# Just killin' me



## BrowningBAR (Apr 26, 2012)

So, my dog, Woody Wilson, is slowly moving on to the final stages of his life. Hips are going, needs help standing when he eats, losing the ability to make it to the door before he lays a Woody-Log on the floor.

And then today I find out my cat, Penguin, has cancer. Two weeks to six months tops.

It blows, man.


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## MasterMech (Apr 27, 2012)

Yeah BBar, I watched my childhood companion (Austrailian Shepard) go through two Kidney failures and survive them.  Not much fun, towards the end he had little if any bladder control and needed help to get up.  He didn't even want to be around us, banished himself to the sunporch.

Still love that dog.


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## Crane Stoves (Apr 27, 2012)

sad times for sure, sorry to hear this... Ive always been one who feels animals deserve the right to life as much as anyone else and i have to feel in my heart that if an animal has the desire to want to eat everyday and is not crying out in pain then we should provide them the help and love to get through in so much as possible (as you are doing). I guess we all have to hope we know if it gets to point of total misery or agony that we have the strength and were doing the right thing by having the vet put them down. My dog snoopy was totally blind during his final 2 years of life but he always had desire to greet us when we came home, eat, etc., it was only when he just couldn't get up anymore and cried a lot i had to bring him carefully to the vet and say my goodbye as i held him.

Prayers for more good days then bad for your animals and for you to have the wisdom and strength to know if and when the time is right for the vet...


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## loon (Apr 27, 2012)

Sorry about your pal Browning..I'll admit that having them put down sucks and i am very bad at keeping them around way longer than they should be.
We have always given our older dogs this stuff as it works great to ease their pain..

loon


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## rottiman (Apr 27, 2012)

#1 on the MedaCam, had really good luck with it over the years also.


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## blacktail (Apr 27, 2012)

Sorry to hear about that. Dogs are awesome. They see nothing but the best in us. It's been almost 2 years since mine passed away and I still tear up about her sometimes.


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## HollowHill (Apr 27, 2012)

You summed it up pretty well, as usual, BBAR.  But, I know it hurts so much because they've brought you such love and joy, double-edged sword, that.  Hoping their remaining days are as comfortable as possible.  So sorry.


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## Jack Straw (Apr 27, 2012)

So sorry.......


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## firefighterjake (Apr 27, 2012)

Sorry to hear this BrowningBar . . . I'm still sad when I think about losing my cat Teddy Roosevelt last Fall . . . just disappeared and I still cannot help but wonder how he died and if he was in much pain. For me that is the hardest part and I still haven't quite let go.

Hang in there though . . .

P.S. I had a cat several years back named Woodrow Wilson . . . loved to ride in cars. He would either lay back near the rear window on the deck and watch cars following me or would stand between the bucket seats in the front with his two feet up on the dash to watch the scenery passing by the front.


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## Adios Pantalones (Apr 27, 2012)

Oh man- this is tough. You truly have my sympathies bro


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## BrowningBAR (Apr 27, 2012)

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the posts. I just looked up Metacam on a couple of pet meds sites and it looks promising. I'll check with my vet to see if it is safe with a dog that has a mild/moderate case of pancreatitis. Right now, he is on Rimadyl and we only see minimal improvement on that.

Penguin, though, looks like she will be closer to two weeks than six months. So far she hasn't taken to the steroids that she was given and she's still not eating.


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## DexterDay (Apr 27, 2012)

Im so Sorry...  Its a shame that they cant live as long a life as we do. Every one has there own personality and ways to make you smile. 

Love my 2 Dogs, one is 6 (German Shepard)  whos name is Oscar and the other is Princess who is 14 (Shepard/Mix).
Princess' time with us is running short. Its hard to lose an animal that has spent so much time with you. They become family and there companionship is never forgotten.

Those 2 are blessed to have had an owner and companion who cares so much about them..


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## fossil (Apr 27, 2012)

Yeah, it's really tough.  Sometimes it's tougher than other times, but it's always tough.  In my experience, the death of anyone (or any pet) that's grown to be important to me is the toughest part of me continuing to grow older without them in my life.  So far (citing only the most significant) I've said goodbye to 6 great dogs & 5 wonderful cats.  Moving up the scale of significance, along the way, I've lost Grandparents, best friend from my teens, my mom, my dad, FIL, MIL, and my wife.  Now I live with one really great cat.  People who know I've had dogs all my life ask me why I don't get another dog...tough question to answer.  I'd love to have one, but I hate the thought of eventually losing yet another one.  Sometimes life just sucks.  My heart (what's left of it) goes out to you, BrowningBAR.  Rick


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## webbie (Apr 27, 2012)

Sorry to hear....

