Can anyone hold my hand tonight? Elderly dog

[sadwidow28]

DDog is 16.5yrs old, arthritic.

Most days he is happy and walks. Since last night he won't walk (but is eating well if I put a bowl of food and water under his nose)

I booked a home visit for him yesterday - that can only be done at 8pm tonight and I am getting worried that I will be offered PTS.

I will never allow my dog to suffer, but I think PTS tonight will not be appropriate.

For background

• He had a benign tumour removed from his anus 18 months ago - and a cyst removed from his eye at the same time.

• He had blood tests re-done in August 2015 and heart, kidneys, liver all showing he is in 'excellent' levels for an Oldie. Results described as 'good' for a 9yr old'

• He is a Border Collie (80%) and German Shepherd (20%) mix - and I know that GS have hip problems.

• I now have to lift him each morning to get him to standing position (but his back legs now give way when he least expects it)

Please, please hold my hand.

I think the vet said that Pardale is paracetamol and codeine. (vet said do NOT give DDog his half a Paracemol now he is on Pardale).

The vet said that IF he is wrong about cancer of the spleen then he would consider prescribing Tramadol next week (and removing Pardale from his prescription).

Vet did ask me how I knew to ask about Tramadol .... I said nuffink about Mumsnet and TheoriginalLEM

I'll let you know how DDog is tomorrow.

Our old cat was on tramadol. It did wonders. She had bloody awful arthritis. That and a whelping (heat) pad really helped. Hoping for an all clear on the cancer. Our old boy had it. We had him on a low dose chemo and steroids too to keep him comfortable. It's so hard to know when the right moment is. (Got it wrong I fear for boycat but right for girlcat.) Better a day too early than an hour too late. Hoping you have more time together though. C

C?
Bloody phone!
X!

Ah, honey, I know what you're going through, except in our case we genuinely didn't know our superstar was on her way out, we thought we could continue to manage and she would get better. Her back end went and she was faecally incontinent, but still eating, wanting to play, enjoying snuggling as usual, wasn't in pain. We made a little sling for under her hips to hoik her back up again and put mats all round the house for grip.

She let us know when she had had enough, very clearly, which I never expected. she was such a huge personality and central part of our being that I never thought she would get 'the look' that I read about. The vet came out to the house and it was very, very quick. He rang to let us know he was on his way (I wanted to fight him away from our house and let us keep her. I didn't!)

If you can manage his problems as best you can, keep him as long as possible if he's not suffering and still has interest in life. It's a fuckin long time without them. Inhale big breaths of his scent, feel his fur and familiarness, imprint him on your brain, get his paw prints and give him a big kiss from me and all of us who have been there before. He could be around for some time yet! Try not to worry too much about vet stuff, stay strong in front of him so he's not worried about you and cherish every moment you have the lovely fella!

Big hugs to you You are doing the right thing. You sound so in tune with your doggie and you are a team. One day you'll just know and there will be no questions. Until then, try to enjoy as best you can. I am going through this too with our terrier and am finding that hard... to stay happy and positive. But I keep trying to remember that he doesn't know he is dying so I try to imagine I don't know either. It kind of helps.

PS Our Berkeley wears dog Grippers at home, as we have hard floors. I find they help him be a little more stable on his feet, as he also has weak back legs. They are like little socks with rubbery bottoms.

UPDATE:

I slept in the lounge with DDog last night - I don't know why other than I felt I needed to be on hand. He slept like a baby and even over-slept our normal 6am rising! However, when he did get up, he had been faecally incontinent which is not like him at all. I can manage to handle that as long as he is not in pain or distress.

(When he had the lump removed from his anus 18 months ago I was warned he might be incontinent after the operation and I said I would rather have him home and incontinent than not at all. His lump and cyst were biopsied and they were both non-malignant.)

