being ready to say goodbye

Shavings

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I havnt been on for sometime now , you know how it is life just gets in the way.

yesterday we where given the news my mothers German Shepard has bone cancer, and he is not suitable for removal of the limb

vets have said he has possibly 2 months to live
its been a hard thing to take considering other then a limp he is bright, playful and very much himself

he is 8 years old and still very much a puppy at heart, no hip problems so when he started to limp 3 weeks ago we all though it was hips, vets gave painkillers which didn't do any thing so yesterday he had xrays which confirmed it

sadly we live on the isle of man so there isnt all the options you folks on UK mainland have

none of us are really ready to stay goodbye to a dog who other then a limp is happy to live

so hold your loved fur ones a little tighter, lets them know you love there company as they can just disappear so quickly.

my mother wants another dog (some thing smaller then a 60kg German Shepard) but there is no puppies on island , puppies in the UK are a 4 hours ferry trip away and 2 weeks isolation upon return to island, plus not to mention prices with the pandemic!

and sadly the removing centre on island only have a newfoundland which she isn't what she needs or wants now she is turning 60
 

Petalpoos

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That is such an awful thing to hear. I had the same thing with my retriever 2 years ago and would just like to say that I think I kept my girl going too long - you don't realise how much they have declined when you see them every day and I feel terrible looking back at how I kept her going with a load of painkillers. She was only 7. It is a horrible and particularly painful cancer and dogs are very stoic so please consider what sort of quality of life the dog has. Please take my comments the right way, but I wish someone had been as honest with me when it was diagnosed.
 

Bellasophia

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Im glad your mom has you as the illness for your special boy will be progressive and you will both need to be strong going through this.
I also treasure an honest vet.He will be able to give you a realistic idea of what to expect and when it’s going to be the right time to let your boy go.
Petal poos post is very honest,don’t leave him too late.
In the meantime treat every good day as a blessing and don’t feel guilty to plan ahead to do what’s best for your boy.Take some lovely photos of him too...you will be so glad of these later.
Tell your mom she has a sensible head on her by considering future downsizing( I did the same when I faced a similar situation at almost the same age as your mom).Smaller dogs can go anywhere,shopping,the pub,even to friends houses to have a cuppa when the big boys may have been left behind.
 

View

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So sorry to hear this.

No experience of osteo sarcoma in dogs, but I have experienced it in a horse. From the way this horses's temperament an demeanour suddenly changed, he was obviously in great pain and declined rapidly.

Can you help your Mum talk to her vet about pain relief, and think about what might help inform decision making?
 

FinnishLapphund

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So sorry to hear your news Shavings, life isn't fair sometimes.
I hope your mother gets to have as much lovely quality time with her German Shepherd as possible, and that you/she still happens to find her a new suitable dog, somehow.
{{{Hugs}}}
 

cariad

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Shavings, you are echoing my recent post in here as the same thing has just happened to me with my deerhound, only seven and a half, same prognosis etc, so I know just how you and your mother must be feeling. It is horrible. My girl was diagnosed on Good Friday and she is still ok in herself, pottering around the garden and field with the other two, one of the other two being a 12 week old JR puppy, somewhat ironically, who absolutely LOVES her! She plays with puppy very patiently. She is still eating and that ok. She has one dose of painkiller in the evening (Meloxydil) and doesn't seem unhappy. She is still weight bearing on the bad leg and can stand on it on its own to scratch. She still comes upstairs with me to "work" in the "office" where there are dogbeds. Trouble is, I am hyper- alert to ANYTHING that could suggest pain or discomfort! The slightest change in breathing; she might turn her nose up at a certain dog biscuit and I'm thiinking, oh....could this be..... But I don't think she's ready to go just yet. You'll know.

I take Petalpoos point about not keeping them going too long, but I am watching like a hawk and though it will be heartbreaking, if she gets even a little uncomfortable, the decision will be made as she is not going to improve, I know that. It's what's best for her. So we are just doing as some have suggested, doing what we can with her while we still can. Puppy has been a bit of a godsend, as she does distract us as all puppies do and she is so funny. She just happened to come along. I lost my last terrier at the age of 17 last October and I wasn't really actively looking for another and then a friend of a friend....and here she is. I like to think it was meant! Perhaps one will just come along for your mother. You really never know what's round the corner - sometimes it is good stuff.

But I do so sympathise, being in the same situation. Best wishes to your mother.
 
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