Schnauzer..really bad news .

[Bradsmum]

I'm so sorry for what you are going through when you only want what is best for your dog. truly lovely photo.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

BS, I've been reading this, am aghast at vets presentations to you, it appears this is similar to many vets these days. Even when you know you are doing the right thing, a good number (not all, as vet partner in the practice I use is very pragmatic) seem to want to throw money over life quality. Hugs xx

 

[fankino04]

tues night jr vet called …dogs blood results were erratic but wouldn’t send them by e mail I must wait to see the vet on Thursday..

Vet visit today.thursday…before she arrived the eco vet met me and asked if I wanted todo another ecograph….I politely declined and said I was here to see chief vet about last weeks eco etc..

chief arrived…started with a display of blood results ..mainly suggesting some inflammation and infection ,prob in the cancerous gut.She suggested antibiotics and maybe some mild prednisone.

when told dog was drinking more,weeing more to point of incontinence ,she suggested I may want to test for cushings..I said she’s not showing Cushing symptoms…she is in pain,doesn’t want to go on walk….she said she’s not seen the eco yet..
by now I’m getting agitated. what about the ecogram results I ask..the tumor on the bladder,the colon tumor?
the discussion switches..,she starts a long discussion about two dogs she’s treated with chemotherapy…..(here we go…I don’t want chemo for my dog..)
she asks me not to interrupt ,she’s in full flow…even her mom had cancer,92,mastectomy,and chemo( need to write thisword in gold )..then he two dogs chemo successes..but with othercancers,not inoperable bladder cancer..i am like a snake in front of a mongoose….
I politely interrupt…I dont want chemo…but,she says it can prolong my dogs time…I say by just a couple of months…she says for a dog it’s all time relative.,,I repeat I don’t want cheno …the cancer is inoperable.
she then says she can probably operate to remove the section of the colon with its tumor…l say but this still leaves the INOPERABLE tumour in the. bladder,,,I’m starting to be annoyed.
… and then she tells me that this is what the chemo will treat.

next the hovering eco lady comes in..vet suggests I do another eco to see if in a week anything has changed…
at this point. I agree..we go to do another eco….
my 1.5 cm bladder tumour has since grown to 1.7cm
and worse,we now we have another two tumors..1.2 cm…and a smaller one,,,the bladder wall has thickened and the lumen space is reduced… I say ..so now we can discuss euthanasia..?
she refuses if I don’t at least try prednisone,synulox antibiotic and arnica for a week..let’s see if the dog can go ahead with that for a while….
She says next week I must do another ecogram.
miracles can happen with chemo she says..

ive left the vet very disappointed,she’s let us both down…I am ready to euthanize..I’m stuck with this ,my dog is changing day by day and I truely am convinced I want to resolve this.My hub agrees with the meds,but not the chemo,nor euth this week…..I can’t understand this..why prolong the inevitable? Next week things will get very dramatic,but she says without tests proving this palliative care isn’t keeping her going she thinks I’m rushing things….Ching Ching.

So sorry to read this update, is this a normal vet response in Italy, or worth going to another vet for PTS?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

So sorry to hear about this. It's a difficult situation made even more difficult by the vet.

I don't understand why they don't respect your wishes (that are very reasonable). If this were my pet, I'd be having it pts ASAP/yesterday. I am very firmly in the "a day too early is better than a day too late" camp. What if she has a blockage in the bladder or intestine from a tumor? What a miserable way to die...which is painful and likely to cause a rupture. Is that what the vet is waiting for? For it to be so bad?

Given the details and progression, I would think pts would be an option easily available.

We've had it happen here in Germany too. Some vets are so stubborn about euthanasia that some have driven over the border to bring their horse to a slaughter house out of desperation for it to be put out of its misery. No one should have to do that. Absolutely infuriating. Fortunately, most vets aren't like this. I get wanting to save/preserve life, but the quality of life and the animals suffering must be taken into consideration. Plus, what is the point of having extra time with a sick animal? Pts is devastating, I know, but I could never drag things out.

