Insert all the swearwords here including the worst one of all... (TW/CW dog illness)

SaddlePsych'D said:
CT scan to be booked. I think a lot of the information stopped going in at some point while he was explaining the x-rays. Tbh the way he explained it made it seem like it would confirm OS rather than rule anything else out.

I want him to be wrong and it turn out to be that she just needed a massive poo (because of where on the spine it is) or something ridiculous. He just did not make any suggestion as to anything else it could be.

ETA it never crossed my mind to ask about biopsy. I don't know why that hasn't been suggested.
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You wouldn't need a biopsy, plus it's incredibly invasive. Xx
 
Trying fairly unsuccessfully to pull ourselves together this morning. The ridiculous thing is Ivy seems much like herself, just ever so slightly stiff. It was so subtle I thought I was overdoing it by going to the physio in the first place! Until we have the CT results I guess we just keep on going as normal. We'd made her walks a bit shorter anyway from thinking we were dealing with a muscle tear.

If CT confirms OS I have a horrible feeling she won't come home. Which is weird because she mostly seems fine right now, but my fear with where it's located that in time we could end up with a dog in catastrophic pain and having to say goodbye in even more distressing circumstances.

She does seem to be keen for a walk this morning so on we go!
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
CT scan to be booked. I think a lot of the information stopped going in at some point while he was explaining the x-rays. Tbh the way he explained it made it seem like it would confirm OS rather than rule anything else out.

I want him to be wrong and it turn out to be that she just needed a massive poo (because of where on the spine it is) or something ridiculous. He just did not make any suggestion as to anything else it could be.

ETA it never crossed my mind to ask about biopsy. I don't know why that hasn't been suggested.
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As @Amymay Again says, too invasive, too close to important structures as it’s near the spine and the vet, presumably, has enough experience to be able to be fairly certain. When Jake was diagnosed with spinal cancer-just couldn’t walk one day-we brought him home to be pts but I wonder if Ivy could be made comfortable for a while?

I’m just so sorry, it’s awful and the uncertainty and waiting make it all worse. 🙁
 
So sorry to hear your news but you have given her so much qoth the time she has had with you to date, your plans qith the CT scan would be the route I would take too, I always hate to think I could have prevented as really distressing and painful period for an animal and didn't.
They don't know is the biggest thing to remember.
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
Trying fairly unsuccessfully to pull ourselves together this morning. The ridiculous thing is Ivy seems much like herself, just ever so slightly stiff. It was so subtle I thought I was overdoing it by going to the physio in the first place! Until we have the CT results I guess we just keep on going as normal. We'd made her walks a bit shorter anyway from thinking we were dealing with a muscle tear.

If CT confirms OS I have a horrible feeling she won't come home. Which is weird because she mostly seems fine right now, but my fear with where it's located that in time we could end up with a dog in catastrophic pain and having to say goodbye in even more distressing circumstances.

She does seem to be keen for a walk this morning so on we go!
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Talk it over with the vet, who may be able give you a timescale, or just prescribe steroids to give you a bit more time to take her home and spoil her rotten for a last few days.
We had to pts the 6yr old Rott without bringing her round from the exploratory operation, we hadn't known there was anything wrong until 12 hours before . But her sister, who had bowel cancer had another comfortable 6 months, in which she did loadsof fun stuff, including going to a wedding. We were guided by the vets in both cases.
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
but my fear with where it's located that in time we could end up with a dog in catastrophic pain and having to say goodbye in even more distressing circumstances.
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And this is what you need to avoid at all costs (which of course I know you understand).

We lost Jack to bone cancer and we left it too long. Despite strong medication he was in terrible pain for the last two days. And I regret that bitterly. I don't want to derail your thread, but I'm happy to pm you his story xx
 
CT is booked for Friday. It's going to be a weird week I think. We're doing our best to be in the present, because in the present Ivy is still here and is actually quite happy. It's hard though. Our hearts are breaking knowing the decision is in the near future. All we can do is keep going as normal this week as we can't actually make any decision until we have the results back.

Ivy is already being spoilt. She seemed to really enjoy her two walks this morning but tending not to want to go out later in the day. Might just be that it's too warm. She was full of beans before her dinner though! Raw tripe is now featuring daily on the menu. Yesterday also included pigs ear to help her chill out after the stress of being at the vets. And a fish finger because fish finger sandwiches were all we could muster for dinner last night.
 
