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OT: Painful decision

todancewithwolves

15 years ago

I have to make a painful decision. Eirn went in for his annual blood work today (he'll be 15 on Friday). He was diagnosed with a baseball size tumor in his bladder. He also has Cushings disease and the growths on his body are spreading. The vet said it's time to let go. I'm having a really tough time with this. :-(

Edna

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Comments (17)

susanlynne48
15 years ago
Oh, Edna, I'm so sorry! My heart and thoughts and prayers are with you. These are such heartwrenching decisions to make.

CalSherry can certainly emphathize with you when she lost her dog. My cats are getting up there. I cannot believe my two are 11 years old in June, but I just don't want to think about being without them.

Susan
kevabear
15 years ago
Oh Edna, I don't know you, but my heart and thoughts go out to you. I know it is so very painful. We recently lost a dear friend/cat of 16 years to cancer. I'm sure you will make the right decision for Eirn, and he will thank you for it. He will always, always be with you. Don't ever doubt that.
Lauri
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It sounds like you had someone at an administrative level (claims processor type) reviewing your referral/or claim documentation. Saying this is cosmetic is utterly silly. Maybe it was 5PM and they were anxious to go home for the day. Who knows? Was it a periodontal abscess or a pulpal abscess? Your use of the term "seared the abscess" leads me to belive it was a periodontal abscess, but did you ever end up with a root canal and a crown? The former is limited to the soft tissue and can originate for a variety of reasons - most commonly periodontal disease. Treatment in this case is to drain the abcess, clean and flush the area with warm saline solution and sometimes hydrogen peroxide, and a regimin of antibiotics. The latter originates in the pulp tissue inside your tooth -due to infection which can be caused by invasion of caries into the pulp chamber--"cavity", or when the pulp tissue slowly dies and becomes necrotic - most often from trauma of some kind. In a pulpal abscess - since this tissue is encased inside a hard structure - enamel and dentin - the infection has no where to drain other than through the apex of the root, where it will eventually appear as swelling just adjacent to the position of the root tip, but through your tissue. The swelling and pain from a pulpal abscess can be extreme and once this happens, it has to be treated immediately. The treatment for pulpal abscesses is a root canal and crown - along with antibiotics. It is disturbing that your DDS failed to diagnose and treat - though there are times when you can have a subclinical situation where you are expereincing the symptoms of pain, but the cause cannot be determined because it is not yet noticable on an x-ray or though clinical exam. We have had situations where we could not diagnose a pulpal abscess in the early stages when it is chronic and before it becomes acute for this reason, in which case we would either take an x-ray as a baseline and then schedule the patient to come back in a few months (as long as the symptoms were mild and not severe) or refer to an endodontist for a more detailed diagnostic workup and treatment. Referred pain is also common with pulpal abscesses. It can feel like it is your upper right first molar when it fact it could be your lower right molar, or even a tooth on the other side of the mouth. (Of course this assumes that obvious causes are absent). This is one reason we just don't jump in and do a root canal unless we are absolutely sure which tooth it is. In the early stages of the abscess that can be difficult to determine. In the acute/swelling stages, it is pretty simple to determine which tooth is the cause - both on an x-ray and by testing each tooth with slight pressure. Regardless of what the cause was, medical plans rarely cover dental treatement. Dental services are covered under dental plans, not medical plans. If you have dental insurance, then that is where the claim should be sent. The complicating factor you have on your side in an appeal situation is your history of Rheumatic fever--which means that there is some heart valve damage and any kind of systemic infection can be extremely dangerous unless the cause of the infection is treated and antibiotics given immediately. This would even apply before going to your hygienist for a routine cleaning. The standard of care is to always prescribe antibiotic premedication prior to doing any dental procedure on patients with a history of rhumatic fever. 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napapen
15 years ago
It is a painful situation. I had to put my Tano at 14 1/2 down last fall and I cried for days. The vet had to get us from the car. She had kidney failure and refused to eat. I know this is best and kind but it's hard to let go. I hope you have another baby - I have 2 and it helps.

Penny
onafixedincome
15 years ago
It's never ever easy to lose a friend.

Hang in there, we're all with you!
mboston_gw
15 years ago
We lost our Chelsea 2 years ago in Feb. She had hip problems and some kind of tumor. We had a week of not knowing what to do but on that Sat. morning, the look in her eyes told us she wanted to rest. It took us 7 months but it took 2 mini labradoodle pups to fill the void. I know she is looking down on us saying, Ha! and you thought you had your hands full with ME!

Good luck with your decision - its always hard no matter when it happens. Just remember you will have your memories and he will be there at Rainbow Bridge to meet you.
MissSherry
15 years ago
I'm so sorry! As the owner of four of them, there's nothing like your dog.
I'm sure that a spreading tumor must be painful, so you won't be doing the wrong thing if you do what your vet suggests.
I'm thinking of you.
Sherry
rick32817
15 years ago
So sorry to hear about your baby. I just lost my golden
retriever of 8 yrs due to many seizures. It's a painful
decision but best for your dog.
Jillberto
15 years ago
It is so hard when a really good dog is at its end time. Nothing can make it better for awhile.

