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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Hand Hold please :(

28 replies

Jodie782 · 21/08/2024 22:05

I have a beautiful nearly 4 year old cockapoo who was absolutely fine 3 weeks ago. `All of a sudden went from being my crazy hectic fun dog to constantly sleeping, not eating or wanting to do anything. We took her to her vets and bloods came back clear, and they was not sure what was wrong. She quickly deteriorated getting worse and then she was wobbly on her feet falling over and constantly crying. We managed to get a private MRI today (keeping her over night) and they confirmed she has something called Meningoencephalitis. Apparently can be treated by coming to the hospital every three weeks (staying the night there) and also other medication to keep her alive. We have Insurance but it only covers a little amount (this would cost us over a £1000 a month) We are going to see her tomorrow and will speak to the hospital but at the moment we feel it is cruel to keep her alive (she hates vets). They said she can pass away anytime even with medication and will not live more than 3 years . We are absolutely heartbroken :( Any advice would be great as google has so many different results on this.

OP posts:
Onedaynotyet · 21/08/2024 22:33

Poor little soul, and poor you. I would have no choice at a cost of 12000 a year. We could not possibly do it. I wonder if I would anyway, though. It's a big ask of a little dog who hates vets, though maybe they'd get used to it.

OrangeJeans · 21/08/2024 22:35

So sorry 🐾

3smallpups · 21/08/2024 22:42

In the " olden days " we would treat this with prednisalone , and possibly anticonvulsant drugs, like phenobarbitone if needed.
I'm sure it's not the gold standard treatment that your referral vets are offering but certainly worth a thought, both drugs being cheap and administered at home with minimal side effects.
Obviously there may be a reason this isn't an option , I don't know the ins and outs of this case but worth a chat with your own vet ?

Original poster
Jodie782 · 21/08/2024 22:44

Onedaynotyet · 21/08/2024 22:33

Poor little soul, and poor you. I would have no choice at a cost of 12000 a year. We could not possibly do it. I wonder if I would anyway, though. It's a big ask of a little dog who hates vets, though maybe they'd get used to it.

Thank you Onedaynotyet, I agree it would cause more stress to her as she trembles in fear because she had issues with her ears when we first had her. I am not sure what we are going to do but it does not look good :(

OP posts:
Original poster
Jodie782 · 21/08/2024 22:49

3smallpups · 21/08/2024 22:42

In the " olden days " we would treat this with prednisalone , and possibly anticonvulsant drugs, like phenobarbitone if needed.
I'm sure it's not the gold standard treatment that your referral vets are offering but certainly worth a thought, both drugs being cheap and administered at home with minimal side effects.
Obviously there may be a reason this isn't an option , I don't know the ins and outs of this case but worth a chat with your own vet ?

Hi 3smallpups, thank you they did say we could give her oral steroids at home but said it was unlikely to work as good as being in hospital, they also scared us with stuff that can happen and said she will not be the same dog :(

She is our first dog and I feel absolutely heartbroken :(

OP posts:
caffelattetogo · 21/08/2024 23:07

Take your time and don't feel rushed. Referral vets always give you the most expensive options. I would ask to try prednisone steroids at home for a period of time and reevaluate. Sometimes the smallest options work out. Fingers crossed for you.

Original poster
Jodie782 · 22/08/2024 05:26

caffelattetogo · 21/08/2024 23:07

Take your time and don't feel rushed. Referral vets always give you the most expensive options. I would ask to try prednisone steroids at home for a period of time and reevaluate. Sometimes the smallest options work out. Fingers crossed for you.

Thank you I just want her better this is completely unexpected 😔

OP posts:
Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 06:41

The reason vets have stopped using anticoagulants, including the one mentioned, was because it very often made the dog incredibly irritable and aggressive - resulting in them attacking their owners. And prednisalone is far less effective and the side effects are worse - you’re talking dogs puking up their own shit - than the options the vet has suggested.

Can people PLEASE not suggest medication that you do not know the logic behind being discontinued or not proscribed!!! OP has already asked about alternatives, but you could have given false hope to someone which would have been needlessly cruel. Your heart is in the rude place, I am sure, but you’re not a vet (because a vet would not be in mumsnet suggesting options like this - they know better) so please don’t offer medical solutions or options. I am so sick of arm-chair vets on mumsnet. You do not have the training and you have not seen the dog. Stop trying to bypass the experts to medicate animal (not you, OP). OP is desperate and offering dangerous solutions is not the answer.

OP - I am so sorry for what you are going through. It must be absolutely heart breaking. I would PTS - vet is right your dog will never be cured and a quick death is better than the alternatives.

