OT: When do you say enough when your animal is seriously ill?

[alm]

My cat has been seriously ill for 9 days now. After 5 days at a normal animal hospital with no results and a goose hunt with a 2k bill I have her in a specialist's office. Now 4 days there and we still don't know why she is ill or dying. I've had every test done, ultra sounds, xrays, Feline AIDS and everything else they can do. Only 2 diagnositc tests remain pending for Monday.

She is torn up and i can't stand to see her going thru all this but I have to know why this is happening. I've had to have her lungs tapped 3 times just to keep the fluids from drowning her to go through all this as well. Their worst fear is something called FIP which is 100% fatal.

Has anybody else had to go thru something else like this?? Hell, I could only imagine what somebody with no money and a sick animal have to deal with. These Vets IMO can get away with rape with somebody like me who wants so badly to cure my pet. THEY GOT ME GOING IN FRICKING CIRCLES WITH NO ANSWERS!!

 

[dillydog]

Had to go through this with all my dogs.It does get expensive had 10k with one.Im sure you love the cat and need somebody to say its ok that you put her down.This is the worst part of owning a pet.Take solace in the fact you gave her a good home and loved her.It sounds like Monday you will have exhausted all avenues.Personally when I see the suffering it almost tells you its time.I also think your vet should be preparing for it just my 2 cents.Cherish your time with her.Good luck with what you decide.If you look I think there was a thread here before where we all gave out thoughts on this.try a search

 

[bellyputter]

I have had two dogs that I fought too long and hard to keep alive, forgetting that the most important aspect is quality of life! I have a dog right now that is 13+ years old(great health), but I won't let him ever suffer. The one thing that makes a dog different from a person, is they don't get depressed by bad health. They will fight to the bitter end. Good Luck

 

[Boxslayer]

my 13 year old Lab was put to sleep a few months ago. he had a huge lump on his leg bigger than softball, had a hard time getting up, but always managed and moved slowly but surely. we werent sure what to do until he started losing control of his urine and couldnt control it.

sometimes you think you are doing the animal a favor by keeping them alive, but always remember quality of life is most important - as long as whatever it is the animal has is uncurable.

like if this thing will be cured in 5 more days, then you ride it out, but if this is how it is going to be for the foreseeable future - indefinitely - quality of life matters.

 

[FairWarning]

If the pet starts losing its appetite, then it is time for sure. Just ask the vet what are the realistic chances for your pet. Yes, some can pull out of it, but it could be very expensive as you are finding out. You have done the right thing by giving it expected care.

If it doesn't survive, find a no-kill shelter and adopt another.

 

[harrington]

When the animal starts to suffer then it's time. Huge dog lover here and I will not own another because I just get to damn attached to them

 

[alm]

I thank you all soo much for your contributing words to my battle.

Today I was told nothing again and with one result of the two left I don't expect much. She had to have her lungs tapped again this morning so its getting to be the 'quality of life' issue.

Regrds
alm

 

[MIKEY.1TIME]

what i do is ask myself if i would want to live that way, answer usually comes easy. good luck

 

[DNoonan]

Sucks man, I would do anything for my dogs. Dropped $5k on emergency vet earlier this year when they ate 500 paintballs (apparently the casing is made from pig intestines, who knew).

I agree with the fellas that chimed in, you have to put your emotions aside and remember all that you have done for the animal. The most compassionate thing you can do is give them a merciful ending when they are suffering.

Had a buddy spend 12K on his pit who had eye cancer last yr (removed his eye and surrounding bone) only to have it come back 6 months later.

Best of luck man, tough times.

 

[alm]

Again thanks everybody for your comments and advice.

Today at 5pm I laid with her and we put her to sleep. She quietly passed.

Attachment to an animal you love I know now can be very brutal.

As she laid there afterwards I got to spend some time with her and do not regret my decision.

Only regret is I'll never know how this happened. After all the 'care' nobody could make a diagnosis.

Take care and thanks again.