Good for you for keeping up on yearly visits with him to a vet. Better to know what is happening on the inside than just to be ignorant. I find it is an easy decision to make for animal in pain, but a hard aftertime to live through.

Give your self some time to be sorrowful.

Jill
aggscott
15 years ago
I am so sorry, this is never easy..we just went through this about two-three years ago. Harley, our Border Collie, was over 12 and it was just time.
One thing that I learned that I had wished someone would have told me at the time..the Vet asked if my husband and I would like to be in the room when "it" happened and we said yes. If I had to go back I would not have done that, it was the worst thing I have ever witnessed in my life and I will never forget it.To this day we say that we would have said no..way to sad to see.
They live on though, we talk about him almost everyday still.He brought us so much joy~

Aggie
texaspuddyprint
15 years ago
Edna,

So sorry to hear about Eirn's condition. It is truly rough to love a beloved pet. It is never easy to say goodbye but all dogs go to Heaven :o) My prayers are with you and fur face :o)

I lost my little Taz after 15 wonderful years and also had put big Jack (a NDD who I adopted when our agency retired him) to sleep due to an uncurable disease. I had him for just a year but he was the epitome of unconditional love.

I took many photos of my pets that although seeing them bring sadness and tears they all bring back lots of wonderful memories. I know they are in a better place free of pain and illness too.

~ Cat
brandymulvaine
15 years ago
I'm so sorry you've got to go through this!! Like many here, we've lost a dog(congestive heart failure) he was on meds for a long time then quit eating and was having a hard time making his back legs work right..his quality of life was gone and he wasn't happy any more(does that make sense??)some dogs will wag their tails and lick you even when they're in pain, not Rex, he would just lay there and look at you. His breathing was real bad, lots of wheezing. We had the option of "putting him to sleep" at home(ask your vet about this). It was a nice warm day in late autumn, he loved to lie in the sun. It was the right decision, not an easy one though.
-B
bernergrrl
15 years ago
Edna, I too am so sorry that you have to face making this kind of decision. It's so hard to tell just when is the "right" time; don't want to do it too soon, don't want to do it too late.

He has such a sweet face, and 15 years is amazing! What a boy.

We're thinking of you and Eirn. It's so unfair that our pets leave us so early.
tdogmom
15 years ago
Edna,

I am so sorry. This is such a sad thing to read this morning. You and Eirn have had many wonderful years together and I know that because of your love for him, you will want to do what is most loving for him because you love him and don't want him to be in any pain. Only you and Eirn will know when the time is right, and I am CERTAIN Eirn will tell you.

My Britanny had renal failure. I ran the course with the saline injections until one day she told me she'd had enough and it was her time. I called the vet's office so they knew we were on the way. I called up my husband and together we went to the vet's. I sat in the car and he took Brit in, as I just couldn't do it. So, Penny, I know what you mean. I cried for a LONG time, as well. I knew her end was near and so I'd gotten Tifanny six weeks prior...

Another dog will never replace Eirn but can help to heal some of the hurt. His memory will live forever in your heart and soul. Those wonderful times will always be there for you to remember. Cry if you need to. I am crying for you now but know that your love will shine through.

XOXOXO,
Sherry
todancewithwolves
Original Author
15 years ago
I woke up at 4:11 this morning and balled my eyes out. I held him and cried more. I told him to let me know when he's ready.

Tuesday, after the vet, I brought him to work and we had McDonalds for lunch (his favorite - a plain cheese burger). On the way home I swung by the church and carried him in. I was grateful no one was around. He sat next to me as I knelt at the alter (he didn't move a muscle) and I prayed. On the way out I doused him with holy water.

Thank you for all your sentiments and sharing your sorrows as well. I've been through this before, I thought I would be strong, I was wrong.

I have two other dogs as well. They are much younger. I can see in their eyes they are feeling sorrow.

Edna
mssunflower
15 years ago
Edna,

I am so sorry that you are having to go through this. I had to put my little dachshund "Mikki" down a year ago March and I still cry. The good Lord recently blessed me with a little 8 month old stray that looks to be part dachshund, part cairn terrier that is adding such joy back in our lives after a year of mourning. They become such a large part of our lives and families and leave such big holes when they go. Like the others, we are here for you and share your sorrow and loss.

Ms. Faith
gymnmore
15 years ago
Edna - my heart breaks for you, I am so sorry. When I made the decision to put down our pointer, I cried for a week, didnt go to work for a week - but had to tell myself that it was the last best way I could help him not to hurt.
I now smile when I look at his pictures. - Judy
butterflymomok
15 years ago
Edna,

It is so hard to put down an animal, especially a faithful companion. It is against our nature. But, sometimes it is the most humane thing we can do for our friend.

My heart goes out to you in this difficult time.

Sandy

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?what to do with this little guy?

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