Anyway, I fed him and gave him his Loxicom and Pardale and he was actually interested in going out at 10am. Not only out - but down the decking steps for a walk round the holiday park. He did just over half a mile at a very steady pace. His rear left leg was still doing a bit of 'skating'. He has slept ever since whereas we usually do 4 walks a day totalling 4 miles. I'll keep him to doing short walks when he feels he can manage them.

I still have to get 2 x Dasuquin down him - they are huge tablets and he is eating the ham and spitting out the Dasuquin! He hasn't lost his feisty spirit I'll wrestle them down his throat later on......

Thanks for all the help and advice last night. I didn't feel so alone.

Thank you to those who shared your stories about poor mobility and knowing when the time has come. I did have an 18yr old DCat PTS in 2003, but I was absolutely SURE (as was she) that the time had come.

I'll let you know the outcome of his blood tests tomorrow. I am hoping you'll hold my hand until this episode has an outcome - either PTS (cancer) or pain management (arthritis) for a little longer.

I forgot to say that I will also be thinking of you LimeJellyHead.

I like your idea that our DDogs don't know they are dying. I am going to hold onto that thought.

sadwidow28 the love for your dog oozes out of your posts. He is such a lucky dog to have experienced such love and care from you all his life. Fingers crossed for the outcome of his blood tests but in the meantime my thoughts are with you and carry on enjoying each others company.

Thank you to you too and yes, hold on to that thought.

Handholding. We lost the younger of our then 2 dogs nearly 2 years ago. He was nearly 14. He went downhill very quickly and it was devastating. The older dog went on till earlier this year. We had been watching and waiting and knowing her life was fading and taking her to regular vet appointments. We still have a house full of dogs and although I love them all to bits, it's really hard when one of them is a particular friend.

EasyToEatTiger

We still have a house full of dogs and although I love them all to bits, it's really hard when one of them is a particular friend.

That was a timely reminder for me!

My friend runs Chaldon Animal Sanctuary in Surrey - homes for life. I once made the mistake of saying "You don't understand as you have loads of other animals". If I could have bitten my tongue off at the moment, I would have done. I just had to apologise 100% because of course she loves all her 68 animals, but a few of them decide to specially bond with her - and she with them.

When her particularly precious GS dog died, we had to keep phoning and emailing. Others who lived closer visited to do the animal feeding every day to allow her time to grieve.

I am in contact with Liz [name in public domain] regarding DDog because if anything had have happened to me before the end of DDog's days, he was going off to his Aunty Liz with a little pension! Everything has been worked out for the last 10 years - even PetTrak and GreenFlag knew that they had to transport him to Surrey (with the help of the vet). Anyway, the plan was in place but now not looking like it will ever be needed.

EasyToEatTiger I have a load of NEW sqeaky toys that were bought for DDogs birthdays. He has never liked squeakies - they make him jump. Liz doesn't accept them either as they bring out 'chaos in the household' with her dogs. Do your dogs like squeaky toys? If so would you DM your address and I will send them to you with my DDogs love.

how are things for you today?

No phone call from the vet today. (He did say that he would phone with results on Saturday morning.)

So.... DDog has slept most of today - but all medication administered. I wrestle him to get the big tablets down his throat.

But, I have decided that every day is a special day for DDog. So I found some outdoor lights in a wardrobe and put them up on our decking! That was difficult because of that Desmond Storm. (We are just at the tail end of it and it is bad.) I think I got a free face-lift putting up the lights.

Having got the lovely lights up, Ddog wanted to parade himself around the holiday park and tell every other dog that he had lights up on his decking. (He was always a show-off) He did a half-mile walk and sniffed every blade of grass he could find. He even wee'd up a tree and a lamp post with a cocked-leg .... and he couldn't do that 3 days ago.

I know not to get my hopes up too far. Ddog is 16.5yrs old so he is at the end of his days. I think I can manage it better now that I have had the warning. I won't be complacent and think he has suddenly got 100% better - I know that I have to face the goodbye imminently.

Thank you once again to everyone who is here with me on this thread.

Aw, what a lovely looking DDog. He is so lucky to have you caring for him.

oh he is lovely. you are doing him proud. It sounds like he has rallied a bit. whatever the results base your decision on how he is.

