I'm soooo sorry you're going through this. :*(

If she has a palpable mass that is part of the bladder wall it may errode through the bladder or urethral wall at any time and the bladder will rupture. If the mass is outside the bladder pressure might decrease her ability to void urine and eventually her bladder ~might~ rupture. She'd probably be vomiting or showing other signs waaay before that would happen.

Can a urinary catheter be passed into the bladder? If her bladder is mega-extended she could have a cystocentesis where a long needle is passed into her bladder and the urine is aspirated. That certainly would buy some time.

Did she have x-rays or an ultrasound? Maybe there's a stone blocking the urinary tract? A urinalysis would likely tell if there is something evil like a transitional cell carcinoma.

Any of these might buy some time until you can decide is surgery is an option. Seemes kinda strange this just happened all at once without warning.

C3D

I wouldda waited too.

Ohhhhhh Lisa. I missed something in the first reading. Did she get put down? *~*~*ONLY*~*~* you know what is the right decision. ONLY you know what she would or would not tolerate. ONLY you know what was best for her!

C3D

Yes Dee I let her go....seeing her pace all day, ears back,drooling I knew she was in pain or at least distress. I asked if he could give her something to calm her through the night. He said his concern was her rupturing during the night and not being able to get her anywhere in time. I asked him if it was "his " dog what would he do. He of course said he would do the sugery but if that was not an option to him he would put her down. I just didn't know what else to ask. It seems to me (now) he should have done some tests, maybe tried draining the bladder and advising no water overnight. I don't know. I did not want to let her go but also did not want to see her pace and be so uncomfortable all night either and as I said I would have never forgiven myself if she had ruptured. If there had been an emergency vet anywhere near here I think I would have chanced it and just stayed up with her all night. It's all hindsight now, she is gone BUT the more I think about it I need to know if more could/should have been done or if he just didnt want to be late for dinner? (Or if he knew I had asked them to hold my check until next week). I really have no reason to think that, he seemed very concerned she had not passed any urine and that the mass was going to continue to cause this problem. She was going deaf and blind and had arthritis so she was quickly reaching the end of her years BUT I have 2 cats and if I find we took her too soon , before everything could have been done (outside of sugery)I need to find a new vet. I just need more answers.

Based on what you've said, I think you made the right decision. The typical life span for an Akita is 10-12 yrs and you gave her a good life for her to reach 13 yrs.

I hate those on-the-spot decisions since we always second guess ourselves, but I think you'll eventually realize it was the best for her. I doubt anything could have been done without extensive tests and surgery. Even after all that, you probably would have had to make the same decision.

At some point, when you're able to talk about her, meet with the vet and ask him more detailed questions........if you feel it will help.

I know your heart is breaking.............

(((hugs))))

A mass associated with the bladder rarely has a good outcome. It's *very* difficult to make a decision so quickly and know what is right. The worst you did was save your doggy a night of distress and pain. Following more testing, you'd likely have to come to the same conclusion. You spared her from that and put her needs first.

You made the ultimate act of love and compassion. I'm sure that as she passed she knew how much you loved her and she returned that love one thousand fold.

Lisa, I am so sorry for the loss of your companion. When it comes suddenly like this, we replay the events over and over, trying to see what we could have done. I think that watching a dog suffer is just not something I could bear. When we can't ask her how she is feeling, or explain the situation, or give reassurances that the pain will not last long, it is just excruciating. I would have made exactly the choice you made. She was in distress, and given her expected lifespan, her pre-existing medical/pain problems, and the info you received from the vet, you made a humane choice for your girl. I know you are missing her, and I hope you will feel better about the choice soon. Know that there are a lot of us out here who have done the same, and who support you in your difficult time.

Thank you for all the kind words. Yes my heart is broken and it will be a long time before I stop hurting. I have to remember that I didnt cause her any pain, I only stopped it. You guys have definatly made me feel better about my rushed decision. But stepping back, for all my future pets sake, I would still like to know if you think this vet (who seems like a nice guy)did enough to know that this would have taken her life shortly anyway. He did say he wished he could tell me to take her home and love her one more night and prepare myself but he was not confident there would be a good outcome. I guess I just answered my own question. They did give me about 15 minutes after sedating her for me to talk to her and hold her. She licked my face as if to say "I love you and thank you I feel better now". I guess I did do the right thing and the vet did his job well. Thanks again for listening.

Lisa, I am so sorry about the loss of your beloved friend. It sounds to me like you made the best decision for her. It would seem that she was in a lot of distress, and the outcome would have the been the same had you waited.

I have found whenever I lose a pet, that I always tend to second guess the decisions made, no matter how well thought out I felt they were. You are in the same place now. Looking from afar, I think that your decision minimized her suffering.

As much as you can, try to focus on your wonderful memories of her instead of the sad end of her life.

hugs, cocooner

It's a terribly tough decision to make, and no matter how many times we have to make it, it never gets any easier.

I've made the decision many times, and I remember every one of them. I've experienced both letting go too soon and waiting too long. It is the waiting too long that I regret the most.

Please do not add guilt to your grief. Based on the information you had, plus your dog's age and increasing infirmities, I'm sure you did the right thing.

Susan

Lisa, I am sorry to read about the loss of your dog. I just wanted to share my own experience with a similar situation...maybe it will help you feel better about your choice. I took my 13-year old cat to the vet because of sudden weight loss and markedly poor coat. X-rays revealed an intestinal mass and I was given three options. I could put him down right away, put him through more testing that would stress him physically and emotionally, or send him for exploratory surgery. In the end, I chose the surgery. I thought "I know cats that have lived to 18 or 20" and to be honest, I was young, he was my first pet, and I was not ready to let go and have him euthanized. The vet did warn me that it could be difficult for him to recover, but she said she would make the smallest incision possible.
I was at work on his surgery day when she called to tell me it was a huge mass involving his stomach and intestine and that due just to the size of the tumor, he would never have good quality of life again. She recommended euthanasia, which I of course realized was the best thing for him. I was unable to leave work so she euthanized him while he was still under for surgery.
To this day I am devastated when I think I could have let him go without the trauma of that last overnight at the vet, the surgery, and especially not being able to say goodbye.
As others have said, it is so very difficult when we have to make these kinds of decisions, and it's worse when you feel like you don't have time to think and weigh your options. But I believe that you chose well and did the most loving and caring thing left to do for your dear dog. I hope that time brings you peace with your decision.

Lisa, I am so sorry that you have lost your pet. You have done the right thing at the right time. I lost my dog in May. She was 11years old and had had arthritis and other problems for a while. She torn the ligaments in her knee and surgery was not an option due to her age and arthritis. She was in pain. I had her put to sleep on a Saturday (two days after she tore the ligaments). For the next few days I second guessed myself every hour of every day. Finally I called the vet and we talked through the decision that I had made. She told me it was my last act of kindness to my dog and that i had done the right thing. I think you did the right thing too. You would never have forgiven yourself if anything had happened overnight or the next day. You saved your pet from any more pain. You really did do the right thing.