KeenOtter · 22/08/2024 08:39

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 06:41

The reason vets have stopped using anticoagulants, including the one mentioned, was because it very often made the dog incredibly irritable and aggressive - resulting in them attacking their owners. And prednisalone is far less effective and the side effects are worse - you’re talking dogs puking up their own shit - than the options the vet has suggested.

Can people PLEASE not suggest medication that you do not know the logic behind being discontinued or not proscribed!!! OP has already asked about alternatives, but you could have given false hope to someone which would have been needlessly cruel. Your heart is in the rude place, I am sure, but you’re not a vet (because a vet would not be in mumsnet suggesting options like this - they know better) so please don’t offer medical solutions or options. I am so sick of arm-chair vets on mumsnet. You do not have the training and you have not seen the dog. Stop trying to bypass the experts to medicate animal (not you, OP). OP is desperate and offering dangerous solutions is not the answer.

OP - I am so sorry for what you are going through. It must be absolutely heart breaking. I would PTS - vet is right your dog will never be cured and a quick death is better than the alternatives.

Edited

But it is ok to suggest pts by a random on the internet who has not see the dog........

Posters are not prescribing the medication just a suggestion to discuss with the vet

KeenOtter · 22/08/2024 08:43

OP I am so sorry that you are dealing with this.

3smallpups · 22/08/2024 08:44

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 06:41

The reason vets have stopped using anticoagulants, including the one mentioned, was because it very often made the dog incredibly irritable and aggressive - resulting in them attacking their owners. And prednisalone is far less effective and the side effects are worse - you’re talking dogs puking up their own shit - than the options the vet has suggested.

Can people PLEASE not suggest medication that you do not know the logic behind being discontinued or not proscribed!!! OP has already asked about alternatives, but you could have given false hope to someone which would have been needlessly cruel. Your heart is in the rude place, I am sure, but you’re not a vet (because a vet would not be in mumsnet suggesting options like this - they know better) so please don’t offer medical solutions or options. I am so sick of arm-chair vets on mumsnet. You do not have the training and you have not seen the dog. Stop trying to bypass the experts to medicate animal (not you, OP). OP is desperate and offering dangerous solutions is not the answer.

OP - I am so sorry for what you are going through. It must be absolutely heart breaking. I would PTS - vet is right your dog will never be cured and a quick death is better than the alternatives.

Edited

Well actually I am a vet so ..
Prednisalone is not an anticoagulant
It doesn't have horrific side effects
Vets still do use it everyday
I mentioned it as an option, for her to discuss with her own vet.

It may be that her vet is a young vet who has no experience of this issue other than sending for referral.
I have many year's experience, including treating the odd one of these, in the days before referral was a common/ possible thing ( only about 20 years ago )
I was just pointing out that there possibly is a lower cost treatment that possibly might work.
If it were my dog, I would like to think someone would do that for me .

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 09:07

@3smallpups I would expect a qualified vet has better reading comprehension and more ethics than you have demonstrated thus far. I had a full stop separating the anticoagulant comment and the Prednisalone comment - clearing talking about different things. Prednisalone does have horrible side effects - a vet should know this. Even a quick google demonstrates how horrible they are and OP was clear that her vet said the side effects were awful; so for you to once again fail to demonstrate basic understanding of medication is baffling, if you are indeed a vet.

Likewise, any qualified vet would not be offering veterinary advice on an animal they had not seen or offering false hope on what is effectively a death sentence for a dog. That was why during COVID vets stayed open - because it is impossible for us to properly diagnose and adequately treat a dog/cat/guinea pig etc that we had not physically checked.

As someone who was a qualified vet for 15+ years (up until recently when I changed professions), I would never offer to sort of advice you have offered on this thread - particularly for this disease. What you have done is dangerous, disingenuous and unethical.

KeenOtter · 22/08/2024 09:18

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 09:07

@3smallpups I would expect a qualified vet has better reading comprehension and more ethics than you have demonstrated thus far. I had a full stop separating the anticoagulant comment and the Prednisalone comment - clearing talking about different things. Prednisalone does have horrible side effects - a vet should know this. Even a quick google demonstrates how horrible they are and OP was clear that her vet said the side effects were awful; so for you to once again fail to demonstrate basic understanding of medication is baffling, if you are indeed a vet.

Likewise, any qualified vet would not be offering veterinary advice on an animal they had not seen or offering false hope on what is effectively a death sentence for a dog. That was why during COVID vets stayed open - because it is impossible for us to properly diagnose and adequately treat a dog/cat/guinea pig etc that we had not physically checked.

As someone who was a qualified vet for 15+ years (up until recently when I changed professions), I would never offer to sort of advice you have offered on this thread - particularly for this disease. What you have done is dangerous, disingenuous and unethical.

Edited

But you did offer advice to PTS ....

