right thing for Monty, absolutely the right thing!
This piece of crap disease is brutal and makes up its own vicious rules.
If possible, try and figure out a way to get the pain med in him. I know you've probably tried everything. Peanut butter, cream cheese, stinky liverwurst. If necessary, coat the pills with something tasty, open his mouth and toss it back as far as you can. Close his mouth, even blow gently into his nose...he'll eventually have to swallow.
Yes, it's going to be hard, but do your best, your very, very best, to know that you will be giving Monty the gift of being pain free. Up to that point, just be with him and tell him all the good things you love ahim put him and what a good boy he is. Remind him of all the times you laughed together and hold all those memories in your heart. Celebrate every second together.
I always saved some of their fur and I clipped a bit of my hair and taped it over their heart. Maybe you'll want to have a picture of you two next to him. Light some candles.
We all wish we could make this easier, but we know there isn't anything we can do or say. You have done EVERYTHING to give Monty some GREAT bonus time with you! You've NEVER let him down and he knows you won't let him down now. And he loves you for that.
As he heads to the Rainbow Bridge, running free and happy, there will be allmof our heroes who have gone before him to greet him. They will have plates full of ham and sausages and ice cream waiting for him! 🙂 Monty will be telling everyone he had THE best time with you as his human!
We are woth you in our energy and our thoughts and surrounding you with our love and hugs...
Sally and My Chunky Spiritual Being Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
I'm so sorry. That second opinion at least gives you comfort knowing that you are doing right by him. Keep him comfortable, love him up and tell him our Tripawds angels are waiting at the bridge. And we'll be here for you to lean on. You are in our thoughts and hearts.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you. I tried the method you suggested Sally and have actually managed to get him to have some pain killers. he's now laid on the floor next to me getting a neck rub. I wish they didn't love us so much. I'm going to try to do what you advised, and delay my grief until he's gone, but it's so hard. I feel so ..grey...all the colour is going from my life and I have absolutely no interest in anything at all. Everything is pointless.These are natural feelings hey? They will pass? Thank you for the idea about the candles. And the stories. In my mind I know how I want the day to go now.
Bless you all.
You ask how you cope after, at work. Otis transitioned on the Sunday of a long weekend. On Tuesday, I was sitting at work and they called to say his ashes were ready. Way sooner than I had thought. My first thought was that I wasn't ready to go back to the vet's office. But then I knew I couldn't let him be there a moment longer. I drove immediately there, and put the urn under my desk when I got back to work. Seems silly, but having him with me helped (not to say that your work will necessary allow you to have an urn under your desk, and it was only one day, but still). I ended up putting his urn, with all of the cards I got and his paw print, on a table in my bedroom. A month later, his sister's urn joined his, and they still sit there today.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
I am so sorry Monty is nearing the end of his earthly journey ... it does come on fast and furious which is another reason this disease is so awful... Shelby was similiar ... fine until she was not ... I am so sorry for your heartbreak and know that we will be sending love and peace as the transition happens.
with love,
alison with spirit shelby in her heart
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Otis and Tess that sounds unbelievably heartbreaking. Life is so so cruel.
Shelby's mum, could you tell me what happened with Shelby or is it too painful to discuss?
joolz said
Otis and Tess that sounds unbelievably heartbreaking. Life is so so cruel.Shelby's mum, could you tell me what happened with Shelby or is it too painful to discuss?
It is painful but if it helps or adds value and support... I am honored to share her story. Shelby had blood cancer (hemangiosarcoma) and was about a week post chemo. She was fine on a Thursday. Friday, she had trouble moving her remaining hind leg. I rushed her to the ER. They said it was a tight muscle, massaged it and sent us home. She still struggled but I figured it was a tight muscle. Woke up Saturday and she had almost no mobility in her remaining leg. She messed on the floor and vomited. I knew something was very wrong. Back to the ER. Her eyes were bloodshot. I left her there for observation and within 20 minutes, I got a call ... she had had a major seizure.
They stabilized her and she was comfortable and pain-free and we hoped she would recover with meds and seizures would be treatable. She rested over the weekend with no more seizures until Monday. Her vets, her oncologist, the nurses ... all knew it was time. I was not ready, of course, but I knew I had to do right by my best girl. I took off work, went and spent Monday with her and all day Tuesday (a little doggy hospice (and late Tuesday afternoon, we left the hospital and she peacefully transition by the beach that she and I loved so much). The service was so incredibly kind and patient. The cancer basically went to her brain and as much as I had worried about lung mets, I didn't see this one coming.