I know you're doing your best and it's frustrating. This is just a matter that really gets under my skin.

 

[Bellasophia]

fankin. no vet here would just pts without a history ..ive already spent hundreds on my first visit/ testing .I would have to repeat all the tests..It was hard on this feisty little girl doing the tests...I just hope we can see this through in decent timing.
I’m prepared to give her a short time,but as c c says the colon and bladder are compromised by these cancers and the risk to bursting increases the longer the cancers are allowed to grow.
I really don’t understand the vet ,she said she was giving the dog a chance of more time..but in this scenario it’s really inappropriate.imo.

bradsmom..in that photo you can really see who she is,she’s a perfect little dog imo,she’s from Russian and Belgian lines,old school schnauzer.She moves like a little clockwork toy and it gives me pleasure to just look at her in motion.Feisty and bold,yet so balanced as I mentioned prior..I’m going to miss her terribly.

 

[ycbm]

tues night jr vet called …dogs blood results were erratic but wouldn’t send them by e mail I must wait to see the vet on Thursday..

Vet visit today.thursday…before she arrived the eco vet met me and asked if I wanted todo another ecograph….I politely declined and said I was here to see chief vet about last weeks eco etc..

chief arrived…started with a display of blood results ..mainly suggesting some inflammation and infection ,prob in the cancerous gut.She suggested antibiotics and maybe some mild prednisone.

when told dog was drinking more,weeing more to point of incontinence ,she suggested I may want to test for cushings..I said she’s not showing Cushing symptoms…she is in pain,doesn’t want to go on walk….she said she’s not seen the eco yet..
by now I’m getting agitated. what about the ecogram results I ask..the tumor on the bladder,the colon tumor?
the discussion switches..,she starts a long discussion about two dogs she’s treated with chemotherapy…..(here we go…I don’t want chemo for my dog..)
she asks me not to interrupt ,she’s in full flow…even her mom had cancer,92,mastectomy,and chemo( need to write thisword in gold )..then he two dogs chemo successes..but with othercancers,not inoperable bladder cancer..i am like a snake in front of a mongoose….
I politely interrupt…I dont want chemo…but,she says it can prolong my dogs time…I say by just a couple of months…she says for a dog it’s all time relative.,,I repeat I don’t want cheno …the cancer is inoperable.
she then says she can probably operate to remove the section of the colon with its tumor…l say but this still leaves the INOPERABLE tumour in the. bladder,,,I’m starting to be annoyed.
… and then she tells me that this is what the chemo will treat.

next the hovering eco lady comes in..vet suggests I do another eco to see if in a week anything has changed…
at this point. I agree..we go to do another eco….
my 1.5 cm bladder tumour has since grown to 1.7cm
and worse,we now we have another two tumors..1.2 cm…and a smaller one,,,the bladder wall has thickened and the lumen space is reduced… I say ..so now we can discuss euthanasia..?
she refuses if I don’t at least try prednisone,synulox antibiotic and arnica for a week..let’s see if the dog can go ahead with that for a while….
She says next week I must do another ecogram.
miracles can happen with chemo she says..

ive left the vet very disappointed,she’s let us both down…I am ready to euthanize..I’m stuck with this ,my dog is changing day by day and I truely am convinced I want to resolve this.My hub agrees with the meds,but not the chemo,nor euth this week…..I can’t understand this..why prolong the inevitable? Next week things will get very dramatic,but she says without tests proving this palliative care isn’t keeping her going she thinks I’m rushing things….Ching Ching.

?????

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’m so so sorry
I can also truly sympathise with not having your partner on your side. It makes it all the harder. We are all on your side xx

 

[L&M]

it is not the vets' decision, it's yours......when I had my elderly spaniel pts last year I told them when making the appt it was for euthanasia. They never questioned me and the deed was done within minutes of being in the consulting room.

Tragic situation, for both you, and the dog.

 

[splashgirl45]

it is not the vets' decision, it's yours......when I had my elderly spaniel pts last year I told them when making the appt it was for euthanasia. They never questioned me and the deed was done within minutes of being in the consulting room.

