Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Oh I hope getting back on the two meds will help her feel better!
I don't blame you about hesitating on pred. It did a number on our Jerry too. But that Proin should really work for her. It can't hurt to try and if you don't like what it's doing you can always stop the protocol.
One hoppy day at a time indeed! I hope she's having a good day.
Wish us luck. We stopped the carboprofen today. She is just getting to difficult with the eating. Unless anyone as any other suggestions I am all ears . I'm dreading the prednisone. Probably gonna be a rough 3 days before we can start the prednisone and proin. She has been on Carboprofen for a couple of years. Fingers crossed we can buy some more quality time. I am going to start the proin 2 days prior to pred. Just to trying to get a jump on the peeing issues that come with the pred.
All the love in the world is headed to you. I think you are doing the best thing you can at this point. Keep trying with the stinky meats, warmed food, feeding on paper plates, etc.
Paws, fingers, toes, and tails crossed that the pred and proin will be the trick to keeping her comfortable and hoppy. Let us know how it goes. xoxo
Okay, all paws crossed for good luck on every level.🤞🤞🤞🙏🙏🙏
The Pred should help with the appetite as well as any inflammation. Wasn't aware about the incontinent as a aide effect, which means absolutely nothing. I know sometimes extra thirsty, those more frequent peeing. Anyway sounds like you've got a plan to handle that if it occurs.👍
Extra hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. I'm sure you've tried baby food 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!
Thanks for the love. Today has been really challenging. I tried to give her meds in the donut holes and she will not touch them. Wife finally got her to take her morning meds. She ate some breakfast sausage in the morning. Was able to get some Proin in some sausage for lunch and that was a battle. She has turned her nose up at everything but milk bones and cheeze it cheddar grooves. She acted like she was hungry so I made her some beef cubes and not even a little interest. Still cant get her her meds. So in desperation I went to the shop, drilled some holes in her milkbones and put her meds in them. I got one down and the other she spit out. So I resorted to physically putting them in her mouth and that worked. I hate forcing them. One more day of this and I can switch to the prednisone. Another thing I noticed a week or two ago is every once in awhile she produces this odd odor and from what I am reading, when dogs are in their dying stages they can produce an odor. My mind is exhausted and Im stressed to the point of I am ready for this all to be over. That said, I am still fighting for her to keep her happy and still have some quality of life. I believe she is fighting for me as well. Unfortunately, the cancer is winning. I still believe though she is not suffering any at this point and sure she has some bad days, but dont we all. She is still wagging her tail, we even played fetch for a minute and she followed me out to the barn today. I know she is going to go down with her tail wagging and full of love.Sorry for the long winded post, but you guys are my outlet. Very hard and emotional to discuss these things with my wife and kids. I may be down to days with her, but optimistcally hoping for a few more weeks as long as she wants to go that far. Heres a video from today. Just a small glimpse of the total picture.
Thanks again.
You don't need to apologize for anything at all, we are here to listen and hopefully help you feel better about what an incredible job you are doing as her caretaker. Even if it doesn't feel like it right now, what you are doing is bringing her comfort when she needs it most. No, she doesn't appear to be suffering, she still looks like happy Coco in those videos, which is awesome.
So a couple of things stand out in your last post. You are tired. I get it. The emotional and physical toll of not being able to help her eat is incredibly hard. I felt that way when our Jerry wouldn't eat anything, and it was so hard not to cry or get frustrated. Food was just not his motivation at that point in his life. All he wanted was to make sure his pack was OK.
Which leads me to your other comment, about her fighting for you as well. Some people think this is nuts to do with a dog, but it helps with people who are nearing end of life. If you have a really focused (and difficult for sure) talk with her, heart to heart, and tell her, that it's OK not to fight anymore if she is tired. Tell her that she has done a good job with her favorite people, that you will be sad but if she is ready to transition then so are you. That she will always be in your heart, forever. Sending her those thoughts that you are releasing her, and giving her permission to move on, may be enough to help her transition with more ease, so that there is no suffering. It may not be today or tomorrow or even next week, but it will be a little easier when it does happen. I know that won't be easy.
And it's OK to force the pills when you need to. You aren't doing it with malice or to extend her life without any quality, you are doing comfort care and sometimes it's necessary to give pills that way. Don't beat yourself up over it.
I hope this helps, and the pred does its thing so you two can get back to just focusing on enjoying you time together. Let us know. Lots of love headed your way.
Thank you. We have had the conversation several times. She is as stubborn as I am. She is down to only eating the milk bones and whipped cream. She doesnt want anything else. i even tried liverwurst. My question is how many days could she sustain this? I just started her pred today so i hope it works fast. i dont believe she is suffering at this point, but reality is that can change at anytime. It's up to her.
Update
I finally got her to eat some bacon and some of my pot roast. She ate quite a bit if bacon and a bit of the beef so that was a sucess. She only got one gabepentin today so I think she is experiencing a little discomfort, im gonna let her go til morning because I forced the proin and pred on her. Hoping for her to want to eat by wed thursday. If she doesnt I think i have a very difficult decision to make.
Oh I should have known you had already talked with her 🙂 Good job.
So that is a really good sign the pred is already kicking in, if she ate a little bit. I'm going to guess you'll see some improvement tomorrow, at least I really hope so. Let us know.