Mine is entering those times also - although it may be longer. Cavaliers get congestive hearth failure and other stuff. She is 10 and that is about as far as they go. She is still enjoying life, so I won't put her down yet, but she doesn't complain about pain....ever, even when hurting, so I am going to have to make the decision based on what I perceive to be the situation.

I found this at my folks house - the old pic is me with Bobby, our first dog.
The other one is Rosie, our current love...


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## Dix (Apr 27, 2012)

Browning, our deepest condolences. It sucks big time.

Give them the best time that you can, for as long as you can, and then think quality of life. It's probably the toughest thing to do, to make that decision.

I hated coming home to an empty house with out a dog. I lasted 1 month the last time, and then Murphy arrived, which was a totally spontaneous decision. I did it because of puppy breathe. That's some thing that can save your soul sometimes (pokes Rick).

Hugs, Dixie & Matisse snuffles,  and thoughts for you all.


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## Gary_602z (Apr 27, 2012)

It is so hard to lose a pet. Lost a Golden after 13 years and a Garage Sale dog when she was only 9. I think both of them had better caskets then when my Dad died! (But he didn't lick me, Although he did poop in the yard!)
  Hang in there and before long another one will come along to save you.

Gary


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## pen (Apr 27, 2012)

They are great friends and become family; I feel for you right now.  I can think of times where the animal I was with made for better company than many humans. 

Hoping for the best.

pen


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Apr 28, 2012)

fossil said:


> . My heart (what's left of it)


 
“In the dark I rest, 
unready for the light which dawns 
day after day, 
eager to be shared. 
Black silk, shelter me. 
I need 
more of the night before I open 
eyes and heart 
to illumination. I must still 
grow in the dark like a root 
not ready, not ready at all.” 
― Denise Levertov


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Apr 28, 2012)

My own old girl has been really healthy, but lately she's gone very deaf.   It was kind of a reality check


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## Pallet Pete (Apr 28, 2012)

It is always hard to loose a family member let's face it pets are family members. I am sorry to hear this BrowningBar ! We had to put a cat down recently and it broke my wife heart she had him for 11 years when he got some sort of digestion problem and could no longer eat. The cat was a friend through thick and thin that was always reliable to be there. This is what makes pets so loved by us I think ! They are steadfast true friends . I hope all is well and you are doing ok.

Pete


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## Flatbedford (Apr 28, 2012)

Sorry to hear about Woody. They sure do become part of the family.


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## begreen (May 1, 2012)

That is sad news BB. Losing a close friend is hard, no way around it. Losing two, sux.


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## piejam (May 3, 2012)

So sorry BB...Tough saying good-bye to old friends..unconditional love is what we receive from them..awesome. Everyone here shares your pain.....a double whammy will be harder on you and the family...

I can only tell you when I was younger I kept one of my cats around too long.. Could not bear to let go..it was a mistake..after all it's about the pet 's comfort not the owner's....may you find strength and peace.....but most of all remember the love....again I'm sorry...


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## tfdchief (May 3, 2012)

Sorry BB.  I wish I had a magic wand or at least something to say that might help, but I don't.  I have cried like a baby every time.  I lost "Maggie" 2 years ago and now "Oggie" is starting down the road.  I sometimes go home for lunch and she doesn't greet me at the door and I get real nervous.  Then I find her sound asleep, unable to hear well enough anymore to know I came home.  Then I love her for ten minutes and thank God she is OK.  Dreading the day that comes.


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## mfglickman (May 7, 2012)

BrowningBAR said:


> Thanks everyone, I appreciate the posts. I just looked up Metacam on a couple of pet meds sites and it looks promising. I'll check with my vet to see if it is safe with a dog that has a mild/moderate case of pancreatitis. Right now, he is on Rimadyl and we only see minimal improvement on that.
> 
> Penguin, though, looks like she will be closer to two weeks than six months. So far she hasn't taken to the steroids that she was given and she's still not eating.


 
I am so sorry. 