He is GORGEOUS. I do love an oldie. Keep up the sterling work, both of you

TODAY'S UPDATE

DDog woke me up at 3.30am and wanted a walk. I thought, "This is it - he is looking for a place". Nah..... he is just using his new-found status in the house to demand a short walk whenever he wants

A friend (who came with me the rescue home when I adopted him - and has been doggie care for the last 10 yrs) visited today in case they needed to say 'last goodbyes'. Well, my little monkey went on 2 x half mile walks within 2 hours. DDog's back legs are not stable - but I think he was super-proud of himself.

DDog is sleeping on my feet again as I type. I'll see what tomorrow's news brings.

Thanks once again everyone.

Gorgeous boy. Fingers and paws crossed for you here x

I have no advice, just lots of love and cuddles to your precious boy (and a beautiful boy he is too!). You are so lucky to have each other! I hope the decisions you may have to make over the next few days/weeks don't cause you too much hurt and bring peace to your sweet boy. for you OP

Who knows but I am hoping the same for me and my babe. Maybe we are both mad but you gotta keep the hope alive

He looks lovely! What you're going through sounds so familiar. Our oldie never took much notice of the puppy. We bought a puppy because the boys deferered to the oldie, and I thought it might work to have another bitch in the house when the oldie died. It was a bit bonkers in the house having a really old dog and a really young one, and 2 adult dogs, but when the oldie was pts, it was a great relief having the others. Our first dog went downhill very quickly. The older one, we had more time. It's very hard, knowing that the end is nigh, hoping beyond hope and wishing beyond wish that it wasn't. You are doing all the right things and your ddog is so lucky to have you. I held our first dog as he drifted off. Really it could not have been better under the circumstances. He was a very special animal. Keep going, and lots of big MN hugs.

I have finally got the blood results back! I can confirm that DDog has been eating well and sleeping well since I last posted - I have done neither!

GOOD NEWS

The haematology results do NOT indicate cancer.

• red blood cells: good
• white blood cells: only very slightly raised
• protein level: raised
• Cholesterol: good
• Phos (didn't write down the end of that word): good

There is an elevation in CK and BiliRuben (sp?)

The vet said that he would be more worried about LOW protein levels than higher ones.

The vet is attending tomorrow morning to give DDog a long-lasting injection of antibiotics and a B12 injection because his overall results show that DDog is trying to fight something off.

I did ask him not to give me any more tablets to wrestle down DDog's throat as it is spoiling our time together! This DDog has found a knack of keeping his Dasuquin at the back of his throat then, when I think I have stroked it down his neck, he somehow gets it back to his muzzle and spits it out in a corner of any room where he can be 'secretive'. I suppose that shows he is still feisty!

Now, the discussion I need to have tomorrow includes:

• Tramadol (vet said DDog could have it if he doesn't have cancer)
• Using Infacol (for babies) - friend from sanctuary said that his gurgling tummy might benefit from that.
• acupuncture for hind legs (vet said we could discuss if DDog didn't have cancer - and friend from sanctuary uses acupuncturist and chiroprators on her elderly dogs)

Anything else I should think about to keep my Oldie dog happy and pain free?

Thank you, thank you everyone for helping me.

Have been waiting for an update, so pleased you have encouraging news hope you and your dog have good Xmas together.

Thank you for thinking of us pickles The hand-holding on this thread has kept me going for a week. I have shed more tears than I thought I had - I haven't slept and I haven't eaten other than a half a sandwich.

Apparently, the vet asked for the blood tests to be re-run on Monday as he was convinced that DDog had cancer when he thought he could feel a lump on DDog's spleen, but the hematology results said different. I just wish the vet had phoned me and said that his diagnosis would be delayed because he had asked for a re-run.

Liver, kidneys and heart all showing to be functioning well.

I do know that I have to lose DDog at some point - and I am not 100% sure he is out of the woods yet until he stops skating on his back legs.