I hope so. She had a bad night. Panting really bad. I thought that we were making the ride at midnight. I think she didnt have her usual amount of pain meds for the last 2 days so she may of had some pain last night and also Im think the pred made her very hot, I know it does for me. I can only go day by day at this point. Again appreciate the words. You guys advice is always spot on and my hopes is with the all the conversations is that people can relate and hopefully it helps them deal with the same issues we all are going through and that they are not alone.
I'm guessing that yeah the pain from being off the NSAID was making her feel bad, and that's what the panting was all about. How is she doing now?
Yes, your posting here is really helpful to others who maybe aren't ready to share in the Forums, and just reading about other experiences makes them feel better and know they aren't alone. So thank you.
We are sending tons of love, keep us posted.
She is doing a little better today eating a little bit. Still challenging with the pills, but successful with donut holes. Only had to force one this evening. She ate a little bit of pot roast for breakfast and I was able to come home for lunch and coax her with a donut hole and her meds. And she ate some liverwurst and a little bit of cheese. Tonight she ate a little bit of beef cubes not much and of course a couple milk bones. Even tried cookie dough for pills no luck. Im heartbroken she has been very wary of anything we try to hand her. Unfortunately, I think it is time. I think she has had enough. It pains me more to see her this way. Dont get me wrong even in the pain and panting last night her tail was wagging. I seriously thought I was going for an emergency visit at 1am. I dont believe she is in pain right now, but I believe the cancer made its way elsewhere and is making her nauseaous. I'm going to give it a day or two more and I have to make a decision. She has proved me wrong on many occassions, so I think she deserves another day or two.
Have missed the past few updates. And yes, quite the roller coaster ride.
The video of her wagging her tail is such a treasure.. She still has some sparkle shining thrpugh.
Had to chuckle about you drilling holes in her milkbone. Guess she hasn't figured out that's where you're hiding the pills.......yet. It does seem like she's eating a bit better and more comfortable, so the Pred may be providing more "comfort", as well as perk up her appetite.
Yes, one day at a time. It sounds like she's not jn any "crises" mode so you can just see what the tomorrows bring. I know it's soooo hard to focus on the now....on the present. But the present appears to be "doable" and that's far as you need to think right now.
FWIW, if you can look at this part of the journey as her "new normal".....her new way she defines her quality. Ahe clearly doesn't perceive eating to be a big priority, but she does seemed very pleased with herself to take a short walk wagging that tail.
Whenever you do have to make the "deci", you can do so knowing you have given her every single chance for an extended quality time. And yes, between your efforts and her determination she has certainly beaten the odds and, continues to do so...one day at a time. Obvioisly there comes a point when "anytime for release" is the "right" time. There comes a point when trying to extend time for another several weeks knowing that things can only get worse and stability of some form of quality is no longer an option .....that's when the decision can become more obvious. More at peace if you will. You can avoid a crises and release with a better memory as opposed to an awful experience. Not sure I'm making any sense. .
All that said, you are seeing the Pred seemingly help as it's supposed to. So it's certainly understandable to continue to take one day at a time, Hopefully you can find some peace knowing that any decision from this point forward will be the "right" decision......just as it's the "right" decision to see how each day plays out, one day at a time.
She knows the depth of your love. ♥️ We know the depth of your love♥️. To love a life enveloped in love is what all beings would want.
Give her some extra MilkBones for me, okay? And donut holes too!!
(((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))
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!
Thanks Benny55. Oh she didnt fall for the drilled hole in the milkbone but once. She is far to smart for her own good. It pains me to see the distrust in her eyes when I approach her with something in my hand. As smart as the are the dont realize its for their own good. My hopes is the pred will kick in further and she will eat more normally, although thats probably not gonna be the case. I believe either the cancer has finally got to her liver or her stomach. Me and the wife has been talking in depth and we both agree she is almost ready. As much as it breaks my heart. I take comfort in knowing I have exhausted all possibilites. I think the whole situation is stressful for the whole family and that effects Coco's well being as well. She is alqays concerned about "her packs" well being. I will keep you guys posted on our decision over the next couple of days.
Just know we are all right by your side through cyber.....and through understanding this part of the journey like no others can. Don't feel a need to keep updating if you are up to it. Just continue to be present with that very special gal and enjoy each moment. Be upbeat and make each day one of celebration and thanks for the joy of having her in your life. That's exact how she feels about you!!!
A thought.......is there anyone else who can be the pill giver other than you? She has associated you with the pill. She is so very smart! Or you ve thr one to do the pill and your wife is the one who gives her the food, good stuff and nothing else.
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
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!
Thanks, I give her her 2 nausea and pred at 5:30 in the morning and my thought is if she gets the anti nausea first thing maybe she will eat for the wife. Than the wife give her the proin and gabepentin in the am and at lunch another gabepentin. We tag team her after work for the remainder. When I force her after she takes them I get her all excited and celebrate her actions and top it off with a milk bone. Seems to be better than the last couple of days.
On another note, I reached out this morning to Lap of Love pet hospice and started that process for when the time comes. They come to the house and help pets transition with least amount of stress. They were very compassionate on the phone and come highly reccomended by a friend. When that time comes I will share my experience.
I am going to try and post more pics before that day comes.
** pic update**
Dont mind the mess, but I caught her on my camera from work. She has not a care in the world and looks comfortable
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