Tricky situation

[Moobli]

Thinking of you x

 

[P3LH]

Well not a good day today. Off food again, I’ve managed to get only one small pouch of wet food down him in the last 36 hours - he has no inclination to eat and won’t take any of the medication either. Seemingly ok but quiet in himself. Drinking normally. We are back to the vets Monday for full blood works which was already pencilled in- after the relief of the vets being quite confident it was not something neuropathic or along such lines. as initially thought there was a sense of relief and a sense of, this is an underlying health issue and we will get on top - today I am feeling we are going to lose this battle again.

One week ago today since we had the first vets appointment and the situation has shifted such, yet we are still none the wiser. I am feeling this will be a PTS situation without a diagnosis at this rate, to prevent any potential suffering. Which I think I’ll find even harder than just losing him, I’ve never been in an unknown situation at the end with any of the others - having always had something concrete to make an informed decision over, but this doesn’t seem to be going that way.

Have tried literally everything to get him to eat today and he just sniffs and walks away. Even have been flicking mushed up smelly foods onto the floor in the hope he’ll steal it as as a bit of a gannet for anything dropped, to no avail. Not seeming too depressed in himself though which is odd.

Having to get my head round that I am increasingly doubtful there’s a way out of this. I want to get the full bloods done Monday and then go from there - if we can. Thanks for the continued support.

 

[View]

So sorry to read your update. It’s so hard when they can’t tell us what is wrong, but we have to do what you are doing which is look at quality of life.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I'm sorry you haven't got a better update, it's a horrible position to be in. But I'm sure you will do the right thing by him.

 

[Books'n'dogs]

I've been hesitant to comment because I don't want to come across as an Internet know-it-all (please forgive me if I do, it's not my intention at all!), but has tick-born disease been considered? Last weekend I was in the same situation as you with my 11 year old GSD, your dog's symptoms were presenting themselves almost 100% in my Willow, I was distraught because she is my favorite dog ever and I had really hoped to have another year or two with her. Her blood work came back negative for everything but the vet made the decision to treat her as if the test had been positive for a tick-born illness and the result was dramatic, within 48 hours of starting the antibiotic she was almost entirely back to normal.

Once again, please forgive me if you are offended by my post. I really hope you get a diagnosis for your dog soon.

 

[Moobli]

I am sorry your update isn't a more positive one Luke There's nothing more upsetting than just not knowing what you are dealing with, but your gut telling you it is something serious.

 

[P3LH]

I've been hesitant to comment because I don't want to come across as an Internet know-it-all (please forgive me if I do, it's not my intention at all!), but has tick-born disease been considered? Last weekend I was in the same situation as you with my 11 year old GSD, your dog's symptoms were presenting themselves almost 100% in my Willow, I was distraught because she is my favorite dog ever and I had really hoped to have another year or two with her. Her blood work came back negative for everything but the vet made the decision to treat her as if the test had been positive for a tick-born illness and the result was dramatic, within 48 hours of starting the antibiotic she was almost entirely back to normal.

Once again, please forgive me if you are offended by my post. I really hope you get a diagnosis for your dog soon.

Please don’t apologise - I am appreciate if the help. It hasn’t been mentioned but is certainly something I will put forward. At this stage any ideas or possibilities are welcome for me to try explore!!

We got a little bit of wet food into him since I posted, and he’s happily lying out sunbathing as I type. As I find myself constantly saying ‘we shall see’

 

[P3LH]

I am sorry your update isn't a more positive one Luke There's nothing more upsetting than just not knowing what you are dealing with, but your gut telling you it is something serious.

This is exactly it. I don’t think it is any of the lesser options that the vet is trying to rule out day by day, but equally in a dog that isn’t a young dog but certainly isn’t an ‘old ones’ it’s difficult to not try snd say enough is enough before exploring all possibilities when, in the main, his quality of life is still quite good. Obviously this is subject to how things go with this faddy eating that has now developed so again, we shall see. Very very difficult.

 

[splashgirl45]

sorry you havent yet found the cause, i dont really know why my collie cross deteriorated so quickly last week but as she was 15 i didnt feel tests etc were the right way to go so opted for PTS. with a younger dog ,hopefully, they will find whats wrong and come up with the right treatment soon. good luck and fingers crossed for good news

 

[Lipglosspukka]

How's things?

