steppedog is dying and I'm heartbroken

[steppemum]

Steppedog is a rescue. We got him aged 3, he is now 7 he is a springer spaniel and the loveliest dog.

He has had problems with his ears for months and months, and the vet had suggested an expensive op. In the end we decided to go for it. But he had been a bit off with some other stuff (not eating properly and occasionally sick etc) so I asked her to have a general look at him before we went further. In the last 2 weeks he also seems to have lost weight.
She couldn't feel see anything immediately, but she weighed him and he had lost a lot (20 kgs down to 17kgs) so she took a load of bloods and sent them off.

That was Thursday. He is happy and bright and running round fields and generally looks like a fine dog.

She rang me on Friday evening. Bloods were back and showed a lot of things going on. She sounded really worried. He went back this morning for scans and urine tests etc etc.

I have just come home.
He has end stage kidney failure, his gut is not working, he is dehydrated and the vet thinks there may be something else.
Everyone is in shock, as he should be presenting thin, gaunt, listless and almost not able to walk.
Instead, he and I did a 5km walk round the fields on Friday morning, tail wagging, sniffing and happy. No walks over the weekend as vet said don't, but Dh took him round the block for a toilet trip and he was pulling to go off down the the fields.

So medically he is at end of life care.
But he is presenting as happy well dog. No-one can understand it.
Vet was amazed when I said he was poohing normally yesterday.

They've kept him in, going to give him fluids and something to get his gut moving and then we will be on last stage kidney care diet and meds. If it is just kidneys (and vet is not convinced) then he might have a few months.

I know we live longer than dogs, but he is only 7 and seems so well, never had any problems.
Feel shell shocked.

vet has just called.

Some hope. He has spoken to the medical expert at the vet hospital, and they are pretty sure that he was born with deformed kidneys and so his body has learnt how to compensate, and cope with very poor kidney function, which is why he isn't flat out on the floor.
But it has deteriorated and he has obviously reached a bit of a tipping point.

the biggest issue is that he is very badly anaemic because kidneys are not producing some hormone.
If his anaemia drops any lower it will kill him. There is treatment they can try, but not proven as not widely used yet, and expensive.
So we have to get insurance company to pay.

If that helps the amaemia, and we put him on a kidney diet, he may then have quite a few good months left, as the kidney diet will support and stabilize the kidneys.
Gut will work if kidneys are working, and they aren't too concerned as it is still working, althoguh sluggish.

So, not quite as bad as I thought this morning, thinking we will have a few months with him, and can enjoy him for a little while.

Here is hoping for some good months 🤞

thanks Bitey.

I learnt so much from you when I first got a spaniel!

Spaniels are the best but we are biased.

Any progress?

well picked him up from vet on Monday night, and Mon and yesterday he looked pretty sorry for himself.

last night dd slept in ds room (he's at uni) he has a double bed and steppedog sleeps on it when ds is home.
Dd slept there so steppedog could sleep with her. Apparently he slept pretty much on top of her

Steppedog bounced downstairs this morning, scoffed breakfast (didn't eat much yesterday and didn't poo, as gut is sluggish due to kidneys) then grabbed his rope and insisted on tug of war, went out for walk with dh, did a full 5km walk bouncing all the way and did normal number of poos. Now pootling round happily, not even crashed after his walk.

So, who knows?!
I pick up the meds and special food tonight, both of which should help a lot, and then we'll see. Maybe his kidneys have always been this awful, and he will live for years! (Ok, so not realistic, but certainly feel as if we have months not days and weeks)

All fingers crossed for many happy months ahead of you yet...

I've known so many dogs now and how they all manage to wriggle their way into your lives so that a massive hole is left when they depart - I still don't know. But they do. Somehow, our lives get shaped around them and then are left stretched out, like a worn jumper, afterwards.

So sorry - but it sounds as if he's still having a lovely life, and now you know what's going on you can be on the alert for when he's ready to go. It sounds as if that will be a little while yet though.

Aww let's hope it was just a blip and Steppedog carries on running around like a typical spaniel loon.

Dogs really work their way into your affections... Wishing you all the best for your mad spaniel, and hoping that he keeps you on your toes for a while yet.

Gosh that's awful OP, it must be heartbreaking. I know it sounds strange but dogs are really good at hiding illness, as they want to please. I hope he is doing okay

We fostered a springer a few years ago, but she was never healthy. Raced around, fetched a ball etc. But poo'd so much I wondered where it all came from! It was obvious there was something seriously wrong. She died at about 18 months old. Maybe it's a springer thing.

I'm so sorryyou gave him a second life full of love,it's so unfair that his time has come so soon

He's so lovely. I'm so sorry for you. At least he's happy and living a good life to the end.

Spaniels are notorious for covering up pain.

Truly the best and maddest of dogs.

When our rottweiler had mammary cancer we were determined to make the most of her post surgery as she was already 10...we had a great 10 months before she was suffering the effects of a brain tumour.. 2 weeks later she was pts. But those precious 10 months meant everything to us as a family. Keep that camera handy op and make the most.