As for Metacam, we switched from Rimadyl to Metacam as Metacam has fewer side effects (apparently) but is also an NSAID. My dog is only 2 but she's been on NSAIDs since she was 7 months old, has had ortho surgery, has arthritis, and will likely have more surgery at some point. So FWIW, these are some things that have helped her and might help your Woody be more comfortable and even regain some mobility:


Cosequin. We give the DS (double strength) version to both Newfs. It's Glucosamine and Chondroitin. Amazon Prime has a reasonable deal with next day delivery, or Costco.com sometimes has it on sale for a screamin' good price.
Metacam, or Deramaxx or another NSAID. Ask your vet which is right for him.
Ice, if he'll let you, to take down inflammation in the joint. Peasncarrots works well. 
Unprocessed, raw, sockeye salmon oil. Bravo, VitalChoice, Alaskan Bear Treats are some brands I know. VitalChoice is the super premium that lots of folks swear by. We are using this and trying to switch the dog off of daily NSAIDs as apparently raw sockeye salmon oil has the same properties as NSAIDs only natural.
We do chiropractic and accupuncture on her. Lucky to have a local vet who practices holistic medicine. Prices are reasonable and she was noticeably better right from the start.
Last, we've not tried this but I've heard of others who've had luck with both their own and their dogs' arthritis by adding MSM. 
 
I will be thinking of you and your furbabies.


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## BrowningBAR (May 7, 2012)

In regards to woody, the vets feel it may also be a neurological issue. Something about the nerves not functioning correctly on senior dogs. It supposedly effects the back legs more for some reason and it prevents them from moving the legs properly. And there are no meds to aid this issue.

Penguin will probably be put down within the next week or two. She doesn't seem to be in pain or a lot of discomfort, from what I can tell, but she is not eating and is growing weaker and weaker. The cancer appears to be affecting her ability to swallow and I have not found a substitute that she will eat that is in a liquid base form. I've tried soft cat food mixed with water and stirred into a paste, minimal success. Baby food was a no-go, also.


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## HollowHill (May 7, 2012)

BrowningBAR said:


> In regards to woody, the vets feel it may also be a neurological issue. Something about the nerves not functioning correctly on senior dogs. It supposedly effects the back legs more for some reason and it prevents them from moving the legs properly. And there are no meds to aid this issue.
> 
> Penguin will probably be put down within the next week or two. She doesn't seem to be in pain or a lot of discomfort, from what I can tell, but she is not eating and is growing weaker and weaker. The cancer appears to be affecting her ability to swallow and I have not found a substitute that she will eat that is in a liquid base form. I've tried soft cat food mixed with water and stirred into a paste, minimal success. Baby food was a no-go, also.


 
I had a cat with chronic renal failure, which affected her appetite. It was very important to get liquids in her and my vet suggested I get some liver, boil it up, grind it up with some of the liquid it boiled in (I whirred it around in the food processor), to the proper consistency. She ate/drank that when she wouldn't touch anything else. HTH...


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## pen (May 7, 2012)

Not to rush things, but here is something to consider. My last dog that had to be put down had some sort of cancer in her abdomen. Doc gave her a month to about 3 to live in his best guess. She was still eating some and drinking some and would have good / bad days. She was still getting outside for doing duties and such, but just generally was slowing down and sleeping constantly.

4 or 5 days after she was given the month + to make it and didn't seem in any real discomfort, out of no where she started filling with fluid. Within an hour of first seeing her in the morning where she looked normal she was so filled up that she couldn't move, her eyes were swelled shut, and things declined in every regard very quickly. I just thank god that we were still home and the vet was open so that she could be put down there.

After that, as much as it hurts, I'll never wait to put one down again.

pen


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## MasterMech (May 8, 2012)

pen said:


> Not to rush things, but here is something to consider. My last dog that had to be put down had some sort of cancer in her abdomen. Doc gave her a month to about 3 to live in his best guess. She was still eating some and drinking some and would have good / bad days. She was still getting outside for doing duties and such, but just generally was slowing down and sleeping constantly.
> 
> 4 or 5 days after she was given the month + to make it and didn't seem in any real discomfort, out of no where she started filling with fluid. Within an hour of first seeing her in the morning where she looked normal she was so filled up that she couldn't move, her eyes were swelled shut, and things declined in every regard very quickly. I just thank god that we were still home and the vet was open so that she could be put down there.
> 
> ...


 
All too often I've seen animals "get better" and seem to have a good run before things go downhill quick.


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## Adios Pantalones (May 8, 2012)

MasterMech said:


> All too often I've seen animals "get better" and seem to have a good run before things go downhill quick.


 
This happens with humans as well- a good day right before that final turn. This happened with my dad- he was eating a steak, sitting outside, had visitors- then a few days later was bedridden and it was less than a week after that. A nurse that we know said it is very common, and almost seems a mercy that they are granted a chance to say goodbye.


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