 

[P3LH]

The last few days have been rough. It became clearer yesterday after our daily vets visit, where we were at. We had a sleepover on the living room floor last night with the other two, the cats and a Maccys (of which, typically, corgi Sherman tank ate most of, despite not being the sick one) where he just slept in my arms, and then the vet helped him go back to sleep, with his head in my lap just as he had spent all of last night and most of his life. An oversized lapdog to the end. In the end, 8 good years is better than even 8 more shit days. And my god have we had some shit ones lately.

I know when you have more than 1, you shouldn’t have favourites - but everyone in our world knew that the house horse was always mine. His kind within his breed we shall never see again, I’m quite sure - which is why he won’t be followed by anymore of his ilk. He’s not the first dog I’ve lost and he won’t be the last but crikey, I think he’s proven the hardest to say goodbye to. I will miss him terribly. And walking away with that collar and lead never gets easier. I truly am heartbroken, more so than I think I’ve ever found myself when in this situation before. He was just so bloody special.

Every time we crossed paths with a variety of traveller gentlemen they routinely touted for his stud services and upon my refusal, offered me everything from cobs to caravans in order to buy him. If there is some sort of canine Valhalla out there then I hope it’s full of all the lovely lurcher and whippet bitches I deprived him of getting his leg over with in life.

Thank you for all of your continued support.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I’m so sorry. It sounds as if had a perfect last few hours and that’s all we can hope for .

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I'm so sorry that the vet couldn't help him. It is extremely hard when you lose them young, as I know from experience but you did all that you could. He was a fortunate dog.

 

[P3LH]

Thank you. It was believed to be a very aggressive tumour in his abdomen which had in turn spread to bones. The sudden and abrupt loss of mobility and issues with toileting etc were the secondary part of this terrible situation it seems. We didn’t pursue further to find the exact semantics regarding the tumour etc as it was clear what was going on and where we were at. I ended up seeing my usual vet after the interlude of the rather interesting character last week - and as always, they were wonderful.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

I'm so sorry. Please take care of yourself.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I am so very sorry to hear this update. I lost my 'special' collie nearly 4 years ago now and can't honestly say I am over it. There is always one. Glad you got to spend some special time with him before the end. He was beautiful.

 

[splashgirl45]

what bad news, i was hoping you were going to have him happy and comfortable for a bit longer. its so hard when they are younger, look after yourself and remember he is fine now..xx

 

[CorvusCorax]

Sorry for your loss. Sounds like a fitting end, after a wonderful life.

 

[Bellasophia]

I’m sorry to hear you lost your special boy.You did the best you could,for him The roughs are a beautiful ,graceful dog,I enjoyed seeing his photos and posts.

 

[View]

I’m so sorry.

 

[brighteyes]

You can't really argue with cancer and you weren't given any options here. I'm sorry the run up was so hard to gauge, giving you hope then smashing it to pieces.

You did the absolute best and right thing and I hope you can think of him and smile very soon. I'm so sorry.

 

[Sandstone1]

So very sorry. Its so hard.

 

[DressageCob]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I liked your post for the beautiful tribute to your handsome boy. He sounds like a very special lad who was very well loved.

 

[AmyMay]

So sorry for your loss ?

 

[P3LH]

Thank you everyone. It is terribly quiet without him. My cousins young son said to me this evening ‘I don’t remember you without a cooper behind you. Who is going to trip you up now or lie on top of your feet whenever you stand still for a minute?’ A question I definitely find myself asking myself this eve. The other two are very quiet without him indeed.

 

[Books'n'dogs]

I'm so very, very sorry. Take care of yourself.

 

[Moobli]

I’m heartbroken for you Luke ?. Cooper was indeed a special boy in so many ways. It’s a hard loss to come to terms with but take heart from the fact he had a wonderful life and a family who loved him enough to know when to let him go peacefully. It’s the hardest decision of them all but you kept to your end of the bargain and he’d thank you for that.
Take care of yourself, and we are here if you need to talk x

 

[P3LH]

I’m heartbroken for you Luke ?. Cooper was indeed a special boy in so many ways. It’s a hard loss to come to terms with but take heart from the fact he had a wonderful life and a family who loved him enough to know when to let him go peacefully. It’s the hardest decision of them all but you kept to your end of the bargain and he’d thank you for that.
Take care of yourself, and we are here if you need to talk x

Thank you. You of course will be able to remember my long wait for him to come home - the diamond in the rough, after my many months of trying to find an old fashioned rough. Where should one turn up but along with four other roughs in a litter of smooths! First known as breeze and then cooper for his Alice cooper clockwork orange make up markings around his eyes! And what a dog he turned out to be, in every way. He was worth the wait - scared of absolutely everything from bumblebees to kittens (all of which he perceived as some sort of threat that might kill him, especially chickens - and in particular bantams, they got the most cautious side eyeing a I have ever see ), yet somehow the most mellow and easy going dog that just took life in his stride. I always remember his first ever walk, he’d never been on a lead before and I was intrigued as to how he’d be - he walked by my side calm as they come and didn’t even bat an eyelid at twelve weeks old, as if he’d done it his whole life. That was the way he continued to live his life. There really won’t be another like him I don’t think.