Tragic situation, for both you, and the dog.

i made the decision recently about my collie and the vet didnt question me at all. my vet knows me and my dogs and knows i would not be asking for PTS unless i felt there was no other option. glad i didnt have to justify my decision, i was in bits as it was..

 

[Rumtytum]

Bellasophia I’ve been following this, have nothing to add except my sincere sympathies to you and to your beautiful girl.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I don't get why the dog "needs more time" and the vet should respect the clients wishes in this case. Again, I'm so sorry.

 

[BlackRider]

I"m so sorry @Bellasophia - its awful to be given such news, and then to have the vet deny you PTS is appalling.

The vet should respect your decision and want to alleviate any suffering - I hope you get a better response next week.

Thinking of you and your lovely Robin xxx

 

[Shady]

I honestly can't believe what i'm reading in your sad update Bellasophia. Your vet is behaving appallingly . As if it's not hard enough. The older I get the more I wonder what motivates some professionals now....
I am so sorry B and I hope you get proper support next week . xx

 

[COldNag]

I am so sorry about your beautiful dog - and I am so angry that your vet is not supporting you.

100%, in your shoes I would be making the same decision as you, and I can't see that it is in the dog's best interests to do anything else.

 

[MissTyc]

I am so sorry you're going through this and having to see your dog in pain. I have sadly also encountered this with an equine who refused to end suffering in a terminally ill pony. We brought the pony home and had her shot without any questions. It's utterly ridiculous to put owners through that. There are so many animals in this world that don't have caring owners You are a wonderful owner going through a very difficult time. I hope you vet wakes up more sympathetic or perhaps you find someone else to talk to? Good luck x

 

[ycbm]

I am pleased to see in the Times today that there is now a pressure group of UK vets campaigning for ethical treatment of pet animals and an end to prolonging life just because they can.

BS, I hope your vet sees sense and stops making life more stressful for you.
.

 

[Bellasophia]

Sunday update..
I know we are on borrowed time .This will happen very soon..The meds have given her a better weekend for sure,she’s not panting in pain ,still sleeping a lot,but drinking normally,not gulping it down.Eating well,still pooing..but timing has shifted..not am and pm..but at least once a day.
Vet said she will ring me on mon or tues..she goes away to a conference on weds..I will tell her I’m sticking to my sooner not later mantra and want this resolved…however ,if I get a week or even two as she is,I will take it and we can let her go .
This reality is the tumors and growing fast and she needs to be sorted .

 

[misst]

Thinking of you and your little one x

 

[splashgirl45]

hope you get a bit more quality time with her and your vet supports whatever you decide...hugs xx

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I am sorry you and your dog are having to go through this. I will just say , though that we seriously thought that our Rott would only have a few weeks left at most. We took her to the vet in May(?) with what everybody thought was a UTI, antibiotics and pain relief improved it but as soon as the a-b's were out of her system she was weeing constantly, including in the house, which was most unlike her. She had more a-b's and pain relief and thd cycle was repeated. So we arranged for the ultrasound scan. She had yet more a-b's and pain relief. By the time the pain relief was running out, the a-b's were finished and she has not needed any more. She has just been away for a weekend with us to be a 'furry bridesmaid' at a family wedding by special invitation.
We didn't really think that she would make it to September but she did and she has had a whale of a time, playing on the beach and paddling for the 1st time ever with her Labradors and spending time with the Dalmation, who took her under her wing as a pup, who she hasn't seen for 2 yrs and other dogs that she met for the 1st time this weekend. Yes she is tired now but so are the Labs. And tbh from a QOL pov, if her life is shortened by a few days/weeks, she has had such a good time that it was definitely worth it.
OP, be guided by your dog and your own instincts.

 

[GSD Woman]

Holy Moley! I want to smack your vet. They gave you your options, you made your choice and they shouldn't be throwing up these road blocks.

I am truly sorry for what you are going through. the two of you are in my thoughts.