 

[Jack Herer]

Again thanks everybody for your comments and advice.

Today at 5pm I laid with her and we put her to sleep. She quietly passed.

Attachment to an animal you love I know now can be very brutal.

As she laid there afterwards I got to spend some time with her and do not regret my decision.

Only regret is I'll never know how this happened. After all the 'care' nobody could make a diagnosis.

Take care and thanks again.

I'm very sorry about your loss. Hope you find solace in time.

What were the results for the FIP test (Feline Infectious Peritonitis)?

Its too late know but if you really needed an answer and for future reference, a Veterinary Pathologist can necropsy your pet and in most cases give you a cause of death.

 

[JohnnyB]

When a hurricane comes...

 

[alm]

Jack

The FIP was something that the 4 regular vets, an Onocologist Specialist and an Internal Medicine vet all keyed in on.

I did not take this lightly as you can see I went through all avenues I could.

As you may know FIP is something that can't be 100% diagnosed. I went thru all the other tests to try to rule out anything else. NOTHING else existed thru CT's, UltraSounds, Pathology etc...

Some of the FIP tests sent out came back positive in one sense and a maybe thing in another.

But the way she just folded up and died in 13 days gave them something like a 90% figure that FIP was the cause.

 

[dillydog]

Im sorry for your loss

 

[Jack Herer]

Thanks for sharing the information. Best of luck. Again, sorry about your loss.

 

[alm]

Im sorry for your loss

Thanks Dilly.

I'd also like to thank everyone who knows who I am, especially RA, Roy, Greek and the rest of the guys who have spoke to me about this in the past couple weeks.

RIP Baba Lu (Bubu)

 

[TTinCO]

Alm, you didn't go by this name at MW or somewhere else in the past did you?

Do I know you?

 

[quinnsft34]

My dog is 17 in a few days and we have been fighting the thoughts of keeping him around or laying him down for a few years. He doesn't see very well and can't hear as well as he use to. He still moves around ok but sleeps most of the day. For the most part I think he is happy to be alive. I think it is best to let them pass when it is there time but don't fault anyone for trying to keep their pet comfy and free of pain and take them out of this world when they think their pain is just to much. Sorry for your loss may not be enough but that is really all I have to offer. You sound at peace with the decision so that is good best of luck going forward.

 

[alm]

TTinco, yes and yes.

 

[alm]

My dog is 17 in a few days and we have been fighting the thoughts of keeping him around or laying him down for a few years. He doesn't see very well and can't hear as well as he use to. He still moves around ok but sleeps most of the day. For the most part I think he is happy to be alive. I think it is best to let them pass when it is there time but don't fault anyone for trying to keep their pet comfy and free of pain and take them out of this world when they think their pain is just to much. Sorry for your loss may not be enough but that is really all I have to offer. You sound at peace with the decision so that is good best of luck going forward.

Quinn

Wow 17? Thats a good long time for a dog. My dog is 2.5 years and about 2.5 lbs and is with me 24/7. I could pray he lives another 14-15 years. God I dread even thinking about that day with my pup.

Trust me I thought about bringing her home and letting nature take its course. I even brought her home I think it was night 3 but she was in horrible shape and I couldn't give her the care she needed. I was told by many to stop wasting the money but I couldn't live with myself not kowing I did 100% my job as a pet lover and father to make sure she was taken care of while we figured out what was going on. In the past week she got so bad I think any time out of the Research Center ICU she would have died in hours. They were able to do the fluids, medicines and Oxygen take when she needed it. But today when I saw her I knew that was it. Her quality of life was over and her eyes said to me 'this is done'.

In the room today there were at one point 3 vets who were taking care of her. I said what in the hell this is fast as the plague. One of them said "worse".

I'm not sure (YET) what FIP does but let me tell you whomever the Johnny B guy is in this thread who wrote "When a hurricane comes". He fricking nailed it with whatever he meant. This thing came in like a hurricane and gave no mercy.