It saddens me the last week was so rubbish, no eating, the toileting issues, the mobility issues snd then everything just going south / but we had a lovely last day. No medication to be forced upon him, just all sort of meandering around the house and through life together as we always did.

Dear old Hunter made a howling noise that I’ve never heard a dog make when I allowed him to sniff his collar and lead afterwards. They had handbags at dawn fights nearly every day, bickering mostly - like an old married couple, but they came as a double act and I do worry how he will be without him. Corgi Sherman tank hasn’t quite figured out what’s going on, but hasn’t moved off his bed since dinner time last night and is quite happy to make it known she won’t be doing so until she is ready.

I didn’t sleep much last night but felt I was perhaps doing a bit better than yesterday, until I went downstairs this morning and then sprang a leak. I am always very sensible and pragmatic when it comes to losing pets, and with something like cancer it’s an opponent you really can’t win against and I accept that - but it’s really tough without him. And tougher to think that this last week of trying literally everything and anything still ended up here.

I spoke with his breeder yesterday, who we kept in touch with - and they were devastated too. He was the one they picked to keep at birth, but then he fluffed up. They still stuck by that barring fly away ears, and wearing rough pyjamas - he was the best ‘smooth collie’ they bred. Equally I think they were surprised at how resolute I was that another collie couldn’t stand in his shadow, and would just pale into insignificance so I won’t have anymore. He really was just a one off. In many senses.

 

[Moobli]

Thank you. You of course will be able to remember my long wait for him to come home - the diamond in the rough, after my many months of trying to find an old fashioned rough. Where should one turn up but along with four other roughs in a litter of smooths! First known as breeze and then cooper for his Alice cooper clockwork orange make up markings around his eyes! And what a dog he turned out to be, in every way. He was worth the wait - scared of absolutely everything from bumblebees to kittens (all of which he perceived as some sort of threat that might kill him, especially chickens - and in particular bantams, they got the most cautious side eyeing a I have ever see ), yet somehow the most mellow and easy going dog that just took life in his stride. I always remember his first ever walk, he’d never been on a lead before and I was intrigued as to how he’d be - he walked by my side calm as they come and didn’t even bat an eyelid at twelve weeks old, as if he’d done it his whole life. That was the way he continued to live his life. There really won’t be another like him I don’t think.

It saddens me the last week was so rubbish, no eating, the toileting issues, the mobility issues snd then everything just going south / but we had a lovely last day. No medication to be forced upon him, just all sort of meandering around the house and through life together as we always did.

Dear old Hunter made a howling noise that I’ve never heard a dog make when I allowed him to sniff his collar and lead afterwards. They had handbags at dawn fights nearly every day, bickering mostly - like an old married couple, but they came as a double act and I do worry how he will be without him. Corgi Sherman tank hasn’t quite figured out what’s going on, but hasn’t moved off his bed since dinner time last night and is quite happy to make it known she won’t be doing so until she is ready.

I didn’t sleep much last night but felt I was perhaps doing a bit better than yesterday, until I went downstairs this morning and then sprang a leak. I am always very sensible and pragmatic when it comes to losing pets, and with something like cancer it’s an opponent you really can’t win against and I accept that - but it’s really tough without him. And tougher to think that this last week of trying literally everything and anything still ended up here.

I spoke with his breeder yesterday, who we kept in touch with - and they were devastated too. He was the one they picked to keep at birth, but then he fluffed up. They still stuck by that barring fly away ears, and wearing rough pyjamas - he was the best ‘smooth collie’ they bred. Equally I think they were surprised at how resolute I was that another collie couldn’t stand in his shadow, and would just pale into insignificance so I won’t have anymore. He really was just a one off. In many senses.

Such moving words. My screen has gone all blurry ? I long admired Cooper He couldn’t have asked for a better life.
Certain dogs just “get you” despite loving them all. It’s coming up to two years since I lost Zak and it still hurts. Hugs from me and please keep sharing your beautiful photos.

 

[TheresaW]

So sorry. Xx