I think you horse is too high

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 09:21

KeenOtter · 22/08/2024 09:18

But you did offer advice to PTS ....

I think you horse is too high

Show quote history

Because it is the best solution. You don't need to be a vet to see it. If OP cannot afford the treatment and veterinary professionals agree the alternatives are just awful, then the only solution is to PTS.

You might not like it. But it is true and others on this thread have said the same thing. It's horrible sad for OP. I empathise for him/her/them...but it doesn't change what's best for the dog.

3smallpups · 22/08/2024 09:27

@Killingoffmyflowersonebyone
Probably for the best you changed profession if you were this rude and high handed with your clients
This a thread from someone looking for support, not a place to pick a fight , have some compassion.
No one was diagnosing anything
I assumed you mistakenly thought Prednisalone was an anticoagulant, since no anticoagulant had been mentioned anywhere.
I'm leaving this now because it's not the place to argue.

Good luck op, I really hope everything goes as well as it can for you with whatever you decide to do. I'm so very sorry for your dog.

Original poster
Jodie782 · 22/08/2024 10:54

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 06:41

The reason vets have stopped using anticoagulants, including the one mentioned, was because it very often made the dog incredibly irritable and aggressive - resulting in them attacking their owners. And prednisalone is far less effective and the side effects are worse - you’re talking dogs puking up their own shit - than the options the vet has suggested.

Can people PLEASE not suggest medication that you do not know the logic behind being discontinued or not proscribed!!! OP has already asked about alternatives, but you could have given false hope to someone which would have been needlessly cruel. Your heart is in the rude place, I am sure, but you’re not a vet (because a vet would not be in mumsnet suggesting options like this - they know better) so please don’t offer medical solutions or options. I am so sick of arm-chair vets on mumsnet. You do not have the training and you have not seen the dog. Stop trying to bypass the experts to medicate animal (not you, OP). OP is desperate and offering dangerous solutions is not the answer.

OP - I am so sorry for what you are going through. It must be absolutely heart breaking. I would PTS - vet is right your dog will never be cured and a quick death is better than the alternatives.

Edited

Thank you for kind words, we just had a call to say she is ICU we had a chat at all the options and we feel it would be best if we had her pts 😢 I really do not want to but I can't have my beautiful dog suffer with all the medication and constant hospital trips. I've been up the whole night googling and I feel she would not be strong enough to survive this.

OP posts:
KeenOtter · 22/08/2024 11:09

So sorry OP

KeenOtter · 22/08/2024 11:15

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 09:21

Because it is the best solution. You don't need to be a vet to see it. If OP cannot afford the treatment and veterinary professionals agree the alternatives are just awful, then the only solution is to PTS.

You might not like it. But it is true and others on this thread have said the same thing. It's horrible sad for OP. I empathise for him/her/them...but it doesn't change what's best for the dog.

Edited
Show quote history

I was not questioning what was right or the best decision. I was questioning that you were able to give advice when you said others could not even when you had not seen the dog, something you raised as important in other peoples decision making. The vitriol of your post was unnecessary.

Everyone was trying to help you turned it into a bun fight with different criteria for others than yourself.

FiveShelties · 22/08/2024 11:21

I am so sorry @Jodie782

Combattingthemoaners · 22/08/2024 11:27

Really sorry you are your poor little dog are going through this OP. Cockapoos are the most lovable family pet. Take care x

Pyreneansylvie · 22/08/2024 11:32

So sorry. It's very sad.

Killingoffmyflowersonebyone · 22/08/2024 11:35

Jodie782 · 22/08/2024 10:54

Thank you for kind words, we just had a call to say she is ICU we had a chat at all the options and we feel it would be best if we had her pts 😢 I really do not want to but I can't have my beautiful dog suffer with all the medication and constant hospital trips. I've been up the whole night googling and I feel she would not be strong enough to survive this.

Show quote history

I'm so sorry, OP.

I know it won't make a difference, but your dog has clearly had an amazing life and been so loved by you. Nearly four years isn't long enough for you and your family...but nearly four years of being loved for your cockerpoo will have meant everything to her.

Original poster
Jodie782 · 22/08/2024 11:57

Thank you for kind messages. You're right she did have 4 amazing happy years, she was loved so much by us all. We work from home so she was always around us and was very spoiled. I'm still not ready to say goodbye, we may be going today to do this.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jodie782 · 22/08/2024 19:26

We got to spend time with her today, she was heavily medicated. We all got to cuddle her and tell her how much we loved her, before she was peacefully put to sleep. She was in our arms. I feel heartbroken but know it was the best thing to do, she was already deteriorating and had been moved into ICU. I just had to put away all her stuff because it is too upsetting to see. Thank you for all your comments.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 22/08/2024 20:51

Sorry for your loss @Jodie782 💐