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So sorry. When my previous lab had a terminal diagnosis the vet gave me some great advice. The dog doesn't know the diagnosis and with appropriate pain relief won't know that they are unwell. Live every day to the full, write a doggy bucket list, work your way through it and make happy mempries. Most importantly don't let the dog know that you are upset.
 
Amymay Again said:
And this is what you need to avoid at all costs (which of course I know you understand).

We lost Jack to bone cancer and we left it too long. Despite strong medication he was in terrible pain for the last two days. And I regret that bitterly. I don't want to derail your thread, but I'm happy to pm you his story xx
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Thank you, I wasn't sure but I think maybe reading Jack's story might help.

Today she has been an absolute joy. We've had some lovely walks again and bought her a huge pizzle (bleugh!) to chew on when we get home.

I feel like I've gone from preparing myself that she may not be able to come home on Friday to thinking how can that be?! Since being back on the Loxicom she is so much happier. I know if the diagnosis is confirmed we're very much on borrowed time, she just looks so full of life!
 
An unsettled night last night, with Ivy moving from bed to bed and scratching around/digging. I'm wishfully thinking it's because she was too warm. She might have been. I'm going to put her crate back up as she likes that as a safe space. If she's unsettled again tonight I will contact the vets in the morning for advice.

She enjoyed her walk again this morning, and my mum came to visit which Ivy was very pleased about. I can just see though that her ears seem pinned back when this would only usually happen if we're walking along a busy road or if it's raining. We kept it a bit shorter today. It's hard to know what to do when she's enjoying the walks but then later in the day yesterday I wondered if it was too much.

She's been super cuddly at points and enjoyed being brushed in the garden this morning.

I cannot stop crying which is really frustrating because she is just right there and we need to make the best of the time we have. Keeping busy seems to help a bit.
 
I’m so very sad for you.
You are the absolute best owner Ivy could have. That you notice the little things and signs of discomfort, that you value her opinion and absolutely the main thing you would call it time for her before it suited you.
That is clumsily put. 💔
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
An unsettled night last night, with Ivy moving from bed to bed and scratching around/digging. I'm wishfully thinking it's because she was too warm. She might have been. I'm going to put her crate back up as she likes that as a safe space. If she's unsettled again tonight I will contact the vets in the morning for advice.

She enjoyed her walk again this morning, and my mum came to visit which Ivy was very pleased about. I can just see though that her ears seem pinned back when this would only usually happen if we're walking along a busy road or if it's raining. We kept it a bit shorter today. It's hard to know what to do when she's enjoying the walks but then later in the day yesterday I wondered if it was too much.

She's been super cuddly at points and enjoyed being brushed in the garden this morning.

I cannot stop crying which is really frustrating because she is just right there and we need to make the best of the time we have. Keeping busy seems to help a bit.
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I'm so sorry, its so hard, I lost my beautiful boy in December, he went downhill very quickly with a suspected tumour on his liver, I just want you to know I'm thinking of you 🫂
 
A little better this evening. She's been refusing walks in the evening which isn't necessarily a new, illness related behaviour; potentially just 'I am Greyhound and I Don't Want To' behaviour. This evening we tried a little more to persuade her and then just as I picked up my keys to go for a walk without her, she bounced out of bed and decided she was coming too.

The cooler temperature this evening seemed to make a big difference to her. She was trotting and bounding along in a way I feel I haven't seen in a long time, though it probably hasn't been that long in reality. The bouncy ears returned as did the hunting ears.

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I hope that the walk will help her settle better tonight. She is certainly settled on her bed at the moment anyway.

I'm feeling a bit calmer, still sad obviously, but more able to do the work of looking after her and enjoying this week as best we can. OH and I need to get some information from the vets about PTS and cremation options. I wish we'd done it at some other random time we didn't need to know but at least we can be prepared for the worst on Friday whilst hoping for the best.

I am more grateful than ever to be living where we live now to be able to make these lovely memories with her. Like tonight's slightly dodgy cow encounter, thank god they couldn't work out to go around to the open bit of fence to get to us!
 
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