I am glad that Shelby was able to breathe in the ocean air one last time before she went ... she knew where she was even if she wasn't 100% all there.
It is the hardest and most selfless thing we can do for our beloved fur-babies ... it was the hardest day of my adult life (2nd to losing my father). I still grieve for Shelby and wish I could have done more but I know I did everything I could for her with the information I had. It has been almost three years since she passed and I feel her spirit in my heart daily ...
Sending you love and peace as I know how hard and painful this is.
Oh you had asked about work - I was fortunate that I was able to take the rest of the week off of work. I was zombie like and then I picked myself up, went to work and focused on the healing... it is a journey but we are ALL here for you. ALL of us!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
thank you Shelby's mum. The shock is one of the most devastating things isn't it, when it happens so rapidly. You look at the statistics and plan things round that, the way it's supposed to be, thinking perhaps even my doggy will be one of those at the far end of the statistics, maybe not one but two more Summers together! And then your world comes crumbling down.
Thank you for sharing Shelby's story.
I took Otis and Tess for baths on Saturday morning, thinking we had a month or more left and he might not feel well enough to have a bath later. That night, he went into distress. The mets had caused tears in his lungs. And Tess was fine until one afternoon she was restless and started isolating herself. She had undiagnosed hemangio, and a tumor on her spleen burst. She transitioned that night. It is amazing how quickly things can change.😟
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Otis and Tess' mum, I've no idea how you got through that, sounds absolutely horrendous. 😥 thank you for sharing your stories.
Monty's appointment has been brought forward to today now (Thursday) because he is struggling so much. I'm going to try really hard to be strong, and remember I have you guys there for me. Thank you.
We are with you, okay? You are not going through this alone. We are surrounding you with strength and calm.
Stay fully present. Don't think about the next hiur or the next ten minutes. Just stay fully present surrounding Monty with your kove.
Let him know your be okay (and you will, just not for awhile). Let him know you are glad he trusts you to give him this most selfless gift we can give our pets.
Ask him to send you signs he's okay after he gets settled in at the Bridge. Ohhh my..his arrival at the Bridge is going to be a wild pawty!! Otis snd Tess will be there, Pofi will be there, Shelby will be there as will my Happy Hannah. Monty will be able to feast on cheeseburgers, steak and ice cream! Shelby will be passing out pawty hats and special Bridge attire!
Jerry will give Monty a Purple Heart for his bravery.
He may not get in touch with you right away because he will be having such a ball running through fields of wildflowers, chasing sauirrels and drinking from cool streams. Of course, he'll also be enjoying tummh rubs from all the A gels who have been assigned to him. Oh my good ess, Monty is going to feel soooo good!
We will be with you to help celebrate him home. We will be with you the whole way, okay? You just stay present and strong for him and we will be here for you after his release, okay? Monty is so grateful that you understand. Monty is so grateful to you for everything, especially for showing him what love and joy felt like.
I made sure that my Happy Hannah heard joy in my voice as I told her over and over what a good girl she was. I made sure she saw a smile on my face as I celebrated her home. And then I crumbled for days and days and days. This community was here for me and we'll be here for you to help you stand again.
Surrounding you with our strength, our love and wishing you a peaceful heart
Sally and My Chunky Spiritual Being Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Im so so sorry you have to make this decision for your boy. We all know how hard it is. But its harder to stand by and watch them struggling and suffering than it is to watch them slowly drift off. you've been strong enough to deal with the worst part. Once their eyes close you know they are pain free, whole again, running and bounding with all the energy and dog spirit the rainbow bridge gives them. Just focus on the happy times, take pride in knowing your gave Monty a wonderful life full of love - he couldn't have asked for more.
I also lost my boy much earlier than I anticipated and very quickly, he was fine on Friday, by Monday evening he couldn't walk and on Friday I said goodbye. You can only try so much and you are constantly against the clock hoping a miracle happens. but always better a day early than a day late when there is no cure.
Big hugs
Karis and Zuki with wings
xx
Zuki Wuggafer 30/09/06 - 11/11/16. Right hind tripawd due to Osteosarcoma. He had a strong 5 and half months as a tripawd but unfortunately a secondary issue with his spine ended our battle. He loved life, loved our family and was the best dog I could ever ask for. Truly my first love, forever in my thoughts and heart.
Read our story: http://zuki.tripawds.com/
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